WE GOT THE WEDDING DRESS!!!!!!!

Hello everybody. We got the dress!!!!!!!:):):):) If you will remember, last October my daughter Jackie and I went looking at wedding dresses. We had already bought one at a ridiculously low price at David's Bridal, but then she had really fell in love with this Oleg Cassini dress that was out of our price range. I asked all of my blogger friends to pray for a miracle and we hoped it would go on sale but it didn't. Sooooo, I thought I'd check ebay on Saturday morning while all were a sleep and what do I find???? THEEEE Dress!. But, there is more. Includes Champagne Gown with Chapel Train, Slip, Shoes, Blusher, Tiera, Necklace, Bracelet, Earrings (never worn), purse (never used), and garters (never used still in package). We got this incredible deal for what you ask??? The low price of $550.00. My daughter and I were on the phone with each other watching the count down while my dear husband was pressing the refresh button to where I thought it was going to break. lol You should have heard us or rather me, yelling WE WON, WE WON! I LOVE a deal and I LOVE that no one else outbid me.

Everything Tea

First, I'd like to start off with a prize I won from The Vintage Rose! I was the lucky Runner Up to her China Giveaway! I was so excited to win you just have no idea. Really, you don't. LOL I received this lovely tin of Madura Tea, three heart boxes, a very cute Koala Bear, a handmade ornament and a few selected individual teas. Thank you The Vintage Rose. :)

I figured since my blog is "Tea Time With Melody" I'd better get back to Tea. So this is the plaque that is on my tea box. My tea box holds all my favorite teas. This box is very elegant looking and comes in handy when I have my tea parties. I just love tea. Sometimes I just like to sit back with a cup and some cookies or anything tea worthy and pretend I am in England. Somewhere. Anywhere. Does anyone want to invite me for tea over there??? Pleeeeeeease? (Invitation must include a plane ticket....)

I am not a camera expert so some of my photos are a bit blurry. I originally bought two generic tea cup and saucers in a tea store and then went home and scoured the Internet to find the name of the pattern. My tea set is Lady Carlyle. I was very, very, very lucky a few years ago to come across a steal and I do mean a steal of a deal on eBay. I have a complete set for 10 including a variety of glassware. This here is my Tea pot and yes that is right two creamers and sugars. I just need one more teapot to complete this set.

Here are two of the four types of matching glasses that came with my set. They have a beautiful gold rim.

Here are the other two, water goblet and wine glass.

Here is my dinner, salad and bread plate. What would you do if you sat down at a table with all these beverage glasses! lol

When I was newly married everyone had china but I didn't want it because it was only used for the holidays or special occasions. I thought why bother. I still felt that way until I got the Tea Party bug. Even though I could NEVER get my husband or male relatives to sit and eat from these pink china plates my comfort comes from knowing my girly girl friends will! :) So ladys, set your table and invite a few girlfriends over for tea and cakes and enjoy some good times and conversation.

Blessings and Awards

A few days ago I published a post on something I was struggling with and quite frankly I was blown away by all the wonderful heart felt comments I received. I thought I'd get a few here and there but I never DREAMED I'd get so many. A few of them were from new blogger friends that stopped by, thank you for visiting! Funny thing....my husband and I decided to take a much needed few days off over this New Years Holiday and I had just gotten a new cell phone with Internet access shortly before. During our trip with friends up in Clearlake, I checked my email about 4 times each day and I got to read new comments. Thinking, I like this this is great! It was so great in fact that my battery went dead. lol My husband would ask me, "Whatcha doing?" and I'd say, "getting advice". I just want everyone who was kind enough to leave a comment, my husband and I greatly appreciated them all. I had initially struggled with putting this subject out there on "blogger land" but I am so glad I did, it has given me such insight, who knew!

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Now for some Awards. My friend Laura over at Our Scented Cottage has blessed with the "Reward of Merit"

These Reward of Merit cards in summary were handed out to students of the Victorian era for achievement and performance at school. They were so coveted, they were even pasted in Victorian scrapbooks. So cherished were these cards, they were saved for over 100 years! Laura thought it was time to bring back this tradition in relation to blogging! I thank you Laura for choosing me as a recipient! Please stop by and visit her log and her new on-line store. This lady's blog is full of recipes for everyday things from cleaners to her latest, lip balm!

My second award is from my sister Janeen, from ChaChaneen.

