We spent some time at the park this week.

We are enjoying the last few weeks of the summer.

 

 

 

 

It is a rare happening that the two of us get to spend some uninterrupted time together.

 

I loved watching her carefree spirit and curiosity.

 

The fountains, the weeping willow trees, and the playground were the perfect setting.
As she climbed the steps and then slid down the slide, I was sitting thinking about my girls and their school years.  One thought that I was entertaining in my mind, was the fact that organization is one of the key factors in creating a less stressful school year.

 

 

I thought about one of the organizational tips that I used the last two years of their schooling, and how it helped me alleviate stress in my life.

Such a simple solution, and I found myself wondering why I had not thought of it before.

Since our daughter will be having five in elementary school at one time in the not to distant future, I knew I wanted to share the solution with her.

 

I purchased a plain, white plastic notebook, along with a package of insertable plastic dividers, and a package of clear sheet protectors.

I proceeded to decorate the front, back and inside cover of the notebook, using magazine pictures and various stickers.  I used vintage style to go with her kitchen decor.

 

 

 

 

I shared with her, how helpful the clear plastic protectors were in storing important info.

For some reason, I remember clearly the girls bringing home many papers during their school years, and how easily they got missplaced.

When I used this method, I always knew where  to find every paper.

 

 

One of many, simple organizing tips in the blogging world, and if it helps someone have a less hectic school year, than it is worth my sharing it. 
Any day is the perfect time to begin organizing your life.

Happy Friday!

Recently we celebrated two special ladies with milestone birthdays.  I thought I would share a few snippets from that event.  I was responsible for the centerpieces and the favors.  Since ice cream was a favorite of both ladies, I created for big bowls of ice cream.  The bowls and spoons were purchased from the dollar store.  The balls of ice cream were  three sizes of tissue paper flowers that I glued together.  I glued sprinkles on with dots of glue.  An inexpensive way to add color to the center of my sister's already beautiful porch table.

In between the dishes of ice cream centerpieces, I added red and white petunias in empty Perrier bottles.
The favors were little cups of sprinkles placed in star bags and tied with "happy birthday" tags.  The table looked so festive.

 

 

The total cost of the centerpieces that I made was $4.00.

Plastic bowls and spoons were two in a pack for $1.00.

Tissue paper from the dollar store.

Containers of sprinkles were from the Ollie's store.

 

 

 

 

My beautiful cousin made and decorated this great looking birthday cake.

I was impressed with her creativity.

 

 

Even the youngest of the party participants, joined in the fun.  She was entertained by watching all the festivities and relished the attention she was receiving.

A sweet, fun way to celebrate special people in our lives.

On my heart and in my prayers this morning...

The year...1994

First day of school...

11th grade,

4th grade,

and

1st grade.

I remember it well, as I do every first day of school.  The sadness in my heart as I came to grips with the fact that another summer vacation season had ended.

A new routine has begun.

It all seems so long ago.  At times like another lifetime ago...

...especially when I try to face that fact that the 11th grader in the above picture, is now mother to  these two, who are starting kindergarten today.

How did it all happen so quickly?


Wishing each of you strength for the journey of today, whatever it may hold.

 

 

 

"Life is like an ice cream cone:  Just when you think you've got it licked, it drips all over you!"

~Barbara Johnson

  

 

"It's not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness."  ~Charles H. Spurgeon


I hope you have some blue skies with white clouds, maybe an ice cream cone that drips, and some moments of happiness this weekend!  These two certainly found that this week, when they were given their first ice cream cones...drips and all.

 

 

 

One of the things I haved learned in my 50some years is a quite simple fact...things don't always appear like they actually are.  By you visiting my blog, seeing my pictures and reading my brief commentaries on pictures, you may perceive life and situations differently than they actually are.  For instance, you could look at the above arrangement that I did on Wed. and think that I must be an experienced gardener.  But no, these flowers were picked from my daughter's gardens.  Thus you must think that my daughter must be a gardener.  But no, all her gardens were planted by the lady who owns the townhouse that she lives in, and the flowers are all a gift to her, since they keep on appearing in all their beauty, every year since she moved there.

 

 

 

When you look at this picture, you would immediately think, "oh, she can sew".

It all looks so impressive...the machine, fabric in hand, scissors and glasses in place.

But no, she could not even get the sewing machine to sew the simple seam.

 

 

 

I offered to help my daughter make curtains a few months ago.  We were set and ready to go, including the thimble:)  Afterall, I visit your blogs and some of you are quite accomplished seamstresses, and your work is most beautiful, so I knew we could tackle a project as simple as kitchen curtains.  But no, even with a thimble in place, we could not get the machine to sew.

Thankfully, my dear, skilled seamstress sister-in-law did the project perfectly for us.
We put the sewing machine back in the closet, knowing full well that we were only "seamstress wannabes"...

 

 

 

 

Oh, but wait, I found this picture this morning that my mother had given me, and as soon as I saw this dress, I had to smile.

I remember clearly when I did sit down to my mother's sewing machine 40some years ago, and I made the dress I have on.  My husband and I were going to a dinner and I wanted something new to wear.  I remembered my home ec classes and I knew I could make a dress.

 

What was I thinking?

I guess we were so much in love, that my husband would not have noticed the sewing job I did.

 

So it is with life, things are not as they appear.

With blogging, I try to keep my posts real.

I want to share the real, and yet to share only the uplifting and positive happenings.  There is enough of the negative bombarding us on a daily basis.

 

A little something from my heart today.

Thanks for stopping.

