Friday, May 30, 2008

SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!



OKAY I'M ASHAMED, TRULY ASHAMED BUT, "I HAD A BALL DOING IT!" Last week I weighed in at 168.2 and today I weighed in at 170.0, up almost 2 lbs. All week I've been on a non stop holiday binge. I've been eating like 90 going north, ribs, potato salad, ice cream, potato chips, cake, and all the diet food I could find. I couldn't stop myself, I never knew that food could taste so good, where have I been?. Now the sad part of it is that, I'm not done yet. My husband and I have a full weekend planned. We're going on a outing this Saturday with friends, and to the Comedy Club this Sunday evening. Already my plan is to eat something good on both trips. So I will be back on the train starting Monday. Forgive me friends I know you were pulling for me. I kept saying to myself, this is the last day I'm going to eat like this" but, I just kept going and going and going just like the energizer bunny. Next week I may have to double up on some exercising but I will make a come back and a Slam Dunk. (Maybe if I say that, I'll really hate to mess up). LOL! Stick with me, please and we'll see what happens next Friday. Deb

Thursday, May 29, 2008

My Patio Floor Project


This is my screened porch area, it will probably never be what I want it to be, because we only use it unless we're grilling. I have the pit inside so we won't be bothered by flies or other insects. What I really wanted you to see is how I did the floor.


I started out with green outdoor carpet which was boring. I bought brown porch paint, I think it was oil based. I used chalk, tape, and string, to make a circle. I taped the string in the center area and tied the chalk on the other end and drew a circle, then I shortened the string each time to make each inside circle, this you'll see in the area of the round table.


For the square designs, I just drew the lines with a yard stick. The painting of all areas only took about 3 hours tops. I really like how everything turned out.


The old metal glider and chair, I really love. When my niece bought her house, the owners before her left it behind and my niece had no use for it. It was her plan to sit it out for the garbage collectors. But, "I Was Jim Dandy To The Rescue, Baby" So then I said to myself, "I wish I had a chair to go with this" but I never thought I'd find one. Then one day we went to a family function over my cousin in laws, mother's house. And guess what? She had the chair! I asked if I could buy it, she only had the one, and she said yes!. Thanks, Mrs. Charlie, I really wanted that chair! Now get this, I saw two chairs to match it in the front yard next door to Thelma, one of the ladies in the social and savings club I'm in. I haven't confronted them though, because I figure since they have two they would be missed. But, I know where they are!


Okay, back to the rug, this solid brown rectangle area goes all the way under the grill not pictured here but, there's a picture of the grill on my previous post . I can seat 12 people comfortably out here and it's feels great in the Spring but, too warm for me in the day time during the summer, even though there are two ceiling fans. I don't want to have the area closed in with air conditioning because I enjoy the fresh air.

This shows how my flower beds are coming along in the backyard, I haven't spent as much time back here as I normally would due to the fact that I'm blogging now :O} The bed right in front of the screened area, I planted elephant ears, lilies, and some others. They're not doing so good yet, I believe it's because I use a weed killer in it and didn't wait long enough before planting but they're not dead yet, so they will survive.

This is the front yard, my husband has to use a riding mower or he may pass out dead.

This is the side yard where I have the kids swing set now, not pictured. The back yard area is behind the fence.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Holiday Pictures

Here are our holiday pictures, not everyone wanted to be posted on my Blog so there are only a few. We had great food, and the kids had a ball.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Cooking Out


Right now I'm getting ready for a long day of cooking, my sister and myself have taken on the task of barbecuing for the family. We found at the Piggly Wiggly, ribs they had packaged with three ribs to a pack. We asked that each family purchase one package of three, we will cook all the ribs and wrap two for each family to take home, we would then take the third and cut it into single bones to serve at the family dinner tomorrow. Now in all we will be grilling 24 slabs of ribs. Are we crazy? Totally! Will we have fun? Totally! I hope you all will be doing something great with your families this weekend. Let's remember to include thoughts of all our soldiers that have lost their lives in their commitments to keep our country free, and to pray for the families they left behind doing so. God Bless! Deb

Friday, May 23, 2008

Flowering Mailboxes ~ Special Delivery ~ And Me!


When we had our mailbox built I had them leave a planter on top. In it are some things I planted and some things I didn't. The green plants that you see on the outside rim I didn't, but they come back faithfully every year. They grow out really long and drape over but they grow to a certain maturity and start to die out. They are pretty in the process.

This is the full view, there are lights inside. Yesterday I walked to the front door and saw this....


The Mailman! I'd been expecting a package and his truck was just beyond the mailbox and right near the walkway. I told myself, it's here! Why else would he pass the mailbox. Then.......


