And just like that 2011 is around the corner!

We hope you all had a Christmas full of celebration for Jesus!

We were spoiled beyond measure that’s for sure. In a mini Christmas recap: Kyle, my man in brown, actually got home at a decent time this year, just after 8, now that’s something for me to be excited about!! We spent Christmas with my In-laws a sleep over to boot! Kyle and I stayed over along with my sister in-law and her family. We went to Faith Chapel for Christmas Eve candle light service and what an incredible hour it was, singing, praising the lord, and the message…oh it was amazing. Faith puts on a better service each and EVERY year. Each year I think as I leave I say that was the best one yet. I can’t wait till next year because I know without a doubt it will be the “best one yet”. Now that is what Christmas is all about.

So as we wrap up the final week of 2010 and look into 2011 do you marvel in thought about what the New Year will bring. I know I sure do. I have made a few resolutions and have already started to act upon them. Like half the world I have added the most popular new year’s resolution to my list, I want to lose weight. Yesterday I got myself a gym membership to Anytime Fitness. With getting it this month we will get the summer free! That brings me to my next resolution; a financial diet. Oh the joys of being submersed in the financial world day in and day out within my job. I know I am blessed beyond words for our financial stability but I also know it could be improved. So with 2011 and some of our plans I know I need to go on a major financial diet and just kind of clean house. Funny I say house…that is item number 3!! Kyle and I live in a BEAUTIFUL home why don’t I stay put more??? It seems every evening I am running here or there and never get the time to just enjoy being home. In 2011 I am going to simplify things a little and just try and enjoy home and the ability to fit in some things that mean more to me. That brings up my 4th and final goal for 2011, attending church on a more regular basis. Our lives are crazy just like everyone else’s but it is time to find that balance for what is important.

How about you, have you given it any thought on how you will try to change in 2011?

May your Christmas be full of joy...

My Christmas Eve day will go at little something like this…

Load the car with gifts that are wrapped and are waiting for the big day along with a few groceries.

See $5 from Kyle on the table for me to stop off to wish the ladies at Startbucks a VERY MERRY Christmas. Ok maybe I needed to stumble in and get a mocha in the red seasoned cup one last time!

Enjoy the last minute rush at work, were open until 1:00. Then I will do a bit of finishing up with any last minute wrapping, and package delivering to my cousins.

We’re going to Faith at 3:00 for their amazing Christmas service to celebrate Jesus! Oh we have so much to be thankful for and praise god for. He is the reason for the season!

After Church we will scurry off to warm our chowder and start our endless snack bar and await Santa flying through the dark night’s sky! From 4:00 on I plan to eat till my tummy can’t take it anymore, crawl into my plush purple pants, and pour myself a glass (or 2) of wine!

Tonight we are attending a sleepover at my In-laws!! We will all get to awake to Christmas morning together.

May you Christmas be full of joy and dreams for the next year to come!

Chowder Tradition

For as long as I can remember, we have had my dad’s clam chowder for Christmas Eve. To me you can’t have Christmas without dads chowder. It brings back such great memories of big family get-togethers with the Mahana’s. Food, food and more food all for our palate pleasure!!

This year my dad will be spending Christmas with my sister and her family. Several weeks ago I asked him if he would make me the family famous clam chowder before he went.

Last night he invited Maci and me over to teach me the tricks to the trade of this clam chowder.
Let me tell you Progresso this stuff puts you to shame

There was a little of this and a little of that…

And waaalaaa we have a Crockpot full of joy for Christmas Eve!

Thank you Daddy you are the best, and the Christmas tradition lives on!

Santa Clause is comin to town

Happy almost Christmas...3 days...really, where has the year gone?!!!

Time to pack my little Maci to go to dads for Christmas! (choke, hard swallow) For those of you that have to share your little ones on the holidays you know my bitter sweet feeling. I know he will be a great Santa but I don’t think it will ever be easy not getting to do it myself. Doing it when she gets home is just not the same. For some families they (as I see it: GET TO) split the holiday by Christmas Eve and Christmas day but with distance that is not realistic for us. I have been struggling this year to be excited for Christmas and here is why…how do you have Christmas morning when the best part of you is 4 hours away? I am doing my best to shake it but the time to pack is among us. She has opened all her gifts here at home and is ecstatic to pack her Christmas movies and jammies head off to dads to see what awaits her under the Christmas tree there.

Tonight I will back my little punken girl into the car and take her over to nanas for a sleep over with nana. Nana will then take her to Sheridan for me in the morning. I don’t think my mom realizes that it is more than just the trip she is making for me. I think it would be a lot harder to watch her go.

