all about "stuff"...

random STUFF...

STUFF to do...

and just plain STUFFY.

hey there,

back home from a WONDERFUL week in Hawaii...

TRUE Hawaii, that is...

but i'll have to fill you in on that when i get time.

i have TONS to tell you and even MORE photos to share...

LUCKY you:)

but today is a quickie post all about STUFF.

let's get started...

first, something really COOL...

don't ya just LOVE this?

now for some STUFF to say...

~i am using my husband's new desktop mac a lot these days,

and i finally figured out (took the time) to

get my google homepage on it, with all the

links to my favorite blogs front and center...

so HOPEFULLY i'll be a better friend!

~as much as i want to share photos and stuff from the trip,

i'm not sure i'll be doing that right away.

on top of jet lag/wanting to sleep at weird times,

it's a CRAZY week!

 STUFF to do:

~wrap silent auction gift baskets and chocolate favors for the 

Naples Ballet

first annual Ballerina Ball on Thursday.

~figure out what in the heck I'm going to wear!

(i have plenty of long gowns but this one doesn't yet require that so

i have to think of something:)

~dinner with my husband's board members on Friday

~re-FOCUS my girls from surfing to school...

no easy task, let me tell you!

~get Taylor ready to go with her Dad to a HEART ball on Saturday.

(i think we just need accessories since she has a dress picked out)

~clean house (YUK)

~unpack and LAUNDRY

~finalize new landscaping plans for next week

~and mostimportantly, get some SLEEP!

(did i say that already?:)

random STUFF...

~have you watched Duck Dynasty?

that show CRACKS me up:)

~Trader Joe's finally opened by me...and now i get it.

i really get why the parking lot is ALWAYS full!

~beach umbrellas FREAK me out.

ever since being hit in the face by a runaway umbrella 

exactly one year ago,

i'm like the umbrella police.

when we go to the beach, i need to see who has an umbrella,

which way the wind is...and if they look like they have a 

CLUE as to how to put it up securely...

before i lay down near them. 

otherwise, i have to watch their stupid umbrella the whole time.

i need umbrella therapy:)

~okay...enough random stuff.

i'm too tired to think much anyway:)

but i have to say a few words about STUFFY...as in

STUFFY behavior, STUFFY rules and STUFFY people.

being on the north shore of Oahu,

where surf RULES,

i saw a whole other outlook on life.

like i said, i'll write more...WAY more later:)

but one thing that struck me is we are all so STUFFY these days.

so uptight.

it was soooooo relaxing and laid back.

a simple, "unplugged" life.

kind of a daily reminder of what's important, you know?

that life is GOOD.

even my sometimes slightly STUFFYish husband, (wonderful as he is:)

already misses the simple, happy place we lived for a week.

and let me tell you, that says something.

i mean, we're talking Mr. Five Star Hotel here...

and he already wants to be back there.

simple...

the most unexpected thing to come from this trip.

blessings and life lessons aren't always what we think, are they?

now i promise to STOP rambling...

go back to bed for a few...and let you go!

Be Blessed today!

Suzanne

Aloha...Palm Sunday, Bunnies, Bunny Bait and Hawaii

Happy Day, Happy Day...
it's Palm Sunday!

like i said...
HAPPY DAY!

ordinarily, i wouldn't make clog up a Palm Sunday post with
other stuff...
but i'm not sure when i'll be able to post again so here goes...

 we are off to Hawaii tomorrow!

the NorthShore...

surf capitol of the world...

and the place we were married 20 years ago:)

we always promised the girls 

we'd take them back to the place it all began...

so away we go!

we'll do a bit of this...

and this...

(shopping on the north shore:)

and this...

(horseback riding on the beach)

and we will celebrate Easter Sunday morning services on the beach with

North Shore Christian Church.

Our Prayers are with you and your ohana!
May your testimony be sweet praises to God!

you might remember it as Bethany Hamilton's church

in the movie Soul Surfer.

it should be a very special Easter morning!

now, let's talk about BUNNIES...

get ready to say "AWWWWW"

i think SOMEBUNNY has been eating too much

BUNNY BAIT:)

what's bunny bait?

THIS is bunny bait...

and it is YUMMY!!!!!

according to Sing for my Supper, here is all you do...
Bunny Bait
1 bag popcorn, popped
6 oz. white chocolate candy coating
1 bag Easter M&Ms
pretzel sticks, broken into small pieces (if desired)
colorful sprinkles, (if desired)
Place the popped popcorn in a large bowl with the broken up pretzels and M&Ms. Heat the candy coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until melted and smooth.
Drizzle the candy coating over the popcorn mixture and stir to coat. The pretzels and M&Ms will sink to the bottom, so make sure to get those stirred in and coated with the rest of the popcorn.
Spread out on a large piece of wax paper, top with a few sprinkles (if desired) and let cool. Break into pieces and serve in a large bowl.

