Life in the Fast Lane-Post 1

Advising this is a long post.. since I haven't had time to blog..playing catch up! So grab a cup of joe before reading!

So last friday Blogger was down. I wanted to upload my blooming graden! I woke up to these beauties. The hibiscus is a hybrid that is cold hardy so it dies every windter and comes back from the root ball. The blooms measure 6-12 inches across and I have pink, white with pink centers and yellow along one fence mixed with cana and hawaiian irises. The hibiscus plants get large really fast as well as the cana and provide a lush privacy wall so people can't look thru our fence which we like. I know not everyone likes a lush tropical garden but I love it. My front yard is manicure and perfect though.

Also Friday, I went to a wine glass painting party. It was blast! I made a tropical Hawaiian glass. One of my gf's painted hers leopard (didn't get a pic) and the other gf painted hers irish. Here is Kelly with her beautiful glass-

Here are pictures of both sides of my wine glass.. I think it is adorable.

This side has an island with two coconut palm trees and our wedding date in the center 7-11-10.

This side says ALOHA with a pink hibiscus in the center ( I love pink and hibiscus). I blinged it out too!! These were so easy to make, you use glass paint and bake the glass after wards and I know mine isn't as stunning as Lolita but the total cost of the glass was 13 bucks versus 40-50 for a lolita glass. But I am still a sucker for lolita.

Than this weekend Nate went to Lake Charles for a day and night to celebrate Jon (his best man) and Marty's birthday. I spent the whole day Saturday trying to clean and organize our house in preparation for my mother in law. I love my mother in law but it stresses me out that she is coming while we are still in school and the busiest time of the year (end of the school year). I feel like I haven't had a moment this month to just breath!

Sunday continued the preparation on the house. Monday was a busy day at work- prepping for my class field trip and trying to finish a paper for my masters class. Nate finished cleaning the other side of our two car garage so we could move the books shelves down stairs.

We have three bedrooms upstairs (including the master) and an office downstairs that could function as a fourth room. But Nate uses the office upstairs and was storing books for his side business in the 3rd room and the garage. Also the cat's litter boxes are in the 3rd room. Nate installed the kitty door over spring break but we had the mechanism to stop the cat's from going into the garage until we cleaned it and made sure nothing poisnous was in their reach.

I wish I took a picture of the before of the room. But here is a pic of the cat door and the cat's chilling in the garage- I think they are psyched to have a huge garage to their selves. Plus it the garage has windows on the top of the doors so the cats loved basking in the sun in the heat! Plus for all of us.. cat litter is out of the house (which is great because smell but a plus for toodlers too) and the cats are happy with thier new space.

Smokey the fat tabby doesn't like the flap on the cat door but he can't go hungary so he got the hang of it fast. Bella figured it out immediately.

Post Continued..

Busy Weekend Plus a Head Injury

Apologize now for all the pics.. but I love em!

My First Lily Bloomed this morning!!

This weekend started out with a BANG (literally)! As in my head against a brick wall. I took a fall Thurs. night chasing the puppy down the side yard  in the dark (not recommended) and fell over a tree branch right into the side of the house. My elbow and head took the blunt of it.  So Friday I spent the day with a concussion resting and icing away.  But the weekend couldn't wait around for my head to heal.

Saturday came along and it  was the day I celebrated with mi madre! Since, Mom and Shay always go to church with Nana, I wanted to be able to celebrate with her first.

Nate and I took her to Brunch at Mia Bella's in Vintage Park. It was awesome.. I also got a couple of shots of mom opening her gift basket for Michelle in Germany to see..

She loved it..especially the blue berry tree. She also like Mia Bella's and Vintage Park. I am glad we went there!

After Brunch we went to the Walker's Kentucky Derby Party (and Nate's Horse Animal Kingdom won $$$$).  The girls made hats while the boys placed bets before the party started.. I mean  it was a Kentucky Derby Party, so everyone needs a ridicously large over embellished hat! Kourt, Kristin & I embellished ours via the glue gun and feathers, butterflies, and flowers. Of course mine had to match my dress and be in my fav colors of pink and turqouise.

