coffee at 5 p.m....

and this mama could not go to sleep last night!  and when i finally was tired enough to sleep, i started coughing...and once i stopped coughing and fell asleep, i had HORRIBLE nightmares :/  good times...

it was around 4:00 p.m. yesterday, and i hadn't had coffee and def feeling it!  so, i went out for a small vanilla latte.  4:30 i have coffee in hand, but it's too hot.  so, i arrive home, chat w/ the neighbor (which i never do), got the girls inside, got them settled (snacks, drinks, scratch their back ;)), i realized it was 5:00 and i had maybe one sip of my coffee.  do i dare drink?  yes!  i did.  anywhoooo, the caffeine helped and i  started playing "catch-up" on this and that from my days of being sick w/ a man-cold (ha, that's for mr. dandy!).  so, around 11:00 p.m. i'm lying in bed and on my iphone...i'm on facebook and there's talk about the lemon tree and how i still have an hour to try and win some sweet giveaways!  the lemon tree is a group of fun, creative and stylish young ladies who offer services in party planning, styling, and all sorts of neat things!  and their fun giveaway was def a reflection of their great style!  so, there i was tweeting, facebooking, liking, copying, yada-yada-yada.  my point is they're EXTENDING the deadline until midnight tonight...

so go on, try to win some lovelies :)

and let's just pray sandy dandy gets a good night's rest tonight!!

ugh...

i feel like it's been one thing after another w/ me!!  this time i'm recovering from a sinus infection gone REALLY bad...so bad, i felt like i had the flu :(  i got smart this time and went to the dr sooner than later ;)  i'm on the mend now, and i wanted to share a great FREE app for any fellow allergy sufferers out there!

it gives you the day's allergy forecast (low, medium or high) and tells you what pollen is predominantly present.  it even gives you a 4 day forecast where you can find a "cold-n-cough index level", and if you suffer from asthma, there is an index level for you, too!  pretty nifty, huh?

thankfully, mr. dandy has been an AWESOME caretaker for me and the girls!  i was able to rest as much as i needed while he completely took over all parental duties :)  the girls enjoyed playing outside a lot.  i heard them laughing hysterically while i was lying in bed so i got up and looked out the window to see this...

no allergies here ;)

you must try...

this eeeeeeeeasy and deeeeeeeee-lish recipe!  let's just say even my mom said it was "delicious."  people...this very rarely happens ;)  we even had left-overs today and my four year old says, "mama, this is dee-lish-ous!  you make the best food in the world!"  **keeping that memory in a safe place**

so, basically it's a pork loin roast cooking in a slow cooker.  i got this recipe for crockpot salsa verde burrito bowls from www.mommacooks.net.  and i did make the whole recipe, but i am just going to tell you how to cook the pork as you can use it for whatever you want!...enchiladas, tacos, burritos, salad...put it on a baked potato for cryin' out loud!

i am going to add one very helpful step.  i always forget this and thought to myself how great it would be if recipes included this step...so here we go:

INGREDIENTS:
*2-3 lb pork loin roast
*1 16 oz jar of mexican salsa verde sauce

STEPS:
*LINE SLOW COOKER W/ LINER!!! (i forgot i had this wonderful thing and had the pot sitting for days soaking in water until my sweet mr. man scrubbed it clean :))
*pour salsa verde in slow cooker
*add one salsa jar of water
*place pork on top
*cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5
*shred w/ forks and DEVOUR!

aaaand you're welcome ;)

where have you been?

