why I love etsy

Oh, let me count the ways...

.: stunning couture choker :.

.: darling cameo and ruffled onsies :.

.: chic silhouette greetings :.

.: sweet silhouette necklace :.

Just a few of my favorite etsy finds of the day!

the writing machine

Do I collect typewriters? No. But someone at work was just going to throw these away...that is not okay! You never know when my laptop may give out and I may have to resort to those typing skills that Ms. Kolesar tried so hard to teach to me back in junior high. Not to mention the Underwood on the right might look kind of cool displayed about my house somewhere!

red-faced and sorry

I am a bit embarrassed...I just cannot seem to get this blogging thing down, well, at least make it a part of my routine. It occurred to me {and flattered me a bit} after I received a few hate messages regarding my lack of blogging, that maybe I should come back and visit. Okay, okay, okay...I am back! I did not realize that I had a so many "behind the scene" readers who opt not to leave messages for whatever reasons {those readers like Jessica, Jane, & Katie P.- to accidentally call out a few} Sorry readers, but I cannot entertain and delight you if you do not show your face every once and a while. So, here is the deal... I will promise to become a better, more frequent blogger, if you secret readers will promise to drop a few comments here and there. Sounds fair to me.

market fresh

What says "summer" more than crisp sweet corn and fresh fruits? Absolutely nothing! That is why I ventured out early this morning and made a stop at Cleveland's famous West Side Market. I love stopping in this market...the prices are unbelievable, the food is delicious, and it is only minutes from our little suburb. Plus one vendor has the BEST apple fritters I have ever sank my teeth into - they alone are worth the trip!

{rows of rainbow colored pasta : sweet little ladybug cakes}

{the freshest produce waiting to be scooped up}

field trip day!

That's right, Tuesdays at The Lerner School are field trip days. Our class bundled up and ventured out to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo....in Cleveland's lovely 50-degree weather today!It turned out to be a nice {dry} day, but was a bit on the chilly side! The kids sure did not seem to mind. We tried to hit up all the indoor animals, but I guess the animals preferred the breezy air, which left us shivering outside most of the day!

{a few shots of the animals}

{train ride!}

in need of some TLC

Oh, my poor, poor topiary....she was sent away to the in-laws for the winter {not very good lighting at my place} and arrived today looking like this! My very kind father-in-law has been blessed with a green thumb, however, I do not think he caught on to the idea of "shaping" the ivy around the wire! I was able to wrap all those branches back around and up the wire. I must say it looks so much better than when it first arrived today...hopefully with a little more TLC, she will be as good as new!

a special visit

Special visitors arrived earlier this week all the way from North Carolina...my mom and aunt. Miss Hannah and Lil Jackson were ever so excited to see their grandma, especially since grandma is usually loaded with goodies and is ready to let them do whatever it is that their little minds can conjure up!
We wrapped up our visit today with perfect weather, good food, and family.

{me, littles, and my mama}

{me, aunt donna, and my brother}

{the girls: me, mom, grandma, & the lil miss}

{Jackson & Hannah with their cute lil cousin in the middle, Mr. Evan}

{the whole gang}