Girlie Gardening

I'll be honest and say that I don't spend hours each week in my flower beds. I sneak in most of my garden work sometime during the two afternoon hours that Michaela Byrd naps and Natalie has "Quiet Time" in her room. (Although I don't know if singing boisterously and playing Barbie and Ken wedding counts as Quiet Time)

When blessed naptime does eventually roll around, I am usually too worn out from a morning of breaking up fist fights over Polly Pockets, cleaning up Littlest Pet Shop animals, and trying to match tiny toddler socks from the laundry to worry about looking completely adorable when I go out to work with my flowers.

Except for one thing:

I received a super cute pair of pink gardening gloves and a pink garden spade as a gift a couple of months ago, and I totally think they help with my garden's mojo. I can tell my wave petunias have more plentiful blossoms because I planted them while wearing my girlie gloves.

Really.

I don't know that they go particularly well with my worn I {Heart} New York shirt, ratty blue shorts, and red Croc knock-off garden clogs. But anyone who drives by must say, "My, that girl has such nice pink gardening gloves."

I did a little shopping online and saw this adorable pink garden tool set from Target.

How much fun are these wellies from the Liberty of London line?

{Do you have any garden-wear that you love to sport when you work outside?}


*In other news, the winner of the Scentsy Giveaway is Robin from I'm a Control Freak. Robin, shoot me an email so I can put you in touch with the Scentsy people!*

The Big Fat Texas Wedding

I promised you all that I'd share pictures and details from my cousin's Big Fat Texas Wedding, even if I had to deal with The Frizz. I hope you like long posts with lots of pictures.

It turns out that The Frizz wasn't too bad because SuSu (my sister-in-law) had a magical hair potion that worked some wonders so I didn't show up at the glamorous Houston wedding looking like I stuck my finger in a light socket. It was unfortunate that I left my favorite hot rollers at my aunt's house, but again...that's what you get for Messin' with Texas.

Our wedding weekend trip was very much like something out of the TV show Dallas, except I bet J.R. Ewing never had to sit in the Cincinatti airport for a 3 hour delay with no internet.

Everything was very she-she frou- frou glamorous, and it was like Lauren tailored her entire wedding for my sensibilities, but that would be silly.

Our time in Houston kicked off with a fabulously girlie Friday bridal luncheon at Ousie's Table in Houston.

Beauty is in the details!

The rehearsal dinner was a muy delicioso Mexican fiesta at a local hotspot, hosted by my aunt and uncle. It was laid-back, relaxed, and casual. Margaritas aplenty!

The groomsmen and bridesmaids all wore boots, which I just loved. They know how to have some good, old-fashioned Texas fun.

The wedding ceremony was at the Methodist church on ritzy Memorial Drive. Ooh la la. Just. lovely.

Isn't Lauren's dress to die for? (I think this photo shows it off)

I thought it was funny that she mentioned she thought I'd like it. I am attracted to glittery pretty things like a raccoon. 

The reception was at a country club that made the Burg's club look like the stockroom at K-Mart.

The was a candy bar, a photo booth, an ice sculpture, and a really neat portrait display that included my grandmother/aunt's wedding gown.

The cake will go down as the stuff of legends. It was made by a woman who's been on one of those cake TV shows that I don't watch because they make me hungry.

It was tasty.

There was lots of dancing and lots of drinking (it is Texas, after all), but I didn't participate in either because:

1. I couldn't drink because I had a flight home the next morning and I didn't feel that a hangover would be particularly pleasant to deal with and

B. I don't like to dance at weddings unless I have had a drink or two because I am much more fun that way.

After the happy couple hurried away in their limo, I headed back to my aunt's house to pack. I clearly didn't do a great job because I kept wondering why my bag was lighter (no hot rollers, genius!). 

The flight home was as enjoyable as one can experience when crammed onto a Delta aircraft like a bunch of cattle. T was waiting for me in Reagan's baggage claim with two very happy little girls who had tales of ice cream treats, "moving stairs" (escalators), and what was clearly the ride of their lives on an airport shuttle bus.

