LOST AND FOUND

When we first bought this house, I thought it was pretty cool that we had these great storage cabinets above the two closets in our bedroom.

Then I realized that they couldn't be reached with our indoor step stool. Nooo, you have to haul in that big fella, from out in the garage. Which, as it turns out, means that you go so long without ever opening those cabinets, you can totally forget what's up there! I did remember that there was one big red crate up there, which meant it probably held something Christmasy. Lights maybe? Or garland? No! Something much, much better.

 I found this guy...

and all of his little friends! When our kids were young, and we lived in houses with indoor staircases, they took great pleasure in arranging them, one on each step. But, with our only staircase being outside at this house, I had to settle for grouping them on my grandmother's cedar chest.

Which works out pretty well, since Hubby has been much better lately about not tossing his belongings there at the end of each day.

Know what else I found in that cabinet? I found these lovely little candle rings which go on my dining room chandelier...

this wonderful basket which hangs on my front door, instead of a wreath...

and all of the festive florals and greenery I used to rotate in and out of it, according to the season!

You have no idea the angst I felt, when I thought all of these cherished things had been lost in the last move or tossed out. But now, all is right with the world!

Happy Holidays, Y'all!

 

MY FAKE FALL PUMPKIN PATCH

It finally came -- that longed for day when the sky clouded up, temps dropped into the 80s, we had a nice breeze out on the porch, and we even got a bit of rain. Why, it felt like fall! So, of course I had to start pulling out a few of my fallish decorations, right?

By the time I had finished I was feeling so festive, I couldn't resist whipping up a batch of my Peanut Butter Cocoa Krispie Treats -- the ones I used to make for my kiddos around this time each year. Only this time they were for a special grandson, so I had grabbed a bag of Brach's Halloween treats to scatter on top, for a bit of added color...

and they ended up looking just like a Pumpkin Patch!

But then I glanced out the window and realized the sun had come out, chasing all the clouds away, and the temperature had crept back up into the 90's. Ah well, such is life in Texas. I just cranked the AC up a bit more, and spent the next hour trying to scrape up and consume every last morsel of cocoa-caramelly goodness outta that mixing bowl!

PEANUT BUTTER KRISPIE TREATS

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. sugar

1 c. smooth peanut butter

6 c. regular or cocoa rice krispies

Combine syrup and sugar in a large pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add Rice Krispies and stir until well coated. Press mixture into Pam-coated 9 x 13" pan.

COUSINS, THEY'RE TWO OF A KIND

It seems that daughter Alexis and niece Megan are more alike than we knew. Which is odd, since they haven't even lived in the same state since Lex was about a year old, which means they haven't spent all that much time together. They are both sassy, spunky, a bit quirky, and super creative. And, they both love  mid-century modern design. Lex and I were both drooling with envy when we saw exterior photos of an adorable mid-century house that Megan and her partner Dave were trying to buy. Their offer wasn't the highest, but Meg happens to be a very good writer, and when she sent a heartfelt letter to the previous owner, that sealed the deal.

So here you go Lex, pictures of the interior! As you can see, it was as if Megan had been accumulating furnishings for this particular house her entire life!

The curio cabinet is a new addition. Megan took up taxidermy as a hobby a while back, and needed a place to display her work, and keep it safe from their two new kitties!

As with most of the houses I've seen in Ohio, this one sits on the side of a hill, and has a lower level that opens up to a huge backyard and the nature reserve just beyond it. When heading downstairs to the rumpus room, as we used to call them back in the 50s, you will first be greeted by about 50 more kitties.

You'd be amazed at the variations you will see, when 50 different people paint the very same paint-by-number project!

Know what's really amazing? Unbeknownst to each other, Lex and Meg even drive the same car, in the very same color! One thing I know for certain. Their grandmother Theda, who was quite the spunky creative gal herself, would be mighty proud of them both!

THE PLAYHOUSE I NEVER HAD

The other day I was looking around the interior of my home, thinking about how much it had changed since Little Goober came along. Apparently, I no longer give a flip about impressing anyone other than him, for my rather small house seems to have morphed into one rather large playhouse.

That notion got me to thinkin' about the playhouse my two older sisters had when they were young. My dad was a home designer/builder, and when he did spec homes, we sometimes lived in them for a while, until they sold. My mom said her very favorite houses always got whisked out from under her as soon as she started to settle in, but that if she ever moved into one she hated -- one not built by Dad -- that would probably be the one she'd get stuck in for life. Turns out, she was right! Of course, since my parents loved nothing more than working on a remodeling/redecorating project together, that house gave them oodles of opportunities for collaboration, and ended up being one they had to be dragged out of, kicking and screaming, forty years later.

Anyhoo, back to the house Mom loved the most -- the one we left when I was still a toddler, and therefor have no memory of. The one she and my sisters went on and on about for the rest of their lives, just to torture me. You see, being a man ahead of the times, Dad apparently designed one of the first "open concept" houses way back in the early 50's -- one with a beautiful kitchen with an exposed brick wall and brick floors, that opened into a large family room. The piece-de-resistance? A fantastic playhouse in the backyard, custom built for my sisters. I've been pining for one of my own ever since.

Guess I finally made that dream come true, huh?

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: SIMPLIFY

The next book in our year of reading dangerously was a tiny little book with a great big message -- Simplify Your Life. Looking at my life now, compared to the one I had when I first read it, I feel quite proud of all I accomplished over the years. Well, in all but one rather important area -- getting my hubby on board with the program. That boy sure does love his "stuff"! 

FLASHBACK

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: TASHA TUDOR AND LIVING AN AUTHENTIC LIFE

Welcome to the next episode in our year of reading dangerously, The Private World of Tasha Tudor, by Tasha Tudor and Richard Brown.

FLASHBACK