Midwest Confusion

As I write this Tuesday evening,

it is still 64 degrees after a high today of 68.

Wednesday we are going to get into the 70's.

These pictures are what we woke up to yesterday.

Enough said.

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I am joining Susan at A Southern Daydreamer

for Outdoor Wednesday.

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Spring Has Sprung!

I'm a little late to the party today. I decided that since it is 68 degrees here today (yesterday we woke to 4 inches of snow) I would put out some spring things. I seem to be into birds this year...the little nest above was a recent purchase and I found the moss birdhouse on my last trip to TJMaxx. I couldn't decide if I loved it or if it was odd, but it is growing on me!

     I added a few books, more birds, a vintage bluebird advertising print and changed my picture from a winter look to a white tulip...the top of the china cabinet is done! I hope you have the warm sunshine that we have today!

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I am joining Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life

for Table Top Tuesday.

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Oh No You Didn't!

     Oh yes, I did! Do you see this copy of Midwest Living that came in the mail on Friday? I was thumbing through it Friday evening while my husband and son were gone picking up our grandsons for the weekend.

     I've been eating healthy foods for the past few weeks, but when I got to this page...I just had to stop and see where this place was located! It was meant to be. Incredibly Delicious is located in Springfield, IL and we already had a road trip planned to Springfield with the boys on Saturday! I knew that I was taking a healthy food break and it was worth every bite!

     See this? This is the most delicious Flourless Chocolate Cake that I have ever tasted. I tried many in my day, I've even made a few and never have I had one with this texture. So many times flourless chocolate cake has a very thick texture that almost gets stuck in your throat. This melted, made me purr with joy and I had no trouble eating every bite. It was chocolate perfection and believe me, after spending the entire day with my husband, my son and my two grandsons...I needed a chocolate fix.

     This piece of deliciousness was what my husband brought home with him. Loaded with apples, blueberries and we think cherries...he said it was the perfect mix of sweet, tart and crumbly.

     Of course we had to have a little snack while we were there. The guys all had cookies, but after reading the article...I had this glorious chocolate croissant. Oh yes...crispy with just the right amount of chocolate. Yummy!

     Incredibly Delicious is located on the main floor of an 1845 Italianate mansion in Springfield's Aristocracy Hill, near Abraham Lincoln's home and historic area. It is owned by Patrick Groth, who is also the chef. He and his family live above the bakery.  

     They also have a daily lunch menu, which on Saturday looked simply amazing. It just wasn't what two little guys 3 and 5 had in mind. I wanted everything on the menu!

     As you enter the building, you place your order for either lunch or pastries. You then take your lunch to one of the rooms in the house to eat. We just carried out our treats. There was a line, but it moved quickly and I would wait in a much longer line to be so rewarded.

     The real reason we went to Springfield was to take the boys to the Scheel's Sporting Goods store. It is really the largest store I've ever seen. My guys all are sports nuts (see why I was so excited about the bakery) and I'm not. I will say that even I was impressed with this store. When you walk in the door, you first notice the large ferris wheel.

You also can't miss the beautiful aquarium,

which is formed into an archway to walk under.

     The store has several Audio-Animatronic displays of presidents that speak, an airplane hanging from the ceiling, race cars you can drive, bowling, golf and every brand of clothing and shoe you could possible want.

They also have a restaurant, Starbucks,

homemade fudge, ice cream and gelato.

     Our youngest grandson and my son had a wonderful time on the ferris wheel, our older grandson is 5 and he was scared to death to even have his dad ride it. The guys all loved the store, I found a bench and dreamed of the flourless chocolate cake I would have when I got home!

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Make New Friends But Keep The Old...

     Facebook has been a wonderful thing for my high school class. I was one of those people who really didn't want to get involved with it. It seemed to me like something more for my 20-something kids, but I was talked into it and the benefits of connecting with so many of my high school classmates has been great! There are probably close to 150  of my classmates who are now catching up, offering support and actually getting together with old friends. I left my hometown for college at 17 and I never really went back. I was only in contact with 3 friends, so this has been so much fun.

     On Friday night, one of my high school girlfriends (who is now married to another classmate/friend) were coming to town for a concert. We decided to get together for pizza and a visit before they had to be at the theater. Since I was ordering pizza, I thought about just putting a stack of plates next to the cardboard boxes and styrofoam containers-but, I know my girlfriend likes dishes and reads the blog, so I threw together a quick tablescape.

     I had a new April Cornell table runner and napkins that I had been wanting to use. I bought both at HomeGoods and I loved the colors of this pattern. The sweet little bird matched perfectly. It was a birthday gift from another friend. Mercury glass votives in aqua added a touch of elegance to our fancy pizza meal!

     I just grabbed every day dishes and flatware from my kitchen cabinet. With the royal blue round placemats, and the patterned runner and napkins, I thought the plates needed to be simple. My flatware is the stainless we use daily.

     The bowls with the handles are actually soup bowls. I bought them along with the matching soup tureen at Crate and Barrel in October. I decided to use them for the fruit trifle that I made for dessert. I used deep aqua water/soda glasses that matched the blue in the runner.

I added some shapes and height to the table,

 but kept  things low enough that we could talk over them.

Pizza by candlelight...try it!

The pizza was good, the table was pretty...but it was the company

that was important. Thank you Facebook for getting so many of us

back together again...just in time for a big reunion this summer!

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

for Tablescape Thursday.

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Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!

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Those Shelves Sure Filled Up Quickly! Vintage Giveaway!

     I told you that I would show you the shelves once they were loaded...it certainly didn't take long to fill them! I thought I had so much space...and then I didn't have enough. Isn't that how it always is? The sad thing is that my holiday dishes are stored in the cedar chest (you will see it later in the post) and my good china as well as my mother's china are also stored in a different room and all of my white dishes, everyday dishes and a few others are in the kitchen. At least I can see what I have now.

     This room is an interior "bedroom" in our basement. It has no window, so I wouldn't sleep in it. The prior owners used it as a home office. No one sees the room, so the furniture is just a mix of old pieces we had around the house that function to hold things. I didn't paint them because I knew they would just get scratched and battered. The bookcase holds ribbon and a few other crafty items. Old crocks work well for florals.

     The cedar chest is full of Christmas dishes. The old radio was my grandfather's, I just can't part with it. Napkin rings, paper napkins and other small tablescaping items are in the storage boxes. The shelf has Easter items.

     A few random Christmas items on the shelf and some trays, flatware and spring items sit on this old table that was my grandmother's. The large pine armoire holds more china and glassware, flatware and trays are in the drawers. The large cedar wardrobe is perfect for hanging tablecloths and runners.

     It is crowded, and not very pretty but it is organized. The extra table works well when I'm trying to pull things together for a tablescape. You can see a peek of my old rocking horse and my daughter's dollhouse that my dad built for her 9th birthday. You've seen this room before, but the new shelves really changed the function of the room.

Giveaway!



     I know I just had a giveaway, but it was sponsored by someone else. While cleaning out my dish room, I pulled out a few of the items that I love to decorate with and I'm going to send a "goody package" to one of you.

     I'm sending you some very old magazines, sheet music, postcards and photographs. My house is somewhat traditional/contemporary and yet, a few pieces of vintage paper still looks great in a vignette. If you don't want to decorate with the items...it is still fun to look at them.

     All you have to do is be a follower and let me know you are interested in my vintage grab bag in a comment. U.S. and Canadian readers only, sorry. I will pick my winner on March 11th! Good luck!

I am joining Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday

and

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesday