Welcome Fall

I enjoy this time of year because its the start of new beginnings. School starts, routines begin, Cooler mornings and evenings make it perfect for Football season. The leaves begin to change (at least in some parts of the country) and the clean brisk air floating though your open windows always smells like heaven, but best of all decorating season begins. You start to see more and more homes adding touches of fall to their homes. This year I couldn't afford to go all out and buy all new fall decor After all I'm still furnishing my home, but I did have a few things in my Fall bin. Take a look.













Believe it or not this corn is about 4 yrs old. How do I keep it fresh? when I'm through with the season I put in a zip lock bag with a few drops of Peppercorn oil, and it keeps it fresh and smelling amazing! When I take it out I add more oil This peppercorn aroma fills my whole home with a warm a blend of Autumn spices .















This is no Martha Stewart Table scape but it will do for now.












There is nothing like a flag flying! I fly this flag until the middle part of October my Halloween flag then goes up. then this flag comes back on until Thanksgiving.













Got this metal pumpkin wall decor 50% off at Hobby Lobby.



















This Turkey did not look like this. This was broken from the neck and leg therefore I got it at a special price of $5.00 at Ross I came home and super glued it. NOTICE: its missing the other part of its mustache.













I added this fall leaf garland around this metal topiary. I also plan to add fresh Pumpkins of different sizes to add a special charm to my entryway.


p.s I also need to change my blog header. (maybe this weekend).. Thank you for visiting! and hope that somehow I have inspired you to add your own fall charm..:)

~ Shrimp Chipotle~

This week on "La Salud del Valle" Chef Inaki cooked up a yummy dish. I couldn't remember the name, so I re-named it. I call it ~ Shrimp Chipotle ~I thought it was easy so, I bought a few ingredient's and got busy...









I first started by warming up some Italian dressing.












just like this...... I then added some Shrimp about 2 cups












Chopped up Chipotle just like this...















I added about a half a cup of Orange Marmalade and stirred.















I then added fresh Cilantro for that extra kick..















I made some White rice.















This dish was so delicious!!! next time Im trying it with Jumbo shrimp!!



Oh, I almost forgot I made desert too.....


















I made a yummy fruit salad!..

Painting...

With so many choices, color schemes, and textures available I became overwhelmed when I thought about the color in the dining room. I wanted a warm, cozy, color while my sister Melinda, thought I should go with a cool, fresh, airy color. Romeo?..He didn't care he just wanted me to make up my mind once and for all!.. So, we literally went though almost all the color schemes at both Lowe's and Home Depot. We looked through magazines finally my niece Robyn said "Granny Smith Green" and we all agreed so, it took us another couple of days to get the right shade... Still, I wish I could have gone a bit darker...Maybe next year!.. Don't tell Romeo...
















The Red paint was nice, but was chipping and the paint was a flat finish. Flat apparently is dirty.
















So what do you think?... I don't have the after picture just yet.. why?.. because I'm still not finished, Still need my dining room chairs, more decor, etc etc...

I am buying furniture and decor as it becomes affordable AND praying it becomes affordable. :)

My front yard..

For weeks Romeo and I have been working on our new home from landscaping to painting to picking out furniture. I will get to those pictures in another blog but, first "My beloved yard"... As I mentioned before in my other blog we had no landscaping, all the trees were out of shape and obstructing the view of the house. After we "chopped off the tree" as the neighbor puts it, we started removing grass for the front flower bed and all while making some curves with a SHOVEL..




















My nephew Clay pitched in and helped he was great! He always does what is asked and never complains!..We are lucky to have him in our lives. Thank you Clay!!














Did I mention it was 100+ degrees?



















By this time, with all the brush at the curb, and half done landscaping the neighbors were giving us "THE LOOK" you know the look... "What have you done to the neighborhood look" They would drive by, slow down, and stare.. sometimes they would stop to introduce themselves. This gave us a chance to assure them that it would turn out nice.

















We purchased a rock from Southern Stone in Donna and had it delivered.




















This rock arrived in a bed of a semi-trailer and was then lifted by a fork lift. all this commotion for a 70 lb rock...













Two weeks later...












My mom helped me plant this... Can you see the improvement already?

















The Olive tree and palm tree were here before about 3 ft apart. We created this kidney shape island to fill.

















Can you smell the fresh cut grass?

















