Almost a year ago, my eldest daughter went wedding dress shopping with her best friend. Tabitha was going to be in the wedding of her best friend Kim. When they met up before the shopping date she told the bride to be 'The best way to see how the dress will look on you, is through pictures.' My daughter is just beautiful, isn't she?
My daughter Tabitha and Son in Law Cody
That stuck with me. Their wedding dress shopping date was a huge success and through pictures, Kim picked out her dream wedding dress. Look at the glow on that bride.
Bride Kim and her eldest daughter
Even my youngest daughter views herself via photographs. What a better way to see if your make up is perfect, pictures tell the whole truth. Isn't she stunning?
When my family moved here, from New York, in 1976 we lived on the same property as my grand parents. Our move here started out as a visit to see my mother's parents. My father loved it so much that, before any of us 5 children knew what was going on, my parents traveled back to New York and sold what they couldn't travel back to Florida with. Thus made Florida our new home location. We didn't sight see, as my father looked for work right away. Besides with 5 children and 2 adults, every penny counted.
It took my father about a year to find property, save up and put money down on it. We all cleared the land together, while my father and grand father set the pump in the ground. The Rodriguez and Barrera team working together. It to soon after, when the house was moved onto the property and we all began to settle in.
On April 17, 1978 my father was killed in an automobile accident. 2 years after my family moved to Florida. My mother was left with 5 children to raise. There wasn't any venturing out and sight seeing for a long time.
When I was young, my cousin Yvette visited from New York and we went to Disney World as a family. Again for my Senior Year and my brothers Senior Year in high school. It was the best time in my life, I can remember running to get on Space Mountain, over and over again. I didn't visit Disney World again, until my eldest daughter was 2 years old; she is 29 now, and I haven't been back since.
Another place I visited often during 2006 - 2007, was Bush Gardens. I purchased year round tickets for my eldest daughter, my grandson, and myself. It came in handy during the summer months, and while my son in law worked; we were able to take my grandson as often as we wanted. The nice thing about the year round tickets, was being able to bring a guest with you. So, when my son in law was able, he joined us. As well as my son and youngest daughter.
I haven't been back to Busch Gardens since 2007. Sad, but true. Another place I really enjoyed going to was the Aquarium. I had gotten season tickets for this as well, and during the 2006 - 2007 time frame, we would visit quite often. My grandson and grand daughter loved to watch the feeding of the sharks, and touch the Sting Rays. I enjoyed just watching thank you.
It was so relaxing watching the fish and seeing all the different colors. Plus during the summer months, this area was quite cool.
Now that I am back in Florida, the thought of just sitting here; is driving me nuts! So I am going to plan out a point of attack. Throughout the summer, I am going to make a point of visiting something new. Here are just a few places I had in mind...
The Dali Museum in Saint Petersburg
The Arabian Night Dinner Show in Orlando
Kennedy Space Center Tour
Tampa Museum of Art
And any other place of history and interest I can find. I just want a summer of things to do, places to see, and people to meet.
Have any suggestions for places I might enjoy seeing?
When we moved in our place, the light in the main restroom didn't do the space justice. I found the shower area to be very dark when the shower curtain and linen were put up. I hated the window in the restroom, because it looked unfinished and there was no way to even open the window itself.
You know how it is, you never really know the full story of anything, until you are slap dab in the middle of it.
Hallway Restroom ~ Feb 2012
As we later learned from the owners, somewhere along the list of many tenants; the hall restroom was enlarged to meet with the master bedroom restroom.
Sounded like it was just one large long restroom.
Why? Only the good Lord knows.
Any who, when those tenants left the property the owners had to reconstruct the hall restroom. A very narrow tub/shower combo was installed and, the wall next to this space {the window area} suffered badly.
Needless to say from the looks of the window, they had no idea what they were doing.
The wall where the sink and commode sit, had to be reconstructed as well. In the 'restroom construction' phase, the over head light was left out and a small drop ceiling section area was put up. Within this drop ceiling area, a small light/vent fan was installed. The light shone down on the sink/commode area, but left out the shower area in a big way.
Before we moved in ~ Feb 2012
You can see the small flush light in the picture, to the left. Once the shower was dressed with linen, it remained dark and unfriendly. I hated it.
Now, I know the whole 'you know your body so why do you need a lot of light?' line of thinking.
When I was little, eating at a fast food restaurant was a treat. It was during the times when we visited my Aunt Linda; that we would venture to McDonald's and dive into their shoestring french fries. I have always thought McDonald's had the best fries anywhere in the world.
White Castle in Bronx New York
In New York, my mother and father would stop at White Castle and get the bags full of hamburgers. Oh, there is nothing better than White Castle. I would rather there be a White Castle at the corners than 10 McDonald's. I would sacrifice my french fries for White Castle burgers, any time. With 5 children, my parents knew that White Castle was the best budget option for our family.
Actually, is so much better for our children to eat at home than at any fast food joint. Eating Healthy is the new way of thinking today. Still, there are so many households where both parents work, and not to many business being what I call 'family friendly'. Fast food drive through windows often pack a full meal fit for busy families, in a brown paper bag sporting their logo.
I must admit, this move is taking me longer than it normally would. In fact, this is the longest it has ever taken me to get all my belongings moved into our place. Today I am going to move some of the items I still have at my mothers place. In between the rain drops. This morning. Right now.