...i mean...where have i been?  wowza, it's been a while!  i have to say that i was out of commission for some time due to not feeling myself.  unfortunately, i ended up having a dry socket from one of my wisdom teeth extractions :(  and i didn't know it was in pain for much longer than i should have been.  i finally went back to the doc and started the healing process from that!!  so, recovering from that and doing my every day stay-at-home mom routine was enough for me!  i don't exactly enjoy blogging when i don't feel well, and i'm sure you don't enjoy hearing me complaaaaain...

so, last week i finally started feeling myself again :)  i'm starting to get back to me...cooking, getting creative and such.  and to be completely honest, during my blogging hiatus i rediscovered regular network programming!  the hubby and i decided to stop cable and now use hulu plus.  i'm loving it...my new shows are new girl, parks and recreation, smash and am eager to start watching downtown abbey.

i have two new recipes that i'm excited to share w/ y'all and some crafty projects, too!  just typing this post makes me feel happy to "be back" :)

i spotted this verse on pinterest tonight and wanted to share...so, i whipped up this little card...

i really wish i knew how to allow you to download things!!  anyone know??

love...

it's all about love.  love, love, love, love.  happy valentine's day lovelies.  i love all things lovely.  really.  the giving.  the receiving.  the beginning of love.  the nourishing of love.  the fact that love is unstoppable, uncontrollable and just THE MOST FANTASTIC thing about being a human.

"you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and all your mind.  this is the great and foremost commandment.  the second is like it, 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

 --matthew 22:37-39

how great is He that His greatest commandments are just so...lovely?  yeah, He's pretty awesome.

february's fab mama-jama is...

my girl mary.  i've mentioned this lovely lady several times in my blog posts, and i have been wanting to introduce this special friend to you for months now!  i was going to set-up a surprise afternoon get-away to her favorite restaurant (mai's) and flower her w/ peonies.  but w/ childcare issues, sick babies, sick mamas, daddies gone...it just wasn't in the cards.  i finally decided to surprise her anyway...a simple flower arrangement and dinner at her house (children playing, hubbies gone) had to do.

i know this all sounds like i'm courting my girlfriend, ha...and yes, i am, lol.  every woman knows how wonderful it is to have close girlfriends that you can always count on...someone to vent to, someone to ask for advice, someone to welcome their home to you b/c you just have to get out!  girlfriends understand hormones.  they understand the daily to-do's of being a mama.  and even if they don't understand they're always there to listen and support you.  my girl mary is that and more.  she's a devoted wife, loving mother and still nurtures her friendships.  i know friends come and go, but there are some that are in for the long haul :)

funny thing is i met mary in kindergarten!  we even grew up in the same neighborhood.  we were friends then, but as junior high and high school came around, we ran in different circles.  it wasn't until a few years ago when she and her husband moved back to the area that we became the friends that we are now.  we chatted, and we clicked.  she enjoyed the same things i did.  we found humor in the same things.  and we just felt at home around each other :)

waving at the camera at my (11th?) birthday party

on our way to see justin timberlake in concert (pre-babies)!

anyone who knows sweet mary, knows what a kind, caring and loving woman she is.  her dear friend racheal knows...

Mary has been one of my closest friend for over a decade. So many of my greatest memories include Mary. She is caring, funny, and nurturing. She is a wonderful mother to her beautiful daughters and an amazing wife. She loves the Lord and is a great example of what it means to be a woman of God. When she asks how you are doing, she genuinely wants to know the good and the bad. She is willing to talk through the tough things or just sit back and listen. She is a great friend. I am truly blessed to have her in my life. I love you Mary!!

meet mary...

*what did you want to be when you "grew up"*

Honestly, I never thought about what I would be when I grew up.  When I was in junior high and high school I thought it would be fun to be an interior designer...does that count? 

*what is your best memory of your mom?*

There are so many wonderful memories that include my mom, but the one that keeps standing out is when she cared for me after I had my wisdom teeth removed.  Those of you who have undergone this procedure know how unpleasant the recovery can be, and my mom jumped into action to make my experience very positive.  She even made ice packs out of tube socks!

*what do you do to relax?*

My methods of relaxation have evolved over the years.  Since having children, the way I like to relax is to watch some guilty pleasure television (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) and enjoy a cool glass of Chardonnay.

  

*what is your favorite activity w/ each child?*

My favorite thing to do with Abigail is to get her up in the morning.  I love opening her door and seeing that beautiful, pacifier-filled smile beaming at me.  We share some hugs and kisses and then begin our day!

My favorite thing to do with Loralai is singing her a song at bed time.  After my husband reads her a story, she always asks for mama to sing her a song or say a prayer with her.  I just LOVE that time together!

