Dana Moore Designs

FALL In Love.

2011-10-02T11:28:00.006-04:00

FALL in Love with your Kitchen.

My favorite spot at home is in my kitchen. I love to cook, bake and spend time with my family in the kitchen. I have great memories of the boys and I gathered around the island baking cookies, pies and yummy breads. My boys love being in the kitchen too and I hope they continue that love as they get older. Lots of good times happen in the kitchen.

FALL in Love with Dining Together.

I am a firm believer that eating dinner together as a family is an important part to a happy family. There is so much to learn about each other while enjoying a nice meal at the family table. Make coming to dinner fun, set the table for the season, have prizes under the kids chairs or have fun with ice breaker questions listed on cards! More importatley use this time with your family to talk about the positive things in the day.

FALL in Love with Bed Time.

We just moved Blake into a Full size bed. Layered with soft sheets, warm blankets and all of his favorite friends. An inviting bed makes them ready for Bed Time. (right?)

FALL in Love with Entertaining.

When Doug and I finished the basement we knew we wanted a place to Entertain. We love our Entertaining Area. This space encludes the bar, game table and our lovely patio with a built in fire pit. This space is perfect for large groups or just four of us on a cold fall night.

FALL in Love with Game Night.

Set up a cozy spot in the house to host Family Game Night. Have games close by for playing and have the popcorn ready for popping!

FALL in Love with Quiet Time.

I set up this room in our basement for a soft place for the boys to play. This room is also set up for some much needed quiet time. This cozy daybed is a perfect place for afternoon naps, daydreaming and curling up with our favorite books. I love nothing more than to curl up with my boys for Snuggle Time. (I'm taking full advantage while I still can.)

FALL in Love with Your Home. Somedays all I can think about are all the negative things about our house... I think that it is easy to get wrapped up in the negatives sometimes. Lately, I have been on a mission to FALL back in Love with my Home. I haven't given my home a chance lately to shine like I know it can. I have spent the last few weeks digging in, organizing, decorating, rearranging rooms and Falling Hard for a house that I call HOME. I think that being content at HOME is important and when your job is your HOME it can be difficult at times to keep your peace.

Back To School...

2011-09-23T12:30:00.006-04:00

Good Bye Long Summer Days...

Welcome in Fall!

Back-to-School 2011

Our Big 1st Grader! Were has the time gone. I have a desk!

First Day of Preschool... is a family affair!

Look out world... Here we come!

Nolan only goes 2 days a week... but he loves his backpack and is excited about School! We had a Back-to-School Party after the First Day! I decorated the table with fun school supplies, bright colors and they each got a little gift (flashcards) at there place. They were so excited and it just made the first day back all the better:) ********************* All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

ISAIAH 54:13

*********************

Arise, shine; for your light has come! and the

glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

ISAIAH 60:1

Thanks for visiting, sorry it has been so long. I hope you come back again.

Getting So Big!

2010-08-05T07:06:00.005-04:00

The Chest Protector...

Do you think this can help teach him about putting on his

"ARMOR of GOD"

This can be his breastplate.

Blake got a 4 wheeler last summer and boy it is a hoot watching him tool around. He reminds me so much of his father right now.

" God Bless him and keep him safe. "

It's pretty neat that you can set the maximum speed that he can go and it won't go any faster than we want him to go. Blake and Doug really enjoy the quality time together when they get to go the The Hunt Camp and ride together.

Blake is growing up so fast, my prayer is that, I really take the time to enjoy the moments I have with him. He is starting Kindergarten in the Fall and I am excited and scared at the same time.

It just seems like once they start school it all happens so fast... May God make me appreciate each moment in our lives. I can't change the fact that he's growing up!

" God Bless my Blakey!"

Our Summertime Fun!

2010-08-03T06:35:00.004-04:00

Just a few more pictures of our Summer Fun! A Day at Dow Gardens with our Buddies! Nolan is loving the sandbox as usual.

Having dinner in Detroit with Mom and John!

Blake, Aidan and Nolan enjoying a Lolly Pop at

The Loons Game! Check back to see more!

Have a Blessed Day All!

An Update on the Family!

2010-08-02T07:33:00.002-04:00

We have been having an Amazing Summer! Please Enjoy a few pics and I will post more later!

Nolan is 2 now and we are in the midst of Potty Training! He is so big now I can't believe I don't have that little baby walking around in diapers anymore:(

Thanks for stopping by!

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2010-04-17T13:26:00.000-04:00

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Great Day to visit the Pumpkin Patch!

2009-10-19T10:13:00.005-04:00

A Great Day to Visit the Pumpkin Patch!

What a great day with the whole family!

The sun was shining and it was a perfect Fall Day at the Pumpkin Patch!

Vroom... Vroom...

The boys loved these tractors!

Nolan couldn't really do it himself but It looks like they are adjustable.

To Fun!

Nolan wanted this Pumpkin!....

But mommy said if you can't carry it yourself... you can't get it. Cause I'm not carrying it for you...

(even though I don't think Doug and I together could have lifted this one.) Thanks for stopping by!

Many Fall Blessings, Dana

Baby's it's Cold Outside!

2009-10-13T17:07:00.002-04:00

Warm Blessings on this very COLD day!

Hugs, Dana

Fun Family Mealtime Tablescapes

2009-10-01T09:32:00.007-04:00

The Mom's Group that I attend at my church just had Kathy Long into speak on the Value of Family Meal Time. So Kathy, I and a few other mom's put together a few Fun Family Mealtime tablescapes for the moms to enjoy and I hope that you do too! My Friend Jill did this simple and sweet Thanksgiving table scape. I took the pic after we had taken all of the place cards but OMG so cute. Jill put little place cards with Bible verses on them, stamped leaves on them and...just to cute! Happy Harvest Y'all.

My sister-in-law Angie made these adorable place mats for her Brilliant Birthday Table scape.

Her children love waking up in the morning to a fun breakfast of their choice and this adorably set table. Riley her middle child turned 7 last week and this is a pic of her place mat. Ang made these place mats out of foam sheets cut them to size and put one around an oatmeal container for the centerpiece. This is so doable and clever I just love it. She glued little bright pom poms around it and used wooden dowels with hats on the ends! So cute and the kids love it!

Disney Fun!

This table scape was done to let the family know that a Disney trip was being planned and the parents were going to announce it at Dinner. Fun!

Make Voting Day, Independence Day, Labor Day... a great time to teach your children about what those days mean to you and our country. Or just use those times to be clever and have fun decorating!

Fiesta!

Weather eating Taco Bell or your famous Enchilada's make it a Mexican Fiesta!

If doing this for your children and you want to keep it a non-Margarita Theme...

get out the margarita glasses and fill them with your salsa, cheese, sour cream... get clever and have fun with it. Use old beach sarongs to add fun color a pinata centerpiece and your brightest dishes! I made napkin rings out of bright colored tissue papers and tied them on with raffia around a simple white cloth napkin. I covered the table with a bright blanket and scattered cactus confetti to add some sparkle along with a wrought iron candle holder filled with fresh jalapeno and sweet peppers! Yum... bring on the tacos!

This table was done by our very clever and creative Kathy Long. Her inspiration for this table is "Letter Time" Help your kids learn their letters and make dinner time fun and educational.

Who needs a birthday to make dinner time fun...

This table scape will encourage your children with letter time fun! and fun hats to wear... how often are we aloud to wear fun hats to the table?

Let's Practice Colors!

What child doesn't love coloring? Kathy has out done her self again here with using white craft paper as her table cloth so that the family can have fun coloring maybe after they eat all of their "GREEN" beans! I hope this inspired you to make Family Mealtime Fun in your home. This is meant to be for the occasional dinnertime fun... not intended to make you feel lame because you don't do your tables up like this everyday or even every week. I had a great time working on this and I hope you can think out side the box for your next Family Mealtime.

Tablescape Blessings, Dana

Yummy Fall Treats!

2009-09-29T08:20:00.008-04:00

Caramel Apples, Banana Caramel Cupcakes,

doughnuts, cookies... Oh My! Fall is Here!

Come and Get It!

I have been bakin' up a storm delicious fall treats for the little ones and us grown ups to eat! Sit down and relax, grab a cup of Joe, your recipe cards and your coziest robe.

Here are the Goods that I am sure you will enjoy!

Get your pen, are you ready?

Lets get Started!

The Best Banana Caramel Cupcakes!

(not to mention Real Banana Butter cream Frosting) OH MY!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large ripe banana
2 tbsp. sour cream
3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter at room temp
1 large egg at room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a standard 12 - cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a small bowl, use a fork to mash together the banana and sour cream. In a Large bowl, suing your electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the brown sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, 2-3 min. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the banana mixture until just combined; do not over mix.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18-20 Min's. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 min. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely for about 1 hour.
Frosting:
3 large egg whites, at room temp
3/4 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 c. unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, at room temp
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tbsp. sour cream
In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is very warm to touch. about 2 min. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg white mixture until it is fluffy, cooled to room temperature, and holds stiff peaks about 6 min+.
With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and the butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting appears to separate or is very liquid after all the butter is added, continue to beat on high until smooth and creamy, 3-5 min more. Add banana and sour cream mixture and continue to blend until creamy and smooth may have to beat on high. Frost cupcakes after both cupcakes and frosting are at room temp. Drizzle with caramel and enjoy.

Enjoy with a big glass of milk or a hot cup of Joe!

I got this adorable place card from my wonderful friend Jill. She did a beautiful Thanksgiving table at the Season's of a Mom's Heart last Large Group. I feel like it spoke right to me. She had a different quote from the Bible at every seat. She used a small leaf stamp and ditsed up this simple card and I just think it was so clever. (Pictures of the table settings to follow...) Blake and I made Caramel Apples the other day for my nieces and nephews. They all came over after school and enjoyed these Delicious Caramel Apples! These are my mother-in-laws Famous Zucchini Cookies. Have any left-over Zucchini in the garden? These are a sure treat! Zucchini Cookies Preheat oven to 375 Cooking Time 11min

Ingredients:

1c. Flour
3/4 c. shortening
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1c. grated zucchini
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 1/2c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. nuts (optional) Blend Shortening and sugar add egg blend well. add Vanilla. Then add oats and zucchini. Mix dry ingredients. in separate bowl. Add to cream mixture, stir in chips and nuts. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11 min. Yummy! I hope that you enjoy your beautiful fall day! Go to the kitchen and fix yourself a tasty treat on me! Then go do about 50 laps around the neighborhood... because these are not weight watchers approved... Tee Hee

Fall Blessings, Dana

A Busy Fall Weekend!

2009-09-25T15:40:00.004-04:00

peek-a-boo little pumpkin!

Hey!

Just wanted to stop in a wish you all a lovely Fall Weekend!

We have a wonderfully busy weekend planned.

Tonight

we are getting ready to go watch the local

high school football team!

Saturday...

is my niece Riley's birthday party and then

more Football at the University!

On Sunday...

our family business is having their

annual golf outing!

busy, busy, busy....

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Weekend Blessings, Dana

????

2009-09-24T10:50:00.005-04:00

Godly Parenting:????

It is so difficult sometimes to stay intentional when it comes to raising our children.

