Friday, July 31, 2015

DELICIOUS SUMMER SOUP

Savor the Summer!

TLB has a simple summer soup recipe for you using some of the freshest veggies of the season.  

Summer, Tomato soup with Shrimp, Zucchini, and Corn..... 
(Recipe link below)


Easy diced prep----

Poblano peppers
Onion 
Clove garlic
Salt and pepper
Saute in Olive oil till tender.



Add chopped zucchini, and tomatoes and simmer12-15 minutes.


Add shrimp, corn and 3 cups of water, stir ocassionally and cook through until all veggies are tender and shrimp are white, about 6 minutes. (or longer if you like)





The result is an easy summer soup great for a quick and healthy meal.

                                             Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

                                                               Kathleen


http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/summer-tomato-soup-shrimp-zucchini-corn

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

DIY PAINTED WINE GLASS VASE

It's a DIY day today at TLB!

Stop over to the blog today to learn an easy way to add color to any room in your house by using a succulent plant! 



Monday, July 27, 2015

HOUSEHUNTING

Well, it's been a whirlwind since we have arrived here in Southlake, TX, a suburb of Dallas. We chose a location between the airport and work for my husband, not knowing how much traffic there would be commuting to and from. 

The facts we used when determining where to plant our roots-

*   Great school system. Southlake public schools rank as one of the top school systems in the DFW metro area. 
(Even though our children are grown, we are always concerned about resale, therefore, choosing a hot area with short  re-sale turn-around.)

*   Close proximity to an airport.

*   Not more than a 30 minute commute to work.

*   Cozy town feel....in this area of Texas we have found town squares which are
quaint areas where you find Town Halls and parks in the center, surrounded by
stores, hotels, restaurants and movie theaters. They are really quite lovely!



House hunting has proven to be quite challenging. Of course when we arrive in town, there is a shortage of homes! Yes, that's correct!  We have a great realtor who is working diligently to find us a home, but unfortunately nothing has worked out as of yet. I've toured about 6 homes with her, and one would have been a great fit for our family. Over the weekend we submitted a bid on that home (very similar to this one), great neighborhood, custom homes built in the mid 1990's. 



Well, remember how I said there was a shortage of inventory available? Have you ever heard of bidding wars for homes? We've come across this once before when we were looking for homes in Northern NJ very close to NYC. For some reason it didn't come as quite a shock in that area, but DFW area, especially Southlake....guess we have alot to learn! 

Our fin was down a bit when the realtor called and said they had multiple bids and suggested we write a personal letter to accompany our offer. We did, we pulled out all the stops.....I even included a family photo!   Multiple bids.........14-21 is a common theme on some of the homes lately, but after a valiant effort we lost!

Whew....we then realized we could very well have a LONG road ahead of us .Thank goodness we divided our household goods between pieces of furniture and kitchen items to hold us over in an apartment, and then the long-term storage. It could be a long time before we see the rest of our household items. Until then we'll enjoy our..........HOME SWEET HOME--Texas style!



Do you have any stories of multiple bidding wars? I'd love to hear about yours!

    Have a wonderful day!


   Kathleen
                                               








Friday, July 24, 2015

DALLAS WE'VE LANDED!

It's so nice to see y'all here today! I just wanted to share with you how much I appreciate you visiting "The Lavender Bouquet" and being part of my life's journey.....

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

MY SISTER'S TRANQUIL SUMMER GARDENS

Welcome to Wednesday at TLB! 

When I was in NY over the 4th of July visiting family I snapped a few photos of my sister's flower gardens. I am always in awe at just how beautiful they are this time of year.
Even with the summer heat her Hawaiian Punch Lantana steals the show!

Come take a walk with me through her gardens........


Monday, July 20, 2015

MY FAVORITE SUMMER COCKTAIL

Do you have a favorite Summer cocktail?  This Summer I'm hooked on wine spritzers. I love to have a chilly cocktail on a warm summer night, but as many of you are aware, the hidden calories can add up quite quickly. Now that hubby and I will be living in a warm climate year round, I thought it was prudent to get on the band wagon to find a tasty cocktail without the calories. 


Friday, July 17, 2015

BLACKBERRY-PEACH COBBLER with PRALINE PECAN STREUSEL

Summertime is cobbler time at my house! What could be easier and more delicious than using fresh fruits of the season combined with a light crumbly streusel topping.
Cobbler takes very little time to prepare.......it takes longer to peel the fruit than to assemble the entire cobbler.

Today's recipe combines the fresh taste of blackberries and the sweetness of peaches with an end result that is sooooo delish, especially warm! For an added touch, some enjoy a cold scoop of French Vanilla ice cream or whip cream on top......I love it just as it is!






Wednesday, July 15, 2015

TLB FUN SUMMER PICKS

Summer is the time of year when it's fun to change up our decor a bit, making your home feel more like a vacation getaway and even grabbing something fun for the beach.......

Here's a few fun finds I thought you might enjoy.........

Monday, July 13, 2015

MOTHER'S GARDEN THEMED BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

My entire family gathered over the weekend for a very special celebration......

our MOTHER turned "80" years young!

She's truly "one of a kind" and my brother, sister, me and our families, had such a wonderful time celebrating with her.

Today I'm sharing some of the photos from our garden themed birthday party.

*** Galvanized Watering Can from Home Depot
***Melamine luncheon plates from Q-Squared in NYC

Friday, July 10, 2015

TLB IS GRILLING---MARINATED FLANK STEAK

Welcome to Foodie Friday friends!

Grilling season is in full swing and I've found a delish Classic Marinated Flank Steak recipe that's great for easy entertaining or for family dinner.........



Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Monday, July 6, 2015

MONOGRAM WREATH

I love a great wreath on my front door. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and for sharing my Monogram Spring Wreath project from last year.........


Click the link below for directions on how to make this wreath.......

http://thelavenderbouquet.blogspot.com/2014/03/diy-spring-wreath-with-monogram-initials.html

         Wishing you a wonderful day!


                  Kathleen

                                         

Friday, July 3, 2015

GOODBYE NEW JERSEY

It's been a busy Spring for our family! The vacation home renovations are not all that we've been working on. 

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

NAVY AND CORAL FAMILY ROOM

Can you believe it's the 1st of July? These past few months have flown by, but we've accomplished so much. My last share with you from our sweet little vacation home is the updating of our family room. Our furniture just arrived after nearly 11 weeks of waiting!