0301 Eureka Springs, AR

March 1st.... We celebrated our 3rd anniversary by going to Eureka Springs.  It took some time to come up with a get away--we were trying to keep it to just a week-end trip--so that narrows it down with our location.  We took our time getting to Eureka--stopping at Flea Markets on the side of the road, bought Black Apples on the way that I later used to make Kent Apple Dumplings when we returned home. We stayed in a 'tree house'--which was really neat.  The entire week-end we never saw one single person.  It was the perfect get away...  We took our my favorite wine 'Polka Dot' and had our very own Happy Hour every night in the tree house before we would go in search of Dinner.  Our typical Day was sleeping in, going to a late breakfast, we would roam around downtown with all the shops--didn't buy much.. Kent got sunglasses and we bought lots of incense We Love Incense! We also rode around alot listening to CD's that I had brought and to the 70's from XM.  It was so relaxing... we would skip lunch and opt for Dinner.  We had some really good Italian Food--our favorite was a complete little whole in the wall in an alley called... Oasis (Tex-Mex--very authenic).  You were practically eating in the kitchen--Luved it!  Our tree house had a Jacuzzi tub and we were always to bed early...  Most relaxing get away I think we've ever had. We are usually so active on our trips.  This is just what we needed though......   We stayed 3 nights and dreaded to leave behind all the one on one time we had....  We stopped in a small town right outside Eureka that had like less than 1,000 people and had breakfast at this cute little diner. And then we took the long way home.. passing thru Rogers and Fayetteville.  All the way home, we were planning our next trip, thinking about the plans we have for the summer.  Planning our first Garden for this Spring....  We love to talk about all the things that we want to do, places we want to go and things that we probably will not get the chance to do..  We have alot of Dreams....

We did not x-change gifts this year--even when we do its usually something small.  We both have the same thought--it's never about Material things...   But this year we did happen to stumble upon something that we've always said we wanted--but just didn't want to splurge that BIG.....  More on That later....

Kent:  If/when you read this blog....   You are the best husband/ friend I could ever hope for....  I luv all the time we spend together....  I luv that we ride to work together, I love our Thursday Date Nights, I luv 'our nest' upstairs, our Friday's that we have off..  I enjoy your company so much.... We have so much fun, whether it's working on projects, going to Yard Sales/Estate Sales, Camping, or just hanging out. You always embrace my thoughts, hopes, and Dreams and live them out with me.  But most of all I love You!

February and Lots of Snow....

We had more than a few snow days... We had fun on our first day... Me and Kent stayed home to hang with our youngest son Baylie....  Rode the 4wheeler around the neighborhood, sled down the hill, built a snowman.  Made good soup and drank lots of hot tea and hot chocolate... and so enjoyed warming up in front of our Fireplace--it's seriously like my favorite spot in the house Nov-Feb.  That's the one thing I miss when Spring approaches... Baylie has a few snow days that will have to be made up--but it was worth it.. Those days are few here in Arkansas...

Because of all the snow/bad weather--we didn't do anything for V-Day this year...  Last year we had the best time ever.. We made what we call a 'palet' that's what my g-pa always called them when I was a kid.  Basically, a bed on the floor... We had blankets on the floor in front of the Fire Place, Chinese take-out and Kent surprised me with home made Choc covered strawberries.  Soooo good!  We don't do big gifts for V-Day...  I bought him a CD and gave him a pic of us and he got  me my favorite Candy and some new Red/Pink PJ's!  So, since then we had decided to invest in an air mattress for the next 'pallett'--but because we were snowed in with kids this year--we just did pizza and gave each other and the kids their fav V-Candy as a special treat!

Thru out Feb, I was researching for a week-end get away for our 3rd anniversary.....  We decided to not do anything 'Big' since we had purchased something 'Big' --More on that in the next Post.... :)

Christmas in July...... Not Really

Just now getting around to posting a few Christmas pics......

Christmas Eve....  A tradition at our home (This is mainly w/ our kids and friends that are really more like family)  We have tons of snack food, play 'Catch Phrase' which really gets every one wound up and usually there's some adult Rock Band...   This was a late night for us especially after clean-up and last minute stocking stuffing.. :)  Because we over slept--we ended up not fixing our Beignets that we had planned for the morning and skipped right over breakfast and opened presents with the kids and went to my Dad's for Christmas lunch --had a good time.    So we were able to make our way to both sides of the family and got to see just about everyone over the course of Christmas week--we also have three birthdays that week... mine, Kent, and his daughter Cesley.  We were off that week as well, so that was nice--we were able to relax and unwind.....  Just good times with Family and Friends...

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. Abraham Lincoln

Note:  This has been in my drafts since January.....  And just so I can look back and reflect I wanted to keep it.....