The chaos of the everyday life of a mother:

waker upper, dresser, dentist, doctor, taxi driver, picker upper, chef, tutor, mentor, laundry doer, dish doer, cleaner upper,organizer, baker, taste tester(my favorite)...

So many hats we wear, how do we do it?

I know that without the help from God...

I couldn't.

Don't get me wrong,

I love my job and I feel so blessed that I am able to be home

with my boys. But it is HARD!

My intentions as a mother are to raise Godly children and I feel that if my children have a heart for God then God will help Doug and I parent them in manner of which they need to become Godly grown ups. That is not EASY, actually it is quite scary! YIKES.

(I pray that my boys will always know that God is always there for them even if we can't be.)

I lost my father just a few years ago and I think how hard it is to be without him. I don't want my boys to have to go through that but I know that someday they will. I have grown so much closer to God through that experience and even though I miss my father so much I know that God is with me and I can move on because of it. My dad was an amazing father and Our Father is amazing too... he works in a way that I can't explain but I am grateful for the place that I am in. Thank you to both of my Fathers for being intentional about me and your Steadfast love.

Know and believe today that the LORD is God. He is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

There is no other god! Obey his lawas and commands that I am giving you today so that

things will go well for you and your children. Then you will live a long time in the land

that the LORD your God is giving to you forever.

DEUTERONOMY 4:39-40

God Bless and Happy Harvest!

Dana

The Country Living Art Show and Good Friends!

2009-09-21T09:58:00.005-04:00

A few of my good friends and I just got back from a great weekend at the Country Living Art Show in Ohio. We had an amazing time shopping, chatting, eating and we even got a chance to take in a great Chic Flick: Love Happens (bring your box of tissue.)

The show was great but the company was even better. Sometimes you realize how important it is to get away and take some time to relax, rejuvenate and just be with the girls. I think when you are able to get away like that you also realize that is always fun to go but it feels so good to come home. The look on my kids face and the hug from my hubby shows me how much I was missed and that is a feeling that us moms appreciate and love so much.

I thank God for my wonderful husband who encourages and supports me to do things like this and loves me whole heartedly.

Cheezy Wheezy!

I know but it was to tempting to pass up crawling into this basket

and having our picture taken.

Here is a delicious apple... long story...really funny... Angie knows...too funny!

My Sweet Ang.

GOD has blessed me with the most wonderful sister-in-laws, I just love all of them so much.

Thank you God for all my sistas from the other mistas!

Glamping: in other words... glamorous camping!

Sign me up...

After going on our first camping trip this summer with the boys I am all about loading up...(with a fabulous glamper and headin' out into the wild.)

Now let me explain WILD... At a campSITE, with nice showers restrooms on the beach, maybe a pool, a nice shop on site and shopping near by.

(is that too much to ask for??)

No really I am hooked and when I say this adorable glamper I fell in love. I think it would be such a great project to buy an old beat up camper and turn it into a FABULOUS GLAMPER!

to be continued...

Love this Fabulous tray decorated with the ribbons a vintage pin and these amazing red Sunflowers... Very Clever!!! You could totally do these in a kitchen or how cute to put on your door instead of the old tired worn out wreath.

Lemonade Anyone?

GOD'S Promise about Loyal Friendship: I urge you now to live the life to which God called you.

Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love.

You are joined together with peace through the Spirit,

so make every effort to continue together in this way. EPHESIANS 4:1-3

"Thank you GOD for blessing me with the most amazing Friends. They are humble, gentle and patient, so accepting of each other and our differences.

People say Good Friends are hard to find... but you have blessed my life with so many great friends and I say Thank You God!"

If you remember the pictures from Last Year's Country Living Show you might think that this chandelier looks familiar. They used gourds and twigs last year and this year it has a more colorful French Country feeling. I think it is so fun! Love the Chairs here! I am so glad you shared your time with me. I had a great trip, I hope this post encourages you to take some time for yourself, your friends, your passions, your home, your family and most importantly the Almighty GOD! Many Blessings, Dana

A Welcome to Fall!

2009-09-17T12:33:00.005-04:00

My Fall Pumpkin Topiary. Come on in and Enjoy your Visit.

Please enjoy my fall inspiration. I hope this inspires you to warm up your hearts and cozy up your homes.

Enjoy!

Not only did I rearrange my Living Room Furniture again I have Ditsed it up for Fall Harvest Time. I love to have my living area larger and more spread out for spring and summer. In the colder months I prefer the cozier approach.

(Some might say cluttered approach... but I think it's cozy.)

Can't wait to eat this Sweet Corn...!

But what about my Decorations!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to have to put something else in my new cute basket..

Maybe gourds? We will C...

I love changing things up in the house.

(Ask anyone who knows me well.)

This is my Dining room mantel area which is also now part of my office and computer area.

Mr. B's First Day of School!

I can't believe how time flies, he is so big.

His classroom has 20 kids... That is a huge jump from the 8 they had last year.

Couldn't wait any longer.... It was so worth taking the corn from accessory to dinner! A Celebration of the Sweet Corn Season! Here is to Sweet Corn!

A wonderful decorating tool and good to eat!

My Sister-in-law Denise was telling us how yummy it is to put your Sweet Corn on the grill.

So we tried it for the first time... talk about mouth waterin' yummyness!

Thanks Denise for the tip it was Fabulous!

(As you can see the boys were extremely happy with it.) The Key to Fabulous Sweet Corn:

Soak the Corn in the husk for 30 or so Minutes in Salt Water.

Throw right on the grill with Husk and all for about 20ish minutes or until done.

Peel back, butter, salt, pepper and get messy!

"Go Now and check out all of the other Fabulous Fall Inspiring Sites!"

God Bless you all!

Dana

A Regular Day on the Golf Course.

2009-08-04T11:09:00.002-04:00

Just a few pics of the boys on the Golf Course. Blake and Aidan shared clubs and we had a ball with the kids on the course. I remembered when I learned how to play golf but I think that I was like 12 not 4. They surprisingly are pretty good!

Growing Boys, Boys, Boys.

2009-08-03T11:30:00.002-04:00

My boys are getting so big this summer... Nolie is talking up a storm, repeating everything we say. He his just a really funny kid and we are having a ball this summer with the boys on the go.

Blake and his new 4 wheeler. Look out world, please pray for the safety of him and his cousin Aidan on their new adventures. God Bless them and anyone around them! Really, they are to cute on this quads. Doug and Aaron are able to adjust the speed so they can get around at the speed we feel is appropriate and they are loving it. It has been a great summer so far. My computer is having troubles as usual uploading pics or there would be more. God Bless you all and I hope that August brings us warmer days and a great harvest of fresh produce from the gardens. Lots of Love and Blessings, Dana

A House on a Hill may finally be...

2009-06-15T10:50:00.004-04:00

This space used to be a major slop to death into the woods! LOL Now it is a veggie garden (let's hope) so that we can pretend to be somewhat "Green" and grow our own fruits and veggies. Go Green! ( I have no idea what I am doing...) This is a look from the bottom of the hill during the process.

Finally after all of the blood, bruising and tears we are getting closer to a new backyard escape. My hubby Doug has been working his fingers to the bone trying to get a vegetable garden, and (flat) backyard put in.

You see... we live on a hill. Some of you are saying Oh how nice.! But what you don't know is, that after having 2 little active boys running around it gets hard keeping them from rolling down the hill every 5 minutes... (My mom warned us... but do young kids ever listen... usually, but we didn't this time.) Anyway, we are trying to make some play space for the kids to be able to play ball, swing, explore and just be kids. For us we put in a raised veggie garden with all the fixin's. This project seems to be an ongoing one at best but one thing is for sure is that we will enjoy this space for years to come.

Hope you have a wonderful Day. Thanks for stopping by hope to have more pictures as the project progresses.

Love, Dana

What's New?

2009-06-10T09:33:00.004-04:00

The boys and I on the Thomas the Train

There has been a lot going on around our neck of the woods... We have been busy with a huge garden and yard project here at our house. Doug has been working his tail to the bone trying to build a beautiful rock wall, flat yard area and put in a vegetable garden... Can you say OVERWHELMING! for sure...

The boys and I have been busy, we went to see Thomas the Train not to long ago and had a ball. Easter was great, Nolan is really getting to a fun stage... he is running all over the place, starting to say some words and he and brother are loving being outdoors!

I have been extremely busy with decorating and I apologize I have not been posting. I have a few projects that I have been doing and can't wait to be able to post some pics of our new backyard, some cottage retreats and more! Don't give up these are going to be worth the wait.

Easter Greetings!

2009-04-10T09:16:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter Weekend to you all!

I hope you all are having a great week. I just wanted to share our Spring and Easter Cookies with you. They are extra light and fluffy.

I just picked up this adorable Spring Chicken cookie cutter a few weeks ago.

I love these cookies... they are so sweet and tasty!

Come and sit down, we will enjoy a lovely Easter meal together.

We could finish of the meal with a Delicious cookie and some tea.

God Bless. dana

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-04-02T21:37:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to take this moment to wish my mother a Happy Birthday!

I am so blessed to have a mother who loves with all of her heart and listens to me go on and on...

My mom is there for me when I need her and guides me when I have lost my way. She has taught me about so many things: motherhood, GOD, decorating and so many more. I am truly blessed and I thank GOD for giving me a Mother who is all around amazing.

Happy Birthday Mom.

We love you so much, Dana

The Birthday Boy!

2009-03-29T12:27:00.004-04:00

Okay so the pictures aren't in order but if you look at them from bottom to top

you will get the idea! Enjoy. The Cake has been eaten... eaten and eaten... he loves CAKE!

That's My Boy!

Maybe just a little Taste...

The cake... A Circus theme cake I love my new Giant Cupcake Pan for William Sonoma. My sister-in-law got it for me for my birthday. Thanks Carrie!

What a HAM!

I know that it has been a couple weeks since the big day but I am just getting to the uploading of Nolie's birthday pictures. I hope you are having a great weekend!

Have a great day! dana

Our Beloved Spayds.

2009-03-23T10:00:00.005-04:00

may you rest in peace spayds... Spayds loved to run free at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Blake and Spayds were the best of buddies.

Dear God,

(Please give Blake peace and help him understand.)

To Our Beloved Spayds...

I don't even know where to begin, Spayds was our dog for the past 11 years. She suddenly past away yesterday and our family is terribly saddened. Doug and I got Spayds as a little baby pup when we were in college. She has been with us through so much. Between, college, moving around, getting married, building a new house, having babies and seeing her go from our first child to being put on the back burner. Sad is what we are. I just can't believe that she is not here with us today, and won't be here for the days to come... Blake doesn't really understand... He knows that Spayds has died and that we had a little ceremony when we put her in the ground... but I don't think he gets that she won't be here with us anymore.

Spayds was such a great dog. She was so easy to train when she was just a pup. She was loyal and obedient, I never worried about her with the boys and besides getting in the trash a couple times a month she was so good. She sat by our feet and followed us around the house where ever we went. She was loved and she will be missed terribly. It is going to take our family awhile to adjust to not having her around but I know that we will be okay. She was my security blanket and I just feel like there is a large part of our family missing. Sad is what we are... but okay is what we are going to be. GOD bless you Spayds, you are truly missed.

We are ready for Spring!

