Christmas Christmas Hurry Fast....

I said "goodbye" to my favorite sister today...until CHRISTMAS! That seems so far away...

I love my Lil Sis. Mom and I helped her shop for her upcoming trip to Australia.

Her and BIL will be there for 2 weeks in November.

My sister and I are different in so many ways...

She is 5'10" and skinny...I am 5'1" and not so skinny.

I am adopted and she is not.

I have children and she does not.

I am a country girl at heart...she loves the city.

I am a christian...she is not.

How do you hug someone in August...

and say goodbye...until CHRISTMAS!

Lots of tears...

I had a great visit and I am really really really going to miss my Lil Sis. Please say a prayer for me...I am flying to my parents' home today. Then on Friday I will be driving the 4 hours to my home. I can't wait to squeeze my favorite people!

The Results of My Accidental "Artisty-ness"

Please exscuse my made up word in the title I just finished watching Real Housewives of New Jersey and Teresa was talking ALOT!

We picked up our pottery yesterday. This is Lil Sis's bone canister for my furry niece, Morgan.

My mom's lovely creations. Love love love the owl!

My Mary Engelbreit-ish spreader...getting on the plane with this is gonna be interesting...

and Lee DeWyze {the cat}'s bowl. I love the paint with the speckles in it.

This was so much fun and if you are ever in New Bern, NC stop in and see what you can create!

"Working A Puzzle Exercises Your Brain"

My mom and Lil Sis love to work puzzles so they pulled out a 2,000 piece one the evening we arrived. I would rather spend a week stranded on a dessert with "you know who" than work a puzzle. My mom told me 2,867 times that "working a puzzle exercises your brain."

So I eventually gave in and this is me putting in the last piece. I figure why waste all those hours that I could spend twittering with my celebrity BFFs or winning Fast Money on Family Feud for all my facebook friends. The last piece brings the most satisfaction. Ahhhh...my brain felt so refreshed...like it had just run a mile on a treadmill...lol. I love my mom.

It drove me nuts all week that the puzzle was a giant picture of my all time favorite candy! I have looked every where we have went for these things...they are all hiding. I will find them...and I must eat them...especially the blue one.

Two posts in one day! Summer is slowly releasing me...

Panic Mode Has Set In!

It's my last day here!

I go back to reality tomorrow!

Did I do everything I wanted to do?

Did I relax enough?

I can't wait to get my arms around my 3 girlies...

I am going to start my "Fall Cleaning" when I get home.

I know my teen is anxious for that to begin.

I dread flying.

I want to smooch my hubby.

I miss my routine.

My MIL irks me. She managed to pee in my cheerios from 11 hours away yesterday.

I got over it...I think.

I'm gonna miss my Lil Sis.

What is rambling around in your head?

Do I Look Relaxed Or Bored?

A special thank you to my furry niece, Morgan, for reenacting my positions this morning. Although I was not on the back of the couch.

Yesterday was a little quiet. We hung out around the house until 4:30ish and then we {minus my mom} went to see The Other Guys. It was very funny and you walk away with a couple lines {and TLC songs} stuck in your head. Then we picked up chinese food and went home to do more lounging.

This lady of leisure thing is slowly getting to me.

At least I am getting to read your blogs. I have missed visiting them.

I want my Escalade. I have no car. Lil Sis and BIL had to work today.

This is what I look like now...

Yes, I have merely switched sides. I have played entirely too much Family Feud on facebook.

If this post makes no sense I apologize...I think my brains are turning mushy.

Happy Monday!

Let's Keep Going Til We Can No Longer Feel Our Feet!

We started our day bright and early at the New Bern Farmer's Market.

We were greeted by the Farmer's Market Bear. In celebration of New Bern's 300th anniversary they had local artists design bears representing pieces of their history. They are so cute and all over town!

We bought a watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, and a weird little fruit I have never eaten called a sprite. I love trying new fruits.

I loved visiting and talking with all the different vendors. I talked to a lady who was selling pasta. I dazzled and amazed everyone with my knowledge of the different dies and such. Thanks to Real Housewife of NJ Teresa Giudice's Italian cookbook! It is a great read {even if you are not a RH fan}.

We drove 2 hours to Smithfield, NC and after lunch at Cracker Barrel we shopped til our feet were so sore they were numb at the Carolina Premium Outlets! I bought myself my first Coach purse and wallet. I am in love...

Dr. Hubby and his parents are camping with the little ones. They are having a blast!

Hope you are having a fantastic weekend!

Accidentally Artistic

So we started out our Friday morning at Tuesday morning...hahahahahaha! The girls at SSS message board are always picking up wonderful things at this store. I walked out with an adorable Halloween Annalee piece {2 mice carrying a candy corn}.

Then we headed to Somewhere In Time used book store where I hit the hardback jackpot! I walked out with 5 Nicholas Sparks books {A Bend In The Road (signed copy), The Wedding, The Guardian, The Rescue, and A Walk To Remember}. I only need The Notebook to complete my collection of his books. I also got The Mitford Snowmen, A Common Life, A New Song, and Jeremy The Tale of an Honest Bunny by Jan Karon. I only need At Home In Mitford to complete that collection. The last item I picked up was Swapping Lives by Jane Green. Lil Sis suggested it. Unfortunately I didn't find any Sophie Kinsella or Debbie Macomber.

After lunch at The Baker's Square {An Amish restaurant} we headed over to the Accidental Artist. Mom painted an owl magnet, a tiny frog, and a handle for a cheese spreader.

Lil Sis painted a dog bone canister.

I painted a bowl for Lee DeWyze the Cat and a cheese spreader. We pick them up on Tuesday...I will post a pic of the final pieces. This is so much fun and you should definitely try it if you have a shop available!

We ended the day with a pizza party at home.

Tomorrow....we hit the OUTLET MALL! Cha-ching!

A Lady of Leisure

Today we are going to venture into historic downtown New Bern. We are going to a pottery shop called "The Accidental Artist." I am going to paint Lee DeWyze {my cat not the American Idol} a food dish.

We are also going to my fave used book store in the world..."The Next Chapter." I am hoping she has something by Debbie Macomber, Jan Karon, Nicholas Sparks, and Sophie Kinsella.

What author would you be looking for?

Are you ultra chic and now read books on your kindle or nook?

I Have Landed...

I am here in New Bern NC visiting Lil Sis with my mom...we had 2 easy flights. I feel like I am forgetting something all the time. Probably has something to do with not having my hubby and 3 kids to take care of. What will I do with myself? Probably some blogging, facebooking, movie watching, tv watching, and of course RETAIL THERAPY!

If ya want to catch the Real Housewives FEVER...Real Housewives of DC premieres tonight! WooHoo!

And Another Feminist Hits The Floor

Yesterday Dr. Hubby and I took the 2 littles to the mall. While Dr. Hubby shopped for a new watch I took the girlies to see Cats and Dogs. Cutie says, "That is a veeerrryyy scary cat." Both of them were squirming in their seats for the last 20 minutes. I think it would be better for kiddos ages 7 - 11ish. It was fun though...the Hannibal Lechter references are hilarious!

Wild Child fell in love with this apron at TJMaxx. It was from a Mommy and Me set on clearance for $12! She grabbed a broom and went around sweeping the floor...June Cleaver would have been so proud...

Happy Monday!