~REMODELED our HOME~ Want a NEW LIVING/DINING ROOM~

LOTS OF PICTURES OF WHAT OUR HOUSE LOOKED LIKE WHEN WE MOVED IN, THEN, SIX WEEKS, yep, 6 Weeks of blood, sweat and tears. We were done with EVERYTHING......all new electrical, plumbing, everything down to the studs and sub flooring.

The girls wanted us to keep the NAPOLEON DYNAMITE Kitchen but there was NO WAY that was going to happen. It was completely gutted.

WE DID ALL the work ourselves. Including laying on the floors too....IT WAS HARD BACK BREAKING WORK but it's DONE and ended up FABULOUS!!! (but now...I want to paint the 1950's Mahogany Wood Walls , IT'S NOT PANELING, can you believe it??? and make it COTTAGE.....and get rid of the CAMP/LODGE LOOK!!! I will post tomorrow what I want to do....and all because of a sofa....LOL, no not really....I wanted to do it when we moved in but was veto-ed over the fact of leaving the charm of the house intact. Have fun looking.....Amy

(PS....sorry about the above pictures, I don't know how to scan my pictures yet)

LOVE THOSE WHITE OAK FLOORS that Bob and I installed ourselves. THAT WAS NOT FUN......3 days straight we worked on it but got it done and it was so worth it!!!

STAY TUNED.......

~CRAVING CALIFORNIA and OTHER STUFF~

~CRAVING CALIFORNIA FOOD TODAY~ This is what Anna and I had at THE MILL in Murrieta. Above is the Bruschetta....isn't THAT AMAZING??? Below is the BLACK FORREST HAM Sandwich (does anyone know where I can get that kind of ham???) and GARLIC SMASHED POTATO SALAD (WOW....that stuff is FABULOUS) This is from another day we were at The Mill. It's pictured below.... Sourdough Garlic Cheese Bread WITH Sun dried Tomato Spread (we always had to take this home with us and then ate it in the evenings for an extra treat)


I AM SOOOO HUNGRY for the MILL. I just had to share these photos with you. THE FOOD IS AMAZING and the PRICES ARE FANTASTIC. We always ended up bringing food home (to eat later that night) and I wish we had someplace like that here!!!
I am so excited, I FINALLY finished listing all 201 new treasures on the website so if you get a chance, check it out. www.FourSistersInACottage.com

NOW......get this, Bob is leaving Friday for Laughlin/Las Vegas for a Firefighter Conference. I WANT TO PAINT MY LIVING ROOM because I HATE IT. I know that is a strong word but it is so depressing to me. I will post pictures of it tonight..... why we never painted the 5/8 inch 1950's MAHOGANY Walls is because you can't get mahogany like that anymore. Plus it was part of the original house. BUT I AM SICK OF IT!!!! It looks like paneling to me and I want my house COTTAGE PRETTY!!!

OKAY....enough said......Back to work for me...

Love and Hugs, Amy

~SICK DAY SNOW DAY~

SICK DAY~SNOW DAY

Wishing I was still in California having some YUMMY PASTRIES this morning....

Winter Weather Alert
The accumulations are over and now the winds kick in. A Blowing Snow Advisory is in effect though noon for blowing and drifting of newly fallen snow. The accumulations are over and now the winds kick in. A Blowing Snow Advisory is in effect though noon for blowing and drifting of newly fallen snow. Snow totals ranged from 1-3" in southern Iowa, 3-6" in east central Iowa, and 6-8" over northeast Iowa..
Iowa Road Conditions Read more »

STRANDED IN IOWA.....anyone remember that song from the 80's??? LOL

It has been A CRAZY ZOO here since I got home from California....

Bob has been sick, then Maddi got it, she stayed home from school yesterday. AND....I was up until 3:30am working on the website trying to organize all 201 new treasures and I'm still not done!!! (I just can't seem to get it together, I think my brain went to sleep while on vacation and I just can't get back into the groove of things)

THEN.....THE BIG SNOW STORM hit yesterday....and today...NO SCHOOL....IT'S A SNOW DAY!!!!

I have barely been online. I want so bad to have time to read everyone's blog and get my pictures and story written about California before I forget...I MISS ALL OF YOU and I can't wait until everyone is back at school tomorrow so I can have some BLOG TIME!!!

