Author Archives: Ellen

Hot Thrifty Buys!

Sunday we link up over at Rhoda’s Southern Hospitality with our Thrifty buys that we’ve found at Garage/Yard Sales or Thrift Shops. Thanks Rhoda!

I’m a consistent Thrift store shopper. Once in a while Dear and I will stop at a Garage Sale. This Saturday was really hot in Southern California…in the 100’s in a lot of spots. We stopped at a few sales but the heat just got us down. We were happy to stop our searches because at our very first spot we bought this beauty!

 

The vinyl is in such good shape. The metal can use some work, though.

This is a nostalgia piece for me. Do I have a spot for it?….no. Do I have a red kitchen?…no. But for $10.00 I wasn’t leaving it behind.

On our way to Oxnard to see if we could find garage sales by the ocean where it might be cooler we spotted a Spud Nuts Donut Shop! The car automatically drove into the parking lot and this lovely got eaten up by moi! A very light raised iced donut! I felt like I was 5 again.

 

We didn’t have any luck in Oxnard so we headed to Ventura. After stopping at a few more sales braving the beating hot sun we saw this hole in the wall spot that a lot of middle-aged and older people were stopping at. We knew it was probably a great spot for good Mexican food. Johnny’s Mexican Food on Ventura Ave. in Ventura.

Cars kept driving up and we asked people who had been coming here for 30 years what they were going to order. We took some recommendations and were not disappointed. We were still hot and now very thirsty so we headed down Main St. in Ventura for one of these…

A Pierpont IPA at Anacapa Brewing Company. Very refreshing on a hot summer day. We headed home via a produce stand and bought  fresh white corn to bbq for dinner along with lamb chops. But wait this is suppose to be about thrifty treasures not food even though the white corn was 5 ears for a $1.00!

Last Saturday when it was way cooler out we stopped at a church bazaar and I bought this pair of candlesticks for $2 and this wooden sign for $1.00

 

On Friday my bloggy friend Willow and I went  thrift store shopping in Oxnard, Ca. All my buys were linens.

 

The bright Veggie label design tablecloth was $1.95. The doilies were $1.95 for all 4. The sets of napkins were 1.95 for 6 of the blue bordered ones, 95 cents for the 4 off white with little green triangles and $2.00 for the 8 red ones.

 

I really liked this Americana table runner and it cost 95 cents.

I’m so happy my computer has been working ok for a day that I’m posting this way early and I hope my computer continues to behave and I’ll be able to get around to see everyones treasures. Have a great week everyone…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Turning Poor Planning into an Opportunity…

This was a guest post on 4 Reluctant Entertainers earlier in August. I’m having computer issues which I hope won’t be on going or fatal and since this post was ready to go with a good recipe to link to I decided to re-post it on my blog now.

I was thrilled to be a guest poster for Sandy at 4 Reluctant Entertainers a week or so ago. I think I started reading Sandy’s blog before I even had a blog. I was raised by a mom who modeled hospitality. The fresh ideas I learn from 4 Reluctant Entertainers blog are an inspiration to me. Sandy and I live in neighboring states when I’m in California at the condo or in Washington at my home. Someday I’m hoping to meet Sandy face to face if not on this earth then in our mansion in heaven.

I have a Blueberry Bush at my home in Washington and I picked some fresh blueberries and decided to make muffins. I got all the dry ingredients together, then I got the wet ingredients ready only to realize we were all out of eggs. The oven was preheated the trays were ready so what to do? I trekked over to my neighbors in my slippers and comfies and asked to please borrow an egg. She was very gracious and invited me in and gave me an egg. I got to meet her 16 month old granddaughter who she was caring for, also.

After the muffins were baked and out of the oven. I picked out two and trekked over to my neighbors again and offered her the 2 muffins. She was delighted and said I could borrow an egg anytime. I was happy to receive from my neighbor and bless her in return. My poor planning turned into an opportunity to keep connected with my neighbor.

The recipe I used for these Blueberry Muffins can be found here.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

It’s Time for the Rooster Party!

Barb at Bella Vista is our lovely hostess for this event. Click on over and check out her sidebar to see all the participants who are showing their roosters this Friday!

I’m starting off with the real thing. These noisy guys were excited to wake everyone up so you can get an early start to make it around to all the party blogs!

All Around the Barnyard

All around the barnyard
The animals are fast asleep.
Sleeping cows and horses,
Sleeping pigs and sheep.

Here comes the cocky rooster
To sound his daily alarm.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Wake up sleepy farm!”

 

You are going to need a good farmer style breakfast so you have the endurance to see all the roosters today so how about this…

Apricot-Almond French Toast with eggs and turkey sausage? or…

One of these egg dishes? Have fun everyone!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Friday’s Fave Five ~

Time to think back just 7 days and remember your favorites. Once you’ve done that head over to Susanne’s at Living to Tell the Story and join in the fun of Friday’s Fave Five!

A boring week would be very nice but I might not see that for a little while.

It was so nice to have my daughter here with us along with her boyfriend. They flew back to Seattle on Sunday.

 

My daughter having lots of time with her cousins and grandparents is another favorite.

Being with my brother’s family from Dallas for more then one day makes my favorites, too. We had time at Disneyland, time at our open house on Saturday and then a few more hours on Sunday at my niece’s shower before they flew back to Dallas.

