Friday, July 29, 2011

Bella's New Place & the Special Touches that Make a House a Home

One of my favorite things to do is visit our daughters in their homes.
I admire their creative use of space and their personal style of decorating.
Bella welcomes you to her new place...
Just a short walk from downtown,
we enter the home via a quaint little porch and into the living room.
One can see the layout of the rooms is efficient...perfect for a busy, young PA.

The Living Room
Hello, Kitty...

The Sun Room
This would be a favorite place for morning coffee...checking emails...
and watching the birds and squirrels.

Across from the windows...a squatty little spot...the space under the stairway.
Bella cleverly uses this for her private place to do her business.

The Kitchen
And...where Bella eats...
You had a sneak peek of Bella's kitchen and new perch before.
It was fun to see it all put together...

The Bathroom
(need I say more?)

The Bedroom
Or...where Bella sleeps.
Amy purchased this lovely bedroom set at IKEA.

And you know how IKEA furniture is purchased, don't you?
...In flat boxes...in a million little pieces.
Well, my hubby and Amy's sister are pretty good at assembling furniture.
They worked about 12 hours and put together all 5 pieces.



Of course, Bella could not accomplish any of this without her Amy.
Enjoy your new home!

Take care,
~Natalie

If you have stopped by for the Where Bloggers Create Tour

For more Show and Tell Friday posts,

And to see more adorable kitties,
and say Hi to Smudge, Patchouli, & Coco.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Working Girl ~ Day 3 (and a Mommy Flash Back)

You know the saying...
"Hard Work Pays Off"

We've all heard it, we've all said it...and for Amy, it did...
Sixteen Years of Schooling = One Fabulous Job
All those late nights reading...the all-nighters to finish a project...giving up fun on the weekends and holidays to prepare for a test...
Amy is now officially a part of the Mayo Health Care System...
ID badge, pager and parking spot.
I felt lucky to be there for her first day...
Having coffee together, sharing in the excitement.
Of course, I had to take pictures...
then... I had a brief flashback to her first day of school...
New outfit...coordinating jewelry, socks and shoes...
New school bag too...
Thank you, Ms. Brosz for teaching our girls to love learning.


You've come a long way, baby!
Best wishes to you.

Take care,
~Natalie

p.s. sometimes, it's all about your bag.
choose wisely...
consider the size, color, and number of pockets...
if you find the perfect bag...the price doesn't matter...

Monday, July 25, 2011

Eating Out and Eating In ~ Recipe included

We have enjoyed some great meals in Rochester. Our favorite was lunch on Friday.
We ate in the restaurant at the Double Tree Hotel downtown.
Amy ordered the Fish Taco with Black Bean Soup...
The service was wonderful...
I ordered the Crab Cake Slider and Lobster Bisque...
Delicious!!

We prepared meals at home too...
This is one of Amy's specialties.
Peanut Sauced Shrimp and Pasta
(Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens)

Here's what you need:
1/2 pkg. 14 oz. medium rice noodles or angel hair pasta1 tbsp. olive oil12 oz. peeled, deveined and uncooked shrimp12 oz. fresh asparagus, cut into 2" pieces1 large red and/or yellow peppers cut in strips1/2 cup bottled peanut sauce
Here's what you do:
1.
Place noodles in large bowl. Bring 4 cups water to boiling; pour boiling water over noodles in bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Or cook angel hair pasta according to package directions.
2.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, asparagus, and sweet peppers. Cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, until shrimp are opaque. Add peanut sauce; heat through.
3.
Drain noodles. Divide noodles among shallow serving bowls, using a fork to twist noodles into nest. Top with shrimp, asparagus, and sweet pepper mixture.

This is fast, easy and delicious.
Let me know if you try it!

Take care,
~Natalie

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Trusting Garmin...

How did we get anywhere before technology?
With advice from MapQuest and our Garmin on hand,
I still relied on my old fashioned Rand McNally to find my way across Minnesota to visit Amy.
After 7 hours and 15 minutes of beautiful trees, corn fields and road construction,
I reached my destination.
Amy and Bella were trying to stay cool, as the air conditioning was not working properly.
It was a beautiful evening to walk downtown to the
We enjoyed browsing the hundreds of arts and vendors.
Our favorite was the booth by JavaCycle...
check out their website to see their fabulous burlap pillows and market bags.
Refreshing beverages...
Yummy shrimp kabobs...
Live music...

Spending time with Amy...
...priceless.

Take care,
~Natalie

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Celebrate Christmas in July...Don't Miss this Giveaway

Celebrate Christmas in July with our PAFA team on Etsy.
We are giving away 11 prizes to 11 winners.
All you need to do is visit the PAFA blog and enter your name.
These are just a few of the prizes you could win.
Click here for the PAFA blog to enter your name.
The drawing will be held on August 1st.
Good luck!!

Take care,
~Natalie


If you are here to visit my Studio and sign up for my giveaway,
either scroll way down or click here.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Too Hot Tuesday and Monday Mail Call

Silvia, my PAFA team swap partner, really spoiled me! I think she knows I am addicted to knitting and crocheting. Just look at these beautiful yarns...
100% Luxury Cotton and  Lambswool with Kid Mohair...
...words cannot describe how soft this yarn is...
Silvia also sent patterns...
No, this is not a recipe for cinnamon rolls, but a pattern for making them from fabric.
No calories...I promise!
Patterns for cute critters...
I seriously need to retire from my day job...

And if this wasn't enough...
...I have saved the best for last.
Hand spun by Silvia, herself...
The most luxurious yarn...
hand spun...
so festive...so special...
Thank you, so much!

*****************************

Everyone in the Midwest must be talking about the heat...
and now, we have something called the heat index...
....the temperature plus the humidity.
Today's heat index was 119 degrees.

I am thankful that I can work inside.
I am thankful for air conditioning.
I hope you are all staying cool.

Take care,
~Natalie

Road Trip ~Day Three ~Burger Battle ~Sweet Shopping Highlights

Our last full travel day took us through four states… Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Including some Big Bridges over some Big ...