Happy Bloggers Cocktail Party

Hi Everyone…and Welcome to the first week end for our Poofing Party. This weeks theme is all about YOUR Style. So I’m going to share a few of my favorite places around My Home that I love most.

Above is my Breakfast Area….This is where we eat most of the time when we are not around the kitchen island. I love this cozy spot. I have a Love Affair with Linens and Dishes…:) I just can’t get enough of them….Below is one of My Favorite Spots to decorate….my white tray on my kitchen island. And I LOVE my new “battery candles”. They Look so Real it’s amazing…!!!

My Style reflects Warm Cozy spaces nestled with collections of things I LOVE…
      And when I want to Escape…I head to my porches…..!!! It’s My Place to watch and listen to nature unfold and if only for a little while, forget that work and other task are still just around the corner. I usually carry a little Snack….and every now and then…A Friend…..And since I’m not a drinking girl….no, not even a glass of wine, I’ll Tip MY Glass of Extra Sweet Southern Tea, with a slice of lemon….and say CHEERS….Thanks for visiting ME this week end and it was nice meeting you all. Please come back soon….I have some exciting things to tell you beginning Monday…So until then, Tip your glass high…..and make a Toast to Life….!!!

  Life is Good…!!!!

And Love Keeps Pouring In

I’m starting to wonder….. WHY I ever doubted, at times, the feeling of having No Friends. Do YOU ever do that. Maybe it comes from Always Working and never putting in down long enough to realize that YES….My Friends…and family ARE still there. I just need to do a better job of….Letting them in….!!!!  I DID ask myself a few days ago….WHY…this happened to ME..!!!

I’m a firm believer of….Everything happens for a reason. And just when Everything seemed so Perfect….Here I sit, unable to take care of myself and missing ALL the small luxuries of LIFE…The SIMPLE little pleasures that we take for granted each day.

When little Katie was here a few days ago, SHE understood that something was wrong with my leg and was so very sweet. But I couldn’t ….Pick Her Up…Swing her around….get her a cupcake…Run gather all my Tea Party things and sit and ding our cups together and say Cheers…!!! Make her apple sticks with her favorite Chocolate Sugar….Instead, I sat in the wheelchair….Protecting anyone from getting Too Close to my leg in fear of yet another accident. I’m sure SHE didn’t understand. THIS made me cry…!!!

And little Pearl girl….SHE will NOT leave my side. SHE KNOWS something is wrong and is stuck on me. I can’t pick her up and keep her in my lap or sit with her at night on the sofa with her cuddled up against me. SHE misses this So very much and it breaks my heart because SHE doesn’t understand.

And then another knock at the door, and in came MORE beautiful FLOWERS…!!!
 With PINK Oasis…Doesn’t it look like watermelon chunks. What a Stunning Arrangement …This charming vase of blossoms came from a Sweet Friend I met while blogging….
Isn’t it amazing how many Real Friendships are formed….ONLINE…!!! Penny does the most Beautiful mosaics and has a wonderful blog…. THANK YOU Penny and Kent for sending me such a beautiful gift of friendship and love…!
  Then  My Aunt Frances came with a bouquet of More Flowers…..and many cards came in the mailbox…well wishers from my Face Book and Blogging  Friends….Phone Calls….Emails….and the list goes on….!!!!
My sweet neighbor Betty, for the visit and those awesome Home Grown Tomatoes…..Anacian…..for the Home Grown Corn…JoAnna for the wheelchair and walker…..My sweet brother , for building the ramp to help me get in and out of our home……My two incredible daughters for coming to help us out….

I’ve thought about this  ALOT over the past few days and I’m sure I have the answer to my question……Why did this happen to ME…!!!  It happened to Remind ME to STOP…Put work down…and Take Time…to savor the friendships and family that I am So very blessed to have around ME…!!!  It reminds me of how precious each day is. Just to do the Little Things….the ones we take for granted. The simple pleasure of Walking….This has been an humbling experience for me,  making ME much more aware of ALL the sweet little gifts that each day brings.

