September Acres

Source Just when I was about to call Directv and tell them to take HGTV because it wasn't worth watching, 'Fixer Upper' miraculously showed up.  Oh happy day!  I just love this show!  Chip and Joanna Gaines are a hoot!  And the work they do is pretty darn fabulous. Source My favorite thing about this show is not Chip and Joanna, or Joanna's awesome style but the fact that they find homes in price ranges that are more middle America than what we see on Property Brothers or Love it or List it.  A $200,000 budget is not uncommon.  They find a house that's $120,000 or so leaving them $80,000 or so for renovations.  Pretty cool.  And pretty easy to relate to for many of us. Million dollar budgets?  Not so much. Chip and Joanna come across some really great fixer uppers.  Almost makes me want to move to Texas! Source I love Joanna's style.  She is creative and, being a mom of 4, she understands that homes need ...

I can make this post really short and say 'no TV's in bedrooms, ever.'  That's how I feel and I know it's controversial (is it really?  Is it similar to talking about politics or religion at a dinner party?  Sometimes I think it is.) That being said you know where this post is headed.  I don't like TV's in bedrooms, ever.  I don't like the aesthetics of a room with a TV.  It's hard to decorate around that big box - even with the flat screens.  I don't like watching TV in bed and luckily I married someone who feels the same way.  We never ever talked about (our pre-marriage counseling never mentioned TV's in the bedroom...) whether or not we would have a TV in the bedroom, it was just a given. LM has mentioned a few times that she would like a TV in her room.  I asked her if any of her friends had one and she rattled off the names of all of her good friends and letting me know that, yes, she was the ONLY ONE without a TV. We don't...

Not participating, you ask?  How can someone not participate in something that is so good? As I said last year, I actually like the idea of being 'screen-free'.  BUT, if you are going to DVR all of your shows this week just to watch them all next week, what is the use?  And, truthfully, isn't that what most of us will do?  I've heard people say this is the plan. LM's school is actually having their screen free week this week instead of next so it coincides with the school book fair & Young Author's Night. I realize that all too many of us spend way too much time in front of some type of screen: television, computer, iPad, etc.  And as parents, our kids emulate us so if we're spending a lot of time in front of a screen chances are so are our kids.  The idea of a whole week that is screen free is enticing, but in this day and age how reasonable is it? Schools and businesses communicate via text and email more often than not. Books are being ...

Today starts 'Turn off Screens' week at LM's school.  Otherwise known as 'Turn off TV week' or Digital Detox. I actually like the idea of this.  My husband?  Notsomuch.  You see, it coincides with the NHL playoffs. You understand, right?  I asked him if he could wait until she went to bed to turn on a game, you know, to show support.  He wasn't on board with that as you can imagine. This year LM's school is really pushing it.  Really hard.  They are giving the kids 'homework' on Monday - make a poster for turn of screens week.  And everyone that makes a poster gets a prize.  Not just the winning poster but all.  And since LM loves a prize she's on the poster band wagon.  I'm sure it will be fun for her. And me too.  They also get tempted with prizes to show up on Tuesday for Young Author and Artist night.  Plus it's book fair.  What to do without TV you ask?  Other than the poster and ...

...that this cutie is going to have his own design show starting in the Fall? I say, why wait until then...

do you watch that, Mom?" asks Little Miss. Speaking of the 'Real Housewives of Orange County'. I DON'T KNOW. I usually watch a few episodes on the weekends - you know, when they do the marathon type showings, back to back. I spend the whole time groaning, ugh-ing, asking what is wrong with these girls, are they really for real, etc. I saw the episode this weekend where Lynne and her daughter had plastic surgery on the same day. UGH. Let me say that I am all for plastic surgery if you want to do it. I may do it one day. The husband of a good friend is a plastic surgeon, it pays their bills and those of their employees. I have nothing against it. I am, however, a little miffed as to why a parent would let their young (18 or 20, or so) daughter do it for no good reason. I don't think Lynne's daughter 'needed' the nose job but please correct me if I am wrong. And, the girls are one thing but the husbands - UGH. The only one I remotely like is Vick...

Tell me I'm not the only one hooked on the Househusbands of Hollywood? It is on Fox Reality (usually kind of a mediocre channel but I think they got this right). It is WAY better than any of the Housewives shows. First of all, look at these guys. Very easy on the eyes I must say. And way less drama than any of the housewives. Remember Tempest Bledsoe, Vanessa from the Cosby Show? Her guy, Darryl Bell (you may remember him from a Different World ) is at home while she works. Jillian Reynolds of Good Day LA spends her days on the set while (cute) hubby Grant takes care of their little girl. Billy Ashley is married to Lisa, a makeup artist, and he is at home with their 2 girls. Charlie is a stay at home dad to cute little Ryan. His wife is a psychiatrist or something and we never see her on screen as she needs to keep her anonymity for some reason. Danny's wife is a lawyer and he is the househusband. They appear to be very young. All the guys are really likable. T...

I have never been into watching "Dancing with the stars" in the past but I saw the list of 'contestants' for the upcoming season and I think I will be watching. Donny Osmond is going to be on so I don't think I can resist! The new season premieres September 21st. Check out this blog for a wonderful Lilly giveaway. Really cute! Today is usually my scrapbooking day but I think I am going to just stop by and say hi to the girls so I have time to get some running around done before LM gets out of school. There's much to do here and I have not been motivated AT ALL to do much for the past few weeks. I think I am turning a corner so I want to take advantage of that while I am motivated. A while back I bought a new vacuum. Hate it, just hate it. Plus I broke a little piece off and it works but is broken, if you know what I mean. The canister falls off if I hold it just the right way. Not fun. At all. So I am heading to Lowes in search of something new....

Yes, I just totally copied this wonderful idea from Sandra . I let Little Miss make a list of things she wanted to do this summer. I had to help her make some of the list as I wanted to make sure we could do at least some of the things. Since Sea World and Nick Family Cruise were the first 2 I knew she needed some guidance, hence the 2nd page. Let me decipher some of the things: Nick Family Croos = Nick Family Cruise Vages= Las Vegas Mrgretivil= Margaritaville looow= Luau Bech= Beach I am going to avoid 'watch 4 hours of SpongeBob'. That is 4 hours in one day (I asked). Does that sound like torture?? There is a family in our town that had sextuplets a couple of years ago. This Thursday their show debuts on the Women's Entertainment (WE) network. Channel 260 on Directv. I don't personally know them but I do hope they don't end up being another Jon & Kate. Time will tell. I am off to rearrange furniture. I am finally getting my chair and ottoman recovered and it...