2009-03-18T13:47:00.002-04:00

Well it has been a long drawn out winter at our place and I have to say. Bring on the

"Spring Time."

We are looking forward to sunshine, parks, walks outside, biking and more. With Nolan just turning one this last week I am looking forward to this spring and summer being an active one. Blake is loving the outdoors right now. Nolan will (hopefully) be walking soon and I know it will be an adventure to say the least. I hope all of you are getting a peak at the sun and enjoying your day.

I wish you all warm Spring thoughts to all of you and your families.

God Bless and have a great day!

Dana

I know... things have been crazy around here.

2009-03-10T15:29:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that my BABY...

Nolan is going to be ONE.

Where has the time gone. It seems like just yesterday I was holding him in my arms for the very first time and NOW... He is going to be the big One.

To my little boy...

You are growing, learning, laughing and doing things that I thought would take forever for you to figure out. God has blessed us with you and I couldn't ask for a better natured more loving and sweet boy. God has big plans for you son and I pray that you will grow, learn and laugh all the days of your life. We love you very much baby Nolan.

Happy Birthday! Love, Mom

Hope you have a great day!

dana

The greatest gift from God is Love.

2009-02-14T11:27:00.004-05:00

Okay if you haven't seen this go rent it TODAY! It is a great movie or you could buy it for your Valentine. (I didn't get paid for this ad I just really loved the movie.)

I was pleasantly surprised last night when I came home to a beautiful bouquet of red roses, thoughtful Valentines and Birthday cards from friends and family, gifts and my loving husband. I am so blessed and I thank God for my family and friends everyday. I want to take this time to thank everyone including my wonderful family for taking the time to celebrate with me another year. Last year was a year that I will never forget...(in so many ways). God Blessed our family with a gift that is so special and he is so good! Nolan was brought into our lives, filling our hearts even more with God's love. My brother Aaron was very sick 1 year ago and I thank God that he is able to be here with us today. I pray that God will continue to be with our family always. We need our family, we need our friends and we need our lovers. God knows love he created it for us, he know how hard it can be at times and he knows how wonderful it can be too! I am going to do my best this year to celebrate the love that God has given to us that we take for granted some times. Thank you God. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a and 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails....And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (NIV) God Bless all of you and your Valentines on this special day. Dana

Some Wintery White...

2009-02-09T15:31:00.004-05:00

My Crystal Clear Kitchen View.

Living in White Retiring in White

The warmth of this White.

Relaxing in White.

Retreat in White.

Eating in White.

Ditto... Yumm.

My home is not White by any means. I have Red, Yellow, Green, Blue..... I think every color accept WHITE. My maiden name is White and I love the feel of White...

The White Snow outside is quickly disappearing into a muddy mess. I am missing our white snow already, so I just thought I would give you all a taste of the White that I am now missing.

Many Blessings of whatever color you so desire!

God Bless us all!

Dana

New Living in the New Year!

2009-02-02T16:17:00.003-05:00

The Dining Room

is now located near the Front Entry, I never liked the living room

being so close to the front door. This change is going to take time to get used to but for now it works for our family.

Our Living Room

is now located right off the kitchen where the Dining Room use to reside. I have moved it around about 6 times and this is the arrangement that is the most comfortable. Nolie loves it! Fresh Tulips!!!

Work Space!

A Great spot for Reading!

Blake loves to read... I am so glad because I never liked to read as a child. I hope you have enjoyed your tour of our new living spaces. I am exhausted after a long couple of weeks of moving furniture but it was all worth it. I love our home because it really works for our family.

Thank you God for giving us our beautiful home.

Thank you Doug for allowing me to be creative with our home

in which you provide for our family.

God Bless you!

Dana

2009-01-22T14:48:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our table. Can I get you a glass of wine, coffee or maybe a piece of chocolate cake. LOL

Okay, enough with the cake... yes I still have the cupcakes in the fridge

but I am really over them.

Really. I am.

Have a great afternoon and stop back at 5pm for happy hour!

Blessings!

Dana

Cake!

2009-01-21T19:36:00.008-05:00

If I looked this cute eating Chocolate Cake... I would have nothing to worry about... But...

I don't.

If I have to look at another chocolate cake I think that I will die. Really enough already with the chocolate cake...(note to self do not make any more cake.)

well until Saturday, it's grandma's birthday and guess what is on the menu!

CAKE!

I am going to turn into one big piece of cake pretty soon. LOL I do really love birthdays, don't get me wrong but when you are somewhat trying to use the littlest bit of self control when it comes to food;

it makes it to hard to be good. Gotta love CAKE.

I hope that all of you are doing better than I am with you so called New Year Resolutions!

God Bless You!

My Birthday Boys!

2009-01-18T16:25:00.003-05:00

We are busy around here this winter with birthday's! Doug's birthday is today, and Blake just turned 4 this last Sunday.

January is the start for our family's birthday's... February is mine and then Nolie is going to be ONE in March.... OMGosh I can't believe my baby is going to be ONE!

Hope all of you are bundled up and enjoying your family and home. God Bless you all.

Dana

Organized in 09

2009-01-15T22:18:00.002-05:00

I have been a busy bee around the house. After Christmas I was totally overwhelmed with stuff, stuff and more stuff. I had no place to put all of the lovely things... that we received from Christmas. In panic mode I 1st called mom... then waited for her to come to the rescue.

And boy did she rescue! She has been helping me get my house back in shape Thank God! We gutted rooms, closets, organized storage bins and most of all she helped with the boys while I built in a new closet system for Blake and all of his TOYS and BOOKS.

Thank you MOM.

A Mudroom needs to FUNCTION!

and now it does. Newly installed hooks, baskets for hats and mittens, a bench and a few decorative touches makes my mudroom FUNCTION for now. I love this new space it really makes coming home so nice! The best part about all of it is that I did it with things that I had just laying around the house.

Thanks for checking in and I promise to be back to blog world again soon!

Many Blessings, Dana

Moore Holiday Cheer!

2008-12-14T14:58:00.005-05:00

Cookie Time!!!! My Little Kitchen Elf... busy at work.

Whah Lah!

The most Festive frosted Christmas Sugar Cookies!

Fluffy and Fabulous Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe...

All you will need:

1 cup sugar
1 cup crisco
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

Here is what you do:

Beat your sugar and crisco then add eggs until blended well. In a seperate bowl, mix sour cream and baking soda then add to egg, sugar mixture. In another bowl combine flour and powder and add to mixture, the mixture will form a ball. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min. Frost.

My favorite frosting:

1 stick butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
a little milk to texture

Mix softened butter with sugar add vanilla and milk little at a time to get the right frosting texture. Not to much or the frosting will be to running. Good Luck!

Time to feast! Time to write out the Christmas card...

Our Family Room is ready for St. Nick and the birthday of Jesus!

A beautiful Santa.

Little Santa... aka (Nolan), Santa... and Blake

in case you couldn't see the silly name tags.

We are so excited for Jesus's Birthday!

My Little Snow Angel... Thank you God for the Snow, sleds and

our little angel babies to enjoy it all!

A big day of Sledding with my boys. We love the SNOW!!!

Many Snow Covered Blessings!

Hugs, Dana

Spreading the Christmas Cheer with Our Children!

2008-12-08T08:32:00.004-05:00

Like most children... Blake prefers to put all of the ornaments on the one branch. Don't touch the Poinsettia Nolan it's poison! Don't worry... this wasn't at my house.

The tree... Love the branch at the bottom? I just couldn't cut it, it is to funny,

and he houses most of the ornaments.

Seeing the look on Blake and Nolan's face when we plugged in the Christmas tree last night was enough to melt Doug and I hearts. They gaze up to the 10 foot beast of a tree with such wonder and delight. Blake is so fun this year.... he wants to help with all of the details of getting decorated for the birth of our Savior Jesus. We have decided this year to really try and make the house look festive using child friendly and child created decorations.

Blake and I made a 20some foot long chain out of construction paper. He loves to cut and glue so I thought this project would be a lot of fun for him and it was. He takes such pride in his work and all he kept saying is "I can't wait to surprise daddy... he will be so excited to see the biggest chain-saw ever in the world."

Okay, yes my child thinks it is a chain-saw... but oh well we had a blast putting it all together.

Hearing him laugh and the joy it brought him to have helped in the decorating is just magical.

All you need for this project is:

Construction Paper
Scissors
Glue

4. A smile on your face... don't worry if you aren't starting with a smile,

I guarantee you will end with one.

Blake is really starting to enjoy the snow.

Another fun child friendly project is Making Snowflakes!

It is simple, easy for young children and fun.

All you need is:

White paper
scissors
glue
We sprinkled them with glitter for an added effect of elegance!

I hope you and your families are having fun this season. Keep the joy of the Christmas Spirit and remember that Christmas doesn't have to be stressful and overwhelming. It is about the birth of Jesus and spending time with all of God's children.

God Bless you all this holiday season!

Hugs, Dana

Getting Ready for the Holidays

2008-12-02T15:18:00.003-05:00

The Gift of Giving.

Giving to others is so much fun... I am a gifty type person. Working in the Gift Business for so many years really made me love giving gifts to the people I love. I love wrapping, ribbons, arrangements and fun toppers. The gift does not have to be expensive, you can wrap something simple like a candle up beautifully and it makes it all the more special.

Setting the pefect Table

Use the items you love for the holidays, add a little glitter and tinsel and you have a special table for the holidays.

Cozy Dining

I love to make my home warm and cozy for the holidays. It wasn't until a few years ago I started really decorating for the holidays. I just love the look on my boys face when they see twinkling lights and the festive accessories. Blake loves to help put out the decorations for the holidays with me... We cut out snowflakes and used glue and glitter last night for a

family fun project. I like to include him in some of the fun so that he has an

appreciation for beautiful things like I do.

God Bless you all this holiday season.

Hugs, Dana

Let it snow...Let it snow...Let is snow!

2008-11-29T11:17:00.006-05:00

Do we look like we are professionals?

So cool!

Uncle Kyle and Blake

Winter Skiing 07

Daddy getting Blake fitted for his ski boots! Goggles Check!

Do a little dance...

We are ready for the snow and ready for skiing! Can't wait for Christmas and all the snow that will hopefully come with it!

Enjoy these Winter Memories and find your families fun where ever you can.

Many Winter Blessings to you all and your families.

Love, Dana

2008-11-07T07:14:00.003-05:00

Well, Blake is sooo excited about our full house for the weekend! We love it... the more the merrier. Aidan is staying with us this weekend and Tyler. Blakey can hardly control himself. The boys were up chatting and playing all night... okay (7:30-9:00)! LOL. It seemed like a long time, but they were having a blast. Aidan got here about 4:30p yesterday and Ty came about 7ish. We had a nice evening at home with all the boys and we are looking forward to tonight's BIG GAME!

This is my baby brother Ty in the red, I know he is not such a baby anymore. He is a junior at the local Catholic School and he is also staying with us for the weekend. I am thrilled...we don't get to see him as often as we would like and I have been missing him so much. Susan my step-mom had to go and be with her dad this weekend so we get him all to ourselves! He is playing football tonight for the district regional (I think) and I am praying that they win. Their team is like 12-0 and they are a great group of kids with a ton God given talent.

I am so proud of Ty and I pray that he wins tonight at the BIG GAME!