In the meantime....here are a few pictures to make me feel all WARM and FUZZY inside....Oh, and it's -19 below with the windchill RIGHT NOW!!!

Thanks for hanging in there with me......Amy

~A FABULOUS TIME IN TEMECULA with ANNA at http://tomomshouseaolcom.blogspot.com/, GINGER at http://enchantingcottage.blogspot.com/ and PRISCILLA at http://www.sweetremembrance1.blogspot.com/~

~Damn Computer & My Hair~

THIS DAMN COMPUTER....it's about ready to bite the dust. I had this HUGE LONG Posting of all my pictures from California and writing all about my trip and POOF....my computer shuts down on me.....I think they put a virus in our computers when we buy them to go off in 2 to 3 years after buying the computer....LOL....I can be such a conspiracy theorist sometimes!!!

SO....just a short post tonight....

I took Anna and Priscilla's advice and decided to SPIKE my hair and be a "MOVIE STAR"......I felt like a boy before but when I spike it and wear jewelry, I feel quite VOGUE!!!!
Love and Hugs, Amy

~LOTS OF PICTURES~

~LOTS OF CALIFORNIA PICTURES~

~PASTRIES from LAKE ELSINORE~

~ANOTHER CUTE SHOP~

~My FIRST ALTERED ART made in ANNA'S KITCHEN all goodies from PRISCILLA~

~A GREAT DAY in TEMECULA with ANNA, GINGER and PRISCILLA~

~PRESENTS???? OH MY GOODNESS, I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT~ I will take close ups of the TREASURES I received from Ginger and Priscilla~

~MORE FUN IN TEMECULA~

~THE BEST FOOD at THE MILL (I could eat there everyday)~
~LUNCH AT THE MILL~ YUMMY~

~WOW!!! THEY EVEN HAD A STREET NAMED AFTER MY BABY~

~PASTERY SHOP IN LAKE ELSINORE~

~I'm Home~

Just a quick note to let everyone know I am home and a bit jet lagged.

I did however manage last night to unpack everything and put it away, so that is a great feeling. I need to take a nap already and it's only a little after 10 am....LOL
I will post later tonight....oh and by the way, the 1/2 off everything sale is on the website, not etsy. Just click here and it will take you to the website.

My flight was delayed only by an hour and it's been snowing like carzy here. Even the buses for school were running late this morning.

Hugs and Love,

Amy

~Heading Home~

~GOODBYE CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE!!!!~

MY SUITCASE WAS SO STUFFED I HAD TO LAY ON IT TO GET IT SHUT......then Anna and I had to weigh it on the scale to make sure I wasn't over the 50 pound limit on United Airlines........ it came in at 47.9 lbs. LOL!!!

YEAH!!!! LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING TO GET THE SUITCASE SHUT!!!

DARN IT....I DON'T WANT TO GO......

~I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO ALREADY~

I'm Heading Home in a few hours.....I'm really sad as I don't think I am ready to go back to my "real world". It's so warm and sunny here and everyone has been AWESOME!!!
You know when you just take the second bite out of your dessert and the waiter takes your plate.....not enough time to finish it!!! That is how I felt meeting Ginger and Priscilla. And of course, there was so much more Anna and I were going to do but it just didn't work out.

AH!!! BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!!!!

My Body could not run around and keep going like it did 2 years ago when I was here. By 5pm, I was ready to call it a day and had my pj's on. Makes me laugh...I kept thinking, man Amy, you are getting old. BUT then I thought about what I have just been thru and it's all because of the cancer and the poison that has been put thru my body with chemo.
So, my hair is growing fast. More people think I should ditch the hats and bandannas but I feel like a BOY without them. Maybe in a few weeks I will be able to have it long enough so I can spike it with some jel......then maybe I won't feel like I look like a boy.

So, while I am traveling tomorrow on the plane....from California, to Denver and then Home to Cedar Rapids....

check out the website...EVERYTHING IS 50% off, even the goodies on the BACK PORCH so that I can start getting ready to put new treasures on this upcoming weekend!!!!

