Friday Favorites – Week 340 – Slow Cooker Country Breakfast

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Our 2016 Fall Home Tour

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Welcome to the Our 2016 Fall Home Tour. This year virtually flew by for me.  I can’t believe it’s already time for another Fall Home Tour.  This year I happened to be working while trying to get everything together for the Season, which had its own set of challenges. And, I charged myself with trying to reuse as much of the past seasons décor but in different ways and or in different areas of the house.  For the most part, I was able to do that with just a few additions here and there.

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Stage Presents 2016 Fall Home Tour Tablescape - Formal Dining Room - stage-presents.com Stage Presents 2016 Fall Home Tour Tablescape - Formal Dining Room - stage-presents.com

The Exterior of the House

Decorating the outside of the house/front porch area was a lot of fun for me this year.  Mostly, because I was able to use all  the decorations from last year. The only new purchases were our Pumpkin Door Mat and (2) bales of hay from Walmart.

The Formal Living Room – 

The formal living room is the least used room in our entire house, but since it extends into the Formal Dining Room, I can’t get away with decorating one room and not the other.  I was able to reuse a wreath from last year and a lamp that we bought last year.  We added some seasonal pillows with pops of orange to the couch and I think it tied the whole look together.

The Formal Dining Room – 

As always the Formal Dining Room is where we do the most decorating.  The table centerpiece is always the point of most contention.  Whenever the season starts, [in my mind],  I have already narrowed down the look I am going for.  However, that rarely works out the way that I think it will.  This year was no different, I put together what seemed like an easy look and I sent hubby on a mission to find me deer antlers.  He accepted the challenge and brought them back, but somehow we just couldn’t make it look like it did in our heads.  So then I went to Walmart and bought these Better Home and Gardens Acacia Wood Bark Chargers,  (Click the Link for Pictures), and some pumpkins.  At this point, I still wasn’t sure about what I wanted everything to look like, but, I knew that I wanted the table to have different dimensions.  I wish I could show you pics of the mess, when I laid all of this out on the table.  After shaking my head one too many times, I called in the hubby for reinforcements or maybe it was for a rescue mission.  I fiddled with a few things and told him what I was looking for and he waved his magic wand and our Centerpiece was complete.  The Fall Leaf Garland, was something that we already had, we used the Acacia Chargers to give the Pumpkin in Our Centerpiece some height.  I picked up the leaf candle holders and the Acorn Salt and Pepper Shakers from Family Dollar and all together it created this year’s Fall Tablescape.

Every year, I learn more and more about my husband from the strangest things.  This is no different.  I am pretty sure he could care less about the house being decorated for the seasons or Tablescapes, and Centerpieces, but he knows that it makes me happy.  And, even though he probably would never admit it, he subscribes to the concept of Happy Wife, Happy Life.  And, though I consider myself to be a creative person, what we do together far surpasses anything we do apart.  So I dedicate this post and this year’s Fall Home Tour to Mr. Stage without whom things just wouldn’t go the way that they do.  Well, that’s the mushy part of this post.  If you haven’t gagged yet, lol.  Thanks for coming on over!!  We loved having you!!  See you next year.

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“AUTUMN PAINTS IN COLORS THAT SUMMER HAS NEVER SEEN.”

Friday Favorites – Week 339 – Harvest Fairy Garden

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The 2016 Fall Must Haves…

It’s officially the first day of Autumn!!  You know what that means, all you folks that were shaking your heads at my Early Fall Decorations can now take several seats!!  LOL.  OK, I am kidding, well kind of …  There is just something about Fall that sends my Energy and Creativity Levels soaring.  As much as I enjoy a good pool or beach day, me and elevated temperatures are not friends.  Plus, fall means time to update your wardrobe, pull out your Cold Weather Goodies and get rid of those things that you no longer love!!  And, who would not love that?

Sweaters and Tops:

The most important rule of Fall Fashion is layering.  I mean lets face it, its not exactly Parka Weather, but it is often Brisk Enough early in the day to catch the oh so infamous “Autumn Cold”.  And, NO ONE, especially us Moms, have time for that.  I am always excited every year at how diverse the selection of Sweaters and Tops are for the changing season.  You can go from Casual Chic to Sexy Mom with just a few style changes.

2016 Autumn Fashion Must Haves Sweaters and Tops

 

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Boots… Boots and More Boots:

There are so many different boot styles to choose from.  But, this time of year I am particularly fond of Ankle Boots.  Simply because I consider them to be a transitional staple.  They can go from Early Fall to late Winter.  But, I also have a love hate relationship with them.  The oh so anal side of me wants my pants/jeans/slacks to be long enough not to hide their beauty, but not short enough that I look like I am expecting a flood.

