pink is always a good color

It is not easy painting a 2 year old's finger nails, but we managed to get it done without too much of a mess and not too many smudges.  She was so excited when I told her we were going to paint her nails . . . she is such a girl.  I wish I had gotten a picture of the expression on her face. 

Little girls are such magical things!

Saturday fun!

Yesterday was such a fun day with Charlotte.  Richard and I took her to Lowe's to get plants for the garden and some flowers.  That in itself was a great day . . . she took the garden section very serious and helped pick out plants . . . I let her choose the colors of flowers that she wanted.   From there we did lunch and frozen yogurt.  She insisted on that large gummy shark . . . I knew when I saw it that she would pick that for a topping. 

We went home an got the plants in the garden beds.  I can't tell you how many times she moved the flowers from one spot to another before we got them planted.  She takes working very serious.  Then the real fun - painting her feet.  I saw these cute footprint butterflies on Pinterest.  We  put a few butterflies on flower pots to give to family.  

I was trying to figure out how to give the kids their Easter gifts this year.  They all have baskets already . . . so I had bought each of them a new beach towel and I got the idea of folding them into a basket/bag to hold all their goodies.  I am excited about the book that I got for the girls . . . Yoko's Paper Cranes . . . very cute story.

Happy April

"There is a road from the eye to the heart 

that does not go through the intellect."

~ Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Not a very good tasting beer . . . but I love the bottle.  I was thinking they would make really great glasses.  Richard has been wanting to try cutting bottles and making them into glasses.  This would probably be my choice of bottle . . . I would just have to find someone else to empty them.

Richard surprised me with this t-shirt yesterday.  He gives me a very hard time about liking Bumgarner . . . especially this year.  He has even called me a traitor - (but I am still a Cardinal fan.) But hey . . .  I read that his first word was "ball", he owns a bassett hound named Bohunkus, he got married in blue jeans, and he is a stud pitcher
 . . . I love this guy!
  Opening Day of  baseball is Sunday.  We will be watching the Cardinals/Cubs game.
GO REDBIRDS!  
Easter may just have to include some hot dogs/polish dogs this year.  I remember one year - Opening Day . . . and Richard wasn't home for one reason or another.  He told me later after he had called me and I told him I was making polish dogs, drinking a beer, and watching a game . . . that he just kept thinking . . . that is what we do - and that he loved me and that he just wanted to be home.  You have to love baseball!

 Walt Whitman once said, "I see great things in baseball. It's our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us." You could look it up.  
 ~ Annie Savoy, Bull Durham

This is obviously something I would notice . . . 

I love simple days . . . and simple pleasures.  

This week has been like that and it is exactly what I need.  

Happy April!

just add flowers

One of the six pack holders that Richard made for a friend . . . 

Not just for beer.  I think it is even better used this way.

March Photo Challenge 3/31 . . . self

Note to self 

Be Clare.

Keep praying.

Never give up.

Do everything with love.

Be Happy!

Antique Fair

We walked around an antique fair this past Sunday . . . always a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  I couldn't help but notice that gargoyle, but it was a little too creepy - even for someone who likes creepy things.  I also really liked the big chair - but Richard thought that was a little creepy looking also.  It was a fun day . . . even without buying a gargoyle or a creepy chair.  

March Photo Challenge . . . favorite moment of the month

I chose this picture of Charlotte for my favorite moment of the month.  It was last Sunday afternoon.  I had decided to take a nap and I was waking up - Richard walked into the bedroom with Charlotte . . . who had also just woken up from her nap.  She snuggled into my arms and said "Hi Amma."  As she woke up a little more she wanted to see my phone - so I snapped a few photos of her.  

It was quiet, the afternoon sun was coming in the window . . . and all seemed right with the world.

March Photo Challenge 3/29 . . . hanging

A few weeks ago I pieced together some butcher paper, taped it together, and folded a rather large paper crane.  It was a little harder than I thought and I spent quite a lot of time crawling around on my living room floor while folding it.  I had to enforce it with some small dowels, and even then it would not stand up . . . so I finally got around to hanging it up so I could take a picture of it.  I think I will make another one eventually, but not quite so big.  I had thought about hanging it up higher in one of the trees in our back yard . . . Richard was even up on a 12 foot ladder stringing a line to get started, but I decided it would take be easier just to hang it off this trellis . . . the photo probably would have been better if it had been high up in the tree, but I now at least have a picture of it hanging up.

