figfest...

I feel like I am the one who loves figs (besides my mom). Our sweet neighbors who have moved on have a fig tree in their front yard. The house is empty and it was killing me that these figs were not getting eaten. So me and the kiddos have been sneaking over and picking them. I'm sad because they are pretty much gone. There was a fig tree in my childhood, but I can't remember where it was....they remind me of being little. Thought I would get fancy and cook with them, but I ate them all.

growth chart!

GROWTH CHART!!! I've been wanting to do one & it usually takes a request to get things going. Thanks, Maggie! Painted on canvas with wooden dowels at top and bottom & ribbon for hanging. Size: 12"x42" & measures up to 60". Price=$80. Design can be whatever we think up!

pretty things

Some pretty things that are making me smile...2 pieces are recent bday items (that I got for myself!)

Triple E Pottery vase that I got for my bday. I got this at Sulm's on the square in Canton.


My shell bottle by Jamie Dietriech, I've been eyeing at Bella Ches (wonderful store in Renaissance-I get a lift every time I go in there) & then I saw they were 40% off-HAPPY DAY!

Beautiful Elizabeth Lyons glass decanters that are too pricey to even list the $. So these were not a bday purchase. Here's to wishing crate & barrel will do a knock-off. Aren't the color combos so fab.

messy wonderful life

mr. potato head.

ruthie unrecycling

the typical state of my "workshop"-they love to get into the ribbon...

Life with kiddos (or just life in general) is messy. You can't control it or try to. We are attempting to potty train, I've heard the woes-now I understand/appreciate all that I've heard. It's the pits. Not much serenity in my typical day-to-day. So I love when God gets my attention in His wonderful way and makes serenity happen. And it happened on my bday. I had about a 30 min (or less) nature walk at a ranch that is in my bro-in-law's family. I feel zip guilt for slipping away (only on your bday, right?) & saw all this beauty. God is the ultimate artist-all the fabulous flowers, trees & greenery, not all of them necessary. But they exist because they are beautiful-for our enjoyment. Love it. I was so full and content. Contentment is such a wonderful thing. When I allow myself to be discontent, my joy goes away. I'm constantly reminding myself of this. As I am typing this, I know I will be testing on all of this very soon...

I DO!!!!

Thanks ladies for your order: Leslie, Anna, Elisabeth & Paige. I completely appreciate it....Love, love, love doing these.

RAH-RAH pom POMS

You need to make these guys next party you have....I've seen them before & found a tutorial on Martha. Of course they look perfect on her site, mine are not perfect but festive. I have tons of these cocktail napkins, so I used these instead of tissue paper, I added sheets of newsprint too. I cut the ends to a point & you can round them for a more of a petal look. I used garbage ties twisted in the middle & fishing line for hanging...

My sweet niece came to spend the night with me and helped me make a bunch of these. Sweet girl. She made the party prep fun. Love her. MM loves to read. Her mom said she needed to go to bed at 10. So I "tucked her in" at 10 & left her reading her new book. Well she stayed up reading that book and finished it. Who knows what time she stayed up.

henry's partay

Above is the invite I did for the shindig. Henry's party was all about "summer"-watermelon, 4th of July, popsicles, sprinklers....I had SO much fun planning for this. I tried to keep my spending in check so I borrowed sprinkler & water toys from friends & sisters. And raided my mom's house for all things red & blue. I researched some water themed games & had tons of water balloons ready to toss.

Have to say I was so excited how the cake turned out. I can totally say this because I had help: the ladies at Kroger. My friend Sarah B. gave me this idea. They iced the cake for me-the top red and sides green. Then I added the green sour tape candy to the sides & then the black jelly bellies to the side. And added red sprinkles on top. Pretty easy....

Aunt Meg hooking Ruthie up....

Mae & Ruthie in their matching suits!!!
Had heavy duty water guns for the shoot the pin game...This one didn't go over because I didn't really put water in the water guns though.....details, details.

Below, they threw water balloons in the different buckets.


Mama said it was like Ruthie thought it was her party. She had a big time. I think Henry did too, but don't think he realized the party was for him. He opened a gift at the start of the party & would have been happy playing with it the entire time.



Below are little paper flowers I started making when I wanted some more decor at no cost. Just layers of cut paper & I put a cut up/scrunched cocktail napkin in the center.




Below: Bubble station....
Of course this "water art" game was my fave. Just got some water bottles & filled them with tempera paint & water. I had drawn out some b/w designs for the kids to spray with color.



These were Henry's party favors. Can't really tell, but they are popsicles molds I found at Michael's for $1 & paired it with a pinwheel that were at dollar tree.



Henry & his bud Steven...