SHOPPING FOR WEDDING DRESSES

Saturday we were on a mission to look at bridal gowns for Emily's upcoming wedding.  The morning started here with fresh coffee and bagels from Dunkin Donuts.  Then we were off to the suburbs to a shop in Oak Lawn (I forget the name!).  This is our little posse pictured above:  Maureen, Mother of the Groom; Megan, Matron of Honor; Emily, Bride; Me, Mother of the Bride and Mary Clare, Bridesmaid.  Abby couldn't come as she was at a wedding up in Lake Geneva, she is the Maid of Honor.  Emily has 16 in her wedding party, what a procession this is going to be!

At the first shop she tried on about 8 dresses and fell in love with one particularly.  But we had another appointment in Lemont so off we went.  This is the shop pictured above.  It was well worth the trip because after trying on another 8 or so dresses, she fell in love with the last one.  She is being very secretive about it so I can't share a picture, not that I blame her.  After we picked out the veil and headpiece, we ran across the street to Nick's Tavern for a Nickburger.  Wow...delicious!

After a whole day of shopping we decided to end the day at Durbin's, which is a few blocks from our house.  We sat outside and talked over the traffic whizzing by. 

Have you ever had a Summer Shandy?  It's made by Leinenkugel's and it is a delicious beer with lemonade in it.  I wish I had discovered this earlier in the summer!  It's only made seasonally.  We had a nice time talking and recounting the events of the day.

Emily is going to make such a beautiful bride.  She was so worried she couldn't pull off a wedding dress because she is so short, we were so happy to see that everyone can be a vision in white!  While at the bridal shop I perused the formal gowns, looking for something for myself and I saw a lot that I liked.  So as not to infringe on Emily's day, I am going back to try some dresses on in a few weeks.  I saw a beautiful one made of satin in a deep jewel tone plum and I really have it on my mind.  

So that's it for my weekend for the most part.  Sunday was a lazy day just finishing up my book, watching a movie with The Husband and ordering Chinese food.  I hope you had a good one, too.  See you soon! :)  

A LITTLE BATHROOM MAGIC

It's been a gloomy day and Emily was off from work so we decided to take a little trip to Target.  Well, you know how that goes!   I always seem to gravitate to the bath section and I wasn't disappointed, they really had some great shower curtains and coordinating towels.  It's not hard to stand there and visualize how your bath will look with a few small changes.  But little changes can make a big impact in a small room and I love playing around with my bathrooms!  So this is the before (above).  The colors are two shades of blush pink separated by the chair rail.  Sorry for the reality shot of the toilet paper and washcloth!

The shower curtain was a simple floral by Rachel Ashwell at Target stores.  I have so many of her bath and bedroom linens, I just love her.  So...below is the after.

My bathroom is very small, it is just off a hallway from the living room so it is the one used most by guests.  We found this cute shower curtain for $19.99 and the rug, $24.99.

I found a soap dish and toothbrush holder that looks like mercury glass.  I had the wire basket that holds magazines and TP.

I love the lattice pattern on the rug, I think this would be pretty in front of a kitchen sink, too. 

The hand towel matches the curtain and I just set some fancy soaps on it.  

Whew!  This was fun!  A whole new look and minutes to put it together.  That's gratifying!  Let me know if you like the changes.  And check out your Target...they moved the entire home section all around and I could swear there was a bigger inventory in the bath department.  Did you know my Target has underground parking?  Ahhh...city life!

Tomorrow is an exciting day.  We have two appointments at bridal shops to start looking for Emily's wedding gown.  You might remember the big day is May 10, 2013.  It's fast approaching!  I can't wait to see my baby girl in a bridal gown!  I know I am going to cry!  I'm not sure what else we have on the agenda for the weekend, our first at home in 2 months.  But you know me, I'll be telling you all about it next week!  Have a great weekend! :)

HOME AGAIN

I have to admit, the last week of vacation was quite lazy.  Naps everyday, visits from neighbors, finishing another book.  Pure down time.  The heat was high again, so was the humidity, so I spent a lot more time indoors than I cared to.  The Husband didn't seem to mind.  he went fishing in The Beast almost every evening.  Didn't have a whole lot of luck catching anything, the kids fishing off docks in our bay seemed to have more success!  But fishing in his new boat was the highlight of his trip and although I passed on many an excursion, he was a happy guy!

Isn't this a cute arrangement?!  We had an old, ugly bistro table with these heart shaped chairs that we managed to salvage.  We took the seats off and The Husband put his potted plants in them.  Then he added them to our new bistro table.  If I wasn't in my lazy mode, I would have made a little tablescape!

Our good friends, the Miller's were staying on a nearby lake and came to visit a few times.  It was always fun, snacking, cooking out and having a few drinks by the fire.  Their son, Luke, cooked chicken on the grill for us one night.  This is his innovative way to avoid the heat and smoke! lol!

