Twice As Nice

Grand Opening for Watch Me Grow Onesie Stickers

2012-01-25T09:37:00.004-06:00

Shannon from Bless Our Nest is having a giveaway for our Grand Opening of our new Etsy shop Watch Me Grow

We are now doing a line of baby monthly onesie stickers!

What a great way to capture your little one's growth throughout the first year of their life.


These stickers come pre-cut and ready to use. Simply peel, stick and click! These make wonderful shower gifts for the mother-to-be. They come prepackaged and are ready for gift giving. I would really appreciate any suggestions or comments. If you do not want to leave a comment here you can email me: watchmegrowstickers@yahoo.com

Faith, Prayer, and a Long Journey

2012-01-20T09:33:00.001-06:00

Back in August I told you how my MIL had septic shock, emergency surgery and was put on a vent. When trying to take her off the vent didn't go well, the doctor told us to gather the family and they would try to take her off the next day. While it went well and she was eating jello by that evening, little did we know this was only the beginning of a long 5 1/2 month journey.

Once she recovered, she went to the nursing home for physical therapy. About a week and a half later she was throwing up and went back to the hospital. The doctor said she had what he called a frozen colon and he had to operate once more to remove and repair part of her colon. The colon is suppose to start back up after a few days of rest, but hers did not. She developed pneumonia and went back to ICU. Once that was under control, the bowels still weren't working and she started having liver failure and turning yellow. The doctor said it was a matter of days. Four days later she went back to the nursing home.

Time passed and and she still wasn't eating and the colon wasn't doing much. I read that morphine can slow down the body and suggested we take her off of it as long as she wasn't in pain. Slowly she started eating, very little maybe a strawberry or two and a few bites of yogurt. About 2 weeks later they did a blood test and she was in need of a blood transfusion. We decided to do this even if she wasn't expected to live long. Once she had the transfusion she was no longer yellow and eventually started eating more, the bowels started working and she eventually started physical therapy.

Long story short, she is now home. The doctor said besides the septic shock, two surgeries in less than 3 weeks, plus pneumonia, he has never seen anyone come back from liver failure! He also said it is rare to see a family take care of an elderly parent the way we all bonded together and took care of her. Every day and sometimes multiple times we took turns being with her. My husband went every single day even if I had already gone. The doctor told him he hasn't seen any son as devoted to their mother as he is and it's true. She is so lucky to have him. She lives next door to us so it's a bit easier to take care of her now. While she has lost quite a bit of weight she is getting around really well and it is nothing short of a miracle that she is still with us.

So, with life a little bit back to normal we are hoping to start blogging a bit more. We are opening a new Etsy shop that you can see at the top of our blog and will be having a give away next week. Come back and check it out.

Great Teacher's Gift

2011-12-04T19:39:00.001-06:00

What a great idea for a Christmas thank you. You get the sticker and ribbon. Free Shipping! You can purchase this at our biz blog. Go to TwiceAsNiceLettering
This special is now over. Thanks for all your orders!

Too much SWEETNESS not to share!

2011-11-14T14:52:00.000-06:00

Crew turned 11 months!!

This little boy is the love of our lives. He will do anything to make us laugh and is happy most of the time. I can't believe he will be a year in just a month.

He always sits with his right leg crossed over the left. HA! He's a busy boy, crawling all over and pulling himself up and is always babbling. Greek yogurt is his favorite and as soon as you show it to him, he starts shaking and squealing. I told my daughter she needs to record it and put it on youtube. Too Funny!

Being Featured on Very Jane

2011-11-01T07:59:00.001-05:00

We are being featured on Very Jane today!

The estimated amount of cookies left out for Santa on Christmas Eve is 84 million! Your children will love leaving milk and cookies for Santa this year with these ready to apply vinyl decals. (includes milk vinyl)

Are your kids counting down the days until Christmas? The kids will love counting the days with the "Days Until Christmas" vinyl. Use erasable marker only.

Having an only child

2011-10-28T11:20:00.000-05:00

Kelly from Kelly's Korner is featuring only children today. When we got married we wanted to start a family right away. I thought 3 children would be great and my husband wanted a baseball team! What I thought was going to take us 9 months took us 8 1/2 years and one miscarriage. I must admit there were A LOT of tears along the way. On 12/04/95 we were blessed with a wonderful little boy we named Logan. It might not of been an easy road towards parenthood but I tell everyone Logan has been the EASIEST child to raise. He is such a blessing. I never planned on having an only child but I am so happy God's plan was for me to be Logan's mom. He is very close to Fran's (my twin) 3 children and I know that he will always have them in his life.

Logan is now a Sophomore and is planning on becoming a doctor. He wants 4 kids of his own so I will have lots of little ones to love! (I am in no hurry) I have read a lot of blogs with couples having problems with having a family of their own and my heart goes out to them. I was one of them and I just want to say don't give up. All your tears and heartache will all be forgotten when you hold your new baby in your arms whether you give birth to that child or adopt. For me being a mom has been the greatest gift I have ever received. Thank you Lord for letting me be Logan's mom.

We are being featured on groopdealz again!

2011-10-25T13:05:00.000-05:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving. What a great hostess gift this would make or just keep it for yourself.

Hubby got me a little something...

2011-09-26T18:16:00.000-05:00

I forgot to tell ya, my hubby surprised me with a new car this summer. I had no idea I was getting it. Fran and I went shopping one day and when I dropped her off at her house my hubby and son pulled up behind us and my hubby handed me the keys. He said it took weeks to get the right color with all the extras he wanted but everyone kept the secret. I was really surprised. We've had a lot of fun with it. Just wish we had warm weather all year around. It does have the hard top. We needed a new vehicle since my son is getting his license soon and will be getting our jeep.

This is my son Logan and his girlfriend Danielle. They went to Homecoming this past weekend.

Fran and I are leaving in a couple days for Las Vegas again. My bosses take us every year. This time we are going to see Elton John! We have a lot of things planned and it should be a very fun time.

Don't forget groopdealz

2011-08-24T12:41:00.002-05:00

Today is the LAST day.

We are being featured on groopdealz.
Don't forget to say "thank you for all that you do". Grandparent's Day is Sept. 11th.

Sneak Peek Groopdealz!

2011-08-23T15:17:00.001-05:00

We are going to be featured on groopdealz tomorrow. This is a little Sneak Peek! Don't forget Grandparent's Day is September 11th! This is a great "thank you for all you do".

I found it in a magazine...

2011-08-20T09:39:00.002-05:00

Have you ever seen something in a magazine that you just loved, only to be disappointed with the price or because you had no idea of where to purchase it? I was flipping through my REDBOOK magazine and fell in love with this jacket. It was $72.00 but there are so many ways you can wear it that I figured I could justify the price.

I was surprised to find it is from Sears. It's part of their new UK Fashion Connection line. I don't know about you but the only thing I think about purchasing from Sears is appliances. I found it on line and on sale for $42.99! It comes in black and tan. I wanted the tan but the sizes went from 2 and skipped to 8. I figured the 2 would be too small because I want to layer it and the 8 would be way too big. I have never purchased anything from the UK Fashion Connection line so I did not know if the sizing ran a little on the small/big side. I ended up calling around and found it at a mall about 45 minutes from us.

While somethings aren't as nice as they look in a magazine, I wasn't disappointed with the jacket. It's well made. Fern and I each got one. We have a lot of the same clothes because we like the same things but we don't wear them at the same time. We have come close a few times. I don't know how many time one of us has said "I was going to wear that today but changed my mind." I did end up getting the size 2. Have you ever found something in a magazine you just had to have?

Nothing short of a miracle

2011-08-17T09:43:00.000-05:00


Our journey with my MIL began Labor Day 2010. We found out she had diverticulitis and a temporary drain had to be inserted. Next she went for a colonoscopy and she had a cancerous tumor at the bottom of her colon. She needed to have a colostomy bag. She then had radiation and took chemo pills for 6 weeks. Last month she had another colonoscopy and all looked great. When my husband took her back to her surgeon he said while everything looked great he wanted her to keep the colostomy bag because reversing it requires more than one surgery and she could have complication because of the damage radiation can do to tissue. We were okay with that (my husband takes care of this for her, bless his heart!). After the colonoscopy she complained of back pain just like when she had the diverticulitis. We now wonder if the colonoscopy to the unattached colon/rectal area may have start of all of this because about two weeks ago I woke up and saw 3 messages flashing on my answering machine, scary. It was my MIL asking me to come over (she lives next door). She said she hurt all over and I called 911. In the emergency room they found she had a hernia around the colostomy opening. The next day when her doctor called my husband and said she needed surgery right away because her stats were dropping and they couldn't wait. He also told him the anesthetic alone might kill her. Because everything has been such a blur he doesn't remember if he mentioned septic shock at the time or not but that is what she had. He said she must have had an abscess in her body that ruptured and she was full of infection and puss! The hernia was fine and causing no problems. She came out of surgery on a vent and had tubes coming out everywhere. They removed the vent the next day but later her heart rate went up to about 200 beats a minute ( they shocked her once to slow it down) and her breathing was labored so they put it back in. Three days later they tried dialing it down and she started to crash. The doctor said they would try it again the next day but to gather the family. Later that day they slowly dialed it down and when they took it out the next day, she was fine, and even eating a little jello that night! Saturday she got out of ICU and yesterday she went to the nursing home for rehab to get her back on her feet. In a matter of days we went from possibly planning a funeral to rehab. It's been unbelievable. We found out septic shock is not uncommon and there were 2 other people in ICU that had it. It's very serious and the survival rate isn't very high, especially for a 90 year old. We told the doctors and nurses she is a young 90 year old but even we were amazed at her recovery. I mentioned the word miraculous to the nurse and she said that is what this is. I don't think anyone expected her to survive. We are very thankful!