*you're a super friend, who always has the right thing to say and do for those in need...where do you think that comes from?*

My parents have always given me invaluable advice and counsel, and in addition to their words of wisdom they would reference scripture that pertained to my specific circumstance.

*what do you enjoy doing most for your friends?*

I truly enjoy giving my friends unexpected gifts.  Whether it be tangible gifts or acts of kindness, I just love doing things that make my friends smile and feel special!!

*what could a friend do for you that would just make your day?*

I love when my friends set up unexpected occasions to spend time together.  

and how awesome, she happens to have a business that allows her to party w/ her friends!

*what is your favorite part of selling stella & dot?*

...having an excuse to hang out with other women and share the fun jewels that S&D has to offer!

if you're interested in hangin' w/ mary and her jewels ;) contact her at maryweatherall@hotmail.com or check her website out at http://www.stelladot.com/sites/maryweatherall

marrrrry, you're a beautiful woman, inside and out!  your natural caring way is such a wonderful example to your sweet girls, and i just know they will grow to be beautiful young ladies like their mama :)  you put up w/ all my quirkiness, and you laugh w/ me in all my silliness.  and you always offer prayer anywhere and anytime time i need it!  i pray that you know how much i and many others appreciate your kindness and generosity.  your welcoming hugs, welcoming front door and welcoming love are only a few reasons why i love you girl!  thank you for being you!

oxox,

sandra

MIA...

got my wisdom teeth extracted.

need i say more?

check back tomorrow...i canNOT wait any longer!  the next fab mama-jama will be smiling at you from this blog, and i just bet you'll be smiling back :)

who's the next...

fab mama-jama going to be???  that's a good question!  i'm waiting on one special touch for each of the TWO mamas i have lined up.  sooo, you and i will just have to wait ;)  i just want their posts to be perfect and special :)

until then, i just want to mention what a fun time i had saturday watching my hubby, his brother and friend run in an unbelievable challenge called tough mudder!  my friend brooke (whose hubby was running w/ mine) and i cheered them on as they ran about 12 miles of cold, wet, rough, shocking (literally) tiring and awe-inspiring obstacles.  it was such an awesome feeling watching these men power on this rough ride knowing each one of them had been training for this day.  they got through it w/ the help of each other and well, two cute cheerleaders...

way to go fellas!

i had a huge feeling of pride watching my man "mudder on" and will get the opportunity to do so again this march.  crazy enough, he is up for the challenge again and is giddy about it like a little boy!  i'm glad he has found something that motivates him to stay healthy and have that great feeling of accomplishment :)  i'll stick w/ my crafts, cooking and things that are lovely...not muddy ;)

my patience was being tested...

and, i just had to walk away!  it was dinner time and it had already been "a day" (really an afternoon, but whatever)...daddy was in a late meeting, i had already told my youngest to sit down and turn around 50 times, and that same little one was not eating.  i would give sophia one bite and then walked to my lady lair.  i had hit my limit and had already prayed for an extra dose of patience.  i knew if i didn't leave the situation, i would BLOW MY TOP!  i texted mr. dandy how much longer he was going to be and he texted back, "still here," followed by, "everything alright?"  my response, "patience low...keeping calm," and my man texts, "keep calm and mother on."  that made me smile...for about a minute.  considering it takes him at least 45 minutes to drive home, i knew i had to do something before i go BaNaNas!  knowing my two usual sidekicks were busy, i called my mom :)  poor thing had just arrived home from her own long day of work and traffic, and i call to ask her to run an errand w/ me.  i go on to explain that really, my husband is working late, i'm low on patience, on my period and just want to round the girls up in the car, put a movie on and drive.  she lovingly said, "yes."  and that's all i needed.  thankfully, she lives less than 10 minutes from me.  i picked her up, grabbed her some to-go dinner, chatted, and i ran into the grocery store to pick up a few things.  all the while, my girls quietly watch winnie the pooh :)  i took my mom back home and drove back home knowing my honey would be there by now as he texted me saying there was smoke in his building...i didn't do it!!!