It's been good to be home. Except for the fights over the Barbies and the temper tantrum in Wal-Mart last week. But otherwise very good.

I even got new hotrollers. I bet even J.R. Ewing never had hotrollers as nice as my new ones....

::Weekend Bloggy Reading::

Happy Friday, lovelies!

Have you entered the fabulous Scentsy Giveaway yet? Stop by before Sunday evening to win a beautiful warmer and scent.

Without further adieu, here's what caught my eye this week.

~Lindsay discovered chalkboard fabric (it does exist!) and she made some fab baby tags.

~Absolutely precious distressed Painted Apple Baskets.

source

~Kate had an unexpected surprise during her Bistro Set Makeover.

~My sister broke my heart.

~Kim shared how she got started on Cooking some Freezer Meals.

~Pottery Barn Knock-Off alert! Check out Cre8tive designs' Patriotic Outdoor Pillow. Love!

source

~Melissa shared about The Simple Pleasures of Summer. And guess what? That doesn't include Disney World. That made me feel so much better about not being able to afford a trip to "The Happiest Place on Earth."

~Ashley shared some Photo Taking Tips for those of us who suffer from "Big Fancy Camera Envy."

Busy weekend here! My sister flies in from Texas tonight for a visit. Our plans for the weekend include some pool time, story time at Borders, and a baby shower on Sunday afternoon. Excitement!

{What are your plans for the weekend?}

Special thanks to today's Sponsor, Mississippi Mud.

A Real Plum of a Giveaway from Scentsy!

I have kind of an embarrassing confession to make.

I have no sense of smell.

Ever.

I can't smell dirty diapers, smelly socks, or garbage. I bet you're thinking, "that's fantastic!"

But I also can't smell Christmas cookies, coffee, or the ocean. Yeah, kind of a bummer, right?

My family teased me for years, thinking I was making a story up for attention. They didn't believe me until T finally convinced them that my nasal disability is the real deal.

So imagine my surprise when Scentsy contacted me to do a product review. Not only was the company okay with my lack of olfaction, but they offered to allow me to share my good fortune with one of my readers!

I was given my choice of a Scentsy warmer and two scents to try out in our home. I went with the "Groovy" White Plug-in and asked the company to recommend two delicious summer scents for me to sample. With over 80 fragrances to choose from, I couldn't make my mind up! The company representative sent me two Scentsy Bars: Plum Delicious and Green Tea Smoothie.

In order to keep my review honest (you can't really expect me to fabricate a review on smells after my disclosure here, can you?), I allowed T and my mom to do the sniff test. I reviewed the product itself and ease of use.

I was very pleased to see that the plug-in came with a lightbulb, so I didn't need to make an extra trip to Wal-Mart with a whiny preschooler and toddler after naptime. The unit was a breeze to put together and fit right into the socket on the kitchen backsplash without being all "Hey! I'm new here! Look at me!"

The scent brick took a bit of work to get apart without tearing, but one block fit perfectly in the top of the warmer. I flipped the little switch on and the area under my kitchen cabinets was instantly bathed in a soft glow.

I love the style of this warmer. Pretty curves and a little quirkiness. Very fun. I'm not kidding when I say that this little plug-in really transformed a rather blah spot in my kitchen!

My mom said she noticed the soft, fruity scent of the Green Tea Smoothie fragrance when she entered our kitchen. T was pleased with what he expressed was a nice, fresh scent. Natalie and Michaela Byrd just liked the "bootiful new nightlight."

To celebrate the summer season that will soon be upon us, Scentsy is offering one of my readers a chance to win the "Groovy" White Plug-in and the Plum Delicious bar.

Here's how you can win!
1. Visit this Scentsy catalog page and leave me a comment here telling me which Plug-in is your favorite. (No cheating and saying "Groovy White" just because I did...haha)
2. Link up (with a valid link!) to my Dishing It! party and get an automatic second entry. The party closes Thursday at 10 pm ET.

This Giveaway will remain open until 5 pm ET on Sunday, June 13th.
Good luck!

