Busy, Busy Summer

Hello friends.  How have y'all been?  Busy?  Me too.  Wanna see what I've been up to?

Isn't this Paris Cafe amazing?  It's so romantic.  I've been really busy around here so I've been actively dreaming about escaping there with my Hubby.  Of course, at this very moment in time, I can't even afford to drive to Dallas and do some school shopping much less hop a jet to Paris, so actively dreaming will have to do for now.  I'm living vicariously through all of those episodes of House Hunters International on HGTV.  That's probably as close to international travel as I'll ever get. 

In my non-dreaming real life I've been busy too.  Hubby's grandmother, Nannie, and Aunt were here for a week so we were busy visiting with them.  We played dominos and ate some wonderful meals, including brunch at Mimi's Cafe, which sparked the whole Paris cafe daydream.  Their cinammon brioche french toast was amazing!!! 

Nannie brought fresh purple hull peas from Texas.  I was so excited!!  We haven't had enough rain around here so nobody has had fresh peas.  You see, I have very fond memories of shelling peas when I was growing up.  I would shell peas with my mom.  We also shelled peas at my Aunt Nell's house growing up.  I remember sitting in her living room in the middle of the day shelling peas while she and my great grandmother watched General Hospital.  So, I thought it was time E learned to shell peas too.

She is such a good helper.  She did her fair share and loved helping.  She wasn't quite as excited as I was about the purple fingers that come from shelling peas.  I, on the other hand, loved it.

In other household news, E lost her first tooth.

Then two days later, she lost another one.  I mean, couldn't she have waited until payday?  Durn!  She was so excited that the tooth fairy visited.  She emptied her sad little piggy bank out on her bed to count all of her money.  She asked me how much a video game would cost.  I noticed that when I told her $30, she started counting her teeth in her mouth.  I quickly informed her that all the teeth in her head wouldn't buy a video game and she'd be stuck eating mashed potatoes for the next three years until all her teeth came back in.  Crazy kid! 

I've also been REALLY busy sewing.  I had several orders to fill last week and I finally got some stuff done for the girls room.  I need to order some more fabric, but it's still No Buy July.  Not even to mention that I have school supplies, new shoes and clothes to buy.  Thank God my mom is helping out or I might have to sell a kidney.  Durn!  Kids are expensive! 

Speaking of school, it starts in three weeks.  Wow!  That is just right around the corner.  I've got so much to do around here before then.  I better get started. 

Have a great day!

I Blame Michael Kors!

Okay, so here's the deal.  Growing up, I always carried a plain, boring black or brown purse in the winter and maybe a white one in the summer.  Did you feel yourself cringe a little when I said white purse?  I just gave myself the heebie jeebies.  Yeah, it looked something like this

This is vintage, via etsy

So. not. good.  Anyway, the last few years, I've been obsessed with color.  For my 38th birthday, my sweet Hubby bought me the most wonderful purse I've ever had in my life.  It wasn't expensive, but it was so pretty.  It was bright turquoise patent leather (fake, I'm sure) and had silver hardware.  I LOVED that purse.  It was so fantastic that I had people stopping me at Wal-Mart to ask where I got it.  My neighbor from across the street told me whe would be hunting me down to steal it.  Needless to say, it was fabulous.  Sadly, after a few months, the ring that held the strap ripped the fabric.  Why?  Hubby says it's because I keep too much useless crap in my purse, or as he calls it, my "mailbag".  Yes, I have been known to always occasionally put the mail in my purse when I have my hands full unloading all of the kids and their junk from the car.  I might even admit to finding mail from six months a few weeks ago inside my purse.  There also might be a few trains, a few hundred wadded up Kleenex, fruit snacks, a dried out donut from two months ago when I drove through Shipley's on the way to work and a few thousand pens that I totally stole picked up at the bank drive through.  So, yes, my purse is full of crap and gets a little abused.  So maybe it was my fault that it broke.  HATE that! 

Anyway, for the last year and a half, I've been carrying a really cute purple fake crocodile purse my mom got me from Target.  It was really cute when I got it.  Now, not so much.  The straps are faded and it's really looking worn, but it's lasted really well considering the abuse.  The thing is, I'm really picky about purses.  I want color and some hardware, but not so much that I look like a biker chick. 

