{ thought i'd share }

hello!

thought i'd share a favorite recipe today.

we have a small garden on our property - and we have been getting tons of yummy, yummy squash. 

this is one of my absolute favorite recipes that incorporate squash.

what i love most about this casserole? 

it actually makes me like a casserole!

i am not a casserole-lover.  

never really been a fan of recipes that include cans of "cream of ___" 

and - yes. i am kind of a health-freak - and casseroles are not necessarily the most healthiest things in the world. 

but! i love this recipe.

make it. (i'm making it for dinner tonight)

* you can use turkey instead of chicken.

* i am yet to find picante sauce sold in an 8 oz.can -- i just end up buying a large jar (Pace brand) & only using 8 oz. of it.

* be sure to use a large mixing bowl. believe me. it has to be a big one. 

- celeste

{sunshine}

Sunshine - we've been having a lot of that here, in the Sunshine State! (oh... that's another thing Jacky & I have in common - we're both Florida girls) ;-)  ...not to mention temps up to the 100's & killer humidity! aah!! - not always what I'd call ideal.

But! I do love me some sunshine ... I browsed etsy & found some fun things that incorporate sun & sunshine...

 [bright sunshiny day print]

[sunny days hair clip]

[you are my sunshine silver necklace]

[you are my sunshine invites]

[sunshine motel photo print]

[vinyl wall decal]

**

Have a fun, "sunshine" find? Do share!

(i found a bunch on etsy! ...especially art prints - which I LOVE.)

  **

For thus the Lord has said to me: I will be still and I will look on from My dwelling place, like clear and glowing heat in sunshine, like a fine cloud of mist in the heat of harvest. - Isaiah 18:4

- celeste

    p.s. I have a ton of giveaways on my blog right now that are open-for-entry!

 

{poolside}

(just a little collage of some of my favorite poolside finds)

01. girls' swirling fleur tank swimsuit

02.  transverse bikini

03. fancy free tote

04. amy butler floral reef beach towel

05. summer straw hat

06. raffia rose capri sandals

07. nicey jane tangerine water bottle

08. burt's bees sunscreen (I use this - love it!)

09. tree top sunglasses

Do you have a favorite poolside item? Something new you've purchased for this summer that you just love?

- celeste

{hello!}

Hello everyone!

Let me just say that I am so excited that Jacky asked me to guest-post. I have been wanting to branch-out and start what I like to call "real blogging" (you know... not just giveaways). This is going to be so much fun!
**

Well, to briefly introduce myself...

My name is Celeste and I am currently a sophomore in college - majoring in Early Childhood Education. I absolutely love kids...although my main "goal" in life really is just to become a stay-at-home-mommy someday, I thoroughly enjoy teaching in the classroom. For the past 5 years, I have been able to work in a Christian school (actually, the same school I attended) in the preschool and kindergarten departments. In high school, one of my elective periods was actually internship - and you bet I took that opportunity! :) Currently, I "team teach" kindergarten at the same said school; while I take my college classes in the evenings and online. (they call it "team teaching" - I'd call it an aide, but I do get to teach some subject areas.)

(I rambled some more here -- but deleted it ... opted for more of just a "random list" -- I love random lists.)
**
I have one sister, Chloe, who is 2 years younger than me.
 I absolutely love to cook/bake - but, the cleaning of the dishes? not so much. ha!
but... I'm also kinda a health-nut.
I love photography...and, ever since getting a dslr - I have kinda gone nuts. (I just. can't. stop.)!
I'm a font-o-holic.
I'm obsessed with Anthro. - although, really - their prices are a little ridiculous. (just sayin')
I do not like coffee (sorry, Jacky ... I just can't get into it.)
I never, ever, ever, EVER thought that I would be a "dog person" until we got our chocolate lab, Nora. Now, I can not imagine life without a pup around. ;-)
I am also quite passionate about politics. (Ronald Reagan is my homeboy.)
I've lived in Florida all of my life.
I'm a "military kid"- my daddy (yes - I still call him daddy) was in the U.S. Army for 29 years.
I'm a "name geek" (a.k.a. I read baby names websites for fun). ha!
If a crew of designers from Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware would like to come and furnish a home for me... I'd be cool with that. very cool with that.
I have way too many pairs of shoes. (but, not admitting an addiction...yet.)
My guilty [food] pleasure? Vanilla Coke Zero. (I know it's terrible for you, oh well.)
I drive a Honda Odyssey. No joke. I'm an 18-year-old that wanted an Odyssey. 
I love reality tv. 
Blogs are amazing. Seriously, I rarely do anything else online besides reading blogs.
I do not like Wal-mart. at all. (the place drives me crazy!)
I have a BlackBerry  crackberry - but would love to dump it for one of the shiny, new iPhones. ;-) 
and... of course! ... I am a Christian - striving to serve Him better each day and excited to see what plans He has for me!  
**

Now! Do you have some fun questions [or not-so-fun questions] for me? 
Anything. (random ones are always fun) ;-)
Leave 'em in the comments - and I'll answer them next Friday. 

p.s. I realized that I forgot to write about how I started my blog ... I'll post that in another post - maybe in a day or so. sound good?



-Celeste 

{summer blogging announcement}

{source}

As I've mentioned, I will be very busy this summer.

Which means that my time online will be either extremely limited or nonexistent.

I really didn't just want to leave The Sweetest Petunia empty all summer long.

I also know that I could never schedule enough posts on my own.

Which brings me to my {summer blogging announcement}.

Celeste.

{yay!}

For those of you who don't know Celeste, she can be found blogging at Etsy It Up!

I discovered her blog quite awhile ago, and of course, I loved the giveaways.

Then I started following her on Twitter.

And now we are friends. :)

No, we've never met in real life.

But we're about the same {very young in the world of blogging} age, have younger sisters, like a lot of the same things, and have even caught ourselves doing the exact same thing at the exact same time {specifically eating brownies and reading the same post at Joy's Hope}. But I think she might be cooler than me. ;)

So I emailed Celeste in the desperate hope that she would agree to "take over" The Sweetest Petunia for me during the summer. And she said she would!

Yes, while I'm gone for about 8 weeks, she will carry on the blogging for me.

I think you readers will like her a lot.

Oh, and don't worry - the spirit and idea of The Sweetest Petunia will be kept alive and well, I'm sure.

This is my last post for awhile.

I might try to pop in when I can. :)

Celeste, thank you so, SO much for doing this.

Please be sure to leave her plenty of comment love!