"She Works Hard for the Money"

Well, friends - due to the fact that I have been a very busy bee lately there have been a serious lack of posts. So sorry! I've dealt with some health issues (surprise, surprise) and changed my day to day life dramatically. I have a job!! My fabulous friend Brooke, a recruiter for Wellmont Health Systems, passed my resume on and really helped me out. I interviewed for two positions (throwing up during a phone interview, yup) and I started a temporary position on the 24th. I am the new HR Assistant for Holston Valley Medical Center. I am liking it so far, new things to learn everyday. The plan was to get my foot in the door and transfer after 90 days into a permanent position (aka a 90 day interview, shew!). Well guess what? I already scored an interview! Its for the HR Generalist for Wellmont Physician Services - a promotion. The interview is on Wednesday, and I hope it works out! If it doesn't I am just going to keep on trying. Its been interesting getting back into the swing of things and learning how they do things. Everyone is really nice and helpful at the hospital and I really hope this becomes a long term thing! I met two women that have been there for 40 years! Crazy. Jeff has been so supportive and excited about the whole adventure. He packed my lunch a couple of times and left notes of encouragement for me. He even started my car and had coffee waiting for me one morning when I was particularly moody and mad I had to wake up so early :) Love him. I was feeling like I was doing an awful lot of waiting on God lately. All of a sudden, God just started showing me how he was moving in my life. He reminded me that He is in control and that HIS plan is the plan that I want to follow. Send up some praise fingers!!

I'll leave you with a few wish list items for my new workin woman wardrobe.
This skirt.



Banana Republic


jcrew


New Red Shoes, Ann Taylor

Little Day to Vacay

Thought I would share a few pics from our visit to Big Rock with the brother-in-law, Tom. The pic above was my view for about 5 hours while I sipped a tasty beverage and finished my latest guilty pleasure reading, The Sookie Stackhouse novels. Ya know, the series on HBO, TrueBlood is based on the books. I actually just finished the third one yesterday. I am so deep.



Ya'll know I had to girl it up.


That's the hubs - he looks really cool, but he ate it! Sorry, honey.


Little Bit and BIL, formally known as FBIL.


Fun Times, except that I used 44 weight watcher points that day! Just to give you an idea, I only get 19 points per day. Yeah. I was paying for that one all week. Lots of workin out and sore muscles. I feel really blessed that we live so close to the river. Its just something about being in the mountains that calms you and reminds you how awesome our God is. Wonderful day!

Domestic Bliss

This is a long post, so grab a spot of tea or just some chocolate and relax! Let me toot my own horn for a bit. Yesterday I achieved what I like to call Domestic Bliss. I accomplished everything I set out to do around the house and then some. I did the little chores you don't do that often, but make all the difference. I organized the hall closet, laundered quilts, vintage linens,and clothes, {excercised}, cleaned out the fridge,and tried a new impressive recipe! (The pic above is the latest bounty from the garden).

I decided it was time to roast a chicken. I read a couple recipes and made up my own! So here it is.

I used what I had in the fridge. All the recipes called for yellow onion, but unfortunately mine was rotten. I also added fresh rosemary from the garden.


After I washed the chicken and took out the neck and giblets (ewww) I let it drain and come to room temp along with the butter. I sliced the potatoes, onion, and one lemon. I used a corn holder to prick the whole lemon so the juice would be sure to flavor the chicken.


I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out. There's garlic in there too. I stuffed the cavity with some onion and the whole lemon. Meanwhile I sprayed the baking dish with Pam and layered the potatoes,then a layer of onions. I placed the bird on top, squeezed the lemon, rubbed the skin with butter and roasted it at 425 degrees for almost 2 hours.


DELISH



The potatoes were to die for because they were flavored by the drippings from the chicken. yummMMmm. The Hubby couldn't stop telling me how awesome it was. It made me feel so good!

After dinner I noticed that I needed to clean the microwave. I read recently that a good natural/green way was to put a lemon in water and warm for a couple of minutes. I used the lemon that was in the chicken cavity.

It worked beautifully!

Are you still with me?

While the chicken was cooking and there was a break in the rain I ran across the street into one of the fields and picked some "weeds".

I used part of my milk glass collection (that will soon be for sale in my etsy shop, don't worry, I'll invite you to the grand opening) to display the flowers. The orange weeds match my color scheme in my bedroom! Fun pop of color.

In the guest room. Sorry some of the pics are blurry, my camera is not cooperating. You get the jist.

In the guest bath.

In the kitchen.

In the living room. I just added some queen anne's lace to the undead part of an arrangement the Hubby gave me two weeks ago.

There you have it! Domestic Bliss!

Virtual Shopping

wire baskets




compotes




ruffle plate





Zinc place cards


All vintage except for the placecards. I want to gift the compotes to my mom so badly! Virtual shopping will just have to do! Have a great day!

A Day in the Life

of Lola Piper Hammond. Love her.

Kitchens

I was going through my inspiration file and these are the kitchens that I have saved. I think I have a clear idea of what I would like!

Love the zigzag tile.

What's not to love here. Love the double islands and the different counter finishes. Love the ceiling, the ladder?! Come on! Love the lighting and the bar stools. Love the marble. Seriously top fav.


Again, the white cabinets, the island in a different finish, the marble.


Same color scheme. Same lighting. Love the floors. I am into the winged-backed chairs at the dining table. Just noticed the ceiling again.

I need a sliding barn door! How unique is that? There are a few antique doors at this store in downtown jc.

I like the simplicity of this kitchen. Notice the celing again. I had no idea I liked it so much. I like the use of linen and the different finish on the island.

This kitchen is a little different. I tagged it as modern country. I like the feel. The lighting. It reminds me more of my current kitchen. A little cozier.


So from this little experiment, I know that I want white cabinets and marble counters. I need that fabulous ceiling I was saving each time without knowing it. I want a farmhouse sink and a few unique elements like the sliding door and the cool floors. I want beautiful lighting and a clean feel. Some current modern elements and some old-fashioned elements to balance. Okay, ready to build my dreamhouse now. Someday we will build a house on our own little farm (or not so little). We will have creeks and ponds for wading, fishing, and canoeing. and woods for exploring, building forts and hiking. and fields for running for our family to enjoy!

Yard Work and Such

We've been doing a lot of work outside lately. I was minding my own business watching lifetime movies and the next thing I knew I was armed with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Oh friends, how I love this little sponge. Just when you thought that your counter was clean, run the eraser over it - magic! Even better! Once I get one in my hand I just can't stop. It is the absolute best product to clean soap scum. I have always used the most abrasive solvent I could find. I ALWAYS finished with a headache and an asthma attack, no joke. Just don't go crazy like I did and use it on your walls that are painted with a flat finish. So back to outside. Jeff bought me a Cracker Barrel rocking chair about a year ago. It lives on our front porch, covered. Folks, it was disgusting. Evidence.

Just look, with a gentle swipe of the magic eraser.

Sparkling!


My husband works for the Dharma Initiative.


Don't all your husbands wear a zippered jumpsuit, a bandanna, and dress shoes to work outside? Jeff does, naturally. Never a dull moment, friends. I love him.