Thank you GOD for family!

I give you all the grace and glory for blessing our lives the way that you do.

Many Blessings to you and your families,

Dana

Goodbye Halloween.

2008-11-02T17:48:00.006-05:00

Oh, what a wonderful Halloween our family had...

here is that last look at Halloween 2008 with the Family...Blake was the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.

(His new favorite movie. He wanted to watch it everyday so he could

practice getting into character.)

He was a great Scarecrow if I do say so myself.

Poor Nolie was just not sure what he wanted to do, be or see for his first Halloween. Nolan was a Halloween Combo Treat this year. a Tootsie Roll and a Pumpkin. But, most of all he was a teething baby with a runny nose, a cough and some pretty sore gums.

Aunt Denise had the coolest cat at her house, it was HUGE!

Trick-or-Treat.

Think. Think. Think.

Hmmm.... If I only had a brain.

How can a mother say "No More Candy" to that face.

Here Blakey is singing the scarecrow (from the Wizard of Oz) theme song.

Nolan thinks he is really funny as you can see.

Nolan's real thought ...

"How am I going to get that really big pumpkin into my little mouth...

& were do you suppose they are hiding the gloppy stuff..."

Happy Halloween from my walker to you!

Playing in our pumpkin patch.

We hope you enjoyed a look into our Halloween Festivities over the past week. Hope you all had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Thank you for all of you sweet comments.

God Bless you and your special Families.

Dana

Carving Pumpkins Again... Yes Again.

2008-10-31T10:11:00.002-04:00

Okay this picture was supposed to be last... but here is the grand finale of our pumpkin carving extravaganza. Blake is in love with Pumpkin Carving we convinced him to color the last one instead of carving it out. Daddy and Momma were getting a bit tired.

Nolie loves to gloppy stuff inside the pumpkin.

Okay, Halloween is almost over with.

Many Blessings, Dana

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T21:47:00.003-04:00

No, Blake is not going to be batgirl... that's mine. He just likes to play in it. (stay tuned to Blake and Nolan's Halloween 2008.

Happy Halloween All!

Blake is so excited for Halloween. We just finished carving the last of our pumpkins and put them out on the porch. Put the boys to bed and I am getting all the goodies ready for tomorrow. Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween.

Many Halloween Blessings, dana

New Living Room Layout and Pumpkin Carving!

2008-10-26T11:44:00.003-04:00

We went to the neighbors last night to carve our pumpkins and had a great time. The boys were very proud of their pumpkins. They really turned out cute and of course they didn't photograph as cute as they really were. You get the idea!

So, last week I was bored and my mind was racing on ways to make my living room work more efficiently for my family. It seemed as if there was no good place for the boys to play unless I moved tables and things out of the way... Everyday. Needless to say... we needed to make a change.

So here it is...

Our newly (breaking many design rules) functional family room. (Where there is actual room for our family to play.) Isn't that what a family room is for anyway... Many Family Room Blessings from

The Moore Family Room,

to your Family Room.

-dana

Halloween Is Approaching.

2008-10-20T09:13:00.003-04:00

My Little Peter Pan... HALLOWEEN 06

Well we have been getting costumes ready, pumpkins picked out and candy not yet bought (because I will eat it...) Needless to say we are getting ready for the next season. HALLOWEEN! (that is a season right???)

Blake is so excited, he is going to be a scarecrow and Nolan is his little pumpkin.

We have one costume party this year with the kids and Blake can't wait.

Have fun planning your Halloween costumes, cookies, candy and events.

I remember when I was a little girl, I loved this time of year and it is amazing that I still do. I can remember the houses we went to for treats, the leaves cracking below our feet and the scary noises coming from some of the real scary houses on the block. I love creating these same memories for my boys.

Lots of Love and Halloween Blessings,

Dana

Needing Advice!

2008-10-10T12:00:00.004-04:00

Hello All....

I am looking for advice on this beautiful fall afternoon...

Beyond taking care of a sick baby... I have been tossing around the idea of selling some things around the house that have piled up in storage closets, drawers and such. I want to ask all of my blogger friends what you think about the simplest, most creative way to sell your treasures. Is it a yard sale, ebay, blog... I don't know and I really want your advice. I have baby things, clothes, furniture, home accessories, pictures.... The list goes on and I want to make more room in my home for the things that are important to me.

So here is the challenge ladies, put your thinking caps on and let me know if you have any great ideas on getting rid of the old to make room for the stuff I already can't find... but love.

Many Blessings Bloggers and I hope you can help with this challenge.

Love, Dana

2008-10-09T10:29:00.002-04:00

My Sweet Baby...

is a Sick Baby... Good Morning All! Nolie and I just got back from the doctor and my sweet little boy has something called "croop" (I do not know if that is the right spelling but anyway he is a sick and coughy boy.) We have to start breathing treatment on him and hopefully he won't develop a fever. Please put Nolan in your prayers and ask that God be with him through this and to help him avoid a fever, recover fully and rapidly. Thank you, many blessings to you all! Dana

Harvest Day!

2008-10-07T07:09:00.002-04:00

A great day at the pumpkin patch with the family.

(The two boys in front are mine... those boys in the back must of hopped in the shot... I have no idea who they are. A little funny lookin' don't ya think.)

Doug's mom, my mom, my sister-in-law, all the kids and I had a wonderful Saturday at the Pumpkin Patch. We laughed, ate great food, shopped with all of the crafter's

and the kids played and had a great time.

Mom and Blake in the Pumpkin Maze.

Thanks Mom for all of your help this weekend with the boys, with the house and everything. It was so nice having you around here and I love all of the time we got to spend together.

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful Mom and grandmother to my boys.

Thanks for Everything!

Have a great Fall Day with Many Blessings to you.

Dana

Autumn Greetings!

2008-10-03T11:11:00.003-04:00

Welcome All!

Today is a beautiful crisp fall morning. I am enjoying my fireplace and a cup of strong black coffee. I went out this morning and took some pictures outside and

I thought I would give you a peek at our family's fall exterior.

Welcome !

I need moss for the base of my rooster. Just pretend it is there... OOOOOOH!

Thank you "Is it Nap Time Yet?" for the pumpkin topiary idea.

Love them and they are fairly easy to make.

Happy Harvest Everyone!

May God Bless all of you,

your beautiful families and homes.

Warm Hugs, Dana

More Country Living/Spec Home II

2008-09-20T10:01:00.006-04:00

Well Hello Everyone! Just wanted to say thank you for stopping back by. I really didn't take that many great pictures at the show and my camera is dead or I would show you all what I purchased. (to be continued...)

I just thought this guy was to cute!

I love these Gourds

(cream and green)

wouldn't this look be perfect for the guest house!

That is really it as far as the Show. As soon as I get my camera back up and running I will have to show you some of my...

fabulous finds!

Spec Home II:

Hope you all enjoyed thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Dana

Country Living Show 2008

2008-09-17T19:28:00.004-04:00

Fabulous Fall Chandelier Fall Inspired Table Setting

My good friend Jill and I went to the Country Living Show in Ohio this past weekend. We had a blast and saw so many wonderful things. There was a lot of great Fall Decorating Ideas, I hope you enjoyed some of the pictures.

Well as you can see things have been busy busy around here.

I hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed day.

Hugs and Fall Blessings,

dana

The Spec Home Model 1...

2008-09-08T06:56:00.004-04:00

Our family has been building these upscale model homes in our town and this home could be yours, because this beautiful home is on the market and ready to move into, with furniture and accessories included! You bring your clothes and a few of your possessions and this baby is

Good to Go!

This fabulous Master Retreat is stunning! You not only are perfectly placed on the river bank, but you have the most stunning view of the our

Area's Most Fabulous Golf Course as well.

What a Life!

This home features a large professional kitchen with all of the works. The large island in the center houses storage drawers, the microwave and an extra spot to seat and watch the chef at work. The Living Area is open to the kitchen and dining. Equipped with a beautiful fireplace, TV center, cozy furnishings and the breathtaking views of the golf course, what more could a person ask for.

Maybe Someone to wash all of those Stunning 2 story Windows? Maybe, but then what.

Another Fabulous View of the Surroundings. The Breakfast Nook, and what a nook. Yummm!

Let's Have Coffee!

Just thought I would give you a little taste of what I have been doing to keep myself busy. As if 2 boys isn't keeping me busy enough... But I love doing it and I had such a fun time getting everything spruced up. We are going to have the homes on the Parade of Homes tour in late Sept. So I am sure I will have more to share with you. I will have to show you the Model 2 Home it is a bit smaller but equally as adorable. Stop back to get the scoop on Model 2 updates.

More to come... Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a blessed day.

Love, Dana

My Big Boy's First Day of Pre-School...

2008-09-04T20:29:00.002-04:00

So the day has come, when I send my baby boy off to school. I had always pictured that it would be when he was a bit older than three, but he was ready and so excited. He woke up this morning and I had just packed us a lunch to eat at the park after school. He was glowing with excitement, he wanted to get in the car and go PJ's and all. Blake with his new Lunch Box.

What is the First Day of School with out wiping snot on your shirt

right before we head out the door. NICE!

Grandma Sue bought this backpack for Blake for Christmas last year.

He just loves it!

Daddy and Nolan getting Blakey all settled into his new classroom.

If you have kids than you know how hard it is to send them to school for the first time. I am not used to the fact that he is old enough to start school. I know that it will be great for him and as long as he is excited about school I will be to.

God Bless Blakey, his teachers and his new school.

Thank you for stopping by and if you have any first day of school stories please share.

Many Blessings, Dana

Fall??? It's 90 degrees...

2008-09-02T13:54:00.003-04:00

I was going through some of my pictures from other fall projects and ran across these. I loved doing this house, the colors are so warm and inviting.

This room is ready for the fall season that is for sure. Are You?

Just after the big weekend I am all inspired and finally coming to grips that summer is over. School is starting, sports teams are getting fired up and everything around us is screaming Fall. Well, everything but the 90 degree weather we are having.

Where is that coming from? Crazy...

God Bless the people that are being affected by the hurricanes right now. I pray for the safety of the people, pets, homes, hospitals, businesses and so many other things that are affected by these horrible storms. God Bless them all!

Have a blessed day!

Dana

Little Bits of Heaven!

2008-08-26T06:49:00.007-04:00

I woke up this morning and thought to myself:

How Great is Our God!

I am so guilty of getting wrapped up in everything else, that I sometimes forget to stop and thank God for all that he has blessed my family and I with. God has given me so much and has blessed my life in so many ways that I am grateful to Him beyond words.

Thank you for blessing me...

with a wonderful and supportive husband who is always there for me.

He allows me to stay home and be a homemaker and to be

with our two beautiful boys. What a Blessing for sure!

Thank you for blessing Doug and I with two boys. I pray they will continue to grow with you God and be good boys who will in turn grow into wonderful Godly men. May you give us the guidance and patience we need to get through the crazy years.

and all of His people said; Amen!

He will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Job 8:21

It doesn't matter how old or young you are God can be in all of us. I hope all of you feel the Joy of God's love for us and I hope that you can take time out of your busy days to

Enjoy Life's Little bits of Heaven.