my point...it's good to know when you need a break...when you need help...and it's ALWAYS good to pray.  smoke in the building, coincidence?  i think not ;)

and really, periods are overrated...moms are not!

i finally updated...

my iphone.  both my husband and brother have been on me about doing this, and i just didn't see the need to do it.  AND more importantly, the thought of losing any info in the process was enough to just keep pushing it down to the bottom of my never-ending to-do list.  so, yesterday was the day.  and lo and behold i didn't lose any data...at least not that i know of :/  i was able to replace most of the apps from my computer, but some were missing.  for the jic (just in case), i wrote down apps that i thought might not make it :)  and it just so happens i've been thinking of sharing an "app of the week" that i think you lovelies would enjoy.  so, here is the first...

click the above logo for detailed info

i've actually just downloaded this app last week, and i've already used it a couple of times.  w/ this app you can send super cute cards, notes and announcements via text and email.  you can even add pics to them!  AAAAAND, you can have red stamp mail an actual paper card to the recipient.  the app is free, but you of course pay for any snail mail.  you could even send a cute calendar to a friend!  so neat!  here is one i sent to the awesome angela wilson...

angela photographed next month's fab mama-jama today!  yea!  it was a rainy, rainy day and poor thing had to travel w/ her three kiddos.  including her newest addition, anderson, who had enough of miss sandra holding him :/  angela, gracefully took baby a and kept on snapping!

thank you angela!!!

fyi, there is no editing to pics w/in red stamp.  i fist edited the pic in another iphone app that i love!  so, here is number two...

click the above logo for detailed info

i use this app A TON!  most of the photos i use on this blog are from my iphone.  it's just so easy and convenient!  in fact, i am going to try and upload pics i took of this month's fab mama-jama w/ my canon rebel to my iphone, use this app for editing and then uploading to this blog.  i'm very curious to see how they turn out!

hope y'all found these apps useful...let me know what your fave apps are!

panko bread crumbs saved my life...

okay, not really, BUT they sure did help me out tonight!  i was trying out another broccoli recipe i found on pinterest.  one cup of italian seasoned bread crumbs were to be used in these broccoli bites (click the link for the recipe!).  so, i poured the crumbs into a one-cup measuring cup, only to find out i had just about 3/4 cup of crumbs.  i walked to the pantry w/ hopeful steps thinking i might have something to substitute that last 1/4 cup.  PANKO!  i walked back to the measuring cup and was totally grossed out to see BUGS IN THE BREADCRUMBS!!!  EEEEWWWWWW!!!!!  barf!  puke!  BLEGGGHHH!!!!

soooooo, i poured them out, tried not to barf and used a whole cup of panko bread crumbs and sprinkled about a table spoon of italian seasoning into them.  i should have added salt, but they still tasted yummy w/ my mama's leftover spaghetti :)  sophia ate A LOT of them, and i'm hoping there won't be any gas pains :/  but so glad to get some green veggies in today!

aaand, most of them were not bite-size, lol

another awesome mom moment today...while waiting for isabella during her dance class, i handed sophia her sippy cup from my bag.  ten minutes later i reached into my bag to find the sippy cup i filled up for her today, and i quickly realized i had given her a cup that had been in my purse from yesterday...awesome.  at least it was juice and not milk, right??

awesome mom moment number three...opened the washer to start a new load, but found a huge load of damp clothes in there already.  i cannot for the life of me remember when i put that load in there  :/

but hey, at the end of the day, the house didn't burn down, no one broke any bones, and the hubby was extra complimentary on how nice the house looked...it was a good day!

and b/c the picture of the broccoli isn't the best (and b/c i just had to share this lovely moment)...

my little ladies just lovin' on each other

L-O-V-E

i was taking a break...