2016 Autumn Fashion Must Haves Boots.. Boots.. and More Boots

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Scarves.. Ponchos.. and Wraps…

Surprise, Surprise, my love affair with the Blanket Scarf has made its way into this season.  But, in addition to that these Ponchos and Wraps are just as fun, if not more because of their Cover Up Properties.  You can throw them over a t-shirt, add the right accessories and splash some color on your lips and you are good to go.

2016 Autumn Fashion Must Haves Scarves Ponchos and Wraps

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“personal style should be effortless. it’s not about what you wear, but how confident you are when you wear it.” – Monica rose

There’s nothing like a Good Refresh to get you going and take you through the last Quarter of the Year.  What are your favorite Fall Pieces?  Share your finds in the comment section below!!  I can’t wait to read all about it. Are you dressing your house up for fall as well?  If so, be sure to grab this Free Fall Printable here.

Friday Favorites – Week 338 – Halloween Succulent Planters

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Book Review: The Year of Yes

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I am a hard critic.  It takes a lot for me to be impressed with pretty much anything.  But, every now and then I run across something, watch a movie or read something that speaks to me on so many different levels.  This was this case with this book.  For me it encapsulated so much of what it is to be a woman, a mother, a creative, and a dreamer.  At parts it even hurt to acknowledge and admit some of the truths that it laid out.

This is the first book review that I have written here on the SP Blog.  Mostly because I never want to stop anyone from forming their own opinions or thwart their resolve to read any book, because I think that what you take away from every book you read can be such a singular experience.  But, I really wanted to share with you some of the things that spoke to me from this book.  And the reason for that is that we, (women), are complex beings and I think that in being caretakers and nurturers we sometimes lose sight of the fact that we are multi-dimensional.  A good amount of the time we adopt societies way of minimizing our feelings or chalking it up to being emotional or hormones, or whatever.

I know for me the older I get, the more I realize that when I feel cornered or stifled it is more than likely because of a box that I created for myself.  Not based on my feelings thoughts and aspirations, but based on what I think I should be.  I am a lover of spoken word, quotes, etc.  So it should come as no surprise that my favorite parts of this book, came from some of the Speeches that she gave.  In her Dartmouth Commencement Speech, Shonda (Yes, Shonda like I know her she could be “my bff” in my head) talked about the The Dreamer vs. Doer.  I swear I wanted to post pages and pages here instead of just a short excerpt, because I swear she was SCREAMING directly into my soul when she wrote these words.

“Maybe you know exactly what you dream of being.  Or maybe you’re paralyzed because you have no idea what your passion is.  The truth is it, doesn’t matter.  You don’t have to know.  You just have to keep moving forward.  You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to try something new…. Don’t sit at home waiting for the magic dream opportunity.  Who are you Prince William? No.  Get A job.  Work.  Do until you can do something else.”

Being a Creative Person while exhilarating, can be paralyzing.  Why?  Because you have a million thoughts going through your head at any time.  You dreams span from your garage to your international business and everything in between.  Often that great a dream, can be suffocating.  Not knowing what steps need to be taken can stop you dead in your tracks.  And, you forget that you can just take that first step.  It’s like me with exercising, as long as I am doing it consistently, I remember how good I feel afterwards and all the great effects that it has on my health and blood sugar.  But, let me get too many days in between, the aches creep in and my bed or the sofa seems like a much more gratifying option.  Our Etsy Store started out with pillows, I tell this story all the time.  And, now we have over 270 items available in our store.  It was a project that my husband and I could work on together.   So many people told me you don’t want to work with your husband, and not that it hasn’t come with its own set of challenges.  But, it has being a profitable venture, gave me an outlet for my creativity and drive and it’s been good for my marriage.

Then she talks about Balance.  And, God did I need to hear this one.  “ANYONE THAT TELLS YOU THEY ARE DOING IT ALL PERFECTLY IS A LIAR.”  Remember earlier, when I told you that I was a hard critic.  The person that I am hardest on is….. MYSELF.  I can’t sit on the couch and not think about all the things that I am not be doing.  Now, I am not saying that to say that I always get all these things done.  But, I am saying that they haunt me.  Now I will tell you straight up, I got this from my Momma.  But, she is clearly more adept than me, because she actually gets it done.  You can come to my mom’s house day and night and what you will walk right into is A Stepford Wife kitchen.  I know I just finished saying that I know I can’t do it all, and I do.  But, I still aspire to be that chick.  But, it’s true aside from the fact that there are only so many hours in the day.  Achieving balance is damn near impossible.

There is soo much more than I could share about this book, but I don’t want to give the whole thing away.  And, I don’t think I have any more library renewals left on this one.  But, I will say this.  It is worth the read.  I think we often look at celebrities, or writers, or politicians and believe that these people have it all together.  And, I am sure most of them have it more together than I do.  But, this book genuinely reminds me that we are all HUMAN, prone to err, fear, and a multitude of other emotions.  I will definitely be purchasing this book, because it bears re-reading or at the very least to be used as a reference tool.  If you happen to grab it and enjoy it.  Leave your comments below, I would love to hear what spoke to you.

