just because . . .

When life gets busy . . . 

take the time to find joy in the small stuff. 

 Charlotte's chalkboard drawing . . . it is . . . "a girl with angry eyebrows that is mad at her dad and mom because they won't give her candy."  I think she really captured the "angry eyebrows". 

 Coffee just tastes better in a great mug.  Love this one!

 . . . my little partner in painting.  

 It doesn't matter how tired I am, what mood I am in, or what is going on around me . . . this face makes every day better!  

 . . . bringing a little sunshine indoors . . . 

 . . . Richard making dinner last night!

Index card challenge . . . making a little time to be creative every day. 

life's been busy . . . life's been fun . . .

I have only a few more days to work, but already I am enjoying this Summer.  There is something about Summer that makes life feel a little less complicated . . .

The last two weeks have been the kind of busy that seems to go on and on, but I can see the end of that and I am looking forward to a very relaxing summer . . . that's exactly what I need!

Summer days . . .

'cause a little bit of  Summer 

is what the whole year is all about

~ John Mayer

Summer is here and it's wonderful.  I didn't spend my weekend quite like I had planned, but it was a great weekend.  I had planned on working on some projects . . . but instead I let the summer heat draw me outside.  I love hot weather . . . so we did some yard work, spent sometime by the pool, and barbecued with the kids . . . with plenty of water and sunscreen.   

Sunflower Sunday . . .

Summer afternoon

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; 

to me those have always been 

the two most beautiful words in the English language."

~ Henry James

The sun was shining bright (complete with a sun bow) and the temperature was over 90 degrees . . .

 my favorite kind of day to work in the yard.  

Most of my giant sunflowers did not make it this year.  This is the second year in a row . . . I have about had it with snails.  I hesitate to use something to kill them because of Charlotte helping me in the garden, but next year I am going to have to do something.  I do have my one plant that came up all on it's own in one of my raised garden beds.  I will miss not having the giant flowers . . . but I am enjoying this beautiful plant.  It measured in Saturday at 13 feet and we have new sunflowers blooming every day.   I do believe this plant came up just to bring me joy!  

fun stuff this week . . .

 Paper Cranes and buttons . . . 

 her little hand that makes a peace sign 

when she tells me "Peace Amma". . . 

 notes for Papa . . .

little paper cranes and cupcakes for room 12 . . . 

all ready for a field trip to the zoo . . . 

hydrangeas appearing on my desk . . . 

 getting hair put on a new doll . . . 

sunflowers . . . 

little smiles . . . 

Some weeks are just full of good stuff . . .

HAPPY FRIDAY!

tall and taller . . .

 I asked Luke to stand next to my sunflower . . . to show how big it has gotten.  (Luke is 6' 4")

He did it a little unwilling at first, but being Luke he went along with it and had me laughing by the time we were finished . . . 

. . . mostly with this pose and the comment - "Here, let me do a Dad pose."

You can see the first flower blooming on top.  It looks like we may get quite a few of them - at least I am hoping we do.  I love sunflowers!  Again the snails have destroyed a few of my small plants coming up . . . but I am hoping for a few giant sunflowers this year too.  

Yesterday gave us thunder, lightening, hail, and some much needed rain.

My garden loved it . . . so did Luke.

just because I want to post something . . .

I love those random memories that make me smile 

no matter what is going on in my life.

My coffee mug for today . . . 

I decided while getting rid of things that I really don't need or want anymore . . . that I did need to keep and use this coffee mug .  I remember having a lot of fun on that trip . . . although if I remember right it rained most of the week we were in Colorado (camping in the rain is always interesting), we found out that Elvis passed away (we were actually sitting in the car while it was raining when we heard the news), and my boyfriend's brother did get us into a slight fender bender.  At first I thought this was from one of the DCI competitions we competed in, but realized it couldn't have been.

1977 . . . what were you doing?

I mentioned in a previous post that Charlotte and I planted sunflower seeds . . . no they were not magic seeds and did not grow this fast.  I have this one lone sunflower that started coming up in the middle of one of my raised flower beds . . . I can't wait to see it bloom!

"The sunflower is mine in a way."

~ Vincent van Gogh

sunflowers and hearts . . .

Charlotte and I planted sunflowers seeds yesterday.  How she loves to work in the yard and garden.  Her little fingers poked holes and dropped in seeds . . . then she had to water them of course.  I think I had as much fun as she did.   Her pink fingernails look like they could use some new nail polish after all of our yard work . . . we may have to do that tonight.  

We also cleaned out our garden shed this weekend.  I am not sure how it gets so full of things we don't need - or in such a state of disarray, but it is now in pretty good shape . . . except the outside needs painting.  That will have to be a job for this summer.  I forgot that Richard had put this in the concrete when we built the shed  - that has to have been about 10 years ago.  It made me smile.

Sunflowers and hearts . . . add in some beautiful weather, throwing out all kinds of stuff,  Jennifer and Lily coming over to eat, and watching Goonies outside on the big screen . . . that all adds up to a good weekend!