Happiness Is...

I haven't been posting much lately, just really busy with work and going back & forth to the Ormond Beach house. Here's a few pics from the past couple of weeks and what I've been up to.

It actually got cold enough In Ormond to cause the trees to shed their leaves, something we never see in South Florida!



Martini Hour at Hyde Park, love the $4.00 Cosmos!



We met this group of Swiss tourists, had a blast hanging out with them at the Ocean Deck!



They told Beren that his last name is very common in Switzerland which was interesting because his grandfather did indeed trace his lineage all the way back to that country. I think I can see the resemblance here!



Kali & Kevin are up visiting this weekend, so nice to show them around town for the first time! We took them to Miltop Tavern where Kevin enjoyed a drink called Swamp Water. Ewww, I hope it tasted better than it looked!



In honor of Valentines Day, Beren bought me these lovely flowers; don't they look just perfect on the dining room table?



Kali & Kevin spent the afternoon baking cookies while I made cupcakes





Here we are heading out to the local country bar, Beren wants to take line dance lessons so he can keep up with the other cowboys, lol, but I'm not sure I'm quite up for that!



Back at home, Jackson hops up on my altar every morning, I think he's visiting Salem



I started a new kitchen experiment you can read more about it here on my other blog.



Hope you all are having a wonderful long weekend, Happy Valentine's Day!

Happiness Is....

the past few weeks in review...


a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner of Chinese food because no one could bear to have the turkey & fixins without Mom.





decorating out little "Charlie Brown" tree at the Ormond house, and having it turn out kinda cute!



meeting up with some other pirates in St Augustine during a historic event.



holiday party = an excuse to dress up and go out!



celebrating Kali's 25th Birthday, sounds so cliche but truly, where did the years go?


so glad she loved the Sailor Jerry-inspired vintage train case I made her!


That's it for now, hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season so far!

Happiness Is...

an early-birthday celebration!


We started the afternoon with a visit to our favorite biker bar....


and then continued the party back at the Castle...don't Kali & Kevin make the cutest couple?!



While Bambi was doing some baking...



and Beren was doing some frying...



Strider was chillin' by the pool...



Jillina doing the same...



A good time was had by all!





Ah...homemade chocolate cake and a glass of wine, good friends & family, what more could a birthday girl want?!



Feeling Truly Blessed,

Happiness Is....

a 4th of July BBQ with old friends...



and new, family...





swimming....



music....love....



and laughter....



and Lucy dressed in her holiday best!

Happiness Is...(the Week in Review)

Hanging with our wild & crazy biker friends at our fave Sunday afternoon tiki bar..even though we got totally soaked by rain, the band played on and the girls kept dancin'!



Going to see our friend play guitar in a wonderful Country-ish band. We always have a great time with Elvis and, yes, that's his real name!



Discovering a wonderful little Mexican restaurant on a Friday afternoon; $2.50 margaritas are the BOMB!



Happy Hour at the Wreck Bar, one of the very last mermaid shows before the bar is renovated. Crossing fingers and wishing real hard that they bring my mermaids back after completion!



Stay tuned, we have a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend planned!

Happiness Is...(the week in review)

A beautiful daughter headed off to prom..I can't believe she's all grown up!





Mothers Day brunch at Kali's house followed by a trip to the art museum. (free admission and half price mimosas!)





Fresh clean sheets on a Sunday morning and a crazy kitty who "helps" me change them!



Bread baking in the oven, dinner in the slow cooker...heading out to meet friends for an afternoon of live music and perhaps a cocktail or two. What a wonderful way to end the weekend!

I love Sundays...