She'll be the coolest girl in school or at least the most sparkly...

After flipping through photos on my camera I came across one Natalia snapped:

Guessing Natalia's happy she's not going to be starting third grade with a ratty backpack. Last year she went to school with an old hello kitty backpack, or heck it may have been new and simply started to fall apart just a month into second grade. Hoping this sparkler from Bixbee lasts longer and is easier on her slender frame. I first saw it in a Chasing Fireflies catalog but ended up buying one from Mastermind Toys...more color choices and a bit cheaper.

Anything looks better with a tray...

Since we moved into our house over five years ago things have piled up along with my growing need to be as organized as Martha Stewart. While I've streamlined most of the house there are still some spots that bug the hell out of me. Like the mountain of magazines and store catalogs stacked up on the ottoman in our family room. While they are neatly contained in a cute Pottery Barn tray I just can't stand the sight of all that paper anymore. So, I grabbed the tray, replaced it with some bling, a silver Nambe platter...

Then I moved the tray into the kitchen. Aha, it fit perfectly on the counter! So, I decided to wrangle a few loose items and turn it into a tea and coffee station...I also threw in some cocoa for Natalia.

Better than Cinnabon!

Natalia and I made mouth watering cinnamon rolls over the weekend. Tasted like they were from scratch but they were from a can.  Natalia finished her plate in seconds then I spent ten minutes trying to get sticky icing out of her hair!

The Immaculate Baking Company makes delicious goodies - great taste without all the junk other companies put into their products. Our favs are the cinnamon rolls and crescent rolls. Also, plan to try their cookies and baking mixes.

Cool song...

I heard this catchy song Budapest on Sirius the other day now I can't get it out of my head. Pictured a bulky dude singing it not a Brit named George.

"What did I do?"

Roxy just minutes after she returned from god knows where. During our morning walk she spotted a fox and bolted towards the woods. In a split second she dragged me down a hill and up another before leaving me in the dust. I don't even remember letting go of the leash but thank goodness I did or I might be typing this with one hand.   Nursing several scratches and bruises including one the size and color of a purple eggplant on my bum. I did find Roxy three hours later at the edge of a field - smelly and exhausted but she didn't have a piece of fur out of place. My guess is she either lost the fox in the woods or she had an early dinner.

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Shades of Gray

The trip to Florida earlier this summer inspired me to pick out a paint color for my home office: Seashell Gray.  After slapping a half dozen different shades of gray on one of the walls this shade was the most soothing.  Felt like I was back on the beach!

Since I'm painting the suite (office/library/guestroom/all around mess) myself it just might take me to the end of summer to finish it!