How long will it last?

2011-07-28T12:06:00.000-05:00

I have had multiple area rugs in my living room. While I like to change things up (just ask my family, it's a long standing joke) that isn't why I have purchased so many.

The reason is because we have a dog. Not a big dog, he's small. A cairn terrier to be exact. Remember Toto from The Wizard of Oz? I'm sure he is a distant relative. He's a pretty good dog and doesn't get sick often but when he does he chooses the rug. Dog vomit stains and I can't get it out. The last new rug I got lasted 2 days before he christened it. I have spent a small fortune on area rugs and I think this is the cheapest. $200.00 from Home Goods.


This is the first time I have ever put the couch against the wall. It's a very open floor plan and the 2 other walls have either windows or a fireplace so the furniture usually floats in the middle. This way it looks larger but the 8x10 rug almost looks too small for the room. I'm going to keep it this way for awhile and see if it grows on me. Does anyone have any ideas for getting pet stain out of area rugs? I hope this rug last longer than a year...

There's a play coming to town.

2011-07-26T19:09:00.001-05:00

Walt Willey from All My Children is from our small Illinois town. For the last 3 summers he has put on a play at our local high school to raise money for a charity. This year it will be for Friendship Village for the disabled. Fern and I were busy and missed the previous plays but we are going this time.

Each year he brings other actors with him and this year it is Kale Browne who played Sam Rappaport on One Life To Live and Taylor Miller who played Nina Courtland for a very long time on All My Children. Taylor now lives in Chicago. The other guy in the picture lives here and is a good friend of Walt's and has been in all of the plays.

There was a meet and greet when we got our tickets and were able to meet them all. They were very nice and very talkative! I was surprised and they did most of the talking and asking questions. I wasn't thinking we were going to do much chit chatting so I wasn't prepared to ask many questions. I hope one of these summers Walt Willey brings Susan Lucci to town! Add caption

The Help

2011-07-22T18:15:00.000-05:00

Fran just finished reading this book and I am half way through. It is one of those books you want to go on and on. Love it. Very well written. If you haven't had a chance to read it you really should. It is a very easy read. Can't wait until the movie is released. We already have plans of a girl's night. FUN!

We Are Having A Special!

2011-07-18T09:29:00.001-05:00

We are having a giveaway at Bless Our Nest today! We are also having a special on our "new" kitchen labels. What a fun way to get organized. Be sure to stop by Shannon's and see what all the fuss is about!

Some More New Creations!!

2011-07-13T17:49:00.002-05:00

These would look darling in any nursery!

These were a lot of fun designing. More to come.

New Vinyl Decals

2011-07-11T20:47:00.001-05:00

I have been working hard to get out some new decals. I am going monogram and personalized CRAZY!!

I am just loving these new vinyl decals and I have more to show you next time! FUN

Wordless Wednesday...JUSTICE?????

2011-07-06T10:18:00.001-05:00

Guilty or Not Guilty?

2011-06-24T13:06:00.000-05:00

Have you been following the Casey Anthony trial? If so, don't you think it's one of the oddest cases? First of all do you know anyone who's daughter had a baby and the parents have no idea of who the father is and don't press the daughter to find out? They just let it go and move on. Casey was suppose to be working and yet no one figures out that she doesn't really have a job. Odd don't you think? Everyone that has a job earns a pay check (other than stay at home moms!) and yet no one ever questioned her when she didn't have any money? She insisted that she had a nanny that Caylee spent quite a bit of time with. Did anyone ask how she was paying for this nanny?

While this is a very odd and dysfunctional family, I'm not sure I'm buying the idea that Casey was sexually abused by her father. Possible yes, but it could just be another lie. Do I think Caylee drowned in the pool and George dumped her body? Absolutely not. A grandfather wouldn't do that and he certainly wouldn't duck tape her mouth and use a sticker. You see Casey tearing up when the sexual abuse was mentioned. It could be that it's true or very possibly because she realizes she is throwing her own dad under the bus to save herself.

Even if it were true that Caylee drowned in the pool, how many mothers are partying and having a good time after something like this happens? When the story first came out, I thought Casey accidentally killed Caylee by overdosing her because she wanted to party and she needed her to sleep. Now I think she did it on purpose. If it would have been an accident and unexpected she would have been a lot more emotional about it and devastated. She planned it and when the deed was done she was relieved and unburdened to do as she wanted.

The relationship between Casey and her parents is odd. They almost seem to be afraid of her. They don't want to make her mad or upset her so she has always done pretty much what she's wanted although I think her and Cindy have had their share of arguments in the past. I've never met anyone that lies as much as Casey, have you? Lying over and over again to the police, her family and friends. Strangers have shed more tears for her little girl than she has. I don't believe her lack of emotion is due to childhood sexual abuse. I believe in Casey's world it's all about her and she feels her actions were justified. Partly because her little girl began to feel like a burden and partly to stick it to her mother who loved Caylee so much.

I find Casey fascinating because I can't figure someone like her out. I don't know how anyone can think another person is disposable, especially your own child. Like most of you, my children are my world, the greatest gift I have ever been blessed with and if I could make their lives perfect for them I would. How does a mother not love their own child?

I would love to hear your take on this...gotta get back to the trial!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T12:46:00.002-05:00

We are going to be on GROOPDEALZ again tomorrow!!

2011-05-22T10:04:00.000-05:00


We are being featured again on Groopdealz.com tomorrow!! We are so ExCIteD!! If you have never visited this site it is a must. They have a deal of the day and you can save up to 50%. They sell jewelry, hair bows, teeth whitening and lots of other great stuff. Go check it out.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

Three Little Birdies Vinyl Special

2011-05-10T16:46:00.003-05:00

Our three little birdies would look darling in any nursery!

You could add them too just about any room in the house.


Our little birdies are approximately 4 inches. You get all three for $4.oo and free shipping. We want to thank everyone for making our last vinyl special such a great success! You can still purchase our plant, grow, bloom decals here. If you have any ideas of what you might want to see as a special from our shop just drop us an email.

Senior Prom

2011-05-06T08:09:00.001-05:00

Crew was Lexi's back up date for prom. He was ready to dance the night away.

Although there are many years between my girls, they are very close and Missy is always there to share the special times with her sister. I would take John and Lexi to see Missy in college and drop them off for days at a time because she missed them. She has always been a sister, friend and a second mom to them. It took awhile before we were blessed with more children after having Missy and I think she wanted them as much as I did.

Crew wasn't very happy when this guy showed up and he knew he wouldn't be needing his dancing shoes. HA

They had a great time.

After Crew got over his disappointment, he and Grandma had a great time. Time really does fly and before you know it this little man will be getting ready for his prom. I keep saying "Stay little, stay little!" He is so precious.

Vinyl Special

2011-04-24T09:45:00.003-05:00

We are going to start having "specials". Our first featured special is our darling plant, grow and bloom decals.

You will receive all 3 decals. A great way to brighten up any pot you may have in your home.

These would look great on your deck or patio. Another idea would be to break these up and use them for Mother's Day gifts. You could give one to your mother, one to your mother-in-law and save one for yourself! We got our buckets from Hobby Lobby.

Regularly $12 but for a limited time only we are selling the decals for $6.00 with FREE shipping!

Tell Me It Isn't So!

2011-04-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

It's a sad day for me today. I just found out All My Children and One Life to Live are going to be canceled. What will I do without my Susan Lucci? I have been watching both of these soap operas since I was a young girl. Twin watched too until she started working. I'm sure she won't miss them as much as me.

I still remember the All My Children original theme song.

I do think One Life to Live is my favorite. It's always interesting and the actors do a great job. Even though I don't watch every day I feel like I'm losing a close friend. It's a loss and I will miss both shows. They have been a part of my life for so long and I thought they would be on forever. The two shows that are suppose to replace them are The Chew and The Revolution. Neither sound good to me. I will be boycotting!

SWEETNESS!!

2011-03-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

We are on GROOPDEALZ!!!!

2011-03-25T22:52:00.000-05:00


We are being featured on Groopdealz.com tomorrow!! We are so ExCIteD!! If you have never visited this site it is a must. They have a deal of the day and you can save up to 50%. They sell jewelry, hair bows, teeth whitening and lots of other great stuff. Go check it out.

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T14:55:00.000-06:00

Crew is 2 Months!!

2011-02-11T11:57:00.000-06:00

Crew turned 2 months yesterday. Wow the time is just going so fast and this little guy is really growing!

What a blessing to our family. We L-O-V-E you!

I just can NOT get enough...

