Calling All Painters!!

I need help!

My front door looks awful!

Before I can hang this beauty, the door needs a face lift.


My problem is I don't know where to start, the door is made of metal with a faux wood finish. I want to paint to paint it black, what type of paint should I use, do I need to sand it, do I paint the white trim first or the door first?

Any suggestions?

And The Winner Is......

This has been so much fun, I have enjoyed every minute of this giveaway and I'm trying to think of what the next one will be! Thanks again to everyone who played along, I wish I could give you all something.

With a little help from my youngest son, Jonah, a winner has been chosen!

And the winner is....

Ruby Red Slippers

from Lions, Tigers, and Boys, Oh My!

Congratulations! Email me your name & address and I will get your package in the mail.

#100--I Finally Made It!!!!

Yeah!!! I have blogged 100 posts!! Today's post is a quick one because I'm trying to get ready for the weekend.

One of my most favorite hobbies is photography, Tom surprised me last year with a Canon Rebel Xsi and I have started taking a photography class with a photographer from Indiana. So the final item in the giveaway basket is a photo album.

I have enjoyed shopping for things that I thought everyone might like and can't wait to do another giveaway! Thank you all for playing along, I really appreciate you reading my blog.

Have a great weekend, I will announce the winner Sunday evening!

Tickets Please!

I love the movies! I like to go the theatre, drive-in, or renting movies either one is fine with me, just as long as it involves lots of popcorn and candy!

The fall and winter months are hard on our family because all spring and summer we are at the lake every weekend boating, riding our mule, building fires and roasting marshmallows. When cooler weather starts we close up the camper and winterize the boat so everyone is a little bored on the weekends. To keep the children happy we will have party foods for dinner, rent a movie, play games, eat lots of candy & popcorn just about every Saturday night, this has become a family tradition one that I hope my children will pass on to my grandchildren(20 years from now). What does your family do on cool fall Saturday nights?

The items for the gift basket today are: a family friendly DVD, a bucket of movie theatre popcorn and four boxes of movie candy. Thanks again for all the comments!! Have a great day!

Paper Crafting

Paper Crafting has been a hobby of mine since my oldest son was born in 1999, my how things have changed in the scrapbooking world in ten short years. I also love to make cards, they are so quick & easy and on days when I'm feeling "crafty" but don't have a lot of time I can make a card or two in about 30 minutes. Lately, I've started stamping, this is becoming addictive, thanks to Hobby Lobby I can always get stamps 50% off! Today's giveaway item is a die-cut mini scrapbook kit with a Christmas theme.

Getting Lost In A Good Book

Another one of my favorite things to do is to read, I have always loved to read, especially a good romance novel and biographies. Lately, I have been sipping a nice hot cup of cappuccino while reading. Today's items in the giveaway basket are the last romance novel I read, A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand and a canister of my favorite cappuccino drink mix, Hills Bros sugar free, french vanilla. I'm enjoying reading your comments and can't wait to see who wins!

My Hobbies Post #96

One of my favorite hobbies is shopping, not just any shopping but bargain shopping. I love to prowl through the sale racks of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Macy's, Dillards, Goodwill and Hobby Lobby looking for the next great deal. Unfortunately for me and fortunately for Tom we only have a Goodwill in our little town, I have to drive 1 & 1/2 hours to the nearest store of choice. This morning I dropped the boys off at school (just a little early, shh, don't tell anyone) and headed to Ashland for a little shopping with my Mom, we always have a good time together! We stopped by Hobby Lobby to look at their fall things, they are really pretty this year and the Christmas ornaments are already 40% off this week, now that's a bargain. So it only stands to reason that the first item in my giveaway basket is a $10.00 Hobby Lobby gift card!

Have a great day and remember to check in each day to see what the next item in the gift basket will be and to leave a comment for your chance to win!

#95

This is my 95th post in a little over a year, I guess I must be a slow blogger, LOL!

Over the past year I've tried to decide which direction that I wanted my blog to go, I read several blogs daily and love how these talented ladies find so many interesting things to share with their readers, I often struggle with each post that I write but enjoy the process. What type of blogs keep you coming back day after day to peak into their worlds? I tend to read blogs that are about life, plain & simple, they share the struggles of motherhood, cooking and homemaking. I also love blogs about decorating, I'm challenged in this area and have learned so much over the past year about placement of furniture & accessories and paint colors. I often feel inadequate when reading blogs, they seem to have perfect lives, homes, husbands, children, finances and the list goes on, the reality of it is that they are sharing what makes them happy. So my dear readers I have decided to just do that, share what makes me happy! My life may not be perfect (whose is?) but it's my life and I love it!

