Raised Bed Gardening...

So normally by now I would have my garden area all tilled up and plants/seeds in the ground, but not this year because of two reasons...1. New puppy girl Sadie and 2. Saw way too many fun raised beds on pinterest that I thought would be way cooler than my lil slab of ground.  So....with that being said I HAD great intentions of buying the materials and building my own raised beds and then of course doing something PINtastic with them like maybe this...

from pinterest

or this......

but then enters lil Miss Sadie who is part mutt and part Jack Russell and love to dig, chew, and J-U-M-P!! And well there is no way that either of these options will allow me to have a garden and keep a dog, so I kept thinking and searching on the world of pinterest and then I came across the idea of using galvanized troughs for garden beds!!!! EEEEKKKKK! Yes! My grandma use to grow strawberries in a ginormous tub like this...why didn't I think of it sooner?!?!?!  I am so excited about it, so today we went out to start pricing the troughs and the dirt it will take to fill them....hopefully after a few more convos with Mr. Luckee and we will be the proud owners of 3-4 of these bad boys..they aren't cheap, but my other options include lumber, and fencing materials to keep precious Sadie outta the goods....so it's really a one time expense and then they will last forever!!!

Here is a little inspiration for what I am going for thanks TwoMenAndALittleFarm for the inspiration pic:)

So I hope to be popping back in later this week or next week with some updated progress on this....

LaKeta

Just Ordered My Garmin Forerunner!!!

I'm super excited to get my new gadget!!! I've always wanted to be a runner...one time about 3 1/2 years ago I did couch25K and ran a 1 mile race...bahahaha! Yes! That's right AN ENTIRE MILE! ;) then one of my "running" partners found out she was expecting baby #4 so my other friend and I decided that we'd be good friends and quit running while she was eating for two! Unfortunately, she is back to running and other friend and I aren't even close:(. So two weeks ago I decided enough!!! I said to myself, "Self, get out there and do it!". So that's what I have started doing... I started with 12 minutes "running" then upped it to 15, 17, and now I'm at 20 minutes...only 1.6 miles...yeah I'm not speedy mcspeedyson, but hey it's better than sitting on the couch wishing I was! Tuesday is my anniversary, so this is my gift from my ever supportive hubby... Thanks babe!

Asking Prayer Warriors to PRAY

Please PRAY

Below is a letter from one of my dearest and best friends, about her precious son Xander{Who is also one of my son's best friends and in my 4th grade classroom this year...please pray for healing for this amazing young boy and for wisdom and comfort for his parents and family...

"Most of you know that Xander had some testing done last week. Friday afternoon we were told that the cancer in Xander's body has progressed significantly. At this time we are unsure of what will happen next. Our doctor in Oklahoma City is consulting with a network of doctors across the nation, in effort to decide what is best for Xander. We believe we will need to take aggressive action. As you can see Xander is a healthy growing boy and it's hard to imagine that his skeleton is covered with cancer. We ask that you continue to pray as you have done so faithfully. We believe that God is still in control and is
using Xander for His glory. As you pray for Xander we ask that you boldly share the message of the cross.
Xander's response to this news.......I'm not worried because God has a plan for my life and He is going to Dazzle me with it!"

Random

I want to learn how to make really cute blog stuff... Like the cutesy signatures and dividers etc.

I really want some chocolate but probably only because my Oklahoma State Cowboys are stressing me out during this Fiesta bowl!

I've Adhered to a strict 1200 calorie diet for the past 6 days now AND exercised! 2 days of the 30 Day Shred and I feel like I've been ran over by a school bus! Oh well... Chanting "beach weather, beach weather" over and over in my head!

Excited about starting the cash envelope system this new year and almost having every single ounce of credit card debt paid off!!! Woot woot!

Yup, this is complete random rambling that I just needed to post;) thanks for understanding!

LaKeta

Twenty 12 Calls for some GOALS...

Taking some time today to reflect and determine my goals for the upcoming new year...

There are two things that my mind craves

1. ORGANIZATION

2. BALANCE

I've already gotten back on track with eating a bit more healthy in the last few days...fell off that bandwagon during the time I spent working towards my national board certification.  So eating healthier and working out tops the resolutions list as well...but I really want to get my house {and my classroom} organized and find a way to SLOW down...

Happy New Year to You and Yours!!!

Cheers,

LaKeta

One Thing Calls For Another. . .

See this nice, big, heavy, DARK buffet I found on craigslist for a mere $30 bucks?!?!?! Well it screamed out for me to bring it home to live in my craft room...after a nice little makeover of course ;)

So...once I convinced to hubs to help me pick it up I began sprucing it up a bit...I sanded it...and {spray} painted it white...then gave it a nice little antiquing glaze and searched high and low for new hardware...She is an amazing addition to my "newly" decorated crafting space/office lovingly referred to as the "croffice".


here is a quick little peek....

Thought I'd show you my desk space as well...

And my little sewing desk area...

It has been a really fun process painting, creating, and continually re designing my little room...I love how pretty it is and how comfortable it is for me and my little family...the kids like crafting in here or working on school projects and even the hubs "enjoys" paying the bills and doing work "stuff" here...


LaKeta


Linking Up Here:
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/

My First Freebie

Not sure if this will work, but I am going to try! I am working like a mad woman in my classroom and decided I needed a little more "cute" sitting on my desk;) So I started playing around on my photoshop and created a little to do list that I am going to put in a frame and use as a dry erase frame.  If you cannot download it, please let me know, and if you know how to do it correctly let me know that too:)

I sized it as an 8x10... the background came from Sprik.blogspot.com love her freebies!
I am planning on making a few more of these as teacher gifts!!!
LaKeta

Pinterest=Addiction

So if you haven't heard of Pinterest yet, you are totally missing out on the party!!! I BIG - FAT - PUFFY - RED - HEART- LOVE it!!!! I do believe I could call myself a pin-a-holic ;)  There are so so many awesome links and ideas...I am so visual so being able to see a thumbnail image of an idea really hooks me!  I'd love for you to come follow me on Pinterest.