2011-01-25T13:12:00.000-06:00

I (aunt Fern) can NOT get enough of this cutie!! You would think I was the grandma!! I am in no rush since Logan is only 15 but I have to tell you, this little guy has stolen my heart. He had a photo shoot and I will be adding more pictures as time goes on...I can't help myself people I am ADDICTED.

A BABY STORY...

2011-01-14T10:40:00.005-06:00

Well it was quite a journey welcoming into the world our first grandchild, Crew Anthony. Let's start from the beginning. On Mother's Day I received a frame with a picture of a positive pregnancy test. My little girl was having a baby! She actually is little. At almost 5 feet and around 112 pounds, there isn't much to her. I wondered what she would look like pregnant, imagining how cutesie she would be. I was in for the surprise of my life. My tiny, health conscious, marathon runner gained 75 pounds. No that isn't a typo. She almost doubled her weight.

Missy is left with sissy Lexi on right

They live 3 1/2 hours away from us but try to make it home a couple times a month. Each time I would ask her what her doctors thought about the weight gain (she had a team of doctors and midwives) and each time she said they didn't say anything. A lot of the weight was water retention but let me tell ya, towards the end I almost didn't recognize my own daughter. She looked so huge and bloated and I was worried about her. She had signs of preeclampsia such as the water retention and a bit of high blood pressure but not enough protein in her urine to make the doctors too concerned. I have to give her credit, she taught school up until the time she delivered and never complained once as she got kankles, a double chin and shoulders like a line backer. All she cared about was that she was going to be a mom.

Labor went well at first and she was dilated to a 5 and they broke her water and then things get even better when she got her epidural. It didn't seem to phased her that it took about 4 tries before they finally got it in the right spot. She was dilated to 10 and they call it "labor down" which meant they want the baby to come down some on its own. So they spent the first 3 hours waiting...Crew was face up and crooked and after 3 hours of pushing she needed a c-section. Crew Anthony was born shortly after and when we got to go back to see them I saw her crying for the first time. They gave her a spinal block to do the surgery and she said she couldn't breathe. It was very frightening for her.

Crew was born 5:47 a.m. Dec. 10th. We had been up all night so we went back to Missy's to get some rest. The next afternoon when we went back to the hospital we learned the doctor was concerned because Missy's hemoglobin count was low. They said she could have internal bleeding. Luckily after giving her blood, the count went back up so they said it had stopped.

I must add her husband was (and is) an amazing guy. He was right there through it all and stayed with her in the hospital day and night. He is a hands on husband and father.

Finally, she gets to come home. Later that night she woke me to let me know her incision was bleeding. She had a trail of blood from the living room into the bathroom. She very calmly called the hospital and asked what she should do. (insert panic for me). They said to put a pad over her incision and if it soaked threw to go to the emergency room and if not to call her doctor in the morning. For two weeks she went every few days to the doctor and he would pack the opening until it finally stopped draining and closed on its own.

Crew is quite the sleeper and so good. Actually he was too good because we didn't even know the poor thing was almost starving until he went for a check up and still hadn't gained any weight. He weighed 7 lb. 4 oz. when he was born, 6 lb. 8 oz when he came home. After being home a couple of days they had to take him back to the doctor to see if he was gaining any weight and since he wasn't Missy had to started pumping and bottle feeding him so we could see how much he was eating. Luckily he is now both bottle feeding and breast feeding and growing.

The whole time Fern kept saying to Missy "You are my hero. I've never seen anyone go through what you have and be as brave. You are unbelievable." And yes she was amazing. She has even shocked her doctor because she started asking him question about when she has her next baby!!

Now she knows what it's like to experience a whole new love. The love you only share with your child. She is in heaven and let me tell ya, she earned it.

P.S. GO BEARS!!!!!

I got a kindle

2011-01-10T21:12:00.004-06:00

My husband won a kindle at work. He only reads the newspaper so while he may not have been thrilled with his win, I was because I love to read and I ended up with the kindle. It wasn't something I ever looked into purchasing myself, I think because I have a lot of books that I need to read and I never knew the convenience of the Kindle. I think one of the things I like best is going on line to a book store or Amazon and typing in what type of book I'm looking for whether it's a memoir or a novel and finding books I wouldn't have thought about looking for at book store. I'm finding I am loving memoirs and books for the kindle are inexpensive. I'm actually reading more since I got it. Do you have a Kindle or an e reader?

P.S. If you would like to see the cutest little boy that is one month old today, go here http://teammesser.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-month-of-crew-at-onetruemediacom.html My daughter has started a blog and put a slide show up of Crew.

What a journey it has been!!

2010-12-23T17:24:00.001-06:00

It has really been a journey. Fran is still at her daughter's house and will be there until after Christmas. Missy did not have an easy time. I have told her over and over she is my hero. She never once complained. Perhaps, Fran will share with all of you when she gets home, but until then I just had to share another picture of Crew!

He's Here...

2010-12-14T17:03:00.003-06:00


This is minutes after he was born			Crew Anthony

The baby is coming!! Oh, my!!

2010-12-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

Fran called me just before midnight to say Missy thinks she might be going into labor. I had planned on going up next weekend with my family and Fran was planning on going up early next week. With the turn of events it will me just the two of us for now. Her hubby is hoping to go for the birth and then turn around and come right back because his mother is sick. Missy would love for her brother and sister to come but this week is crunch week at school so they will have to wait until after the baby is here. Please, say a prayer she has had some complications. Thanks :o) 

YUMMY!

2010-12-07T17:06:00.001-06:00

If you love hot chocolate you must try Cold Stone. It is SO creamy and believe me you won't be able to stop at one! I just love hot chocolate on a cold winter day. So yummy!!!

We are SO EXCITED!!!!

2010-12-05T11:43:00.002-06:00

This is Fran's daughter Melissa (Missy to us). She is due the 22nd. We thought they were going to induce this weekend because of some complications she is having but they said they are going to monitor her and if she hasn't gone into labor by the 15th they are thinking about inducing her.

 Her mom and I have been a little concerned. She is a very tiny girl. Not even 5 foot and we don't know how much more she can stretch!


Here she is last Sept. with her sister Lexi. Aren't they darling?

Here are the parents to be. Missy is a school teacher and wants 4 kids! Brad her hubby is a sweetheart. We have no idea the sex (they want to be surprised) but the one thing we do know is that this child is so blessed to be able to call them mommy and daddy!

Happy Birthday Logan

2010-12-04T14:47:00.002-06:00

I can't believe you're 15 today! All I ever wanted was to be a mom. It was a very long and hard road but you were worth the wait. I am so proud to be your mom. You have been such a blessing in our lives. Happy Birthday!

It is time for ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-11-17T07:28:00.001-06:00

Shannon from Bless Our Nest is having a giveaway for us today. Be sure to enter and good luck!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies YUMMY

2010-11-14T21:09:00.003-06:00

My husband loves to cook and he got one of my cookbooks out and we found some recipes we want to try this week. 

We started out with theses chicken pot pies.

Very easy to make.


What's great about this cookbook is that there are only a few ingredients for each dish. I buy boneless chicken breasts when they are on sale and cook up 5-6 packages at once. I cut the chicken up in small pieces and put them in baggies. When I find a chicken recipe I just pull out a bag and thaw. Cuts the cooking time in half. I do it for hamburger too. Click on photo to see recipe.

They turned out very yummy!

 This recipe would be great for left overs.

Chocolate Cheesecake Dip

2010-11-09T17:04:00.000-06:00

It wasn't until I put this into a to go container that I thought about taking a picture and sharing the recipe on our blog. I was about to leave for a get together that I had brought this to before and was asked to make it again. It's fast, easy, and really good. Everyone wanted the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

16 oz. cream cheese- softened

1c. butter- softened

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

4T. brown sugar

1tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

1 1/2c. finely chopped pecans (optional)

Crackers-Chocolate Grahams

Beat cream cheese, butter, add sugars and vanilla. Stir in chips and nuts. Chill 2 hrs. Can also be shaped into a ball and rolled in nuts.

I skip the nuts because my kids don't care for them. Enjoy.

I Just LOVE My New "Candles"

2010-11-04T19:04:00.002-05:00

If you haven't see these candles I am telling you that you will LOVE them. 

They are great if you love the glow of a candle but are afraid of lighting them with children or pets around.

These are not "real" candles but they look just like them.

You don't have to worry about your children getting burnt or your pet starting a fire.

They look and glow just like a real candle.

What is really great about these is that you can put them about anywhere. I was going to have my hubby put a whole in this cabinet so I could put a lamp in here and plug it in to have some light but then twin found these candles at Farm and Fleet. There are other places that sell candles like these but what makes these so special is...

they come with a remote. Some of the other candles have on-off switches and if you have them up above your cabinet or somewhere high who wants to have to get a chair to turn them on and off? This little baby does all the work for you. These came in a 3 pack. Twin got hers on sale for $18 but when I got mine I had to pay full price $25. You can get 2 larger ones for the same price which I might go back and get. Did I tell you how much I LOVE my new candles!!

TrICk Or tREat

2010-10-29T09:54:00.002-05:00

I decided to add some vinyl decals to this bucket I got at Hobby Lobby last year. I thought it would be perfect for our Halloween treats.

