It wasn't broken but...something new for our butts

I thought this toilet goes so much better with the new tile we installed about eight months ago.  One thing always leads to another doesn't it. Hubby was not happy when I walked in with this box!  He would have no part of it.   So guess what? My 24 year old daughter and I now know how to install a toilet.  

Isn't it purty?

And an added bonus it has a self closing seat and lid.  Fancy smancy, I know your are envious.

Just incase you noticed the towel holder is an iron wall plant holder.

BEFORE

BETTER

Square tank with nice detail, plus matching detail around the base.

Kohler, Devonshire model, I found in stock at Lowe's.  You can have one too! No butts buts about it, I really do like it.

Happy Fourth table!

I love setting the dining room table before a holiday, any holiday will do.

Happy Fourth of July, we will be spending time at the lake!  

IKEA dark blue large bottom plate

Flea market and TJ Maxx red and white plates

Napkins - Tuesday Morning

Creamer collection put to use.  

My newest pudgy creamer below, flea market $8 deal.

Happy 4th whatever you are doing?  And feel free to pass the potatoes!

Summer has hit the backyard

Our back yard has gone green and beautiful.

I played with the aperture function on my camera on the caladiums.  Not bad.

These are new,  pencil boxwoods, they grow to four - five feet in height.  Lynn is starting them out in pots this summer and then will transplant to the yard somewhere.

The lariope has started to get tiny lavender blooms.

Goodness, every backyard should have a bonsai!

There he is, Lynn, the reason it all looks so good.  Yep, he has his coffee here every morning.

Thanks to whoever left my gift on my front porch, the note read "from one fairy Godmother to another fairy Godmother."  

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My Romantic Home

Pasta Salad - so easy

See it looking all pretty in the trifle bowl to the left of the lanterns.

I used:

 spiral pasta ~ 1 bag

Chopped 

zucchini - two

tomato - two

bell pepper - one red, one green

Green onion- three stalks

tossed with:

shredded Parmesan cheese

Ken's Northern Italian Salad dressing

Dried parsley

Black pepper to taste

Yes, my inspiration came from Pinterest.

You can follow me on Pinterest or go to this site.

The Cooking Photographer

Wedding Shower for Anna and Spencer

We were busy last weekend.  We helped host a shower for one of my best friend's daughter that is getting married.  They wanted a couple's shower and it was one of our most fun parties yet.

The soon to be newlyweds!

There was great food!

We went house shopping and everyone brought the lanterns they had around their house to help with decorations.  

The colors matched the invitations of red and aqua.  At the last minute I grabbed some blue mason jars and we slipped some of their engagement pictures in them.  

Some of the napkins we used! The old frame was used as a napkin weight.

There was a game, the guys loved it.  I know we are in Dallas but our friend Frank is a huge Bears fan and the party was at their home.  

More party fun, right next to the bean bag game.

Anna's new last name will be Chmiel (pronounced Camille, which is how it would be spelled if you were from Louisiana)  

The dessert island had key lime pie, triple chocolate layered cake and brownies.  

The lovely hostesses, it would have taken too long to round up all the guys.  

The Gasparro's house has a wonderful layout for a huge party.  The weather cooperated because we really needed to use the outdoor space with 70 plus guests. 

Part of the clean up crew at work!  Yes, my good looking man knows how to wash plates too!

The parties over.  Sure was fun and the happy couple has a great start to set up their soon to be home.  

Wedding shower decoration

At the last minute I thought our wedding shower needed a front door wreath.  A bunch of friends went together and put on a couple's shower for our best friend's daughter and fiance.

The couple will be living in Austin as you will see in one of their engagement pictures that I pinned to the wreath as I placed the wreath on the front door of the one of the hostesses homes.  

More pictures of the party coming up. 

Here is the little happy wreath in the shower colors we used.

I found a dollar tree wreath, you are going to cover it up anyway.  I really just needed the base for the flowers and didn't need a full sized wreath.  Found the flowers at Michael's in the shower colors of red and aqua.  Hot glue and one burned finger later....

Voila!

A fun way to great everyone and what a super cute bridal portrait taken of them in Austin. 

Congrats Anna and Spencer!

Farmers Market - Coppell, TX

We walked.  Every Saturday morning Coppell has a farmer's market.  It is about a mile and a half from our house.  Hubby asked to go!  I grabbed my walking shoes and a market bag.  I didn't have cash, but most all the vendors now have debit card swipe thingies on their phones.  Gotta love technology.

Coppell was never a large town, won't ever be either.  We will max out around 40,000.  All we have in our "downtown" is a few old buildings on one tiny corner.  So what do you do? You build a mini downtown.

These darling homes are being built around a square that will be home to the farmer's market and some retail shops.  The whole thing is about a four-five block area.

The home's really will be "darling", front porches and all.  I hope they move our fourth of July parade here one day.

There are a few original home hold outs.  This little one has been cute yellow since we moved here twenty years ago.  The corner below will be open for tours someday.

It was a great morning, oh yeah what did we come home with? TAMALES of course.  We are in TEXAS.  Fresh made in west Dallas.  Had them for dinner last night with fresh homemade guacamole.

NOW, if you made it all the way to the end of this post (lucky you) you get to see a sneak peek of the grand-twins new curtains for their nursery.  I made a trip to McKinney yesterday and spend a few hours with Ann Marie and Michael.  I forgot Ann Marie only had a hand me down sewing machine.  I did bring thread and the fabric. Thank goodness it still had the instruction manual.  I gave her the smocked rocking horse dress at their reveal party, if you missed it you can go here.

Next project ~ bumper pads and dust ruffles.  We'll have to make enough for two baby beds.  Ann Marie is 5 months along.  She felt the babes last week!  And has felt great the whole time, no morning sickness at all.  Just like her Mom 27 years ago. So if the babies come early like she and her sister did we only have three months left! YIKES!