Thank you Janeen for this great award. I have only been blogging since October so it is an honor to be included in the Best Blog of 2008! If you have not visited my sisters blog, please do so you will enjoy her whit and humor along with her funny stories about her kids. I am supposed to pass this onto 15 people and that is alot! But I can't truly pick just 15 because there are so many that I feel that this award should go to. So, for those blogger friends of mine that would like to have this award, please feel free to accept this gift from me to you. :)

I am going to be a Grandmother

Well, I am going to be a Grandmother. My youngest son (20) is going to be a Father. As I sit and write this I am having writers block. This is all backwards as they are not married, still live at home and don't have jobs with medical. Me, I like the order of things as God laid it out.

His girlfriend will be moving into our home in a few months as there is no room at the Inn so to speak. I should mention that she will be 18 in April. More writers block...... She comes from a broken home, "twice", father not in the picture. She is a very lovely girl and we do like her. It could be worse I keep telling myself. We don't get to pick our children's mates and it is always a plus when you like their choice.

I had joked to my son the day before the big news that if he was ever going to get married I'd prefer it be her. HA, joke on me.....:) Anyway....as you might not imagine her Catholic mother was strongly pushing abortion which shocked me because I thought Catholics were strongly against that. I must say that in my younger years I was pro-abortion but over my years in growing as a Christian I have changed my views thanks to Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family. As much as I feel this is the wrong time in their lives for a baby I am glad they have decided to keep it. I can probably say that because he is already an adult.... But, then again it is not my choice to make. The girlfriends mom loves her daughter and wants what is best for her, is having a hard time thinking that her daughters future is going down the drain. Mother wants us to be on her side but we had to tell her that we were powerless in her daughters choice to keep or not keep this baby and we would support both children in the choice they made. They have to live with the consequences of their choice either way. Both kids have graduated highschool already and are still going through with their life plans, he in law enforcement and she a Nurse, she actually starts college in January, they are very determined. So we shall see how they persevere.

So......giving up what we thought was going to be our empty-nester years soon and honestly I was really looking forward to it, we will be preparing to bring another life into our home until they can get a place of their own. I am still in shock mode and probably will be for some time as I am not mentally ready for this. Any advise and or prayers are welcome!!!!!!

Christmas Spirit Award

Christmas Spirit Award for 5 Reasons I Like Christmas!


The Vintage Rose gave me this super award! The Christmas Spirit Award. Thank you, thank you! If you have not stopped by her blog please do you will not be disappointed. She always has interesting things going on.

I like Christmas because it is a time when people really come together for the good of other people. I like Christmas because Jesus was born! I like Christmas because I enjoy singing Christmas songs and it's the only time I can blast Mariah Carey's Christmas CD in my car. lol
I like Christmas because of all the wonderful homemade goodies my sister makes that I enjoy eating. :) and last, I like Christmas because it just puts me in a happy mood. :)

I'd like to pass this award on to:
1. ChaChaNeen
2. Meadowsweet Days
3. Sentimental Journey
4. Charm and Grace Cottage
5. Romantic Home

I hope ya'll had a spetacular Christmas with your family and friends. As Tiny Tim said, " God Bless Every One."

Marie Antoinette Award

Grandma K from A Bit of the Blarney was so nice to give me the Marie Antoinette Award. I have not heard of this one but then I am still new to the blogging world. Grandma K did some research because she thought this was an "odd" award and found that this award is for people who are deemed "real" in who they are. I am honored to be chosen as a recipient! Thank you Grandma K. For those who have not been to A bit of the Blarney, please stop by for a visit and say hi.

I am to pass this on to 7 bloggers who exhibit this quality in their blog so here I go:

1. The Duchess

2. A Yankee-in-Belgrade

3. My Thoughts

4. Steph's Cup of Tea

5. It's A Wonderful Life

6. A Cup of Jo

7. Cynthia's Cottage Design

Each one of these lovely people exhibit the "real" quality. Please stop by #3 My Thoughts and say hi to my daughter Jackie who is now blogging...so exciting! lol

Dreamy Christmas

I have been trying to figure out how to download this particular picture for weeks now and once I figured it out is was such a DUH! moment.....Anyway, I just love this picture. I can and will imagine myself sitting in a large over sized chair right in front of the fire with a hot cup of tea and, and, oh I just covet this!!!! Thou shalt not covet but what the heck, someones got to do it and it might as well be me. lol Christmas is a time when people really put their personalities into decorating their home and I for one love to look at all the beautiful ideas......

If I had a porch this long it WOULD be lined with all these beautifully decorated trees. Just looking at this makes me wonder what the electric bill would be, Yikes!