I have all of my supplies ready. If you love vinyl decals but are afraid to put them on your wall because you don't think you can do it, start out with something simple like this project. So easy. You can even get your children involved. Believe me these decals can become addicting. 


I made some decals last night and cut each one up to see which ones looked the best on my bucket.

I knew I wanted Happy Halloween so I started with it first.

Let me introduce you to Matilda Louise. She decided to take my vinyl 101 class!

I cut the spider from it's web and add it on top. Too cute!


I kept the back a little plain and thought the witch's hat would do the trick.

All my treats are ready to go...now where are those trick or treaters?
We are joining Shabby Nest
and Just a Girl
today for Show and Share day! Go check it out.

Joining Show Us Your Dining Room

2010-10-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

My dining room isn't exactly the way that I want it. I painted it a few months ago and am still working on it.

I put my metal pumpkin on my ladder back chair for now. I plan on putting it out on my front porch. I put a flame less candle that has a remote control inside so I won't have to go outside every night to turn it off.

I put these shelves up but I'm just not happy with them. Every time I mention I'd like to take them down, Fern says to leave them. I know I will have holes to repair once I do take them down. I think wider shelves would have been better.

I put a few fall things in the hutch.

Fern bought me the ceramic pumpkins from Kirlin's a few years ago. I keep them out even when it isn't fall. I love them.

You can join in the fun too at Kelly's Korner

We're LEAVING...

2010-09-19T14:40:00.000-05:00


We're leaving...for Vegas!! See ya in a couple of weeks.

A Little FaLL Decorating

2010-09-16T20:30:00.000-05:00

Thought I would share some fall decorations.

Out of all the the seasons I love to decorate for fall the best. 

I'm not real big on Halloween decorations but I do add a few.

I love putting flowers in front of my mirror because I think the refection is so pretty. I had red and yellow tulips for the summer. Not sure what I will use for winter.

I think one of the reasons I like decorating for fall so much is all the pretty colors!

MIL update and a shout out to hubby

2010-09-16T07:58:00.006-05:00

My MIL came home from the hospital yesterday. She needs to go back next Friday and have a cat scan. If the rupture has healed she will have the drainage tube removed and won't need surgery. We pray that the procedure worked.

My husband's father passed away over 20 years ago. About 12 years ago we purchased the two lots next to my MIL and built a house. Most people wouldn't want to live next to their MIL it has been a good thing for us. My MIL rarely comes over as she likes us to go to her house. It's also convenient because when my husband cuts the grass he cuts hers too. He cleans her gutters, shovels the snow, has fixed her furnace, put in a new hot water heater etc. She is still able to drive but he does the errands she doesn't want to do such as pick up a loaf of bread, get soup from a local restaurant, gas her car. He checks on her every day.

While she was in the hospital he took off of work and would travel almost 2 hours one way and stay 12 hours and then drive home just to get up in the morning to do it all over again. He spent the night with her last night as she is weak yet and needs a little assistance. The neighbor once told him that he is a dying breed and his mom was lucky to have him because children just don't take care of their parents like they use to. Yes, she is blessed to have him. I don't think you could ask for a better son.

Mama said there would be days like this...

2010-09-14T11:39:00.002-05:00

Can you believe that my MIL has been in two different hospitals for 5 days and still HAS NOT seen a doctor? She finally had the procedure done on Sunday but no doctor has stopped by her room yet. She has diverticulitis (we were unaware of) and ended up with an abscess. They inserted a needle to drain it but it was larger than first thought so they had to insert a tube. She's weak as this is something that has been ongoing and we had no idea she was so seriously ill. My MIL broke her femur bone in a car accident in 2003 and she thought the back pain she was experiencing was do to that. Little did we know. I have heard diverticulitis is very painful and with the abscess I don't know how she tolerated it. God bless her and thank you for all the prayers. We are continuing to pray that the procedure is successful so we can avoid the surgery...maybe a doctor will show up to day with some answers.

Yesterday was not my day. I went to the dentist for a filling and when he told me to bite down and move my mouth from side to side I bit down on my tongue. When I got home at 11:30 I realized that since I had my MIL car and my son had mine I didn't have a house key. No one would be home until 3:00 to let me in. I was a pretty pathetic sight with a numbed face, a bitten tongue and no way to get into the house!

We also got a notice from a collection agency for an unpaid bill that IS NOT ours. I thought I cleared this up a year ago when we got our first notice. They are threatening to ruin our perfect credit. I called and the lady on the phone was so rude. I hung up and called back hoping to talk to someone different and she answered again. When I told her I thought she was rude she hung up on me! Finally I talked to someone else. Do I think the problem was taken care of? NO. We don't even have a common last name so I can only wonder how many John Smith's or Jim Johnson's get threatening debt collecting notices that they have to clear up. Frustrating.

Prayer request

2010-09-12T10:53:00.001-05:00

My MIL is scheduled to have a procedure done at 11:00 today. Please say a prayer that it will be successful so she can avoid surgery. At 89 she is feisty and unbelievably active for her age but a surgery could change all of that. Thanks so much!

Vinyl give away

2010-09-10T11:14:00.003-05:00

We had a fellow blogger who purchased our vinyl decals and asked if we would do a give away on her blog. She's a sweet girl with two adorable boys. Check out her blog here~

http://amomandtwoboys.blogspot.com/

I Have Some EXCITING News...

2010-08-31T10:10:00.002-05:00

I forgot to tell ya....I'm going to be a grandma! I've known for awhile but my daughter and her husband needed to tell some people before I blogged about it. Then I just didn't get around to it. We've had such a busy and fun summer!

The only thing Fern and I asked of her was not to have a winter baby because our winters are unpredictable (they live 3 1/2 hours away). Sometimes they are fairly mild while others bring lots of snow or ice. Guess what? She's due December 22. Don't ya just hate it when your kids don't listen!

They aren't going to find out what it is. My daughter wants to do it the old fashioned way and be surprised. Boys run in her husband's family as his dad doesn't have any sisters, Brad has only brothers and his brother has 2 boys. I also think she's having a boy because of the heartbeat and the way she is carrying. We just want a healthy baby. So, I'll have to go to my daughters this Christmas to get my Christmas present.

Housewives of NJ wrap

2010-08-24T08:42:00.001-05:00

Another season of the Housewives Of New Jersey comes to an end. A boring season at that. It started out with Danielle thinking she needed body guards and an ex con applied for the job. She's a nut job but my biggest concern is how she uses her children as her personal therapists. It is so wrong and has to fall under mental child abuse. Why would a loving mother do that to her children?

Teresa and Joe are a piece of work. I like Teresa but I don't care for what they did and their attitude that it's not a big deal. Eleven million dollars in debt and they file bankruptcy because as Teresa put it "We want a fresh start." Spend, spend, spend and then file for bankruptcy and let the tax payers absorb the debt because we can still keep our mcmansion and all we purchased before filing and then we'll wait to release our book so the government can't have any of that money and what are we out? NOTHING...Hmmm, maybe they're on to something. I'm going to ask hubby when we should start building our 10,000 square foot dream home. I'll call him while I'm shopping and maxing out the credit cards. We'll need some new furniture to fill up the rooms in that house...

Jacqueline is sweet enough but her daughter, Ashley is so disrespectful. Now what is your take on the hair pulling incident? Ashley claims she only pulled Danielle's hair because she thought she had hurt her mother. If you were with someone you thought was hurt, what is the first thing you would do? Find that person and see if they are alright or look for the person that may have hurt them? Ashley did some fast thinking after she pulled Danielle's hair to cover up the truth and not one adult thinks she's lying? Yes, family sticks together and in this case covers for one another. Not the best example for a child.

Caroline tried to stay out of the drama. She is a very loving mom and close to her children. Unlike Teresa and Jacqueline, she doesn't seem to over indulge her kids. They all work and have respect for their parents. I don't think she should have confronted Danielle last night as she received her information all second hand. She went with the sole purpose of getting Danielle to drop the charges against Ashley, not caring enough to listen to anything Danielle had to say. Family sticking together or family cleaning up and covering up for one another? Children need to have consequences and this was a good lesson for Ashley. Danielle did exaggerate the situation. You'd think the poor woman was scalped!

Another case of cover up was Joe's accident. Who really believes they all met in N.Y. for dinner and Joe didn't belt back a few? He claims he drank after the accident but before the police arrived. Does no one in this family take responsibility for their actions? I also feel Jacqueline's husband, Chris and especially Joe are a bit controlling of their wives.

What it all boils down to is a high school clique and as hard as she tried and in all the wrong ways, Danielle was never going to be a part of it. As much of a wackadoo Danielle may be, I do feel sorry for her. She just wants to be a part of a family and she is so envious of those women. That family is as thick as thieves and there is no room for Danielle. It makes me wonder, which is better, to be a Danielle who says yes, this is who I am. You either love me, or hate me, there is no in between. Or to be one of the others, who make excuses for bad behavior, lie and cover for each other, spend money they don't have and leave the tax payer picking up the tab?