Pic of hat above is a little dark but look at those feathers!!

The Walker Twins wanted to join in so we made them hats as well. It was a blast! I am so blessed to have great gfs!

 Kylie and Ashley (ashley is a neighbor who plays with the twins) with their hats on! Chloe bear is in the background.. she refused to pose for the paperazi.. that's ok because I got a great pic with her later!

 The best part about the hats were that Kristin and I discovered we could hide our faces from others and talk across the table to each other.. lol! Yes it was after we had a couple Schmint drinks (pink lemonade, vodka, and mint).. but we thought it was hilarious.. pictures are evident of that!!

I absolutely love this one of Kristin..lol.

Of course here is the pic with my Chlo Bear!

Isn't she adorable!! Well Kristin & I aren't bad either..

Than on the real mother's day, Nate and I cashed his big winning ticket from the Derby. Took the winnings and spent them at the grocery store and had Alex, Mark, Jake & Mia over to swim. Jake turned 5 this week! I can't believe it. We weren't able to make it to his party so we had a mini one last night.

Getting ready to blow..got one out! Five more to go!

He couldn't get all 5 candles  plus one extra wish candle out at the same time.. guess even though he grew up his lungs are still small! I can't believe he will be in Kindergarten next year. I remember him as a new born peeing on me while his daddy played golf with Nate. (The best part was at the grovery store I had them put Happy 5th Birthday Jake on the cake.. well we get home and Nate decided it needed some extra sprinkles for Jake-man). Nate and Jake have a special bond and Nate absolutely adores this kid.

I also got good use out of my derby hat in the pool- without the embellishments. It is the perfect hat for a whity like me who needs to shade the chest and face! It also looks similar to my Calyspo Hat I bought for the cruise.

I think it will be awesome for the cruise with my other Calyspo Hat..as you can see I am already red on my chest ( I hate that my face and chest burn and everything else tans).

Also my lovely hubby bought me flowers on mother's day.. I know I am not a mom yet (but if our baby had survived it would have been our first mother's day). It was a nice gesture  that he remembers and I love love hydrangeas.

Backyard Updates & Mother's Day Basket

(click on images to enlarge in new page)

If you notice in this picture there are purple flowers on the hot tub edge and now in the hanging baskets! Previously I had purple flowers in the hanging basket only & pink flowers on the hot tub edge.. Well that is because my original petunia hanging baskets got dropped from their hanging hooks during a wind storm. With the bottoms busted out and roots exposed I had to plant them fast. I thought the flowers would look amazing draping over the edges of the pots on the hot tub. So I transfered the pink flowers to the back of the garden and repotted the hanging baskets. Than this weekend we went to NOLA and every where there they had ferns growing. I wanted to add ferns to our yard too but I looked everywhere for them and couldn't find baskets. Plus I think it might be a little too much green and I love flowers and color in my yard.

So last night I went to Walmart to get some relaxation items for my mother's day basket (don't worry my mom doesn't check the blog- or I don't think so) and a birthday present for Jake's Fifth Spider Man Bday! While I was there I couldn't help but pick up two new baskets! They are confetti petnias that bloom summer to fall and are full sun! Perfect for hot houston summers! To solve the issue of falling off the hook I used chain to loop thru the basket tops and hang on to the hook on the gazebo. Here is a close up:

Sorry Don't mind the pool floats..some of them will blow with the wind and take off across the yard so we store them in the gazebo during summer while not in use (in fall & winter they go in the pool shed on the side yard). Oh and we love signs! We have a sign collection on the fence- but the TIKI BAR sign my mom gave us from our Hawaii trip.. I know the chain isn't as attractive but it helps stabilize the heavy baskets especially during storms when they are heavier from rain water. Plus this way another basket isn't broken..
Seriously aren't those flowers gorgeous?!

