Love Leigh Things

Where Have I Been?

 

Because this is my happy place I will not give all the details, teehee!  Let's just say the last time I planned to post my neighbor's tree landed on, not one but two of our vehicles!  My poor boy, hasn't even driven his car and it is already in the auto hospital!  Then what happened to me????  Poor Poor Bentley and I got the flu!  We were on the couch for almost three (yes three!) weeks, feeling somewhat sorry for ourselves!  Like I said this is a SMALL bit of how it has been going!  However, we are EXTREMELY fortunate because things could be so much worse!  Overall, we've got it great, and I appreciate everyday of my life!

 

 

Hubby even bought us new monkey's to love, but we were still pitiful!  Okay, the monkey's did help, especially the royal B Man! 

 

So, I will be spending the next few days or so, attempting to get all email/blog caught up!  Well, with the exception of a small trip to the dentist tomorrow and winter storm warning (you know how us southerners are, PANIC!) purchases!

 

I am going to continue my cake decorating classes starting in February!  As you can see, I need lots more instruction, teehee!!

 

 

 

Lots More!

 

 

  

Next on my crafty list is Alicia Paulson's Ollalieberry Ice Cream Quilt and a beautiful fleece blanket with big flowers on it!  Wish me well, it has been awhile since I crafted anything, except a few cards!

 

I hope you all had a great holiday season and have the year ever!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving with Lots of Love!

Disney, Birthday Giftie and Happy Halloween

 

The family and I had the best time at Disney World!  There is nothing like having your birthday there, even for us ladies of a certain age, teehee!

 

 

 

 

Okay, I was a big kid princess!  You just do not know how close I came to going to the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and getting my princess makeover!

 

 

The boys had a great time at Legoland.  Can you believe all of these things are made of Lego's?

 

 

 

 

 

Bentley had the greatest time at Animal Kingdom

 

 

 

until....

 

 

he seen these....

 

Hubby threatened to feed him to the tigers for whining a bit to much.

 

He was not happy about riding this

 

 

nope, not happy at all!

 

Boy 1 and I especially adored Epcot!   I will share our adventure soon!  It was great to get to go to Japan, England, and other places!

 

Now on to more happiness.  I was so excited to get a birthday goodies from the creative and kind Kai!  (I am sorry for being so late with my thank you!)

 

 

I really appreciate it so much, Kai!  I just love him.....but....

 

 I did not get to keep him long!

 

I hope everyone has a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

 

Don't let the ghosties scare you!

 

 

 

 

 

A Goodie, Books and Disney!

 

Woohoo!  It has been a crazy few weeks and I am a hot mess!  I will have lots of pics to post soon.  Partly because of my early birthday giftie!  Thank you, hubby!  

 

 

Love it! 

 

Bentley and I are going to take it Disney World with us (we are letting hubby and boys go with us, teehee)!  He has been getting his exercise.  He wants to look hot in his swimming trunks!

 

 

When we get back, I will be around to visit everyone in Blogland!  I am missing the inspiration and your personalities!!

 

Did you see that book, over there ---> in my favs, Sew Deadly?  It is a great cozy mystery!  Well, it just so happens, Elizabeth Lynn Casey has a blog, check it out! 

 

I wish I had saved it for my vacation read, but I could not put it down.  I am saved though, because I bought these great motivational magazines for the pool! 

 

 

 

I just love Artful Blogging and Where Women Create!  The Mary Engelbreit feature is like icing on a cupcake in WWC!!!

 

If you are just popping in after a bit, check out the post below for a great crafty link! 

 

I have got to run, iron and pack!

 

Love ya'll!

 

 

 

 

Packages and a New Friend

What is that?

 

 

 It is the boys (more mine, I do believe) new school curriculum. 

 

 

 

 

That last pic, is just my manuals!

 

It is also a weeks worth of work!  It literally took me that long to unpack, organize make a gazillion copies and get all ready.   While I was multitasking with the school and watching Martha, I was pleasantly surprised!