Purple Flowering Tree

2010-08-18T19:49:00.001-05:00

I got this flowering tree at Walmart last year. It didn't come with any information and it was the last one they had, so I don't know the name of it. Instead of planting it in the ground, I potted it so I could bring it in during the winter. I was afraid it may not survive outside, as our winters can sometimes be brutal.

It has a ton of beautiful purple flowers all summer long. In a few weeks I will be bring it back in side so I can enjoy it again next year!

Amazing Grace - Rhema Marvanne 7 yr Gospel singer

2010-08-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

This is in memory of her mother Wendy. She died of ovarian cancer.

Hydrangea Tree

2010-08-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

In all the years we have lived here we never knew what kind of tree this was until this year. We have actually had people stop and asked us what kind it is.

We now know this is a Hydrangea tree. Perhaps most of you already knew that.


Starts to bloom in July. I don't think they are too popular where we live. Isn't she a beauty?

Summer Bucket List

2010-08-11T13:04:00.000-05:00

No, twin and I aren't considering another business venture. This is just part of my youngest daughter and her friends, Summer Bucket List. Don't they look great? Each one beautiful and unique, just like they are.

Is it just me, or was this rude?

2010-08-04T17:41:00.001-05:00

My son will be attending our local college and will be on the tennis team in the spring. After signing to play tennis the coach told all players they needed a physical done by the same doctor. On the way to the appointment today I asked my son if he minded if I came in with him to speak to the doctor about an on going, unsolved problem my son has in the winter. I've mentioned before on our blog that for the last 3 winters a few of my son's fingers and even a toe or two become swollen. The first time his middle finger was so swollen he couldn't open his hand. Our doctor did blood work and x rays and everything came back normal. The next winter and this last winter it came back but not as bad as before. The last time I took him to our family doctor I told him this and he then said he may have a virus that becomes active at that time...I think he just doesn't have a clue and neither do we. Other than that he is a healthy boy.

So, getting back to the story, I thought I would go in with my son so I could ask this new doctor his opinion and see what he thought. Well, he comes into the room and says to my son "All the other guys came without their mothers. Are you a mama's boy?" I was close to livid. I said "Actually, I came with him because I'd like to ask you a question when you're done." I went from considering switching doctors if he seem friendly and had a good bedside manner to wanting to punch him. What a jerk. Needless to say, we won't be switching doctors any time soon.

Yard Work and Tan Lines HA!

2010-08-01T18:59:00.001-05:00

Hubby has been busy trying to get some yard work done.

We are putting in retaining walls in the front of our house and will be doing the same to the back yard.

We think it just adds a finishing look.

We still need to add the caps to finish it off. It was a big job and it is about 4 times as much in the back yard! We love it. We are going to paint our front door, add a new screen door and a few more little things and the front will be done.

I think I either need a new camera or perhaps I should read the manual that came with it!! I take terrible pictures. Fran and I each got these bikes from my boss a couple summers ago and I just LOVE it!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Goes way too fast for me. Taking a couple days off this week for some fun in the pool with twin and a girlfriend!! Have to work on our tan lines. HA!

What A Blessing He Is

2010-07-30T16:33:00.003-05:00

I know I am VERY late with these pictures. We have been very busy with baseball and we are doing a lot of outside work to our home. Logan graduated 8th grade! My how time flies. One thing I would like to say to those women who are having trouble getting pregnant. Don't give up. What we thought was going to take 9 months took us 8 1/2 YEARS!! Lots of tears and heartache but well worth it. This child has brought so much happiness into our lives.

This is Fran's son John. He just graduated High School this year. They look and sound so much alike it is eerie. They say genetically that when identical twins have children they can not determine who is the mother.

Umm... I wonder who the REAL mother is!! HA!

A little paint and elbow grease!!

2010-07-25T16:56:00.000-05:00

I bought these planters a couple summers ago from Home Goods and really like them but they didn't hold up well outside.

My hubby and I had to do a lot of sanding because they were a bit rusty.

They look pink in the picture but they are a deep burgundy red. It took a few coats of paint to cover.

There are 3 planters in each wrought iron hanger. We kept the wrought iron part black.

We have three of them that go in front of our deck off the kitchen. Not only do the planters look pretty but once the flowers grow it also provides a bit of privacy. One of my favorite things about summer is flowers. I love planting and watching them grow. There's nothing better than the beauty of nature.

Having A Give Away

2010-07-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

We had asked a couple of weeks ago for bloggers who wanted to host a give away for us. We were surprised at how many sweet bloggers replied. Our first host is Southern Inspiration.

Check out the Pantech Ease

2010-07-13T11:33:00.001-05:00

If you're in the market for a new cell phone and your provider is AT&T, I recommend you check out the Pantech Ease. Our contract had been up since December but we waited so my girls could get the new IPhone. Lexi had saved enough on her own to purchase this phone just before she went to Japan. My oldest daughter got one also so when we were visiting her last week we were able to talk to Lexi in Japan because they both have WIFI. While I don't know about all the new technology, with WIFI it didn't cost anything to talk to her.

I never used texting before because I didn't have a full keyboard on my old phone and by the time I spelled out one word I could have had a 15 minute conversation, so I never bothered with it. After talking to the salesman about what I was looking for in a phone, he recommended the Pantech Ease and let me tell you, I LOVE it. It is so easy to use with a touch screen and a large keyboard with the T9 option.

I looked on Google for customer reviews because it's a new phone and found out there are a lot of extra features. Voice Mode lets you say a persons name and it will dial their number. I read it also works similar for texting but I haven't tried it yet. It even has a pedometer. Internet on my phone is just $10.00 a month. I'm going to see how much I use it as I can cancel at any time. The phone did cost me $80.00 after a rebate, but it is worth every penny. I think I was more excited about my phone than the girls were with theirs. I couldn't quit saying "I just love my phone." So if you're looking for a phone with all the latest features that is user friendly, check out the Pantech Ease. I just love my phone...

Climbing Mt. Fuji

2010-07-10T14:07:00.002-05:00

Lexi just wrote to let me know she made it all the way to the top of Mt. Fuji. I am so proud of her. I hope she dressed warm enough because the average temperature at the top for July is 40 degrees. A little chilly. I also read that the oxygen levels go down and it's harder to climb as you get closer to the top. She did good!!

She said a lot of Japanese are stopping and asking to take her picture. I think she loves feeling like a celebrity. They went to a party before the climb and dressed in kimonos. She'll be home next Friday and I'll post some pics.

My girl's going to Japan

2010-07-01T21:32:00.003-05:00

My girl leaves for Japan in the morning! It all started back in 5th grade when she met Emme. Emme is part of a set of triplets. Their mom, Erin is originally from our town and when they came to visit their grandparents, Erin decided to let them attend school here for a few months so they could experience an american school.

My daughter, being the social butterfly that she is met Emme on the playground and asked if she could spend the night at our house. Imagine our surprise when we opened the door and found out there were 3 of them! Emme, Hanna, and Rae. They were the most polite kids we had ever met and we fell in love with them. Lexi kept in touch and everytime they were in town they got together. Then their mom decided they could live with their grandparents and attend our local high school. (their dad is a doctor in Japan)

The girls are flying to Japan to spend time with their family and asked Lexi and her other friend Leah if they wanted to go also. Lexi has wanted to since she first met them and we decided she is finally old enough to really appreciate the experience. They will be busy climbing Mt. Fuji to raise money for HOPE, going to Disney in Tokyo, spending time in Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagoya, etc. Erin is packing full their two weeks there.

I have no idea what my picky girl will eat other than rice. She will either learn to try new foods or come back starving. HA! Who knew her very first airplane ride would be for 13 hours! I think she will have the time of her life!

http://www.hopeglobalchallenge.com/participants.asp?pageno=1&id=79

Just A Little Something To Start Your Day :o)

2010-06-23T08:47:00.003-05:00

Don't forget if you have a blog and would like to have a give away WE will provide a vinyl piece so there is no cost to you. Also you will get a hostess gift for sponsoring the give away. All you have to do is email us at twiceasnicelettering@yahoo.com and send us a link to your blog. Thank you to all who have already emailed us.

Who Wants To Have A Giveaway?

2010-06-21T12:57:00.001-05:00

We have added new designs to our Etsy shop so it's time for another give away.

This time we would like to do the give away on YOUR blog. One of your readers will win and of course you will also be given a hostess gift!

Sound good? All you have to do is email us at twiceasnicelettering@yahoo.com and leave your name and a link to your blog so we can contact you. We will be choosing one or two to do a give away. We will fill you in on all the details.

Housewives

2010-06-18T09:02:00.005-05:00

Do you watch The Housewives? Twin and I watch all of them. The housewives of N.Y just wrapped up and what an amazing season it was.

Jill was a bit snotty this season. In the beginning, I was Team Jill, thinking Bethenny was wrong for not being there for Jill only to find out Jill didn't explain "a simple procedure" to Bethenny or anyone else. Bethenny tried numerous times to apologize but Jill decided to tell Bethenny they were done and hold a grudge. It backfired. On the reunion show she was quick to deny anything they accused her of until she knew she was caught in a lie. Only then did she come clean. Yes, she is sorry now and said so, but I feel she needs to let go of the grudge she has against Alex. You have to be a forgiving person yourself if you want to be forgiven.