We didn't move everything over because the AC was not working. I was noticing a few items in the house were being effected by the heat and humility. Picture frames were warping. Some of my clothes felt damp. The dust and dirt from the horses next door, because they roam on a quarter of an acre in pure sand, was all over everything in the house. I was bleaching, dusting, and cleaning hourly it seemed. I didn't want to bring over all my belonging until we had the AC problem under control. The landlords idea of 'under control', is installing window units. Beats the 88 and 96 degrees I was facing in the house, that's for sure.
Lately my Aunt Linda has been bringing her purchased treasures over to my house. She is currently preparing to move, and is down sizing her stuff. She has given me curtains; tons of them!, VHS movies; Did you know Walmart will turn VHS movies into DVD movies? {NOT a plug for Walmart}, two Buddha's, a sewing machine that I have no idea to operate [can't wait to try it}, 3 wonderful lamps that I love love love, canisters {2 sets}, touch me not towels {what I told my sweety}, and there is more to come.
Here, I want to show you my latest treasures.. and later, point out a 'look a like' to you...
Lamp my Aunt Linda passed on to me
I have two of the three lamps, on either side of my bed, and the last one on my vanity. I just love them, and they put off just the right amount of dimmed light.
The lamps look real good in my bedroom
The 'Touch me not' towels
Men don't really get the whole 'do not use these towels' or 'they are just for decoration', well at least not my sweety. When I told him thee towels were not for use, I was given that look of misunderstanding. The look of "Why not?' So, I added the towels to my water stand. That is until I find the towel rack I am looking for, and then I will hang them correctly. Until then, this was the perfect spot.
Beaded sheer curtains
The flash went off on my camera, sorry I forgot to turn it off, but the curtains are a violet and not a red. The overlay area of them, have beads hanging from it. They are very very pretty, and block out just the right amount of light. My sweety of course, wanted to cut of the bottom of them because "they are hanging kind of low don't you think? We can just cut the bottoms off." I laughed and said pretty quickly "No, I want them like that."
This picture shows the true color of them. I love the touch of color in my white kitchen/dining room area.
Linen Napkins as a valance
Because I have a glass top dining room table, and it is just my sweety and I {it never gets used, well hardly ever}, I took the linen napkins my aunt gave me, and turned them into a valance for my kitchen window. The napkins are taupe, so it blocks out just enough of the light that peeks through the blinds while,not blocking my view.
The Bakers
There are three new Bakers in my kitchen. Two female and this one male. Feel sorry for him, but I can use all the help I can get.
I love my barely new canisters.. they are just my style and look stunning in the kitchen. I love love treasures!
One canister set
The other set. ~ ugh more dust!
In the amber set, I have Reese's pieces in one canister and plain M&M's in the other. You know, for that chocolate craz moment. We all have them. I am shocked they have lasted as long as they have.
E.T. candy
For the love of Singer
Say hello to the sewing machine I have no idea how to operate. Oh my word, this is going to be fun!! To top it all off, my aunt gave me fabric. Yes, a blank canvas.
VHS galore...
OK, so I just learned, via commercial, that what I thought Walmart can do with the VHS tapes, is wrong. So, what we do not keep, we are going to donate to our local library. Looking forward to having the dining room table cleared off. The clutter is making me crossed eyed.
Frilly curtains
I put these curtains in the Beach bedroom. I thought the tassel bottom and scalloped top was a much needed touch to the theme. I still have to paint the room, but I could not wait to see what the curtains would look like hanging.
Aren't they great looking? Reminds me of the beach.. right at the point when the water is rushing back to the ocean, and the sand is rippled from the water flow.
Oh yeah, I've saved the best for last. My Buddha. I did this because, the second I laid eyes on the Buddha, I thought it looked like my sweety.. Take a look.
When a woman leaves her fathers house and unites with a man, does she become all that HE is?
Last week we received a lot of rain. Not nearly enough, but quite a bit none the less. One day alone, the forecast called for 60% of rain, and it did just that; all in one day. While living on an acre of land, a lot of rain = jungle property. My sweety and I began our Sunday morning getting the property ready for a much needed cut, grass cut that is.
Our property ~ the front from the entrance gate in Jan 2012
Because a single horse lived on the property {with the old tenants} the property was in very bad shape. There was hardly any grass at all. When we moved in and the weather began to warm up, it took watering the lawn all day long, moving the sprinkler hourly, to really soak the yard before the grass even started to sprout. With the water restrictions now, I count on my single Tuesday every week; to give the grass all it needs.
In the place where I live, there are four bedrooms. Although I have not completed the master bedroom yet, I have started mental plans on making one of the guest bedrooms a beach delight.
Master Bedroom
So far in the master bedroom, we have painted all the walls and the new carpet was put in. The bed linen was supplied by my sweety, more than positive this was to ensure the linen wouldn't get to girly. The only thing to do at this point, add curtains to compliment the linen, purchase 'S' hooks to hang my pictures from the Kestrel head board, and small finishing touches to make the space ours. Not to bad, and not to girly as my sweety would say.
In regards to the 'beach room'; well I still have to paint it and.. here, let me just show you.
Beach Room
The picture doesn't do the room justice. You can't see the ugly mint green color. I am not keen on the color at all. So I am going to paint it white, making the room appear larger than it is; and add beach relaxation pieces to it.
My sister gave me a painting of a light house.. I am going to add it to the wall, bringing the beach front to life in the room. I plan on building a half pallet table and placing some beach items on it to bring that water front relaxation feel to it. lastly, the sheer curtains I intend on hanging, will bring a soft comfort to an over worked mind.
I have it all in my head. How I am going to place things. Where I want to hang this and that. The feel I am going for. Now to just bring it all together. Here are some of the 'like' items I am going to use in the room.
