Little Women

Jordan has always loved to play house. When she was little she always had a baby doll(Bitty Baby from American Girl) and she always wanted to help me do whatever I was doing at the moment. She hasn't changed much in 10 almost 11 years. She's still my partner. No matter what I'm getting into I can count on Jordan's inquisitive little mind to be right there with me. She gets her insatiable curiosity from me so it stands to reason we should explore the world together. Usually we get so excited we end up dragging Taylor into whatever project her teenageness is trying to avoid.

I love you Jordan. Thank you for your happy partnership in all that I do. You and sissy are my best friends. I love spending time with you more than anyone else in the world.

Do you recognize this teen-ager?????

Taylor, my first-born, my heart is 14. Compared to most she is a wonderful teenager--
Respectful, responsible, willing to help out.............

(texting instead of washing dishes) CAUGHT IN THE ACT

But every once in a while TEEN-AGE-DOM rears it's ugly head.

I love you Tay. Thanks for being so patient with a MOM who's a camera bug. You'll thank me one day. You're my world.

Waiting for WATERMELON

My brother Ben and his wife came over to cook out. We cut the first watermelon of the season for us. Here the kids are all waiting patiently for a sweet juicy treat and rolling it like a ball on table. Amazing what will keep little ones entertained isn't it?

See any family resemblance?

My new planters.....

I found these rain boots at a local thrift store. Aren't they CUTE! I'm going to use them for planters. Although I'm enjoying them just as they are sitting there all colorful and happy beside the front door. Even without flowers they're awesome. Have a great day!

My favorite spot in the world............

This is one of those random moments that happens at my house. One of the girls will jump in for a hug and the other one jumps on. I'm very, very thankful for these moments especially with my 14 year old. I'm thankful everytime one of them sits beside me on the sofa and leans over to lay her head on my shoulder or crawls up beside me with a book when I'm laying in bed reading. Just quiet ways they say, "I (still) like your company, Mom." They know they are MY very favorite people in the world, but it's nice to realize that sometimes I make the top of their lists too.

Ribbon--- The new Duct Tape

Have you ever noticed how a little scrap of ribbon makes anything look better? Just like duct tape will fix anything, ribbon will compliment annything. I don't know if I love ribbon because I have two girls, because I'm a girl or because by george it's just a great invention! But ribbon really does just make such a difference. Take for example these plain little notebooks. We bought them for Taylor to give her friends as end-of-the-year gifts at school. My scrap ribbon just transformed them. Now they're magic,they're majestic, they're.....well you get the point. We liked them so much she made some to sell in the store on Etsy. I mean who doesn't need a notebook all dressed up in ribbonry?

I'm the same way with curling ribbon on gifts and gift bags. I just can't get enough. So today dear friends I wish you lots of RIBBON!

Garden Upcycling Project-- Gazing Balls

In the spirit of recycling we try to use the same resourcefulness in our garden. Not only does it save our natural resources it saves us money. These gazing balls are one of our upcycling projects.


This pink ball sits on an old cement birdbath base. I measured the top and went to Michael's to buy a round glass bowl with the opening the same size as the top of my birdbath base. Then I bought 4 or 5 bottles of cheap nail polish in my favorite color and i dumped them all in the glass bowl. I swirled the polish around until the inside of the glass bowl was coated. Then I turned the bowl upside down and left it on the deck for a couple days to dry and cure. Viola my new gazing bowl in a custom color to match my impatiens.

You can also just sit the balls straight on the ground. This blue one is a thrift store light fixture I picked up for .25 then coated with blue nail polish. I have also heard that old colorful bowling balls make great gazing balls if you can pick them up for a good price. I just found a purple and a gold one. More pics to follow....