{busy weekend}

Since Thursday was my last day of teaching for the summer....my friend and I planned on doing a 20 mile bike ride on Friday and hanging out in New Buffalo after the ride!! It was fabulous!! I am starting to train for the 100 mile bike ride in September...so it was great to have someone to ride with!! I didn't have my camera until our husbands met us up there after work....go figure! Because we saw some pretty awesome things along the way and we went to some really great places!! Maybe next time i'll remember to bring it!We cleaned up pretty well after our bike ride!! Good thing it wasn't too hot!

The last stop on our agenda was The Stray Dog...one of my favorite places!! It just love thier logo! It's so cute and well...you know I love dogs!So that was all on Friday....

Saturday starts and we decide to re-stain the hot tub... We go to the store and end up with blocks to build a fire pit!! {The hot tub never did get re-stained!}

I think it turned out really nice!! And it cost less then those fire pits that always rust out anyways!!

Even Ruby likes to sit on the chairs around the new fire pit!

Turns out we were three blocks short of finishing...so back to the store we went...and this time ended up with blocks to make a little patio! I still want to get some pots and flowers to go on the corners...I guess I know what i'll be doing today~

I think I seriously owe my husband!!

Owell...I think he secretly likes me to motivate him!! Haha.....

I really like to have different places to sit when I am outside...so now I can sit by the pool or I can go sit closer to the woods and feel more naturey...is that even a word??

It's finally just so nice outside!! Everything is in bloom and I am happy~Peonies are especially one of my favorites! The scent is just delicious!

I even got the birds a new bird bath!! Not much is blooming in this garden yet...but it will be and the birds and butterflies will be so happy!

Everything is just really shaping up and it just feels so good to get outside once again!Next weekend....the pond!!! OK..maybe I won't push my luck...I might wait for 2 weekends and then start building our pond! I do want to stay married!!'

Hope you had a super weekend and i'd love to hear about your weekend projects!

"Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language” Henry James

{outdoor inspiration}

Well...it's finally warm and humid here!! Most everyone complains about the heat and humidity..me, I love it!!! It puts me into serious overdrive with my thoughts and ideas!!
There just isn't enough time or, more importantly, money to do all of the things to our outdoor spaces that I dream of!! But I am a determined sort of person...so I don't give up hope!!!

I definately dream of an outdoor fireplace in some sort of poolhouse type structure!! An outdoor kitchen would be great...but I really don't think we'd use it all that much!! Just a grill is all I really need...except for maybe a pizza oven in the fireplace!! Here is some inspiration~~

This fireplace is definately my favorite...it looks so cozy! I could just curl up there with a glass of vino and some magazines and be perfectly happy!

Hopefully sometime in the not too distant future we can really take the time to build a really cozy, happy little poolhouse/outdoor room!!!

I love summertime and you would be hard pressed to find me anywhere inside during our short midwestern summers!!!

Maybe that's why i'm a teacher....SUMMER'S OFF!!!!

Do you have a favorite outdoor spot at your home???

(ps...click the image for the link}

{Ruby's 1st Day at the Beach}

Last evening my husband and I took the dogs up to Mt. Baldy so that Ruby could experience the beach for the first time!!! L.C. already loves the water and loves to go to the beach so I was hoping that she would be Ruby's inspiration!!To get to the water you can walk on a winding trail or you can walk up the HUGE dune....we chose the trail~ It was beautiful~
L.C. found a stick that was just her size!!

She chased waves~ Her favorite thing to do~
It cracked me up....everytime L.C. went running Ruby was always going the wrong way!!

Ruby had a really great time for her first time at the beach...She wasn't too sure about the waves but she loved everything else!

She especially loved the sand!! I think she ate more sand than anthing else!!!Our friends joined us too!! They rock! I know how much they love the beach and it was so nice to have them with us!!! Michelle has been in my life since 7th grade!! Now that's some history! Plus she's so darn cute!! Some people have even mentioned that we look like sisters!! She's on the left in this photo! I don't know...but I sure love her!!When it was time to leave...we chose to walk up the dune!! I thought it would help to wear out Ruby!!! L.C. had a hard time!! She's almost 7 years old and she's just not that into physical fitness anymore!!!!! But we all made it!! I even did it with my wine in hand~At the top the scenery is just incredible!! It's hard to believe that we were as high as the tree tops!! So awesome!!
I was so happy!! It was like my heart was rested and my soul was happy!! I know sometimes it takes extra work to go and do the things that truly make you happy but it is soooo important!! And I am glad we took the time to go on a Friday night!! What a fabulous start to the holiday weekend!!