My in-laws are pumped for Christmas this year, my mother in law has even invited us to stay the night Christmas Eve so we can all awake Christmas morning together for breakfast and gift opening. I know it will be tons of fun and I am looking forward to 4:00 Friday (that’s after Church) when we will get to eat, drink and be merry all weekend long!! Do you know how long it has been since we had an entire weekend where we just got to be lazy and watch movies in our jammies, no obligations, events or parties…oh what a joy!

But for now, Im going to finish packing this little purple bag and spend the rest of the evening with my Maci.

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Holidays:

As we hang the ornaments from the Christmas tree, frost our Christmas cookies, turn up the holiday music, and Maci’s mind fills with thoughts of what Santa will leave her under the tree, we hope you have had a joyous 2010.

Maci, 7, is now in first grade. I am very blessed that she excels academically. She loves to play soccer, swim, ride her electric scooter, jump on the trampoline with the neighbor girls, have sleepovers with Aunt Debbie or Papa, work on her garden with nana and grandpa Tim, play her Nintendo DS, count “sleeps” till the next time she gets to see the Blankenbaker’s, and is very eager to learn to sew with the sewing machine papa just got her. Maci loves to go 4 wheeling and jet skiing with her dad; she even has her own 4 wheeler.

Kyle is in his 10th year with UPS. He is a driver supervisor and although he puts in many hours at work he is blessed to work with a great group of people and always has good stories to tell when he gets home. For the past 2 years he has been having his 67 Nova restored. It got to come home on his birthday this year. It was one of the best birthday gifts he could have received. He is itching for summer so he can take it to a few local car shows and show it off.

I am in my 4th year as the marketing officer at Billings Federal Credit Union where some of my coworkers remember me crawling across their desk as a baby. Yes my family has banked there for years. This summer I got the opportunity to take a photography class from Karen Russell, a very well known photographer that shares my photography style. Over the past year I have really gotten into photography. I am also the PTA President at Maci’s school which can occupy a great deal of time throughout the year but has been an incredible experience and a great way to get to know teachers and parents at the school.

Kyle, Maci and I moved into our new house in May. It has been so exciting making it our home. We will put the finishing touches on this spring when we put in our yard and finish the basement. We are very fortunate to live in such a great neighborhood and have incredible neighbors.

Kyle and I celebrated our first anniversary in June. We got to sneak away for the weekend and go to Big Sky to celebrate. We spent the day zip lining, getting massages at the spa and ended our day with wonderful dinner.

In July Chrissy and I celebrated our golden birthday (28 on the 28th) my mom and I threw her a surprise party with lots of her friends in Bowman.
Also in July, we were able to attend the Mahana (my mom’s side) family reunion. It was a long time in the making and topped the charts for a great time. Our family wants to go back and float the river again!

In August, Kyle and I along with his parents took our annual trip to Deadwood for the Kool Deadwood nights car show. It is not a trip without stopping for the all you can eat prime rib and crab.

In October Kyle’s grandma passed away. Although a tough time to get everyone together, I can officially say I have now met all of Gary’s (my father in-law) 11 siblings. It was great to get to spend some time with everyone and we look forward to the next time we will get to see everyone.

In November Kyle and I took off on another long weekend adventure to do some Christmas shopping and attend a Denver Broncos game in Denver. It was my first NFL game and yes it was the game the Broncos beat the Chefs and the stadium was rocken, we had a great time!

We hope that all of you have a wonderful and blessed holiday season and a grand new year.
Kyle, Cathy and Maci

Santa I believe

Have you sat down to write a letter to Santa? After hearing the song Grownup Christmas list...I did! This is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

Dear Santa,
Do you remember me; I sat upon your knee, I wrote to you with my childhood fantasies like a Barbie car and Nintendo and you came through with all that for Chrissy and me!! As children we believed you were the grandest sight to see, and for as long as we believed, you would always give us something lovely underneath the Christmas tree.

Well, I'm all grown up now, with a child of my own and still need help somehow. I'm not a child, but oh my heart can dream, Santa I believe in Christmas magic!
So here's my grown up Christmas list, not only for myself, but for a whole world in need.

No more lives torn apart Santa I wish that wars would never start. I wish that love would never end and the innocence of youth would only be the truth. Time would heal all hearts, and everyone would have a friend. Santa why is money key. I would like a simple life, what a joy that would be.

Santa I believe! This is my grown up Christmas wish.