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Shonda Rhimes Glowing from the Inside Out

Celebrate Grandparent’s Day!!

GRANDPARENTS ROCK AND SO DOES GRANDPARENT’S DAY!!

Celebrate Grandparent's Day with 3 Free Grandparent's Day Coloring Sheets - stage-presents.com

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Tomorrow is Grandparent’s Day!! Do your little ones want to show Grandma and Grandpa just how much they mean to them?  Grab some crayons and let them get to work on these Free Fun Coloring Sheets.  My parents are all about anything they get from the “grands”.  Think of what a treat this will be.

I hear a lot of belly aching about these Commercial Holidays that supposedly Hallmark has invented.  I am not weighing in either way.  But, I am all for this one.  I was not fortunate enough to grow up around my grandparents, but whenever they came to visit it was such a treat.  There’s nothing quite like hearing first hand stories about what your parents were like as kids, from their parents.  There is always a bit more truth to it, lol.  I hope your little ones are lucky enough to have a relationship with their grandparents.  Enjoy them while you can.   So Download and Print these Free Coloring Sheets.  You can frame them or give  it to them as is, the choice is yours.

Happy Grandparent’s Day Certificate

Grandpa You Color My World

Grandma You Are The Apple of My Eye

Here’s a Little Factual History about the day. In 1970, a West Virginia housewife, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, initiated a campaign to set aside a special day just for Grandparents.  The first Grandparents Day was proclaimed in 1973 in West Virginia by Governor Arch Moore.   In 1978, five years after its West Virginia inception, the United States Congress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. The proclamation was signed by President Jimmy Carter. (September was chosen for the holiday, to signify the “autumn years” of life.)
Today this event, begun by only a few, is observed by millions throughout the United States.  For more information on The History of Grandparent’s Day, follow the link.

“GOD COULDN’T BE EVERYWHERE, SO HE MADE GRANDPARENTS.”

Friday Favorites – Week 337 – Tea Cart Makeover

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My Love Affair with Vegetables

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My name is Sheree and I am a “Carb-a-Holic”, but I am also a diabetic, so those two things just don’t mesh do they.  After a serious illness this summer, I was forced to choose my diagnosis over my addiction. So with that choice came the need for a change in the way I ate and in what I ate. Giving up rice and pasta I knew would be the hardest thing for me to conquer. But, I was scared enough that I was willing to let them go.  (Dragging My Feet The Whole Way)

After shedding more than a few tears for my life long affair with Macaroni and Cheese and Lasagna,  I got on Pinterest and started researching substitutes for rice and pasta, and what kept coming up for me over and over again was cauliflower. At this point, I think I had probably eaten cauliflower maybe once or twice in my entire life.  It seemed like Cauliflower was the Alpha and Omega to my new way of living.  And, I believed all the hype about Cauliflower Rice really tasting like rice, or the Faux Loaded Mashed Potatoes tasting just like the real thing.  I know you can’t see it, but I am giving you my “Yeah Right” Screw Face.  You and I know that it is ALWAYS hard to duplicate the real thing.  As you can imagine, there were several both frustrating and failed attempts along this path of mine.  But, once I accepted that there was no magic pill or in this case vegetable things got easier.

So I began to broaden my horizons and incorporate all kinds of Vegetables, many of which I have been fans of all my life.  Like Onions… God I love Onions.  Then my Caribbean Roots started to kick in, after all the base of most of our most popular dishes starts out with seasoning and not typically ones you can shake.  So I started to throw in tomatoes, peppers, garlic, etc.  And low and behold my options became endless.

Yesterday, I received the results of my A1C test.  It is a test that diabetics have to take to make sure that their blood sugar is controlled.  Without going into details, the last test I took was totally off the charts and not in a good way.  The test I just received the results for was phenomenal.  They consider normal 6.99 and below and mine was 7.10.   It was such a joy to see my hard work and the hard work of my family pay off.   I include them in this because everyone in my house has had to make sacrifices for Mommy to eat right.  And, there has been no murmuring or complaining, or at least none that an occasional pizza didn’t cure.

Whether you are diabetic, embarking on a life change, just deciding to go low carb or whatever your reasons are for choosing to add more veggies and protein to your diet here are some of my favorite recipes so far.   I have pretty much put my own spin on everything that I have tried and you probably will too, so be sure to share your secrets with us, or even share a link to your favorites in the comments below.  I look forward to reading all about it.

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Photo Credits Belong to The Blogs Linked Below

Cauliflower Rice with Garlic and Green Onion from Kaly’s Kitchen

Low – Carb Mock Lasagna Spaghetti Squash Casserole from Kaly’s Kitchen

Fried Cabbage with Sausage from Extreme Savings with Diva Desirae

Zucchini and Squash Au Gratin from Just A Pinch

Happy Eating from my plate to yours!!

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