Blue Whimsy!

Blue makes me Happy!

I love when rooms look like they just happened and they were not planned.

My house is very planned...I need to add some whimsy!

Looking into whimsy this weekend...

What are your whimsy ideas?

How do you add the unexpected?

Do your rooms look like they just happened to come together...or there was a plan behind it?

I am thinking that mixing of pattern adds whimsy...do you think I am on the right track?

How about a splash of random color?

Seriously let me know?

Have a great day!

Love and Whimsy,

Tracey

Paint...and Fishy Questions.

Remember when I bought that pine armoire from that estate sale?

Remember I could not decide if I should keep it...or flip it?

I finally decided...

a. to keep it!

b. to paint it!

I really struggled as to what to paint on it.

I had idea OVERLOAD so I waited until I could not shake one of the ideas.

I could not shake the FISH market idea.

It was kind of like when you are in T.J. Maxx and you put something in your cart and walk around with it,

you get to the check out and you KNOW...yup-can't live without it.

It was that kinda process.

I walked around with all of the ideas...and at "checkout" I settled with this design.

Not only are we totally beach people...we are fish fanatics.

We LOVE fish.

My children when asked what they would choose pizza or fish without fail... choose fish.

I know crazy right?

Tilapia

Salmon

Haddock

Cod...

if it swims!

We are also all fishermen.

I never thought I would ever like the sport.

However there is nothing like feeling that tug on the other end of your fishing line.

Then the anticipation of pulling out that fish and seeing what is on the hook...

in Florida we have pulled some amazingly beautiful fish!

It has become a common love for all of us.

Remember I was also trying to figure out that light fixture.

I choose this.

I added this rope around the black wire.

I love it!

Sorry about the dust..out of sight out of mind...right?

It's Monday...the day we talk about marriage.

Here is the deal about marriage today.

The marriages that we see that are thriving have a few things in common.

One of the #1 things we see is this...

you support your spouse in what they love...in who they are.

We do that for our kids ALL the time.

We go to their games, drive them to practice...

ask a billion questions about the who, what, where, why and when in their lives.

Who are you today?

What do you need today?

Where is your heart today?

Why is your heart there?

When can we connect again like this again?

So we  have challenged couples who were struggling...and couples in a good season to ask these questions.

It is easy to remember cause...

we all learned how to write essay papers using some version of these questions.

So if you find yourself struggling to communicate try to get the who, what, where, why and when.

You don't literally have ask..."so...where is your heart today", although you could...

the purpose is to get to the answer on the other side of that question.

HOW you get there does not matter...THAT you get there does.

So what does that have to do with a fish armoire?

Nothing.

It's just I could not wait to show you the armoire...I was toooo excited about it.

But...I promised marriage Mondays!

I pray you have a great day...

and that the who, what, where, when, and why of your life is full of joy!

Love and Fishy Questions,

Tracey

Projects and Lemonade.

It is prrrroject day over here today!

We are...

wrapping rope around our new light fixture...

finishing painting a piece of furniture...

building a new headboard...

heading to T.J.Maxx looking for new pillows...

O.K. hopefully we will get all of that done...

The expanded list.

 painting the kitchen...

doing our 2 plank walls...

painting 2 boards for my sons room...

the master bathroom...

maybe painting our piano...(what do you think about that?)

hanging light fixtures in 3 places...

and oh so much more...

does your list ever stop?

I always keep lemonade handy for days like these!

I keep frozen strawberries in syrup to add...my kiddos love it!

Love and Lemonade!

Tracey

Dream reflections...

It really is a dream come true.

The new DREAM ship lives into it's name in a whole new Disney kind of way.

Start saving your pennies...seriously.

The cousins (minus baby cousin who is chasing Mini)

My parents and my BFF from jr. high and high school...yes a total GODincidence that she and her family were on the same cruise. We both had booked the same one and and found out 3 month ago.

She is the best kind of friend a girl could have...I am forever grateful for her!

She deserves her own post...to come soon.

Never a dull moment...putt putt...while sailing!

Our server staff and new friends...(Ludo and Mario) were always making dinner fun for our family.

Oh if I could have only heard every secret that happened during dinner between these 2.

I have never heard 2 girls giggle for 5 day straight! Memories forever!

We found Mini by the pool...

Disney does not allow you to take pictures during their AMAZING shows...

But this is a photo of our kiddos who were choose to go on stage and be the 7 dwarfs...they got to go back stage, get costumes...and act and dance on stage during the actual performance.

Team Cousins! It was awesome!

This girl was made for cruising...just like her momma!

On Disney's Castaway Cay...unbelievable!