I am leaving 80+ degree weather and coming home to -9 below and walking into a Winter Storm Warning of up to 5 inches of snow starting at 6 pm CST (My plane is suppose to land 35 minutes after the storm starts so say some prayers for me!!!)

Love and Hugs and I will of course have a whole bunch to tell you about the trip......Amy

OUR LAST DAY AT THE MILL Restaurant....Yes, I had the Black Forrest Ham Sandwich this time and it was FABULOUS!!! YUM YUM YUM!!!

I LOVE YOU ANNA.....THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CHARGING MY LIFE BATTERIES and INSPIRING ME TO KEEP GOING and DO THOSE THINGS I LOVE!!!!
Your Lil Sis, Amy

~A Warm Hello from California~

~A WARM HELLO FROM CALIFORNIA~

~ME PICTURED ABOVE IN FRONT OF AN ANTIQUE SHOP IN TEMECULA~

~Please go to Anna's Blog for DAILY UPDATES and PICTURES from California~

Please meet us on MONDAY, JANUARY 14th at 11:30am at The Bank of Mexican Food Restaurant (just click on the link for the address, directions and full menu) for a GIRLS DAY of LUNCH FUN!!!

Located in OLD TOWNE TEMECULA

~Daily Updates from California~

~Please go to Anna's Blog for DAILY UPDATES and PICTURES from California~

My first day flight went on without a hitch and I am having a blast so far!!! Hopefully I will be bringing back some goodies!!!
Hugs, Amy

~MEET ME in CALIFORINA~

~MEET ME in TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA~

I am leaving for Southern California at 5am tomorrow (Thursday, Jan 10th) and my sweet friend Anna, from MyFlowerBed has planned a DAY IN TEMECULA for us to meet up with THE SWEET GALS from that area. IF YOU ARE CLOSE TO THIS AREA, I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU. PLEASE PLEASE see what you can do as life is so short and after all I have been thru, it will be such an awesome day to meet, eat and visit with all of you. Of course, I will have my digital camera with me so I will be taking lots of pictures. And, YOU WILL KNOW IT'S ME WITH, I'm the TALL ONE (six foot tall) with NO HAIR....LOL

Please meet us on MONDAY, JANUARY 14th at 11:30am at The Bank of Mexican Food Restaurant (just click on the link for the address, directions and full menu) for a GIRLS DAY of LUNCH FUN!!!

I have not yet packed for myself or Maddi (she is going to Grandma's while I am gone) and I have so much left to do that I have to shut my computer down. I will check my email from time to time while I am in Southern California, but please understand if I don't get back to you until I am home, it's only because I am busy having A BLAST!!! I plan on bringing lots of treasures home from California and will be posting all new goodies on the website the weekend of the 20th. HERE'S TO A CALIFORNIA TRIP that I was suppose to go on the week I found the lump in my breast!!! THIS WILL BE THE BEST EVER!!!! Just think, I AM ALIVE to be able to go....that in itself is AMAZING GRACE!!!

All my Love, Amy
(PS...MORE THANK YOU's to MARY'S ANGELS, when I get home I will be posting more. In the meantime, below is more of the list of Mary's Angels. Mary and I are in AWE of your generous heart and the prayers keep coming. I AM HONORED and PROUD to be a part of your world!!!

Priscilla~ FleaMarketQueen
Mary~ AcrossThePond
Lori~ KatiesRoseCottage
Sue~ Sue'sCQNews
Jill~ InTheCupboard
Jillian~ JilliansPages
Mechelle~ PinkDaisys
Shelley~ ShelleysVintageVariety
Heidi~eBay customer

ARLENE of http://www.retroboutiques.com/ not only donated one website but TWO of them to Mary. WOW WEE!!! If ANY of you are considering a website business, ARLENE is AWESOME to work with and her prices are so reasonable....just think, OWNING YOUR OWN RETAIL WEBSITE!!! It doesn't get any better than that. (just so you know, my software alone to build a website was almost $200, then I had to figure it out, and then I had to build my website. If only I had known about Arlene 5 years ago)
PLEASE EMAIL ME if you have a donated auction on ebay, etsy or your blog for Mary...I want to get your links out there to everyone. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! AMY)

Pictured Below, ANNA and ME, 3 years ago in Mt. Vernon, Iowa