I have been TAGGED!

Hi Everyone!I have been tagged! So I need to list 16 Random things about me hmmmmm....let's see.

1. I start everyday with a coffee ritual. Pour a cup, drink it and now it is safe to talk to me.

2. I love color, when we moved into our house all the walls were beige and I couldn't stand it, I called it the oatmeal house. Now the walls are red.

3. Valentines Day is my favorite holiday...must be the color. My husband writes me a letter on 2/14 every year, it recaps the past year and talks about our dreams and hopes for the new year. I have them in an album that I treasure, this year will be letter number 24.

4. I have known my husband since I was 12 years old, we met showing horses.

5. My Bday is in Feb. and I always celebrate with a German Chocolate Cake.

6. I love to cook but I am a disaster at baking.

7. Gardenia is my favorite scent.

8. I live 30 miles south of the Mackinaw Bridge, BRRRRRRRRR!

9. I wear UGG boots about 9 months out of the year and I always wear them barefoot.

10. Ball caps save me on a bad hair day.

11. I love glitz, when I paint my toenails I put swarovski crystals on them.

12. I'm crazy for vintage

13. My favorite movie is Somewhere In Time

14. I talk to my Mom on the phone everyday.

15. I talk to my daughter on the phone everyday.

16. I consider my life truly blessed.

This garden is how I imagine 2009, I hope you have a wonderful garden in 2009.

Kelley

Happy Healthy New Year!

Yes the New Year is here and there is more of me than last year. I seem to be wearing a couple of bagels around my middle, pecan pie under my chin...O.K. you get the picture. So..........it is time to reverse my evil ways and drop a bit of weight, (I must admit I am not obsessed with my weight) part of the problem and....I LOVE GOOD FOOD. So the how can I have my bagels and eat them too. Well I have a lot of respect for the Weight Watchers program, it does work and for the most part the food is really good. So I am on a mission to find yummy foods that will work for my Weight Watchers Program (notice I didn't say diet) . This is my latest find and it is yummy, and my husband (who has NO weight issues, but is very particular about his food) thinks it's pretty good too. So for your next get together or just to have on hand for a snack. I hope you
like it too!

FETA SPINACH DIP
4 cups Fresh Spinach
1/2 cup Light Sour Cream
1/2 cup Fat Free Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Greek Feta Cheese
3 Green Scallions
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Adapted from Weight Watchers
1 point per serving, approx. 3 Tablespoons















In a saucepan filled with water bring to boil and stir spinach for 1 minute.Drain and run cold water over spinach. Squeeze spinach to get as much water out as possible.

Combine all other ingredients and put in blender, top with spinach and puree until well blended. Salt and Pepper to taste.

I Hope You ENJOY!

Kelley

Americana Still Exists

In these trying times sometimes we wonder about the future and if the life we knew as children will be extinct. I am happy to say at least one small town in America is trying to preserve the American Dream. Tradition in Port St. Lucie, Florida is a refreshing planned community that lives up to it's name. My daughter is fortunate enough to live in this community and I was fortunate to experience it last Sunday morning. It was almost a walk down memory lane of the American dream, even in hard times a sense of community is always helpful, knowing neighbors and feeling safe, this place strives for these goals. I am so happy that such a place still exists!

Tradition's Town Hall

Tradition's Gazebo where the shrubs play music, Oh my!

Tradition's Fountains

Goodnight Moon!

Wishing you all the BEST in 2009!

Kelley

On to a New Year!

Where did 2008 go? Well I for one will not miss it, my world has gone through numerous changes and I do believe things do happen for a reason but as we all know that doesn't mean they are pleasant.

Like my little BFF "Cutter" I'm ready to go and see what the new year holds. So on to 2009 with great expectations for all of us.

Happy to be back and blogland and hope to visit with you soon. Take extra special care of you and your family.

Enjoy!

Kelley

A Warm Thanksgiving

We have returned from the wonderful world of family, Florida and fun. We enjoyed a warm day to be Thankful, a change from our usual northern Michigan Thanksgiving.

