31 Days of Random Thoughts

Happy Tuesday guys and dolls!  It looks like I came back to the blogging world in the nick of time. Today starts The Nester's 31 days of blogging link up and I'm SO excited. I can't wait to see what everyone decides to sign up for and post about for the next 31 days.  I had a very difficult time coming up with just one particular subject matter due to working full-time and having no time each day/night to do crafts or create new recipes, etc. so the category I chose to write under is the "Family Life" category as that's basically what I talk about most days anyway. So my posts are going to be listed as "31 Days of  Randomness".  My posts will be on all sorts of random topics which are related to our every day family life. It could be a new recipe on the weekend, or it may be health/fitness related or even Pinterest. So.....without further adieu.......

Hello and welcome to those of you stopping by from the Nester's 31 day link-u and others who are just stopping by.  Since today is the official first day of October (where did the year go), I thought it only fitting to talk about Halloween and show you my decorations!  They are a lot less and much more minimal than normal due to being in a rent house currently.  I always go all out for each and every holiday - especially Christmas! 

My new wreath from Michaels that I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!  I went to Michaels to purchase the products to make a wreath pretty similar to this, but when I walked past the floral department they had this one laying on the counter and had it marked down (that day only) by 50% - which made it on sale for only $25!!! I had already gathered the products to make it and it was going to cost me $40 just to make plus my time.  In my book this was a WIN WIN - cheap AND time effective! :)  What do you think?  :)

 

Side table in Living room:

New pumpkin decoration: and favorite pumpkin spice candle:

Sign I created with my Cricut back in 2010:  (one of my favorite and easiest projects) 

and my new acorn candy dish:

New table decorations:

Love my new "skull" witch:

The witch jar is from a few years ago and the candleabra is one I found 

at a yard sale and spray painted black:

Overview of table:  The "stuff" coming out of the cups is supposed to look like "smoke" - 

(another great Pinterest idea)

Kitchen cabinet corner:

Pumpkin (was brown and spray painted white), sign I created a few years ago:

Well, there you have it - my first post of "31 days".  Thanks for stopping by to say hello and be sure to stop by The Nester's to view all of the other 31 day links!  Also, please let me know you were here.  I'd love to stop by and say hello on your blogs as well! :)  Have a great day!

Lots of love and hugs,

Happy Monday - I'm baccccccccckkkkkkkkk!!!! :)

Hey there my friends!  Guess what?? - Yep, you guessed it - I'm back!  I've missed you all SO MUCH! There is so much to tell you and catch up on.  When I took a break from the blogging world, I never realized it would be almost 9 months!  Sheesh!  Let's see... where do I begin??  The times prior that I had begun slowing down on my blogging was because my husband and I were going through a very difficult time with someone who tried to break up our marriage (a VERY YOUNG 23 yo female who set her sights on my husband - he was her boss).  She had began causing problems with us back in June of 2011 and didn't let up for over a year.  Thankfully, my husband and my marriage was able to stand the tests that she kept throwing at us - though I must admit, I definitely considered giving up at one point - it was THAT BAD.  But, hubby and I had been married for 14 years at that point and I wasn't about to roll over that easy so needless to say, she had a HUGE fight on her hands and naturally, I won! :)  Hubby and I are stronger and closer than ever.  (for reference purposes - he was an innocent bystander in this who got sucked into her ploy unwillingly and stood strong by my side). Though she gave it her best (including calling my own mother to tell her that my husband was leaving me for her) - her ploys obviously didn't work.

 

We moved back to Arkansas in the summer of 2011 and was there for another 6 months before hubby was relocated yet again and moved to Houston, Texas (February 2012) and we've have lived here ever since.  I was working for an Investment Banking firm when we first moved to the area and I worked there for over a year.  Then April of 2013 I was told our Houston office was closing and they were moving my bankers to the Dallas office, which meant I was out of a job.  *sigh*  So I was off on a hunt for another job as I was only given 3 weeks to find one before they closed up shop.  ACK!!!  Luckily for me, due to my background and legal skills, I had a job within a few days and have been there ever since (almost 6 months now). Hopefully, depending on hubby's career, I will be there much longer than a year!  For those who don't know, my husband runs stores in the Houston airport (assistant General Manager) and due to his skills and abilities - has been relocated many times since July 2005.  It would be nice to finally be able to put down roots again and stay put somewhere.  Though, I must admit, I'd really rather it not be Houston - it's just WAY TOO HOT here!  HA!

 

When we first moved here we lived in a really nice apartment complex for the first year. However, they decided after our "first year promotion" wore off, that they would raise our rent from $1200 to $1600 for the same apartment and same amenities - R I D I C U L O U S!!! UMMM NOOO - not happening.  So, again, we were uprooted and having to find another place to live (in the same area).  Our son was a senior and was about to graduate 3 months later, so we moved somewhere closer to his school as he had just started driving full-time and we felt safer with him not having as far to drive. :)  While he was a senior in high school he was VERY active in choir and drama and performed in a number of musicals including Annie and the Pop Show.  We really enjoyed getting to see him perform - he is one of those who just has that natural raw talent both in music and acting.  He graduated high school June 1st and is now working and going to college to become a lawyer - he's doing a great job but still trying to figure it all out and juggle everything.

 

 

 

 

Hubby and I prefer to have cooler temperatures and the 4 changes of seasons.  It has been very nice however, that we've not had tons of snow by being back in the south.  But due to the extreme heat here, we are planning our vacation the first week of January to somewhere COLD!  Our 16 year anniversary is at the end of this month and we are looking to head back North (possibly home - North Arkansas) so that we can enjoy the fall temperatures and see the leaves changing into the pretty colors - something we simply do not get here.  :(  I'm ready for another getaway with my honey.  It really feels weird that we have (mostly) an empty nest.  Due to our son's work and school, we really never see him.  When he's home, we're at work and vice-versa.  So, my husband and I are starting to really enjoy the fruits of an empty nest and traveling a lot now.  When we got married, he had a 3 yo son from a previous marriage and I had a 3 yo daughter from a previous marriage (just like having twins) and we never had the young married couple (with no kids) marriage - we were an automatic ready made family (not complaining) - so this is a nice change.  It's been great to actually enjoy being a married couple instead of just mom and dad. :)

 

Well, I think I've talked your ears off enough for one day - I hope you didn't get too bored and will stop back by to say hello again soon.  I look forward to catching back up on your blogs and getting back into the blogging world.  Like I said, I've missed all of you terribly and I am SO happy to be back. 

 

P.S. - I am considering changing the name of my blog, and giving it an entire new facelift - so any thoughts and ideas (including names of people who do blog backgrounds) would be appreciated! :)

 

Have a great Monday and please say hello and let me know you stopped by.

 

Lots of love and hugs,