Some Favorite Things Saturday/ US Olympic Training Center.

By golly, I think we found it!!  A sport Dan and I can enter in the next Winter Olympics.  We've been looking for years and when we figured out that we weren't meant for pairs skating, which I love, we almost gave up!

But here we are looking quite silly at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The gal who snapped the pic just couldn't quite figure out how to focus my camera.   But what the hey,  it's probably better that way.

I loved touring the Olympic Training Center and that's why it's one of favorite things!

Just seeing all the flags from around the globe.

This is right when you come in.  It's so awesome!

And there was a U.S. boxing championship going on.  It was really kind of cool even though boxing isn't my cup of tea.

And a peak inside an Olympic training pool. 

Where I expected this guy to show up any minute.

Now here's my cup of tea!  Oh yes, I love figure skating!   My daughter Katie skated for 14 years.

I spent many an hour inside a cold ice arena.

Which brings me to this place!  A place I sent lot's of moola to over the years.  The US Figure Skating Association and Figure Skating World Hall of Fame. 

It was a fun little tour!  Although I have to admit, not as cool as the Olympic Training Center.

But neat old things like this.  The Ice Follies of 37 where Olympic Figure Skater Sonja Henning was the star.

The dress that she wore in one of the Winter Games.  She was the Gold Medalist in the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics.  Quite the feat!

And the tour took us right up to our most current Olympic Team! 

It was a fun tour for me and even my hubby enjoyed it.

I am joining Laurie @  Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for Some of my Favorite Things Saturday.

Please visit her awesome blog!

I'm off to the fair!

Thanks for coming by and have a great weekend too,

Cindy

What is it? And some Flower Arranging for the Fair.

Can you tell what this is?  I know, I know, it's really dark because it was taken through our bedroom window. It seems we can't go a summer without some little critter up around our house.  This one was hiding behind the flower pot right next to our front door. I saw our kitty Lily lying there face to face with something.  When I first looked I thought it might be a rabbit but that wasn't quite right.  Well he sat there for hours and we couldn't get him to budge.  Finally Dan took the hose and gave him a few squirts and he finally ran off.  Have you figured it out?   Hard to tell by the pic but it's a woodchuck and he was pretty good size.  Neither Dan nor I wanted to try to chase him off by opening the front door as we thought he might run inside. And I didn't want to deal with a woodchuck inside my house!

Besides chasing off woodchucks, I've been trying my hand at flower arranging.  I am not very good at it but I like to try and figure it out.  This one I made inside of a teapot that I actually won in a Blog give-away.

And I made this one, using all wildflowers.  I am taking a few to the fair that starts tomorrow.

Like I said, I'm not very good but it's something fun to try and maybe get a little better along the way.

So I'm off to do some more flower arranging. 

One more thing.  We were blazing hot yesterday with a heat index of 106 and dew points in the mid seventies which I think might be like tropical.  My very pregnant daughter and I went shopping. It's not a good idea to take a cranky, pregnant young woman who can't fit into the cute junior clothing she is used to and thinks all the maternity clothes look like they were made for old ladies on a day when the heat index is 106.  So I learned.  Yikes!!

A storm came through last night and we are now in the low 80's and the dew point is only in the 50's.  Wonderful summer weather!

That's the one thing here, we generally have gorgeous summers!

Take Care,

Cindy

Old Decrepit table gets brand new look!

We've had this old picnic table for like a gazillion years!  It's warped, splintering and all around un-balanced.

I wanted a new and improved version like the cheery and bright one's I've seen around bloggyland.

My industrious hubby, being ever so frugal and handy, declared "that he could make it look a lot better and maybe as good as new."

First thing industrious hubby did was to literally tear this baby apart.  OOPS you say, but he has a plan.
He planed all these pieces down and ....

he went to work priming and painting.  Several coats for each piece.

Can you see where he's going here? He used an outdoor oil based paint and primer so that it will hold up to the elements better. 
And now the task of putting it back together again. It was originally put together with nails which were all bent and pretty much useless.  Dan used screws which will hold better and make it more sturdy.

 

Ta-da!  New and improved old picnic table with a new look.

I think it looks pretty spiffy!

I like the red and white it fits our outside decor. 
I also ordered a navy umbrella for it as this side of the house get's a lot of sun.
See how green it is out there?  We've had a lot of rain and a lot of sun and things are as green as can be.
Next week is our local county fair.  I love Fair's and I have a few things to enter.  I will share those with you a little later.
Have a great week everyone!
Cindy

I am adding to the following blog parties.
Please check them out when you have time.
Between Naps on the Porch for Met. Monday
Southern Hospitality for Thrifty Treasures

The Beautiful Colorado Rockies!

One of the highlights of our recent trip to Colorado was our visit to the town of  Estes Park and our drive through Rocky Mountain National Park.  I often see 4 legged creatures with antlers around our neck of the woods, but none as big and majestic as these guys.