Do you have a gown up Christmas wish?

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

I don't know about you but I love to enter these silly little contests to see if I win, someday I will, I will win big...hahahah. So here goes this one!

TodaysMama (link to: http://bit.ly/tmwishlist) and GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.


1. What is your holiday wish for your family?
That we could all be together.

2. What is your Christmas morning / Hanukkah Nightly tradition?
Open all of our gifts then have breakfast.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?
I would love an I pad, dont really "need" one but why not!!!

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?
Help organize holiday parties. Just spend someone else's money!

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?
Life, we loved to play life.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?
Chirstmas Eve Clam Chowder.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas/Hanukkah-away-from-home trip?
Hawaii or Disney World. To hop on a plain and supprise the kids in Disney for Christmas would be a dream come true.

8. Check out GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
I want the new Deadliest Catch, someone is getting it so mom can play it!
I also want the classic series like Super Mario and Donkey Kong Country.

Giving Thanks.

Since I became a mother seven years ago, the question “For What Are You Most Thankful?” has never required a moment’s hesitation.

I am most thankful for my daughter.

My blessing — Maci — makes me more thankful than I could ever have imagined being.
Today on another Thanksgiving I cannot stop thanking God for my precious little girl.
I also thank god for Kyle. We completed our first year of marriage this year, and what an honor to be able to call him my husband.

I spent a quiet and profoundly simple day with them Thanksgiving day, enjoying eachothers company. We started the day at mom’s for a hearty Thanksgiving lunch and then took Maci to see her dad. Kyle and I then joined the Grider family for Thanksgiving dinner.

I am so thankful for my little family and thankful for the beautiful day we had together. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us in the next year to come. What an amazing kickoff to this joyous holiday season!

Family is one of Nature’s Masterpieces.

Yesterday afternoon and today Maci is hanging out with Grandpa Tim. Together they have kept each other’s time full of activity eating, baking, putting up Christmas trees, playing on the computer and watching a little TV. Grandpa Tim even sent me some pictures of their adventures.

Yesterday was a half day of school to kick off the Thanksgiving break. Grandpa Tim picked Maci up from school and took her to lunch. She wrestled him into her ever so favorite McDonalds before they ventured home to put up the Christmas tree.


Maci had a sleepover with Nana and Tim last night and Grandpa Tim was proficient in spoiling her one more day.

In a week to be thankful, I am thankful that we live around so much family that is so willing to help out when it is needed. Really Maci could have gone to Boys and Girls Club but hanging out with Grandpa Tim seems to have been a hit!

November

I won’t lie, November hits and I am elated for Thanksgiving, I think I drive my mother in-law crazy asking about the Thanksgiving menu. You see that is my problem, when I hear the word Thanksgiving, my mind does not mechanically turn to noble thoughts of appreciation or patriotism. Instead my mind thinks FOOD!!! It thinks of sinfully delicious juicy turkey, rolls painted with a thick sheet of butter, of gorgeously fluffy mashed potatoes, stuffing dancing with gravy, all to go along with whatever tempting side dishes I can muster up. All topped off with my ever so favorite, a slice of warm blue berry pie with a heaping scoop of ice-cream just beginning to melt. And then; a giant nap only to wake up for round 2 (you know what I’m talking about)! Rearrange your plate from the first round and you can call it the next seriously satisfying meal if it makes you feel better. Note to family, now you know why I want “Thanksgiving dinner” at lunch; so my palate of taste buds gets to be submersed in this fine meal not once but twice in one day!
Back to driving my mother in-law crazy, I have grown quite fond of preparing our Thanksgiving meal down to the crafty table settings. There is something to be said for learning to cook a meal like Thanksgiving dinner. So therefor I begin preparing our so called “menu” weeks ahead of time calling my sister in-law for her dazzling desert ideas like pumpkin pie cheese cake (but we cheat, you can’t beat Costco’s)! I’m known to take a tried and true holiday recipe and give it a twist.

This came home in Maci's backpack yesterday! This was a sign from god that I'm doing ok as a mother. Look at what I have taught her...FAMILY. Thanksgiving is about Family. This is what my princess does for Thanksgiving! That makes me so proud to know that she didnt just put eat like mama did up top! She went into detail about family and playing games, something so simple but thoes are the memories that will last forever.

Meet my favorite cookbook; The Pioneer Woman

Meet my favorite cookbook The Pioneer Woman by Ree Drummond.