Bethenny is just too funny. I know my sides would be hurting from all the laughing I would be doing if I spent a day with her. She could be a comedian with how quick she is with the one liners.

Alex was never my favorite but she is likable. Her husband Simon, different to say the least.

Luann or should I say The Countess? I personally think she preaches all things prim and proper but doesn't always practice what she preaches. I feel she has a certain air about her. In other words I think she seems to think she is better than others. Her younger boyfriend, in my opinion, not so cute.

Sonja, the new girl, seems sweet enough. Her morals and values I do not share but I like her.

Ramona, still as crazy as ever. I think she needs to learn how not to open her eyes so large. She needs to be more conscious of this and practice expressing herself in front of a mirror. I think she may blurt things out that can be hurtful but she does have a loving heart.

Kelly, wow, where do I begin. I could write an entire post on this woman. To begin with I never cared for her. I thought she was very self centered and so jealous of Bethenny. While this still holds true, we can also add unstable. After seeing the trip to "Scary Island" I was hoping Bravo would insist on therapy for her. I don't think that happened. Even on the reunion show, she was still showing signs of instability. For example, someone could say to her "It's such a nice day out today don't you think?" and she would say "Yes, I had a wonderful breakfast this morning. Thanks for asking. I appreciate that." She has mentioned a few times how she hears nothing but chatter and has to tune it out. She talked about white noise coming from the others. I seriously don't think her brain translates sounds correctly and they seem jumbled to her. It's hard to explain but I think of it as how dogs hear high pitched sounds and we do not. I think the nerve endings in her brain are more sensitive and she doesn't receive the sounds like a normal person. I don't know what diagnosis that falls under and wish some professional would explain it. She was not attacked and bullied by the other women on that trip. She did the bullying and had a break down yet no one with any authority will step up and intervene and get this girl help. She has some sort of mental illness that needs to be treated and I don't think Bravo should turn a blind eye to it.

So if you watch the show, Twin and I would love to hear what you thought.

Faux tan

2010-06-14T15:25:00.005-05:00

This time of year is so busy. Planting gardens and flowers, last minute school activities, graduations~parties, weddings, summer sports. Fun but busy and we haven't blogged about any of it!
Anyway, this blog is about a faux tan twin and I tried since we all know we aren't suppose to bake in the sun. I do like some natural tan but this helps to even out the areas you don't have as brown or if you have a farmers tan and want to wear that sleeveless dress to a wedding. I love all Bare Escentuals products so I was hoping I wouldn't be disappointed with their faux tan and I wasn't. Love that this goes on with a brush and doesn't stain your hands. The key to this product is to put it on sparingly. The first time I put it on a bit heavy and had to take some off with a paper towel because it wouldn't dry. You may not look like you came back from a vacation in Florida but it does give a nice look of color. I especially love it on my legs as I think dresses and shorts look better with a tan. I give it an A and it's a lot cheaper than a spray tan. Give it a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.
P.S. Will try to get back to blogging soon!

IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

2010-05-17T20:22:00.006-05:00

I purchased some prints from Janet Hill Studio around Oct. of last year. Have you heard of her? She has both an Etsy store and a blog. Looking at her blog is like going to an art gallery. She is so talented and each. painting. is. ah. maz.ing!

Her original paintings, done on canvas sell out quicker than you can say Etsy, but lucky for us she makes prints from her originals.

I just purchased some frames from the dollar store and painted them. I decided to use a simple frame and let the beauty of the prints speak for themselves.

The hardest part is choosing. The colors in each picture are so beautiful and the attention to detail outstanding.

I bought these two at the same time and they both fit into an 8x10 frame. Love the look of the cottage farmhouse kitchen.

This one is in an 11x14 frame. Oldest daughter gave it to me for Christmas after I went on and on and on...about the love I have for Janet Hill. She's one smart girl and a great listener.

We're joining the Nifty Thrifty Tuesday party at:

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Paint paint and more paint.

2010-05-16T17:52:00.002-05:00

It seems that spring is nothing but busyness and the blog has taken a back seat. I've painted 3 rooms in less than 3 weeks. This is one of them. My laundry room was a sage green with a vintage boarder. Liked it for a while but decided to lighten things up.

Getting the boarder down was a nightmare. I've put up and taken down plenty of wallpaper but this came off one small piece at a time. It took longer to remove the boarder than it did to paint.

I love the soft grey color. It has a hint of blue in it. I'm not done with accessories as I took these pictures real quick. I use what's called a paint roller. The paint goes into the roller and it never drips or splatters so you don't need drop cloths. I love it. Saves time going up and down a ladder to get more paint.

You can see the color a bit better here. I keep my memo board in the laundry room so I don't have clutter on the front of the fridge. I'll show you the entry and living room in another post. I just realized I've painted 7 rooms since last October. That's almost the whole house! I'm considering the kitchen and master bedroom...just gotta find the time.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2010-05-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

Wishing all the mother's out there a Happy Mother's Day and praying for those who are waiting to become mother's.

Administrative Professionals Day (or should I say WEEK)

2010-04-19T16:18:00.000-05:00

In stead of celebrating Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday I get to celebrate it ALL week. I work Monday through Thursday and my boss gives me gifts EVERY day the week of Administrate Professional Day!! She usually has a theme for each day. Today was

RELAXATION DAY!

Started out with some wine glasses.

Some great scents and a melting pot.

Then some great books to read.

I got some bath bombs. Theses are so neat. They dissolve in your bath water and they are great for dry skin. We have someone near by that makes them. My boss spoils me all through the year but this week is unreal! She says she has just as much fun picking it all out for me. What a sweetheart!
Can't wait until tomorrow. (I know I am spoiled)

Happy Birthday to my Twin

2010-04-05T07:50:00.002-05:00

My twin is the other half of me. As close to one as two can be.

Together forever, we will not part. A bond was made right from the start.

Today I celebrate a birthday. Today I celebrate the greatest gift the Lord gave me on the day I was born, my twin. I love you, Fern~Your Twin

Thank You and Happy Birthday to you. You have always been a blessing in my life and I am so grateful God made us twins. I was born with my best friend. To be able to live your life with someone always by your side is the best gift I could ever ask for. I love you very much You are my better part of me. xox Fern

Those Little Touches

2010-04-02T10:12:00.005-05:00

Hubby and I decided to add a little roping. I think it gave it a nice finished look. We are now painting all of the insides of our windows white. We had oak trim through out the house and we decide to go with all new white trim. I know I will love it but boy it's a lot of work (for hubby). We have a small house so I think the white will make it seem larger. The last few days the weather has been beautiful and hubs took out all of my windows and he's painting them outside. Have a great weekend everyone :o)

TWINS THINK ALIKE

2010-03-28T17:39:00.005-05:00

Our birthday is coming up soon (April 5th) and we were talking today about what we wanted to do on that day. Then we started talking about what we were getting each other and how we had to go to great lengths to keep it a secret since we share our business email and if we order from Etsy it will show up on our Etsy business information.

I asked Fran if she had discovered what I had gotten her and she said no. The person I had ordered Fran's gift from probably thought I was nuts for emailing her so much but I had to make sure it was a SURPRISE!

Well, twin just called me and said she couldn't lie and act surprised when she opens her present from me because she found out what I had gotten her!!! We are honest to a fault! There was one spot I forgot to delete and she found it.( not intentionally) Plus, she had to tell me that she got me the same thing!! HA!

We did this a few years ago when we got each other as many presents as our age and had NO idea the other thought of the same thing.

We got each other the necklaces pictured on top. I got Fran the silver one but it's not in yet and it will say My Twin, My Sister, My Best Friend. I can't believe we both ordered our necklaces with the same saying too. Fran got me the one with the mixed colored metals from here.

So much for keeping secrets from your twin!

P.S. I just got off the phone with Fran's daughter Missy. She had heard that we both now know what we are getting so she could now tell me a story.

She said she had just talked to her mom and she had told her what she was getting for me and then I talked to her 10 minutes later telling her what I was getting her mom and it was the same thing! She said "Remember when I put you on hold? That was because I was laughing so hard!"

Maybe I'll get her a Mercedes next year. HA!

The Soffit Trim Is In and I LOVE IT!

2010-03-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

Hubby finished the Soffit Trim and I just love it! It hides all of the puck lighting and outlets. A couple years before we started our kitchen we discovered they came out with an outlet bar. I'm so glad we didn't have to put our outlets in our tile! I think it takes away from the look. Our pyramid buttons are now in so we can finish up the tile work. It's been a very slow process with hubby doing it all but I must say I am falling in LOVE with my new kitchen! Have a geaat weekend everyone.

LET THE FUN BEGIN...

2010-03-20T20:31:00.007-05:00

I love the new way to load my pictures but I have no idea how to do the writing under each of the pictures. Most of my posts look like one big mess! We have all of the back-splash tile in and grouted except the butler's pantry. We decided to add more pyramid buttons so we are waiting for them to come in. I know it is too soon to be decorating but I just couldn't wait any longer! We had rented a storage unit when we started our remodel. Unfortunately we do not have a basement. We went and got some of the boxes out today. It's been fun seeing what is inside. Some of this I already had but a lot of it is stuff I have bought while waiting for the remodel to be done. My FAVORITE is my canister set. I got them at HomeGoods. My chocolate bunny looks so real I could take a bite! Could you just imagine the calories! Here is a look at a few of the pieces I have put out. I don't like a lot of "stuff" out at one time so I will have to store some of my pretties and rotate them from time to time. Have a great weekend.