We were very excited to get up close and personal with the elk.  They are really big and I wouldn't want to get on their bad side.

J

Just look at those antlers!!  Aren't they incredible creatures.

And the drive through the park was both breathtaking and at times a little bit scary. 

We drove to the highest peek some 12,000 feet or more.

Seeing snow up here in July is really something.  The temp dropped a good 25 degrees and the air was thin and made me a bit dizzy and headache.

There were just a a few little yellow flowers up this high.  Our info said that it can take 50 years for these plants to grow an inch.  That just blew me away.

Amazing Views.

I kind of thought this house could work for me.

Can you imagine their views? 

I hope you enjoyed the tour.  After I'm home about a week I'm ready to go again. 

I'm also joining Susan @  A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.

Thanks for coming by my friends,

Cindy

Old Dresser gets new look for Katie's baby girl to be!

My daughter Katie, who is expecting, needed a dresser for the baby girl she is expecting in 2 months.

Being short on funds, she couldn't just go out and buy a new one.  So I decided to paint up her old one from childhood.   The colors she has chosen are a pale green and lilac.  Pictured above are some of the drawers  before I started to paint.

And the old hardware too.  Since the cost of new would be expensive, I decided to paint these as well.  I would find two new pulls for the top drawer and hopefully not have to spend a lot of moola. This dresser has seen better days.  Katie had stickers all over it( from her stickers are cool stage) and even her name carved into one of the drawers.  I spent quite a bit of my time removing the stickers, sanding and then priming it.
I bought two quarts of inexpensive paint and ended up giving each drawer 3 coats. 

A pic of the top drawer with the new pulls.  They are white and purple polka dot. They were about $3 each and I found them at Hobby Lobby.

And the finished look.  I spray painted the pulls an antique white and added some protective gloss to help hold the paint. 

The top is wood finished and we decided to leave it that way.   All it needed was a really good cleaning and some more sticker removal. 

Another view.  Total cost, $14 for paint and $6 for pulls for a grand total of $20.  We also found a sleigh crib on Craig's List for only $50.  It is in great condition, made by Bassett and sells for $250.00 new. The crib is a pretty creamy white.  I will have to get a pic of it and post it when we have it all set up.
Now I am busy working on some things for her baby shower.  Have a great week everyone.
Cindy

I adding this post to the following blog parties.

Back home and meeting Chari and Russ!

Oh my golly gosh! We arrived home late last night.  We're tired but happy!  And see that gorgeous cake?  It  was made for Dan and I by the ultra talented Chari @  Happy to Design

Dan and I were so blown away by Chari and Russes hospitality.  They are the nicest people ever!

Just look at that beauty!   Chari had it displayed on her most lovely crystal cake pedestal.  It was Italian creme, and tasted as good as it looks!

 Oh, it was good!!!

And look what was waiting for us!!!  This lovely basket put together for Dan and I.  And to top it off, it was sitting inside the most gorgeous guest room I have ever seen!  Honestly, I have loved this room for so long but never imagined I would get to sleep in it.

Chari is the most talented decorator I have ever known!  My picture only shows a small section of this gorgeous room but you can see more by heading over to her blog.   Boy oh boy does she have talent!!!

Here is just one little section of her gorgeous office.  I could have just sat on the floor and stared at the walls and vignettes for hours!!!

And here is our lovely hostess with the most-est!!!  Chari and Russ are the nicest people ever!!

Gosh I wish she lived down the road from me.  Well actually they do, but it's like 850 miles down the road from us. 

And here is the lovely gracious couple together.  Chari and Russ, such nice people!

We arrived Saturday afternoon and later we all went out to eat.  What a fun time we had. 

Chari and Russ are so much fun we hated to leave the next day. 

Chari and I visiting on her swing. 

I thought this pic was so cute!!  Honestly, we had the best time!  I first got to know Chari when we were both on RMS.  Then I followed her to blogging.  I feel so lucky that we finally were able to  meet!  And Dan and I are going to be working on getting these two to Wisconsin to spend some time with us.

If you ever have a chance to meet a blogger friend just go for it!  After talking on-line for so long we didn't feel like strangers at all.  We had so much in common and so much to share.

Well my friends, I have more pics to share later and a ton of dirty laundry to take care of now.

I will be around to visit you all soon.

Happy Weekend

Cindy

My Phlox are a blooming and a itty, bitty, blogging break!

I am taking a wee little blogging break to spend a little time with the hubby and visit my friend Chari @ Happy to Design.  I am busy packing and all the usual stuff.  And I am super excited to meet Chari and her hubby Russell and see her beautiful home! 

And I just had to share with you my phlox!  They're blooming now.

And this is the view from our dining room table.  Oh I love it!  We can sit here and eat supper and enjoy this view.

We've had a lot of rain and it's been quite humid too.  Temps have been in the 80's and other than the humidity it's been gorgeous!  So take care everyone and I can't wait to share my pics with you!

Cindy