Foley, AL

Yesterday was an important day in the Overcast household. We also had the good luck that the big girls were off of school, so Richard came home from work early to take us to a late lunch. We started to drive down towards Perdido Bay to find a restaurant and also to grab some sand off the beach for the girls new hermit crabs. Once we had driven for about 15 minutes we realized we didn't take the right road and were no where close to Perdido Beach. On a whim I told Richard that the outlets should only be another 10 minutes down the road in the direction we were heading, so we could just do that instead.  We headed further into Alabama towards Foley and the outlets. And guess where we ate!?!?



Home of the throwed rolls! I was so happy we finally found it. I got my birthday dinner at a place that reminded me of home. Nothing could be better! Just a note of caution to anyone planning on eating there, they do not accept debit or credit cards. For your convenience there is an ATM right in the entrance, but it was still kind of a 'say what?' moment.

And of course, because I planned on taking a bunch of pictures, my camera battery died. This was the last horrible picture I took until I was able to get home and charge it.



Anyway, they have giant rolls the size of your head that they throw at you from across the restaurant. On top of whatever you order (which is plenty I might add, I had enough on my plate to last me three meals), they walk around with what they call pass arounds. The fried okra was my main reason for wanting to go and I got some bygosh!

The waitress was sweet and talking to the baby, and of course the baby was flirting right back. In this process, she asked how old she was which the husband responded with the fact that it was her birthday...and mine. Next thing I know, she's on the loud speaker announcing to the whole restaurant that it's our birthday's and she's 1 and I'm 30. Gee thanks lady. Lucky I'm secure with that number! But, as we were paying to leave with lots of leftovers, she plopped down a giant cinnamon roll the size of a dinner plate for us as a birthday gift and a bunch of balloons. I love walking around like a giant cinnamon roll eating circus.

Then we moved onto the reason for us visiting Foley to begin with, the Tanger Outlet mall. A dear friend had forewarned me about the tax being sky high and there being another fee on each purchase. For anyone else planning a visit there EVER, the tax is 9% state and then another .5% for city. I honestly would probably only shop there for unbeatable bargains and stores that we don't have here in Pensacola like GAP. The big girls got stocked up on jeans shorts for the summer at the Justice outlet and then a couple of other purchases that their daddy couldn't pass up. I sometimes think he likes playing dress up with them as much as I do.

I'd love to go back and visit Foley when the baby is in a better mood and when it's a tad warmer. The small town square that you turn into is all these amazing old brick buildings with little mom and pop shops. They gradually dissipate as you move closer to the outlets and chain restaurant/corporateville slowly pops up.  It's only about a 30 minute drive from where I'm located, which isn't bad considering it's all highway and it takes me 20 minutes to get to the mall with stoplight after stoplight.

Quietwater beach and boardwalk

We had a friend in town this past weekend, so we decided to drive down the Pensacola Beach for a late lunch/early dinner and do a little walking.  It finally was above 50 degrees outside and figured it was warm enough to enjoy without coats.  It was still a little chilly, but overall we had a fun time.  Richard has now been to the Pensacola Beach Hooters at least three times that I know.  I can't complain.  I got snow crab legs and he took care of the baby so I could enjoy my food in peace; although I was a little disappointed that when I ordered crab legs that's all that I was served.  Not that I was expecting more for the price, but I think the waitress should have warned that I would need a side order of something like a salad for it to be a complete meal.  End rant!  After our meal, we took a walk on the boardwalk and visited one of the shops.  Most everything was closed being it was a Sunday afternoon in the middle of winter, but we made the most of it.


We took turns posing with the giant shell.  I'm guessing that when it's warmer and more of the tourist season they probably have a band play here.



Then we took a gum break.



This is the view going down the boardwalk into the bay.



And out in the middle of the bay looking towards the strip of hotels and condos.




One big happy family.



Walking back to the car.

Pillow Cover

First, I have to apologize, my camera stinks. The more I've learned how to use it the worse the pictures are turning out. If I turn it back to factory setting and use the brainless auto, then everyone is all whited out by the flash. Like it said, it sucks. On to what this post is really about! One thing that has been driving me crazy since we purchased our bright red couch is the pillows that came with it. You know the ugly contemporary pillows that accompany just about every couch that is never anyone's idea of 'looks good'. Now that we've owned the thing for over a year and have moved a few states over I decided to do something about it. And I must admit, I'm a World Market and Pier One junkie. But I don't want to pay for World Market and Pier One. Plus, I couldn't find anything that really went with the style that I've been leaning towards in this house. I took it upon myself to find a tutorial to make a cover for my ugly as sin pillows. I found this one at Cottage Magpie that seemed pretty straight forward and easy enough for even a novice sewer like myself. Here's the final result (the brown).


The light gold pillow I grabbed at Target from their Christmas 50% off clearance for $6.

The pillow cover ended up being bigger than I intended, so I guess next plan of attack is to buy a bigger pillow form for it and then sew a smaller cover in a coordinating fabric for my ugly as sin pillow. I'm loving the fact that I can take the cover off and wash it if a certain baby dribbles milk on it (or who am I kidding, if I spill!).

Here is the fabric for my next house project.


I'm making roman shades for the eat in kitchen area turned baby playroom at the moment. I need to put something there that is on the shorter side for her safety and my sanity. Ignore the green color, it needs wayyyy lightened up, but I need a giant ladder for that project. I know the brown is a bit dark in the picture. In real life it's the perfect mocha color.


That's it for today! Hopefully I will finish another project sooner than later ha ha.