Flag Day

When I was at the cabin a few weeks ago, I bought this fun patriotic tablecloth.  While Bob was mowing and chopping wood, and being very productive, I hauled the few things I had out to the deck and played with the dishes.

 I bought this cute couple while shopping with my sister.

I don't have fancy dishes at the cabin ~ but what I do have is red and white.  I brought our old set of everyday white dishes up and then bought these plastic red dishes.  I don't use paper plates much.

This little box has a surprise inside.  

I love this wagon I found a few years ago ~ perfect for the deck.  I hope my flowers are still alive when we go back in a week or so!

~ A peaceful setting ~

Joining Kim for Wow Us Wednesday.

And Susan for Tablescape Thursday.

And Sherry for the Block Party.

Sweet Endings

My 2 sweet boys on the last day of zoo school.  They went one day a week, learned about different animals, and took a walk through the zoo each week.  It was extra special that they could be in the same class.  Although I'm sure the teacher had her hands full!

These boys are best buddies, born 5 weeks apart, to my twin daughters.  They are the closest we will get to twin grandchildren ~ lol.

And here is sweet Jackson, I hope he gets to go to zoo school, but it's about an hour away from his house so I'm not so sure he'll get the chance.

Jackson and I spent some time with the meerkats ~ so cute.

Then, on to Kindergarten graduation.  Elizabeth was so excited.

Ben and Grandpa are ready.

Part of her fan club.

And, here is a blurry picture of our girl.  She was so nervous to be up front of all of the people.  She did such a good job.  We are very proud of her. 

 {I tried to blur out the friends faces.}  {Laura and her friend made all of the graduation caps!}

 

More milestones for the grands, I am so glad I was able to be a part of them.  Nothing takes the place of being a part of their daily lives.  It was hard to leave our lives in Kansas, and all of our friends, but it has been worth it to be with these children.  They are my very heart.

Now we are all ready for some summer fun!!

Up North

We've been at our cabin in Northern Wisconsin for a week or so, getting it ready for a summer visit from our girls and grands.

We bought our cabin about 5 years ago, when we lived much CLOSER.  It is  a challenge to get there from Texas, but we try to get up 3 to 5 times a year.  We bought our cabin up north, because we have a great deal of family and old friends within about 2 hours or so.  It is our way to stay in touch with these important people in our lives.  

Now, to go to the cabin, requires a plane trip, rental car, parking at the airport, etc. {We are 2 hours from the airport.}  We hope when Bob retires in a year or so, that it will be much easier. 

Here is a picture of our little lake, taken last year.  This year I didn't take a shot from this spot, which is really the end of our lake.  It is a tiny lake, less than 50 acres, but very deep.  It's a great fishing lake, which is nice for Bob, he's enjoying fishing again, which he hasn't done since he was a little kid.

This is a picture I am going to take every spring, to measure the change in the water level.  Last year we stepped down into the boat probably at least a foot.  We are so thankful for all the snow and rain that they have had up north.  {Not so sure the people living there can say the same thing!!}

 Bob did a lot of fishing, although they weren't biting yet because the water is still so cold.  I only went on the boat a couple of times for the very same reason!


I found this little nest on the way to the boat.  

Also, in our little woods, a sweet flower grows.  It is a trillium, and I have only seen them growing in the wild in northern Wisconsin.  I remember them from when I was a little girl, visiting my grandma.  I have always believed that they were illegal to pick, but I don't believe that is true in Wisconsin.

But, I don't pick them, and I tread very carefully on the path to the boat as they line the path.

You can see a few of the trees that our beavers took down.  Pretty soon, we will be little cabin on the prairie, instead of little cabin in the big woods!!

Now we are back ~ and getting our patios ready for summer fun.  Our furniture is dirty so I spent the day with the power washer.  It is hard work in this 100 degree heat we have been having.  All I want to do is float!

I hope to have some after pictures to share at the summer parties that The Picket Fence is hosting.

Wish me luck!

Memorial Day

~Freedom isn't free~

Thank you to all of our service men and women.  

All of these pictures were taken by me at the American Cemetery, overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy, France.  It is a profoundly moving place, and absolutely beautiful. 

Highlights of May

May is flying by!

I thought I might drop in to my poor neglected blog and record just a bit of our May.

Bob and I began the month with a quick trip to Tucson to visit my parents.  My parents moved there, probably about 20 years ago, when my father retired.  My mother has been battling cancer for about 5 years now and it is very difficult for us {their 5 children} that they live so far away.

But, my mother's spirits remain high and I am glad we were able to get a quick visit in before the summer craziness begins.

Of course, the next weekend was Mother's Day, and I was able to spend the day with our 2 daughters and their families.

I love these photo cards!

And I was thrilled to receive a photo book of our family trip to Disney World.  They couldn't have given me any thing I love more.  {materially I mean, I already have everything I love ~ namely them, and those 4 darling grands !!}  

                                                                                    

My gift from Bob was to heat up the pool ~ and we all spent the day enjoying it ~ my favorite way to spend the day!

Since Mother's Day, I haven't taken a single picture but have had lots of opportunities!


Our Book Club finished out the year with a viewing of Water for Elephants.  We read the book in April, and went to one of those movie theaters that serve food and had lunch while we watched.  The movie was good, not great, and I thought it followed the book fairly well.  I am not a good reviewer ~ but if you enjoyed the book {which I did} you will like the movie.


We hosted a neighborhood picnic at our communal pool this weekend.  {by we I mean a small group ~ not Bob and me!}  We haven't had too many social activities and a few of us are trying to get the neighborhood more active.  The party was easy, we just served hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, and watermelon.  We wanted people to just be able to come and not worry about food or anything.  The purpose was to connect with the new people and I think it was a success.


We have had some fun with the grandchildren too this month.  Cooper has had a few soccer games, and last night we had Ben and Elizabeth and took them out to dinner at a cute little hamburger place that just opened up near us.  Tomorrow is the last zoo walk for parents at zoo school, so I will go along and push Jackson in his stroller so Laura and Jessica can walk with the boys.  I am sure we will celebrate with lunch at the zoo.  At the end of the month, Elizabeth will graduate from Kindergarten ~ better remember my camera for a few of these milestones!!!


So, that's recap of our May thus far.  So many wonderful moments.  


I love every minute!

Easter Fun

We enjoyed a beautiful Easter Sunday with both of our daughters and their families.  We attended their church with them, and enjoyed the beautiful music with orchestra that their large church enjoys.  We left church to the wonderful song "Oh Happy Day" ~ wasn't that perfect to dance your way out of church on Easter ~ the happiest day of all!?!

We had our big meal last Sunday, so this was just a simple Easter brunch, served in the kitchen with the everyday dishes.  But still springy and fun.  I notice that I cut off the pitcher of yellow tulips that tied this whole table together ~ photographer I am not!

But, before we could sit down, we headed out to search for some Easter treats.  The bunny is very careful to leave each child their own color eggs, it makes the hunt last a little longer and makes it fair for our littlest hunter.


Cooper spots a pink one, and I caught him yelling for Elizabeth!

Grandpa helps Jackson search for his orange eggs, his were filled with bunny crackers.

We ended our egg hunt with cascarones.  I have never seen these anywhere we have lived, except Texas.  It is a Mexican tradition, I think, of coloring real eggs and filling them with confetti.  I bought a dozen for each child {big ones too} and they had fun cracking them on each others heads.  Silly fun, the kind that I hope memories are made of.

Colorful fun.

I hope your Easter was filled with blessings and the joy of family celebrating the gift of the Risen Lord.