Noise Pollution!

Our pool pump equipment is soooooo loud! I hate it!! So I decided to give up one of my paychecks to have a brick enclosure put around it. I got estimates and went with sierra masonry, for 1050.00 they built an awesome enclosure and cut the noise level from 100% loud to 30%!! Once we put a lid on the enclosure it will be cut to about 10%!! What a big difference!
They did a wonderful job!
In 2 weeks I will paint it green and it will blend in to the background, you won't even know it is there! I will be painting the new bbq cover and our old patio cover brown too!
So lots of work to still get done...but we are almost done with this years projects!!

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER!

Bbq coverage and more!

Charlie and I were going to work on building a patio cover for over the bbq this weekend..Traivs and Rebecca were here this weekend so it worked out for Travis to help out, Thank you so much!!
We just have to add the roof and paint which I can help with that..the framing is the hard part so again Thank you to Travis for all his help!
It is going to be so nice to bbq under some shade, umbrellas are ok but when it is 110* and the grill is going the umbrella just don't cut it and you have to keep moving it to keep up with the ever travelling sun!

We worked saturday morning, stopped at noon for pooltime and carne asada and margaritas, Colleen stopped by and brought Harvey Wallbanger cupcakes, they were awesome and she got to meet the kids! Thanks for that C!
At night we went to the casino and played a little then went to the movies and saw Hangover 2, those movies are hilarious!! Everyone was laughing so much! This morning we finished up the framing and I made Chorizo for breakfast and the kids headed home, thanks again for a fun weekend!! Hope to see you in July!

BEFORE

Working together!



Becky, Travis, Me!



The Crew!

Concert at the Beach!

We scored tickets to see the GoGo's at Mandalay Beach last night! Travis and Rebecca came to town, so Rebecca got to go to a Girls Night Out! We were missing The Boss, but she just got home from a California vacation so she opted out.
It was Tanya, Erin, Me and Rebecca. Travis and Charlie stayed in the casino and gambled and drank beer.

The venue was real nice, the weather was cool and being out by the water was real nice, the breeze was blowing the cool air off the wave pool and the GoGo's music was great for a pool party!! You sit right on the sand on your beach towels! Fun place to people watch!
It was 8pm to 11pm concert and the Las Vegas nights are so beautiful here!

What a fun night with fun people!! Thanks Girls!

Fun for my Kitchen!

The goodies we found: a little red enamel teapot, (the shelf above the sliding door will hold all little teapots), a pie crust trimmer, a turquoise/white old timer to go with my red/white old timer, an old glass bowl with red trim and the best dish of all, this fabulous aqua with clear dots glass, oh dang, that is gorgeous! Thanks to Tanya for a great eye in finding that one, but I still owe you a lunch! Oh, and see the straw holder, Colleen McG gave me that, it would not fit on the shelf because the top was to high, I replaced the silver cap with a aqua bead and now it fits fine and looks right at home!
My little found objects are sitting happily on the shelves! What fun to treasure hunt!!
This coming weekend will be the opening of the pool, Travis and Rebecca may come out!!!
So stay tuned for more fun in the Las Vegas Sun!!

Birthday fun!

Ethan turned 7! Wow, can you believe that? Charlie atteneded his party at the bounce house, I had a antiquing trip planned, but I got to see him for a birthday dinner on Wednesday..

Happy Birthday my little knucklehead!

 I love you!

&

TODAY IS MY HUSBAND'S BIRTHDAY!

I am taking him out for new shoes, breakfast and a movie!

Happy Birthday to the Man! I love you!!!

Cooking and more!

Now that the kitchen is completed, I will be cooking more. It is such a joy to be in there, it really seems bigger! I can get to my pans so much easier now that they are in the big drawers, no more crawling on the floor digging all the pans out to get to the one I want!

Keep an eye on the cooking blog: click on the photo in the right hand column to get you there! I just put up a great summer recipe for Grilled Chicken Greek Gyros! In a day or two I am adding Meatball Sandwiches, one of Charlies favorite foods, I just learned to make them, yes, it only took 23 years! They were fabulous!
This summer will find us in the pool on Sundays and grilling in the backyard, I hope to learn to master that grill!
See you soon, I hope to have more exciting news from Las Vegas!

Summertime...and the living is easy!