God Bless, Dana

Sofa Fabrics

2008-08-14T07:11:00.004-04:00

I love this floral that I found and I would do the red in cording My Drapes My big chair next to floral, red and yellow grid fabric. Love the floral but I would have to ditch the chair. Not Good. I think the green chenille is the easiest with kids and I think the color is good. My only concern is...boring but practical, safe and versatile. What do you think? I like this and I know it would be comfy, but I just don't know

As you can see there is a lot going on in here. Between the leopard rug the plaid sofa the floral drapes and chair and the big chunky brown leather recliner it stumps me on what to do for the sofa fabric. Big chunky chair stays. This is from the living area, looking into the kitchen and dining area. Don't mind the mess.

I need Help!

There are a few issues at hand.

I want a Smith Brothers sofa. We purchased one for our basement and absolutely love it! They are so well built and our good friends sell them at the fabulous local furniture store. I have to leave the other chairs in the room because there is really no other place I could put them and we cant afford new. So I need a coordinating fabric to match the drapes and chairs. As most of you know my colors are red, yellow and green. I have many red pieces of painted furniture, some black and some wood tones. I am very eclectic and I do not like everything real matchy matchy. The fabrics obviously have to coordinate... but I just am having a hard time deciding style of sofa and the fabric. I love florals, but with the other large chair being a large floral print I don't know what is the best thing for the sofa fabric. If you have any advice, I would love to hear it, I would love to hear your ideas. Thank you all of visiting, I hope you have a wonderful day.

Many Blessings, Dana

A Lovely Day for Mother's.

2008-08-13T20:31:00.004-04:00

Well the party was wonderful. It was very nice to sit down over coffee and discuss the everyday lives of motherhood. I missed all of my girlfriends so much and it was great to see everyone again.

God Bless the Mother's...

Life can be so challenging, raising small children can be the most

rewarding and exhausting job in the world. I thank God for giving me a support group

that understands the ups and downs of Motherhood.

God Bless all of you and your families.

Hugs, Dana

More Homes I LOVE...

2008-08-12T07:00:00.003-04:00

Good Morning All!

Just wanted to share a few more of the homes with you that we have seen while out

driving about. I love driving around looking at different homes.

I just got back last night from visiting mom and we had a great time. My nephew and his wife are having their first baby and we went to her shower this weekend. The shower was lovely and Doug's sister was there from out of town, is was great to see her. She had never met Nolan so it was nice that he finally got to meet his Aunt Debbie. I wish I would have snapped a picture of my nephew's new house because it was beautiful. I am so proud of them and I can't believe that he is old enough to have a wife, a baby and a new beautiful home.

Congratulations Ryan and Vanessa!

I am getting ready to host a coffee and conversation tomorrow and I need to get my house in order and the menu finalized. I am thinking about something light.

(Since I have started Weight Watchers you know.)

What do you think? Any ideas for great coffee, conversation and *#^? So far...

The Menu

Coffee and Tea

Build your own yogurt parfait

with fresh berries and granola

Homemade - Banana Bread

with cream cheese

Maybe a 1 point

key lime tart

(a weight watchers recipe)

Short and Sweet or Is it too Sweet?

What do you think, do I need more, less or other?

I want it to be simple, the most important thing is making my friends and fellow mothers feel welcome, relaxed and special.

Please leave a comment to just say hello or to give me any other ideas

for my get together.

Share your finds...

2008-08-07T07:44:00.008-04:00

Welcome to Rhoda's share your finds party!

This lamp was purchased at a local antique shop, it needed the wiring redone and a new shade. My grandpa showed me how to rewire and old lamp with an easy lamp kit.

The fabulous gal is also a lamp and we got her the same day we purchased the other lamp. Great Finds, I absolutely love both of these lamps. This Island was a perfect find for the guest house it was made from antique doors and topped off with a beautiful butcher block counter.

Okay... so can we have more than one or three things that we have found junking?

Hope So!

The apple green velvet chairs were found in an amazing French Antique store a few

summers ago by my mother. We got 6 of them for the guest house and they

are just amazing don't ya think.

I love antiques, mixing the new and the old gives the home

a much more lived in and warm feeling.

Join in the fun visit Rhoda's site Linked above!

Thanks Dana

The Dish on Kitchen Design.

2008-08-06T09:40:00.006-04:00

So, I have designed many kitchens for people and just for fun. I am working on a farmhouse plan right now and I have been experimenting and researching good kitchen layouts. The farmhouse is just something fun that I am designing for a future home for my family so I think it is harder doing something for yourself. There are so many different things to consider when doing an entire house including a fabulously functional kitchen (which is a must).

So here are some of the things I am trying to consider for my fabulously functional farmhouse kitchen:

My working triangle... It is a must to have good function in a kitchen layout. The sink, stove and refrigerator need to be within a few steps from each other.
Adequate Work Space... I am a baker and I love to cook. I need a large area in my kitchen that is solely designed for rolling, chopping, pricking, plucking, cooling, sprinkling and the occasional taste testing. A large island would be perfect, designing the perfect center island in the kitchen is tricky. The design should include, plenty of outlets for small appliances, different size drawers and cupboards to store towels, small appliances and baking utensils.
Lighting... I love the look and function of pendent lighting. Not only does it provide for a well lit workspace, but it creates height and softness to a sometimes bulky center island. In the rest of the kitchen, I prefer recessed lights and maybe even a beautiful antique or unique chandelier over the breakfast table.
Storage... One of the most important consideration to make when designing a kitchen is to have good storage to help keep you organized. I would love to have a nice a big walk in pantry with shelves floor to ceiling. Roll out shelves in the lower cabinets are a must for getting to the back of those deep cupboards. Some glass and some solid cabinet doors are a good mix. Some things are for storage and display and some things just aren't pretty and they need to be hidden. Putting a space in the kitchen for the computer, phone, calendar and the work stuff is always a good idea to help keep the family on the same page.
Seating... I love to have a kitchen full of family, friends and helpers when I am in the kitchen. Designing a kitchen with enough seating is the key to a good kitchen design. In the kitchen I am working on for the farmhouse, I have placed three counter height chairs at the center island, four-five bar stools at the peninsula bar by one of the sinks (there's three), and an eat in breakfast table with six chairs in the nook right beyond the kitchen. Kids love to help in the kitchen and I want to have plenty of room for me to teach them about the fun that they can have with food!
Appliances... Finding the right appliances can be fun, but overwhelming. There are so many new products out on the market right now and some newer appliances have proven to be a great addition to a kitchen. The refrigerator and dishwasher drawers, warming drawers, commercial cook tops with griddles and water access. The ideas are endless and if you have a budget that to is endless... the sky is the limit. Good Luck with that!
Texture... I love to add texture to a kitchen by using many different products. I use bead board, corbels, fabrics, glass, buther block, stone and different products for counter tops. Mixing different textures and materials give the kitchen character and warmth.

So, these are just a few of the things to consider when designing a kitchen.

Don't be afraid to use color and different materials in the kitchen to add warmth and character. The kitchen is the center of the home and an important place to not only entertain family and friends but to share memories and laughter for many years to come.

Many Blessings from Our Kitchen to Yours!

dana

Summer Fun, Traveling and more Traveling...

2008-08-04T06:45:00.006-04:00

Well, it has been awhile since I have had time to blog. I have missed all of you and I thought I would just try and cluster all of what we have been up to into one post.

Camping, Fishing, Eating...

We went camping this past weekend and had a great time. Blake, Grandpa and Doug fished a lot and caught quite a few 4-10 inch blue gills. This may sound a bit small and uninspiring to you... but Blakey was in heaven with his little fish and spider man fishing rod. He came up for breakfast yesterday morning and wanted to give me a big smooch, then he proceeded to tell me that he had kissed his last fish he caught and wanted to share that kiss with me as well. Yum...

Nolan is getting so big and he did great on vacation. I was proud of both of the boys, we have been haulin' everybody all over the countryside and they seem to keep up with us just great.

God Thank you for blessing us with such adaptable boys and I pray that they continue to be this good for many many many more years. Amen.

We went Kayaking for the first time and it was so fun. I had never done it before and it was such a great workout and family thing to do. Blake sat on Doug's lap most of the time and the baby stayed on shore of course.

Good Morning Sunshine!

Nolie all wrapped up in a warm towel on the boat!

Swimming at our Lake! The kids and I having a great time splashing in the water. Aunt Deanna and Nolan.

Thank you Aunt Dee Dee for your hospitality this past weekend,

we had a great time at your Lake House.

Our Beach Vacation!

Grandma Sue was our Nanny for the weekend and we had so much fun.

Thanks mom for the help with the boys, we are so blessed to have such

a wonderful mom and grandma. Homes that I love. Love...

Well this is what we have been up to. I am glad you stopped by.

What kind of family fun are you having or planning?

please leave me a comment, I would love to know!

Many Blessings, Dana

Just a Few of My Projects

2008-07-19T17:18:00.001-04:00

A Sun-Porch Renewed!

2008-07-19T08:06:00.010-04:00

Welcome!

Please come in and take a look around.

Back porch Entrance A great landscape we found tucked away in the basement. Simple pillows were added to the sofa for color and comfort.

Back Door drop area. I love these antique yard tools and this cute basket. Angie's brilliant Idea:

We had originally purchased a quilt to cover the ottoman in-front of the sofa. Angie went back to the store and they had got in the matching pillow shams. (Ding, Ding.) Great thought... we will make cute cushions for the adorable dining chairs. She bought a king sham for the bench and 3 standard shams for the chairs, we tied the backs with teal chenille ribbon and they really turned out cute and saved us a lot of money. Love these ornate white metal vases.

Angie and Aaron had this Larger Shelf custom built over the windows on the main wall. It is a great place to showcase some fun accessories that will help tie in with your room.

So we jammed it full of fabulous finds in all of the colors of the room.

The polka-dot books are just a few of my favorites.

Yes... This is a close-up of the fabulous wind chime that we purchased downtown. It was made by a local artist. I will try and get you more pictures of these wind chimes because I was totally impressed with these clever works of art. They are made out of all things silver. The shop owners husband creates them and he make them out of butter dishes, silverware, teapots, plates and so much more. You have the option of bird feeders or wind chimes. We went with the wind chime made with silverware, it's perfect over the porch dining table.

I just love it and I hope you do too! The porch dining table

I love these little clay pots, you can put anything in them.

So the corner of the porch was kinda bare, and was in need of texture and some height. So... we built this tree. It turned out pretty cool, we bought the copper bucket at the antique mall and Angie filled it with rocks. Blake and I pulled some branches that my hubby cut down a few weeks ago, out of the woods. I tied the branches together and attached them to the back wall with wire. Then, I tied small floral sprays to the smaller branches, added a nest and a beautiful wind chime that my adorable niece Taylor made at art camp and whalaa! Texture, Height and Free!

All things needed in Good Design.

The wind chime that Taylor made in Art Camp. Isn't it beautiful.

(Okay, I have no idea what happened with the next pictures and text. My layout is messed up so sorry if this next part gets a little confusing.)