 

Have you ever seen someone on TV that just makes you smile?  Just a regular person, not a "star", although she should be!  Well, I did!  She was on Martha the other day making the cutest craft goodie.  I just had to go to her website, then find out if she had a blog. I wrote her a little note and she wrote back, what a sweetheart!  She does blog, WOOHOO!  Here is the link: 

 

The Crafty Buffet

 

and

 

Here is her profile:

 

Maiah's Mom

 

If I had to vote for someone to have their own TV show, Cheryl would be right up there with the Queen Alicia Paulson and the Goddess Laura.  I wrote this prior to reading The Crafty Buffet bio, only to find out her goal is her own show! 

Where is that petition?

 

I have also been playing with my new (early) birthday giftie!  I will unveil it soon, I am so excited and it is not even a puppy!

 

Well, I am off, out of town again!  I hope you all have a great Labor Day holiday!

 

Lots of Love

Bang and Pound

Over and over and over for days....the bright side!  I have a new roof!  I must be getting old if those words excite me!  Well, at least my headache has eased, haha!

 

I went shopping this past weekend, tax free woohoo!  But, then.... I got a little sick, feeling much better now! 

Just in time to use my new gifties!

 

 

I am going to can some goodies!  My aunt and mama have really hooked me up!  I am sooooo excited!  I have never done this before!  If I do not give my family botulism I will consider myself a southern Julia Child!  Well, technically I will do this next week.  I will be gone for a bit.

 

Have you ever heard of pickled peaches, yummmmy!  My aunt made these and I am going to try to make them too!  I hope I do her proud!

 

 

If you have any good canning recipes please please share!!

 

Like I said (up there) I will be away for a mini vacation!  Just a little pool time!  It is youngest boy's BD this weekend.  I will be around blogland to visit and get emails caught up before I go.  Until next week...

 

Love Ya!

A Very Vintage Thank You

Wow, just look at what my mother's friend has sent my way! 

 

A beautiful McCoy vase

 

 

Some gorgeous vinty linens

 

 

Last but not least, a very sheer, very very pretty apron

 

 

 

Excuse my model, that was the best I had at the time.

 

Thank you so much Kathy!

 

 

It has been very busy around BentleyVille, We even spent a day here..

 

 

It was prepping us for the Happiest Place on Earth visit coming up soon. 

 

I hope everyone is having a great summer so far, it sure is flying by...

 

Love ya!

A Little Bit of 70's With a Frog to Boot

What can you say about a man that finds a book as yummy as this and brings it home to you!  I am in vintage heaven!  Now some more family bragging, do you see that great McCoy frog?  My mama found him at an antique store, gotta love love love him!

 

 

Take a peek in the book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My washer has been saved, (Laura, really she is fine)  her propeller thingy had flown out, but she has a new one now!  My AC is totally fixed, not just patched!  The new dishwasher is working great and the roof estimates, etc... are making progress!  Can you say whew!

 

Boo survived CAP encampment, with the accolades to prove it!

 

 

 

I will not show you the amount of laundry he brought home with the awards.  But, my heart is back in place!  A lot of people found humor in my week of worry, I know who you are, haha!  Karen, Diane, Jeff, and the rest!

 

When I complained about not having crafty time, in a previous post I forgot that I have been crafting a bit!  My aunt and mama are teaching me to crochet granny squares and helping me with my technique.  Hopefully, I will have some gorgeousness to show you soon!  I am so ready to fire up one of my sewing machines, I have the urge, haha!  By the way, Hancock Fabrics has their McCall's patterns on sale for only 0.99 until July 18th!

 

Well, I am off!  I will be around blogland in the next day or so to visit and answer emails! 

 

 

Family Moss and What is Broke Again!

My aunt gave me some moss that has been in our family since well before I was born.  It was originally at my Great Great Aunt's house and there is no telling when or where she got it....

 

 

 

 

I sincerely hope it lives for future generations, in remembrance of the Winters' Girls (as hubby calls us).

 

Now on to my whinny post moment...

 

I came home from house/animal sitting the largest domestic pets in the world (I believe), here is one example...

 

 

to find this waiting for me...

