Sunday Inspiration And Love

This about sums it up for me today:

image via Pinterest

My basil plant. The smell of this just makes me happy and relaxed. However, when I try to have one indoors in the cold months, it always attracts those nasty flies. 

Back porch view here. It's pretty. It's also 100+ lately during the day. Sigh. Too bad it's too hot to enjoy it..now. Still..lovely.

Right before a huge storm on Friday. Someone wise once said "If you don't like your view in the moment, look up." I agree. Always seems to put things into perspective!

Curtis likes the view too!

Happy Sunday All! It's dirty armpit hot here....and seems like it's only going to get worse. I really wish I had a pool about now. Maybe I'll buy the dogs a cheap Mr. Turtle this week?

Holla!

xoxo~

T

The Next Time You're In Nebraska...

Specifically YORK, Nebraska..Go here!

There was a sweet older woman who worked the drive thru. Let's be honest, she ROCKED the drive thru. Brad ordered a mocha and she sweetly told him "I put a whole candy bar in there!"  Sounds terribly good and unhealthy. Again, I say YES!



I have an obsession with small towns and coffee houses. I am not embarrassed to say that I made my hubby drive by here on our way BACK from Colorado so I could photograph it.  I will also go on record as saying: I think Nebraska is beautiful. In its own way. It's no Colorado and doesn't have that kind of beauty, but it's pretty. When I lived in Arizona and would roadtrip "home" to Minnesota in the summers, I always cried once I got to Nebraska. It would suddenly feel humid and smell of corn and it was home to me. Always will be.

Next up..somewhere in Iowa. Iowa is so pretty. Especially the southwestern part. So many windmills! I did research after we returned because they have sooo many windmills and...apparently around 18% of the state's electricity comes from wind power. I find that exciting!

Who knew rest stops could be soo pretty? Are these black eyed susans? It was above 100 degrees when we stopped here and on the way out I said "Brad! Get into those flowers!" and he was hot and annoyed and said "YOU get in those flowers!" and I said "I don't want a picture of me!" and needless to say...he was too hot and possibly annoyed with my mad photography SKILLZ on said day...and is nowhere to be found in photos. I had envisioned him in the flowers a la Anne Geddes style.  No dice. But the flowers...lovely.

In other weekly  news...Emerson had his last soccer game this past week. Crazy Dino's season is over! I always referred to them as "Fighting Dino's" as a  secret nod to Fighting Irish. Yes, we do have some irish in us via Granny McDaniels!  Here is his trophy. He was told by his coaches that he's one of the team's most valuable players AND we now have a button of him. Brad is wearing the button in this pic. So cute. Can you tell we really need to have kids of our own?

We've also just been hanging with the dog babies since returning. I don't think they were huge fans of us being away for a good week. We did learn a few tricks from the Hidden Acres Pet Ranch...kong dog balls filled with peanut butter, put in freezer during the day and used as a "turn down snack" before bed! Genius! Keeps them both busy for a good 20 minutes and makes them tired!  Here we all are watching Season Five of "Weeds". I need to touch up my blackish roots but the heat makes me not care so much. Is that bad?

I leave you all with this TEASER..BRAD made homemade, from scratch PINK LEMONADE CAKE! He found the recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It. Is. Delicious. I think I may have asked him "What's it like to be good at mostly everything AND have perfect skin?" My best friend refers to him as "LBS" as in "Loves Baby Soft" because his skin is baby perfect. 

He's back to work for the next week. I fear a sugar conniption coming on...

Holla!!

Rocky Mountains Part Two

Yes, there are more pictures. Always more! I have a few cute pics of me and of me with Brad and then...many, MANY terrible ones. I told my best friend "There are even a few where I look like a Nordic man...are you and Brad BLIND?" and "This is why it's always good to really work on your innards!" I digress.

This little nugget was found at a gas station somewhere in Nebraska. I thought it was pretty sage advice:

Can't argue with common sense. It was about 105 degrees when I took this..fyi.





Have you seen a cuter window-washer recently? I have not. I heart Brad.

