New apartment!

After spending several weeks searching for just the right apartment, I finally found it! My lease at my last place ran out, and even though I had lived there only a year and actually liked the place, I was unhappy that the landlord had never let me use the garage. This would have given me storage, and an extra bedroom or computer/music room for the boys as the garage had been divided up. Also, when my youngest gets a car this summer, there would have been no place for him to park.

I was really surprised at what I found out there while searching for the right place. The first place I looked at was my very favorite, and it would have been perfect for us, but they wouldn't let us have our dog. I found another cute duplex which was HUGE, but someone else had first dibs. There were other places I found that were terribly overpriced, and one was so icky, there would have been no way that you could have paid me to live there! Finally I found what I feel is going to be the perfect place. The boys really like it too.

Isn't it pretty?


What a cute little entrance. It's effective in keeping any draft from sweeping in when we open the door.


Here is the living room part of the great room, which also includes the kitchen. Looks so spacious!


I hated the light fixtures in my old place, but I love them here. I'm glad that there is a ceiling fan in this apartment.


I just love my new kitchen. Just look at all those cupboards! Look at all that counter space! What an awesome stove and microwave! I can even bring my own refrigerator. I had the option of using the landlord's, but wanted to get my fridge out of storage. I love the pot lights too. I have a window over the sink!


I love the light fixture too.


Somehow, I forgot to take a picture of my bedroom, but I made sure to show my closet. Not sure if it could be considered a walk-in, but it is definitely a step in! I can actually fit all my clothes in here!


I even have my own bathroom! Hoorah! After sharing a bathroom with my sons my whole life, I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this. No more picking my towel up off the floor and putting the seat down all the time. No more whiskers in my sink!


There is even a linen closet in my bathroom. I grew up with a closet this same size and that was just for my clothes.


The boys have a cool bedroom. There is a patio out back, and they have sliding glass doors leading out to it.


They have their own bathroom too off the hallway, and it will also be the bathroom for guests, so they have to keep it reasonably clean.


My oldest boy picked out the shower curtain, but I found the accessories, and the boys really like them. This shell sculpture was from Big Lots for only $10.


I found this Paris poster at Goodwill for $3, but it will cost me $14 for a frame. Still not a bad bargain at all!


I was thrilled that there was a beautiful washer and dryer here! After a year of washing clothes in an apartment size w/d, I can't even begin to express how excited I was over this!


There were some other great features too, such as windows with blinds on the INSIDE! I also have a one car HEATED garage! I had never heard of such a thing, but I think that when my daughter and her husband come to visit, I am going to get a big air mattress and throw down a rug and a lamp and table and let them use it as their bedroom. She thought that was a great idea.

We moved in on Saturday. I am still getting things out of the old place and cleaning there, but will post pics of the new place all decorated.

We are loving it here!

Sunday Scramble....Late!

Looks like I'm a day late and a dollar short for the Sunday Scramble, because here it is Monday already. I have so much to tell you though!


I am most excited that I am going to be going to Chicago in April for a Women on Fire retreat! This is an event sponsored by my former babysitter Debbie Phillips, who after babysitting for my brothers and I, went on to graduate from Harvard, become a journalist, serve as a press secretary to Senator John Glenn, and now she is a life coach. Please don't interpret this as meaning that babysitting for us led to her awesomeness...but it would sure be cool to think that! lol

She was the best babysitter ever, so I bet she is the best life coach there is! I am so very blessed that someone has sponsored my attendance. I can't wait to see Debbie again for the first time in decades, and to fellowship and network with other women. It is going to be a fulfilling and enriching time.

A friend asked me to go to Cincinnati this weekend. I love Marriott hotels, and this one was so pretty! Check out the first two pics, taken from the Marriott website. This indoor gazebo is 7 stories tall. In the lower picture, that wall is made of marble, and is actually a water wall. I love water features and thought this was outstanding. The final is a view of the Ohio River and the Cincinnatti skyline from the Kentucky shore of the river.




My next big news is that I am moving again! My lease was up February 1, and I started getting the itch to move again. I am very disappointed in my landlord because I was promised the attached garage, and I was never allowed access. It would have provided me a 3rd bedroom, since it is divided into an office area, and storage. I would also have been able to lose my storage unit and it's expense, and be able to put my things in my own garage for storage.

That's just a little preview of something the previous tenant left at my new place! It is also a two bedroom, but a little bigger. I will have a small porch area in front, a really nice patio with fence in the back, a one car heated garage with some storage, a beautiful kitchen with a dishwasher, and my own master bathroom! That has always been my dream to have my own bathroom, but it has never happened. I was spoiled by having a half bath at the house on Bonnie Lane, but it wasn't off of my room, and we have all been sharing a bath in this apartment.

I am moving in just under two weeks and can't wait to show you all my new home!

In my house, there are always a few "things that make you go 'hmmm'." I came home yesterday and found the dog on my son's laptop. I hope he wasn't downloading any puppy porn!


I also found this oddity...my ceramic bird sporting lips. When did this happen? I didn't know birds had lips!

You never know what you'll find with my boys around!

To join in more Sunday Scramble, go visit Justine at Stupid is as Sister Does.

Late Valentine Tablescape/Pink Saturday

Well this post is about two weeks late for Valentine's Day! I had orginally planned to post it before the event, but life got in the way. Anyhow, better late than never, and you could use this for a fun, romantic dinner too at any time and not restrict it to just Valentine's Day. This is also a post with a double purpose...Tablescape Thursday and Pink Saturday!

Here was my preview photo, a picture of a little storebought cake.


This tablescape was designed for the purpose of celebrating the love of my children on Valentine's Day. It is more fun than the romantic setting I last posted.


I couldn't afford to spend money on placemats, so decided to use Dollar Tree tissue paper, and it works out just great! I paired my white Gibson dishes with Valentine paper plates. My every day tableware is being used, and the drinking glasses are hobnail milk glasses that my mother owned.


At the rear of the table, I used lace curtains to make up the difference of my tablecloth not being long enough. My son's stuffed dog that was a present from his girlfriend add some fun and pink color, and I added pink ribbon and a little red feather boa for some fun. The cake sits atop my painted cheeseboard, and more red feather boa curls around the base. I again used the heart shaped votives.


Thought I'd give you a closer look at the stuffed doggie. I thought it was hilarious that his girlfriend bought him a pink dog. He says that its not "pink,", its "magenta." Whatever. Looks pink to me! lol


Hope you enjoyed today's tablescape, and all the pinkness of Valentine's Day. To see more Tablescape Thursday posts, please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. For more Pink Saturday posts, please join Beverly on Saturday at How Sweet the Sound.

This might be my last tablescape for a few weeks. I have a lot coming up, and can't wait to tell you all about it in this week's upcoming Sunday Scramble!