Just Stuff

I bought some fallish candy today.

Have you tried Reese's Pieces with Candy Corn?  Yum.

 Dove Peanut Butter Cups are a more 

sophisticated version of Reese Cups.  

Just like Dove Cookies and Creams are a more 

sophisticated version of Hershey's Cookies and Creams.  

Double Yum!

And the candy looked even more fallish in bowls

with oak leaves on them. :)

No work in the kitchen today, but the family room 

got paint!  It was royal blue before, so you can imagine

the drastic change!  Samantha seems to think

it's zen and relaxing.  It's a different grey from the kitchen

with a touch of sea foam green in it, kind of like the

Atlantic Ocean...perfect for my nautical theme.

♥

Random Thoughts and Giveaway Winner

1. The Mister and I were out for dinner and a little shopping Saturday night and I got a little honey suckle scented candle at the Pottery Barn Outlet.  Mmmmm. Smells wonderful.
2. I licked an envelope to seal it and got a paper cut on my lip.  It does not feel wonderful. lol.
3. I can tell it is officially summer because my last few cups of coffee get poured over ice!
4. We have a lovely new pool up in the back yard.  So far, Spencer has been the only one to get in it.  Autism is a hard thing to figure out.  ha ha.  But they will get there.  They have loved it in past years.  Some times I think their brains tell them 'no' even when they really want to do something.  It's also hard to break away from the electronics obsession.  The weather is cooperating, though..hot and humid!
5. I made a Fudge Upside Down Cake for Father's Day.  Rich, dark, ooey and gooey.  Best served warm with ice cream. I'll share the recipe later this week.  Having a piece every night after dinner is making me run extra on the treadmill. ha ha.
6. I live with 5 men and 4 of them are hoarders.  Alex is the opposite, throwing out things we need...like unopened mail, tissues as you are trying to use them and important forms waiting for our signatures.  The Mister is a hoarder, though.  He bought 3 pairs of shoes (much needed, btw) Saturday and on the way home, I said, "I hope you're going to throw out three pairs from your closet when you get home!"  He gave me a weird look and I said.."At least the ones on the top shoe shelf that have an inch of dust on them...proving that you haven't worn them in over a year!"  Well, he picked out two to throw out and was wavering on the third pair until I rolled my eyes.  haha.  Finally, he had the courage.  lol.  Geesh!  I have to get tough or we're going to end up on that show!  haha. And Jax, you know how we were talking about 'two shoe' guys?  He is not one of them!  He missed that memo! lol.  
7. Spencer went to Sam's Club with me tonight.  I'm exhausted. lol.  I'll give him his own post about it soon. :)

AND THE GIVEAWAY WINNER IS.....

MAGPIE!

HAPPY DAY, SWEET MAGPIE!

EMAIL ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS AND I'LL PUT YOUR

LITTLE GIFT IN THE MAIL ASAP. 

♥

Lazy Thursday

I was so lazy today...just puttered around the house!  With the exception of two loads of laundry, I didn't do any housework!  My main priority was to manage the men, which basically means to make sure nobody leaves the kitchen faucet running, the refrigerator door open, wanders off our property, or burns the house down. lol  (you think I'm kidding, don't you!?)  The rest of the time was spent puttering around with my auction stuff and making a scrumptious dinner, which I'll share with you tomorrow. :)

• I washed up my antique mug and enjoyed my coffee in it!
• Remember me telling you that the pieces of china were resting in a box full of sea shells?  Well, this little glass was found down in the box...just like this.  Pretty purple striped pieces of shell...worn down by sand and the tide...just like sea glass!  Someone had made a pretty display from their collection.  They would make a pretty mosaic and I think I'll look for ideas to do something fun with them.  
•  While at the grocery I picked up a bag of tri-colored potatoes.  I'm thinking warm potato salad with a lemony garlic vinaigrette with bacon and fresh dill.  Yum.  A nice change from the typical mayo kind.
• A little research did confirm my huge porcelain pot is indeed most likely a chamber pot.  It's so big though, that it had to be a family size. ha. With that thought, I washed it with bleach and ran it through the dishwasher on the 'anti-bacterial' cycle. ha.  I'm thinking it will look beautiful sitting on top of my china cabinet.

• The box of shells had some really large ones in it!  The penny is there for a size reference.  Did I mention I have a shell collection?  It's always fun to add to it!
• I filled a large mixing bowl with some of them!
• The biggest surprise was the fact that two fragile sand dollars, which were wrapped in a tissue, were still in perfect condition at the bottom of the box!  After a day of auction bidders rummage through it...then the box being tossed on the 'trash' table..and them me sifting through it......not to mention the trip home from the initial vacation however many years ago....incredible really.  So pretty!
• There were plastic bags full of shells fresh from a walk on the ocean and this little card included which is from Magnetic Hill, New Brunswick, NJ.  I guess someone took a vacation there and when they got home, didn't ever unpack the shells!  Who knows how many years ago that was!  I was wishing they could talk and tell me how many decades they sat in a cellar or basement waiting to be discovered!

• This little waterproof-lined bag was full of shells.  It was stiff from dried salty ocean water.  A nice little collection spilled out.  I have to admit, I sifted carefully through all of this~  I just knew there was going to be some yucky dead spider or clam or whatever.  The only yucky thing was at the bottom of the box...a starfish that was obviously still soft and not dried out when the remaining stuff was laid on top.  I'll spare you the details. lol.  It was the only thing I didn't keep. ha.
• The pretty gold leaf two handled pot (is it called a waste pot? not to be confused with chamber pot. ha ha) became a pretty flower vase today.
• I think the teapot with the broken lid will be a flower vase, too.  Meanwhile, it will look pretty sitting with my white iron stone pitchers.  The teapot itself is in perfect condition.  I'm glad I rescued it from the trash. It looks pretty in my grey and white kitchen. :)
• And last but not least, a sneak peak at my freshly done pedicure for the party this coming Monday. :)  Don't forget to paint your finger nails...or toe nails...and join in on the 18th!  There's even a giveaway!  Check out my sidebar. 

I hope you had a lovely day!

Tomorrow will be full of housework to make up for the last two days!

♥