Where We Stayed

We love visiting PA and I would move there if we could but it's not happening right now.  At least we have a chance to visit.  I wanted to share some pictures of where we stayed while we were there.

This is the outside of the unit.

Here is the dining area.  The kid's room is off to the left and to the right is the entrance and a full bath.

The living area with sliding doors out to a screened in porch.

A fully stocked kitchen.  Which makes these trips so nice and much more affordable.  There was a fireplace and flat screen tv's in each room.  To the left is the master bedroom with a king size bed and a jacuzzi tub and a full bath with double sinks.  We could get spoiled there. 

My adorable son is the one smiling in the kitchen.  Too bad he's not cooking. LOL

Back From Vacation

We came back last Friday from our vacation to Pennsylvania.  We had a great time and I wish we could move there.  I have always loved Pennsylvania.  Unfortunately, the weather was not the best while we were there and it hasn't been good since we returned home.   It was raining on Friday when we came home and we haven't seen sun since then.  There is supposed to be a turn around in the weather tomorrow and I sure hope so because I am absolutely sun deprived.  My garden is not too happy either.  The temperatures have only been in the 60's and I'm afraid I will be losing my peppers and melons.  I hope they will survive.

I have to get busy now that we are back.  On my to do list is:

Finish Vintage Satchel for my daughter

Work on Cosy Crochet and Knit Swap

Finish Crochet Market Bags that I started

Start Potholders  for a Potholders Swap

Things have not been cooperating with time lately.  I had to work on Friday night when we returned.  I unpacked in a whirl wind, made a quick supper and went off to work.  Saturday was our dd's 16th birthday,  we did some celebrating and took her shopping at the mall.  That is what she wanted.  Sunday we had some company to visit our daughter and it was Father's day.  Not much has been accomplished since then, either.  Laundry was piled up but is now completely done.  My daughter and I had an orthodontist appt.  yesterday.   The bracket keeps breaking off and I had to go back today. Hopefully, it will now stay on and I will soon be done with this treatment.  My son had art class and I was meeting someone at Borders because I was able to sell some of our homeschool books that we no longer use.  The extra cash will be nice to have with the up keeping projects.  I also went to Kohl's because they were having a great sale.  I bought a fabulous summer dress and a great new top.  No time at home to crochet.  I would love a driver to take me places.  I could crochet while he/she drives.  Imagine how much I could get accomplished.

Life has taken over and the to do projects have been put by the wayside.  I hope to get to them soon.

I will catch up more and have some pictures to share later this week.

Yard and Garden

I thought I would continue the tour of our home with the yard and garden.  We have a pretty large backyard, especially for the usual size of lots in our area.  This property is actually considered two lots. It's one of the reasons why we chose this house.

This is the back of our house.

Our strawberries~they are so sweet.  Nothing like the kind you buy at the market.

Strawberry plants~sorry it's flipped.  They are spreading nicely.  I hope to have this whole box full by next summer and then we can start another one.

This is our little greenhouse.  It was getting so hot in there with even the slightest sunshine.  We took the plastic off the door for ventilation.  I started seeds indoors but put them in the greenhouse in early April and they did well with some extra ventilation during the day and warmth during the night.

This is our garden.  My husband built this enclosure because of the squirrels.  For two years they destroyed everything I planted.  I'm so glad they can't get to it now.  All of the seeds I planted are heirloom seeds from Seed Savers.  I can't wait to try the produce when it grows.

Spinach, tomatoes and lettuce plant.

Beans

More lettuce and tomatoes.

I have planted:  Amish Melon

Early Fortune Cucumbers

Golden Zucchini Squash

King of the North Peppers

Eva Purple Ball Tomato

Chalk's Early Jewel Tomato

Czech's Bush Tomato

Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch Kale

Grandpa Admire's Lettuce

America Spinach

Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce

Golden Bantam Improved Corn

Burpee Stringless Bean

Climbing French Bean

Gourd Mixture

The peppers are still in the greenhouse.  We have had a lot of rain and cool temperatures so far this season.  Only one cucumber plant survived but that's ok for cucumbers.  Next year I will also have garlic and a some herbs.  I didn't want to overdue it for my first year starting from seeds and growing heirlooms.  I am anxious to share the harvest with you.

Tour of My Home

I thought it would be fun to give all of my blog friends a tour of our home.  Candy at Keeping the Christian Home has done this with her home and I have always enjoyed looking through her pictures.  It's a great way to get ideas that can be useful to use in our own home.

This is our son's bedroom.  This bed unit is gigantic.  It has a trundle bed, desk, dresser and a closet in the back.

This is the other side of our son's room.  

This is our daughter's room.  It is in need of an update to go with her new older style. She will be 16 next week.  Hopefully, this summer it will be redone.

This is the other side of her room.  Here she is working hard.

This is the master bedroom.  It is a small room and we do not have a headboard for this reason.  I am thinking of getting a vinyl cling design medallion as a focal point between the two windows.

The other side of the master bedroom.

This is our living room.  This room is takes up one side of the first floor.

The other side of the living room.  We have our dining room in here also.  Our kitchen is small and a table would be too crowded.  I think this works much better.

This is one side of our kitchen.  It opens up into our bedroom.

This is the other side of the kitchen.

This is the view of the kitchen from the back entry way.  Sorry, it's a little dark.

This is the back entry way.  Across from the door is a pantry, door to the basement and the dog's kennel.

This is our bathroom cabinet and new light fixture.

This is the view going into the bathroom.  We only have one bath on the second floor.

Another view of the bathroom.  I just reorganized this cabinet last week.  I spray painted the metal cans that I had bought on clearance.  I purchased the white basket and added some pretty towels to the top of the cabinet.

This is the sink, it's original to the house. Not my favorite but it's here.  Next to it is the new shelf I bought last week and another pretty white basket to keep things neat.

I hope you have enjoyed the pictures of our home.  I would love to see some of yours.  If you post them please let me know so I can come and visit.  It's been fun sharing our home with you.  Later this week I will post pictures of the garden.  It's raining today and I couldn't take pictures.

New Book to Love

While out browsing at Borders one day I came across a book that I just knew I was going to love.  It is filled with the most wonderful treasures that will keep your hands busy for a long time.  I knew right away that there were at least ten things in this book that I wanted to try right away.  

  

I love the unconventional materials used throughout the book for all the different projects.  You will find great instructions and pictures throughout the book.  The instructions are clear and easy to understand.  The New Techniques and Mastering the Basics have great pictures to help you understand the text.  Being a visual person this helped me know just exactly what I needed to do and if I was doing it right.

It didn't take long to figure out which would be my first project.  My daughter immediately wanted this awesome Vintage Satchel.  I think I will be jealous when it's finished and she gets to use it because I really want one, too.  

Isn't it just gorgeous?  I love everything about it.  I can't wait until it's finished and I can show you the pictures of this completed wonder.  I hope I do it justice.  

There are some great pictures on Julie's Flickr.  Go on over and take a look at all the great projects in this book.  If you crochet I think you will want to run out and grab this book for yourself.  

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.  Stay tuned for pictures of my completed project.