{Here's to fantastic summer scents for you and pretty soft lights for me!}

*Disclosure: I received a warmer and two scents for my review. All opinions expressed are my own and that of my family. I was not compensated financially for this review.*

Dishing it! Party

Welcome to the June edition of my Dishing It! party!

I'm so glad you're here, and I hope that you are planning on having a lot of fun visiting around some other great blogs. Anyone who links up between now and 10 pm (ET) on Thursday night (with a valid link) will receive an extra entry in this week's Scentsy Giveaway!

I planned this party as a way for bloggers to not only share a little bit about themselves, but to also make an effort to get to know some of the other wonderful people out there in Blogland. New bloggers and seasoned pros are all welcome!

I do have a few quick rules that I'd like you to stick to if you're planning on linking up with me. Nothing crazy, just basic blogging etiquette, but it would help me out so much if you'd follow through so I don't have to delete links.

1. Please be sure to enter the link to your specific party post.

2. Please include a link to THIS post somewhere within your own post. 

3. Please leave me a comment with your party link as well. This helps tremendously in case there are problems with the inlinkz system. Send me an email if your link won't go up after a few tries. I can work with you to get your post linked up!

Also, it's just plain nice to leave me a comment. (wink)

4. MINGLE. A party is not a party unless you visit! Please take a few minutes to visit at least one or two other links on the list and leave a thoughtful, genuine comment. It is totally okay if you need a day or two, but I'd like for each participant to visit at least one or two of the other blogs by the end of the week. I think that's a doable request.

If you're new here and missed the party info., here it is one more time:

Since we focused on Moms this month, we'll give Dads the fair share in June.

{Dads}

Please feel free to use this as a question and answer post, or use it as a loose guide to write your post however you like. Add or omit any questions you like, and feel free to embellish with photos!

~Name your favorite TV or Movie dad.

~What's the best thing about your dad?

~If your own dad isn't around, do you have a family member or mentor who can stand in for him?

~What's something you enjoyed doing with your dad when you were a child OR what do your kids like to do with their dad?

~If your husband is a father, what does he do that makes him a great dad?

~Tell us a funny story about your dad or your husband.

~Do you have any great Father's Day crafts, recipes, or activities you can share or link to?

Here's the code for the cutesy new party button. I'd love it if you'd add it to your post.

<a href="http://www.serenitynow4amanda.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w351/laurenjh04/Custom%20Designs/Amanda/150dish.png" /></a><br/>
Link up right here (email me if you have trouble and I'll help you out), and don't forget to do some visiting!


Here's my own contribution this month:

My favorite TV dad is probably Cliff Huxtable, played to perfection by Bill Cosby. He was a smart, funny dad who didn't take any crap from his kids...much like this famous scene:


My own dad passed away from pancreatic cancer when I was 16, but he was also very funny. Besides his sense of humor, I now appreciate that he was always willing to let the kids tag along as he worked or relaxed.

He also loved traveling and exploring. He was our tour guide when we visited Western Europe in 1995, and my first trip to our local Target was with him. He wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and we both agreed that it was pretty cool!

As for T, the poor guy has done a great job in a house brimming with estrogen. Even the dogs are girls.

He's an expert at feigning interest in dress-up ensembles, tea parties, and doll house.

Those girls have him wrapped around their fingers. He called me during my moms' night out once, frantic.

"I just asked Natalie if she wants to go to bed and she said 'no.' What do I do?"

See?

I don't have any fun Father's Day crafts, recipes, or activities to share, but I hope you do!



You may have thought I didn't see,
Or that I hadn't heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.


Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we'd grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It's written on my heart.


Without you, Dad, I wouldn't be
The woman I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.


I've grown up with your values,
And I'm very glad I did;
So here's to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid.

-Joanna Fuchs

I Hope You'll Join Me!

I'm hosting another Dishing It! party this week! The linky will go live tonight at 10 pm (ET) and will stay open for new links until Thursday night.

Anyone who links up with a (valid!) link will get an automatic extra entry in Thursday's Giveaway from Scentsy!

