Dinner at the Lake and another Award!

Saturday afternoon hubby and I decided to go to a local auction which is held once a month. We've gone to this auction for about four years now and formed some great friendships. Well, when we got to the auction, it had been changed to next weekend! It was only 4:30 and so we decided to just get something to eat and then go home. We could not decide where to go....hubby wanted to go up to the lake to eat but I was not "dressed" (in my opinion) for the lake. When we go there, I like to dress up a little, although people come in their swimsuits. So instead of the lake, we decided we'd go to a good BBQ place near the lake.....on our way to the BBQ hubby's cell phone rings and it's my sister (the one who is moving to the lake). They wanted us to meet them at that resturant at the lake! So, off we went!

It's always a little nostalgic for me to go there because my daughter and SIL got married at a wonderful little outdoor chapel at Lake Martin 11 years ago this coming October. She was such a beautiful bride (but what mother doesn't think that?). The weather was absolutely gorgeous and it was a perfect day for a couple to join their lives together. Shannon and Don had dated for 5 years....she was just 16 when they met and started "dating"....he was 21! I tried my darnest to discourage him, but he did not give up. He had a lot of respect for her and my wishes and of course, my son had a little talk with him. So five years after they met, they got married and they are still a wonderful couple with little 4 year old twins.....they have been very blessed indeed.

This is the outdoor church where they got married on a day much like the one you see in this picture

Rustic alter but God was (and is) there that day. My brother performed the ceremony

View of the lake from the parking area

Okay, now, on to the food! If you are ever near Lake Martin, Alabama, folks will tell you not to miss a chance to eat at Sinclair's/Kowaliga. They say that's where Hank Williams, Sr. got his inspiration for his song by that same name.

Here's our view from our table

The geese love you to throw them rolls

You can just steer your boat right up to the dock and come in to eat. During the summer it's always very crowded but now that it's after Labor Day (and a football weekend) there were not as many folks




Here's my sister with her little grandson

After leaving the restaurant, my sister and brother-in-law wanted us to come back to their lake house to see what they'd done...

I'm standing on the dock looking back at the house

This deck was added several years ago and I think my BIL is planning on making it a screened in porch - the place used to have one but a few years ago there was a big renovation and this deck was added to replace the porch

This belongs to one of their neighbors

A lot of furniture has been brought from her MIL's house which just sold. Her MIL had a lot of antiques in a big house so they have just tried to fit it into the lake as best they can. I believe this is antique wicker - not sure about that

The lady that held the estate sale at the MIL's said she valued this secretary at around $8,000!

The "boys" are discussing future plans for the lake house (plus the Auburn game)

This chair was very unusual - also from her MIL's home

B-I-L wanted to bring his dad's roll top desk to use at the lake. He will eventually use this room as his office

Bed from MIL's house....now in the room with the roll top desk and also grandchildren sleep in here

Look at this headboard!

Her MIL never got rid of anything....this was my BIL's rocking horse and he's 54 years old! I had one like it too but it's long gone!

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my sister's lake place.

Now I want to give a big shout out to Susan from Between Naps On the Porch. She has so generously given me this Smile Award. I was absoloutely blown away when she gave me this award.... this girl is beyond talented....check out her blog and you'll see why. You may also know her as Moonlight and Magnolias on RMS (Rate My Space if you don't know what that means - and if you don't - where have you been hiding?)

The rules as I understand them are:

1. The recipient must link back to the award's creator (whose name is shown on the award).

2. You must post the rules if you receive the award.

3. Chose 5 people to receive the award.

4. Post the characteristics of the recipient.

5. Create a post to share your award with others.

6. Thank the giver of the award.

So, without further ado, and after much thought, I am passing on this award to the following fellow bloggers:

Rhoda of Southern Hospitality. I had the pleasure of meeting Rhoda this past summer and we have gotten together a few times to shop and share our love of blogging, junking and our lives. Rhoda is a one-of-a-kind kinda girl as not only is her home lovely, but she is just a wonderful Christian lady and someone I am lucky enough to call friend!

BJ of Sweet Nothings. I "met" BJ on RMS last year and she always has the nicest things to say - plus her blog is the best!

Karin of Silly Mom Ramblings. Karin and I just connect...we have a lot of the same ideas and the girl is funny! Plus her hubby is serving our country and guess what? She just found out he'll be home VERY SOON. Karin might be MIA for a while!!!!

Holly Mathis of Holly Mathis Interiors. I just discovered this talented sweetheart. Check out her blog and her web site.

Melissa of A Little Loveliness. Melissa and I are neighbors, really! She lives in the same town as my daughter and we just found out her little 4 year old takes ballet at the same place at my little Taylor. Shannon and I hope to meet Melissa soon. Her kids are as good looking as my grandchildren (and NO ONE thinks anyone's kids look as good as theirs)! Seriously, Melissa is a fine Christian lady and I enjoyed reading her blog and seeing her family photos.

If you are not familiar with any of these bloggers, do yourself a favor and check them out. You won't be disappointed!