So when YOU find yourself wondering where your friends are….stop…listen…and YOU just might discover….They are right where YOU left them….Waiting for YOU…:):)

OK…..That’s IT about ME….!!! I will keep you posted from time to time HOW my leg is doing, otherwise, let’s get some Fun things going here. Come on back this week end for our First Blogging Party… Join us for the fun…Tip your glasses,
It’s a Party…!!!!

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones

But a Broken Knee will not dampen MY Spirit…!!!
I want to THANK YOU…..Thank You ALL…for the Sweet Sweet Wishes you have been sending ME….:) I’m So sorry I haven’t answered you, but Please Know that My Heart is Full of Sunshine and Smiles just to read your sweet comments and wishes. THANKS for ALL your Prayers for ME.. They worked and made me feel so loved….Thanks my Sweet Blogging Friends…You’re the Best…!!!
  I’m Home from surgery and everything went very well…Really..!!! I got to come home the next day…:) Although I was very scared, nothing was as bad as I had imagined it to be….Thank Goodness…!!! And I’ll tell you what, Wowzy Woo…was this gal feeling mighty silly. My family just laughed at me. My granddaughters pooled their money together to buy me these flowers, bear and balloon. Mallory arranged them in a vase and then they all came for a visit. How Sweet…:)
I know girls, they are a wee bit wilted now. But that’s ok. I still LOVE them… Sorry I couldn’t get up close pictures. I shot this from across the room. It’s not so easy to take pictures right now…The girls sat there and Giggled at Me for falling asleep in the middle of a word as I tried to Talk to Them….then I’d wake up and try again. Of course I’d forgotten what I was saying Before I fell asleep. But we were still Having Fun…LOL..:) I called the Bear….a Monkey…they kept telling me…Gran, It’s a Bear…!!!  When I came out from under most of the meds, I realized They were Right….It WAS a Bear…lol..:):):)

I came home on Wednesday with Lots of Help….and I have been doing GREAT…!!! Although I have a Long Road to full recovery, I will get through this. And oh, just to be able to go to the bathroom By My Self…lol…!!! It’s all those Little Things that I miss so very much.
My sweet Hubby has just been a Champ…I’m so blessed to have HIM….When the nurse told me that I had to give myself …..Shots in my Stomach…Everyday…for 21 days…I refused, so you know WHO got THAT JOB…!! Poor Bill…. And you can only imagine MY FEAR…OMG…they were kidding, right…!!!! No, it was true. These were to prevent  blood clots from forming. The nurse gave me the first one and showed my hubby HOW to do it….And to my surprise, I didn’t feel a thing…Whew…!!!  Until the next day when Bill had to do it. And OH MY…HE made me cry…!!!… We found out later that he just stabbed me with the needle straight from the top, instead of going in at an angle from the side. He knows HOW to do it now and today, I never even felt it….!!! Oh what a relief…lol He felt So bad..and He’s trying So hard….Poor, poor Bill…:(
Just to Show You the absence of a “woman’s touch”, I took a picture of the flowers the girls from my daughter’s spa sent me. I had to Zoom in close from sitting at my desk. When I opened it up to put it here on my blog, I realized that the “card” was upside down…lol HE never Noticed…:):):)  Thank You…Missy’s Girls…The flowers are beautiful…I LOVE them…and Thank You Ruth for the Fresh Peaches…Oh Yum…my perfect breakfast food….!!!