If you need an invite, leave me your email address and I'll send you one, but I claim NO responsibility if it becomes an addiction for you too:)

LaKeta

Organizing Fool...

So summer is zipping by a LOT faster than I want it to... I cannot believe we will be back in school in 5 weeks...eeeekkkk!~ I am NOT finished with my to do list yet!!!!  I have been working on getting this house O-R-G-A-N-I-Z-E-D!!!!!! one small space at a time!!!!  First up the ...SCARY PANTRY....I am very embarrassed to show you just how B-A-D this space was but there must be a before in order to feel like you've accomplished anything right?!?!?!

I think we have little elves that sneak in at night and eat our chips and leave crumbs on the floor...anyone else have this issue???

So, I took everything out of my pantry...yes sister you heard me...I took it ALL out and scrubbed it with hot soapy water.  Then, I lined the shelves with contact paper from the dollar store.  Then I began throwing away expired food...I didn't take a picture of that, but I think I would be more embarrassed to show you just how much we wasted than how nasty this area was before:(  Then I began shopping the house for storage options...you'd be surprised what all you can find in your home that can help you corral the madness!

And....drumroll please....the AFTER'S:

I recycled some plastic containers I'd been saving to store my brown and powdered sugar...

Couldn't resist using this basket to keep our bread in..."BREAD BASKET"...yes, I am a nerd like that!

I used an old cassette  box thing I bought of ebay several years ago and took out all the dividers to hold chips, potatoes and onions {which I am out of here} and a small basket for foil and cling wrap...

I had these mini drawers on hand since redoing my chipboard storage in my craft room...my labeler and I got reacquainted during this 14 hour organizing partay!  

I love Mason jars so I had to use this one to store an open bag of pinto beans...I want one for rice too...that is when I have a bag of UNexpired rice on hand;)

So one small area of my house has been reclaimed and I pitty the fool that messes it up ;p lol!!!

LaKeta :)

Land that I Love...

The other day while I was at the Dollar Tree I found these great tinsel covered stars...I scooped up three thinking I could do something with them for my front door for the Fourth.  Then while I was at Hobby Lobby I grabbed wooden letters {USA}. I shared my inspiration with a few friends... So today a few of us  got together to make this quick patriotic craft to display on our doors....  They were really easy and cheap!!! And I love how it turned out!!!!

Here is what you'll need if you want to make your own:

3 stars from the dollar tree {although my friends found hearts instead of stars and those were cute 2}

Wooden letters U S A from Hobby Lobby

Ribbon

Hot Glue

Paint to paint your wooden letters...I spray painted mine white and then used the end of a pencil eraser to polka dot mine and a paint pen to stripe my "S"

Leave the tag hanger on your top star so that you can hang it from your door...it is silver so it looks festive still!

Happy Fourth!!!

LaKeta

Sharing here:

 
 

The Boy's Room

I  have been working on my little man's room since spring break and I will get it all finished someday I think?!?!?  I wanted him to have a little extra storage space and a place to put his tv he got for Christmas...he also plays the family wii more than anyone else, so I decided he could keep it in his room...

My mom and I were talking about his need for more storage when I told her I was scouring Craigslist for an old dresser for his room. Mom remembered that she and Dad still had MY old {childhood} dresser in there detached garage...this thing had been in there for 14 years!!! It had been moved out there when my parents began building there house right after my senior year. I found all kinds of high school memorabilia inside it's drawers...eeek including my sophomore year yearbook!

Here is a shot of the after before...after before because this pic was after I washed it down with Murphy's wood soap...it was mega dirty!

So after washing it down and killing a bajillion spiders....shiver!!! Mom and I loaded it up and off I went with it with visions of what I might do to make it more boyish....

I sanded it a little...it didn't need much and then I primed it with gray primer...

I ripped the back board off and replace it with a new piece the nice man at Lowe's cut for me...one of the little drawers was gone...so I decided to create a shelf on the top part and thought it would be the perfect place for his wii and dvd player and some kind of cool baskets... I wanted locker baskets but am way too  impatient to find the perfect price and size, so I bought these el' cheapo's from the dollar general...

And grabbed my can of metallic silver spray paint and went to town!!!!

This will work until I stumble across the real deal...

And here is the dresser in the boy's room... I love how it turned out and even better the boy loves it too...he said and I quote...."Mom this room is sweet with my new dresser!"  Worth killing all those bajillion spiders....

You can't see it in this pic but I used chalkboard paint on the top and added a piece of molding along the bottom to beef it  up some:)


:) LaKeta

Partying it up here:

My Little Sister Is Getting Married!!!

My middle sister, Erin, is getting married this October, and yesterday I got to do their engagement photos...I am working on building my portfolio so this was a win/win situation...I got lots of practice and they get FREE pics ;)

I had a blast...here are a couple of my favorites from today:)

Ok...here are a *few more ;)  I really can't pick a couple of favorites....

 Although it might just be this one:::

 Erin's hubby to be really enjoyed this one ;)

 And I love this old blue two ton Chevy truck out in Dad's pasture...Looks so Americana to me:)

All the pics were taken on the 80 acres we girls grew up on or the dairy that our grandpa and Dad owned, and of course one gravel road just down from 'Coon Creek Bridge...we are country girls!


Thanks Erin and Taylor for letting me practice with you guys...I had a great day...laughed a lot!!!