A kitchen update

We are in the middle of a kitchen re-do and fluffing. A couple of weeks ago, we got the walls and cabinets painted. You can read about that here and here . I've been waiting two weeks for the cabinet/crown molding guy (he works out of town during the week) to come and get started on that. Friday he came and installed the crown and bun feet. I am a little disappointed in how the bun feet look but I was not able to find any I liked that would fit underneath the existing cabinets....cabinet guy had to cut the ones down I bought and I think he liquid nailed them to the bottom of the cabinets.

Here's the crown molding he installed. He said because my ceilings are low, I didn't need to get anything over 2 3/4" but I think I could have gone a little wider. The painter man will come back and cover the nail holes and caulk.

Here are some of my plates

Installed these roman shades at the bay window

Here's the room looking toward the table (yep, that's 11:45 at night on the clock, I was bored!). Also the little black framed "picture" is going to be joined by two others. I think I've finally decided on using the white linen slipcovers in here which of course will be monogrammed! See the different colors on the back of the black cabinet? I've been trying out different colors there and today I finally decided on what to do to the back of the cabinets....you'll have to come back to see that!

I got this wall sconce this summer and hung another of my creamy platters over it - you can also get a little peek of the rope trim we installed at the plate rack

I love these appliques! I changed out the hardware to round knobs and painter guy will have to caulk the old holes and paint over that. These cabinets are s-o-o-o old but right now they will have to stay

Here's the bun feet that I'm not feeling too happy about but after they get painted I'm hoping I'll like them a little more...the cabinet hardware has yet to be painted

Picked up this pair of sconces Friday afternoon at a flea market...they will get a fresh coat of paint and be installed underneath the plate rack cabinet

You can see where we're at on the re-do. We have a lot of little things to do but the big stuff is almost complete and the cabinet guy will be here next week to build and install cabinet over stove.

I also want to share a few pictures of our mahogany chest in the den. For some reason, I could not sleep Friday night and after hubby went to sleep, I went around snapping pics of the vingette on the chest. I got a little iron sheep at the same flea market the sconces came from and of course, that called for a complete revamping of the top of the chest....

Here's my "little lamb" sitting on top of Mary Carol Garrity books

How about these pear bookends? They came from Hancocks - on sale!

Close up of little lamb

Too much stuff? Not for me!

Now ya'll know what I do at midnight when I can't sleep....I had to completely rearrange the top of the chest and for now it will stay like this. Isn't it funny how the addition of one little piece can change up everything?

Ya'll be sweet and have a great Sunday!

My Sister's House

Yesterday I posted a few pics of my sister's chocolate brown guest room. They just listed their home for sale as they are now "downsizing" due to all the kiddies FINALLY moving out. They have a wonderful lake house and are thinking about eventually moving there. You can view a few more pictures of her house here.

She sold most of her dining room furniture as she does not know whether or not she will need it in another house and certainly not at the lake. It was very formal furniture and the lake is already packed full and furnished very casually but comfortably. The house is huge and they have been busy cleaning, sorting, throwing out, selling, and just generally getting rid of years of accumulated "stuff." I need to do that myself! Her daughter is very organized and when she comes to visit, they have just gone through one room at a time. She says she hasn't missed a thing!

They have always had big homes and this one was custom built. I remember when they were building this house, I went with her to pick out several things and while our tastes were and are different, she went along with some of my ideas. I have made some suggestions over the years on her choices in decorating the house and she has incorporated them. Her red rooms (dining and formal living room) I like to think were inspired by me! She did have a professional decorator come in at the beginning and of course, some of her ideas were used. She says she does not mind giving up her big house because it's a lot of work maintaining it - not to mention the grounds. Her husband loves to work in the yard and he has done a wonderful job landscaping it. I think we reach a "certain age" and see that we don't "need" all the things we once thought were necessary to living.

Our family has enjoyed many years of holidays visiting in her gorgeous home and we will all miss it but like I told her.....the next house will be a new opportunity to shop for and decorate and that's something I ALWAYS like to do!

Angelina Ballerina, A Chocolate Bedroom and an Award

Here's little Miss Cutie Patooie herself on her first day of ballet! I just had to drop by day care on my way out of town to see her in her leotards and tights.......she is my heart! (You can see where the ants got her arms and legs)

Tuesday night I went to my visit with one of my sisters....we had an "event" to go to early Wednesday morning. I wanted to share some pictures of her chocolate brown guest room and bathroom. Last fall she was hostessing a big shindig at her house and was sprucing up several rooms and guess who she called? Me! I was pleasantly suprised when she decided to have her husband paint the bedroom a dark chocolate brown and use creamy whites. We went to her MIL's house in Mt. Brook (a very chi-chi neighborhood in Birmingham) and "shopped" for stuff to use. It was really hard to get a good picture of the room and adjoining bathroom but I think you can get an overall idea.........

She used a lot of stuff I bought to the house in here



The lamp WOULD NOT stand up straight!

Sherry at Creations From My Heart surprised me with this Diamond Award the other day. I am so honored to receive this award Sherry!