Here are a couple other backyard pics..what is happening in the E Garden.

These are our pepper plants- we have already cooked with 2 of our own home grown bell peppers and there is another one on there! The bell peppers were awesome in Turkey Spaghetti

Four tom. are almost ready for picking.. we have harvested 2 already too! The flowers seem to deter the bugs too as well as making it pretty. Oh our tom. plants are container plants which produce smaller tomatoes but do well in pots. Which perfect since our garden space is limited due to the pool.

Hibiscus Rosharon tree which blooms so beautiful. This is the second summer I have had it and I think I am going to plant it in the back corner of the back yard where one of the palms died so that it can grow larger. I saw a beautiful Rosharon tree in a NOLA courtyard.

This is a cold hardy hibiscus. It is not the typical hibiscus- it will bloom till fall and then die back and come back each year. The blooms measure dinner plate size and are gorgeous. I bought these online from HG channel.

Happy Mother's Day to all these lovely Ladies in my life!!

(Pic From Wedding-Left to Right: Cindy (MIL), Arnold (stepFIL), Nate, Me, Shay, Mom, Grandpa Cates (Biological Father's Parents), Grandma Cates, Nana (Shay's Mother))

In other news- my mom is going to be published nationally for research she is performing. She recieved a grant even to perform her research in her facility. She is studing air mattress and seeing if another air matress would provide the same health benefits regardless that it is a lower price air mattress. The study will be about patient care as well as finance and administration.  I am super proud of her!

This weekend is also mother's day! In my class we are making mother's day stepping stones (the plaster is taking forever to dry). Well in NOLA I found the perfect wine glass for my madre. I collect the Lolita hand painted series and last year I gave my mom and sisters one with flipflops on it for the wedding. This one I found had martini glasses, purse, nail polish, handbags..etc and at the top it reads "MOM'S DAY OFF".  I loved it and had to get it. Than it gave me the idea to give her a relaxation basket- I bought a Better Homes & Garden Basket, BH matching frame and scented candle. Plus makeup, nail polish, nail tools, bath puff, lotion, body scrub and body spray. In addition I put in a mini blueberry tree for her to plant (which she'll love probably more than the girly stuff). Ha my mom taught me to pamper myself but sometimes I think I am more girly than she is.  My sis Michelle left for her bday trip back to Germany and totally forgot about Mother's Day this weekend (so being such a nice big sis)..so the basket will be from Nate, Michelle & I.

I really hope she enjoys the basket. We are going to brunch Saturday at Mia Bella- an italian rest. I figure we will beat the crowds by going Saturday and Sunday my mom and Shay will be in Sealy with his family. So this way I get to see her with just us and she can have a nice visit Sunday with Shay's fam. We sent flowers & mailed a card to Nate's mom. I hope the card gets there in time. I also bought her a wine glass that says MOTHER, which I will give to her when she visits in a week. I also sent a card to my grandma- even though she is out of town and it won't get to her in time!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. I am almost caught back up on sleep (seriously how do new mothers do this) and testing week is almost over thank god! I haven't caught up on washing and folding clothes.. the house is a diaster. Luckily, my fridays are a half day so after work a nap and cleaning is going to happen! Nate will be glfing so prime time to!

Tonight I get to have a wine night with my DHHC GFs and I can't wait. I'll post pics of mom and her basket as well as brunch after sunday!

Exhausted from a way too much fun Vacay & Other News..

This past weekend was my sister in law Julie (Juls or Boov as we know her) Dirty 30 in New Orleans. Both of Nate's sisters live in Columbia Missouri, so they drove down and we all meet in the French Quarter.. the vacation started Thursday night and ended Sunday. It was a spectacular time and I loved being able to spend time with Nate and sisters in laws. But everyone knows the saying 'You need a vacation from your vacation'.. I defianately need one.

