Here We Go Again

Yesterday I pulled out all of my shells and projects. I am ready to start creating again.

I started this a while ago but I really can't wait to finish it. It is a mirror. I just need to order a few more shells for it.


I decided I really need to get organized with all of these shells around, you know, so I can be more proficient with my creations. So I am sorting by type into bags and bins.

I have a whole bin full of scallop shells and I haven't sorted them all yet...good thing these are used for so many of my projects!

This has nothing to do with this post, but I took this picture last weekend and I think these guys are funny :)
My sister is coming tomorrow and we will be deciding on some Easter menu items. I will probably not do another post until after Easter so HAPPY EASTER everyone!

Shrimp 'n' Grits and Race Cars!

My mother came to visit over the weekend and we had a great time.

On Friday was my Grandmother's Birthday so we spent the afternoon with her. Happy Birthday Baker!

Saturday Afternoon we headed down to St. Pete to go to a fresh produce market....but St. Pete happened to be hosting the Grand Prix races.
So we had some tapas and drinks at Ceviche's, and we were able to see some of the races from there.

Below is some art we walked through on our way back to the car. I really like these fishes.

And on Friday we made shrimp and grits.
Husband and I happened to catch Throwdown with Bobby Flay the night before and shrimp and grits was the challenge.
We thought it looked amazing and so we had to make it while mom was in town.

Some of the ingredients:

You boil some water with 2 chicken bouillon cubes and some butter. Then add the grits. Keep stirring and add some cream, tomato paste and extra sharp cheddar cheese.

You have to make a roux and then add some cream and broth. Then stir while it thickens.

The sauce goes over the shrimp which is over the grits which are so completely delicious! Melts in your mouth people.
I HIGHLY recommend this and I think the family does too...


For a more detailed recipe - head over to the food network.


Here is where we watched the races.


Mom and I thought it would be a good idea to split a pitcher of Sangria. It turned out that it WAS a good idea ;)



This guy lost a tire right near us. Everybody jumped up from their tables to take pictures - including me.


As we were leaving, we saw a totally different type of car...


Another great Tampa Bay weekend :)

Air Show & Renaissance Festival

Hello there.

What a busy few days we've had...I almost have everything put back in order after the carpet installation. But we had to take some time off to play :)

This first photo doesn't have anything to do with my title but I wanted to show you what my niece and nephew did for me for my Birthday.
They made me these beautiful and special pictures which are now hanging in my bedroom.
THANKS TINY AND PARKER!!

(That's Felix's butt in the way there)


So on Saturday, Our friend Matt had a great idea.

He said, lets go watch the air show from our kayaks - so we did!

We launched from Picnic Island.

The water was so beautiful and calm for us...until the end of the show.
Then the wind started picking up for our next front I guess.


We were able to see so much in the clear water - including sand dollars, sting rays and lots of these little conchs.
We also saw these two horseshoe crabs twice.

Oh yeah, and cool planes!

This was our viewing area.

The Blue Angels.


Then on Sunday we went to the Renaissance Festival - in the rain.
And we saw some interesting, but fun people.


They had plenty of libations for sale.

This group - The Bawdy Boys - played. They were quite talented.

And Husband met the village idiot...or was it the other way around?

All in all it was a fabulous weekend. Happy Tuesday everyone.

St. Patrick's Day Review

I hope you all had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!

Yesterday happened to be my Birthday and I also learned that my Great Grandmother was born on St. Patty's Day.

I am so proud to be part Irish and to have such a fun day to celebrate every year.
This year we drove over to Epcot and spent the evening with our Besties ;)


This is Pam. She sang me happy birthday at the pub in London.


Husband and I had a drink at the Boardwalk hotel - it is so nice in there.
(I wore my new peacoat that my awesome parents got me, it kept me perfectly warm)




Me and Carolyn walkin up the steps to Japan. It has been quite windy here.

And this is what I have been up to today - moving everything off the floors of every closet and clearing out the bookshelves for our new carpet instillation tomorrow am.


And I still have a little bit more to go...I hope I have enough room! Obviously we have too much stuff.

Our Super Awesome Weekend

Wow, I don't understand why I am allowed to have such a great life. I have the best family, the best friends and the best husband in the world. The only word I can come up with to describe last weekend, and most of my days honestly, is - blessed.

First, on Saturday, we went to the Plant City Strawberry Festival with these people:
Our great friends who feel that their faces do not frequent this blog enough!


We saw strawberries and ate strawberries.

This was a strawberry napoleon..?? Not sure about the spelling or the name here but it was good.
We had fried pickles and mushrooms - SO good.


We tried to win fish. But you all know how those things are set up...


We saw something we hadn't yet seen in our lives...

This is what they are looking at:
I can't believe this. It's like hamsters.

We saw momma cows and baby cows.






And when we thought we had seen all the fried food possible, we came across this:

It actually looks delicious to me!


And this! Bacon dipped in chocolate - pretty good but I would be fine with one or the other.

And then - the mac daddy of them all - fried butter and any kind of fried candy bar you fancy.
Of course by this time we were too full and out of money to try any of these things;)

And then, I had no clue about the next event for our Saturday evening. Husband told me to get dressed up real fancy, that he wanted to take me to a nice dinner because we haven't had a "date" in a while. So I thought this was pretty normal considering my birthday is this week.

So we went to dinner at a place called FLY. It was the most delicious meal I have had in a loooooong time. Then the couple next to us asked me, "Why are you all so dressed up, are you going to see Michael Buble?" And I said, "No, well, I don't think so...husband?!"

And Husband said, "Yes, we are!" What a surprise. I had wanted to go but the tickets were sold out when I checked. It turns out, Husband and my Dad pulled some strings together and got us some great seats. See? The only word to describe my life is BLESSED!




P.S. Happy St. Patricks Day everyone!!