Working on Transforming the Playroom Part II

This bench is Crate and Barrel....299.00 on sale for 99.00!



Crate and Barrel


Walmart.com

Hello Loyal Bloggers...as many of you know, I have been wanting to spruce up our playroom. It occupies the space fromerly known as the dining room. It is the space visitors are greeted by (after the screen porch) when they enter our home. I had posted pictures of some items I loved...but couldn't really afford. I shopped around a bit, and here are my purchases. I will take pictures when finished. Unfortunately, Crate and Barrel won't be delivering until the teens of July :(

St. Mary's Island, Georgia

This summer we're visiting our best friends who have built a 2nd home in Georgia. It's in St. Mary's, a cute little coastal town. It actually reminds me very much of New England from the pictures. This will be my kids first time flying. I actually haven't flown in over 10 years (pre-children). I am very excited! Has anyone out there ever been to St. Mary's Island?

A Trip to the Outlets...and Food for Thought

This lobster roll has been on my mind for weeks. It is from The Raw Bar in Mashpee. I can't wait to go. It has always been a tradition that my husband and I go for lobster our first week out. We used to go to Christie's in Newport...but they closed! Then we discovered the lobster roll at The Raw Bar through The Phantom Gourmet. It is now a tradition...with a trip to Mashpee Commons of course! Don't get too excited...lobster in June...peanut butter and jelly by the time August rolls around. We are so spoiled to be home with our kids!

The Raw Bar is best on a sunny day...soon to arrive?

So instead, we braved the drizzle and went shopping...

We took a ride to the Wrentham Village Outlets today. This picture is of 2 adorable tops my 5 year old picked out at the J.Crew outlet. She knows what she likes! I have almost the same combo with my J.Crew rolling ruffles, and a J.Crew short sleeve cardigan in the same color. It was good timing at the outlet...my son also got 2 heavy weight pique polos and 2 pairs of khakis, and I picked up the navy lobster critter capris...a New England must have! It felt great to be out and about my first day off of school. Tomorrow is a clean until you can find the floor again kind of day.

Even With All of This Rain...

When I was visiting my dad today for Father's Day, I couldn't help but take a few pictures of these 2 lovely roses he had cut from his rose garden. They smell as delicious as they look.

Thanks for all of your kind words of encouragement during my out of control week. It went faster than I thought it would. I ate too much, drank too much, stayed out too late...got loads of plants planted, and copious amounts of laundry washed, dried, and folded...just not put away yet. I will start blogging more regularly after school is out...last day tomorrow...Yahoo!!!!!

Calgon, Take Me Away

My sister's 46th b-day party.
Retirement party.
Grades due. (Grrr.)
Anniversary party.
Another retirement party.
8th grade graduation.
A sprinkling of baseball games.

Ok, and this is during the week, not on the weekend.

So, I guess this will be a watch the laundry, dishes, and toys on the floor pile up week, right?

And at some point I will actually get the veggie plants into the garden. maybe.

But I only have a week left of school, and then I can get my act together. Hopefully.

Give It a Try!

If the sun ever decides to come out again here in Massachusetts, I will get back to flower arranging. I picked up this basket at The Christmas Tree Shop for a few dollars, put a small vase inside, and every few days or so I pick flowers from my yard and make a little arrangement. Hosta leaves are beautiful in an arrangement, and fill in space nicely. In fact, they look incredible alone in a vase as a simple arrangement on a table or mantle. Of course, hydrangea always look incredible. I also include branches with leave in a variety of green tones, such as lilac; and I cut grasses to add dimension. they are very simple, and as you can see, sitting in a basket perched on top of an old milk box, they add charm to an entryway. So start practicing! I will post some new photos as soon as the weather cooperates!

My First Giveaway!

SUBURBAN PREP...YOU ARE THE WINNER!!!!! PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS AT MONOGRAMEVERYTHING@YAHOO.

Congrats!

Thanks for all of the entries!

I love this bracelet
and I think you will too...so I'm giving it away.

To enter the giveaway, just leave me a comment on my blog. Your name will be entered into the drawing for this NWT J. Crew nautically themed bracelet. It is a pretty turquoise color with gold color trim and little ship's wheels. Adorable.

One entry per blogger please. Comments must be posted by Wednesday, June 10, 2009. I will randomly draw a name from all qualifying entries. I will announce the winner on Thursday, June 11, 2009 on my blog. Good Luck!