Did you ever do this when you were 6?....no me either!

Cousins in the hammock (minus baby who is still chasing Mini...seriously).

A princess and her ship.

A sweet lady from our church made M this dress before we left.

She had fittings and everything...she felt like a true princess.

There was LOTS of eating...yummy and beautiful dishes.

This one made me make lots of yummm noises.

My sweet server and new BFF poured the cream sauce for me...Disney makes everyone feel like a princess young and not so young anymore!

Oh...what to order?

One of my favorite things was watching my kiddos order.

The servers LOVED our son who ordered EVERY fish dish.

This is escargot..yes snails...now he has asked me to make them...ugh.

They were in awe of his palette...he is an amazingly brave kind of kid!

Ludo and Mario

These 2 guys LOVE their job and in turn made us LOVE them.

Our son C even asked to go to guest services (all on his own)...so I walked him over there.

He then proceeded to tell the boss behind the desk that he was, "so impressed with his servers that he would like them to get a raise."....It was so endearing and so sweet...and I was sooooo proud of our son for being so confident and so sure of how he felt...that he had to pass on the joy! Great memories!

On our last night at about 10:30 just the 4 of us walked to the very top of the ship and to the very front.

We were the only ones there and felt like we were on top of the water and could touch the sky.

The moon came through and it felt like we could jump on it.

It was one of those family moments my husband and I will NEVER forget.

We laughed and talked about our trip and ....our next trip...and we thanked each other for such a fun time.

We lounged on a big 4 person lounge chair and took this photo by stretching out an arm.

I think it is my favorite...it holds such a beautiful memory.

We finished our trip with this.

True Disney style.

I have sooooo many pictures...I just tried to give you a taste.

I purposefully did not share many pictures of the Ship...for one reason.

I think YOU need to go...and I do not want to ruin it for you.

If you have any questions about cruising Disney ask me.

farrell4t@yahoo.com

I would love to encourage your dream come true!

Love and Dreams,

Tracey

It's what's for dinner!

I heart pizza.

My mom was born in Brooklyn...therefore pizza is in my blood.

I make it every week.

Different variations.

I thought I would share one of my favorites!

Slice a red onion, red and yellow pepper.

Saute in 2 tbs. of olive oil.

I like them to stay just a little bit crunchy.

Here is the WOW!

I got this YUMMY pizza sauce from William Sonoma!

It is expensive...but worth every bite!

You don't need a lot so it lasted us about 8 pizzas.

Put 2 tbs. of this sauce on your crust, once the crust is 1/2 baked...

 (we use whole grain crust from our PUBLIX).

I add a little drizzle of olive oil on top of the sauce.

Then I add the cheese ( I usually use fresh mozzarella...but did not have it the day I took these pics.)

The veggies.

A little more cheeeeeese.

I also bought WS  pizza seasoning...so goooooood...it adds a great kick!

Bake at 375...til YUM!

This is what I am making for dinner!

You t0tally have to try it.

It is simple...easy...and cheesy...just how I like it!

Love and Cheese,

Tracey

Guest posting....Love and Books.

I am over here today posting for my dear friend Tara while she is on vacation.

Tara had all of her guests post on their love story.

I decided to give you the very beginning of ours...which started in the above city.

God is amazing how He brings people together...

sometimes he has to smack us in the head to get our attention...

go read...and see...

Make sure to tell Tara hey! She is the best blogger I know...over in these parts we just call her Rock Star!

Love and Books,

Tracey

A gift...and randomness.

So...I woke up yesterday morning to one of these...

My husband and kiddos gave it to me for heart day.

I heart it.

I snagged this photo from here..thought her picture of her own product was best.

I L.O.V.E. her work! I am glad my husband was looking over my shoulder one night as I ooohed and ahhhed! I think I will ooooh and ahhhh....more often.

So on to topics less fun...

Today is the day I start eating healthy again....yes I have done this before.

Yes it has been since Christmas...

Yes...I can tell...

Yes...Yes...Yes!

Even when you stick one of these in this...it still won't work.

I would just call them healthy and eat 3.

I am giving up sugar, and eating mostly whole grains...veggies...you know the drill.

I also have a list of projects a mile long....lots of projects!!!

I will be using lots of these!

Remember that armoire I snagged at the estate sale?

Gonna paint it this week...will totally show you when I am done!

That's about it for today.

Headed to pick up M...go to piano...then pick up C from basketball at a friends...then make dinner (grilled veggie pizzas)...then take C to swimming while M does homework...and Dad has a meeting...then bed...

Love and getting back in the swing!

Tracey