and you should, too!  i had been designing some invitations and thought i needed to "walk away" from them for awhile...this is SO helpful to me when i'm designing/creating things.  anyway, i digress...again, lol.  *sigh*  i'm so glad that i can entertain myself.  okay, really, back to my point...i left illustrator to facebook for a bit.  i came across an article that someone posted.  there was a thumbnail of children titled "don't carpe diem".  the first few words enticed me..."every time i'm out w/ my kids -- this seems to happen..."  yes, please tell me more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html

read it!  read every word til the end...trust me, you'll be glad you did.  it was a nice break, and i'm sure you'll agree ;)

and just b/c everyone likes pics...

she's a mess, and i love her!

they adore each other...most of the time ;)

just like mamacita...

used to make!  my mom makes THE BEST rice and beans...hands down!  i've been wanting to recreate her frijoles a la charra for some time now, and yesterday was the day...and guess what?  i nailed it!!!  it was the first time for me to cook beans like this, and she wasn't even around to help.  but w/ some tips from my brother and my sister AND their recollection of what my mom does, i gave it a shot.  i have to admit they were a little salty, and i may know why.  i told my mom my recipe and process and she said that she doesn't salt the water (i did).  i will have to play around w/ the recipe the next time i cook them.  although, it will be awhile as i cooked a big pot o' beans!

the beginning

the end :)

i'm not going to share this recipe until i figure out the salt situation.  honestly, i felt much like my mom as i was cooking this...no measuring, no idea how long i cooked them, and it just came from the heart :)  the idea that i was trying to recreate the taste of my mom's delicious beans was pretty exciting, and omgoodness, the house smelled dee-lish, lol!  i told the hubs, "well, it smells like i'm doing something right!"  seriously, he could tell you how anxious i was about the outcome AND how proud and excited i was that they tasted just like mom's :)  once i have these down, it's on to her rice!

be thinking of that one dee-lish dish of your mama's that you would love to "nail"...another contest is simmering ;)

a week ago...

was mr. dandy's birthday, and i really wanted to have a special post for him.  it was to be so special that my tired mind couldn't figure out what to do or say, and then well, last night was NOT a good night for me to try and be sweet, lol.  so, here we are a week later.  babe, this is for you.

january 4, 1979

jimmy carter was president.  "another brick in the wall, part II" by pink floyd was the number one song.  the cost of a gallon of gas was 88 cents, and a sony walkman was 200 bucks!  i was a month and three days old :)

on this particular thursday morning, God brought a boy into this world named jason kirk.  that boy turned into a young man that i fell HEAD OVER HEELS for.  seriously, this was unlike any other crush.  the crush turned into puppy love and puppy love turned into a romance.  and one day it dawned on me that i was truly in love w/ the man that i would one day call my husband.

january 4th was the day that God made the perfect match for me.  God knew i needed someone who appreciated my weirdness, my humor and my continuing need to create (who else would help me gather glitter, hammer wooden chairs together or make a dow rod fit on a candle holder?).  He also knew that i needed a man's man that loves steaks, loves football and loves taking care of the yard (God knows i cannot keep anything green alive).  and God did not forget that i needed a man who loves Him like i do.  God was also kind enough to fulfill my attraction for the talk, dark and handsome type, too!  ;)

and on this cold january day, He blessed this boy w/ a warm, tender heart that two little girls would need from their daddy.  and this boy was given an imagination and a mind that would hold onto his kid-like ways so play dates w/ daddy would be bar-none the best!!

so, jason, i thank God for you every. single. day.  and thank you, m & b, for raising this boy w/ all the love and support that would mold the man that he is today.

happy belated birthday, mister.  my love for you is uncontrollable, God-written and lovely.  thank you for listening to your heart and loving me back :)

better late than never, right?  i put the PRO in procrastination ;)

my neck hurts...

i'm tired, and i'm just NOT in a good mood...delightful, huh?  soooo, i'm postponing tonight's post until tomorrow.  until then, have a giggle over this...

isabella - mama, i'm trying to play picnic w/ my friends pretend (sounding annoyed)
me - that sounds nice, what's the problem?
isabella - sophia keeps messing w/ everything
me - well, she just wants to play w/ you

...after trying to tell sophia to stop messing w/ the picnic over and over again, i suggested that isabella move her picnic to her room and close the door.  minutes later she comes to me w/ a blank piece of paper and a pencil...

isabella - will you write something for me?  i want you to write DON'T COME IN MY ROOM
me - *moment of silence and disbelief*  um, sure...

