Been Shopping at Ramona's Etsy Store Again and A Meeting Today.....

I just love everything Ramona makes and I have been shopping away in her Etsy store again.  She has it stocked to the brim right now, so go here and take a peek.

Cute burlap pillows (words on one side darling fabric on the other)

Adorable burlap stamped bean bag pillows 

Look at all of these.........an adorable cow spotted pillow, a childs sampler pillow, a  long house pillow, and a smaller house shaped pillow.  They are all so CUTE!  These have moved all around the house, but I am really liking them on top of my magazines in the basket.  Thanks so much Ramona!! 

Also, I am so excited because at this moment it looks like it is working out to meet a favorite Oklahoma blogger, Vintage Girl at Heart, late this morning.  It will be a quick meeting, because she will be going to meet her daughter on her school field trip.  But, we are going to take some time to go to a store she has been wanting to see called Cloverleaf blogged about here and here.  I have talked to several blogging friends on the phone, but this will be my first time to actually meet one of them....YIPPEE, I am so excited!!

What's Blooming and Thanks Lindsay and Jessica.....

Baskets of petunias

Day Lilies have gone bloomin' wild this year!

My fabulous hydrangeas.  I planted these at the end of last summer and diligently kept them watered.  They made it through the winter and are now putting out some beautiful blooms.

A little part of the new backyard bed. We definitely need a lot more plants and mulch.  These are some marigolds....I plan on getting more.  There is also a new spider plant in the hanging basket and a cute little iron birdfeeder.

Here is a close-up of the iron birdfeeder.

I also wanted to thank Lindsay and Jessica from The Cross Stitch House for sending us a gift from London, England.  They saw how Lexi had made hair clips from guitar picks and sent her some.  She LOVES them and said thank you very much.  Also, they sent us a London Underground fold up tote bag and map.  It is so interesting to look over it all.  Be sure to go visit their blog because they are always showing fabulous places from around their area.  Again, THANK you so much, you are both sweethearts!♥ 

Oh, and one more thing you may have noticed.  Lexi was tired of her straight hair and either wanted to cut it or get a perm.  She got a spiral perm right before recital.....gosh is it easy and we all think it looks really cute.    

Dance Recital (Pointe)......

Here are pictures from Lexi's pointe dance.  They danced to Music Box Dancer and she was the center dancer.  If it looks a little chaotic in the pictures, at the first of the song, the music box dancers were all doing "their" music box dance.  Then they danced together through the middle of the song, then went back to their music box places.  It was really pretty.  We have also found out that Lexi will be moved to the top level of ballet/pointe this next year.  Soooooo, she will be in 6th grade with the rest of the dancers in high school.  There might be a couple of more moved up and they would be 8th graders, but the teacher isn't sure yet. 

Hope you are all enjoying a beautiful day.♥

Menu for May 24-30, Review and Easy Southern Banana Pudding.....

Be sure to visit I'm An Organizing Junkie for hundreds of menu plans for the week.  Blue names are linked to a recipe.

• 
  
  Monday - Grilled Cheese sandwich, potato salad, chips
• 
  
  Tuesday - Cheesy Macaroni-Beef Skillet (new recipe), green beans
• 
  
  Wednesday - Grilled chicken or pork chops, mashed potatoes, pork-n-beans
• 
  
  Thursday - Hamburgers, chips
• 
  
  Friday - Chicken Spaghetti (new recipe), salad, french bread
• 
  
  Saturday/Sunday - leftovers or grill out

Review of last new recipe:

   

Enchilada Casserole - YUM....delicious and the leftovers were fabulous!

Also, my parents were here last week and we cooked some.  Look at this delicious dinner my Dad made one night.  Bell Pepper casserole, squash w/bacon and garlic mashed potatoes....YUM.  Thanks Dad!

After the delicious meal Dad made, my Mom made dessert. So easy and yummy.

2 1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg (5.1oz.) Jell-O Banana Cream Flavor Instant Pudding

approx. 30 Nilla Wafers

3 bananas, sliced

1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping

Arrange layer of wafers on bottom and up side of 2 qt. bowl: top with layer of sliced bananas, repeat layers 1 to 2 more times.

Mix milk and pudding, then pour over the top of the layers (it will seep right down through the layers).  Refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Serve with a dollop of cool whip

DELICIOUS!!!  Thanks Mom!

