My Fall Porch

Hey there Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick is hosting a fall outdoor decor link party so I thought that I would add my 2 cents.  I was struck yesterday with a case of "i'm out of inspiration-itis" when I thought about how to spruce up my front porch.  I am struggling with a couple of problems when it comes to the porch.  The first problem is that it is the size of a postage stamp so decorating is a little difficult.  The second problem is that sometimes seasonal decor takes on a Barneys playhouse look, and what I like is a little more Pottery Barn playhouse!?  Also I have three boys that think everything belongs to them and they destroy at will (we are working on it).  Oh and I am on a budget and don't want to refinance to be cute!  So this is what I came up with!

It didn't cost much.  I bought 2 small mums from Wally World for $2.46 ea, 2 terracotta pots $1.25ea, and 3 pie pumpkins about $2 a piece!  The larger mum my mother in law brought me the other day (Thanks Mrs. H.)  I didn't have a cute pot to put it in so I got some sticks and glued them all over the plastic pot.

Okay so I ran out of sticks before I got all the way around the pot...Guess we know where the back is!!   Then I glued on some bias tape that I had made for a reupholstery project that I finished last week (post to come later). 

See, look how cute!  For the terra cotta pots I lined the top of the pot with the same bias tape.

Yeah, I know I glued that acorn on there and it is lame.  It happened,  I am moving on.  The second pot I was just short of making it all the way around with the bias tape and so again makes the back easy to identify!!
Then I thought about my pumpkins and wanted to add my street numbers but didn't want to make a stencil or print things or paint.  So I went all commando with a permanant marker. 

I know that it looks a little wonky, but I free handed with a marker.  That being considered I am pretty impressed with me ;) 

I threw it all on the porch steps added lanterns, candles, leaves that we found at the park, and a few other smaller pumpkins that I already had and VOILA!

I thought that I would include a picture of my beautiful design assistant, yeah I got people!  Anyhow I hope that you like it.  I think that it is neato!

If this is your first time here, Thank You for coming!!  Feel Free to leave a comment, it makes me feel special!

Sunny

 Ps. I am so linking to the DIY showoff                                                                               link to party

                 

31 Days to a Better Me, Day 5

Today the topic of my self improvement is prayer.  This is something that is very important to me.  I call it prayer, some call it meditation,or quiet reflection.  All of these terms apply to what I am talking about.

source

Whatever you call it, I hope that it is a daily part of your life.  I feel that I get some of my greatest ideas/inspiration in those quiet moments where I stop thinking and just let it happen.  I have conversations where I give thanks for all of the things that I have been blessed with.  Today I give thanks for the son I was given 3 years ago today. 

In my moments of prayer I admit self truthes, things that I cannot say out loud.  I ask for strength to handle my children, or help in changing myself to be a better person.  Mostly I express the great joy that I have in my life and ask that others receive the same joy and grace.

I would like to try and dedicate more time to stop and take a moment or ten to prayer.  I have a spot that I like to go and have quiet reflection, but I also pray in the car, at soccer practice, wherever.  Do you have a special place or do you just do it anywhere? 

                                                                           source

I hope that you take some time today for a moment of prayer, I think that you will be amazed what a powerful thing prayer can be.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Feel free to leave me a comment!  I pray for them ;) Just kidding!  

Have a great day! 

31 Days to a Better Me Day 4

Hi Ya'll,  welcome back to my 31 days series on me becoming a better me.  When I was thinking about what I could possibly write about 31 times and becoming a better me the one thing that I kept coming back to was giving. 

Give to someone I don't know

I really want to do better about giving freely.  Giving of my time, money, support, food whatever.  I sometimes worry about giving too much and leaving me and my family in a bad spot.  What I have found is that the more that I give, the more that I receive.  I have never gone hungry from giving food to the needy.  My bank account has always had enough for what I donate and for my families need. 

I used to hold onto things that I was not using for fear that I would need it some day.  Now I just donate it and if I need it some day I will get another.  That is where the blessing for me lies, is in the ability to replace it if I need too.  There are many people in this country and especially in this economic climate that may not have that same luxury of getting the things that they need.  If I can help then that too is a blessing!

I usually have a bag or box that hangs out in a closet collecting donatable items.

When it is full or I get tired of looking at it, I run it over to the Goodwill (LOVE it there).  Usually while I am there it provides a great opportunity to shop and maybe take home a few treasures.

There are other ways of giving to others than just donating to Goodwill.  See if you church has a food program, or a financial aid program.  Don't go to church no problem, you could google charities in your area chances are they could use some help. Or you could contact local churches or schools and ask if they need donations for anything, if you like what they are selling and are able, help out.  You will feel good about it and yourself.

Those who provide are provided for!!

Thank You again for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment I just love it.

My fall table

Centsational girl is hosting a great linky party today all about fall table decor.  She has invited other bloggers to join in the fun so I thought that I would.  You can find her here.  I had so much fun putting my table together, and it looked so pretty I almost wanted to spend the day cooking a turkey dinner.  Then reality set in that I have no time!  I wish that I could do this stuff all day everyday.  Is anybody looking for a professional table setter?  Anyhow on to the good stuff, here is what I have.