...i write it out for her and she then asks me to tape it on her door.  i do and she is very thankful and pleased.  i walk off and come back to find her writing on the paper...

me - wow!  what is all this?

isabella - i wrote my name so everyone knows this is my room

me - why did you write it backward?

isabella - i didn't.  that's how you spell my name (she spells it out for me).  i had to write it like that b/c it wouldn't fit on the paper

me - okay, and who are those people?

isabella - that is sophia.  she has a circle and a line through it b/c she's not allowed.  that's loralai, grace and madi.

me - and who is on the bottom?

isabella - that's you and daddy.  you and daddy have a circle and line through, too, b/c parents aren't allowed.

SHE'S FOUR YEARS OLD PEOPLE!!!

lovely, just lovely...

this might be my first ever...

saturday post!  it's saturday night, and i am typing on my laptop in bed, sipping on a glass of chilled vino and feeling relieved of what was accomplished today :)  the day started w/ isabella's first cheering game...

it was a rough start (had to wake her up from bed), quick breakfast in the car, and the girl was not about it...no pom-pom shaking, no "RA-RA-RA" (that was for you, mary), nada.  honestly, i wasn't surprised as she has experienced...stage fright/shyness, before.  so, the whole first half was a bust, but after a snacky-snack at half-time, she was ready to go!  :)

after the fun of that, we headed home for lunch and outfit change and headed to a birthday party.

this girl would just love gymnastics!

hee-hee...baby sister trying to get in on the fun!

the party so much fun and just what this dandy lady needed!!  it was a nice break to play w/ the kiddos, not think of what i need to do and just have some fun.  i mean...i wasn't at home so i could NOT do any chores, work, picking-up...*sigh* it was nice.

we came home, grabbed some pizza, watched the texans win and worked some more on dandies.  finally, after a little playtime w/ the girls, showers and such, i started on some more F-U-N!

i drew the winner of my first give-away...

and angela YOU WON!

i hope you find this planner handy!!!  photo-shoot schedule?  meal planner?  day-to-day?...all of the above?

woo-hoo!  what's that you see?  yay-uh!...my new silhouette cameo that my wonderful hubby gave me for Christmas!  in fact, this was the first time for me to use it!

and after that, i glitterized the next prize for brooke! who guessed the right answer first...ha!  i find it quite funny that all of you guessed the correct answer to the "tangled" quote :)  so here you go brooke...

hang next to your awesome collection of jewelry? shoes, perhaps? ;)

i love give-aways!!!  even if i can count on one hand the number of participants, lol.  which reminds me...awesome mr. dandy emailed me a site...http://handmaderyangosling.tumblr.com/ which he had seen on ms. ginny's blog.  i've seen some of these on pinterest and find them HYSTERICAL!  so here are a few that i personally find laugh-out-loud funny...

and last but not least...

our very own ginny! entered this!...girl!  hilarious!

oh, and this...i HAD to include this b/c mr. dandy has and does say this...

oh my...my cheeks hurt from laughing...good night lovelies!

forgive me...

ladies, i am sorry, but i will be doing the drawing tomorrow!  this week has been nonstop for me and every day i have wanted to blog, but i couldn't muster the energy at the end of a very long day.  i guess i could try, but i prob wouldn't make much sense and the next morning i wouldn't be the best mom i can be for my girls and not much of a wife for my man when he gets home.  so, the next few days (yes, weekend blogging!) i will prob be back-to-back blogging about all i've been wanting to talk about...more resolutions, my amazing hubby and his birthday, talk of mr. gosseling (sp?) lol, and so much more.  i honestly thought this week was going to be a relaxed, post-Christmas hub-bub, ease back into the routine of things week, but it wasn't that at all.  BUT i am grateful for the craziness of my life and thank God for every day and its opportunities :)

thanks for being awesome and understanding and loyal readers! hugs to you lovelies!