Speaking of smoke, I showed you our fire pit in my last post.  This is the new and improved fire pit completely put together piece by piece by The Husband.  It took him almost all day  Since the temperatures were so high, we just gave it a trial run.  It's so nice to sit by it and not get smoke in your eyes.  Hopefully cool temps are on the way and we can really put it to use!

Packing up was not easy in more ways than one.  We had a ton of leftover food, fruit and veggies.  Neighbors were always so nice in sharing goodies from their gardens.  Susie next door had tons of zucchini and green beans that she shared with us.  Yum!

We got home about 6:00 p.m. last night and it's a little of a relief!  Vacations can be a time to renew and they can also exhaust you!  Bot moreover, they add balance to your life and I sure needed that!  Now it's back to a routine and enjoying the second half of the summer.  

If I have missed commenting on your blog, I am so sorry.  I did very little blogging while I was gone, but I promise to catch up this week.  I hope I didn't miss anything juicy!  See you all soon! :)

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE!

Well, it's Thursday already and I can't believe my vacation is winding down.  Even though we didn't take that little trip to the island on Lake Erie that we were talking about, and though I missed the county fair this year, I feel like time has flown!  One of the best things we did was throw the cocktail party last night for our long time friends on the lake.  Would you believe thatthe above picture is the only one I took?!  This was our mini bar next to the outdoor frige which was filled with cold beverages.  Our guests arrived between 6:00 and 6:30, each bringing a hot or cold dish.  My huge harvest table was filled with delicious salads and appetizers.  It didn't take long before people were making themselves plates and I was busy greeting and mingling!  You know how that goes.  We get so busy here on the weekends, and even our friends that live here year round are involved with chores and family time, so we don't see one another much.  It was a wonderful time!

The last time I posted I wrote that I would share pictures of our big family weekend that went from Friday to Sunday night.  There was a whole lot of fun on the water with the wave runners, kayaks, boat, paddle boat and even The Beast...The Husband's fishing boat!  We made trips to the sandbar, dropping people off to play in the knee deep waters along the shore line.  Others, like me, sat and enjoyed the 85 degree temperatures and a light breeze. I did take Mary Clare's mother, Peggy, out on the wave runner for a scenic tour of the homes along the lake.  She enjoyed her first ride and I was careful not to speed! :)

There was tons of food (and cold water), and plenty of snacks. 

Here is son Kevin relaxing on one of his rare days off from work.

It looks like someone has a secret!

But they're not telling!

Someone must have set out a new appetizer to try!

Oh, don't you miss the days when playing on the beach was so much fun?

This is Papa posing with his granddaughters (mine are missing).  Still recovering from recent surgery, Papa had a ball!

The captain of the boat took a much needed break.  I have to thank The Husband for all of his hard work keeping everyone busy and happy.  A BIG smooch to you! :)

This is the buffet that was set out in the kitchen Sunday night.  Everyone brought a side dish to go with the hamburgers, chicken and brats.  Look at that delicious strawberry salad!

And this is who made it, my pretty sister in law, Karen.

The kids never seemed to wear themselves out.  Everyone has permanent smiles on their faces.  Look at these cute freckles!

It was another memory making weekend at the lake with the family that I love so much.  It was so good to see Papa relax and have fun, the kids run and jump off the dock, Milo running around with them, chasing after the boats and toys as they left the dock.  I wish all of you could have been there...well you sort of have with all these pictures.  Thanks so much for following along! :)

I'm joining Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday

BATHROOM REDO, DOGS & FROGS

I left you last week with a project started, painting the powder room.  Well, it took me 2 days and although this is my vacation, the results were well worth it.  This is the before...

...and here is the after.  I am so pleased!  It looks so much more open and bright.  Even Emily, who chose the original red, loves it!  I had to do two coats even though the paint had primer in it.  Tell me what you think!

Friday night Abby and her boyfriend Tom came up.  The first thing Abby wanted to do was give the dogs a bath in the lake (seems a little useless since that's what they smell like in the first place!).  Yes, it took 3 of them to hold Milo down, he was very confused.  He likes the tub and although the lake water is warm, he wasn't exactly loving it!

Then it was Layla's turn while Milo watched and probably laughed. 

They got a good drying off under the arbor and were ready for company!

A bonfire was lit and company started to arrive. 

Leave it up to my adult sons to revert to a childhood pastime, hunting down bullfrogs!  These are some big critters and really give me the creeps.  After grossing everyone out, this guy was let go.  

Most of the family arrived Saturday afternoon and then more on Sunday.  We almost topped last year with 25 people.  I have a slew of pictures to share with you, but I'll do that in my next post.  Everyone was gone by late last night and I collapsed in bed shortly after.  The Husband is cleaning up the patio and yard right now and I have the inside to do.  Then we are going to take the wave runners out to the sandbar and chill with a few cold beverages!

