flying back to the nest

The "empty nest" at our house won't be so empty anymore!
In ~2 weeks, our youngest daughter, our College Grad hooray will be coming home. After perusing the job market and available possibilities, she has landed an internship at a Graphic Design firm. It's close to home, a great commute for Atlanta only ~15minutes and the best part she will be learning her field in a small business environment.
It's like free grad school!

Of course... this will mean a reason to redecorate! We'll turn her blue and white toile room into a "sky" or "seafoam" and "sand" oasis... a bit more adult and PBish. I still love the toile and will be sad to see it go, but it's time for a change.

Here are a few ideas I found from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. RH has a great sale going on right now! Yeah, great fashion for less $, I love a good buy!

Anyone have any other tips on where we can look for bedding?
I love the seaside cottage look!

home sweet home

the good side of the current housing market:
low interest rates and lower home prices mean... more house that a young couple can afford, including...

4 bedrooms, granite counter tops, wood floors, architectural trim and moldings...

ahh... home sweet home for my young couple!

hooray! They accepted our offer!

circles

so... I've been house hunting for the past week. In and out of the car, in and out of houses, back in the car, etc... Looking at homes for our bf's son and daughter-in-law and their new baby girl. It's exciting for them, moving back to family after 5 years of being alone out west. I just know they'll become good couple friends with my daughter and son-in-law who live here also. Another generation of bf's in the same families.
It can be hard for couples to find another couple that they can be bf's with... when the gals are friends and guys are friends and the couples all enjoy each other. We have that and I treasure it. We've been best buds since the kids were little. From NY to Atlanta... they followed us here, a few years after we moved, they moved here too. We've shared everything together.
And now the next generation is here! It will be so great to watch baby Grace grow and get to know her.
The circle of life, the circle of friends. It warms my heart :-)

another hat to wear...

I renewed my real estate license today to help a family friend find a house here in Atlanta.
driving around looking at houses will replace my tee time tomorrow...
oh well, duty calls!

Scout totes

At Kelly's tennis match yesterday, I noticed the totes the gals on her team were using for their racquet bag... these cute patterned Scout totes! The outside pockets are great and accessible for your water bottle, sunscreen, can o' balls, etc.or take them to the beach or pool

And... they have matching cooler bags for whatever you need to keep cold.Play great and look great with these fabulous accessories!
whether playing golf or tennis, or just lounging at the beach or pool... a gal's gotta look good!

Father and Son (in-law)

Drew and Lincoln have been playing as a T2 doubles partnership for 2 seasons now. The first season they made it to the playoffs but couldn't participate in the City Championships due to a conflict with a business trip. Yesterday was the season end City Championships for Spring and they were there and ready to play! On court it was a balmy 101 degrees. They were playing a pair that had previously beat them twice during the past year. A revenge match to see who would prevail as champs...

Lincoln and Drew T2 City Champs for Mens 3.5-

drenched in sweat and happy to finally claim their title!
6-3/ 7-5

a great start to Fathers Day weekend!
Happy Fathers Day to my amazing husband!

cracking the code

I've gone back to school, to learn a new language, it's called HTML. Very foreign and different from anything else I currently know. When I took computer classes in college, ahm, many years ago, the computer was as big as a room, and you loaded these punched out long index cards into it. I passed but I wasn't very good at it. I was a biology major with an art minor. The art classes helped me pull my science class grades up and improved my cum. It's that right brain-left brain thing or vice-versa. Now, fast forward 30 years, Computers are a lot smaller and I've found a new creative outlet! The possibilities with this vast blog world have spurred me on to want to learn. I find I'm not content with the 5 choices that Blogger gives us for fonts. Or... I'll see someone's fantastic blog layout and think "how did they do that? I want to do it too!" So, I'm teaching myself. All you have to do is Google "how to change your font..." and pick from the many tutorials that come up. Many thanks to all you geeks out there that are willing to share your knowledge with us mere mortals. Some work, some don't. Sometimes I'll change the code and nothing will happen, so I'll change it back. I always save my template first! But... when it does work I feel so accomplished! Like I've learned a new language.

Parlez-vous HTML? J'apprends!

my grateful thanks to:

my daughter Alex for showing me how to use Paint.net

Reit Wrecks at 3 Column Blogger

Annie at Blog U

Becky and Ashley at The Cutest Blog on the Block

our guard dogs

"you watch the front... I got the back"

"that's right... beware of the dog"
woof, woof

creative juices are flowing...

I wanted to do something nice for a certain fellow blogger and decided when reading her blog, that she could use a colorful header to go along with her wonderful personality. So I made one and sent it to her, and she loves it and posted it! So then... looking around , I realized one of my other faves could use a "face lift" too, so... a new header for her was born.
I'm just fluttering around the blog world, bringing a little color to our world, and having a little creative fun! It's feels good to create and be appreciated!

You may recognize this blog favorite too... look at the new header I just made her for her birthday!

be sure to check out their fun and colorful blogs!
ps... if you'd like a "face lift" too, just let me know!

