Long Weekend

There is nothing like a long weekend.  We spent it together.  And boy did I need that!  There was no running anywhere, no concerts, no rehearsals, nothing we had to do on the calendar.  And the things on my to do list got pushed to the week.  We really needed a break this weekend!

We did things in and around the house that we like to do.  I arranged some new garlands I bought.  Really into floral and I wanted this to brighten up my family room.  (ps.. for a proper Memorial Day mantle please go here to my friend Billie Jo)







And these in my kitchen light blue and pink.  They match my Cath Kidston oilcloth that is on my kitchen table during meals.







 And they also match my collection of Emma Bridgewater mugs.  These new garlands were necessary.



Abigail did some summer shoe shopping with me. I bought her a pair of sandals and she decided she need the butterfly pair and the sneekers so she bought those herself.



I got a chance to catch up on baking



While Scott worked hard in the yard.





We still have a long way to go but we finally got a chance to redo our front step planters and finished what I call our 'fairy tale walkway'.

Before... a long winter sure does leave Scott with a lot of landscaping work.. but he does an awesome job)



(after... with the phone)



Only a million more bags of mulch and we'll be done.

In the afternoon we went out for iced tea



and gift card spending at Barnes and Noble (not sure why she wanted a picture with these, except that we love NYC)



There was time for an afternoon nap while reading.



And relaxing with some markers.



While mowing he noticed a nest in our sweet cherry tree.





And Abigail's face says exactly what she saw inside! Love this!



On Sunday after Mass the girls and I attended the Rosary Group. After praying the Rosary, Father Sid came in to bless the rosary beads we made. (this is Fr. Sid on Easter with Abigail... I felt kinda funny snapping a picture of him blessing our beads. It was so moving and beautiful... even a phone picture would have ruined it.)



But here was are at home with our just blessed, yes we made them ourselves, Rosary beads. And we love them.



No, we didn't plan the dress to match... it just did.







Sunday afternoon found us at the pool for the first time this year swimming.







And Monday, well, I already posted on that. Just time at home, together, playing games, me pretending it was a winter cozy day...

And off we go to a new week of school.

Winter Girl

This is me today. I know, it's Memorial Day. A day of remembrance, and for many the start to summer. Picnics, parades, sunny til late at night, the mud room back door swings open and closed a million times a day, happiness, giggles, the schedule loosens (soon), red white and blue.

But I'm a winter girl. No, I don't ski, or sled really. I think I'm an indoor winter girl. I love the cozy, the dark early nights, the fireplace on all day, flannel jammies, long nights, hot tea, extra layers, and the snow that makes the world so pretty.

Today they forecasted pouring rain. Downpours all day. And I was excited because it was our day at home. Cozy, cozy home. A day to relax, putter around my house, feel inspired, redecorate, read extra long, have my morning prayer time not rushing, read the Bible, listen to the girls play all day. You know, like it's winter outside. Except that it rained for like 20 minutes and took away my cozy with the bright sunshine.

I'll join this "yah, it's summer" bandwagon. Soon. I will. But just for the record, I'm a winter girl.

The Great Big Snoopy Nine Post

A few days before she actually turned nine we had a big, happy birthday party for our girl. And I can't believe it has taken me so long to get these photos here! (the party was waaaay back on May 14th)

It was such a hap hap happy day! (music please... cuz we cranked it)

And picking the Peanuts Theme was easy for us... because this year Abigail found dance made her feel better. (more on that back here) (and more on that back here)

I found these plates (I {heart} melamine)



and at first I thought that the plates would be the girls 'take home' but then we found these on Etsy... swoon!





We wrapped them up in little bags and layered them on top of a cake stand (with the "little red head girl" signature color)









In the movie the Little Red Haired Girl has a pink sparkly pencil with a feather at the end. So we made that idea into favors also.









The 'birthday tree' holds all of our happy birthday parties. She's seen a tea party, an art party, she's turned into a Hawaiian lulu, and more.









The best part of a birthday party is to see the twinkle in her eyes.





She oozes with gratitude when it's all set up.



Love you my little red haired girl!











It's fun to set up but the magic happens when the girls arrive.









Music was on





Our first activity was to create your own comic strip. I wasn't quite sure how this would go... but they ended up loving it and kept writing and coloring through the read aloud.














For the food we used the idea from 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'.  Jelly beans, pretzels, popcorn (and we added in hot dogs)











Found this adorable hot dog steamer... perfect for the party! (and for summer lunches)

























And then it was time for our craft. Scott had the wonderful idea of having the girls make snoopy's red barron plane.





They had fun making them and fun flying them!





And before we knew it, it was time for this birthday girl to turn nine.









Love this one!





It was a beautiful sunny day but we had a little problem with the wind.







After cupcakes they danced... more!









Now, when the girls from her class leave, the family party starts. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins!

(grandma bee... Scott's Mom)



(Uncle Trent, my brother)





And I'm so so tired by that point that my camera barely gets picked up... so I have no photos of Abigail with grandma or grandpa, other cousins, etc. But they were all there!

We ate more and she opened family presents.











We moved inside for this cake so that we could avoid the wind.







Because she has allergies I have to make (from scratch) any cakes/cupcakes she eats. So I made this one with little cupcake rings going around the base.









You gave us such a fun day sweet girl.  I love so much who you are.  Joy!

... and we ALL love our little red haired girl...