The deal.... :)

I lived the last 46 years of my life in Mesa, Arizona.

 I had my pick of like 4 different Targets and 

the best TJ Maxx Home Goods evah just 

a short drive from home.

And then I moved....

The closest Target is about 25 minutes away, and that's not

so bad. But TJ??? I think the closest one is an hour and

a half away:( :( :( and it's not a Home Goods :( :( :(

Now you have to understand, these stores were my go to places.

Ya know what I mean? Like there's pretty much nothing in the world

that I couldn't find in either of them!

You can start rolling your eyes about now...

because I was really kind of freaking out! 

Well one morning when I was walking Wallace and wondering to myself

how I was going to tackle this first world problem-

I nearly stepped on this piece of paper.

Love Carpinteria 

BE PROUD TO SPEND DOLLARS LOCALLY

Duh!!!

I seriously was laughing to myself. 

I happened to live in the sweetest town with the most 

adorable little shops full of goodies carefully picked

out by their hardworking owners:)

This Saturday is Small Business Saturday.

It's a day that encourages holiday shoppers to hit the brick and mortar

businesses that are small and local.

No one better understands this concept than the gals at 

Restylesource, a guide to all things local!!

You guys want eye candy? Oh my. Go look.

Restylesource strongly believes that supporting local businesses

keeps our communities vibrant, healthy and strong:)

And I have to agree!!

 I went out and snapped some pics of just a few of my

fave little stores downtown here in Carp:)

Whimsy Antiques:)

This store was one of the first places I went into when I moved here.

And you know what? the next time I went in, the gal there

remembered me!!!

I loved that:)

I'm kinda regretting I didn't take these lil guys

home with me:(

Soap.

I LOVE this little store!! And Daniel..what a sweetheart!

It's full of soaps, lotions, candles and some

fab robes and jammies!!

I had to take a pic of this adorable lady.

I mean, look at her collar! And just imagine this-

she walked over to this shelf and said "well look 

at these chaps!" in the sweetest accent.

I was dying. and staring. and wanting to beg her to be my friend.

Seastrand.

Oh this store...

The owners are this sweet young couple with an eye

for goodies:) and always up for good conversation.

I love that:)

And I want that sweater.

And there's a big chance I'm gonna have this someday soon.

The owner's friend makes them:)

Robitaille's Candies.

This store has been here in Carp for over 40 years.

In 1985 they were chosen the "Official Mint of the 50th Presidential Inauguration".

You walk in and immediately smell their homemade fudge.

You know what else you'll smell?

Fresh popcorn:)

Imagine me driving a stick shift while enjoying this yumminess 

on the way home:)

Bon Fortune.

Sigh....

I practically begged this woman to hire me... for free:)

This store is just so fun to walk around in and you WILL

want to have a party. I mean come on! I NEED that teepee!!

I've really come to love this shopping local. I love the chatting, 

the familiar faces of the employees, 

the experience you get when

you walk in a store and leave with a new friend:) 

So if you want to sleep in a tent in the parking lot of Best Buy to get that

deal on Friday, then do it!

But come Saturday? Think outside the box!!

Get out and hit up your local mom and pop shops.

Personally, I think it's a waaay better deal:)

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

The giving of thanks.... :)

No I haven't started decorating for Christmas.

I don't know, call me crazy but- I like to do

one holiday at a time people!!

While I don't have a whole lot of Thanksgiving decor,  what I

do have... I love:)

I still love my velvet pumpkins, and this wheat stalk bunch that I've 

had for years:)

That glass lamp is perfect for holding a faux pumpkin on a 

candle base:)

And just because it's sooo pretty I gotta show ya....

The hubby went to the hardware store the other day (that just so happens

to have the most adorable nursery in it) and brought home this begonia

for me. He's a keeper. I'm hoping I'll be able to keep it alive??!!

Tips on begonia's would be very much appreciated:)

Okay. This adorable stuffed turkey. My mom made this back in the 70's,

and I remember seeing it every Thanksgiving since I was little.

His thread bare gobbler just keeps hangin' on year after year:)

So this is random I know, but has anyone tasted these??