While we were enjoying our mini vacation (pics and recap coming later) Scout had his first experience being boarded at a Kennel. Scout went to Cypress Kennels which was highly recommended to us by my very close gf who also has a golden retriever. We were a little anxious leaving Scout because he usually travels with us and he is really an inside family dog and we weren't sure if he would be boarded inside or out and how he would do being left. But Scout fared well. He is an emotional eater which means he only eats when we are home and he is happy. He ate two days he was there and the other days he just nibbled. So we assume he he was happy while he was there or he wouldn't have eaten dinner at all.

Sundays the Kennel is closed so you can not pick up pets. Nate had arranged to go on his lunch break Monday to pick up Scout. What we didn't know was there are only set times for pick up and drop off which are 9-11am and 4-6pm daily. Nate arrived 5 minutes too late and no one answered his calls and the front gate was locked. I am in standarized testing this week at school and he kept calling me. Finally I answered because I thought something was tragically wrong. He was so frustrated and worried about Scout because he didn't know there were set times for pickup.

 So after school I ran to pick up Scout and try to make it home and get dressed up for Nate's School Athletics Banquet. Aww the joys of being a coach's wife. The banquet lasted till 9pm and than we went for a couple drinks with the other coaches. I am exhausted!!

Well inbetween getting showered and dressed for the banquet I threw Scout's Bed in to the wash.. but we got home at midnight so his bed hadn't dried out yet (meaning I left it in the washer while we were out).. he slept on a comforter instead last night while his bed dried out.. this morning he was so sleepy he didn't even want to go downstairs to go outside. But than I brought up his clean puffy bed!

I think the picture is enough evidence for Scout's gratitude.. and well he looks exhausted too. We are so glad to pick Scout up and have him back home- I think he is overly happy too but just as tired as we are. It was weird being home with out him. I even think the cats missed him.

In other exciting news- Calyspo New Line came out at Target! It is an awesome St Bart's Tropical home, womans and girls line at Target (which means awesomeness plus affordable)! The line came available May 1st.. so on the drive back from NOLA I was on my iphone stalking the line and trying to debate what to buy. I absolutely love the line and wish I could buy it all.. but a teacher's salary doesn't allow for that. But  I did snag some awesome stuff such as two shirts, the floppy hat and the straw and silver  sequin bag. Some of the items advertised on TV I didn't see online and alot of items sold out immediately.

Floppy hat perfect for the cruise and pool floating

Straw Summer Beach/Pool Bag

Crochet Coral Top

Aqua TShirt

My sister in law Alicia just told me this weekend I am always wearing bright and tropical colors. I guess I didn't notice that.. but I am drawn to color in my closet for the summer. I also love that I can wear these things at home or on vacation. Check out the line it is awesome! I love all the jewelry too but I have a ton of turqoiuse and coral jewelry already! But if you are looking for some summer pops of color you should definately check it out.

That is all that is new around the Embley Casa- We are swamped with social events and school right now. The end of the school year is always the busiest- testing, grades, graduations, and summer end of the year parties.. oh and field trips! Ugh. We haven't had one free weekend in April and it is starting to look the same for May. This weekend alone we already have conflicting things to do- if Only I could clone myself. In addition to our busy season at work, I haven't been able to keep up with the housework and my master's classes. Luckily I have a ten day break before my next class. But at home I have hampers of clean clothes on the table to be folded and tons of dirty laundry.. haven't cleaned the house in over a week and it is starting to look like a bomb went off.. and I am exhausted. Like I said I need a vacation from my vacation to get caught up again.

PICS coming soon of our trip!

God's Gift To Me..

God gave me the most beautiful gift today..beautiful new life in my backyard. I adore flowers..Nana's Cana has taken over this corner.. and look pink oleander is blooming too!

Pretty Hibiscus

Mini Oleander- first year in 3 years it has bloomed. I am so excited to see this beautiful pink!!

Bouganvilla in the pots..

Bouganvilla in pots and oleander blooming in back.. plus our palms of all sorts.