This week I hope to blog my 100th post! In honor of this occasion I will be having a give away for anyone who leaves a comment on this post through the 100th post, you will be entered for each comment that you leave and the winner will be announced on the 101th post. Each day I will share a hobby that I enjoy, the gift basket will contain an item regarding each day's post! Be sure to tell a friend to enter, it's going to be a great giveaway!

Have a great week!!!

Magazines Galore

Photo from Southern Living Magazine Online

Photo from Midwest Living Magazine Online

Hello, my name is Michelle and I'm a magazine addict, there I admit it, no intervention needed. Lately I've been buying every magazine on the shelf they are inspiring & expensive! I have subscriptions to most of my favorites, I guess I'll have to add a few to the list. Just take a look at all the beautiful things you can do to decorate pumpkins, I'm going to do the house numbers, the templates for the first photo are available online at Southern Living. I hope you enjoy these as much as I have.

Photo from Better Homes & Garden Magazine Online

Photo from Country Living Magazine Online

Labor Day 2009

Tom's family came to visit this weekend, at first I was upset because I didn't feel up to having company but it turned out for the best, my mother-in-law cleaned and did laundry all day yesterday. I took a few photos of the kids together for my photography class, I'm really enjoying the class and can't wait to learn more. I hope that each of you had a great weekend.

Great Doctor's Report!!!!

I saw my endocrinologist today she said that everything looked good and that I was healing well. I'm so thankful for an excellent pathology report from my thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, and lymph nodes, everything came back clear, YEAH!!! That means no cancer anywhere in sight and no radioactive iodine treatments. My blood work is a little off, my calcium, potassium & sodium are too low and my phosphorus is too high, we are working on adjusting this things and I should feel better than ever in about a month, YEAH!!! I can't wait to feel like doing things around the house and just in time for the holidays. Lookout world I will be a crafting fool in a few weeks!

Cola Chicken

Photo courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine Online

I made this fabulous chicken recipe last night for dinner, it was so quick and easy to make, Tom loved it, he said that the sauce would be good with tortilla chips, then he proceeded to eat several chips dipped in the leftover sauce, that's a hungry man for you, LOL. Here is the recipe, I hope that you all enjoy it as much as we did.

Cola Chicken

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 T. oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 (12 ounces) cola -- I used a regular coke

1 cup ketchup

1/8 t. garlic powder

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

4-1/2 t. cornstarch

3 T. cold water

In a skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add chicken; brown on all sides. Carefully add cola, ketchup, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Remove the chicken and keep warm.

Combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to pan; heat through.

Family Dinners

My lovely mother gave a year's worth of Taste of Home Magazines to read while I am recuperating from my surgery, needless to say, all it has done is make me hungry! There is something about this time of year that makes me want to cook, I guess its the cool crisp morning air or the fact the children are back in school and I feel as if they need a hot meal at the end of their day. Last night I made a chicken, broccoli & rice dish that was really good, I think that I would make it again. Tonight I'm making Cola-Chicken, it really has a can of Coke in it, will see what it tastes like and if its good I'll post the recipe, I'm fixing rolls, roasted new potatoes, slaw and sweet corn to go with it, I can't wait til dinnertime!

For some wonderful fall nesting ideas checkout The Inspired Room!

~~Favorite Things~~

Girly Stuff is hosting a Favorite Things link party today so I thought that I would share a few of my favorite things with you.

My favorite flowers in the whole world are hydrangeas, they make think of my Grandmother Bethel, she was a lovely lady.

My favorite thing to drink that I can't go a day without is Diet Pepsi, YUM-O!

My favorite romance author is Danielle Steel, I love to read her books, I always feel swept away by her characters.

First Day of School

My children started school on August 19th, I can't believe that they are in the 5th & 3rd grades! I'm always ready for them to go back to school but at the same time I miss the laughter & noise of having them home with me, it's kinda bittersweet. I always bake them a special treat on the first day of school, this year they chose chocolate chip cookies, yummy! School has only been in session for one week and the school board closed our school on Friday & Monday due to strep throat and the flu, thankfully the boys haven't gotten sick, I have packed extra Germ-X wipes in their lunchboxes and told them to wash their hands often. Sometimes I think that about homeschooling but I don't know if I could manage.