If you missed Sunday's post, here is the topic for this month as well as the button code for the party.

Since we focused on Moms this month, we'll give Dads the fair share in June.

{Dads}

Please feel free to use this as a question and answer post, or use it as a loose guide to write your post however you like. Add or omit any questions you like, and feel free to embellish with photos!

~Name your favorite TV or Movie dad.

~What's the best thing about your dad?

~If your own dad isn't around, do you have a family member or mentor who can stand in for him?

~What's something you enjoyed doing with your dad when you were a child OR what do your kids like to do with their dad?

~If your husband is a father, what does he do that makes him a great dad?

~Tell us a funny story about your dad or your husband.

~Do you have any great Father's Day crafts, recipes, or activities you can share or link to?

All I ask is that you link back to me at the specific party post, which will go up tonight; and that you take the time to visit at least 2 or 3 other blogs on the list. If you need a few days before you know you'll have a chance to visit some of the other links, that's okay, but a blog party doesn't work unless participants join in the party.

Here's the code for the cutesy new party button. I'd love it if you'd add it to your post.

<a href="http://www.serenitynow4amanda.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w351/laurenjh04/Custom%20Designs/Amanda/150dish.png" /></a><br/>

Hope you'll join me and find some super-fun new blogs to read!

Hospitality: How We Greet Our Guests

I grinned when I read about the Practicing Hospitality Party over at Southern Fried Dreams. This is a new weekly party with an actual theme to it! This week, Southern Fried Gal wants her readers to share how they greet their guests.

I was really excited to post about this until I went outside and saw that what counts as "curb appeal" at the T house might make guests drive on by and make a U-turn on the next cul de sac. For honesty's sake, I'm showing you exactly what I have going on here right now, as well as noting possible improvements that are in the works.

I do, however, refuse to give you a full shot of the house right now because while T was sweet enough to keep the girls all weekend while I was in Texas, he did not have time to mow the lawn and it currently resembles a Brazilian rainforest.

Any and all (kind) suggestions are welcome.

I'm getting ready to phase out Springy bunny stuff, but this "Bunny on a stick" waves back and forth in front of my sad, peonyless peony bush and greets guests at the curb.

My flower beds are all weeded, but those pesky dead daffodil stalks sort of ruin the ambiance. You can see them behind my hydrangea and my potted marigolds on the front walk.

I can tell that T watered the plants in my absence, but the lack of flower buds makes me wonder how thirsty my plants were before he remembered.

I love garden flags, and I change mine out monthly. This one will be replaced later on in the week with something more Summery.

Don't you love the bag of Miracle Grow in the background? Just keepin' it real, folks.

My front stoop is pretty unassuming. This is the area that needs the most work. I'll post about my wave petunias another day.

The white "brick" is courtesy of MS Paint and is blocking my house numbers. Take that, stalkers!

I need to clean up the ivy spilling out of my large planters, and I have been hoping to spray paint the outdoor lanterns that flank the front door. They disappear into the brick, and I think a coat or two of black spray paint will make them pop. T is dubious, but I hope to win him over.

He absolutely won't budge on painting the front door (?!), so I am hoping to do a cute vinyl piece with house numbers or "Welcome" to fill up some of the white space.

I've tried putting planters on either side of the front door, but because one is under the awning, and one is out in the open, the plants tend to grow at different rates and things end up looking off.

So, truly, my home is lacking in curb appeal right now. When I break out the 4th of July decorations, it won't look so blah, but it really needs some work.

If there's anyone else out there who needs some curb appeal tips, maybe we can all take a peek at Kate's Weekend Curb Appeal Projects.

I could hold on and wait for Santa to bring me a hunky lawn guy, but with my luck I'd end up with a yard gnome and that's a whole other dilemma.

{Any suggestions for the less-than-welcoming front of my home?}

*Don't forget to come back and link up on Wednesday for the next Dishing It! Party right here at Serenity Now. You can click here to see the topic for June, as well as the code for the party button. Anyone who links up with a (valid!) link will get an extra entry in this week's Giveaway from Scentsy! Hope to see you here.*