 

  

 

Boo went to CAP camp.... Have been crying and/or angry (hubby is debating sedation) ever since he left.  I know he is 16 but in my heart he will always be my oldest baby!  He was so excited, I had to let him go...  I feel very sorry for his wife, I will NOT be a good mother-in-law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benji, Bentley and I have been entertaining ourselves with Alvin and the Chipmunks, games and cookies till he gets home.

 

Did you hear my upstairs central air conditioner broke awhile back?  Well, guess what, it happened again!  It was temporarily fixed today....waiting on an apparent very special part.

 

 

While I was reeling from that, this morning my washing machine started choking and could possibly be a goner....  The repairman will be here Friday to let me know.

 

 

The roof has still not been replaced, waiting on estimates....that could be a good thing since Sunday there was some huge hail here, again!  We will deal with this over the next few weeks.  I now know the term domestic goddess truly applies when you get excited over a roof!  Not even a tin one in the rain, just a regular roof that mother nature has not beat up!

 

I have to say a word about Steve McNair, I know some people are judging him for his lifestyle at the end of his life...but I liked, and yes even respected him.  He was a true warrior on the field, generous to the state of Tennessee and exceptionally nice to my boys, for that I am grateful.  #9 you will be missed....

 

 

 

Neglected and Missed

Where to start....what started as a day away from blogging has turned into months.  I have tried and somewhat failed at keeping up with emails.  But, I am back with bells on.  On a serious note, thank you to all of my blog buddies for their bloglove and understanding.

 

One of the reasons I took a break is not my business to tell publicly, but for those who know (through emails and calls) my very ill family members are doing much better! 

 

Here is a list of some of things that I have been up to since my last post:

 

Decided to move to Italy

Changed my mind and decided to stay here

Decided to move to England

Somewhat decided to stay here

Decided to move to the country and have chickens and alpacas

Still trying to talk myself out of that one

Took Bentley and Jeff to the mountains

Okay Jeff took us

Learned more about Geometry than any 40 year old woman should have to

Painted some of my aunt's house

Got fired from painting (by hubby)

Decided he was just being sweet to say that I should not work that hard

Learned that paint is pretty hard to get out of curly hair

Managed to buy some great Alicia Paulson patterns

Managed to "not" be able to work on a one of them YET

I have not won the lottery

I have figured out how to use my DVR

Lived through no air conditioning on the top floor of my home for a few days

Got that fixed pretty quick

Survived a broken dishwasher

Got that fixed pretty quick too!

Had part of my roof blown off

Had that repaired

Repeat the last two lines again

Had it happen a third time

Waiting on insurance to get the whole thing replaced

Put braces on boy #2

Preparing to send boy #1 to camp (can you say sad mama)

Got addicted to Real Housewives of New Jersey

Started collecting old dishes and linens (so far only family pieces and a friends family)

Decided that is an upcoming blog post

Made reservations for the happiest place on earth for Bentley and myself

Was convinced the children and hubby really should get to go to

Discovered British TV mysteries and comedies

and Wallander (not set in England, but a great one)

 

Okay, that could go on forever and I will not bore you anymore.

 

For those who really only care about The B-Man he has been having a great time!  I have been taking care of him, I promise!  Here are a few photos just to prove it!

 

 

He received two gorgeous Valentine's Day Cards from his Louisiana friends, Jasmine, Jay and Eli!  He LOVED them.  He has asked me to send a goodie package to their mom, so I will do that soon!

 

 

Here he is totally rubbing his mail in YaYa's face.

 

 

Forced us to have family game night with him.

 

Traveled with DorisDay (more to come on that)

 

 

Two monkees showing their true colors, because I got the goodie and they did not, thank you so much Kai!

 

Happy (late) 17th Anniversary to my man!  I love you!

 

 

I can't wait to get back in the blog grove with everyone!  I will be around to visit soon!  This is pretty sad for a return post but, I am leaving for a week, so I will see you after the 4th.  I should be able to check email though.  Is anyone doing the twitter thing?  I am not sure how I feel about that one, comments about it would be great!

 

Love ya all!

 

PS  Mama you were right!  It felt good to be back!