Gucci

Um.......no.  I don't do fringe.  Besides, it looks like it's made out of a lemon.  So. not. me.  As I've bcome more and more obsessed  familiar with Pinterest, I've started noticing more and more designer handbags.  The first one that REALLY caught my attention was this one.

So, here's the deal.  I know that it's just brown, but it is the perfect shade of brown.  It has that worn out boots cause you love them so much that you wear them everyday kind of look.  I love that color.  It's got the perfect amount of hardware.  Sigh.  So, this is the bag that started the obsession.  Then I saw this

Michael Kors - have I mentioned that I love orange? 

Michael Kors - love that color

Okay, so this one is actually Kate Spade, but look at that color!  Gorgeous!  Love it!  So, there you go.  Not that it matters.  You see, I'm joining my friend Debbie in the No Buy July Adventure.  Why?  Substitute teachers don't get paid in the summer.  Therefore, it's strictly the basics around here.  Unfortunately, a gorgeous handbag is NOT a necessity.  Oh, well.  Guess I'll have to settle for just dreaming about me carrying a gorgeous handbag.  Also, in this dream, I'm skinny and wearing something like this

My Polyvore on Pinterest

Sigh!  Have a good weekend folks.

Arkansas Pride

So, y'all know I'm from Arkansas, right?  I've spent most of my life living in Arkansas and I have to tell you that we have a little Arkansas pride thing going on here.  I love my Razorback football.  I am proud of things that are made in my state or are made to represent my state.  Here are a few examples of what I mean:

Get it here

Get it here.

Cute, right?  So, when I saw that my friend Amanda @ My Heart's Desire was having a giveaway for an adorable Arkansas pillow, I just had to enter.  You see, Amanda is an Arkansas girl too.  Even though we've never met IRL, she and my SIL have a mutual friend in another state so we might as well be family. 

Amanda, just happens to be the Featured Blogger, Miss July 2012, on the Arkansas Women's Blogger blog.  Check out Miss July here.  So, anyway, Amanda's giveaway was sponsered by a new boutique in Russellville, AR called Lavish.  You can also find them on Facebook. 

From Lavish's Facebook page

Love the turquoise school desk/chair thingee.  And the turquoise cuff bracelet!  And the coasters!  Such cute stuff!!!  Anyway, wanna see my pillow? 

Isn't it adorable???  Love it!  Thanks so much, Amanda!!

Crazy Summer Days

So, it's been a whirlwind of crazy in the FFB household.  CRAZY!  Y'all know that I'm a homebody, right?  I mean, I could hang out in my jammies at the house for two to three days without getting going out and I'm okay with that.  No, actually, I'm GREAT with that.  Okay, so maybe some of that is due to the fact that I have four kids that I do NOT want to take anywhere, and they're at home right now, but either way, I'm a homebody. 

Anyway, because my dog is "in season" (that's breeder lingo) right now, we had to take a flying trip to Houston to leave her with her new boyfriend. 

Aren't they pretty?  Gonna have some pretty puppies!  Anyway, Houston is about 8 hours from my house.  Friday before last, we took her to Houston, spent the night and dropped her off with her boyfriend.  We left her for a week and went back to get her.  We left about 4:30 a.m., went to Houston, spent about 10 minutes picking Emme up and drove the 8 hours back home.  Now, sixteen hours straight in the car when you are going to Disneyworld or the beach is not a bad thing.  BUT, sixteen hours straight, in the car to pick up a dog......really?  These BETTER be some gorgeous puppies!  I am so glad to have my dog back though.  I was in danger of forgetting how to go the bathroom without her following behind me.  Thank goodness the kids were still home so I didn't get have to go all by myself.  Also, I am soooo glad my awesome SIL kept my kids for both trips.  Otherwise, Hubby would've had to drop me off at the crazy house on the way back home. 

Anyway, like I said, crazy week.  We also took two trips to the lake in between the Houston trips. 

My daredevil niece and nephew (K&M) and J on the tube. 

Sweet face

Baby H, the newest of the "favorite cousins".  Love her bikini!