Not enough time... Too much time.. Which is it??  Between being in a 'winter funk' and telling myself that I don't have enough time every time I procrastinate or don't get my 'to do list' all checked off before I start the next one has been a real problem for me since the Holidays ended.  January was a tough month for me...  I really think I could benefit from light therapy during the winter months.  I thrive in the Spring/Summer.  That's when I'm at my best.  So, there you have it..  It took me till February to get my self together....  I finally snapped out of it...  So, thankful for my patient husband/best friend.   I made a list of things that I thought would make me feel better. We even did a notebook that has all of our projects, ideas, trips that we want to take and just things that we think of....  We love 'our' notebook.  That helped alot-to put it on paper and kinda free my mind up.  Next, I started decluttering... I've never been a pack rat, therefore, when things start feeling cluttered--it gets to me.  So, one weekend in Feb we cleaned the entire house from top to bottom... ceiling fans, light fixtures, baseboards, on and on... We've been in our house that we built about 18 months--so this was our first 'spring cleaning' that we've done.  I cleaned out closets, the pantry, cabinets, anything I could think of... Donated a ton of stuff.... I quickly found myself feeling so much better...  My mind was becoming clear again....  I was starting to feel better--like my self again....  I have vowed that next year, to ward these feelings off before they completely consume me..  It's still a work in progress... but as I see all the Bradford Pear Tree's  in bloom I know that Spring is near...  Warm weather, planting, flip flops, bike rides, and patio nights.  Aww... Now that makes me happy...

Catching up....

I will be posting alot of posts that I've had in my drafts for some time now....  Trying to catch up on what we've been up to the past 6 months....  I've been a little caught up in just 'life' and well, just haven't taken the time to post!

Wreaths and Margaritas

Saturday, Me and my friend Stacy hit some yard sales and then went to HL for some wreath stuff at 50% off....  Then it was home to have margaritas and make wreaths.  My husband and son were gone getting Duck Blinds ready....

Before Shot of wreaths that me and my friend bought at a yard sale for $1 each....

Look at all the stuff we got....

Stacy w/ a rita....

Ta dah....  Not the best picture....  This is mine went for kinda an Earthy look.... We have a thing for feathers in our wreaths this year..... We put them in our Fall ones also that we made....

This was her's... Very classy_lots of berries, poinsetta's and feathers of course...  Most of her wreaths have a hidden bird of some sort--that's her signature... :)

And my husband, Kent....  He came home to Tacos and home made guacamole --watched the game (Razorbacks of course) and put up w/ us laughing and all the mess we were making.....
We had the best day ever...  Found some unique finds--more on those later....

Camping with a Burn Ban.....

Me and Kent went on a camp trip this past week-end with some good friends to Maumelle Park.  We were very disappointed that we couldn't have a camp fire--we've been on a burn ban here for a few weeks.  Camping in the fall w/ no fire= one very cold momma.  We had fun, enjoyed the campground during the day and once the sun went down we enjoyed watching a movie in the camper and playing games.  We slept late and ate really good.  Food always taste so much bettter cooked outside..... A very relaxing week-end (guess you can tell--we were kid free)  :)  On the way to Wal-mart Sat to get stuff to make some spice tea (even hit a yard sale)....  Kent got a good laugh at that one....  But man did I score....  Good stuff for the camp week-end (Pictures to follow)

Here's our 2nd home--especially in the Summer.  We spend most of our summer camped at the lake....

SPICE TEA-- To keep us warm.....

1 jar unsweetened Lipton Tea (I use decaf)
1 Container Tang
1 Container Lemonaid
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 tbs Cinnamon

First time to make it and loved it! 

So, This is part of my SCORE.....
Story goes.. While at Wal-mart getting Spice Tea ingredients--thought about getting a coffee maker for the camper so we could have hot water for hot tea/hot chocolate without having to heat it up one cup at time.....    But decided I didn't want to spend the xtra cash--so I passed....  On my way back to camp.... Seen a Sale and of course I had to stop....  Coffee Maker in the Box $5.  Vintage Thermos $2 .... What are the chances?? SCORE!!

At the same Sale..  I got this game to keep in the camper..  Good for rainy days or cold nights without a campfire... :)  Perfect Condition--game was actually from like the 80's.  $3  We had so much fun playing it and Phase 10 in the evenings.

So, This was a deal in a sense...  We've been eyeing this grill at Kroger's for a couple of years.  We usually stick with Gas at home and save Charcoal for camping.  But, there's just something about Charcoal--makes the flavor so much better for ribs and burgers...  We stopped at the Kroger's by the Campground to get some Charcoal and seen that they were marked down.  The grates were a little rusty from being in the weather and there wer some loose screws--left over from the summer--so my husband decides we should ask the manager if he'll give us a deal on one??  (He's learning... Lol) and the Deal was Done ... Mgr sold it to us for fifty buckaroos!  We were so excited!  I even snagged some bags of  hardwood that were on clearance to go with it....

All in all it was a great week-end...  and I look forward to many more......