Ree is the author of The Pioneer Woman Blog that I have followed for a few years now trying to win one of her Nikon Cameras…ok and because I love nearly everything about this adorable woman, including her Tasty Kitchen with thousands of recipes. Ree blogs about making the transition from being city girl in Los Angeles, to being the moderately agoraphobic ranch wife and mother of four in Oklahoma. Besides chronicling her adventures on the ranch, and her Basset Hound named Charlie, she writes about homeschooling her kids and includes some pretty delectable recipes.

For those of you who are just now hearing about Ree, she is no ordinary blogger.

I just can’t boast enough about this woman. She recently published a BEAUTIFUL cookbook which hit #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. We’re all so proud of her. “We” meaning her fans, and her un-authorized apprentices. She has taught us how to cook, take great pictures, use Photoshop, love our hubbys, and craft a joyful home and garden. You can check out her blog here.

She is the blogger many of us other bloggers aspire to be… someday… when all of our blogging dreams come true.

And as I told you, her Cookbook… oh my…

My first venture in her cookbook after I got it in my hot little hands was this cute little Egg in a hole!

It’s full of delicious recipes, with step by step photos on every page.

She is married to a cowboy whom she lovingly refers to as the Marlboro Man. Her cookbook is filled with down-home comfort food, and fantastic country cookin’ that she learned to make while feeding a slew of hungry cowboys.

Look at this recipe for Red Velvet Cake! I can’t wait to try some cupcakes this Christmas. This one is going to get me off those darn box mixes and into the adventure of making cake from scratch.

I love to give the book as a gift, in fact I got to give it to my adorable friend this weekend for her bridal shower! Brooke, I hope you fall in love with this cookbook like I did!

a treasure from the box

My husband is certifiably obsessed with cookies. Any kind, any flavor, anytime, anyplace. It’s almost as if I can hear him in the cookie monster voice saying “me want cookie”, except in his case it would be “cookiessss” because one is never enough. If you remember in one of my past posts we played with the thought of going out for Halloween this year and Kyle would have been the cookie monster and I an adorable little chocolate chip cookie; it would have been perfect but time is of the essence and it has quickly gotten away from us.

Have sweets in the home at all times is the #1 requirement in being Kyle Grider’s wife. I can even tell you where some of the best cookies in town are…Sugar and Spice, Off Main Deli, Subway, and last but surely not least the Holiday Gas Station. Yep the gas station has some of the best mouth watering cookies. Lucky for me really anything sweet will do! A common resort to cookies is the Orange hostess cupcakes where you get a big delight in every bite.

Last night I got a “would you mind making that white chocolate snack mix?” followed by an “I will help you”!

So this is the Grider treasure box…

This is what I got out of the box…

And here is the treasure!

Taking all zucchini donations…these cookies rock!

Tis the season that Zucchini runs amuck. The zucchini situation seems to get out of control right about this time of year. Those who grow it have buckets and buckets that they can’t even give away. The friendly green summer squash has been running rampant in farmers markets and in our family gardens the last few weeks. After sautéing with onions and baking the vegetable several different ways that my father taught me, I was itching for a creative recipe to make a dent in my zucchini stash that my step dad bought over from their garden.

I love zucchini bread, and I know you will find this hard to believe but so does Kyle! If you don’t know my husband, he is not a fan of anything green, and as you take note, most veggies are green.

I have always noted how seamlessly the green veggie goes into a sweet baked good. Needing a treat to bring to a cookout, I found a recipe for Chocolate Chip zucchini cookies and modified it a little bit because we didn’t have any coco in the house, nor did we have butter flavored Crisco.

These tasty little bites were a hit: they definitely have a light cakey texture, so don't expect a particularly firm or chewy cookie. It's more like a little freeform muffin, which I like! They're also ridiculously moist. And the best part: this sweet goodie doesn't taste like zucchini at all! My little family devoured them in no time! I am eating one of the last ones as I sit here and finish this blog post.

So if you're looking for a yummy alternative to zucchini bread, or you're looking for a solution to the Attack of the Zucchini, try these cookies.

½ C Shortening
½ C sugar
½ C brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ C flour
2 hot coco packets (no mallos, we even used sugar free)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¾ C zucchini
1 C chocolate chips
Cream shortening and sugars; add in egg and vanilla; add in all dry goods; fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.Bake 8-10 min on 350.

On the not so healthy side I would like to make beer battered zucchini slices. Oh how heavenly they sound dipped in ranch!

Off to eat more cookies, have a great day!