But that’s OK…..He did His Best….and has taken such Wonderful Care of ME…:) I have The Best Hubby in the whole wide world:):):) What would I do without HIM…!!! I LOVE YOU my sweet one..!!!
Our accident caused us to have to cancel our Vacation…:( Yes, it’s true…..we should be on Tybee Island in Georgia right now. I had ALWAYS wanted to go to Savannah and we were finally going this week….I couldn’t Wait…!!! And the most exciting part was that we were going to stay at Paula Deens Beach House….Yes we were..!!! I booked it months ago and had made Big Plans for us while there. We were going to throw a Party for Paula… I had collected special table top pieces…and planned on making some Very Special Party Items to use. I had even planned My Blog Post….:( It won’t happen now,  and all this week, well, you know what will be on my mind. But, we will go next year and it’s ok…:)

OK…. I have some Exciting Show News to share and a few other things I know you will love. So come back later this week.

But…Before you leave, be sure to Join Me and my friend Jen this Week End for Happy Bloggers….Open House Week End… It starts this week end and we want YOU to be a part. Just email me for details and look for some Fun Ideas from some of your favorite bloggers. You’re Invited….and it’s easy….Just sign up and follow the plan….and Poof, It’s A Party….
It’s ….Cocktail Week…..at Happy Bloggers Open House….See you there.  Just Remember, When life hands you lemons….Squeeze them hard…Add Sugar…and Oh how Sweet Life will become once again.

I’m Mending….!!!!

Love and Hugs,
Dianne

And Poof….I’m Broken

I’ve always heard that All Good Things must come to an end….Well, this was the case on Tuesday only 30 minutes down the road toward HOME… We had just left 8 busy  days in Atlanta and had little time to CELEBRATE all the Good Things that we found there. Market was great for us and the contacts even better. Something Very Big has come my way and I can’t wait to TELL YOU all about it. We were So happy to have packed up so quickly and got out of there so early. I just couldn’t wait to pick up my Pearl Girl and walk back into my HOME…!!! We should have arrived around 9:30 that night and just couldn’t wait…..!!!

And then…..BOOM….!!!  We were involved in a car accident and our Celebrating was over…!!! I could tell by the PAIN in my Leg that it was BAD…!!! And I’m telling you, the pain was enough to make you pass out…Seriously….!!! I wouldn’t let the paramedics or firemen touch me. I just kept saying, “Don’t Touch my Leg…Have you ever had a man jump in your vehicle and start ripping off you pants…LOL….Well, I have…!!!  He was cutting and ripping them off of ME..!! On the other side was another guy sticking my finger and getting my blood.  It was NOT a pleasant scene. You know, the kind of accident that backs up traffic for MILES down the road. That was us…. After a few minutes of begging, pleading and screaming, I finally convinced them to scoot the gurney up close to me and let ME wiggle on by myself…. It was hard, but I DID IT…!!! And they didn’t have to TOUCH MY LEG….!!!  Once in the emergency crew truck and having them Hook Me Up with all their gadgets, they injected me with Pain Meds and Woozy Wee….I was instantly….LOOPY…!!!  I was feeling better already..:) OK…you get the picture here. To the hospital and the x-rays confirmed that my knee was Shattered…Crushed…and Broken in several places. Surgery was needed. I cried…!!!

We were “stranded”…at the hospital, miles from home, with NO luggage or anything. It was all in the van that was towed who knows where. Everyone there was SO nice and kind. They helped us find a nearby hotel and called a taxi for us. You should have SEEN me trying to Get in the Taxi…LOL….poor taxi driver..lol…..!!! He unbolted one of the seats and turned it around to accommodate ME…!!! He too, was so sweet. My daughter who had Just Left Atlanta the day before, was already on her way back to get us. They arrived later that night and we traveled home on Wednesday. The trip home was Very Tough…!!!! But I made it.  Since then, I’ve been to a local surgeon and my surgery will on Tuesday. Please keep me in your prayers. I’m a Big Ole’ Fraidy Cat…:) 
I have such a supportive family and am feeling their LOVE right now. As I drove up in front of my home, the day we returned, there stood my sisters, brother, Mom, daughter and granddaughters, armed with two wheelchairs….a walker…Ready to Help Me…!!! How Sweet of them. It made me feel So Loved…:) And Look what arrived at my door the day after I got home. What Sweet Friends I have…!!!  A huge box stuffed full with Two Dozen Roses….and the prettiest roses I’ve ever seen. Jennifer Froh of Pear Street Studios sent me the most luscious beautiful roses. Seriously, I’ve never seen such thick large roses.
    