   

Dance Recital (Lyrical).....

These pictures are from Lexi's lyrical routine.  Lyrical is a combination between ballet and jazz.  Edited to add:  The song they danced to was Silent All These Years. Look at her jump high in the air!  Lexi has decided she is not going to take lyrical next year but will take jazz instead. 

This was supposed to be a FULL DRESS rehearsal.  Notice something in a couple of the collage pictures?  Was I mad?   YES!  The girl wasn't feeling well and didn't want to put on her costume.  I have already complained and I'm SURE that won't ever happen again.  If you are too sick to put on your costume......you are too sick to dance!  I really feel sorry for the parents that had Seniors dancing because this girl is in many of those classes.  So, the last dance pictures they were taking had this girl, not in costume (and to us and I heard many other complaints) ruining their pictures.  Not right AT ALL!

 

I'll show you her pointe pictures next.  Hope you are having a wonderful Friday.♥

Recital Weekend (Ballet)....

Thanks for all your well wishes.  Lexi felt a bit bad for a couple of days but bounced right back....YAY.  Maybe she was just exhausted after the recital weekend.  These pictures are from ballet.  They danced to Carry Your Candle.  I still need to get her dressed in her costumes and take better (still) pictures.  You can click on any collage to enlarge.  

I have to tell you a funny story.  The teacher got battery operated candles to turn on and do the dance with.  BAD idea.  They were glass.  About seven of them got broken before she gave up, went to the store and bought real candles and wrapped the top with a sparkly pipe cleaner.  This is during rehearsal and at one point Lexi gives her candle to another little dancer that goes off stage.  When that dancer comes back on stage she is supposed to give Lexi her candle back, but forgot to bring it, so Lexi just pretended she had it.  You know.......the show must go on......  For the three actual performances, it all went just fine with no forgotten candles!  During this dance Lexi has a small solo part and the next collage is during that part.

 

She is a gorgeous dancer and such fun to watch.  I'll show you Lyrical pictures next.

Feeling Crummy......

Sorry I have been missing but I had a migraine yesterday and had to just sleep.  This morning it feels better, but I'm not sure yet if it will get bad again.  Lexi is also trying to get sick, her throat is bothering her.  BUT, soon I will show you more pictures like this!!

Thank goodness we all felt fine through the recital weekend.♥

 

We Planted in the Front Bed.......

I wanted to show you how the front bed has turned out so far.  You can see here where my hubby tilled it up for me.

I bought mostly Knock Out roses but decided to try a couple of others also.  I bought two Garden Party Roses and one Spartan Rose.  These three roses were on sale for $7.50 each so I figured if I didn't do so well with them it wouldn't really matter too much.  Our sweet Mama Kitty had to help us.

Here it is all planted and I think it is beautiful!  I will add a few more Knock Out roses when I can.  I also moved my little Angel Girl to this bed.

We also put some solar lights in the bed.

The curb appeal is coming right along!♥

Broadway Kids......

Lexi loves performing on stage and with that being said, she really enjoys being a part of Broadway Kids.  She has been in the summer play the past two summers and decided she wanted to be part of the "group" for the whole year.  They had to audition and get selected.  The kids are from 2nd grade through high school and are separated into four groups throughout the school year to practice.  Second and third grade, fourth and fifth grade, middle school and high school.   They did four performances in a small, packed out theater and it was great.  Each year the children also decide on an organization and donate money from the benefit performance to them. 

These are all the children in Broadway Kids.  I believe I heard there are 65.  Lexi is in the middle row about in the center with a bright blue tank under her shirt.

Here she is up close.

Click here (it takes a few seconds for it to start) for one of the songs Lexi performed.  It is Thank You Very Much and performed by 2nd through 5th graders.  Lexi starts about in the center in the second row but quickly comes to the front row for most of the song.  Below is a letter that was e-mailed to us from the Rite Care Clinic. (click to enlarge)

  

We are fine.....

For those of you seeing all the tornado's that happened in Oklahoma this evening, just letting you know we are fine in our area.  We did have to go to the storm shelter when they were blowing the sirens but none hit right here.  North of us, there are about 33,000 people without electricity right now.  So far, there have also been four fatalities confirmed in the State.   I have checked with several other Oklahoma bloggers and they are fine, but without electricity.

Thanks for all of your concern.♥ 

Menu for May 10 - 16 and Review of Last Week's New Recipes....