We didn't eat here, but I did stop to pee. I just love the look of it...and had I been hungry and had we not stopped oodles of times for gas and said urinating, I would like to think I would have eaten a BLT here with a vanilla coke.

On our way up to Estes Park.

I have to say that when this much beauty surrounds me, it's hard to even remember why or how things bug me. Brad asked me about something during this trip and I said "Honestly, it's so amazing here that I haven't even thought about that in a few days." THAT is also a good vacation!

We do a lot of self photos. For the first time in a few years, we figured out how to use the TIMER on our camera! So we used that a bit because it was fun with me yelling 'NO, NOW! Get back here! Five seconds!" We even had someone ask "Can I take your photo for you?" Us: "Nope, this is fun." Weirdos, we are. Yes. Easily entertained?

Estes Park. This town was super cute and beautiful, but a bit too touristy for me. Too many t-shirt shops and stores selling junk. To me. I understand if others like it. We stayed five minutes away from all of this and I liked it much better. Pretty, just not for me.


Estes Park Sock Tree for Kim. I don't understand it but tried not to question the how or why.

I find this kind of beauty humbling, inspiring and proof that God does exist. 

Bradders. This picture makes my heart happy as he had hip surgery last September and is finally up and around. 

I simply love this. It's beautiful. We didn't want to bother the tree by adding our initials and didn't think it important, but seeing this made my heart happy. Wonder if these couples are still together, alive, etc.??

From 90 degrees to 55 degrees in less than 48 miles. That was pretty cool. I loved it up here minus the terrifying roads with NO GUARDRAILS. Seriously. How many people just drive off the road? When I took my first roadtrip through Colorado (through the mountains, I had always just driven through the east side.) and asked a guy "How scary is the drive?" He replied "It's okay. We lose some people every year at the Ouray Pass because they drive too fast, hit a goat and go off the edge." ???? Stuff that you can only find out from locals! It's like when I lived in Sedona. People regularly wear the wrong shoes, fall off of rocks and die there. It's bad for tourism so no one really talks about it. I digress. The point? Listen to the locals! I have a respect for scary mountain roads that are unfamiliar!

The coolest thing about being up here...the various animals. The flower and plant life in such a harsh environment. Apparently the grow season for some flowers is only 40 days! Also..we saw a bee pollinating a flower at 11,000+ feet. That was pretty amazing. I would be remiss if I forgot to mention that we also had a fly travel with us from middle Nebraska TO Colorado. Talk about hitching a ride! I think that needs to be made into a kids movie, but another time, another day!

Off to dinner! If I get the guts, I may just post all of the vacation uglies..pics that is.

Wishing you all a lovely evening!

xo~

T

Return From Paradise!

That would be Colorado!

FANTASTIC trip! So much fun. Bradders is a good husband AND a fun travel buddy.

We had lots of great conversations, lots of great food. I had my first Rusty Nail at 7,500 feet. NOT recommended when you come from just above sea level. We both had altitude sickness the first night in Estes Park & that drink was just a dumb idea. As my BFF used to say when she was a little "That's just dumb! D-O-M!"

More to come..fun stories..following what looked like a cocaine covered Prius through Iowa (nod to The Other Guys with Will Ferrell...) and so much more!

Top pic of me and Brad in Estes Park after dinner at our hotel. Bottom...Rocky Mountain Park.

New friends made at every turn!!

I will say this: I am not much for heights. I like hiking. I liked being up here and walking around...nearly 12,000 feet. I used to live in Flagstaff, AZ and drove the switchbacks to and from work. THIS FREAKED ME OUT. Brad had to do all of the driving. No guardrails. At one point I said "Oh! We're at the top! Good!" and he pointed up and said "Nope. Not there yet." and the next part of the drive he said "You may want to close your eyes right now." Eek. He did tell me "you're not really afraid of heights because you walk around and are fine up there. You do not like CLIFF roads with no edge." Tell it like it is, Bradders. There was a point where he reached for a mint while taking one hand off of the steering wheel and I said "Seriously? Do you have to do that right now?" and from that point on he kept saying "Look honey! Hands at 10 and 2!"

