"Hi!" says my walkway

Aren't these blooming beauties awesome?! Each year my star-gazer lilies bloom in June, but this year they came early. I'm not sure if was the warm winter or the early spring (or both), but this is the brightest red I've ever seem them. These make me look like I actually know how to garden!

It's Kentucky Derby Time

It's almost here! The greatest two minutes in sports!

Via

Springtime in Kentucky can be gorgeous. This year spring started a month and a half early and since the first week of March we've had the pleasure of early tulips and dogwood trees. Unfortunately, the beautiful colors have made the wait for this year's Derby that much longer/harder.
But it's here now! Two years I did a blog post about our yearly tradition. We don't go to the actual crazy Derby infield at Churchill anymore, but we usually picnic out in the paddock at Keeneland. It's beautiful out there and with a hundred TV's set up to watch the races, mint julip booths at every major corner, and some great people watching...it makes for a fun-filled afternoon.

Via

Last year, I found a fun hat to keep up with Derby tradition...

 And while it was a little cool, the weather stayed dry until around four. Then we moved our party to the grandstand...several thousand other people had the same idea...

Hopefully this year the rain will hold off. And here's a fun fact...this year's Derby is also on Cinco de Mayo. Double party day indeed!   Here's a few of our plans for the big day tomorrow.

 Source: seattletimes.nwsource.com via Heather on Pinterest

Source: blog.hwtm.com via Heather on Pinterest

And of course, no Derby Day is complete without the Derby Party Anthem..."DOWN AND DERBY!" by Watt White.   Happy Cinco de Derby, all!

Via

How to Rearrange a Room: A step-by-step tutorial

Via

Over the last few months, I've become a HUGE fan of tutorials (thanks to Pinterest). So in honor of that, I thought I might do a little tutorial of my own...

HOW TO REARRANGE A ROOM

aka...how to move your crap

And no....my room doesn't look like the picture above. Whoever owns that couch (if anyone) never sits on it, nor does he/she have children, pets, or dust. My boys and I have a more "lived-in" approach to decor. With actual crap. Be forewarned...there will be NO staging involved in this tutorial. 

Now...here's how I go about giving my room a fresh feel without spending a dime.

STEP ONE:

 Take a before picture....so when you're knee deep in frustration, you remember why you're doing the rearranging in the first place.

STEP TWO:

 Make a big mess. (See..that's real crap, people! None of that fake-placed stuff here)

STEP THREE:

Vacuum the floors and baseboards for a fresh, clean surface. And you know...terrorize the dog at the same time. It's like exercise for them, right?

STEP FOUR: 

When moving furniture, be certain to leave plenty of room open for big pieces.

STEP FIVE: 

When moving furniture by yourself, lift/push/shove with your legs, not your back. And be prepared to move it multiple times once you realize it doesn't fit as you envisioned.

 

STEP SIX: 

Stay hydrated. Especially after moving the heavy stuff. 

STEP SEVEN:

Moving stuff can be scary to pets. Be sure to keep them comfortable.

STEP EIGHT: 

One of the great things about rearranging a room is getting a fresh organized space. It's also a great time to note that you may have a bit of a problem at purchasing too much of a certain item....

...but don't worry! Once you get it back on the shelf,  it usually looks nice and purposeful again.Yay for books!

STEP NINE: 

Rearranging can take time, so it's important to put up the essentials and worry about the smaller items and details when you have more time.

STEP TEN:

Realize that certain pieces of furniture may no longer work in the space. 

STEP...LAST:

Realize that it doesn't matter how much of your crap you move around, none of it will give you one iota of  "feel good" decor change unless you spend some actual money on new paint, new linens, and color coordinated organizers. *Dang!*

Until next time...and yes, paint will be involved. (yay!)