phew...

what a day!  after finishing my post last night, i worked on some dandies orders and hit the hay!  after a good night's sleep (and a dream of being back in high school, the week of prom and realizing i didn't have a date!), i woke up this morning w/ much desire to DO, DO, DO!  w/ holidays, family visiting, traveling, decorations, and no time to spare for any real cleaning, this house was turned upside down, shakin' and stirred!  and i didn't quite know where to start.  yes i did...coffee :)  thankfully, isabella had a playmate over who kept both girls entertained for part of the day.  more dandies done, Christmas decor down and in the attic!, rooms vacuumed, furniture dusted, groceries purchased!, and even a blog post ;)  someone must've slipped a little something extra in my cup of joe this morning!

now, in case you were wondering, no, i have NOT forgotten about my monthly fab-mama-jamas!  they will be gracing your technical screen w/ in the month :)  hopefully, two back-to-back depending on the awesome angela wilson and the two lovely ladies' schedules.

and speaking of schedules, i need a new bill planner for 2012.  really, it's a normal weekly/monthly planner that i use just for paying bills.  so, my goal tomorrow is to buy two...one for me and one for ONE of you :)  leave a comment and tell me what your new year's resolution is.  i'll pick the most ambitious one and send the over-achieving lady a new 2012 planner.  BBBAAAAHHHH!!!  okay, j/k...i'll just draw a name friday the 6th ;)  so, you lovely ladies who tell me they always want to comment but read my blog on their phone...figure it out!  lol..."oh, i'm just teasing, you're adorable."  okay, and whoever can guess that line first will win this...

it's a small version of one i printed for my lovely lady lair :)  it will be glitterized a tad ;)

one of my new year's resolutions is to keep up w/ a daily devotional...daily.  here is an excerpt from yesterday's JESUS CALLING: ENJOYING PEACE IN HIS PRESENCE...

"A close walk with Me is a life of continual newness.  Do not cling to old ways as you step into a new year.  Instead, seek My Face with an open mind, knowing that your journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind."

thank you ginny ;)

it's the first of january...

and i haven't even said merry Christmas!  wowsers!  my last post was the 15th of december, and i had plans to blog on til AT LEAST Christmas eve, but the hustle and bustle of december got the best of me...as always!  i love it though.  even w/ the overwhelmingness of it all, i love the shopping, baking, parties, wrapping, decorating, eating, gathering, yada, yada, yada...it is the most wonderful time of the year on my calendar :)  and honestly, i was a little bummed it was all over...until now.  i rung in the new year til the wee hours of the morning w/ the hubs and old friends listening to live music :)  and today (as i drove 2.5 hours to pick up the girls) as the sun was shining, w/ a grande cinammon dolce latte, and the best 90s country music blaring on the radio, i thought of 2012 and all the new beginnings this year will bring!  and i was getting very excited at the thought of de-Christmasing the house and lightening everything up w/ spring decor!  i was so ready to grab the girls and come back home and kick off 2012, but then the energy level winded down on the 2.5 hour car trip home, ha!  so, i just wanted to say hello! and i will catch you back here tomorrow w/ some more blog love and talk of what's to come!  until then...

merry Christmas and happy new year from mr. & mrs. dandy!

15th day of Christmas...

and i've been noticing one of the most beautiful and creative gifts from God...nature.  i don't know what's going on here in texas, but the leaves on the trees are something that you expect from the new england area.  it's been such a treat to see these amazing colors in my own home town!  i wish i would've taken pics sooner as the leaves are falling now, but i managed to take a few quick shots today in my neighborhood :) i just had to share the beauty...

the drive into our neighborhhood...the smaller trees have never looked like this before!

when have you ever seen crepe myrtles look like this??

oh, i WISH i would've photographed this tree before most of the leaves fell!  this photo doesn't even capture the golden yellow beauty!  thankfully, it's my neighbor's tree so i've been able to admire it daily :)

again, i have never seen this tree (my other neighbor) w/ these colors!

take notice of all these lovely gifts my friends!  God has His own way of decorating this season ;)