It's a shower!

 

 

Yesterday afternoon, we had a bridal shower for my dear, dear, dear, DEAR cousin, Katy Brown (Isaacs)!  It was a special time with our great-aunts from our MaMaw's side of the family. 

 

Here are the details...

(Warning...lots of pics!) :)

Goodbye to the Garden

A very blessed September 1st to you! 

 

Today we got the garden cleaned out.  (Whew, it was humid!)  I love the garden, but am always glad to have all the dead vines and plants out.  There were several times this year that we thought it wouldn't make it, but it did and we were blessed with a great harvest! 

 

Gardening Goodies

It has been a while since I have posted on the blog!  Life is busy, but good.  Our summer has been full of picking, canning, school, a few sewing projects, and just living life!

Here are some pictures of our gardening goodies:

Wild blackberries ready to be washed and turned into 15 pints of blackberry jam!

(Late June)

Summer Craft Exchange-2012

Yippee!  I can, finally, tell you about my latest craftiness!  My little package has made it's way to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota!  But wait...I am getting ahead of myself.  :)

This was my second time participating in the Craft Exchange.  (Here is my post from last November.)  I was excited to join the fun, again!  I was paired up with Mrs. Alyssa (http://www.hems2dolls.blogspot.com/) all the way from Minnesota!  I had a hard time deciding what to make...so I just glued a little, beaded a little, and sewed a little.  :)  My package included: rosette hair pins, bead-balls, and a tangerine-scented rice pack with a baggie to match.

An Anniversary...

I wanted to wish, publicly, my dear Daddy and Momma a happy 20th wedding anniversary, tomorrow!  Twenty years of marital bliss and I have been around for 17 of it.  :)

Everyday Blessings

"Ahhhhhhhhh..."

That is my reaction, tonight!  It has been a wonderful day.  We spent the day as a family and just did some special things.  We simply enjoyed being together.  Tonight, we all went outside and did some odd-jobs around the house.  I know, years from now, I will cherish these days.  (Well, I do, now!)  I love the enveloping coolness of the evening after a warm day, the fresh scent of the earth as we pull weeds or plant flowers, the trickling of the hose as we water the garden, the sheer beauty of creation as it comes to the day's close, and the joy of just being together as a family.  "Ahhhhhh!"  I love days like this!  Life's special moments...such a blessing.  The Lord always knows what we need!

Garden Views

Leah's Blueberries

Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings!

Remaining in Him,

May Happenings

It's been almost a month since I last posted, "I'm a Homeschool Graduate!"  (It is still hard for me to believe that I have graduated!)  :)

My past few weeks have been filled with Birds Nest Necklaces, bead-balls, gardening, mini apple pies, the homeschool conference, sewing, reading, fresh lettuce and onions from our garden, spending time with family, and a little bit of everything in between.

Here are some pics:

Some Birds Nest charms I was in the process of making and bagging up...

A bead-ball...I have been experimenting with different colors.

Mini apple pies!  Oh-so-good!

My rosebush a few weeks ago...

My latest sewing project...a child's elephant toy.

This one is so cute!

I love the big floppy ears...

I think these little elephants would make great gifts...they are so precious!  I look forward to making them for my little brothers (in some boyish colors)!  :)

Wow, it's June...so hard to believe!  Hope you have had a blessed one!

Until next time...

I'm a Homeschool Graduate!

As of Thursday evening, my cousin, Katy, and I have officially graduated from Heaven's Treasure Academy!  Wow...I am a homeschool graduate!  It is really hard to believe.

We had this special ceremony planned for months.  Thursday evening came very, very quickly...everything was ready and we were excited!  We (myself, Leah, Momma, Katy, Kandace, Clara, Andrew, and Aunt Pam) all went out on a special lunch.  Then, Katy and I got our hair curled!  :)  (That was so fun!)  We had professional family pictures taken beforehand and then at 6:30pm, it started!  It was a very special time...very bittersweet.  We had a wonderful night celebrating our many years of homeschooling!

Here is our program...

Here is my graduation slideshow...   

Now on to some pictures...

After I got my hair done...

Katy, Ms. Cindy, and Me

My display table...representing ME!!!

I am sharing about my homeschooling and future plans...

My lovely Momma...

My wonderful Daddy...

Our Daddies prayed over us...

I'm a graduate!

My diploma!

Our sweet sisters were a big help!

Curls...  :)

Here we are with our siblings...minus Clara...

Needless to say, it was a night to remember!  I would like to thank my Daddy and Momma for everything they have done...their prayers, dedication to follow the Bible's teachings, their time, effort, energy, and I could go on and on!  They are the best!

I have had several people ask me about my "future" plans...so here it goes!  :)  I have 57 college credits through CLEPing and DSSTing (test taking for college credit).  I am going to try to get my Bachelor's from Thomas Edison State College through CLEPing...I can get my whole degree at home!  I believe it is Biblical for young women to stay under their father's protection, until the Lord brings their husbands.  The only reason I am pursuing my degree is so I can be prepared if our nation, one day, requires a college education to homeschool our children.  I am preparing to be a stay-at-home wife and mother.  (Titus 2:4-5)  I look forward to what the Lord has in store!

Sorry for such a long blog post!  :)  I had a lot to share!

Many blessings!

A Blessed Day

I would like to thank everyone for all the birthday wishes!  (All the phone calls, emails, visits, and messages...I appreciate it!)  It has been a blessed day!

My Daddy took me out on a "date" for lunch...we had a wonderful time.  So special!

When we got home, I had a pretty little package waiting for me.  It took me on a treasure hunt to find this...

Hot chips and ginger ale...Leah gave me my favorite junk food!  :)  What a sweet sis!  (Hot chips...I love those things...the hotter the better!)  

I started in the kitchen, went outside, and finally ended up in the boys' closet, upstairs.

Here are my rhyming clues and let me not forget, the gift certificate to Stick Boys in Boone...my favorite bakery!  (Blueberry scones and cinnamon rolls, here I come!)  My family knows what I like... :)

Snapshots by Leah...

For supper, my dear Momma fixed me a fabulous meal.  It included roasted chicken, dressing, gravy, green beans, and cantaloupe (compliments of Maw-Maw Brown).  :)  We had pineapple ice cream with fresh strawberries for dessert...yum!  :)  It was SO GOOD!

I am one blessed 17 year old!!!  I thank the Lord for another year to serve Him and for His many blessings!

P.S. If you would like to see some pictures of past birthdays...click here for last year's post.

Oh Happy Day!

It has "officially" happened to me...I am OLD!  (Well, not until 11:19am, but we're getting close.)  I am 17, today.  It is really hard to believe...

Then...

Now...

My family is so sweet! They make me feel so special! I love you, all!