I've Been Tagged...

Vanessa at Thoughts Caught On a Web tagged me to answer the questions below. Thanks! I hope I do them justice.
The Questions:

What is your current obsession?
Shopping EBay for vintage jewelry

What is your weirdest obsession?
I put all of the towels(facecloths, handtowels, and bathtowels) in the closet so that the folds are all facing out and are lined up. It bothers me to look at them in a mish-mash.

What are you wearing today?
J. Crew jeans from 2006ish, Gap grey wool cardigan, Target rhubarb polo, J. Crew flip flops. (still rainy/sometimes brightening)

What's for dinner?
Sushi at the seafood restaurant around the corner...with a side of tempura shrimp, and a Stoli blueberry martini

What would you eat for your last meal?
chewy brownies and an ice cold glass of milk...or linguica pizza

What's the last thing you bought?
cards for graduations, birthdays and Father's Day

What are you listening to right now?
my son suck on a peach

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
A retired Ben and Jerry's flavor: Chocolate with peanut butter cookie dough (Drool)

What do you think of the person who tagged you?
I love her blog...fresh, thoughtful, honest, and reflective.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Montana


If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
somewhere warm where I can sit and watch the sunset in total silence

Which language do you want to learn?
Latin

What's your favorite quote (for now)?
"I love you Mom."

What is your favorite color?
seaglass green

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
my Jack Purcell sneakers (I want white now)

What is your dream job?
author


What is your worst habit?
staying up too late reading blogs

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
an anniversary gift

Do you admire any one's style?
Meryl Streep in Out of Africa

Describe your personal style?
teacherly safe with an occasional daring twist

What are you going to do after this?
watch TV with my son

What are your favorite movies?
Out of Africa, Ferris Bueller, The Great Gatsby

What is your favorite fruit?
blueberries

What inspires you?
honesty, people who give, even when they are in need, kids who try hard every day

Your favorite book?
An Irish Country Doctor

Do you collect something?
I used to collect old china, now I collect vintage jewelry

What is your favorite smell?
springtime

What is your fave HGTV show?
I have to agree with Vanessa on this one:Divine Design- I dream of the day Candice Olsen knocks on my door

I tag
The Violet Diary
Seaglasses
My Superfluities
Head to Toe With Heidi
Bella Cene
All Things in Moddy

Cut/Paste to your blogs...answer the questions, and then tag a few more bloggers. Have fun!

Oh So Cute!

I picked up this cute straw purse at Building 19 for $8.99, and won the cute crab pin on EBay for peanuts. I was able to put this cute purse together for less than $20. Bargain. The handles reminded me of a vintage bag I had seen with Bakelite handles. Although now that I look at it in a photo, I realize I need to move the crab over slightly.

On other fronts, it's raining AGAIN! So I guess our newly plowed 39 ft by 72 ft veggie garden will have to wait a few more days to get planted. At this rate, we will be eating frozen tomatoes in mid-October.

I'm off to watch Flashpoint...my fav Friday tv obsession. Any followers out there?

Field Trips in June...Yahoooo!

Ok, we're winding down. For those of you who don't know, I'm a 7th grade teacher. A VERY tired 7th grade teacher. A teacher who is ready to be done with her 17th year teaching and have a good long rest. (Well, not really, I WILL clean and cook, and garden, and purge the clutter, and play with my kids, and clean some more...and I will LOVE every second of it). I've hit the wall for this year. I'm exhausted by 8:00pm, I have dark circles, and I can't keep up with my house. This is the time of year that they suck the life out of you. BUT (yes, I started a sentence with but), there is something that makes all of us, kids and adults love life...FIELD TRIPS!

My block partner and I have planned 2 field trips in June, one is to Marble House in Newport, Rhode Island, and one is to Fenway Park. These are 2 of my favorite places on earth. Marble House amazes the kids with its grand rooms, golden furnishings, and the fact that people actually lived there. The kids are equally awestruck by Fenway. The kids get to tour the park, sit in the Green Monster seats, and dream. Many of them have never been to Boston, and never will get to a Red Sox game, but they don't care, this is amazing enough. I planned the trip on a home game day this year...maybe there will be players around...who knows.

So we will make it through the next 13 1/2 days. And we'll have a fun time doing it!