Happy 4th Birthday Sweet Girl !

Hope your special day is full of happiness and joy...


And sweet surprises -just like you are!

Grammy and Grandpa love you more than words can say! Happy Birthday!

Slip n- Slide Fun!

I should be in bed getting rested up for my super-long work day tomorrow...but these pictures were too cute not to share! The girls came again tonight for a little while. It was still ridiculously hot so crazy grammy decided she could tackle two little girlies, a wacky water palm tree, a slip-n-slide, and a camera. The result --some of my favorite pictures yet.

Our beautiful summertime girl

First trip down

In the splash pool...with an appreciative audience

Uh oh...looks like trouble...and nobody got hurt ;o)


Sweet Ella LOVES water


Time for a drink

Fearless girl

Great, wet, muddy, messy summer evening fun!

Alot Has Happened Since Mother's Day...

So I have been a VERY negligent blogger for the last month or so. Lots of things going on and I have let picture editing and blogging fall by the wayside. My biggest (perhaps only) blog fan/hubby has been bugging me to get some more pics up so here goes...

I found a new recipe for a chocolate buttercream icing that is yummy!!! And made some fun cupcake toppers for our "progressive" 4th of July party! The center of the toppers were a printable from Paper & Pigtails

This is a graduation/going away card I made for a wonderful young man from our church who left for West Point a couple of weeks ago. I like the way it turned out.

And one more graduation card that I was really pleased with. Always love butterflies :o)

Since I am being totally random, here are some yard shots I like. This is the potting bench my hubby made for me a while back. Still love it :o)

Pretty begonias on the table

LOVE daisies and these are such a pretty color

Last but not least is sweet little Annie dog who badly needed a visit to the groomer standing in the grass that needed to be mowed...both have since been accomplished.

Now for the always too adorable grandgirls...

Ella the chair climber --she looks pretty proud of herself doesn't she?


Now for some crock climbing...notice how we stay with the climbing theme :o)




Once again I love the "proud of my accomplishment" look on her sweet little face

Moving on to our big girl...
One day out of the blue Olivia came to me and said..."I need a cowgirl hat so I can say YeeHaw!!! So off grammy went to the basement/pit and found her daddy's old cowboy hat and boots! She LOVED them!


Then the guest room turned into "The Cowgirl Campout Sleepover Party"

While the cowgirl was resting we decided to put up Tom's old tent in the backyard.
It was a huge hit!

We had to have a popcorn snack

And a little "cheese"

Then a little clean up

This face says JoY!

Grandpa provided entertainment with some juggling...much to Olivia's enjoyment!

They tossed a baseball back and forth and Olivia laughed till I thought she would fall off her chair!





Lastly...for now...for the one of you that has perservered to the end of this exciting picture marathon...Olivia ASKED ME TO TAKE HER PICTURE!!! That NEVER happens. So I HAD to oblige :o)


Seems like a good place to end the picture marathon...Hopefully I'll see you again before August :o)

Happy Mother's Day!

It was a beautiful Mother's Day. I really missed my sweet girl Melissa but enjoyed talking to her on the phone. Andy made all of us a delicious lunch with grilled chicken and lots of other good stuff. He told me later he wants no part of being a chef...even though it was a super good. Guess I'll have to keep cooking :o)

I made this card for my mom (and for Andy's mom too) We were both blessed with super good mothers and we are thankful!

Pretty hanging basket for my momma from my sister Lori and me

My sweet momma and me

Great Grandma and Olivia making a playdough cake

Pretty soon everyone got in on the playdough fun

Little daredevil Ella standing on the edge of her seat playing

Want some playdough cake Grammy?

There's a sweet smile...Ella and Grandpa are apparently up to something fun

Grammy and Ella sharing smiles in the kitchen



It was FINALLY warm and beautiful here this weekend so I finally got the porch ready for spring then today the kids added this beautiful hanging basket

This basket should look familiar. I laughed when the kids brought it in. It is the exact basket I picked out for my mom...I thought it was the prettiest basket in the greenhouse and now I have one of my own --Thanks guys!


Some Mother's Day family photos of my lovely daughter-in-law Jennifer and her sweet family



All three moms...Ella was in desperate need of a nap by now

Playing with grammy's bracelet helped...but she was not supposed to eat it

Reflecting on a great day spent with (or talking to)the people I love most in the world makes me one thankful momma/grammy!