Credit Union Land

So a tidbit about me: I work in the marketing department at the Credit Union I have been a member at since I was like 2 years old. In fact one of my coworkers remembers me crawling across her desk when my mom and dad would come in for banking services. I get teased because my account number only has 5 digits instead of the 6 most the members have now. It is a great place to call my home away from home.

I am passionate about the Credit Union difference. The difference between a Credit Union and a Bank is that we are member owned, and we are bottom line just people helping people. It is so great to give a loan to that single mom that badly needs a new car because hers is on its way out, and 4 other financials before us have turned her down…let me tell you how great that feels!

And guess what…in credit union land we no longer have the pony express delivering our mail. We’re not just your granddad’s credit union anymore. In early 2011 BFCU will have one of the most state of the art online banking platforms known to man, above all financials…even the big guys!!! AND wait till you see our newly designed website…ooohhheeeee she is puuurrrdyyyy!

For the past couple of days I have been given an opportunity to attend the Montana Credit Union Network Conference, oh how well we ate!

But if you’re anything like me you walk out of those things with 1,000 ideas and feeling link a million bucks! Heck you may even feel like you can fly! Wow we are on top of the world!

But really, I truly got so many great ideas and cannot wait to implement them. I also got to hear some incredible speakers and learn from some of the best! It is amazing what Credit Unions do for our community.

Today, on work time, I get to go to my daughter’s school and tutor reading for 1 hour…see isn’t that awesome!

Family Game Night

Sunday night we decided to break out the board games and have a family game night. We ate pizza and played Sorry. We let Maci choose the game and she chose Sorry, a game papa just got for her for her Birthday, and she won! We baked a frozen pizza at home that was just a Wal-Mart brand pizza and I must say relatively tasty! I think I will buy that again.

We like to play games and one thing I notice is the since of fulfillment that Maci has when we all play together. It is time devoted to each other, a time where nothing else matters.

It is important for your kids to experience winning and losing and at our house we have all done a little of both!

But it is more than just a game. Besides the laughs and fun we have playing the game, we are also actively stimulating Maci’s mind. All games have some sort of educational benefits that are very helpful for young children. Most early games cover counting, number recognition, colors, and even letters. Playing board games with young children also teach about following rules, taking turns, and patience.

I think we just found ourselves a Sunday night ritual!

Happy 7th Birthday Maci

My little sunshine turned 7 today; well at 2 something this morning. I thought of getting up and eating a sandwich and some Doritos to celebrate. Oh how I will never forget that sandwich and nacho cheese Doritos and the taste of that diet Pepsi as it hit my lips. I have gone to Billings Clinic numerous times to have a turkey sandwich since then and I just can’t find one that tastes as fine. Nor can I find the fruit platter my sister and I shared/inhaled the next morning…it was heavenly! Chrissy and I wanted to order another one, but were not sure that would be appropriate considering the size of the first one. I would have had to have been one VERY hungry new mama.

Maci had her Birthday party celebration on Saturday with about 30 of her friends and lots more family. I am beyond blessed to have such great friends and family to help her celebrate what she called THE BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY EVER!

We had her party at Frances Park just a few blocks from our house. It is a park nestled in the neighborhood that is extraordinarily beautiful and a great adventure for the children with lots of trees, a huge yard and toys that even the adults played on. The weather could not have been more perfect, a sun shinny 80 degrees October day, and we don’t always get that lucky.

I also decided to make her birthday cake. We found what we wanted online but after doing a bit of research with a few local bakers I decided to try it myself. I had quotes anywhere from $50-$75. So Call me Cathryn Grider AKA. Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman! I did it!!!! And here it is…..

Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, I appreciate it more than you know!

Until next year Sack lunch Friday.

Back-to-School is, well, back. That means it’s time to start planning and packing your children’s lunches, or sending them with lunch money.

Since the year I started at the Credit Union 4 years ago they began Sack Lunch Fridays in the month of September as kind of a parent’s celebration for back to school. One gal makes 36 lunches for all of us very grateful studious employees. We have been given some amazing lunches over the last 4 years, anything from salad, to pasta, wraps, down to PBJ. The chocolate lover that she is usually we get some sort of chocolate or sweet and a fruit to meet most of the food groups.

I’m about to show you inside of the break room fridge.
Look at all those lunches!!!!

Here is what we get today.

Until next year Sack lunch Friday.

Meet my lunch date

I would like you to meet my adorable little lunch date, my daughter Maci.