Out he came! Yes! I said to myself it's here! I'd entered the contest over at Rue's Peanut Butter and Jelly Life to win a hand painted Birdhouse, done by none other than Rue herself. And I Won!


I thanked him, and didn't waste any time opening it. I was so excited!


It was a very special package. Rue even tied it with a ribbon that had her Blog's name. See!
There was also a card with a note for me.


It was very beautiful stationary, gold inside the envelope, and beautiful gold lettering. It read:
Dear Deb, thank you so much for entering my giveaway. I really enjoyed doing this for you. I hope you love it. Hugs, Rue


Do I love it? Yes I do! It has the trellis that's out front in my patio area, landscape lights and beautiful flowers.


She added my black shutters, and window boxes. Doesn't it look beautiful.


She even has a replica of the front stairs , the bench and one of my cement flower pots that I painted myself. I was so happy to be winner of this prize mainly because, Rue has been a friend to me from the time I started blogging. She offered to help me with any problems that I might have, and she did. She has also remained a faithful friend and visitor at my blog. So thanks Rue, for making this so special for me, because I see it as, a special part of you. Deb


Now for the drum roll! Yea, for me! Last week I weighed in at 169.8 and this week I'm weighing in at 168.2. I didn't lose as much as last time but, Yea! Yea Yea!. I don't know what happened but maybe I'll be a little more careful next time. I'm not giving up! Thanks again friends, thanks Marie, for even stopping by to check on me, and also for having even a slight interest in what I'm doing. I love your visits! Deb

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Old Drab, Turned New Fab, And Fun!


This is our downstairs den when we first bought this house.We had a fire back in 2002 that's why all the water is on the floor. This area is right below the kitchen. The fire started outside the dining room window on the end of the house and spread through the attic and down into the dining room, kitchen and laundry room area. The cause was Christmas lights that were around that window. We had a minimum of smoke damage because the fire was mostly in the attic but we had water damage into the downstairs den. Insurance covered all new carpet and the sheet rock in the back room that was in the back room but in the downstairs area but, that paneling was so strong it didn't even warp. So we were stuck with it still.

About 2 yrs later, I was watching HGTV's Room by Room and they did an accent wall where they used joint compound over the wall and painted it. It turned out beautiful. I wondered if I could cover the ugly paneling in the same way. It worked! If you look closely you can see the lines of the paneling but that doesn't matter to me because there is a continuous pattern through out. Above is a close up of the outcome.

I didn't stop until I had done the whole den, except the areas below the chair rail, I painted those areas with white trim paint. I also found fabric at Wal-mart for 2.00 a yd., which I had just enough to cover all three couch areas, which I did myself. The paint choice was Cottonwood, and I use Wal-mart paint. I went to the fabric store and found fabric to make the throw pillows shown.

About another 2 yrs went by and we added this little kitchen and powder room area. The work was done by my husband, my two sons, myself, the floor is raised into the powder room because the pump for the toilet is underneath.

The bookcase in the before picture, is now this. I had to scrape the ugly cork board from the walls and sand the plywood. I painted the back and the shelves white.

The stairs were carpeted but we had them change to match the hardwood upstairs. And all these walls are covered with joint compound as well.

I wanted a french door to the downstairs area because, sometimes being home alone I would always get spooked hearing noises down there and would be frightened to open the door to take a look. Now I just ease up, an peek down.

I did have down here set up as a den area, with pool table but when I had people over for gatherings there was never enough seating. My cousin Linda suggested that we use the pool table for seating. My husband and my son made a insert from plywood and it worked perfect. We now use the area for family and friends, I made the sign for our first Karaoke party and we had a Blast! Now everyone just calls it the King's Lounge.

This is the stage area, the front stage is for the lead singer and the left stage is for background singers. The stages are the platforms where the couch cushions used to be. Like in the small nook pictured below. We have a surround sound system and use the Karaoke machine for the sing along.

This large table is the pool table and all together this area can seat 35 people. The pool table seats 12. We can remove the insert to play pool if we're expecting a small crowd.

I tried to decorate in a disco theme for the party but, couldn't find a lot of decorations that I liked. So I added in a movie theme that matched the disco balls and I call it. Hollywood Disco.

This room off the main room used to be a Guest Room when the outer area was a den. Now it's for food and beverages and even a little dancing.

It has the Disco decor too, I added lights on the above boarder.

This is the view from the hall to the powder room, the long strip of movie film covers the electrical box. The middle squares have black and white photo's of events we've had.

View from the stage. We bought the chairs from a man that was closing a banquet room.

View into the kitchen area, sink and frig.