Okay, to get this look I shopped my house.  The table runner I got last year from our favorite Pottery Barn (LOVE).  The placemats are from my mother.  The table setting is my ordinary everyday stuff.  I kinda hate the napkins on this table but it is what I had so it is what it is!  I think someone will be shopping for new napkins in the near future.  Not pointing any fingers (insert finger pointing at myself) soooo...  Something to look forward too.  The rest of it is candle holders that I already had.  Some small gourds that I picked up at the Wally world, and some acorns that I had my boys pick up at the park for me.

This table setting is so much prettier in real life that in the pictures (mostly because my picture taking skills stink) it is really making me happy.  Though it will probably only last about .3 seconds because my boys are curious and destroy everything.  But I will always have the pictures and the memories :)

I also followed Laylas lead and added acorns to my candle holders.  Loving the look!!  However I must caution you not to decide that you need to replace the candles inside at the very end of everything.  I originally had flameless candles in there (you know more practical with little people) but then I thought they looked too...fake..duh.  So after I had already lit all of the other candles on the table, I decided to pull them out and replace them with real candles.  When I pulled them out all the acorns fell into the hole and I had to fight with those while getting my arms burnt by fifty two little flames.  I know I am brilliant!  Anyhow I hope you like it...I do!  If this is your first time here, Thanks for coming!!  Feel free to leave a comment, it makes me so excited to know that I am not talking to myself here!!

I will post my 31 days later when I get back from cleaning my mothers house...YAY!  Have a great day!

31 Days to a Better Me Day 3

Today I am going to discuss one of my biggest problems.  I eat too much.  I mean I eat like a pro NFL linebacker.  I sometimes out eat my husband, let me tell you that there is no reason for me (5' 7" 130ish pounds) to be out eating my 6' 4" 220 ish pound husband.  But I do.  This is a big problem!  I don't know where this habit came from, I have never gone hungry but I feel this urge to eat as much as I can possibly stomach.  I know what you are thinking, that I am a thin girl so what is the problem?  Well the problem is that in college I had a little weight issue not too bad but it made me uncomfortable about myself (ie. self loathing).  I come from a naturally thin family and I felt like a black sheep for being a little "chunky".  After I had my first son I thought that all hope had been lost, but for some reason it was the opposite.  I lost weight, a lot of weight.  100 pounds to be exact (disclaimer: 50 of that was pregnancy weight).  I felt like I had been given another chance.  But here I am overeating and I will end up right back where I was in college.  So I have decided that I am going to eat smaller portions and retrain myself to be satisfied with the new portions. 

Not only that but I find it is a lot easier to to burn calories that I never ate!  Plus I am going to try... ahem.. and eat fewer of these.

By the way these are my weakness... Snacks.  Oh how I love them!  Have you tried those Ritz cheese crackers so good...wait wasn't I talking about eating less junk?  Disregard to ritz cracker comment. 

Plus a big bowl of beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables looks so good on my counter or kitchen table (much better than the Chips Ahoy look on my hips :)

So there you have it my third way of becoming a better me.  Join me tomorrow for another exciting edition of  31 Days to a Better Me!  Thanks for Visiting!

31 Days to a Better Me Day 2

My 31 days are dedicated to becoming a better me.  That was actually inspired by the fact that I will be going to a womens conference the first weekend of November.  I have to tell you that I get incredibly intimidated by other women.  I always feel like I am being judged about my clothes, my hair, whatever, (am I kthe only one that feels this way?) so I decided that I would like to shed a little extra (if you know what I mean) by then.  So for the next month I thought that I would be a little healthier.  Then I thought about this series and thought "what else could I do to make myself a little better of a person.

So topic of day 2 is:

Take a Walk

Get the dog, grab a kid, your neighbor, or if you need a little quiet time go by yourself, but just go.  I find that the more into blogs I become the more I find myself sitting not moving.  Don't get me wrong I am not giving reading the blogs, but I am going to make time everyday to get my body moving.  This could include cleaning the house, I don't know about you but I work up a sweat when I clean.  Anything that gets you up and moving counts.  I think that when you are physically active you feel better, things bother you less, and your butt will look better.  Who doesn't love that.  The Inspired Room has a giveaway for some plush pumpkins right now that are rumored to have weight loss abilities (you know because they are so plush you rub them all day) .  I don't know if they count, but you can decide for yourself! 

So put down the laptop (after you finish reading and leaving me a comment ;) and go for a walk.  It may help you become a better you!

Thank You so much for stopping by, please come again you have no idea how excited it makes me!
Sorry I am posting so late, but cut me some slack I have 3 kids and it IS before midnight (which is probably when I will be sewing Boy Scout patches on for school tomorrow :)

Sunny

31 Days to a Better Me!

So I think that I must be insane to participate with the Nesters series of 31 days.  Being that I am so new to the blogging world that I still have my umbilical cord attached.  I still have no idea what I am doing but that leads me to the first of my 31 posts...

Stretch myself to be a better blogger

I want to make me a better version of myself.  I want to be a better blogger.  So what better way to do that than to stretch myself to write a post a day for the next 31 days.  I am incredibly intimidated to see if I can do it, but if I don't try I will never know will I.  So today I am going to try and figure out if I can write text on the blank button that I got from the Nester. 

Basically I am going to participate in the blogging community.  I so hope that you will come back and see the rest of my 31 day posts...you know to see if I fail or not! :)

Sunny

Update:  Look what I figured out how to do... see a better blogger already!