Have a lovely evening! I have loads of laundry!

xxoo~

TT

Colorado Bound!

The Bradster and I are leaving for Colorado tomorrow morning! YaHOO!

He's only been there in the winter to ski. I used to live in Sedona, AZ so I'd head there regularly in the summers. SO excited to be there in the summer again! We will be roadtripping it & have an overview of what we want to do, but are also flexible and are just planning on heading to wherever feels fun, good and right. Minus the areas on fire.

Yeowww!!

We plan on camping here and there. It's really the only place I love to camp because..come on! The views! The nature. The splendor. Who cares if you're a bit dirty for a day with this kind of scenery? I also like to camp for a night/day...go to a hotel...camp..hotel.

Our garage sale was a success even though it was kind of tiring (the set up, the making $$ part is easy. It was sitting in our humid garage in 90++ heat that wasn't so fun.) and we picked the dumbest weekend to do it as everyone was leaving to head north for the holiday week...but we still brought in $200 so I say "That's a good day!"



In other news...we just started watching "Weeds" Season ONE (have never seen any!) and I'M IN LOVE!! Oh my godfathers...GREAT show! Hilarious. Smart. Clever. And my new fave song- the theme song "Little Boxes" and everything I find true about 'burb living. And I LIVE in the 'burbs right now so I know of what I speak and don't like. There are also things I DO like here..but some things..not so  much. "Made of ticky tacky..":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_2lGkEU4Xs

Catch you all in a week with hopefully great stories and beautiful photos!

HOLLA from the Mountains!

T

Ode To Kim. Kimster. Bott. Shazzeriffic. My BFF.

This will be rather short & for sure will be very, very sweet because it's about "my layday!"

Yup.

My best friend in the whole world..for 30++ years running...

Kimbolee!

Here she is on her wedding day. Isn't she pretty?

I  love her and this photo SO much that I think I MAY one day do an Andy Warhol photo collage of her. Kimbolee in CMYK? Why yes! Neons, yellows, black and white, reddish tint...it's gonna happen!

If you never read the comment section here, you are missing out. Why? Because she leaves the most hilarious commentary that is always spot on, thoughtful, random and  just very funny and extremely odd. So  odd. In the BEST way ever! She makes me laugh like no one else. We have a weird shorthand. We are first and foremost cousins who became best friends.

She had a life sized doll that she named Tina as a kid. I never knew this. It's not like when I headed over to play or for a sleepover I was greeted with "Tina! Meet Tina!".  Nowadays she says "I named my DOLL after you! How much did I LIKE YOU?" So sweet.

I feel very blessed to have her. She's my person. She gets me, gives great advice, is fair and honest and again..hilarious.

Let your freak flag fly, Kim!

Recent excerpt (not the whole thing) from her comments about a post I did. This will give you insight into her very original brand of funny. For instance (see below) "I will fashion the shims. You will use them." LOL. Who says that kind of stuff? She keeps me on my toes!

 Anonymous said...

Yeow!! It IS random and yet I ain't hatin' it! BAM! My comments will be JUST as random!

 You're all petite and pretty and yet you all still somehow manage to have the strength of a thousand angry night leopards. In the end times, if Curtis didn't kill birds for you, I'm sure you'd handily wrestle someone to the ground for the last can of creamed corn. The point is: I want you on my side. I will fashion the shims, you will use them.


In other news: I just ate 12 italian cookies.

And thanks! I guess my hunt for 3 gradually diminishing-in-size porcelain white elephants is over. Yay! You provide a service, and I want that service.

The way your life is going right now with Curtis and the birds and the wood ticks and the whatever-it-is that's pooping in your sandbox, it's very much like you're some kind of domestic, unintentional forest ranger. You should get a hat. Maybe pin one so Brad can buy it. As you know, I'm sorry you've had to witness bird destruction. It IS disturbing. I wouldn't be able to stop screaming.