It is now time to change gears and put on our woolys and mittens and get into the Christmas spirit. I have several projects I hope to make for family and friends and time is getting short. So off to the crafting table, knitting couch, painting room while making a mess all the way(or is that jingle all the way). I hope to create some fun and original gifts and I hope to share a few with you. I should start preparing for next year and have a Christmas Craft Blog in November giving everyone a little time to plan and prepare. An idea I like, I will keep you posted.

Finally I am so thankful for all of my blogging friends, I have grown in so many ways in this past year getting to know you. Wishing you sparkles, love and hope for this beautiful season.

Kelley

The Snow is Flying

This past weekend we saw the first snow flurries of the season. I think I am ready but I must admit I am going to miss all the vibrant colors of summer and autumn. I guess I am going to have to create my own color gala instead of depending on mother nature.

I would love to share my last photos taken before the beautiful wintry white frosting of winter.

I was trimming the gardens last week and decided to throw a little

tea party with the flowers that were destined to frost that night

The pot was home to beautiful inpatients during the summer

A brave little volunteer poking it's head out of the

autumn floor. I think a bunny had a little snack

A final good-bye before the arrival of Jack Frost.

I have been busy taking lots more pics if you would like to peek, just a click here Flickr

Stay warm and enjoy!

Kelley

Nice to See You!

It has been a while since I have been in blogland, I had all these great ideas for Halloween posts even made some faux cupcakes for the occasion but when picture taking and posting time came around real life got in the way.

Not complaining, but I would like to have my cake and eat it too.

I so enjoy all my blogging friends and the very individual and unique relationships we have. It's like traveling the world to visit those who enjoy the same little goodies in life.

During my break from all of you I had the honor of visiting our daughter in Florida to help her finalize plans for her wedding in February.

THIS IS WHAT HALLOWEEN LOOKS LIKE IN FLORIDA!

Well I am back for a while and hope to visit all my fav blogs to say "HI". I suspect this time of year everyone is feeling a bit of an overload with the holidays coming upon us but if you can take a little time for yourself and take a mind vacation in blogland.

ENJOY!

Kelley

The Party is Upon Us!

Vannessa Valencia of A Fanciful Twist has invited us all to a Bootiful Halloween Party on this wonderful fall day. This way we can party all the day and everyday until the actual Very Scary Mysterious Ghost visiting, witches flying Day.

We are just JUMPING out of our skin waiting to attend!

OH NO I have been called away to the Pumpkin Head Hospital to do a face lift our two. When a Pumpkin Head calls you jump! Just look at the help they need.

They all think they need new faces to attend the party so off I go....maybe you will recognize a few of my patients at the party. Please stop for a chat.

The Cat's Meow!

Queen for the Day!

Is this guy running for President?

The Werewolf, the man with the 5'o clock shadow

You never know who else will be there BEWARE!

On your way home stop by for a cup of grog and sit by the fire. Happy Haunting!

Enjoy and a special thanks to Miss V and I am looking forward to visiting all during the next couple of days.

Witching you the best!

Kelley

Home Again!

Thanks to all for the wonderful wishes while I was at the horse show. All went well, we made a few finals, laughed with old friends and took a bit of a "mind vacation" from our everyday world.

Upon my return I visited my favorite flickr group, shades of inspiration. Last week was a celebration of pink in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The pictures and words of support of this worthy cause are wonderful. I leave you with a thought.

Please have an annual mammogram!

Take care,

Kelley

Off for A While!

I am off the the All American Quarter Horse Congress! The largest single breed horse show in the world, over the course of the show 650,000 people will attend. We have been competing at the Congress since 1996, we have had many ups and downs, hoping for the "ups" this time.

I will try to check in every once in a while if I can. The days are long and hard but it is so much fun!!!! We not only get to compete we also get to enjoy all of our "horsey" friends for the week. So until I return, please take and have a great week.

Kelley