Well I did...

and I found them to be...

sooooo GROSS!!!!!

I was so bummed! I really want to fit in with the cool kids

and like all things pumpkin, but ewwwah!!

Every year at this time I think that I just might come across
something pumpkin that I like.
Hasn't happened... :(

I find the only pumpkin thing  I really like is pumpkin pie!!
Straight up, plain, original, old school pumpkin pie.

 I KNOW there's a chance I could lose followers
over this one but I got to say....

I think pumpkin spice lattes are....

GROSS too!!!!!

(queue crowd of gaspers)

Did she? Did she just?? No, really.
Did. she. just. say. that????

Uh huh. She said that.

This week.... :)

We passed!!!

You have no idea how stressed out I was watching that lady at 

the DMV correct my test!! 

I missed three. 

One question that I knew I was going to get wrong because I had no idea what the answer was,   something about-

what is the fine if you abandon an animal in a neighborhood?

Umm, I don't know? Life imprisonment? Death???

It should be.

Speaking of animals abandoned in neighborhoods...

Meet Jack. Rio found him clinging to life laying in the
road in her neighborhood 6 years ago:(

Yesterday while we were face timing, she told me how she's decided to

learn to crochet. Yeah, she just teaches herself this

stuff. She calls YouTube the new college:)

Anyway....she whipped up this sweater DRESS for 

Jack. Yeah, he's a boy and I swear he's

giving me the stink eye because I'm dying laughing at him.

The best part is that pom pom collar can be pulled up
into a hoodie. Poor Jack, except for the fact that he's always cold I'm
pretty sure he wouldn't be caught dead in this in front of his friends....
hahahaha!!!!

What else.... oh yeah-
I dropped my phone:( :( :(
I've had an iPhone since they came out
and luckily I've never had this happen.
Waaaaaaa!!!
Sure put a damper on my Scramble with friends game:(
Yes I still play that game. But only with my brother in law.
And only because both of us are too stubborn to quit!!

Last Wednesday my sweet baby Wallace had a tumor removed

from his back leg. I sprung for the "upgraded" cone that he is supposed to

wear for the next 10 days until his stitches come out, and I thought

he'd be so happy about that??

He's not happy.

He's annoyed.

He won't even look at me.

Of course I think he looks like the most adorable 

little Frenchie that I ever did see!!

His surgery was successful!! so Little Bully will be

free of that stinkin cone before too long:)

Life is good:)

Fall back... :)

Daylight savings time. I've never had to deal with it in my entire life.

See in AZ we had all the daylight in the world!!

Never changed our clocks.

Fall back what? huh? 

It's this trick that everyone in the country buys into except for Arizona.

(and Hawaii apparently)

 But I'll tell ya what? When I got up this morning I felt like I had so much 

extra time!! hahahaha!!

Time enough to do some bakin' anyway!!

My friend Marni posted a pic of these muffins on Instagram the other day,

and they looked so tasty I had to make 'em:)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. 

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, sugar, baking soda and salt

in a large bowl until smooth. Add flour and baking powder and whisk

together just until combined.

Add chocolate chips. I used more than half a cup of course.

Because more is more better:)

Stick those beauties in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Soo easy and soo delicious!!

Daylight savings time...such trickery!

But I'm liking it!!

When in Rome.... :)

Within the first few weeks of living here I realized I didn't really drive my car anymore.

Everywhere I needed to go I could either walk or 

ride my bike there. 

When I actually did drive somewhere outside of my

little town, it was always with the hubby in his truck.

My brand new Ford Explorer just sat there collecting dust.

So in an effort to simplify my life (and save cash for my dream house)....

I decided to ditch the big ole SUV, and go for something smaller,

affordable and just more... me:)

SQUEEEEL!!!!!! LOOOOK AT HER!!!!

Is she the cutest thing ever???

Say hello to my 1956 VW oval window.

 Somebody has made himself quite comfortable in her already:)

 That steering wheel... I die.

Power steering?? Psh! what's that??

A stereo?? Nope. You just have to sing to yourself or gasp! have a 

conversation with somebody!!