Wednesday evening is our cocktail party.  It's going to be a great time reconnecting with friends we don't see too often.  I really don't have a lot to do to prepare, so the next few days are going to be carefree.  I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend.  The weather here in Michigan is gorgeous and a nice break from all the rain.  Thanks for stopping by and I will see you in a few days. 

I'm, joining Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday.

A BATHROOM REDO ON A RAINY DAY

Lest you think I have fallen off the face of the earth, we are now on our 4th day of vacation at the lake.  In spite of the heat and now, a rainy day, we have been having a ball and are keeping quite busy!  Son Jeff met us up here Friday night and spent all day Saturday here.  It was really a treat because it has been so long since he's been up to the lake and he is usually all work and no play.  But here he is with The Husband and Milo on the beast after a fishing excursion.  It's hard to believe he is thirty years old...seems like yesterday he was ten years old,  catching frogs and fishing off the dock!

The heat has been insufferable but we have managed to keep busy.  If there is a nice breeze I can tolerate being outdoors.  Our flowers and plants are paying the price, but The Husband keeps using his home remedies and we haven't lost anything yet...just fewer blooms.  We had a nice thunderstorm with a lot of rain last night so that should help. 

This is my project for today, painting the powder room.  It shouldn't take that long, as you can see, half of it is bead board.  Emily was in charge of decorating the bathroom/mudroom when we renovated a few years ago.  The mudroom has a wonderful Pottery Barn bench with a cushion and baskets below, and a shelf with hooks above (I can show you better when I finish with it).  She painted the bath this dark red and the mudroom a chocolate brown.  The laundry room is beige.  Overall, it's very dark and not very beachy looking. 

We made a trip to Menards yesterday and I picked out this new color, the middle one called Aqua Whisper.  I think it's going to look perfect and really brighten things up.  Emily, if you are reading this, I'm sorry!  But I think you will like it!  So that is one of the things on my agenda for today.

I am in the midst of planning a cocktail party with my neighbor, Barb.  We have a guest list with about 30 people, friends around the lake.  Pretty invitations were printed and we wrote out envelopes yesterday, so I have to go to the post office in town and get them mailed.  I ordered some fun party things from a website called Smarty Had A Party, disposable forks and serving spoons and tongs that look like real silver.  Napkins, plates that look like china...it's a really great website.  

This weekend we have a big group of family and friends coming up, time to bring out all those inflatable toys!  The weather is supposed to be wonderful.  Now, it's time for me to get off my bum and scoot.  I will be back with pictures of the painted bath/mudroom as soon as I can.  Stay cool!

ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT!

This is just a short post so you don't think I am MIA.  The heat here is dreadful again and I have been a recluse up at the lake for the past 5 days.  The water temp is in the 80's, it's like taking a bath.  With fish.  At night it would cool off a bit and I would sit outside reading, but for the most part, stayed in, even cooking on the stove instead of the grill.  We had a good thunderstorm on Saturday but it did little to cool things off.  The Dog Days Of Summer!

We brought The Husbands new boat up with us from Illinois.  Boy, did he fill this thing up with gadgets.  A motor, depth finder and he made a plank of wood into a holder for his fishing rods.  I chickened out of taking the maiden voyage with him Saturday morning.  We got up a 5:00 a.m. and I made him a carafe of coffee and wished him well.  I was so worried he would break down in the middle of the lake!  It wasn't like he was sailing around the world alone.  He came back about 3 hours later and was a little disappointed that he only caught one bass.  He went out twice more on Sunday and Monday and had no luck.  There is a saying that in the heat, the fish keep their mouths tightly closed.  He was quite proud that our neighbors came over to check out the beast!

Friday we leave for two straight weeks at the lake.  I am praying for good weather.  Either that or I will have to just brave the heat because I really don't like sitting indoors.  16 whole days.  I am beyond excited.  Of course I will have to get used to fishing again on the beast, and I have been a real sissy about taking the wave runner or kayak out because of the mean swans on the lake.  They chase you flapping their wings and they are by no means small birds.  

All is good on the home front.  I have so much to do before we leave.  We had son Kevin and Mary Clare over for dinner last week.  I made lasagna and stuffed shells.  Rumor has it that after MC runs in the Chicago Marathon in the fall, they are going to start a family.  I am so excited!  This and Emily getting married in May is just too much!  And...we are putting together a trip to New Mexico for this spring.  We have never been to the Southwest so I'm really happy The Husband is up for this.  I have a girlfriend that I've know since grammar school that lives in Albuquerque and we are going to see each other for the first time in 25 years.  We have been having email marathons and it seems neither of us have changed a bit.  I am really excited.  More on this later.  

I hope all of you had a great weekend.  Let's all hope for an end to the heat and do a little rain dance! :-)