Today is a half day for kids in our school district…I don’t know why but it is. Due to my always flexible work schedule I was able to arrange lunch with a very special date today. We indulged in Wendy’s before I took her to boys and girls club. Of course the place was packed with kids and a lot of grandparents it seemed, along with a few labor working men. Maci had kids she knew on both sides of us so giggled her way through lunch looking at her friends.

I sure enjoyed lunch with my date!!!

Somethng about an Autumnal Equinox...Happy Fall!!

When the calendar said September, football was on the television, we made chili and my allergies were in full force it was fall to me ... but today is the real first day of autumn. Today, September 22, marks the first day of fall 2010.

Did you know that fall is technically known as the Autumnal Equinox, the first day of Fall is symbolic in many ways. It is during this time that the sun is directly above the Earth’s equator, resulting in an exactly equal time period for day and night. So if you still have stuff you wanted to accomplish this summer you have half of day still to do so…really. That is why many calendars say the first day of autumn is on the 23rd because really it is the first FULL day of autumn. There I taught you something today too.

Fall is one of my most favorite seasons. It is during the fall that we begin to see the weather patterns shifting and the days gradually shorten. I love watching the trees change colors and that crunch of the leaves under your feet. It is apple picking season (not that we have an apple tree) but there is nothing like homemade apple pie. Our family usually takes a trip to the pumpkin patch each October. I also like digging out my comfy hoodies and jeans for fall. There are certain books, movies and foods that I love dusting off and enjoying this time of the year. NFL Sunday’s start in our house, that usually means you don’t have to change out of your jammies!!! Go Broncos!!

Best of all the pumpkin latte is back; with a little white chocolate that thing is heavenly!

I even brought cinnamon rolls to work today in celebration of fall! I was a bit offended that someone would ask where I got them. What would make them think I didn’t make them?? I just went to Albertsons and asked for the packaging is all.

Enjoy your fall season.

A few $2 bets

A few weeks ago my sister and her girls came to visit. We took the kids to the horse races. It was fun to look at the horses and jockeys and see if we could pick the winners. Chrissy and dad even placed a few bets but didn’t win. Better luck next time! They didn’t make big bets, only a few $2 ones. After a couple races we decided to just bet among ourselves often betting by our favorite color the jockey was wearing. We left after about 6 races because waiting 20 minutes in-between races sure is hard on little ones. We were going broke buying them snacks to keep them occupied.

I would love to go to a big race someday just to wear a big fancy hat that matched my outfit and of course my shoes and let’s not forget the handbag. How fun would that be?

This was a short post today but I just wanted you to see the pictures of my adorable nieces and how much fun they had at the races.

This weekend we spent some time touring the; I will call them mansions; in the Fall Parade of Homes put on by our local Home Builders Association. One of the houses was in our neighborhood so of course you have to go and see it you may never get to peek in it otherwise. It was fun for Maci as she raced through picking out in each of the 6 homes what room would be hers if we lived in that house. The homes were $350,000 on up to $550,000 so I don’t think ANY of them would be ours any time soon. But trust me; I was like a kid imagining my room too. AAHH the bliss of your feet hitting the floor in the morning to heated carpet…WHAT??? Really??? How about stepping out of the shower (by the way is the size of my entire bathroom) to warm tile only to grab a towel out of the towel warmer…now that’s what I’m talking about. The greatest of all...walk in closets for HIM and HER Woooo hoooo that l’ be the day!

All in all it was a successful venture for us, getting oodles of ideas for how to finish up our basement just the way we want. I fell in love with numerous laundry rooms (I know it’s just a laundry room, but really some of them were amazing). Of course we found some fabulous ideas for our theater room too. Best off all we will do a mass re-decor in our Master Bedroom and bath…of which will begin this evening. These ideas came from two separate homes. This is the bedroom... Keep in mind this photo I stole was taken before some of the acessories were added so they are missing and they are what really make the room.

The decorating in these homes is incredible. I wish I could have someone come in and do mine too. My long time friend Amy has a real thing for decorating so she is going to give me a few pointers. I found this clock that I was sure I had to have…only to find out it was $2500….FOR A CLOCK. Forget it; I have a watch on my wrist that tells me the time just fine. But really, I have a love for clocks for some reason. This was one of them unlike any I have ever seen. For now I get a lovely picture of it. That will likely be the only bit of this clock I ever own. Stunning I tell you. It has a waterfall behind the clock.

I will post pictures of our progress as we progress forward with finishing the house. First things first we need a yard. The best part about the parade was at the final house we were able to register for a landscaping package. WOW wouldn’t that be grand to win! Cross your fingers.