Chandelier Crazy

You may ask, why so many chandeliers?... I say, why ask?

The obsession started about a year ago.

 I decided to do something fun and different with

the lighting over the kitchen island.

Since we put these two up I have added three more.

One in the entryway. (yes, I still have a tub in my front yard,

did you also notice the amazing trim around the window?)

One with cute little shades in the dinning room.

And my absolute favorite one...drumroll please.

This vintage spanish fixture I found at an antique shop!

It's gorgeous in my bedroom!

Arron even put it on a dimmer switch.

(how sexy is that?)

Sisters

I only have one sister and one daughter, so

we really make a point to see each other.

When we do, boy do we have a riot!

We spent the larger part of this day just riding to the Villa. Then out to lunch at the burger joint in town.

Lydia got a bit wiggly on the back seat while she took these fun shots of us on the move.

Looks like she's enjoying herself doesn't it.

I love this one where I'm trying to look at the camera
and the road.

We always include Laiken when we get together, even when she doesn't want to join us

we make her come along,

this wasn't one of those times.

I love riding around the lake. It's so pretty and the mint fields smell so good. Here is a side shot of Lizard Butte. From the Villa window we can only see the back of it "Lizard butt"

When we got home Arron took us all to the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest. After living here for 15 years we finally made it to Weiser to see it.
I thought about how much mom would have enjoyed it.

Maybe next year!

 I couldn't end this post without adding a few pictures of Stacey and Sicily.

We went antiquing at this great shop in Boise.

 There was just so much to look at, but Stacey kept us focused. Two hours later Lydia did find a beautiful silver ring. We will have to go back when we have more time. 

 I admit I can be a bit selfish with Lydia when she comes to see me.

But hey, she's my only sister!

Roughing' It With My Chicas

I love to go camping with the family, but I really love our annual "all girls camp-out".  We like to go to Garden Valley and see the outdoor plays at Starlight MountainTheatre. This year we were able to spend three full days there. We watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Wizard of Oz! Of course we also do all those camping things one does when one goes camping.
We really rough it...not.

We camped right next to this field of daisies.
It was almost as beautiful as the weather.

We walked into town and did a little window shopping. I think Laiken found something she liked.

Little towns have little stores with little aisles.

Found a cute boutique with a sweet nursery in back.
I will be planting geraniums this week!

We had to cool off with an ice cream before heading back to camp.

 We thought it would be fun to try painting this old barn. Laiken and I have been planning to get our oils out and paint en plein air. Maybe next year we will come prepared to paint. Lucky for us there's always beautiful landscapes to paint at the Villa.

Laiken made us dinner the last night.

 (she actually enjoyed this, the look is "I'm not awake yet" because we stayed up all night watching movies)

 MMM... six hours later...pork roast with potatoes and carrots.

Spinach salad with dried cranberries, candied walnuts and feta.
It was totally worth Laiken getting up at the crack of noon for.

We love camping with hook-ups!

It makes it easier to watch movies all night too!

 On the last day we ventured out to Kirkham Hot Springs.  It was already hot, so we spent most of our time in the nice cold river.

 The water was too high for us to swim across like we usually do.

A little time to kill before OZ.

Early, with our blankets, waiting for the Green Show.

 Next year I think I'll say "no" to the Emerald City popcorn and "yes" to bug spray!

Just Us Girls

Lydia has been here since Friday of last week and it's been great with just us girls. The boys all left to go camping on Friday so we've had the house all to ourselves.

 We had a fun day shopping in Boise at the Farmers Market. Lunch at Cafe' Paris. Movie matinee with Amy. Bike rides with Maggie and Italian sodas at the Villa!

 I think we only average 5 hours asleep a night because we stay up so late watching chick flicks and talking, but we are just getting started, tomorrow we leave for our three day camp-out.
 Just us girls.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

This last two weeks Arron has been away on business. Lad and I have done some work at the Villa, but mostly I've been keeping busy with the girls. First there was Suzanne's retirement party. Then lunch with Stacey and Sicily. I finished off the week window shopping at my favorite nursery, with Amy and Suzanne. (and Laiken, that goes without saying)  As always we had a blast!

Trying on hats and making plans for an outdoor tea party!

Amy being udderly silly in housewares.

Laiken having a photo op. with the slowest barista in town! Seriously, the longer it took her to fill our order the sillier we got. She asked us if we were on vacation from somewhere. "No we live up the street, but you should see us on vacation." Can't wait for mom and Lydia to move closer, that would make it perfect!

2009 Christmas Tree

Several years ago I decided I wanted to do something different with our Christmas tree. Change it up a bit. What I came up with is "odd" years and "even" years. Let my try to explain, This year is an "odd" year 2009, so all the boxes in the attic marked Christmas "Odd" get brought down. These boxes contain all the decorations for the tree that year. Which as you can see are blue and silver.

If it had been an "even" year the tree would be decorated in more of a natural scheme of red and gold. This makes shopping after Christmas fun too because I add to my decorations during the post Christmas sales. This year I will try to find more blue ornaments to put on my tree for 2011. It's like Christmas before Christmas when we pull down the ornaments for that year because by then I've forgotten what I'd purchased the previous "odd" or "even" year! -Get it?

It is a bit silly, I know, but I love to decorate my tree and this way it's twice as fun. It also gives me more to shop for, I love that too....shopping!

Thanksgiving

I have many things to be thankful for. I could go on and on about how blessed I am, but right now... I'm just feeling pretty good about spending a leisurely weekend with my friends and family.

Laiken and Maggie texting.

Skye popping wheelies in the back yard.

Dining with friends and family.

Listening to good music.

Getting a movie in our PJs at the Redbox at McDs.
 (after shopping Black Friday we needed to veg-out)

Shopping with Maggie

Ever since Maggie was a puppy we have taken her shopping with us. She loves it! Lydia bought her a little bag and whenever Maggie sees it she runs and jumps into it because she knows she's going shopping. We just hang her on the dressing room hooks when we clothes shop.

She has to stay in the car whenever we go somewhere they serve food, of course, but... we have snuck her into the movies a few times.

I think she especially likes to go to Home Depot or D&B farm supply stores because she is welcome to walk around. She usually gets treats too. When we do take her we have to plan on spending more time, because everyone wants to stop and look at her, pet her, and show us pictures of their dogs. (I had to buy these boots last time we went to D&B... they were on sale 20% off!)