AND THE WINNER IS...

2010-03-18T08:28:00.001-05:00

Thanks to all that entered our give away. It's been a crazy busy week for us but we finally picked a winner...Amy from A Little Piece of Heaven. Congrats, Amy.

SPRING FLING GIVE-A-WAY

2010-03-12T08:01:00.003-06:00

We decided to welcome Spring with a give-a-way! It's that time of year that we like to "spruce" things up and what better way to do that then a Welcome sign for your door. I know this year I am going to be repainting my front door and I can't want to put one of these on. Don't ya just LOVE the little birdie?

Now you get one chance with a comment and TWO if you mention us on your blog. If you mention us be sure to let us know.

These make great gifts for a new neighbor, birthday, wedding, a thank you or a hostess gift. The list is endless.

Good Luck everyone and have a great weekend.
ENDS 3/17/2010

Do you watch The Real Housewives of OC?

2010-03-11T06:43:00.002-06:00

Do you watch The Real Housewives of Orange County? Twin and I watch all the housewives shows but I think they are my favorites. Just thought I'd give my opinion on a few things and would like to hear what you think.

1. Vicki~Well, at least she's treating her husband better this season. Last season it was all about her job and how Donn didn't fill up her love tank. She didn't bother to notice that he was running on fumes himself. She seems to have a great husband and did not appreciate him. I think after watching herself she changed quite a bit and that's great. She now needs to work on her friendships. It's funny how these women talk about each other behind their backs and then call themselves friends. I think Vicki was right being upset when the men showed up in Florida when it was suppose to be a girls get away. I don't think it's right that she seems to think she can say anything about anyone but if she is confronted then she cries and says she is being attacked. If you can dish it out you have to be able to take it.

2. Tamra~She is my favorite. I think she is funny and honest. It's too bad her marriage didn't last but you could see how unhappy she was this season. I liked Simon but he was very controlling. He critisized everything she said and did and chose to blame Vicki instead of looking at his own faults. Maybe there is still a chance of them working it out if Simon would lighten up and quit thinking he is so perfect. We'll have to wait and see.

3. Gretchen~For a girl that started her own makeup line I thought she looked washed out this season. A beautiful girl but she looked more plain. Maybe she's ditched the false eyelashes. Something changed... Slade, YUCK. She could do so much better. I think it was nice of her to try and talk to Alexa and then that all blew up in her face. If something had happened to Alexa then Lynne would have been quick to say she should have done something but instead she took it as an insult that she wasn't a good parent. Well, if the shoe fits...

4. Alexis~The new girl. Very pretty but naive. She doesn't even realize when her husband is belittling her. I do not like him at all. He is very arrogant and controlling. She thinks he's hot but I don't find him the least bit attractive. They say they are Christians which is a good thing but I don't see it. They are no different then the others on the show, drinking, cussing, and talking about others behind their backs. It's your walk, not your talk. She said last night her church is fasting for her because she is on the show. I don't believe she is on the show for the right reasons. I believe her and her hubby are on for the attention. I believe this would be a great avenue to show others your Christian walk and they are blowing it.
If her husband doesn't change, I see her walking just like Tamra in about 10 years. She's young yet, give her time.

5. Lynne~ Lights on but nobody's home. That girl needs to wake up. She has no idea of the family finances? She finds out they are behind in rent and she goes shopping, buying a leather jacket for over $1,000.00? Now that's smart. Her daughters...I kept thanking God they weren't mine. I thought by watching the past season she would come on the reunion show a different mom but she is still in denial and enabling those two. She makes excuses for their bad behavior. I have two teenagers and they are nothing like Lynne's daughters. My daughter and I watched together and she couldn't believe how Lynne was as a mom. That girl needs to wake up and take an active part in her life and quit making excuses for everything and everyone. I think she is the one that got me the most worked up this season because her daughter Alexa is so out of control, drinking, coming and going as she pleases and being so disrespectful to her parents and Lynne acts like she's in some kind of drunken stupper. Alexa seems to be crying out for some attention even if it's negative. The other thing that bugs me about Lynne's daughter is that she says the word LIKE, 10 times in every sentence. It was like finger nails on a chalkboard listening to her. This family needs some therapy, big time.

Well, that's my take on this season. Do you watch? Do you watch all the housewives or just certain ones? Now we're gearing up for the Housewives of N.Y. I do NOT like Kelly...talk about self absorbed. And Simon, is it just me or is he odd? Talk about making a fashion statement, what man doesn't look good in red leather pants? HA He's quite the fashionista!

Putting In The Back Splash!

2010-03-08T21:45:00.013-06:00

Hubby started the tiling above the stove. We got pyramid buttons (their in the last few pictures. They might look a little crooked. They are not permanently put in yet. I just wanted to show you what they will look like). I just love them. We didn't want it too be too busy and take away from the granite. I think the tile goes great with our flooring. We wanted something simple but at the same time something that would make a statement. We still have more tiling to do but I know I'm going to LOVE it. Oh, and that hole you're seeing is for the pot filler.

Just this area behind the stove top took days to do.With this pattern there was a lot of cutting. I hope the rest of the room doesn't take as long.

A LITTLE SPRING SUNSHINE

2010-03-05T20:12:00.009-06:00

My laundry room has been bare for months.

As many of you know we are remodeling our home and it is taking a lot longer then expected. I had packed stuff away expecting to be farther then we are. I decided today I needed to put some of what I call "pretty's" out. I just couldn't take it any longer! HA! I have a pretty nice size laundry room. So I decided it needed some "Sunshine".

I decided to add some SPRING!

Added some baskets and some fruit.

I just love the bright colors.

Some baskets hold necessities while some are just nice to look at. Dog treats for our dog Shadow. She lives up to her name. She follows me from room to room. Some times I have to tell her "stay I'll be right back"! She loves to ride in the truck or go hiking with my hubby but when she is in the house she is all mine. She always sleeps on the floor next to me.

Sunflowers and lady bugs are a sure sign of Spring!

Have a great weekend everyone!

My Girl

2010-03-02T20:17:00.001-06:00

I didn't want to let the day go by without saying Happy Birthday to my girl!

I just can't believe how quickly she went from this...

To this....

Today she celebrates a birthday and I celebrate one of the best gifts I ever received. LOVE YOU BABY GIRL

What would you do?

2010-02-27T10:56:00.000-06:00

When I was at the check out at J.C. Penney's yesterday, there was a woman in front of me that spoke broken english. I noticed that the sales lady seemed angry and was not very nice to her when she asked how much everything was as she was scanning it. Another sales lady came over to check me out. The customer then asked the sales lady another question and the sales lady started SCREAMING "I don't understand what you're saying." The customer repeated herself several more times as the sales lady continued to yell, "I don't understand what you are saying." Finally she said she was calling the manager. I asked the customer to tell me what she wanted and I think she wanted the clothes rung up again because she didn't think the price was right. I now wish I would have told that sales lady there was no reason to be so rude but instead I told my sales lady that I worked in retail before and would NEVER treat a customer like that.(she said nothing) When the manager came I told her I thought she wanted to check out again and I heard the customer tell her the sales lady was rude to her.(manager said nothing) After I walked away I told my girlfriend I felt like saying something to the manager but at the same time didn't want to poke my nose into something that wasn't any of my business. I wouldn't want to be the cause of the sales lady being fired yet maybe she deserved to be. I wondered what more I could have done for that customer as she was treated awful.

Come to find out, that customer may have been right about thinking the total of her purchase was wrong. Twin bought a pencil skirt that was marked $4.99 only to find out this morning when looking at her receipt that she was charged $7.00. Not enough price difference to complain about as it is still a great deal, but it just goes to show that things don't always ring up right at the register.

While this was all happening I didn't know what to do or think, it was so out of the ordinary. With the sales lady and managers attitude it probably wouldn't have made a difference anyway but I still wonder if I could have done something more.

GRAND OPENING

2010-02-21T10:42:00.003-06:00

WE HAVE ADDED A NEW BLOG. TWICEASNICELETTERING

WE WILL BE FEATURING SPECIALS EACH WEEK AND SHOWING NEW PRODUCT. WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME AND VISIT AND PERHAPS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO BECOME A FOLLOWER :0) THIS WEEK WE ARE GIVING AWAY FREE SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM TO THE U.S. AND CANADA! WHAT A GREAT GIFT FOR YOURSELF, A BIRTHDAY, HOUSE WARMING OR A WEDDING! VERY INEXPENSIVE I MIGHT ADD!

My Paula Deen Percolator

2010-02-16T18:33:00.004-06:00

Have you ever drank coffee from a percolator? It's the best. My mother in law has a stainless steel 12 cup percolator. I think she's been using it over 30 years. Her coffee is the absolute best. I have the corning ware percolator but it's not that pretty to look at so I store it in the cabinet. I always forget I have it so it hasn't seen much use.