If you've ever driven a VW in your life, then you know what I mean

when I say they have a sound and smell all their own.

And I'm lovin it:)

 My first car was a stick shift that my dad just threw me in and made me drive 

after a 5 minute lesson. I remember being so freaked out and annoyed that

he would buy me a car that he KNEW I didn't know how to drive!!

I was honestly in tears when he got out of the car and made

me drive home by myself. I can still see his face as he leaned in the window and he said-

Dorie just relax!!! you're learning something that you're going to be grateful

you know someday.... and you're going to thank me.

I sold that car some years later and hadn't driven a stick shift since.

Until now.

Thanks dad:)

You know what else I haven't done since I was 16??

Take a drivers test.

It can't be that bad right?

Right???

I'm taking it today.

I'm scared:(

Wish me luck!!!

Her name is Rio..... :)

...and she dances on the sand.

Just not yet.

When the hubby, my son and I moved in August I had

to leave my baby girl behind:(

But just for a bit!

Rio and Chase are finishing up 2 houses and will

be hopefully coming to Carp by Christmas.

I miss her sooo much. Like you have no idea. 

Well I just got home after spending 5 wonderful days with her:)

 I just thought I share some pics of the adorable little

bungalow that she currently lives in.

Oh those roses? My hubby sent those the morning after I got to AZ.

How cute is he? Keeper:)

This little tiny was built in 1929 and is one of 6 little bungalows in downtown

Mesa. There's 3 on one side of a common front yard, and 3 on the other.

This cutie is a mere 870 sq. ft. but oh boy is it ADORABLE!!

It's a 2 bedroom 1 bath. What makes it nice is that the front room is so big!

And look at those glorious original windows, trim and hardwood floors:)

How adorable is this tiny dining area??

Just to the right of the dining is the teeny tiny yet very functional kitchen:)

Just so white and fresh huh??

In keeping with the tiny theme....

the bathroom. Rio added shelves and bought that storage cabinet at

Home Goods. 

 Since they'll be moving in November or December, they put this 

house on the market. And there it sat for sale for about 2.5 seconds.

Uh huh, SOLD!

BUT GUESS WHAT?? Like I said, Rio and Chase have 2 more coming up

and they are going to be FAB!! 

One is in Phoenix (Arcadia) and the

other is across the street from my old house in downtown Mesa:)

I'll be sure and post info and pics soon!

Mama so proud of her baby girl:)

The bar..... :)

Warning: totally crappy pictures.

This getting back to blogging business is hard people!!

And get out my real camera?? 

Psh. That's crazy talk.

Aaaanywaaaay,

the master bedroom and bath are on the 3rd floor of the house.

When I sold the house in AZ, I kept only what I really

loved, and one of those pieces is this dresser from FOUND:)

I love it for my whole life. 

The lamps made the cut too, I bought them at Home Goods.

And that chair???

It used to be velvet green. Remember??

Well after we got here, it just didn't quite work with the softness of 

this space. So I spent an arm and leg and had it reupholstered:)

The sweet gals at Gold Coast Fabrics did an amazing job huh??

Those curtains in the back are Martha Stewart and I found them

on clearance at Home Depot.

I like how they pulled out the blue in my duvet:)

The bed and nightstands are the Austen line from World Market.

The first week I was here I found these adorable

bird pics at a store called Magpie Collections in downtown Carp,

and aren't they perfect??

Here's the other side of the room.

A fireplace and some much needed storage on the right

behind those doors:)

Oh let me pan out. See that other cabinet to the left of the fireplace??

Yeah that's a mini fridge.

When I first walked in here and saw that, I thought what? huh?

I mean what?? Am I the only one on the planet that thinks

that's the dumbest thing ever??

I mean unless I feel like making a turkey sandwich at 3am then...

Well then I opened the doors above it...

A BAR!!! What in the world??? 

 I mean WHO makes martinis in their bedroom???!!!

I'm so sorry if you do, but please help me understand? What a

total waste of much needed storage space!!

Since the master bath has only one sink, 

this bar became the perfect place

to house my makeup and hair stuff:)

So there you have it. 

Gotta work with what you got right??