March photo challenge 3/28 . . . incomplete

I still have not finished this doll.  I'm not sure why.  I have had the time and I like how she is turning out.  I had in my head that I wanted a girl scout pin for her dress, so I had to wait until I got to an antique store to find one . . . I started this little doll awhile ago.  I need to get her finished.  I have a couple ideas for her story . . . so maybe since I am on vacation this week - I will get her finished.

March photo challenge 3/27 . . . graffiti

 . . . or rather non-graffiti.

I thought finding graffiti to take a picture of would be easy and I guess if I would have driven further it would have been, but instead I found this everywhere I looked.  I guess it is a good thing that our city paints over the graffiti, but honestly this doesn't look much better.  I did see some interesting people behind some of the stores I drove behind.  I guess if you are trying to hide what you are doing . . . alleys behind stores are the place to go.  

I have seen some interesting graffiti before, but for the most part it is ugly and costly . . . I guess I could have come up with a better prompt.  

Kasey's Easter Wreath

I went and had dinner with Jake and Kasey last night.  Kasey was very excited to show me the Easter wreath that she made.  So simple . . . just a styrofoam wreath, plastic eggs, a bow, and a hot glue gun.  Ashley made one too - after seeing the idea on Pinterest.  It is so bright and fun!  I love it . . . and I love my daughter-in-law!

March photo challenge 3/26 . . . shoes

March photo challenge 3/25 . . . Healthy

I thought for awhile about what to take a photo of for this prompt.  I do all kinds of things that are healthy for me.  I walk and run, I play tennis, I try to eat right, I meditate and journal, I drink plenty of water . . . take my vitamins and necessary meds.  I spend time with the people I love and "try" to get enough sleep.  I pray . . . I think I try to take care of mind, body, and spirit.  I looked down at my arm yesterday and noticed my melanoma bracelet . . . and decided on that for a photo.  

It has been a little over three years since I was diagnosed with melanoma.  It came at sort of a stressful time of my life - but life is like that.  

I was just at my oncologist's office this week for a check up - which always makes me feel lucky and because I have to have a scan next week - also a little apprehensive.  It's nothing to worry about - more being over cautious than anything . . . but I always think a little more about it until I get the results back.  I also believe life is way to short to be anything but happy . . . so I choose to do that everyday.  It works!

"Health is the greatest gift,

contentment the greatest wealth,

faithfulness the best relationship."

                                             ~  Buddah

March photo challenge . . . PINK

"I BELIEVE IN PINK."  

~ Audrey Hepburn

One of my favorite coffee mugs . . . mainly because it is cute, but it is also very big and holds a lot of coffee.  I'm on my second cup today . . . that may or may not be a good thing.

LOVE PINK!

When you are painting something pink - it always is a good idea to have a little girl help you!

I am going to have to sand this side again . . . she really knows how to glop on the paint.  She told her daddy that she needed old clothes and shoes before she could help me.  We ended up with paint everywhere . . . even in her pigtails.  It was worth the mess!  I am painting an old entertainment center that I found at Goodwill into a little dress up place for her.  I have to find a cute mirror, add a dowel to hang up clothes, find some cute baskets and clothes hangers, and whatever else may come to mind.  I hope to get it done during Spring Break.  

Thank heaven for little girls!

March photo challenge . . . 5:00 pm

5:00 pm today . . . or close to it . . . 

 Richard surprised me by pulling into Eddie's Bakery.  I had an appointment earlier with my oncologist . . . and even though everything went fine I think he thought I needed some cheering up.  It worked!  It wasn't so much about the bakery and getting something delicious to eat . . . but about him being thoughtful and trying to cheer me up.  He said my eyes lit up like a kid when I realized where he was taking me . . . . I guess you are never to old for a treat after seeing the doctor.  We bought a small strawberry cheesecake, a chocolate eclair, and a couple of thumbprint cookies for Charlotte (with sprinkles) . . . her eyes lit up too.

Whoever said money cannot buy happiness, 

has obviously never shopped in a bakery.