A BIT OF A CATASTROPHE

Hello y'all.  Wow, there has been SOOOO much going on in my life lately that I have not had the time to really do much playing or posting.....Though I have been keeping up with all your posts....Between planning and decorating for the Mother-Daughter banquet (that post HERE) and now for a graduation, and trying to find the time to finish resurfacing the driveway, I have been a very busy girl and....earlier this week I found myself a whole lot BUSIER....busier that is cleaning up after our little...HUGE...catastrophe...

Can you tell what this is?...

...We had a storm come through early Wednesday morning...the strong winds blew over my GINORMOUS red oak tree in the side yard...that wouldn't have been so bad except for not only was it my absolute most FAVORITE tree in the entire yard...but it squished...by squished, I mean completely FLATTENED our two vehicles parked in the drive way...yes, you heard me right...both our vehicles totalled...BY AN OAK TREE...

...this is surely a catastrophe for us....since these are the only vehicles we have but...they are replaceable...after seeing the tree and where it fell, I immediately started thanking our wonderful God that it did not land on the house...as my daughter was sleeping right upstairs...I know without a doubt that it was the hand of God that kept us safe...

...to the left, the house...and to the right, the garage...neither received so much as a SCRATCH...as I said my daughter was sleeping upstairs...she never awoke until it was time to get up for school...my son (because he's still afraid of the dark) was sleeping on the sofa near my bedroom...he also stayed asleep through all the COMMOTION...

...now we are just waiting for the insurance adjuster to come assess the damage...the problem....the adjusters are so busy because of damage from tornados in Joplin, MO and other areas....our appointment for the adjuster to come is not until June 14....two whole weeks...so we are waiting...ever so patiently...NOT....

...anyway, we feel so blessed that our lives and home were spared through this little disaster...and I am kind of excited to be looking for a new car...looking for something a little more gas efficient...I was only two payments away from having the van paid off...so I figured I would be in the market for a new car soon anyway....

I am linking up today to Show & Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home...and I will be back soon with car reports and some pics of the graduation decor...STAY TUNED!!

A LITTLE INSPIRATION...FRENCH STYLE

Though I have very few things in the way of FRENCH style furnishings or decor and my house is not necessarily a beautiful french CHATEAU...I would love to have a house full of all things french...who wouldn't, right?...I truly love the french country style trending right now...but I prefer French Provincial or baroque style...you know, something with a more formal frenchy flair, so to speak

...Over the past few months, I have been toying with the idea of doing a little of this french provincial style decorating in my dining room and living room areas...the key phrase here is..."toying with the idea"...as I know the hubster is not going to willingly agree to fund this little decorating adventure of mine...(I wonder if shedding a few tears, or if giving him a few backrubs and foot massages will work, hmmm....after looking at these gorgeous inspiration photos I found....I just might have to consider those forms of persuasion , lol)...

...let's start in the dining room, shall we...

...yes, these lean more toward the country french side, and I just love the curves and "blueness" of it all...

but, I'm leaning more towards this...

ohhhh so formal...I love the tray ceiling which is in a lovely shade of gold and the beautiful gold damask chairs, gorgeous...but I'd even settle for this (which I believe is a little more on the greek/roman side...maybe even eqyptian inspired design, nevertheless, very beautiful)...

Found at Decork: Modern Furniture and Decoration blog
in case you want to take a look

...I found a few bed and bath items that are just to die for...

Is this bed awesome or what...(kind of frenchy goes hollywood glam)...I could just see beautiful fringed, velvety linens and pillows everywhere...perhaps in colors that would coordinate with this litttle beauty...I so want this little chest...

I love this writing desk...I know you will too and I expect that one of you fabulous furniture restorers out there...is going to have to do something like this...Tre' chic!

...okay, for the bath...could you imagine brushing your teeth here...

I just love the "crown" mirrors...and actually, I'm a lucky girl because I already have a mirror similar to these in my dining room....now onto the living room...

...how's this for french chateau....so relaxing and beautiful...and now for the piece de resistance...drum roll please...

...not really my colors, but I so WANT this sofa/daybed....oh so frenchy!!!

Have a fabulous and inspiring weekend...AU REVOIR!

I LOVE...LITTLE BABY DUCKS

Remember that OLD song?  Used to be one of my favs, oh say, when I was 10...I have more of a sophistocated taste in music these days...but I was reminded of that ol' song today....

...There is a little park close to work where I often eat lunch.  Hoppe Spring Park.  I love it there.  It is a little slice of HEAVEN on earth.  A sweet and PEACEFUL place to have lunch...

...TRICKLING from the mouth of a cave, is a natural SPRING which flows into a little duck pond...from there it flows out to the creek which runs through town on down to the river.  Missouri is chock full of rivers and natural waterways, oh and caves...It truly is a BEAUTIFUL place to live.  I can't say I have always loved Missouri...since being raised in Illinois, I thought the fresh smell and beauty of corn fields were the cat's meow...but I have grown to appreciate the simple GRANDEUR of Missouri's many natural wonders...

...As I parked in my usual spot to eat lunch, I was greeted with an ohhh so cute and pleasant surprise...

...a pretty little momma and her beautiful little baby ducklings...I LOVE...LITTLE BABY DUCKS...don't you?

....awwww, aren't they just TOO CUTE!!!!  Have a wonderful day!