A Weekend in Rome

My husband Alan turned 40 last Friday! We spent the weekend in Rome with a group of friends to celebrate! Here we are at the Spanish Steps.

We had so much fun eating and celebrating! The food was spectacular. YUM!

Our hotel was this quaint old place located right across from the Pantheon.

We toured the Vatican and attended the Mass on Sunday. The Pope greeted us from a window after the service ended.

We also toured the Coliseum! What an amazing sight that was! We even got to tour underneath where they kept animals and prisoners. It was my favorite sight in Rome. It was quite a whirlwhind weekend!

Meet Brooke

This is our new puppy, Brooke! She is a Portuguese Water Dog just like our Dover. They are becoming fast friends! She is a little whipper snapper! We are all enjoying her so much. Dover really likes her, too! They play together already, although as you can see he's a little big for her at the moment!

Tablecloth Curtains

So my windows were bugging me. You know how you just look at something, and think, "it needs something," but what?

Then I got inspired. I was looking at some old magazines and saw a piece about Magnolia Pearl and Robin Brown. She uses lace EVERYWHERE.... all different, too. And it looks pretty! So I grabbed some tablecloths, tacks, and ribbon.

So here's the result. I like it! I should take a photo at night. It looks pretty at night, too.

I'm all set for Halloween! I have my lighted pumpkins lit...

Found this cornucopia at Homegoods the other day... my dining room table has a more "fallish" look to it.

Here's my old one...I still like that one, too! Isn't fall wonderful! Such pretty colors!

Something About Black

There is something to adding a black piece of furniture to your decor. I found the "doilie" on this chair at Target - it's actually a placemat! I also collect old tins. Isn't this one pretty with the flowers on it?

Newest Garage Sale Find

My newest addition to my family room. I think the curves on it are neat plus I can store stuff in it!

Apple Picking and Fall Fun!

We went to an apple orchard in Wisconsin a couple weeks ago! It was so fun. The girls took a hay ride, then we picked apples and pumpkins! They had a shop that had delicious treats like apple cider, doughnuts, pies, wine, etc. YUM! Plus a bunch of cute craft tables. The weather was perfect - cool and crisp.

Here's my Maddie getting on or off the ride! I can't tell.

Bridget checking out the apples.

Elizabeth had a grand time picking apples!

Daddy made sure they picked good ones.

We posed for a picture...what silly faces!

My oldest, Brittany, with her pumpkin. She didn't want to pose for me. Ugh she is turning into a teenager and I am so uncool.

Elizabeth will pose, though!

And lastly, a snapshot of the girls on the morning of picture day at school. Bridget is in 4th grade and Maddie is in 2nd grade.