And yes, Brad is a keeper! Always number one on the mate-selection list: "will this person spoon feed me the creamed corn I just wrestled out of that guy's hands?"

I luhs you and yer picture show! 

You keep me young, Kim! You keep me young!

Off to have our very own garage sale tomorrow and Saturday. Is it weird that I feel a bit odd about having peeps stare at all of my junk?

Taking it to the streets~

T

Porcelain Elephants And Random Thoughts And Times

You read that right.

When was the last time you felt like you needed to buy three porcelain elephants from Europe? At a cost of around $70 and they're definitely NOT a necessity AND you're about to head out for vacation?

I saw these on Etsy today & I can't stop thinking about them! Here's the link in case you must buy them as I will exert some self control:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/102788594/mid-century-modern-set-of-3-porcelain


Maybe it's because I just spent the past hour outside with the dogs and it's about 100 in the sun? Who knows? What I do know is I saw these and my heart sang! By the way..I moved our thermometer in the sun on our back porch to see how hot it was as it was 90 in the sun. It has gone beyond the hottest temp and is back at 60 degrees. Did the heat break it?

In totally UNRELATED news: Something (I think it's a cat!) is going to the bathroom in our firepit! In the sand! The dogs are continually drawn to it & I headed over there today and found...cat droppings. Good times, folks! I can FEEL the envy from some of you.

Also: Curtis the puppy: 5  Birds: 0. He has now killed five birds here in the past month. I couldn't talk about it for weeks because it was too upsetting. I have told a few friends that if these were Civil War times (anyone read "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier or did you see the movie with Nicole Kidman & Jude Law? She was starving on her farm until Ruby Renee Zellweger came & taught her how to feed herself, etc..) that Curtis could probably just keep the whole family going with his hunting. We have food, so it's very depressing. Aside from fake owls..feel free to let me know if you have any ideas..anyone?


I had posted this as one of my FAVE Pinterest finds about a month or so ago and...my hubby Brad surprised me by buying it for me! He said "I knew you'd never buy it for yourself, so I did."

It fits perfectly. Like a glove. And I THINK the money went to a charity. It was spendy. He is sweet. The cutest part? All of a sudden one night (during another bout with insomnia. "Things That Do NOT Work.") while he was at work and I was still awake, I received this notification from Pinterest "Bradley is following all of your boards." I found it..ODD. He's not very interested in Pinterest. I've tried to tell him about all of the things that one can find..alas..very little interest. So this was odd. I thought "Maybe he finally gets it!"  Apparently he couldn't figure it out, so he had a girl at work (Thank You, Elyse!) help him figure out how to buy it via Pinterest, etc. Bradders. Sweet.


Because I'm already all over the place with this post..why not go Balls To The Wall and just keep on with the unrelated everything?


I present to you November 2008. Grand Island, Bahamas. My sister and friend Eric a few days after our wedding. The Golden Girls are behind them playing cards. We loved that they were all vacationing together and in my mind I thought "We will all do this when WE are that age!"

Emerson. Same trip. He was five. He wore this life jacket pretty much 98% of the time. He was a nervous swimmer back then. He's really good now, but then...a bit scared and would tell Brad "Uncle Brad! Leave it on! This is NOT a toy!"

Emerson and his mommy. My sister Dawn. 

Our wedding reception. On the way in. It was lovely. Em was the ringbearer. Look at that shirt! He still wears it for special school occasions. It always makes me laugh!

I've always loved a good nap! My old townhome. I think I felt awful this day & Brad brought me a bag of donuts, Oprah magazines and ibuprofen! Good times, Terri! I knew then that I COULD marry him. You've got to be able to care for people when they're down, or what's the point?

I leave you with Canada in the evening. Ahhh. We usually go every summer. We're headed to Colorado next week for a road trip instead. Fires will not stop us! 

Seems like the perfect time for a lemonade with vodka EXCEPT that it's not even 2pm!

Happy Wednesday!

Did anyone watch the Tori Spelling craft show?!!

xoxo