(pinterest)


and to make an ADORABLE bunny bum cake...

 go to Betty Crocker for directions.

well friends,
i'm outta here!
have a BLESSED Palm Sunday and Easter...
and be sure to whip up a bunch of that bunny bait:)
God Bless...
Suzanne

Bringing Home the Beach...

so, you had an AMAZING spring break vacation

at the beach.

 well guess what...
it's our spring break too!

and we've managed to sneak in a few days at the beach...

every year, I hear families 

saying they don't want to go home, they LOVE the beach

they can't wait for summer...
like the mom on the towel near me, 

the one with the sunburn that will leave BAD tan lines

watching her kids play in the sand...

who just told her husband he needed to find a job in Florida
so they could move down. 
yeah...about that...

anyway, I'm no decorator and don't pretend to be.

I wouldn't even DREAM of trying to pull together some fussy, high end

look.  We're barefoot and casual all the way!

 but I do have a few ideas for you.

I know there are probably TONS of articles out there on this...

in fact, I've written a few things myself.

nothing terribly original...just common BEACH SENSE.

but since I'm hearing a lot of wishing and DREAMING going on about

life by the beach, let's do it again:)

sometimes we all need a refresher course, right?

and THIS time, if by chance I get ANY comments after being so lazy.
I will write back! The NEW me:)
 so lady with the sunburn, this is for YOU!

it's so EASY to decorate in that shabby, 
beach cottage way...

first up...clear the clutter.

think about it...beaches and the ocean are wide open spaces, 

stretching as far as the eye can see.

 the trick here is to keep it simple...relaxing...easy going.

beaches can be bare stretches of sand or layered with shells...

but it never feels cluttered.

 Next...color scheme.

it's really quite simple.
just sit back and think of what you see at the beach.

sandy beaches...fluffy clouds...foamy waves...pink shells...washed out driftwood...blue sky...

 and shades of aqua, seafoam, and turquoise.

 painting your house a DREAMY shade of white or cream makes a great canvas.

 accenting with any of the above colors will immediately bring the beach in.

 by the way, one thing I've learned since living in Florida for 16 years...

decorate how YOU want...not what the area or your friends think you should do.

sometimes I want a beachy feel, sometimes I want a FRENCH feel,

sometimes I want to feel as if I'm in a cabin in MAINE, complete with a moose motif:)

so if you live up north and everything is dark wood...it's only paint!

 go for it...add the little touches that say "beach" to you.
at the very least you'll be happy thinking

about your beach vacation!

moving on to furnishings...

this is where slipcovers RULE!

 just don't make my mistake and be sure to get the kind that you can rip off,

throw in the washer and bleach the heck out of them.

 i will ALWAYS have slipcovers...so comfy, so cozy, so casual...

all ways to describe a beach house.

the key is FABRIC...because it's the most comfy.

 linens, canvas, duck cloth, cotton.

and besides, what good Rachel Ashwell groupie would be without slipcovers?

wicker is a FABULOUS touch too.

 at any garage sale or thrift store, you can find a wicker chair or table.

take it home, spray paint it white/cream/aqua...whatever...and

VOILA...instant beach feel!

 if you have an old dark wood table...paint it white and chip it up a bit.

(although mixing woods is COOL too:)

floors...hardwood RULES!

a few throw rugs scattered is all you need for those

SANDY FEET.

 if you're not a fan of hardwood...
tile works too.
but in my personal opinion,
the contrast of wood...any shade...plays against the rest of the room
and keeps it cozy:)

accessorize with beach TREASURES...

a few sea shells, STARFISH, sand dollars...

scattered here and there, piled in a clear glass jar...

instant decor.

add in some SEA GLASS...so PRETTY!

driftwood pieces add a nice touch...but remember, no clutter:)

 coral, sea foam, FLOWERS and candles work too.

 a few faded, BEACHY throw pillows here and there will pull it together.

and don't forget a faded throw for naps after a long day at the beach!
***please remember to gently toss any LIVE sand dollars
and starfish back in the surf.  
if they're alive, they're not ready to leave their ocean home
and move into yours:)
besides...it's the law. SORRY:)

okay, when you think of days at the beach,

what scent comes to mind?
okay, forget the occasional fishy smell (haha)
maybe the scent that comes to mind is something CRISP, cool, breezy.
for me, it's the scent of suntan oil...COCONUT, lime, pineapple.
TROPICAL scents...yum!

 I have these through the house when I want to think of the beach.
a few other smells are not necessarily beach smells but
still remind me of living near the beach and they are
night blooming JASMINE and my all time favorite...
ORANGE BLOSSOMS!

 lastly, remember to display your beach photos.
make a photo book for your coffee table...

 pictures of days spent tossing beach balls,
searching for shells, walking on the beach,
building SAND CASTLES,
playing in the SURF,  making
MEMORIES!

that beach cottage look is casual and MISMATCHED all the way.
hmmm...mismatched...that must be why even I can do it:)

 to those spring breakers who spent their vacation
by the beach here in FLORIDA...
THANK YOU!

most of us do appreciate you and don't mind
sharing our beautiful beaches with you.
after all, it's because of YOU...
and the MONEY you spend down here...
that we don't pay local and state taxes...so come on down!
(HEE,HEE,HEE)
then go home and design your OWN beach cottage!

