To paint or not to paint

Am I the only one who has this ongoing debate with herself concerning whether to paint furniture or not? Black or White the two sides seem to go back and forth. I look at my favorite pieces and struggle to decide between painting them black or white.
Here is my library card catalog. So any thoughts? I am leaning towards painting it black and keeping the hardware silver.

What about this entertainment center? My walls are currently dark green in our family room so I'm concerned that black would not be enough of a contrast.

I really prefer plain wood for most of my pieces. Am I just afraid to commit to paint? Our downstairs rooms are what I refer to as fall colors, dark green in the family room, darker yellow in the kitchen, and a merlot in the dining room. I'm not sure if a "heritage white" or a black painted furniture would look better. Is there another choice that I'm "missing"?

Getting "nailed" this fall

So I've been "nailed" finding yet another fabulous idea.

Totally inappropriate title I know, but it did get your attention.

Isn't she lovely. A classic.

I just happen to have some decorative upholstery nailheads and then I saw

nailhead pumpkins @

Strictly Simple Style.

I can't wait to try this but in the meantime I still wanted to share this fabulous idea with you.



Peace be with you from 5 & 2,

 

Fancy Dancy or Simple Dimple?

My daughter's soccer team desperately wants new uniforms. My husband is the team's coach and found a great deal on new uniforms and now it's up to the girls to raise money to help pay for them. They've decided to sell snacks at they boys' modified soccer game later this week. Megan asked me to make brownies and even reminded me to pick up a couple of boxed mixes at the grocery store this weekend. I wanted to do something special for their bake sale and lo and behold Jackie shared these little lovelies 3 ingredient truffles at I Design.

 I am not a Fancy Dancy girl but I sure do like a Simple Dimple idea that makes me look fancy.
Anna was my sweet little helper.

And this was my sweet girl after we were all done.

Some moms (and dads) seem to have a signature treat that they send into school for their children's birthdays, for church events or bake sales. They are known for these litte delights. I am not known for anything special... unless having a 12 passenger van that allows us to give a ride to any kids who need one to the various sports or church events my kids are involved in counts. So we'll see how they go over. I also just remembered the little buttons that I made out of the pretzel snaps, kisses and m & m's.

Maybe I can make some snack paks of those for the sale too. You can find them at my other blog It's All Good Button treats.

My New BFF

In an earlier post I wrote about finding my Peace. I admit I had a wee little doubt that maybe I would lose my Peace as I had in the past. What I realize now (and even thought when it was happening this summer) is that this time my Peace is not dependant on place... which would have been pretty sad since I am only at the beach with my feet up reading a great book for one week out of the year. Today is a crisp upstate NY September day, with my tan fading but my Peace is right here within me and it is so good. Peace is my new best friend. We hang out together over coffee, chat in the car about the things going on in my life and Peace offers me a reassuring hand sqeeze. She shares in my joys and offers a hug during trying times. She is truly a freind who sticks by me during the crazy whirlwindy days, encouraging me to keep going because she knows that there is always a new corner in life to turn that could exchange all this craziness for something calmer and then we'll talk about how lovely THAT day is. Peace is there with me to care and support me through the trials and triumphs in my life. She doesn't just show up for vacations to the beach. No she is not a "good times gal pal". She also isn't just there for me when I feel like a mess and somehow feels the need to fix me. No, she reminds me to take a deep breath during the bumpy days and to breathe in the sweetness of the the good days. She is so precious to me and I plan on keeping our friendship strong for a good long time together. We'll be little old ladies one day sitting together sipping our coffe, mine with lots of cream and sugar, discussing all of these days. We'll share a smile because we made it there to that moment together.

Peace be with YOU,

A New School Year Begins

September 8, 2010 marked the first day of school for Nathan, Logan and Helen. Nate starts his first year as a "grader" and Helen and Logan start 3rd grade.

Nathan ~ the 1st day of 1st grade

Logan starting 3rd grade ~ it's difficult getting a good picture of him because the sun really bothers his eyes.

(Hence the shadows across his face)

Helen ~ our fashionista and is totally color coordinated in Pink, Green, & Brown

Megan  & Justin started school on September 10th

Megan is SOOOO excited to be starting 7th grade

Justin is starting high school and is keeping his excitement under control

Mom with her 7th and 9th graders! How did they get so big?

Dad with his big kids.

September 10th is also Rob's and mine 16th wedding anniversary.

 5 & 2 at 52,

Sweet 16

Today Rob and I celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary. I am so glad that God brought the two of us together.

September 10, 1994
Debbie & Rob Scott

Yesterday I was at flag football practice for Logan and Nathan. I was chatting with this woman and we started talking about the firefighters' parade that is today and how the flag football players had been invited to march in it. I mentioned that it was our anniversary and that Rob hadn't mentioned any plans but he had mentioned the parade for the flag football players to participate in and how our boys might want to march. I was a little grumpy about this because the parade is at the same time as I would have been liking to go out to dinner. The sweet woman then mentioned how she and her husband had been married a LONG time and how her husband had made a big to-do out of their dog's birthday on August 1st, even wrapping presents for the dog, but then their wedding anniversary rolled around on August 23rd and he forgot.

"Oh my. How long have you been married?" I asked. "Fifteen years."

I shared this little conversation with Rob last night and we both were struck by how she thought 15 years was a long time to be married. We both agreed that 16 years is a big deal but neither one of us feels that it's been a LONG time. I guess we've been enjoying it or something like that. I will say our marriage has taken a whole lot of commitment on both of our parts.  We seem to make each other better. Today Rob sent me a youtube video of Billy Joel's song, "Just the way you are". It was the song we had our first dance to at our reception. I remember thinking that when we chose this song, "Will you still feel this way about me after we've been married for a long time?"

I guess we still haven't gotten to that long time point yet. I'm just glad we still love each other just the way we are.

I think a big part of the reason for that is because we haven't really tried to change each other. (not that we haven't wanted to at times) We "get" that the reason we work so well is because we are who we are. We don't always agree, we don't always want the same goals or maybe we do have the same goals but are just seeing different ways to reach them, but in the end we see marriage as a partnership and most of all we do respect and love each other. We've done great things together that neither one of us would have done alone. We've helped each other grow. We've had plenty of  good times building our life together and have committed ourselves to our children. All in all I'd say it's been a very sweet 16 years.

                 Don't go changing, to try and please me

You never let me down before

Don't imagine you're too familiar

And I don't see you anymore

I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble

We never could have come this far

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are



Don't go trying some new fashion

Don't change the color of your hair

You always have my unspoken passion

Although I might not seem to care



I don't want clever conversation

I never want to work that hard

I just want someone that I can talk to

I want you just the way you are.



I need to know that you will always be

The same old someone that I knew

What will it take till you believe in me

The way that I believe in you.



I said I love you and that's forever

And this I promise from the heart

I could not love you any better

I love you just the way you are.

September 10, 2010

5 & 2 @ 52