I got this 8 cup from Kohls it's made by Paula Deen. Isn't she pretty? This gal will be staying out on the stove for all to see! Now for those who aren't coffee drinkers, you could always toss in a few tea bags instead of coffee. Like iced tea? Let the tea cool and pour over ice. And for you southern gals, I suspect you'll be adding a lot of sugar 'cause y'all love your sweet tea!

One crazy post

2010-02-14T21:12:00.000-06:00

This is going to be a crazy post because I can't figure out how to fix the pictures. I wanted to talk about using a Kohl's charge and how it saves you money. I don't promote charge cards as they sometimes get people in trouble but the secret is not to purchase anything you don't have the money in the bank to cover and pay them off before the end of the month. Never carry a balance. When I use my charge card at Kohl's I write a check and pay for it right then so I don't even receive a bill. Any way, with a Kohl's charge you will receive coupons in the mail all the time. About every 6 weeks you will get one that saves you either 15,20, or 30%. Twin and I go shopping when one of us gets the 30% and this time I was looking for a dress for my son's graduation. Twin found this one for me and luckily it was my size because it was the only one they had. Regular $59.00, on clearance for 20.00 and I got it for $14.00.

Twin and I got these shoes in Vegas and I think I'll wear red with the dress. Shoes and jewelry. The thing I love about this dress is that you can put any color with it. Pink, yellow, or lime green would be great colors too.

I may wear it with the red felt flower I made on the waist or try a red belt. Because I ended up spending $100.00, I also got $20.00 in Kohl's cash to spend later. I just love that store.

I found an AWESOME blog...

2010-02-11T08:49:00.001-06:00

A lot of people don't have other blogs posted on their side bars anymore because they are using Bloglines. Twin set me up with it and showed me how to use it but I don't care for it much. (She loves it.) I like visiting a blog that lists others and checking them out. One leads to another and you can find some fantastic blogs that way. If everyone used Bloglines then it would be very difficult to find fabulous blogs such as The House That A-M Built. It is my new favorite. This woman is a decorating genius. Check her out, you'll be glad you did. And then reconsider putting your favorites back on your blog.

P.S. The free shipping for the monogram will be going away soon so if you would like one for your bedroom, nursery, living room or for a great gift you need to order SOON!

IT'S A GIVE A WAY!!

2010-02-03T18:42:00.003-06:00

EDITED: IF YOU DO NOT WIN OUR GIVE AWAY WE ARE OFFERING FREE SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM FOR A LIMITED TIME. THIS FREE SHIPPING IS FOR THE U.S. AND CANADA.

EVERYONE GETS TO BE A WINNER WITH FREE SHIPPING

Shannon from Bless Our Nest is having a give a way for us. Thank you Shannon. Her blog is one of the first ones we started reading and it has become one of our favorites. She is a very creative and talented girl. If you would like to enter you just have to leave a comment on HER blog. Of course if you would like to leave us a comment we would love to hear what you think of our etsy shop. We are always open to new ideas.

The Twins

Guess What Twin and I Are Getting

2010-02-02T12:52:00.001-06:00

We are the proud owners of a pilates machine. At least we will be when my daughter brings it to us. We don't have a Craig's list in our area so I checked where my daughter lives and found this~

Neither Twin nor I have ever been on a pilates machine but when ever I see one advertised on QVC (like this past weekend) I want it.

We have a treadmill but I don't use it much. My husband loves it and we've actually owned more then one through the years. My hubby wears them out. If we could turn all the miles he has added up on treadmills into frequent flyer miles, we'd be jet setters!

I don't want to lose weight, just tone so I think this is the answer. Do you have a pilates machine? If so do you like it? How well do you think it works? Do you think I'll be able to get into that thong bikini by summer? HA just kidding.

YUMMY :o)

2010-01-29T14:02:00.004-06:00

I was talking to a friend today and she told me about this dip. I had never had an artichoke in my life so I wasn't too sure. Now this was at our Kroger store by the deli where they have cheese and dips. This is so YUMMY! I put in on Wheat Thin crackers and I'm telling you guys if you want something crunchy but better for ya then chips this is what will satisfy your hunger. 

She said she gets the reduced fat Wheat Thins. Of course she is the size of a tooth pick. These are yummy too!

Enjoy :o)
Have a great weekend everyone.

The Biggest Loser Meanies

2010-01-27T08:42:00.005-06:00

Twin and I love The Biggest Loser. What those contestants do is nothing short of amazing. I usually watch the show while on the treadmill. It seems it's the only time I'm on it. I've got to change that. Anyway, have you seen a pattern starting on the show? It's The Meanies. This season it's Melissa.

Do you think she's being honest when she says she tried to lose weight when she gained a pound two weeks ago and then lost just one last week? Or was she playing the game because she had immunity? Funny how she lost 11 pounds this week after her confrontation with Jillian. I think people who lie or have bad behavior make up a lot of excuses for it and that's what it seemed she was doing.

She gave the extra 2 pounds to Miggy and Migdalia claiming she expected big numbers from them so the 2 pounds wouldn't hurt. Did you see the grin on her face when they fell below the yellow line?

Last season the meanie was Tracey. She too played the game from the start. But I think the biggest meanie and the one that started it all was Vicky. Remember her? I also wonder if another pattern will be the same for Melissa as it was for Tracey and Vicky, the meanies don't win. They also walk away not making many friends. Most of the contestants form a family and a lot become life long friends. The meanies may lose weight but they also lose so much more, don't ya think?

* Lori from SugaryberrySensations

is having a give away. She is one talented lady. Go on now run don't walk. Get yourself entered. You'll be glad ya did

Disappointing shopping trip

2010-01-24T17:51:00.004-06:00

Twin and I made a trip to Home Goods Saturday. The closest one to us is over an hour away. We hadn't been for a while and thought we'd find a lot. That didn't happen.

I only found a few things. I was looking for plates to finish out the wall in the dining room. I did find some apples, a couple platters and these sweet bird bottles.

Don't know where I'll put them yet but I'm sure I'll figure out something. Twin who usually is quite the shopper spent $3.00 all day. She's been a little under the weather :o)

I have two of these shelves in the dining room. One on each side of the french doors. I can't wait until I can find what I'm looking for so I can have at least one room complete~it's lookin' kind of pitiful.

Decorating on top of cabinets

2010-01-20T18:56:00.002-06:00

I looked at cabinets at a kitchen store when we were building 10 years ago, and I fell in love with the scattered bumped out look.

The corner cabinets are larger and stick out farther than the others. I loved the idea of decorating the tops. It's harder than I thought though. One reason is with the crown molding added and not so high ceilings, I don't have as much room as I would like.

Everything needs to be put on a box so it can be seen above the crown molding and some things I'd love to put on top just won't fit.

I'm still happy over all with the look. Can you believe it's been 10 years and I still don't have hardware? I never cared for the hardware that came with the cabinets and always thought I'd either spray paint it or purchase something else but never did...yet.

A little faux greenery with the hopes of spring coming soon.

This is above the desk in the breakfast room. The cabinet is hung lower so it has more space up above. This picture wouldn't fit above the kitchen cabinets.

Do you have open space above your cabinets and if so, what do you like to display?

Finding it a "HOME"

2010-01-18T21:18:00.003-06:00

Have you ever bought a piece of furniture and when you brought it home you were not sure where to put it? I bought this a little over a year ago at Farm and Fleet. Yes, Farm and Fleet (twin got one too) I think it was around $169.00. I remember I got 1/2 off. My first plan was to put it in our master bedroom.

I had it in my master bedroom for about a year. I wasn't loving it there. I thought about painting it but didn't. Something just wasn't right. Then I tried it in the upstairs hallway. Didn't love it there either.

Just before Christmas I moved it to the entry way. I think I finally found it a "home". I really like it here.
Now I just need to make a trip to Home Goods to find some great things to fill it up. Most everything in it is temporary. Yep, more shopping. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

Prayers for Payton answered

2010-01-14T18:42:00.006-06:00

Payton had surgery this afternoon and is in recovery. The doctor thinks the tumor is benign. Praise God.

On a lighter note: my son John was in our local paper tonight because is a 2010 State Scholar. We are so proud of him!

Prayers for Payton

2010-01-13T06:46:00.007-06:00

Our friend's grandson played youth football last fall until he started having back pain. The doctor took an xray and said it was a pulled muscle. It didn't get any better and he even went to the emergency room a couple times. They didn't do anything more for him. Finally my girlfriend took him back to the doctor herself and insisted on an MRI. The results show a tumor on his lower spine. They are taking him to a Children's Hospital this morning where they will be doing tests the next two days. Please keep him in your prayers.

Cleaning Up Our Blog For The New Year

2010-01-10T12:50:00.006-06:00

We are changing things up a bit this year with our blog. We put our baby pictures up in the header. To tell you the truth we are not sure who is who! We think Fern is on the left and Fran the right just like in this picture. We looked so much a like when we were younger. No one knows for sure who is who but we think we have it figured out! Part of our goals for 2010 was to not be so hard on ourselves and to take some time for US! So we started with new highlights and bought a work out video. Now we just need to get motivated! Stay tuned.