 

(I wish I would have saved that dress and scarf, in case you wanted to borrow it for your special occasions:)

 

 

Yesterday we welcomed another little grandson into our family.  What an amazing gift!
We are so thankful!

A little guy for mommy and daddy, and a little guy for our granddaughter.   Both with caps and blankets.  A great idea on our daughter's part.

 She was thrilled with her two new babies.  She has been carrying hers with her everywhere since then.  We think she might need a few lessons on "handling",  but in her own way, she is expressing love.

Congratulations to our daughter and son-in-law!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Simple pleasures of mine from the last few days;

Create a new vignette for my kitchen island.  Bring out the old glass bottles.  Walk around the house and pick some fresh flowers.

Place it all on a white plate, all the while wishing I posessed some of your artistic, flower arranging skills.

Bring the lamp down from the attic.  New view to look at each morning, when I walk into my kitchen.  Flowers and ambience add happiness to my day.  I get a bit bored with the same view, just like my blog banners:)

 

We enjoyed time with the little guys.  Feeding ducks seemed like a big adventure to them. 

For us, it was a relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

 

Especially at such a quaint, old, local park.

After the park, we had lunch at a local sandwich place.

Rare and treasured moments spent together.  Old and young learning from each other.

Do you sense a theme in this post?

Old bottles, an old park, and the "old" ones.

 

I never remember a summer with such gorgeous sunsets.

Breathtaking beauty that can make any day eventful.

This was taken early last evening.

 

 

And this was taken later in the evening.  I know you have seen a multitude of sunsets here on this blog.  I look at all that is happening in the current events of the world, and find it calms and quiets my heart when I see such supernatural beauty given to us as a gift from our Creator.  At the end of a day, no matter what that day held for me, whether joy or sadness, it brings comfort to me when I take in scenes like a brilliant sunset.  See the bird on the wire.

It is a brand new week and I pray that whatever it holds, you will find time for some simple pleasures that bless and comfort your heart.

Thank you for stopping by.

"Savor life as you would a latte-one drop at a time."   ~unknown

A new favorite of mine is the iced lattes from Starbucks.  A tall glass of ice, 1/2 pack of mixture, and a touch of my favorite creamer(french vanilla).  Perfect afternoon pick me up.

 

"Imitation is the sincerest flattery."    ~C.C. Colton

"Imitation is more important than knowledge."   ~Albert Einstein

This little one will have more opportunities than ever for imitation, with the soon arrival of her little brother.

 

"A smile is worth a million dollars but it doesn't cost a cent."  ~Roy B. Zuck

 I hope your weekend includes a latte, someone who imitates you and a heartwarming smile.

Your visits bring me a smile.  Thank you!

 

We took the sidewalk to the front door, past some of the most lucious hydrangeas we have ever seen.  We were greeted warmly by our dear friends.

As I watched my friend work effortlessly in her kitchen, preparing salads with goodies from her own garden, I was overcome with a sense of emotion and thoughts.

This past year she had faced huge painful hurdles in her cancer journey, including loosing her head of beautiful blond hair.  Whether she sported her attractive wigs, or showed up at picnics without hair, she did it all with such style and grace. Now her natural hair is a beautiful shade of silver, and she looked so radiant as she stood by her kitchen counter.  My heart overflowed with gratitude to God.

A gorgeous bouquet of flowers adorned the center of her dining room table.  Flowers from her gardens.  Her mother is a master gardener and thankfully she has inherited that ability.  I find myself still wondering how they do it?

The scrumptious tasting salad comprised of produce from her garden and eggs from her son-in-law and daughter's chickens.

Tiny vases of her flowers were sent home with each of us.  How special!  It is still sitting by my kitchen sink, and serves as a precious reminder of a wonderful evening.

 

The bowl of fresh fruit was the perfect summer dessert.

Small glass parfaits were filled with a key lime whipped dessert. 

Flower arrangements sitting in the nooks and crannies of the rooms, gave it all a garden feel.

It will remain a special memory for all of us that sat at this couple's table, last Saturday evening.  Life certainly does have it's times of joy and times of sadness.  Months ago, it would have been impossible for us to have pictured an evening like we had. 

Thank you for stopping by.

A few weeks ago I received this lovely invite in the mail.  It stated that as a birthday gift, my sister-in-law was given a dinner for six, cooked and served by  her daughters and daughter-in-laws.  All she had to do was invite five people of her choice.  Fortunately for us, she chose her sister-in-laws and her mother-in-law.  We all felt so honored to be invited.

Last Tuesday evening was the date chosen.  It was such a special occasion that I wanted to share it with all of you.  Her four girls puts so much time, thought, and skills into making it so memorable for us.

We were greeted in the living room with homemade lemonade and iced tea.  The perfect way to start a summer evening dinner party.

This fresh peach appetizer with prosciutto crostini was delicious!

Her beautiful daughters and daughter-in-laws, who were responsible for it all.  I have said it before, but as their "old" aunt, I find it almost unbelievable that they are all grown up already.  When you see them as babies and then all of a sudden they are lovely young women, you wonder where the time has gone. 

Rare treasured moments when we get to sit and eat together, especially when we did not have to cook or do the clean up.  My mother, sisters, sister-in-laws, and me.

Fresh spinach, poppy seed, and strawberry salad, served with grilled lemon chicken skewers with peanut sauce.

I remember how good each bite tasted.

Dessert...fresh homemade peach tart.  What a treat!

I must admit, I don't think I knew how to make peach tart when I was their age. 

Bags of homemade granola were given to each of us at the end of the evening.

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra."

~Jimmy Johnson

Thanks for stopping by tonight.