This bench sits next to the door going out to the patio. This offers a great spot for gardening tools and a garden hat. This old painted shutter was turned into a set of hooks for the families hats, coats and what nots. Clever! This plate hangs over the french doors going into the house. If you noticed this from somewhere... http://lavenderhillstudio.blogspot.com/ you can find more of these pieces for 50%. She did a post on the small bird plates and mugs yesterday. We had purchased this platter at TJMaxx last week and loved it. We can't wait to get all of the matching pieces at Lavender Hill. You must check it out! Too Cute. We found this old farmhouse cottage table and chairs at a local store downtown. Angie got a steal for this table and 3 chairs, she only paid $200 for the set. The table is a drop leaf and it is all painted in a crisp creamy white. The same shop had the great painted white

Well, after a couple of days of hard work and hot and muggy weather, the sun-porch and the owners are much happier with a long awaited finished porch. This porch had great bones from the beginning, but with the accessories and the additional eating area added this porch will be enjoyed by this big family for many years to come.

Thank you Aaron and Angie for giving me the opportunity to work on the project and for allowing me to share with the rest of my blogger friends. This was a great project to work on and I enjoyed it very much.

I hope that you enjoyed the pictures and your time here today.

Please stop by again friends!

Many Blessings Always, Dana

Chicken Pot Pie

2008-07-16T09:26:00.004-04:00

If you Bake it,

they will Come!

The smell you get from a Chicken Pot Pie can fill your home and bring people from all over to the dinner table. I got in the mood for comfort food the other day and what better comfort food than a Homemade Chicken Pot Pie. By the time is got done in the oven, people started coming in and we had a feast. The best thing about the Pot Pie was the company that I shared it with.

(This is not a picture of my chicken pot pie... I forgot to take a picture of it. Bummer... But isn't this a cute chicken picture. This is a centerpiece that was made in a MacKenzie Childs stainer. Chicken Pot Pie:

1 package (10 ounce) frozen mixed veggies for soup

1/3 c. butter

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 3/4 c. chicken broth

2/3 c. milk

3 c. cut-up cooked chicken or turkey

Pastry for 9-Inch Two-Crust Pie

Rinse frozen veggies in cold water to separate.
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and veggies; remove from heat.
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Prepare pastry. Put first pastry on bottom of 9in pie pan. Put chicken mixture into the pan. Put the top crust on top and pinch ends all the way around. May cut pattern in crust if you want to be more decorative.
Bake about 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

*This recipe was found in Betty Crocker's New Cookbook 1996

I hope that you enjoy!

Many Pot Pie Blessings, Dana

A sun-porch re-visited!

2008-07-15T09:21:00.004-04:00

A full day of shopping at our local antique shops and stores. This sun-porch is finally ready for re-visit. When Aaron and Angie built this house about five years ago, the porch was never really finished completely. The windows were never trimmed out and the plantation blinds were just recently hung. All of the walls are bead-board and all painted a crisp white linen. The furniture was from Summer Hill that used to be at mom's cottage. It is all painted in a beautiful shade of green and the cushions are upholstered in a yellow, green and Tiffany blue floral. We have been working hard and as soon as we get this project finished I will be sure to do a post.

Stop back for more on a sun-porch re-visited.

Many Decorating Blessings, Dana

A Clean Cupboard... Doesn't happen very often.

2008-07-11T09:30:00.003-04:00

Just a peak into my kitchen cupboard.

I wiped them down today and they were so sparkly so I thought I better take a picture. With two little ones, clean and organized cupboards don't happen very often.

I just picked up this green wire basket at a garage sale I went to a few weeks ago. I got it home and didn't know what to do with it. I found out it is the perfect height to go under my cabinets for stuff! How exciting... I guess it was worth the $5 I paid for it. My wonderful hubby just bought me a few more pieces of my McKenzie Childs enamel collection for our anniversary. I love my new butter dish, salt and pepper and the covered cake carrier (not shown) Thanks Babe!

I love my courtly check things and would love to start collecting the plates and casseroles.

Well I better get back to my cleaning. Blake and Grandpa went to the Strawberry Farm this morning to pick some strawberries to make our jam. I better get something accomplished while the baby is asleep and the 3yr old is away!

Many Summer Blessings to you all, thanks for stopping by!

Dana

Basement Tour...

2008-07-10T13:46:00.009-04:00

This is the Living/Play room

This room sits right next to the bar and goes right out to the patio overlooking the lake.

The patio is so nice to have downstairs. It really offers another space to just relax and enjoy hearing the boats and kids play.

This is the guest room where my mom stays when she comes. She has her own little apartment when she comes. It is nice when she comes for longer periods of time.

This is where I do all of my long distance running... I am a really big runner...

(Okay, you got me... I can't remember the last time I even turned that machine on. But I have big plans on becoming a really great and skinny runner some day!

Does anyone know how to turn these babies on?

Look out world... here I come!

This closet is in the laundry room. It used to be filled with old wood, dirty clothes, cleaning supplies and what-nots. This part of the room was not finished when we did the basement so the floor is concrete and the wall are bare studs. I got out some old fabric and the staple gun and created my own little hiding spot wrap and do whatever.

This is also in that same closet. I now have my own wrap station in my Laundry/Bathroom. I love to wrap gifts and this closet was a perfect solution for storing giftbags, cards, markers and wrapping supplies. This wrapping station I purchased a long time ago from Pottery Barn Outlet for $85.00. (What a steal!)

You may wonder what the jars on top shelf are...

My hubby bought those for me awhile ago to put all of our paint in. They are quite handy, you put all of your leftover paint in them from your house. They have a small brush attached to the lid and when you have to touch up your paint around the house you just get out your small jar and away you go with no brush or pan to clean up. They come with their own labels to put the paint information on. A great invention!

This is my sewing/makeup/folding table.

I created this out of an old plastic drawer unit, an old metal file drawer and a leftover peice of plywood. I had some fabric left-over from another room and wha-la!

A Sewing/MakeUp/Folding Table!

I love coming in here now to do Laundry!

I am trying to figure out how to camoflauge the ugly electrical boxes.

If you have any good ideas please feel free to share.

I always wanted custom cabinets above my washer and dryer... I waited and waited for my hubby to breakdown and finally get them for me. But now I am glad that we decided not to get them. Now I have all of my cute stuff out and it saved me so much money doing it with the things I already had.

(I am trying to be "Green")

More Shots of the Laundry/Bathroom

On the floor in here I wanted something that would be unique and easy to clean. I chose a laminate floor, but instead of just using the square tiles we mixed in a wood laminate to compliment the tiles. It makes a grid pattern on the floor and is definately a conversation piece.

Not much to say about a toilet... Can you call this pretty? Pay close attention to the little details (Hint: the toilet brush in the lower left corner...Nice.)

I love these white rose shower curtain holders.

Holders and Shower Curtain from the Shabby Chic collection at Target. These are the only things I purchased to do this Laundry Room makeover. Everything was from my drawers, storage closets and other odd places through out my house.

I think it is amazing what you can create with your own things. I have stuff, beyond stuff in boxes and storage. My husband is always saying we need to have a garage sale, but I love rotating my things. When I move things around and rotate my stuff it always gives my rooms a fresh new feel.

Living/Movie/Work Room:

When you walk down the stairs: this is where I blog, scrapbook

and do all of my printing projects.

How about a Nap: This is where I go to relax, read

and take long naps in the afternoon

Basement in Progress!

2008-07-09T09:03:00.002-04:00

This is the bar area in the basement we had the cabinets custom built by a local craftsmen. I did the back bar in a clubhouse green stain. The bar and columns were made out of Birch and stained a dark rich walnut color. All of our trim upstairs is white and my husband really wanted the basement to be more masculine and dark. So I used a different color palette for the downstairs and went with: (Colorado Grey, Desert Tan and Rosemary Sprig)

all by Benjamin Moore.

This is just a spot for the kids to watch movies, play music. In this room is where we keep all of the kids toys and our kids favorite rocking horse.

This is the big movie room. There is plenty room for everyone and we all love to cozy up in here for movies and such. We put carpet in most of the areas in the basement except for in the bar area and laundry/bathroom. The carpet is made by Shaw and is sage green. The only thing we purchased for this room was the Smith Brothers sectional sofa and the TV stand. Everything else is what I call "green" reused, reused and reused.

The floral chairs and sofa were all pieces saved from my mother's home in Harbor Springs. After she sold her home, I kept a lot of her beautiful furniture that she didn't have room for and thank God because this huge basement would look bare w/o it. I love all of my pieces that my mom has given me and the stories and the history behind her antiques help make my house a home.

I Thank God for all beautiful things!

More to come on the Moore Basement and Laundry...

At the beach

2008-07-08T09:05:00.004-04:00

Hello from the beach!

We have been having a great time here at the beach on our

Fourth of July annual family Vacation. All of the kids have been swimming, building sand castles, riding bikes and having a ball. It is cloudy here today with no sun in sight so today we will shop like it's our job and pray for sunshine tomorrow for our last day of vaca.

Hope all of you are happy and healthy. Many blessings from our family to yours!

Lots of Love, dana

2008-07-01T19:09:00.003-04:00

You can't see the sign very well, but it says...

Coffee isn't a drug,

It's a VITAMIN!

I am here...thanks for checking on me. It has been a long month here at our house. We are fine, it has just been crazy. Blake and I both were hurt (in the same week) with ankle injuries and between crutches, ace bandages, Motrin and ice packs we have managed to heal up just fine. Needless to say when you are laid up for a few weeks your laundry and everything else gets a little out of order.

Happy Fourth of July everyone! Please check back for more updates.

dana

Is it Sunny or Stormy?

2008-06-09T10:24:00.003-04:00

Well the big question here today is... Is it going to be Sunny or Stormy? I am hoping for Sunny. The boys and I are home now and we have so much work to do inside and out. The storms that have passed through this area made our surroundings not so pretty. There are leaves and branches everywhere and the plants and flower beds all need cleaned back out. I can handle a few leaves here and there and I just Thank God our home is still standing. I hope all of you made it through the storms and I pray that you are all safe, with power and a roof over your head. May God Bless all who may have suffered a loss of any kind, from these awful storms.

Many Blessings to you all!

Thanks for stopping by, dana

Home Again...Home Again!

2008-06-07T07:06:00.002-04:00

Well we had a great mini vacation and now it is time to return back home. The boys had a great time with grandma, but they are missing daddy. We hit the road in a few hours and will be home in no time. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hello!

2008-06-04T22:05:00.003-04:00

Blissful beauty...

I purchased this book at TJMaxx because of the colors and

it turned out to be a very sweet book. Guest House Bathroom

This special piece was purchased for the Guest House, at Stone Soup in town and was made by a local artist. I loved the piece so much that I purchased a similar bowl, but in pink and green for my mom for Mother's Day.

(I will take a picture of it tomorrow and show you... I love this women's work.)

Sorry I haven't been around for awhile... Everything is a little crazy right now. I am on a little vacation with the boys and will be back to blogging soon! Thank you for stopping by and

please stop by again! dana

Freeze What?

2008-05-28T08:56:00.003-04:00

Well they made it through the "Freeze Warning" last night.

Doug and I were laying in bed watching the news when the weather man came on and said "cover up the gardens and pots, we have a Freeze Warning in affect for tonight."

Doug and I looked at each other and knew what we had to do at that moment. (It might of been, that I looked at him and knew what we had to do at that moment... but same thing right?) We had to save our flowers! So we got out of bed and start collecting all the flowers. Here we are in our pajamas and when I say pajamas I am using that term loosely. I looked over at Doug and he is running around in his slip on work boots and shorts.

