hello, summer vacation!

flowers

summer planter

Our summer vacation official began last Thursday when Noah finished up his last day of 3rd grade! To celebrate, we set up the sprinkler and I made chocolate chip cookie sundaes. I was so ready for for school to be over with, and I know the kids were, too.

Ah, summer… Lazy days, ceiling fans, roses, lemonade, all that good stuff. But let’s keep it real, kids. There’s also poison ivy, mosquito bites, humidity, and plenty of bickering. It all evens out, you know. But the first few days of break have been pretty good, I will admit. The summer will be broken up by various camps and day trips, and I’ll do my best to keep my kids from getting too bored (while at the same time keeping my sanity).

Yesterday Drew drove Jake to his first camp of the year. The local Lions Club generous sponsored him for a week of NYS DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) camp. What a great opportunity! He will spend the week learning about wildlife, natural resources, and outdoor skills. This is right up my Boy Scout’s alley and he settled in quickly. This week Noah is at Cub Scout day camp, and he was beside himself with excitement! It should be a great week for both of them. 

It’s been ages since I linked up with Sandra‘s Happy Homemaker Monday, so no time like the present, right? 

As I look outside my window::: It’s a little cloudy, but really comfortable out this morning! The heat and humidity are supposed to rev up as the week goes on, so I’ll enjoy this while I can.

Right now I am::: Trying to decide if I want to run some errands today or save them for later in the week.

Thinking and pondering::: About an upcoming test I need to have done after my last thyroid ultrasound. I’m not too worried about it, but I just want to get everything done and over with already.

On my bedside table::: Oh, it’s just a mess right now. Lotion, medication, a water glass, various knittle needles and crochet hooks. I need to get it all straightened out and re-organized.

On my tv this week::: Not too much. There really hasn’t been anything getting my attention on Netflix lately.

Listening to::: Laura giggling as she watches “Poppy Cat.”

On the menu for this week:::
 M: leftover pizza
 T: BBQ chicken
 W: London Broil
 T: Leftovers
 F: Hot dogs/hamburgers
 S: ?

On my to do list:::
— Drop off registration forms for rec camp at the town clerk’s office
— Drop off clothing donations
— Dust/Vacuum
— Bank deposit
— Work in garden (cut some things back, plant some perennials and annuals)

Happening this week:::
Day camp for Noah, 4th of July, picking up Jake on Saturday. Not much else, which is fine by me!

What I am creating:::
I think this week I might dig my granny stripe blanket out of the closet and start working on it again.

My simple pleasure:::
Crossword puzzles – I’m obsessed with them lately!

Homemaking tips:::
Rubbing a lemon on your stainless steel sink will help remove hard water spots.

Looking around the house:::
Things definitely need tidying up. After giving the kids a little slack over the weekend as their summer vacation began, there are plenty of toys and crafts that need to be put back in their places.

From the camera:::
My blueberry bush that the kids gave me for Mother’s Day actually has some blueberries!
baby blueberries

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Scratch That…

Poison Ivy photo poisonivy_zps8305eace.jpg

Last week my dad was able to get his hands on some free lilacs that a lady nearby was digging up. Because I was obsessing over them this spring, he asked if I wanted any. Of course I did! So Saturday my folks came down for the day (bringing along my sweet little niece to play with Laura). 

We got down to business digging holes and getting the plants in. (My parents now also realize why I put off planting anything. I’ve told them that we have rocky soil, but they learned just how rocky.) We also cleaned up the planting area while we were at it, and I pulled out what seemed like miles of some annoying, invasive vine that wrapped itself around my forcythia. I typically thing of poison ivy as shiny leaves with a red tinge, like the photo on the left up at the top of this post. The vine I was pulling looked (so I thought) a little more innocuous.

Well, a couple days later I woke up with bumps on my arm. I thought maybe I get bit by a spider or some other pest during the night. Then… huh… I also had something on my neck. I soon realized that it was poison ivy. In retrospect, the vine looked like the one on the right.

Sigh…

So far it hasn’t spread too bad, but it is so itchy and uncomfortable. (Not to mention unslightly — especially on my neck!) Unfortunately, aside from riding it out there are only so many things you can do. I’m using calamine lotion and Tecnu scrub (suggested by a friend) and that seems to be helping. Of course, Benedryl is helping the most with the itch factor, but I only take that after everything is done for the day and I can crash. It makes me so groggy, but it’s worth it for a decent night’s sleep.

Let’s hope this clears up fast!

{Review} Kiss Everlasting French Manicure

Kiss Everlasting French Review

One of the items in my Spring VoxBox that I was most excited to try was the Kiss Everlasting French Manicure. I don’t wear fake nails often, but sometimes there is a special occasion (a wedding, a Christmas party, something like that) when you want to have a pretty manicure.

Kiss Nails Review

The first thing that caught my eye was the length: short! Really long nails make it impossible to do even the simplest tasks. There were also a variety of nail sizes and I found several that would work with my nails.