Be sure to visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for hundreds of menu plans for the week.  We will be recital~ing from Friday night through Sunday so we will probably be grabbing things out to eat.  Remember linked recipes are in blue.

• 
  
  Monday - Crock pot Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn
• 
  
  Tuesday - Grilled Pork Chops, applesauce, baked beans
• 
  
  Wednesday - Enchilada Casserole (new recipe), re fried beans, chip/salsa
• 
  
  Thursday - Hamburger Helper Salisbury, green beans
• 
  
  Friday - Hot Dogs, fruit, chips or Eat out
• 
  
  Saturday / Sunday - eat out

Review of last week's new recipes :

Corny Salmon Cakes - DELICIOUS!  I will definitely be making these again.

Peach Chicken - Again DELICIOUS!  YAY, two wonderful new recipes this past week.

I have lots of things I hope to share with you soon.  A Broadway Kids (Lexi's song/dance group) song (finally uploaded), another dance competition, Etsy love and we planted in one of the new beds.

Oh, and one other thing......Lexi gets out of school in 8 more days!  WOW the year went by fast! 

Hope you are enjoying your Monday.♥

Can You Tell Me What This Plant Is????

Thanks so much....you all are the BEST!!  It is a Yucca.
Two of these were planted several years ago.  I guess I thought I would remember what they were.  I don't.  Can any of you help?  This is up close.

It also shoots up a pinkish stalk in the middle once a year that opens.  Also, some of the buds on it start looking like little tiny pumpkins.

Thanks so much for the help.♥

LOOK what hubby did.......

I have decided (after seeing so many of your BEAUTIFUL gardens) I really want to plant some blooming plants and more Knock Out roses and after whining talking about digging up a couple of beds, Alan rented a tiller and did it!  This is in front of the garage. 

Hubby working away tilling then putting the edging around it.  I was out there pulling up the clumps of weeds and grass and filling up the wheelbarrow.

Look at it now!!  WOOHOO.  I want it filled NOW but it will take a while, planting as I can afford it. I also need to amend the soil with some compost and richer planting soil. It is also a FULL sun bed so lots of water.  Our temperatures here in the summer get really hot so I have to water a couple of times a day.

My other bed I wanted is in the backyard in front of this fence.

This bed gets sun in the morning, then turns to mottled sunlight (as you can tell from these pictures), then shade in the hot afternoon sun.

Look at it now!!  What fun I am going to have filling both of them up.  I'll definitely show you pictures along the way.

Hope you are all having a great Thursday.♥

Rock-n-Roll Heaven.......

Since I can't get a song to upload (I'll try again later this week) from Lexi's Broadway Kids performance, I'll show you what my mom, dad and I did on Saturday night.  We went to a tribute show for Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and Elvis called Rock-n-Roll Heaven.  It was GREAT!!!

Buddy Holly

Roy Orbison

Elvis

The Tribute Group together

You can click on the picture if you want to read about the performers.  They were all fabulous!!!!  We have several theaters in town and we get some great shows.  Coming up in this same theater later this month is the comedian Gallagher and in June a Country Legends Tribute Concert - Tribute to Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings 

Menu for May 3rd - 9th and Review of Last Week's New Recipe......

Be sure to visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for hundreds of other menu plans for the week.  Linked recipes are in blue.

• 
  
  Monday - Fishsticks, mac-n-cheese, green beans
• 
  
  Tuesday - Grilled Kielbasa, mashed potatoes, baked beans
• 
  
  Wednesday - Corny Salmon Cakes (new from last week), broccoli w/cheese, rice
• 
  
  Thursday - Peach Chicken (new from last week), pasta, salad
• 
  
  Friday - Pork Roast, carrots, potatoes
• 
  
  Saturday/Sunday - leftovers or eat out

You can tell I got off the menu last week, but the two new recipes I wanted to try last week are on this week. 

Review of last weeks new recipe:

Fruited Tuna Salad Pitas - I did manage to make one new recipe while my parents were here.  We all agreed this is DELICIOUS!  It will be a great summer (fancy) tuna sandwich.  It would also be fabulous for a ladies get together.  I couldn't find pita bread here, so I used the new thin sandwich bread.....love it!

I had so much fun with my parents but it was a very short visit.  They will be back in a couple of weeks though for Lexi's dance recital.