(We were a sight for sore eyes... as they say) We were running all over and around the property collecting flowers. It was a pain and it was really cold. But it was worth it to wake up to our beautiful flowers this morning and realize that we helped them get through another freezing cold night.

Dear God, I pray that that was the last of the

"Freeze Warnings"

I hope all of you are waking up to beautiful things, that can make you smile and think of the wonderful creations that God has created for us.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Many Blessings, dana

Lazy Day at the Lake House...

2008-05-20T13:02:00.003-04:00

Just another lazy day here at our Lake House on a hill. When I say Lake House on a hill, I mean you can kinda see the lake through all the trees, from on top of our hill. Is that sort of like a "Room with a View?" Call it what you want... It's Home to us!

The sun is shining and the birds are saying hello... (or are they saying, "get away from my nest!") Blake and I have been planting flowers together for most of the morning. He did have to take a break at one point to play in his new sandbox his daddy built him last weekend. We just came in for a bite to eat and to give Nolan a bath and a bubba. He is getting so big, I can't believe how fast it goes. Hope you all have a lovely day.

many hugs,

dana

Pretty in Pink and Green Continued...

2008-05-15T06:26:00.000-04:00

A close up of the apple green chairs.

I used a green and white polka-dot on the front of the chairs and a green check

on the back that match the panels on the window treatments.

A bath done on a thrifty budget.

It is possible to decorate without blowing the bank. When you are on a tight budget and can't afford granite on all of the surfaces, you can get a chic look by adding special details. The rose painted knobs and pulls on the simple white cabinets make the cabinets look like more than what they really are.

Pretty in Pink and Green!

2008-05-14T15:42:00.000-04:00

Some days you just feel like a warm bath and tea for one...

Master Bath

Our master bath is very fun and also done in pink and green. In here I used a Laura Ashley wallpaper that I fell in love with immediately. It is the prettiest shade of apple green and the large rose bouquet pattern makes the room feel bigger than it really is. I used all crisp white tile and fixtures to give it a clean and fresh look. I love using white in bathrooms because it's so classic and you can change small things to give it a new look.

Our Master Retreat!

One of my favorite rooms in our home is our master bedroom. I love pink and green, when we built this house I knew I wanted a pink and green master suite. We love our big green bed, I was very nervous going from a queen to king but my husband Doug talked me into it when I was about 6 months pregnant with our first son Blake. I thought that it would take over the room and actually I think it fits a lot better than the queen ever did. (Besides there is only enough room for One Queen in this room... Hee Hee!)

The furniture in this room is sort of a mixed bag. I have two antique dressers that my mom gave me when she sold Summer Hill cottage in Harbor Springs. The two antique chairs were leftovers from when we closed our boutique Chloe's a few years ago. I love the chairs! I only wish I would have taken a before picture because although they had potential they were sort of scary looking. A fresh coat of white paint and an adorable Laura Ashley green and white polka-dot fabric and wah-la their beautiful again. The curtains were custom made by my wonderful sister-in-law Angie and we made them out of extra sheets from my Ralph Lauren floral bedding. I painted the walls Benjamin Moore 415 out of the classic collection and it is a soft crisp green that is very soothing and a great bedroom color.

This room was so much fun to decorate because my house is done with a lot of red, yellow and green. I didn't want what everyone else had, I think I achieved the look that I was going for. I hope you all like it and I hope it inspires you to master your own bedrooms!

Many Blessings, dana

The Baptism

2008-05-13T08:45:00.000-04:00

Godparents Kyle and Carrie.

Nolan is so blessed to have Kyle and Carrie as Godparents.

They promise to pray for him, look after him ( every Saturday night... LOL)

and to be there for him on his journey through life as a child of God. What a blessing from above. Doug and Nolan were baptized last Sunday and it was such a wonderful and emotional experience. The ceremony was beautiful and Pastor Scott did an amazing job. God works in him like I have never seen before... He has such a gift to touch the people that sit before him. We always feel so at home in our church and we thank God for bringing us closer to him through his teachings. Doug and I have accepted our responsibility to raise both of our children in a Christian home. We pray that, God as our leader will guide us in all situations and will be our rock throughout our lifetime. Our goal is to raise our children to know God. When they leave the home they will have the tools they need to go through life knowing that God is with them always even when we are gone. May God Bless all of you! dana "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children....' " DEUTERONOMY 6:6, 7 NIV

New Life!

2008-05-10T07:42:00.002-04:00

There are so many things that I love about Spring... The main thing that I love is the New Life all around us. The bulbs that we plant in the fall, start to blossom. The trees after a long cold and sleepy winter, start to awaken with leaves. God surrounds us with the beauty and wonderment of new life on a daily basis but I think Spring is his specialty. Take a moment and look around at all that God created and praise him because what he has done for us is very good indeed.

"Thank you God for our beautiful Seasons that you have created so magnificently. You are an Awesome God indeed and you bring us New Life that puts me in ahh on a daily basis. Thank you God!"

Speaking of New Life, as most of you know my husband and I just had a new baby boy. He turned 8 weeks on Thursday and he is doing just great. He is a great sleeper, and a very happy boy. This Sunday on Mother's Day, Nolan and my husband Doug will be baptized together at our church. I am very excited for both of them, how wonderful for Nolan and his daddy to be starting their journey with Christ at the same time. I thank God for this blessing!

"Happy Mother's Day!"

I hope all of you mothers can take Sunday for yourself and your families. You truly have the hardest job in the world and may God Bless all of you and your families.

Thanks for stopping by! dana

A Beautiful Tuesday!

2008-05-06T15:23:00.000-04:00

Blake and Nolan hanging out on a beautiful Tuesday! Nolan is starting to be more active and is awake more during the day. Blake is loving to have someone to hang out with and talk to besides me. Nolie is getting baptized on Sunday and we are home this week trying to get everything ready. All of our family and some friends will be here for a brunch on Sunday and I am trying to get my menu planned.

Any great ideas or recipes are welcomed...

May God Bless you all on this beautiful Tuesday!

dana

Love in Lighting!

2008-05-06T06:44:00.001-04:00

Lighting is so important in a home and with out the right amount of lighting you can find yourself in the dark. We added all new lighting in this home and it really made all the difference. Get creative when using lights. We mixed it up and put many varieties of lighting in the guest house including:

recessed 5 inch can lights, a McKenzie Childs white teapot chandelier,

two fabulous pewter and crystal chandeliers over the kitchen island and a unique

Shabby Chic glass chandelier in the small bath.

Have fun with your lighting and think outside the box. If you stop and take a look around your favorite room in your house, it may be telling you that it's time for a lighting update.

Lighting Tip #1: When updating your lighting in your home, get white recessed cans in 4-5 inches. The 6 inch cans look more out of date and can be overwhelming to the space. Outline the perimeter in your room, being sure to highlight draperies, artwork and other accents in your room.

Lighting Tip #2: If updating your entire home, don't break the bank on background fixtures. You can get really cute lighting for less at Lowe's, home depot, Lamps Plus and other discount stores. Than you have more money to spend on the show stoppers like over a dining table or kitchen island. Put your money in the right place and don't worry about the hallways so much as the kitchen!

Lighting Tip #3: Lamps, Lamps, Lamps. You can find great lamps if you look in the right places. Shop at local furniture shops, antique shops and my favorites, TJMax, Marshall's and Target. Not only do lamps offer warmth and dimension in a room, but if done correctly can offer the perfect light for reading a great book.

Lighting can be fun, exciting and sometimes overwhelming. you can easily update the look of a room by making some small lighting changes. Even if it means just putting in a new lamp next to your favorite reading chair or by the bed. If the lighting world has got you stressed and overwhelmed and you can't decide on the right lighting, seek help from a design consultant. It can really help you save money by getting an expert involved in the decision making process.

Lots of Love on Lighting!

dana

2008-05-04T09:23:00.000-04:00

Just a few more great shots!

Guest House

2008-05-04T08:45:00.000-04:00

Close-up of Living Room On either side of the fireplace we had custom window seat cushions made with matching pillows to give the guests a cozy spot to curl up with a book and relax.

Just beyond the window seats in the neighbors backyard, sits a very sweet bunny house.

I think in this picture you are seeing the shed, but the bunny house

sits next to it and is very cute.

(get me a book and an afternoon without the kids and I am sooo there!)

Guest House

2008-05-04T07:33:00.000-04:00

This is a part of the kitchen, when the home was purchased for renovation, it was a small bedroom off the kitchen and we tore down the wall and expanded the kitchen area.

The small bedroom was quite interesting with its flame sponged painting all over the walls. I think opening the space up really makes for a much more user friendly space.

Master Bedroom close-up

I found this great book on decorating "Green" I thought it would be perfect for our

"Green Home 2008"

Guest House

2008-05-03T18:46:00.000-04:00

The view when you walk in the front door.

This floor plan has been opened up so the kitchen, living, sun porch and

dining room are all open to each other and is great for entertaining.

Living / Dining

Yes, we have hung a 47in LCD Tv from the white river rock fireplace. If I do say so myself, I really like the way it turned out and the guys all love it!

Thank you Grandpa for working so hard on getting that tv hung so beautifully.

more to come my computer is to slow to do much more. See you later!

dana

Counter Tops Installed!

2008-04-29T06:05:00.000-04:00

The counter tops were installed yesterday and for laminate they look great! We chose to mix white stone looking laminate with butherblock. Both the sink area and the antique kitchen island have butherblock counters. The bar will be able to seat up to six bar stools and that still leaves plenty of standing room because this is were everyone will most likely gather. Talk about a junk shop find!

Mom and I found this lamp and fell in love with her immediately. Her colors although peeled in places, are vibrant and it really makes you wonder about her history. This is one of my most favorite pieces in the entire house, she really sets the stage when you come into the front door. Today the lighting is being installed and I can't wait to see the fabulous MaKenzie Childs Chandelier being hung above the dining table. You'll just have to stop back to see more. Your comments are always appreciated and welcomed! Have a great day! dana

A Guest House Renewed.

2008-04-27T16:51:00.003-04:00

This picture is a part of the kitchen, we have mixed old cabinets and new here. There is a small area here to have your tea in the morning or catch up with your fellow blogger friends. I don't know if you can see it; but in the corner we have hung and old flour box cabinet that is apple green and was found in my grandmother's basement. It is so cute and it offers an extra place to store dishes, food, tools and whatnot's.

Coming Soon ...

Countertops, The Most Fabulous Apple Green Kitchen Island, Light Fixtures, Bathroom

and much more so please stop back by and enjoy.

A Cool Retreat...

