Sparkling city by the sea

Two things I love. OK three. Yes, I admit there's a never-ending list. But for today, let's go with three.

1. My husband.
2. Date nights with Larry & DD.
3. Purdy-friendly hamburger joints on the Corpus Christi bay.

Before Jake left for Cali, we went to Harrison's Landing on the beautiful, glittery Corpus Christi bay. Haven't been? You should! Live music, pet-friendly and outside seating on/in the water.

I must say my favorite part was the queso and guac (yes, requires a Friday swim session and Saturday ski day to work off the chips, but WORTH IT). So fresh and yummy. It was so fun that DD and I tried to get Larry to take us back this weekend, too. We lost. BUT - I'm all about talking Jake into taking his girls again when he's back next weekend (L&DD, too).

 

I say they don't call Corpus Christi the sparkling city by the sea for nothing. I don't care what you CC haters say, I LOVE. Always have, always will.

China Rose

OK, so here's something to add to the list from last week of things that make me happy - flowers! Jake got me a bunch of new flowering plants for the front flower beds. Among them one of the most beautiful hibiscus plants I've ever seen! I had no idea the flower would be this beautiful, but when it bloomed it was bright white with a hot pink center! My absolute favorite! I'm so in love. There are about 15 to 20 blooms on it now! I can't WAIT until they all open up! Makes my day! I keep walking out the front door instead of the garage when I leave just so I can light up!

Out of curiosity I looked up "hibiscus" in the dictionary.

hi·bis·cus / [hahy-bis-kuhs, hi-]
–noun, plural -cus·es. Also called China rose. a woody plant, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, of the mallow family, having large, showy flowers: the state flower of hawaii.

OK - now I know why I love hibiscuses so much. Some of my favorite things - all in the definition.

• China rose (The rose part in particular.)
• Large, showy flowers (Ummm, can't go wrong there.)
• State flower of Hawaii (Tropical paradise in my front yard? Yes, please!)

It's the little things in life that sometimes mean the most. Today it was my flowering, white and hot pink hibiscus. XO.

Purdy & Me

I sure am glad I have a snuggle buggle to keep me company while Jake is out on the weps det in Cali.

We've been having so much fun. Walks, naps, car rides with the windows down, baths and fetch. What a life! We miss Jake, though - lots. Every time Purdy hears a car door shut or a truck drive up she runs to the front window, peeks out the curtain and barks her whole, little dog-head off. OMG - howling, barking, yelping ... repeat. Hurry home Jake!! Between Purdy going crazy over every sound, my run-in with a snake and me screaming at P to be quiet - I need some help around here!!

Purdy was begging to go play with Buddy this weekend. So ... tonight it's off to CC for puppy play time, water skiing and fun with the playmates. Can't wait. Hurry up, Tuesday. RW and RD miss their RM.

Keep Calm & Carry On

Definitely my motto for the day. I'm cooking a chicken in the crock pot today. I went to get it out of the fridge and an entire shelf fell out onto the floor with a horrendous, loud and crashing BANG -- complete with jalapenos, salad dressing(s), 1/2 & 1/2, and a foaming frosty ... TOTAL MESS. So, yes, I've already mopped the floor this morning. And all before I even started my work day.

Needless to say, my "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON" coffee mug was a must for today. I love that it's written in all caps, too. Is the coffee mug yelling at me to stay calm? Still trying to figure out if it's working or not. Maybe I need to be screamed at in order to understand what CALM means. Although that usually doesn't work for me. Anyhow, here goes trying to remain calm and in control.

Besides the coffee mug, there is one thing that never fails to cheer me up. A new favorite pic of my niece. Here's today's favorite. And, in case you're wondering, she's watching the food network! She is SOOOO a Frederick! Love her!

Oh, Dear Bows

I'm obsessed with bows. For me, for babies, for anyone! Love, love, love them. Someone asked me the other day if I thought a certain bow was too big for a baby. The answer .... "UMMMM CAN YOU HAVE A BOW THAT'S TOO BIG???" No way! I know my sister would agree. And KK would, too (for baby Cambridge). We grew up thinking it was almost a sin to not have a bow in our hair everywhere we went (OK, exaggerating a tad, but you get the point). Oh, and ... our hair was ALWAYS curled. Needless to say, now that I have a precious niece and tons of baby friends around, I'm in a bow-making-craze! All shapes and sizes, glitter, sparkle, black, white, bright, hot pink, neon, feathered, sequined - a girls gotta have 'em all! I'm sharing some pix below. And judging from the following pix ... yes, maybe my niece, Rylynn Rae (or RyRae as Auntie Ki calls her), thinks she might be a bow model. I say we gotta keep her closet stocked because you never know when she'll hit the "don't you dare put a bow on my head" phase!

 Ki & RyRae with a Purple & Pink Headband Bow made by Holley

 Ry and her wild side with a Leopard Bow by Kiley

 Custom Pink Bow with Sparkle Ribbon and Sequins on a Pink Headband by Ki

 All Custom Bows - Sold. Hot Pink Bow with Center Flower and Bright Orange Poof with Sparkle Ribbon by Ki

 Custom Bow - Sold. Bright Turquoise Feather Fluff on Turquoise Headband by Ki

 All Custom Bows by Ki & Holley

Ry with her Flower, Pearl & Hot Pink Ribbon Bow by Ki

 Rylynn with a Hot Pink Ruffled Poof Bow

 One of my favorites - White Feather Fluff on a Hot Pink Headband

 A better shot of the Purple & Pink Headband Bow made by Holley

How could anyone think this is not just precious. Ry & her GIANT Purple-y/Blue Knot Bow. LOVE.

I can/will do custom bows/headbands. And I have several laying around ready to go. Want more details? Just ask!

What's your happy place?

There are oh-so-many things in life that make me happy. Here are just a few.

Bible doctrine. My husband. Purdy-bear. My GIRLS! Walks on the beach with my sis, Mom & Auntie. FAMILY. A long workout that involves, sun and a sparkling outdoor lap pool. Crushed ice. Sunglasses. New SHOES. Finding a lipstick I've been wanting for 6 months. New green & BLUE eyeliner. Shopping. Mani/Pedis. Seeeester time. Fun times with my girls. DECORATING. Trip planning. Baby clothes. Making bows for my niece. My niece, Rylynn. My sweet Auburn. Oversized coffee mugs. Fresh ground Starbucks every morning. Road trips with Jake. New adventures. PINK. Anything shabby chic. Texas Longhorns. Mexican food, particularly Mi Tierra. Austin, TX - and all that entails. Antiquing with DD. Gyming it with Jake. Skiing - water and snow, alike. Memories. Diamonds. Weddings. Ruffles. New pink headbands. Long talks with the ones I love most. Relaxed attitudes.

I could go on ... and on ... and on. Just thinking of all these things makes me happy. What sends you to that blissful place?