OK, I made a stop in the middle of my Christmas surfing when I saw THIS, can you believe it? What an absolutely F A B U L O U S idea, beautiful. Can you just picture the cake trimmed in christmasy colors too? Love it, love it, love it....

OK, back to my Christmas surfing.....I could really get used to this house in this beautiful setting. Don't the colors just capture you?
If I could be anywhere at Christmas I think I'd like to be in a log cabin in the snow. A big warm fire like the one in the first picture, snow falling outside the window......Somehow, sunny California just doesn't give that picture. hahahaha I mean just about every picture or even the little villages you can put together yourself, you know, the houses with lights etc. are all about snow. Some day I am just going to have to make it happen. Anybody out there have a log cabin for rent????? :)

Have a wonderful weekend everybody and for those on the east coast I wish you warmth and electricity! My daughter just came back from Boston just before the ice storm. I am very glad she came home safe and sound from her business trip.

Proxi Award

This award was bestowed upon me by Janeen (sis). Thank you so much for thinking of me! Please stop by and visit Janeens blog you will be glad you did! This is the special "Proximidade" award. This award is a fine one because it focuses not on the glory and fanfare of blogging, but in the PROXIMITY to one another through this on-line world (kind of a Six Degrees of Separation sort of thing).

"Blogs who receive this award are 'exceedingly charming' say its authors. This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement.

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!

I am supposed to give this award to 8 bloggers but I am sick and feelling generous tonight. So all who stop by and read this, consider yourself the recepient of this gracious award. Please enjoy! :)

Favorite Christmas Movie

Do you have a favorite Christmas Movie? Sure you do. Everyone has that ONE movie that they have to watch and if they miss the night it is on TV they get pissed off! Well, at least I do, unless I have the DVD......hehehe. Well, my all time favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol and it has to star Alastair Sim or it's just not Scrooge! AND it has to be in Black and White, this new color version is just so fake.

Second is Mickey's Christmas Carol. My kids watched this even when it wasn't Christmas. It is such a cute movie really. I still have here somewhere in my batch of VHS and my daughter and I were just talking something about this movie recently.

My next favorite is a childhood favorite, Frosty! I cried and cried each time I watched this. I don't think it was Frosty I liked but it was the girl! I wanted to be just like her. She had the best clothes, her hair was perfect and she had those "ear muffs". I wanted them soooo bad. Okay, I was jealous I admit it. I never noticed until just now....looking at this picture that the kids are all the same person just different hair! hahahaha
Rudolpoh is the one movie that I would actually get mad about if I missed it on TV. Even after my kids had grown up and didn't watch it anymore. I don't know, it was just a movie that grabs your heart. A rooting for the underdog kind of movie. The message behind the movie stands true still today.

And last.........While you were sleeping is my favorite "modern" movie. I still watch it every year and I always enjoy it. It's such a ball up on the couch, grab your throw and a cup of tea or hot chocolate and some snacks and feel good movie. I am going to go look for it now and put it on before my husband wakes up and decides it football time..........OMGosh he's stiring I can hear him. Have to work fast!!!!!


Go grab your favorite movie and enjoy~!

OUR ANNIVERSARY

Today my dear husband and I celebrate our 24th Wedding Anniversary. We met two weeks before Christmas in Dec 1983 and were engaged by Feb 12, 1984! Yep, you read that right two months. We married Dec 1,1984. Three kids and 24 years later we are still going strong. Our eldest son is 27 (from hubbys prior marriage) and our daughter is 22 and our youngest son is two months shy of 20. We are now entering the empty nester stage and it's about dang time I tell you.


When we first got married we had one day off a month together for the first 5 years because of our different work schedules. It was a pain yes, but I knew it would not be like that forever and I was right. Always looking into the future I was. Then came the kids, sports, homework and trying to fit time in for the two of you just seems to get put on the back burner. But we always tried to find some time alone and keep in tune with each other and it has paid off because when some marriages fail after the kids grow up, ours is entering the next stage. We enjoy spending our time together. I say we are making up for lost time. If you remember in an older post, I stated that we commute to work together and have lunch together each day. Then we'll come home for dinner and a movie usually, actually, only sometimes, since I took up blogging......hahaha. A few years ago we bought a Harley and are having a blast riding the country roads and taking trips with our friends. Well, here's to another 24 years!


Our wedding song was "Just You and I" by Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle. We wanted a song that would last through the ages and it has worked for us! (takes a minute to load up so be patient)