2008-04-26T08:31:00.001-04:00

Sun porch area overlooking the Gardens. Two chairs were purchased from a local furniture store new and the table is an oldy but goody purchased at a local antique shop. Living Area just off the kitchen and sun porch. The living area was opened up during renovation. Before the area was separated from the kitchen and the sun porch we decided to open up the space so you could enjoy the gardens on the property from most any spot in the main area. In the top picture you can get a glimpse at the beautiful property surrounding this guest house. It's various shades of green inspired this color palette. The design of this house is meant to be a cool and calm retreat. We didn't want to clutter it up with too many things. We tried to keep things simple and clean, and what better way to achieve that clean look than to use white as the background color. Most people that know me, know that white is rarely the color of choice when I do a house, but it was defiantly the way to go here. With all of the added arcitectual appeal of this home we felt that keeping the background white, wouldn't interfere with the beautiful gardens and grounds peeking in through the windows. We used different textures and shades of white so it would create a warmer feeling and wouldn't look so sterile. We shopped for 3 days straight to buy everything for this house. We were able to furnish and decorate this guest house in 3 days by shopping locally. The local shops were wonderful and the service in this town couldn't get any better. A special thank you to all of our local shop owners and staffs for your excellent customer service. We thank God that our local shops had what we needed, when we needed it and it worked out beautifully. Thank You! More to come... Please stop back by and see how everything is shaping up in this cool retreat. Thanks Again and May God Bless all of your Spring Projects! dana

Guest House Update

2008-04-23T20:50:00.000-04:00

In the picture above is the master bedroom, we used an antique door that we found in a local antique shop. The door is pink and ties in perfectly with our Shabby Chic bedding and furniture.

We have been busy needless to say... Mom and I have put in three long days of shopping and decorating. We had both of the boys with us today, so we were doing double duty with kids and decor. By Gods Grace we will finish this project in time for the parade of homes, coming in early May.

Our cabinet guy was there today making the templates for the counter tops and I am excited to see how they are going to turn out. The contractors have been wonderful, we are keeping them busy with all of our projects. They hung shelves above the windows today and it made such a difference. Mom filled them up with all of our finds from the antique shops, local stores and grandma's attic. (You should see the things in this attic, my grandma has a wonderfully stocked attic.)

Enjoy the pictures and I will be back when I build back up the energy.

God Bless

Dana

Here's a Little Snack!

2008-04-21T06:46:00.002-04:00

So, mom and I have got our minds just a racin'. We are hoping to get our hands on the guest house this week. The contractors are finishing up and we are ready to decorate. We have picked out some of the larger pieces including an apple green sofa, green gingham chair and ottoman, side chair and some sweet antique tables all painted in white. We are ready to get going on this beauty and I can't wait to see it all put together.

Please say a prayer for mom and I today, that God leads us through this decorating process. Providing us with the tools we need to finish and giving us the ideas, patience and energy we need to complete the project he has so wonderfully blessed us with. With two little ones at home we need to definitely pray for the energy...

Check back later for a progress report. Thanks for stopping by.

dana

Tiny Toes...

2008-03-31T10:05:00.000-04:00

Ten fingers

and toes,

curious eyes,

gurgling

mouth,

gentle soul

A miracle

in our midst

c.harris

This picture was taken by my friend Crystal, when Nolan was only 4 days old. She came to our house and her and her husband took the most beautiful shots of Nolan and our family. Thanks Crystal and Riley, our family will treasure those pictures forever.

I thank God for wonderful Friends and Family.

God Bless,

dana

The Before Picture of Guest House

2008-03-29T14:15:00.000-04:00

This is the picture of the Guest House before the new siding and roof. I thought I put it on the last post but I must of deleted it on accident.

Thanks, dana

Guest House Update!

2008-03-29T10:53:00.001-04:00

WOW! What a difference siding and a new roof can do. This guest house is really starting to take shape. The siding is complete, the original maple wood floors have been restored. The moldings are getting finished up as we speak and the cabinets will be set on Monday.

I chose a beautiful shade of green for the siding to coordinate with the existing main house. The main house on this property is mostly brick and some cedar shakes. The trim on the house is all painted out in the most beautiful shade a verdigris green.

Copper accents have aged over the years to match perfectly to the green used on the trim and the doors. (I will post a picture of the main house later.)

The roof on the guest house was an orange clay color before and is now a tri-color mix of green, chocolate and gray. I chose this roof because it tied the two homes together and made the guest house look like it has been a part of this property forever. The existing main house has a magnificent roof, made out of clay tiles. All hand made, these tiles are expensive and very tough to replicate. So we tried to pick a color in a asphalt shingle that would coordinate with the tiles used on the main house. The colors matched perfect and really add a lot with out having to break the bank.

Coming soon... Cabinets and Lighting! Thanks for stopping by.

God Bless and have a great weekend.

-dana

New Baby Boy!

2008-03-18T09:42:00.001-04:00

Nolan James Moore

March 13, 2008

9:44 am

8lbs 12oz, 21inches

We welcome baby Nolan to our family! We are home now and getting settled in to our new routine. Nolan is a happy and healthy baby boy. We thank God for this precious bundle of joy.

Mom has been here with us all week and is such a huge help. Doug has been home a lot, he is very helpful with all of the things that need to be done, whether it is with Blake and Nolan, picking up toys, doing dishes or just being there for my support during recovery... he has been wonderful. Blake loves being a Big Brother he is really adjusting well to having a baby in the house. He is so cute with Nolan, these two boys are going to keep us busy that is for sure.

Thanks for stopping by, please stop back for more baby updates.

Lots of Love,

dana

Good Morning from the Moore's

2008-03-11T09:54:00.002-04:00

Blake and Spayds

We are slowly adjusting to the time changes around here. It takes Blake twice as long to fall asleep at night, and I believe God is preparing Doug and I for no sleep by keeping us up all night as well. With the baby coming anytime now we are all just kinda sticking close to home waiting for this bundle of joy to arrive. I hope you all have a blessed day! Many Hugs, Dana

The Guest House Part II

2008-03-07T07:55:00.001-05:00

I promised you more well here it is, part II of the guest house. These pictures are of the Kitchen and Entryway. The kitchen is all crisp white bead-board wainscoting on the ceiling and walls. The beams on the ceiling were just added and I love them. They give the kitchen much more architectural detail.

The custom cabinets are all being built by a local craftsman named Gary Tilmann. We do a lot of work together and his craftsmanship is wonderful. The cabinets are all white and in the center of the kitchen is going to be an antique island that is painted apple green with white trim. The island is topped off with a thick butcher block top and will be a great centerpiece for this simply chic kitchen.

I am very excited about the way this guest house is coming along. It is white, bright and there is nothing shabby about this sweet chic cottage. Thanks for stopping by!

dana

The Guest House

2008-03-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

Well, here is a sneak peak at the adorable Guest House I have been working on. I know it looks messy, but you have to be able to visualize beauty in the works. This picture is of the living room, this room is dripping with white painted bead-board wainscoting on the walls and ceilings. The stone fireplace is painted white and is a beautiful focal point in this room. There are two built-in window seats with storage on either side of the fireplace that will offer some additional seating. With the use of shabby chic furniture, antiques and accessories both vintage and new, this little guest house will certainly be the place to be. Keep checking back for more on this guest house design. God Bless and thanks for stopping by!

dana

Thank You Mom's Group!

2008-02-28T11:19:00.000-05:00

What a surprise! My fellow mother's from my Wednesday's Mom's Group at the Church, surprised Kate and I yesterday with a baby shower. It was one of the most lovely parties I have been to in a long time. The atmosphere was great, the food was heavenly and the company was even better. These women are a God sent blessing in my life.

Kathy, Crystal, Kate, Holly, Angie, Camie, Michelle and Jill: God has put you all in my life for so many reasons and I can't thank him enough for that. You have not only taught me more about myself but you have shown me ways to be a better Christian wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend. You all have such unique and special qualities and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being a part of my life.

Blake and I had so much fun this morning going through all of the special things you all purchased for our new baby boy! Thank you from our entire family.

Dana

Here's to You Aaron!

2008-02-23T14:39:00.001-05:00

"Welcome Home White Family, Welcome Home." as Ty Pennington says on Extreme Home Makeover.

We are happy to announce the homecoming of Aaron. It has been a long haul and I am so happy to have him back in the neighborhood. Thank you God and everyone who continuously prayed and supported our family through this difficult journey. God is Good and he has answered our prayers!!!! So here's to you Aaron, may we have many more great times together (like the one in the picture above taken last year in St. Thomas!)

This will be an experience our family will never forget. We have all grown so much through this difficult time. What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. God has made us all a lot stronger.

Enjoy your Weekend!

Dana

"I'm a Big Boy Now!"

2008-02-22T09:36:00.001-05:00

Blake says "Mumma... I am a big boy now!" Doug and I have been trying to finish up the boys rooms in the past few months and Blake is thrilled about the way his new room turned out. He has his big boy bed, table and chairs for crafting or conducting his train set, pictures of his famous finger paintings and all the books, puzzles, trucks and toys a boy could ever want. It is funny how excited he gets about having his own space. I don't know why the picture came out a little dark.

Baby's Room... Check!

2008-02-19T16:12:00.001-05:00

Well it is official, the baby's room is complete. Now the only thing to do is to wait. Baby Moore #2 is due in 3 weeks and when he decides to show up we will be ready. Bed is up, blankets and clothes are hanging in the closet and our bags are packed. My grandpa and grandma just got this new Rocker/Glider for my birthday and I can't wait to rock this new baby! Please say a prayer for a safe and healthy delivery for the newest addition to the Moore Family!

He called me today!

2008-02-18T19:50:00.000-05:00

Yes! It is true I spoke to Aaron on the phone today. They caped his treake and he is able to talk for a short time. I can't tell you how awesome it was to hear Aaron's voice again. He is doing so good, Doug, Ang and I were with him all day on Saturday and when we left Doug and I looked at eachother and said "Thank you God" he looks and feels really good. The best we have seen him yet. His skin is healing, his buzz cut actually looks good and his spirits are improving daily. We are praying that he will continue to heal and maybe he will be ready to come home soon. Thanks for stopping by, sorry my messages are short and sweet, but I have to take advantage of my minutes between chasing a 3yr old little boy. Mom will be back tonight, she has such an ability to bring you theupdates on Aaron and we thank God that she has been able to inform you all during this difficult time. Thanks mom... everyone appreciates your updates. So...you may have your job back! dana

Another Good Day!

2008-02-16T10:01:00.000-05:00

Thank God for another good day! Doug and I are on are way to the hospital to see Aaron. Yesterday was the 3rd day in a row w/o a fever, he sat up in a chair for 4 hours and watched King Kong the movie with Ang. He got to take a shower and he is looking better everyday. The nurse was saying that there is a possibility that they may take the treake out by Monday. That would be great! Just wanted to give you all a quick update, hopefully we will bring you more good news tomarrow. Thanks for checking in, God Bless and thank you for your prayers. dana

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T19:34:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to you all. Just wanted to give you all a quick update on Aaron from the last couple of days. Yesterday was a good day, the doctor's have located the infection that they have been looking for for the past week or so. It is a bacterial infection in his lungs. They started him on a new antibiotic yesterday and so far so good. Aaron got to sit up in a chair today and he and Angie watched a movie for Valentine's Day. Last night he filled out all of his Valentine's for Ang and the kids. Doug and I hed down tomarrow with all of the kids to spend the weekend. We are very excited to see Aaron. Aidan called and left Aaron a Valentine message today on the phone, he was so excited. Doug, Blake, Aidan and I had a relaxing Valentine's at home tonight, Blake and Aidan are all snuggled up in thier pajamas and getting ready for bed. Thank you for stopping by, hopefully there will be more good news to come! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers, they mean the world to all of us and especially to Aaron's healing. dana