We have a long way go.. more plants, mulch, landscaping lights, front porch furniture, and the list goes on... cant wait to show you more... by the way... Do you like my Summer flag?

Going through family pictures....

Recently my mother in law gave Romeo a wheel of slides to convert into digital images so, as I was going through them I started thinking how simple life was in the 60s. The women all took pride in their appearance wearing beautiful color coordinated suits, their hair styles perfectly done, and their children always in their Sundays best...

















Kids actually played outside with neighbors for hours...no Internet, no video games, no cell phones..

















Christmas time remains the same family,food and fun....

Tree pruning

One of the first things I wanted to tackle was my trees.. I think the appearance of your trees enhances the natural beauty of your landscape and gives it its unique character.
The trees were out of shape,overgrown, and were obstructing the views of the house from the curb.
















All together we pruned 4 trees, got rid of one,(a crooked olive tree 2 ft from Live Oak) and cut 2 palm trees full of carpenter ants...

















This is the only part that tenses me up!..I had a choice pay extra to hall it or wait for the city of Weslaco to come ( which the man strongly encouraged) We'll see how long it take to hall it away...

our RoLLeR cOaSTeR ride is over!

After what seemed an eternity, changing mortgage companies at the last minute, and feeling dizzy from a bad roller coaster ride of wacky emotions we closed.

I really didn't think we would meet our deadline but, we did and by the hair of our chinny chin chin.
All this Mortgage business,paper signing,checking re checking, calling here, calling there,clearing, texting, emailing, submitting, paying off, no spending, switching mortgage companies, re doing, re checking, making sure, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, wondering, waiting, praying, waiting, wondering re surveying, calling, texting, emailing, clearing, re checking, submitting, and finally signing has left me mentally fatigued!

UNTIL.. We passed by our home and got excited over PROJECTS!!


















And today, as we were signing we were watching Hurricane Alex category 2 in the Gulf of Mexico very carefully... I hope Alex is nice to us...

Summer is here...

Did I ever tell you that in my early teens 18ish maybe 19ish I wrecked my sisters Honda Prelude while eating one of these and trying to drive standard? Yes! Its true I wrecked her car on Shary Rd. I did not have her permission to take the car for a spin, didn't know how to drive standard, and on top of that, I was eating a Grape Popsicle... A must blog!

Which brings me to my two nieces Robyn and Meagan who will be taking Drivers Ed this Summer... every Mothers nightmare! and every teens dream. Best of luck to the both of them!...



















This Summer I am reading " The Daughters of Juarez" A true story of serial murder South of the Border. This page turner has opened my eyes at the incompetence of law enforcement and government in Mexico! This story tells of the many poor victims as young as 10 who were kidnapped,raped, and mutilated and left in the scorching hot cactus deserts while, families had no where to turn, no money for proper burial's and no trust in local law enforcement.. This book is Chilling! and so very true.. I highly recommend it!




















I don't think this picture is at all flattering!.. I am also working on my "Summer Tan" while we wrap things up with our "NEW" Mortgage Co. another blog must!!

I think I may need a Pedicure!...

To pack or not...

As most of you know, Romeo and I are in the process of buying a home. We are in the last stage " The Underwriting stage" which for me is the most nerve wrecking! We have been at it for about 2 months Inspection,Appraisal, Ect... and here we are a week away from closing and our broker doesn't have the green light from the investor to clear for our closing. I have literally been on pins and needles for a week now!. Our broker hardly returns calls she prefers texting so, you can imagine my frustration. Meanwhile, I have already sold my living room set, in hopes for a new one, started getting rid of things I don't want or need started looking for a tenant to take over our lease and, have managed to somehow attach myself emotionally to my new home. I know whatever the outcome its for the best and God has his plans for us!. I just want to know NOW!! SHOULD I PACK OR NOT?

Bailey Wailey....

This is Lauren Bailey Sturgeon, I call her Bailey Wailey. Today she was in a talent show with her friend Erica as part of the end of the school activities. Her mom couldn't make it and asked me to go so, I went...

















I was so proud of her You see, Bailey is extremely SHY!.. She and Erica practiced cheers and dance moves for nearly 2 weeks...

















She got up in front of all these people and danced her heart away...

It wasn't too long ago that she was like this..
















Here are some of my favorites of Bailey Wailey...





























































Bailey, I am so proud of you! You have become a very smart,pretty, and talented young lady with good manners! And who knows you just might make it to "Americas got talent" one day... Love you Auntie..