This is with the overhead lights out but, the pictures look as if there on but the only lights that are on are the lights in the little banner,

and the lights that are on the stage. My husband put in lights above the front stage but, has not yet put in the ones over the background stage. It may seem crazy, but it's so much fun. We are a family that loves to sing and we have a great time doing it. When I posted this room on RMS. Someone said "It may be fun, but it doesn't look very good". Since then I've made some changes, I've added all white, table cloths to give it a banquet feel and painted the background of the stages white and added different decorations. And it's good clean fun done at home.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Mother's Day Gift To Myself


Okay, these were my everyday dishes that are ready for retirement, tired huh? I fell in love with the pattern PERENNIALS by PFALTZGRFF, because of the garden theme, which is my thing. I saw them at Macy's but the China was way too expensive for everyday and I wanted something to go with my kitchen. Well I found the Stoneware at Wal-mart for a very small fraction of the cost, so I got platters and serving bowls as well. They have served us well but now, they're rusty and dusty and have over-stayed they're welcome. I wanted a change, so as I was browsing the Fingerhut Catalog and found a nice pattern, and decided that still being my "Garden Theme", they would be a perfect replacement and a wonderful Mother's Day gift to myself.

They arrived Saturday morning. Which was funny because I ordered them Tuesday and the CSR ask if I wanted to pay an extra 9.99 for express shipping, I said no, and he told me that it would take 7 to 10 business days, but they came in 4. Go figure, 9.99 saved.

OOH Pretty! This is a porcelain 47 pc dinnerware set with 18k gold trim. It's a service for 8 and includes 8 each: dinner plate, desert plate, bowl, cup and saucer,- plus a 7pc hostess set of platter, serving bowl, teapot with lid, sugar pot with lid and creamer. That's the platter shown.

Unpacking was so much fun, "there's something about getting a gift, even if it is from yourself", I heard one of you ladies say. And it's true!

This is everything, a it fits my kitchen well, it maybe a little busy but I don't care. No one to rate this space! :O)

Pictured with this is a gold rim glass, one of a set of 6 I bought a while back, which is not nearly enough, so another shopping spree is in order. I think the style of glass and the dinnerware look lovely together and will make everyday dining seem special. They would also be fine for my Ladies Club meetings. My Pastor always tell us, use your best for everyday ladies, what are you saving it for?, cause when you leave here, somebody's going to use it. And that's the truth! He's so funny. I always like pretty dinnerware because I like the presentation.

This is a flatware set that I saw in the Midnight Velvet Catalog, they are beautiful, with gold plated handles. It's a service for 12 but they maybe a little expensive for everyday. I would do better going to Mashall's or even Big Lots because sometimes they have very nice flatware, being a closeout store. But in any case, in order for me to accommodate my dinnerware I would have to buy two sets of flatware because.....

I BOUGHT MYSELF TWO SETS OF DINNERWARE, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ME! Now when "All My Children" come over for Sunday dinner it will be Mother's Day to me, always!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Dresses In Waiting


Remember in one of my Meme's I spoke of buying clothing, in sizes that I would like to wear hoping to be inspired to lose the weight? Well this is one of my purchases. It's a size 10, I thought what a lovely dress for going out maybe to a Christmas party, a Valentines dance, or just that little red dress for a night out for dinner with the husband. "Not yet"

It has it's own little space in the closet and has sat there for maybe 4 to 5 years :O( See, the tags are still on, already in a vintage bronze. I found this dress at Marshall's it was on clearance from 59.99 to I think I remember 29.99 you can't even make it out on the clearance tag now.

The straps are what really attracted me to the dress, so dainty, I have the perfect shoes to match now that I think of it but, it's to late now to add to the post.

Here's another dress that I bought, get this, "size 8". I thought it too would be nice for dinner out, candle lit table, making gooly eyes at my husband. It's sad, because I have such a weight complex I rarely want go out or think about romantic evenings, which is a loss to my husband. I find myself turning him down a lot because I don't have anything to wear. I don't want to buy anything in 14 or 16 so I only have a few pieces of clothing that I can wear. I now call those pieces my "uniforms".

Tags still here, I bought this dress at Stein Mart for 49.99, and it too has it's own little space in the closet. The straps attracted me to this one also, they have the tiniest beads that I thought would glisten under candle light.

See, they're beautiful. Maybe one day soon, I can take a photo in both these dresses for one of my post. There are more items mind you, maybe I'll show them in later post. Now for the drum roll. Last Friday I weighed in at 172.2 , today I'm weighing in at 169.8.

Yea for me!, slowly but surely, I'm on my way. I can't help but think that maybe I would have loss more if it weren't for that "Lemon Pound Cake" which ladies, I tell you turned out to be so very good that I made another one that, turn out to be not so good. LOL Which was a good thing. I do have to thank you ladies again for your prayers, thoughts of me, and encouragement while I'm on this very difficult journey, "the exercise is killing me". I know still, that you are the reason for my success.