Well, it is not that easy..we drained the pool, it was time for fresh water..you have to change the water every 3-5 years..it was 4 for us! While it was drained, charlie decided to do some sanding on the rough spots..we think the salt is making the plaster rough, so next fall we will look into pebble tec-ing the pool! I can't wait..I am looking at midnight blue pebble tec!



Our pool water...way too bright!!

 

I love the color of this water, it is midnight blue pepple tec! Nice pool too!

Shout out!

Hey, gotta give a shout out to my friend Tanya over at Bead and Needle Blog she is always so generous with her sewing, she made me napkins and dishtowels for my new kitchen, not to mention the fabulous valance!! So please go visit her blog and etsy store, Bead and Needle Etsy Store she finally put one of her awesome bags/purses she makes in her store!!  I own 2 of her purses, and a laptop bag and they are so wonderfully made!
Here is the summer purse for sale in her shop!! WOW!!

It is all in the Details!

I cleaned up charlies bathroom saturday before he returned from california, my little gift to him for my beautiful kitchen. I used up the last of the white paint and then spray painted the accents, black....he got new towels and wash cloths, gray and black. I hung racing pictures...as always, I will continue to add little details to finish it off....but you get the idea! He was very happy with it! I love the diamond plate look on the plug and switch plates!

Every room has now been repainted or remodeled! All I need to do is relax out by the pool all summer and dream of my next project to work on!

TA-DA!!!

I guess this is it, I still have little bits and pieces to add and decorate, but I will never be done with that! So here goes:

 Before

 After!

 Stove side with place setting of my new red dishes from better homes and gardens

 I got one! 30.00 for the vintage fire king bowl! The one piece that inspired the whole kitchen! And there next to it is a vintage bread box that Tanya got for my birthday.

 Built in sink, no more grout to clean, I love this solid surface stuff!! Hey and about that new faucet! I still need a dish washer valve cover in polished nickel.

 My little cutting board they made me with my counters, hanging on my rooster hook, that hook has been with me for 20 years!

My mother sent me these vintage little pans from her childhood, so retro and perfect for this kitchen!

So there you have it, my new kitchen, I love the red in the kitchen it really makes you happy in there!

Thank you to all my friends for their advice and support and gifts! But most of all Thank you to my husband Charlie, who after 24 years together, still wants to give me everything and anything I want, he continues to make my dreams come true, I love him to the moon and back, I can't wait to make him a fabulous dinner in my new kitchen!

Oh and one more peek at the photo that started it all:

Almost there!!!

We had a little snafu yesterday with the counters! One piece had the wrong measurement so the new piece should be here today. Plus the plumbers could not get here until this morning...so we are down to the home stretch, I hope you stayed with me..we spent about 6000.00 total for dining room and kitchen makeover. I just love my new kitchen!
Here is a little something I did yesterday:

 Made my own chalkboard in a frame, the chalk holder is a drawer handle turned upside down! Now when I run out of something I can jot it down right then!

Here is the wall, my little kiss the cook picture...I cook with wine plaque, and chalkboard. My red mixer is at home in the corner and that is a little cutting board that matches my counters they gave it to me yesterday with the install, I thought that was a nice touch even though they messed up measuring!
Ok stick around, hopefully tonight we will see the complete kitchen!!

San Diego Scrapping!

This weekend I flew to San Diego (DelMar fairgrounds actually) to attend Scrapbook Expo with Christy and Mary NR. The hotel was not the smae one we had last year and it was horrible, never stay at the Hampton inn by the fairgrounds! It is a nightmare for parking and other stuff!
But we figured we are here just to sleep so deal with it!
Went scrapping friday and saturday then flew home sunday, I was sick with a sore throat the whole time..will have to see a doctor as it has gone to my ear so I will need antibiotics for that mess!
But I did try to have as much fun as possible...we had wonderful dinners each night, Milton's, Miltons, and The Fish Market. That was yummy, clam chowder, steamed artichoke and bay shrimp cocktail!
They had some make and takes where you can paint a canvas with water colors and the money goes to charity, this year it was for CHOC the childrens hospital in OC. I made one for my craft room, one for my kitchen and brought home a blank to make for a gift!
Thanks to my sister and to Mary for travelling with me and going to these scrapbook functions, I hope they have as much fun as I do! We sure missed Mary F and Marlene!
Well I hope we all can be reunited in November for Ontario expo!

Mary and Christy.

 Me!

 Mary bought me this wine glass, uh, that was made for me!

 For my kitchen!

For my craft room!