I'm having fun with this!

how did we all miss this...

Thanks a lot Hallmark. No fore warning of the big day, no advertisements to buy cards or flowers. If I had known, I would have celebrated.
This is how I found out I missed it, by reading a blog post this morning by
"my half-glassed life". This is her post:

Sunday, June 7, 2009

"Happy National Cancer Survivors Day (yes, this means you!)

Today is National Cancer Survivors Day.

What's that you say? You didn't get your Cancer Cards out on time? You don't know any Cancer Carols? You didn't hang your Cancer Stocking last night or find gifts under your Cancer Tree this morning?

'Fess up. You didn't know it was National Cancer Survivors Day. Neither did I.

You probably don't think it applies to you, either. Neither did I.

We were both wrong.

"The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines a 'survivor' as anyone living with a history of cancer -- from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life."

If you are one of the millions of people who has ever heard the "C" word as a label for anything growing on or in your body, I hate to burst your bubble, but it needs to be done: You. Are. A. Cancer. Survivor.

And if you're someone who actually uses the phrase the "C" word, you probably also think there's cancer and cancer.

Cancer is cancer is cancer.

Stick with me, please. Because while it is simple, I am not naive enough to think it is that simple. Cancer is a complex animal with many levels of invasion, treatment and survival. Hell, why else do all those terms stage, grade, spread, size and myriad other qualifiers exist? The depths of that, though, are a topic for another day.

Today, cancer is cancer is cancer.

Cancer is learning about that funky mole you just had scooped out. Cancer is learning that those funky cells somewhere inside you need to be removed before they grow. Cancer is learning that the funky pain that won't go away isn't going to go away.

A survivor starts paying attention and isn't scared to have tests. A survivor isn't afraid to have surgery that removes vulnerable tissues or organs. A survivor accepts that life as it once was will never be again, but there is still life.

Survivors talk about cancer.

And that's how we live with it."

So let's all celebrate! We'll celebrate with prayers for those who will find out today that the big "C" has come into their lives. We'll pray for their strength, we'll pray for their loved ones, and we'll pray that they too will be survivors.

Tonight I watched Phil Mickelson talk about his wife Amy and her recent breast cancer diagnosis. It was very moving. It's a scary time for them. please keep them in your prayers. She'll start treatment the first week of July.

I celebrate by living my life everyday, one day at a time.

Etsy, for the love of handmade!

Featured Etsy artist of the week...

Kristin Morgan of

Peaches and Palm trees is proud to offer hand-painted onesies and other fun fashions for your little one.

Kristin says... "I start with a little creative inspiration, from nursery decor to favorite college mascots, and end up with adorable onesie designs, each painted individually and made just for you. For baby showers or to welcome a new arrival, I hope you agree that Peaches and Palm Trees make the perfect gift!"

baby's first custom monogram!

She'll design and paint anything to your wishes. One of my favorites...

Zoo animals

or how about baby starting early and sporting that College spirit!

Just some of the available custom designs by Peaches and Palm Trees
contact Kristin at her Etsy store with your idea for a custom design for your little one!

enjoy!

Done tweaking!

Between adding the 3 column layout and then changing my background to fit, updating my blog has become quite a project. If you've been visiting over the past few days you probably have noticed a few different looks, and at times things didn't seem to fit. But as of now, I think I've got it!
I had decided that "golf gal" was going to go for a new look! Maybe just a bit more sophisticated with a pink and black theme this time around.
So here it is, tah dah! My new and hopefully improved blog layout and color palette... hope you like it!

show us where you live: the office

Thank goodness for the laptop computer! Instead of a bulky desktop modem and a tangled heap of cords, we can work in a clean, unencumbered environment.

This is where I write Bridal Buzz from Wed Event Design
and Tales of a Golf Gal.
In the keeping room off of my kitchen, with my 3 pups close by, and a view of the pond out back for inspiration.


I had my office in a little room down the hall, but I like this space better where I'm out in the living area.
Being an empty nester it's my space to enjoy!

Happy Friday!

facelift

3 column layouts seem to be the next best thing so I'm giving it a try. Still can't get the middle green background to fit. I need some help from my tech savvy family! Help!!!

fashion news!

I'm so excited! Heather at RWG just interviewed John Daly, and the big fashion news for all you Golf Gals out there is... recently sponsoring JD, will soon be debuting a ladies line!

I can't wait to see it!

Look at these fabulous fashions for men...
"disco ball" pants and sports jacket

hey together it's a suit!

Okay... a bit loud, not for every golf guy out there.

But how about this... a little more tame,
grips to match your pants!

I want pink and black argyle grips to match my head covers, I hope they plan on making those!

a winning team of Loudmouth golfers!
Gals, we would look so much better than these guys in our matching skorts!

check 'em out!

And while you're there get your golfing dad a fun Father's Day gift from Loudmouth Golf!

Guys... the Gal Pals are waiting for our fun, outrageous new line of ladies golf fashion!

Keep us posted for the release!