 XOXOXOXO
Suzanne

Paris...The City of Lights

Ooh la la...

(and yes, we heard a few people say this:)
Come with me on our adventure to "La Ville-Lumière" or
"The City of Light".

We left London on a Saturday morning and took the Eurostar train to Paris, UNDER the English Channel and through a bit of the French countryside.
Oh my gosh...we LOVED the train travel!!!

I could go on and on about this...
the neatness, comfort, service, the feeling of NOT traveling in the air:)

We arrived in Paris and were met by our driver who took us on a scenic tour of the city,
hitting the high spots, before taking us to our hotel.

The architecture and history in this city is incredible, no doubt.

Even the apartment buildings are beautiful, with flowers on every window.

And for some reason, I was in AWE at the beautiful old doors on every building.

Yes...I was the crazy lady taking pictures of DOORS in Paris!:)
And the iron scroll work in all 3 countries was beautiful, too.

We went to the Louvre museum, home to the Mona Lisa:),

 the Eiffel tower...and climbed up a number of levels,
all while oblivious to the increased terror threat, I might add!

Whew...we made the climb...

..so don't you think we deserved some pretty french perfume?:)

After our climb, we relaxed in the grassy park at the base of the Eiffel tower...

 (Jordan thinking about life in Paris)

 ...and just marveled at the fact that we were really there.  How incredible!

We took an evening cruise down the Seine river and while we FROZE
(we ARE from Florida you know:)
 it was gorgeous!

We saw many beautiful cathedrals, including Notre Dame,

visited the Arc de Triomphe

and the Place de Concorde,

a place rich with history, unfortunately not all of it happy during the French Revolution.
This is where they used to do their "beheading".
In fact, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were killed here.
But it's really pretty now, filled with fountains and statues.

We saw the Flame of Liberty, a life-sized replica of the torch on the Statue of Liberty given at the time of their Centennial.  However, now it is commonly referred to as "Diana's Flame"  since under this sculpture is the tunnel Princess Diana was riding through when she was in the fatal car crash.

 Since then, visitors flock to "Diana's Flame" and leave flowers and notes to the Late Princess.


We  took the Metro

to the Paris Flea Markets

 (we're ready to SHOP!!!)
Two of my favorites...the amazing frames

and the crowns, of course!

and visited the Paris Opera House,

which was one of my favorite spots of all.

 (Taylor dreaming of the Paris Ballet at the Opera House)
It was just magnificent!
(Actually, I thought maybe the Phantom of the Opera would appear any minute:)
We strolled down the Champs de Elysse

 and since one of the main things we wanted to do was to relax at
a sidewalk cafe like a true Parisian, we did just that!

(although like a true American, we chose the one with the BEST dessert...
and they have quite a few!)

While we enjoyed Paris and can't deny the history and beauty of so much of it,
between London/Paris/Italy...
it was lovely but not our favorite.
Maybe if we had ONLY visited Paris but since we didn't...
This SHOCKED me since it was the ONE place I wanted to visit.
It was a big and very crowded...more like NYC.
I'll leave it at that.
Would I go back???
Yes, definitely.
There is way more I would like to see.
But I'm not in a hurry.
Although when I look at photos from our trip like this...
I might just change my mind.

(photo...by Taylor) 

As for those so called "rude" French, I didn't get that impression at all.
If you're nice...most of them are nice. Just like here.
But unlike Italy, where they fall over backwards to understand or help you understand,
and London, where they smile and ask if they can help,
it was almost like they had more of a take it or leave it attitude.
Not real warm and fuzzy, you know?
It doesn't make them rude...but I bet that's how some take it.
Our next trip to France will most likely be to the Provence area,
which I'm told I will love...the area and the people:)
But I must say, the churches all had welcoming signs on their doors...

 SO NICE!!!!!

Okay, on to the sites...again.
The street markets were awesome...and so French!
And the croissants and baguettes...AMAZING!!!

I could LIVE on their fresh croissants in the morning.
(Yeah...no dieting on this trip!)
But no dieting needed...because you WALK like crazy!!!

(walking the streets of Paris)

We were warned MANY times about pick pockets, especially near the flea market.
I get it now.  I was prepared though and made sure everyone else was.  Phil kept money in his FRONT pocket and I had a small bag slung across my body and the girls kept their phones and any money in their front pockets also.
But I did catch one pickpocket hit me on the back of my jeans,
saw him hit Jordan...than Phil and then Taylor very quickly,
all while I glared at him and said out loud to "watch out for that guy, he's trying to pick pocket".
DO NOT mess with me buddy!:)
Maybe it was my glistening watch that made him think I had something to steal.
Hahaha...joke's on you!
It was my $8.00 Jacklyn Smith/Kmart special bought just for this reason!!!

Okay, and here I wasn't going to ramble.
Bottom line, if you ever have a chance to visit Paris,
it is worth the trip, at least once.

I wish I could show all of our pics as there are so many amazing ones.

 But you get the idea. (photo by Taylor)

Next stop...Roma!
And those Italians are VERY warm and friendly.
Cute, too...not that I cared.
But my girls MIGHT have noticed:)