Sherry took them out of the box and started arranging them for me. I just sat there in awe and watched.

I just couldn’t get over how big, fat and luscious they were. I’ve never seen roses like these before. Just simply Beautiful….:)
Just LOOK how thick and full they are. About three times the size of normal roses…..They wouldn’t all fit in the vase so we tucked a few into a mug and placed them on my desk.

 Thank you….my sweet Jen…for thinking of ME…and sending me Love to Cheer me….It worked…:)
It’s such a great feeling to realized just How Many people Love you….!!! And this was the sweetest gift of love….:) Then today, the doorbell rang with More Flowers… OK..I’m starting to maybe LIKE having a broken knee…Oh no, just kidding…:)  These were from one of our best wholesale customer accounts….Home Goods….!!!
 

So beautiful and check out that Pink Styrofoam. I’ve never seen Pink Styrofoam before…have you…!!! And they Smelled so delicious…!!!  Getting these flowers from such a Large company says it all….They truly Care….:)
They are the Best to work with and this proves they are a Big Company with a Big Heart….:) Thank You, Amanda, David and HomeGoods Team…!!!!  It’s days like this when you need love and support and to see how your friends and family are right there for you, that’s what Life is all about…..(Sigh)…what more can I say…:)
OK…I have A LOT of Exciting Show News to share with you. I’m sorry, but it will have to wait until After My Surgery. And some of the meds have worn off a bit so I can think clearly without being loopy loop….:) And there is one Big Announcement that I just can’t wait to tell you. I’m thrilled with the journey ahead of me and I just know YOU will be excited too. I promise to Tell You as soon as I can, maybe later next week.  It’s HUGE…!!!
Until then, please remember me in your prayers and I promise to be back as soon as I can. Also remember my sweet hubby as HE has to take care of ME…!!! He probably needs more prayers than I do..:) Because it’s going to be a Big Job…!!!
Be back soon,
I’ll be on the road to recovery….:)
Love and Hugs,
Dianne

Fresh Squeezed

When the girls arrived on the Fourth….I ask if they’d like to help make the Lemonade..

They both jumped right in and as we were getting out the Lemons, Cassie went right over to my cabinet and took out one of my New Treasures that I had just found. You know, one of those things that you buy…Not to Use…but just enjoy looking at…!! I have A Lot of those goodies around my home.

I found this pretty juicer at Anthropologie and snatched it up right away. I’ve NEVER USED one of these. I guess because my  Mom never had one so I never really knew what they were.

 Since I only had ONE….and Carly was standing there looking as if SHE was left out, not having her very own Lemon Juicer…I headed downstairs to dig and search for another one that I knew existed Somewhere in all my collections of STUFF….and I found it.
Whew…saved by the antique Jucier/Pitcher that I’ve had for Years and Never Used…!!!! I even have matching glasses for this one…:) OK…they BOTH were HAPPY now and the Fun began….:)
So the Squeezing Fun began and Fresh Lemonade was about to be enjoyed..

They were Very Picky about removing All the Seeds and scrapped the pulp out to make sure all the flavor was would be added in.

After the Squeezing was done, it was time to Mix with Sugar and cold water and pour our Fresh Juicy Drink into my charming Lemonade Server…:)
 

Who could have guessed that Making Lemonade would have been So Much Fun…!!!

And oh how Fast it disappeared….!!!! So fast that I never got pictures of it being enjoyed…. But the most fun of all was having My Girls here with me and seeing them having Fun in the Kitchen…
Something so simple as Squeezing Lemons became treasured memories…and made our 4th of July holiday Fun and Sweet…:) 
When life gives you Lemons….Squeeze them…add Sugar
Life is Sweet…!!!
Love and Hugs,
Dianne