Mani Monday- Sally Hansen 194 Burnished Bronze

 Sally Hansen polish is one of my favorites. It wears so well and has so many great colors and its cheap! I couldn't pass this color up.

Simple Woman's Daybook April 22, 2018

Looking out the window: 
April and October are my favorite months because the weather is just so nice. The mornings and evenings have been cool-almost cold- and the days are sunnywith blue skies. I cant get enough of this weather.  

Planning:
A honeymoon in the Ozark mountains. Actually, the planning is over and its right around the corner. I can not believe  how fast time has just flown by. Its time already.

This weekend:
 Was not as productive as I had hoped. It was my last weekend as a single gal and I had a lot planned. Between napping on the couch and watching movies in my bathrobe, I did manage to get some laundry done and most of the packing, but I certainly didn't set anything on fire. I'm actually shocked at how little was accomplished. I had BIG plans.

What I’m reading lately:

Capital gains: I originally borrowed this audio book from the library. I’m in chapter 6 and loved it, bought it on Audible. I share an audible account with the almost husband and I thought he’d like to listen to this one as well.

20 ways to have a better day and The Patarchs. Beth Moore.
I'm happy to report that I am so far keeping up with both of my Bible studies. The Beth Moore one is no small feat. The last Bible study session was three hours!

Michael's Haul

One of the reasons I wanted to elope, was because I wanted a very simple, inexpensive wedding. 

My plan is to find some cheap grocery store flowers, whatever happens to look pretty and fresh that day and voila! They will become my wedding flowers. I don't really feel like I am making a bouquet so much as I am just picking some flowers to carry.

Although I wont do anything elaborate, I watched a few youtube videos (this one  and this one and especially this one $20 bouquet! Sign me up!!) and then bought a few supplies I might need at Michaels.

The most expensive thing was the scissor snips for $9.99 but I had a 40% off coupon. I also picked up two different ribbons, for $4.99 each, to wrap around the stems, in case I want to get a little fancy. 

weekend update

The weekend was strangely productive and I was quite surprised at how many things from the April Goal List, which seemed almost impossible at one time, have suddenly been accomplished.

All the Christmas decorations (along with the Easter wreath) was corralled in one location by me, and a spot made for storage in the attic by the almost husband.

The desk that has been sitting in the entry way for far too long made it upstairs but without legs. I've been reassured that when I am ready for it, the reassembly will be quick and painless. 

I half-heartedly started rearranging the linen closet and right now almost everything is out on the floor and it is a mess. I've accepted that this does not need to happen before the wedding.

Home Depot came Saturday morning (at 7:30 a.m. !!) to measure for the carpet upstairs and that is in the works.

Some furniture was rearranged in the dining room into its permenant location which means I can now give it a good cleaning and start using it as storage / displaying the china / setting up my dining room.  One piece of furniture was moved to the bedroom  and that needs some love and attention as well.

I also got the new PJs, took two dresses back to Dillards (one was a potential wedding dress and one was a potential shower dress), and we found his suit and my wedding shoes. 

April goals

1.      Get married. And get the rings, new PJs, shoes for me and a suit for him, a cake, a bouquet, a marriage license, and some gifts and activities for the grandkids to do in the car when they are driving from the chapel to Denver.

2.      Get carpet on the stairs and in the second upstairs. This has been a long time coming and I am pretty dang excited about it. Home Depot (free installation) is scheduled to come measure this weekend. The carpet and pad have been chosen, but depending, on the final price, there is a good chance that both will be re-chosen… and I’m trying to get this done before getting married, so the husband can move into his home office.

3.      Speaking of home offices…. I need to move my desk upstairs and start to get my own home office running. The problem is I never have three men at my house at the same time to move the heavy desk upstairs. It has to be carried above their heads (above the banister upstairs) to fit in the room.

4.      And more speaking of home offices… Because the second upstairs is no longer going to be a storage spot, the Christmas decorations are going to be moved to the attic. I have started a little pile and I want to finish this month, and have them completely tucked into their new home in the attic before I go away for the wedding.

5.      Pack up the Easter decorations and find a spot, probably another spot in the attic.

6.      Lose 15 pounds. I know this is not going to happen. I've been going round and round with this since the first of the year and only have a 6 pound loss to show for it.  Right now, I will be satisfied with losing another 3 pounds and super-duty spanks.  

7.       Start and keep up with two Bible studies. One on Saturdag (Patriarchs by Beth Moore) and one on Thursday nights (20 ways to have a better day by Joyce Meyers). The starting has happened and so far, so good.

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mani Monday: Private Viewing Wet and Wild

I'm on the fence about this one. I like it because its just a nice neutral. I also dislike it because, after three coats,  it is still just about the color of  skin tone ( just a nice neutral...) On the plus side, it wears really well, its shiny and its really cheap.... But I don't love it. but I don't hate it either....

few things i love right now

Roses from my garden (and the empty house  next door). I haven't been showing the roses much attention or tender loving care lately. They have kind of been on their own. There are on the list of items needing attention, somewhere between flooring in a few rooms and a new hot water heater ( will it ever end?) They are still  alive enough to produce a few bouquets each week for the house. You got to be kinda hearty to make it in my yard.  

Have you tried the strawberry- lemonade from  Wendy's? It is delicious.  Its loaded with sugar, but man. It is good stuff.

Also delicious, the big squeezy, a juice bar right across the street from the Courthouse. Its a little treat when I go to court, but hard decision each morning. They have little sample cups of all the juice. That's how I came to choose this one. It tastes better than it sounds and makes myself feel better for eating all the valentines and Easter candy (and cheesecake).

Tarte Shape Tape concealer. Its expensive but its good and a little goes a long way.

An African violet sitting in my kitchen window. When I was a kid, my maw-maw grew them and she was serious about it- like black light serious. I could not keep my hands off the fuzzy little leaves and contributed to the demise of many of her little friends.  This one is the first one I've been able to successfully grow. The others died quickly. I inspect this one daily for any signs, but so far, it appears healthy, growing and blooming. I think I found the right spot. It seems to like my kitchen window.

wedding shower

My friend Kim texted me about 10:30 one night when I was already in bed and half asleep. She told me she and Kay were hosting a wedding shower.  I was stunned. I was so surprised.  The thought had not even crossed my mind! They did everything and kept it all a surprise. They only once asked my opinion. 

For the one opinion they requested, I said I wanted a small shower with only my closest friends, only the people who knew how much this meant to me, who had first hand saw the surprise and devastation, saw me (helped me) walk out of it, and  knew that the difficult days were behind me and their prayers had been answered on a blind date with a widower.

He was timid, but he stuck his head in the shower when it was almost over. So many people said the same thing when they met him..... "I've been praying for you. You have no idea...."  He was overwhelmed. At one point he just stayed in the corner with cake while one by one he was being interrogated vetted. He had never been to a shower before , didn't know what to expect, but he was overjoyed and he absolutely loved it. We talked about it for many days afterward. It was honestly one of the best days of my life. I think it was the same for him. He had to deal with trauma in his recent past too. 

I had been an answered prayer for him too. Each family member was just giddy meeting me. His nieces came by one at a time to hug me and all tell me the same thing. Everyone with big smiles and tears in their eyes. He is such a great guy. They are so happy he found me.

I honestly expected a very simple shower.  But I was blown away by how nice everything was. The beautiful cake, the decorative cookies and shower favors to take home and just celebrating and being loved on by my friends, barefoot, in the kitchen. 

After the shower, we moved to the backyard for a few candid and a few frame worthy photos. It was a really good day.