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." Confucius

{an award}

How nice....I got an award!!! Sealaura, who actually used to live in my neck of the woods, gave me a sweet little award!! How nice of you Sealaura!!! Oh did I mention, she is now living in the great sunshine state of Florida!! Lucky girl!!

Anywho....
About the Award: "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

Here are my picks.....

I'm Just Beachy~~~ I love her blog! So cute and so beachy!! Her blog helped me stay sane during a freezing cold midwestern winter!!!
Bella Fleur~~My "real" life friend!! She is always up to something natury!!
Smoothpebble~~~ She was {I think} the first person to write me on my blog!! So nice!! I love her blog...it is about real life stuff and it's always interesting!! And...she's also purchased simpledaisy jewelry!! I appreciate that!!!
Hula Girl at Heart~~ well really who isn't a hula girl at heart!! Super cute blog!!

OK....those are my picks!! I know it's supposed to be eight..but hey, I am lucky to have a moment to even sit down and pick four!! New puppy, end of the year at school, still trying to keep my running up....not enough hours in the day!!!

Thanks again Sealaura!! I appreciate that you enjoy my blog!! Take care~

EDIT~~~
IN MY RUSH TO POST LAST NIGHT.....I MENTIONED THAT SEALUARA IS FROM FLORIDA.....ACTUALLY SHE'S FROM CALIFORNIA!! EVEN BETTER!! SHE'S STILL A LUCKY GIRL~

{aqua blue dog}

Let's see... in my spare time...{wait, I don't have any and probably won't until Ruby is a little older}..... I have been finding all kinds of super cute dog accessories, in, you guessed it, my favorite color ........ aqua blue!!!
I found some really adorable dog collars.
For the ultimate beach dog~

barker & meowsky

I definately love...love..love this collar!! Aqua blue and daisies, my favorite combination!! I think i'll wait until Ruby gets older and then i'll have to get her and L.C. matching collars!!

barker & meowsky

I also found....

these little ID tags...how cute!!

barker & mewosky

You know i'll have to get the one with the little aqua daisy!!

I also found an aqua blue dog bowl....

blue house

I think this bowl is just so simple and so cute!! Too bad they wouldn't know what color their bowls are!! They are just happy to eat! How could life be any easier!!

A canister for thier treats!! dog supplies

Toys in aqua blue...seriously!!! Who knew there were so many aqua blue dog things~

barker & meowsky

barker & meowsky

I know L.C. would love this frisbee!! She loves to play fetch and she is in love with frisbees...but not yet able to catch it out of the air!!

And lastly...after they've played all day they could go to sleep in a charming little {ok, it would have to be BIG} dog bed~

barker & meowsky
I think i'd have to get a part time job to afford all of these things!! But it is fun to look!!
I am sure ruby & L.C. do have aqua blue daisy collars and charms in their future!!
How fun~

{update}

We've had Ruby for almost a week........

and let me tell you, I forgot how much WORK having a puppy is!! I haven't sleep all week and as a result came down with a nasty chest cold!! It was going around work...so I think I was just doomed to get it!! But not getting any rest probably didn't help~

We are learning a lot about Ruby~

She is going to be BIG! She has already grown out of one collar and she eats a ton~

She love to chase ants, chew sticks and tear my freshly planted flowers out of the ground!

She sleeps a lot but when she's awake, she is all over the place!!

She is very bright and has already learned to sit at the door before I open it...potty training on the other hand....challenging!!

It is hard not to love her...she has a very sweet personality and a super cute face!!

We think she has a lot of Labrador retriever in her...but I am not sure. It's hard to tell at this age.

I am learning that husbands aren't all that helpful in raising a puppy!! Maybe that's why we don't have children!!!! OK ... he does help a little!!

Still working on LC ... but she has been very tolerant of Ruby!! I have tons of questions for the vet about their behavior together b/c I am determined to have this work out!! LC is not shy about letting Ruby know who is boss..but I think she'll have a run for her money in a few months!! I am praying they can work it out!!

Why we want 2 dogs ...I don't know! Maybe because we like dog hair!! If you can tell by the flower they have to walk past to come inside..there is hair everywhere!! Even on the flowers!!!

Hope you have a super weekend!!!!

"Dogs understand your moods and your thoughts, and if you are thinking unpleasant things about your dog, he will pick it up and be downhearted." Barbara Woodhouse