Kiss Nails Review

Application was quick and easy and the result looked fabulous! I wore them for my daughter’s 5th birthday party and several people both complimented me and asked if I’d gone for a salon manicure. The nails were also really comfortable. In the past when I’ve worn fake nails I couldn’t wait to get them off. The Kiss nails definitely fit a lot better.

One of the marketing points is that the nails are “no chip.” Maybe I was really hard on them during the party because unfortunately the white part of one nail started too peel back, and I had to replace that nail. The set lasted for about two days before the first one came loose.

Kiss Nails Review

I was a little disappointed they did not last longer, but it could have been user error. Maybe I needed more glue, or I was especially hard on them with all the washing and wear-and-tear from the parties. With that said, I would still purchase these next time I have something special to attend. It’s so much easier and faster than doing my own nails, and a lot more convenient that going to the salon.

nail

KISS everlasting French Manicure is available for $6.49 at CVS, Kmart, Rite-Aid, Target, Walgreens and Walmart stores nationwide. For more information and how-to videos, visit KISSusa.com

Disclosure: I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.

Spring Influenster VoxBox

Spring Fling Influenster VoxBox

I was so excited to be chosen to receive my Spring VoxBox from Influenster! It was full of fun products for me to try out and review and so far I’ve liked everything.

My box included:

  • Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara
  • Kiss Everlasting French Nails
  • Peach Pie Car Freshener from the Labor Day Movie
  • Playtex Sport Fresh Balance
  • NIVEA Skin Firming Hydration Lotion

Some boxes also included the Softlips Cube. Sadly, mine did not 🙁 I made an unboxing video when I received it. Check out my first impressions! I’ve been testing everything and sharing my thoughts on Instagram, and Twitter. So be sure to follow along!

Disclosure: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.

Country Living Fair 2014

Country Living Fair 2014

Guys, last year I had to miss out on the debut of the Country Living Fair here in Rhinebeck at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. We had events that entire weekend and there was no way I could eek out the time to attend. But this year? I wrote it in my planner as soon as I found out the dates and I was not going to miss it again!

The weather was absolutely perfect for a day of walking around and being absolutely inspired by all of the creative ideas I saw. The fairground was transformed! I had just been there for CamporALL with the Cub Scouts, but it didn’t look anywhere near as pretty as this. Check it out — buntings everywhere! And I swear they were misting the scent of lavender and cinnamon because everything smelled wonderful.

Country Living Fair 2014

Obviously the vendors want you to buy their wares, but I couldn’t help but steal a few ideas for finished products that were out of my budget. This “Pickles” sign was one of them. The sign, while super cool, was not coming home with me for over $100. And while I doubt I could do a perfect lettering job, it still provided some inspiration.

Country Living Fair 2014

I loved these chairs with the ragamuffin strips hanging down the sides — kind of like a prim tutu, isn’t it?
Country Living Fair 2014

Here was another project I thought I could replicate with a shabby frame, some ticking, an old BINGO card, and a cute vintage image:
Country Living Fair 2014

And who knew that if I could safely take down a hornet’s nest I could not only use it as a home dec accent, but I could also charge $35 for it? (But I have to admit — it does look cool.)
Country Living Fair 2014

Here are a few more “this and that” photos of pretty things:
Country Living Fair 2014

Country Living Fair 2014

Country Living Fair 2014

Country Living Fair 2014

Country Living Fair 2014

Country Living Fair 2014

I am already excited for next year! I’ll have one more Country Living Fair post this week all about “glamping.” I’d never heard that term before, but if you love the idea of cute caravan/camper decor… just wait! These ladies had more style in their tiny little campers than I do in my entire house, LOL.

This Week

Country Living Fair 2014

Ah… the school year is finally winding down. The last few weeks have been so busy! Four concerts, Field Day, Court of Honor, and Preschool Graduation (just to name a few) have kept us on the go. But summer is actually in sight!

Today was Laura’s preschool graduation. What a sweet ceremony her school put on! Drew wrote and performed a song with the kids — abosultely adorable. She was in tears the other day because she’s going to miss school so much. I reassured her that most of her friends with be in Kindergarten with her in the Fall. “But it won’t be the same!” she said. Awww… So bittersweet.

Laura's preschool graduation

Last weekend a friend and I went to the Country Living Fair here in Rhinebeck. I will have to do an entire post just on the fair because it was SO much fun. Next year I think I’ll opt for the two-day pass and get my mom to come on one of the days. So many pretty things and creative ideas. But more on that soon.

My crochet has been tucked away for now, just because there hasn’t been the time for it. But I have been busy in the garden planting blueberries, rhododendrons, various perennials… My dad was able to get me some lilacs another lady had dug up, so tomorrow my parents are bringing those down and I’ll get them in. I adore lilacs and just pray they take so I can have blooms next year!

Hope you all have been well. I miss my little corner of the bloggy world!