Repainted outdoor lights

Good Wednesday to you:)

Rats! I wish I would have gotten a before picture of my outdoor lights:(

They have been hanging uncleared for oh..... About seven years. I decided to change the color from brass to a slate color. I went to Home Depot and bought a spray paint that had a primer in it. I used blue painters tape to cover the glass ( this of course is after I cleaned the lights).  I sprayed, let dry and sprayed what I had missed. Mr. SSH notice the underneath part needed more paint. Away I painted so pleased with myself.  When Mr. SSH went to take off the rape he noticed that I hadn't taped the inside glass and I had sprayed the inside of the glass..... A common Dena thing to do:). Luckily he had just the right goop to take it off. He took the glass out of the next one before I painted:)

Here is one ready to be hung.

Here it is hung.

So

Much

Better!

I even sprayed the brass numbers:)

Happy Wednesday,

~Dena:)

Pretty pink peonies

Good Tuesday to you:)

I have sadly been trying to grow two peonies for oh... About eleven years! I am not sure what I am doing wrong but it is something! My neighbor on the other hand has amazing peonies every year! A few years ago she was cutting all of the leaning blooms and throwing them away! I ran over and begged her for the thrown away blooms. She happily said yes:) since then every year she gives me the thumbs up to cut all of the leaning blooms:)

She grows beautiful peonies!

I am still not sure why anyone would not want these around them!

But I am ever so thankful that she lets me enjoy them:)

Happy Tuesday,

~Dena:)

Hiking at Hagg Lake

Good Monday to you:)

I hope you have enjoyed your holiday weekend. We have had a good time enjoying family and friends:) Yesterday my parents and our family went for a three mile hike at Hagg Lake.

It had been years since I have been to this lake.

It was so nice to hear my kids laugh together:)

They really enjoyed each other's company!

It was a fun, easy hike.

Have you been on a good hike lately?

~Dena:)

First roses

Good Sunday morning:)

What fun it has been to be lazy two mornings in a row:)

I thought I would share my first cut roses of the season:

These are from a bush that doesn't always make roses.

I love how vibrant the color is:)

Happy Sunday,

~Dena:)

Such great neighbors!

Good Saturday to you:)

What a great time of year we are in.

At 9:00pm it was still light out:)

Last night we had a campfire with some neighbors:

S'mores were served.

Kids were

Snuggled.

I hope you are as blessed as we are with wonderful neighbors!

Enjoy your holiday weekend:)

~Dena:)

Thank you dear friends!

Good Monday to you:)

I hope you are enjoying our blue skies!

I have just completed a week of celebrations for my 45th birthday:) I have been so blessed by all of the wonderful cards, hugs and gifts. I have surrounded myself with truly amazing women who bring joy to me daily:) thank you dear friends for being a part of my life!

Each

So

Thoughtfully

Picked

Out!

This cake is made up entirely of cream cheese frosting from Bales Thriftway:) I am a nut and only eat the frosting:)

I pray you are all as blessed by friends as I am!

~Dena:)

I had this idea:)

Good Wednesday to you:)

My brain has been working overtime with an idea. Mr. SSH cut down some huge tree limbs on Sunday. All of the branches have been laying on the side of the house. I have been wanting to add more lights in the backyard for a while...... So:)

After work I went to Home Depot and bought some white rocks.

I went to Target and bought some string lights.

I had this idea that I would fill planters with rock, stick the limb in and hang the lights across the yard..... Yeah, that didn't go so swell! Ha, anyone walking across the backyard would decapitate themselves!

Mr. SSH to the rescue:)

What would I do

Without him?

He

Made

My

Idea Come to life:)

He did say

"You do know we are not a restaurant right?"

Thank you Mr. SSH for making my idea reality:)

~Dena:)

Off to dream land

Good sunny Tuesday to you:)

I hope you have had a spectacular day!

It has been a few days since I have been to my favorite store so I decided to pop in for a quick peek today:)

I found this cool old looking frame for $2.99.  I think it was somewhat old as I had to rip off the back paper. This photo was mounted on copper! Cool right? I was already lazily looking at magazines on my porch when I came across a picture that made me sigh. Sigh like whew that is a nice spot:) just looking at it makes me believe I am there:)

I put it on my window box on my porch.

Now I can gaze at it while sitting on the porch:)

Happy Tuesday!

~Dena:)

A fun birthday gift

Good sunny Monday to you:)

Today is my 45th birthday.

To me, this number represents middle age......

I have been struggling with this number for a few months. For today's post I decided I will embrace all of the positives of middle age:)

1) I know who I am:)

2) I like who I am:)

3) I am okay with everyone seeing the real me:)

4) I am able to laugh a lot more:)

5) I am aware of how blessed I am:)

6) I am rarely insecure:)

Do you have more?

A good friend sent me a gift that I received on Saturday.  I knew I wanted to hang it over my sliding glass door but Mr. SSH didn't want to hit his head on it. I asked him is he could "fix" this problem... And he did:)

We NEVER close our blinds downstairs. In this picture you can see the blinds and white border box.

Mr. SSH removed the blinds and white box and rehung my friends gift. The shells were hanging on a ribbon which was too short for the area. While I was out taking Alex to get her hair and makeup done for the prom, he found some bead garland and rehung the shells:)

The shells say dream.

I think I will forgive him for forgetting to say happy birthday this morning:)

Enjoy your day!

~Dena:)

Happy Mother's Day:)

Good Sunday to you:)

I hope you mothers had a fabulous day!

What a wonderful day my family gave me:)

I think the

Cards are the best!

Blessings,

~Dena:)

Prom

Good Saturday to you:)

I got to experience something as a mom tonight that is one of those once in a lifetime precious moments. I got to send my daughter off to prom:) I am so very proud of the young woman she has become!

Isn't she beautiful:)

What a special memory:)

Happy Saturday to you:)

~Dena:)

My heart is swooning:)

Good Sunday to you:)

I hope you have had a relaxing day!

Yesterday I found this:

I have a "thing" for whales:)

There is a whale sign next to the place Mr. SSH and I stay in Maui. I always joke that we are going to take it home with us:) when I saw this I knew where I would put him:)

My sweet husband got right to it:)

Here

It

Is:)

My heart is doing backflips:)

What do you think?

On another note... I made lasagna and it is cooking in the oven..... I know right? Not bought from the store... Hand made! Please pray it turns out..... I don't have the greatest track record:(

I thought we could have a nice dinner and have family game night... I will let you know how dinner turns out:)

~Dena:)