Putting on an event with my family is always a lot of fun. On Sunday my sisters and nieces and I put together a Tea Baby Shower for the next little girl who will be joining our family later in September. The time together with my nieces and all my sisters and SIL’s was wonderful.

Lastly is that yummy meal you see in the collage. Dear barbecued all that for dinner on Wednesday and it was oh so good. The Corn on the cob was my favorite. So buttery garlicky corny good.

Thanks for visiting. I really do appreciate the cyber friendships blogging has afforded me!!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Tablescape Thursday ~ Baby Girl Shower!

For Tablescape Thursday this week I’m sharing my photos from a shower we had for my niece Michelle this past Sunday. Her and Ryan’s baby girl is due in September. We worked around a pink and brown tea theme.

Thank you to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting this weekly event. Click on over to see some wonderful tables set for different occasions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Guest of Honor Michelle. This will be Ryan and Michelle’s 2nd. They have a boy already who is looking forward to meeting his little sister…

 

 

The Shower Organizers, Flower Arrangers, Sandwich Makers, and Decorators.

 

The granddaughters with my mom. 4 granddaughters are missing in this photo including my daughter and DIL.

 

3 generations, my niece Michelle, my mom, and my sister Kathy.

 

My mom with all her daughters. She has 4 sons, too!

 

My niece Michelle flanked by all her Aunties on her mom’s side of the family.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Window Views ~ Disneyland

It’s time to visit the Window Views Blog hosted by Mary The Professor to show us your Window Views.

Pick up your ticket at the Disneyland Ticket Window then enter the wonderful world of Disney. I never noticed the Mickey Mouse cut-outs before.

 

All these window shots are taken along Main Street at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

 

 

 

Hope your week is going well…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

WFW ~ Exodus 20:12

 

Exodus 20:12 (ESV) ~ Honor your Father and your Mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

To see more verses from God’s word visit the Word Filled Hostess for this week. As soon as I know who it is I’ll add the link :0)

Susan is our hostess this week!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Family and Friends in Huntington Beach…

***Please Scroll Down for Let There Be White!!

Since my brother’s family was here from Dallas for a week we had an “Open House” on Saturday for friends and family to drop in to visit.

My BIL Nick and sister Vera hosted the event. They always treat us to an amazing amount of food. We all contributed salads and dessert while Nick and Vera served turkey, chuck roast, lamb, regular potatoes, Smoked Gouda Potatoes, Gouda and Cheddar potatoes, plain rice, rice with nuts and raisins. I brought a Tiramisu cake for Nick since his birthday was coming up on the 25th!

 

ellen b. and my daughter Katie b. She was here for a week with her boyfriend Ben.

 

Katie with her cousin Hope and her cousin once removed Jackson! Jackson and Katie enjoyed playing Jedi Knights together…

 

Katie and her cousin Hope. Katie was the youngest granddaughter until Hope was born.

Katie and her boyfriend Ben. They enjoyed all the dizzy parks during their time in Southern California.

 

My BIL Steve (Lana G!’s husband) and my better half…Dear.

Lana G!

Lana G’s twin, Hope’s daddy, both dressed in seersucker!

Our sweet Miss Hope!

The Bagdanov sisters…Lana G!, ellen b, Vera, and Kathy.

 

Niece Michelle and our daughter Katie.

My nieces Michelle and Melissa, sisters…

The girl cousins! Debbee, Katie, Michelle, Hope, and Melissa.

 

Our dear friends. I love the matching expressions on Svetlana and my brother Steve’s face. Our celebration had a time of great singing at the table of good old hymns in Russian and English and some modern worship songs. Good ole 4 part harmonies. Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Peace Like a River, It is Well with my Soul, How Great Thou Art, O the Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus, The Good Shepherd is Seeking (A favorite Russian song of ours).

After all this excitement on Saturday we were up bright and early on Sunday for an airport run (4:30 am) to deliver Katie and Ben for their 6:30 am flight and then a drive across L.A. for my niece Michelle’s baby shower. Thankfully Dear did the airport run while I packed the car for the shower. Dear stayed home during the shower and when I got home at 8:00 PM he had the condo all cleaned up including washing all the bedding from our overnight guests. What a guy!!

I’ll be posting photos from the Pink and Brown Tea Party we had for Michelle and Ryan’s baby girl who is due to arrive somewhere around September 21st.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Let There Be White!

The time is here to show our white and Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen is our lovely hostess. Click on over to join in or to see more white.

 

A lot of old white mixed in with new white.

 

I was happy to be able to pull out my white creamers to use as vases for the white flowers. The milk glass cake pedestal is from my MIL Verna’s collection that we ended up with.

 

 

 

The milky white hob nail dishes are from my MIL, too.

 

While I was putting together my white table I had an audience. My daughter Katie joined in the fun by putting the white flower in her hair while she ate her breakfast cereal…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Blue Monday~ Miss Hope with Baba & Deda!

Thank you to Smiling Sally for Blue Monday! Our sweet niece Miss Hope has been visiting from Dallas and I got some shots of her with my parents with lots of blue for Blue Monday. She only sees us a few times a year but she knows she belongs to us and embraces all of us. It is a sweet blessing from our God for all of us and her grandparents!!

 

 

 

 

This was a really busy family week. On Saturday we had an Open House celebration in Huntington Beach and on Sunday we had a shower for my niece in Orange. I have lots of photos to upload and share during this next week. I’ve been on the L.A. freeways a lot this weekend and am looking forward to a somewhat relaxed week.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.