So, needless to say, I needed a few days of recovery time at home.  Now, I'm semi-rested and back to normal.  I've got several projects I've got to get finished and a big consignment sale to get ready for.  Busy.  Busy. 

Have a great day!

My Midlife Style Crisis

So, it seems that I am having a bit of a mid-life style crisis.  You see, when I was a teenager, I was all about fashion.  I would pour over the pages of Seventeen's fashion pages.  I actually had this issue. 

I loved clothes.  Y'all know I love polka dots, right?  So, one of my favorite outfits was an Esprit polka dot duster coat with solid cigarette pants in red.  I loved that outfit.  I also had a great pair of Guess jeans that were a marbled pink and blue  that I wore constantly my senior year of high school.  When I finally wore them out and holes started wearing through, I wore my pink thermals under them.  I love those jeans.  Then there was the red plaid Esprit top and pants with the wide white belt.  And the blue and white tie die outfit.  I guess my point is, I was a little shy, but I did take a few fashion risks.  I liked pattern and color.  Oh, how I love the 80's. 

Anyway, as I got older, had kids, and got fatter, my fashion style changed to comfortable mommy clothes.  If I am at home, I am in shorts or yoga pants (not that I've been doing any yoga, mind you) and a tee shirt.  If I am working at school, I am still in jeans, but generally in a cute top and shoes or boots.  This year, I need more options.  I need to get away from always wearing jeans.  I need some super cute dresses.  Lately, I'm like a teenager again.  I WANT clothes.  I miss being cute.  I'm tired of being frumpy. 

I've been kind of drawn to a boho cowgirl chic style the past few months.  Ya know what I mean?  Did you happen to watch Bachelorette Monday night?  Emily had on the CUTEST dress on her date with Jef Holm.  There is a video below.  You only have to watch the first 30 seconds to see the dress.  So cute with the boots!  Love it!




Let me just say as long as we're talking Bachelorette, that I adore Jef.  So cute! 

Anyway, I also love this:

Anthropologie

and

Gypsyville

Okay, so on the last one I'm not completely crazy about the belt.  I don't do fringe.  I'm not cool enough to pull that off.  Love her hair too.  If mine would do that, I'd totally cut mine off.


Y'all know I love me some boots, right?  I have several pairs, but no cowboy boots.  I'm dying for cowboy boots.  Especially some like these.

Alexis Nicole Photography

Brown and turquoise Ariat boots!!!  Gorgeous!  Love them!  Brown and turquoise!!!  Love!!  If only I had $170 just lying around.  Thou shalt not covet.  Thou shalt not covet.  Thou shalt not covet.

Shopbop

Calypso

You get the idea, right?  Ya know the BEST thing about those boots?  They would fit now and if I lost a few pounds, they would still fit.  Gotta love that! 

So, how about you?  What trend has captured your imagination lately?  Are you a boho cowgirl kind of girl? 

Master Bedroom Oasis or Dorm Room?

So, last week I mentioned finding a bed at Goodwill that I REALLY wanted.  Well, when we got back to check, it was gone.  Of course.  UGH!  So, I'm still hunting for a bed.  I've been looking off and on for several years, but maybe luck is just around the corner.  I don't necessarily want a bed, but maybe a headboard of sorts.  I really like the idea of using a door, but I haven't found one of those either.

Better Homes and Garden

Isn't that neat with the little side table built on?  So cute!

I love the green!!  From Jane Cosick Designs

I could even go for shutters used as a headboard. 

the old painted cottage

hgtv

We had a ugly lovely hand me down brass headboard that looked a lot like this:

Unfortunately, I got rid of it BEFORE I discovered my love for spray paint.  I hate it too because if I had painted it, it would have looked very similar to this one.

Pottery Barn

Oh well.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda.  The thing is, I feel a little like a college student without a headboard.  I mean, grown-ups have headboards, right?  I feel like I'm living in a college dorm with the beds pushed together.  The only thing I'm missing is the blacklight, the collection of fraternity party t-shirts and the mini-fridge.  So, in other words, I need a headboard.  I am too old to be living dorm style. 

So, what about you?  Is your bedroom the last thing to decorate in your house and therefore full of hand me downs like mine?  OR, are you a real grown up with a real grown up master bedroom space?