I love all the added color to the yard. It makes me so happy!! Thank you for the gift!

Summer Updates

Aloha!!

It has been exceptionally hot for this time of year. We have hit record highs- the news even reported that last weeks highs at night were higher than the typical hottest nights in the summer. I am talking upper 90's during the day- AC running all day and night hot. Huge electricity bills hot.. Pool floating days hott.  Getting in the pool already hot- which is the earliest we have ever swam.

Typically I would still be wearing pants to work and leaving up the Spring decor after Easter.. but with all this hot weather and pool floating happening it feels more like Summer. I am sporting skirts, flip flops and wedges with sun dresses already. What happened to Spring? Umm I live in Houston-it's Summer already!!

I had an extra long weekend with Friday off and Monday. So after our relaxing Easter Sunday in the pool with family and friends, I took down all the springy decor! Away went our big E for Embley or Easter and out came the ALOHA door decor! I love it!

After I took down the E- I worked on the fireplace.. when I removed the Spring Blocks and moss bunnies it started to look a little bare. So I shopped the house and this is what it looks like:

I left the hydrangeas up because they remind me of Northwestern beaches.. and I love our branches in them from our wedding reception last year. I also added our seashells from the wedding, our Hawaii Souvenior plate and two wedding pics plus the aqua candle just for fun and height! I want stuff on the fireplace I just don't want it crowded and I would love to put laterns up with seaglass but the width of the shelf is too narrow.

Notice the dog toy on the floor-he he.

I also added new summerery pillows. My favorite color is aqua (hence our wedding colors were aqua and pink) and it looks so good with tan and brown. I found these awesome Sonoma Pillows at Kohls for 50% off and used my Kohls cash (which means they are almost free). I wasn't sure about the large size of the aqua pillows because I am used to a more traditional smaller size but I love love them. I also think the lumbar pillows with the white, tan and brown fit the color scheme perfect.  The colors really lighten the color scheme of the living room.  I removed the heavy chocolate faux fur blanket and just moved the aqua one to Nate's Chair. I think the living room looks stellar now and everytime I walk by I smile. The aqua pillows and throw pick up the other accents in the living room of aqua such as the cross, the embley stich work, the aqua pedestal and the hydrangeas on the fireplace and in the TV shelf. PERFECT if I must say.

 Check out my newest book.. OLD LEGENDS OF HAWAII.. such great stories.

 Here is our Health & Happiness Tiki.

Lastly, I updated the entryway chalkboard. I just wrote ALOHA in blue and added my book page wreath with a star fish glued to the center. Starfish were the symbol of our wedding! I really like things that represent us in the house and make us feel comfortable. The hawaiian pics sure fit summer well now! I also added a new candle with shells encrusted in it (much like PB's but much cheaper at Kohls).

I also finally recieved the vinyl to cover over the new seat cushions. I know that many people hate the idea- my own husband says they are grandma-ie. But we have so many friends with kids and I didn't want the fabric ruined. I also didn't want the colors to smear when wet pool butts sat on them. Which I know I can't be that person when people come over and I am like oh please don't sit down because I love my seat covers that much. So to solve that problem I covered them with vinyl..kid and pool friendly now. Here is how they look:

I know shiny right. I love shiny and even though it is vinyl I really like that the seats stay cool and that the material looks brighter with the clear over it. But Ms. Bella cat is throughly pissed at me. She slept in the second chair over from this pic every day in the sunlight.. the chair cushion had to be vaccumed from her siamese hair. Now that the seats are cool rather than warm from her heat she has moved on to the dining room chairs. Poor kitty..but my seat covers will live longer. Sorry Bella here are my sympathies.. didn't last long.

On top of all that I also completed my last 12 page paper needed for my Masters course. I am now out of school till May 10th. May 10th I will start a new course that will run for 6 weeks and I will be off the month of July for my summer break!! I graduate Feb 2012.. it is sooner than you think!