Happy New Year!!!

 It's the dawn of a new year....

...a time to reflect on the past...

...and anticipate the future...

It's a beautiful new day.... the start to a beauty-filled year....

Care to join me on this ride?

Bring it on, I say..... bring. it. on.

Let's see where it takes us!

{Happy New Year to you and yours!}

Merry Christmas!

From our home to yours..... Merry Christmas!

One last Christmas....give it away

(I'm not sure why it won't load on here.... but you can watch it on YouTube here)

This is an amazing story....  of  love, of grief, of giving.

In this time of year when the "give me's" get overwhelming..... a little reminder of what is really important in life.

Family. Love. Community. Giving.

(we know a bit about a community stepping up in our time of need... and for that we are still humbled and thankful)

How do you intend to give back this holiday season?

This might not be a bad idea......it is something my kids want to do.

{Operation Samaritan's Purse}

(if the video won't load, you can watch it here)

Veterans...

Today we honor you...for service, bravery, and sacrifice...

A special thanks to those who have served and are currently serving.

May our nation be worthy of your sacrifice....

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. 

{{{Thank you}}}

Fireworks!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
Here is a little mosaic of our local and family festivities.
Can you tell the wind was blowing and blowing? Ugh!
We had fun (although there were several nights with less than adequate sleep....)

I followed the advice given here about how to capture fireworks in photos.
Even with my camera on a tripod -- you can see how much the wind still shook the camera (squiggly streams of light)

A little backyard fireworks...

Let me tell you.... this was all the entertainment I needed!
This is the first Key Lime Pie I have ever made.... and it won't be the last!
I loosely followed this recipe, and instead of the sour cream topping, I used some raspberry sauce.
One word: de.li.cious.

{linking up with Mosaic Mondays over at the Little Red House}
{click to see Mary's Red, White, and Blue}

{also linking up with Tracy for Best Shot Monday}

Just a note: I will blogging less the rest of this month and possibly the next month as the summer is in full swing.
I will still be here, but just not every day.
Instead, I will be attending lots of swim meets, taking the kids exploring, gardening and canning, reading, reading, and more reading about photography (obsessing?), and some projects on the home front.
{Thanks for your understanding.....}

Memorial Day Sentiment

Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

They are dead; but they live in each Patriot's breast,
And their names are engraven on honor's bright crest.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The cement of this union is the heart-blood of every American.
~Thomas Jefferson

Your silent tents of green
We deck with fragrant flowers;
Yours has the suffering been,
The memory shall be ours.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The flag of the United States has not been created by rhetorical sentences in declarations of independence and in bills of rights. It has been created by the experience of a great people, and nothing is written upon it that has not been written by their life.
It is the embodiment, not of a sentiment, but of a history.
~Woodrow Wilson

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.
I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.
~Abraham Lincoln

To all who have served,
To those who gave all,
From the bottom of my heart,
Thank you.

{linked to Mosaic Monday's over at the Little Red House}
{click to see the beautiful flowers Mary has for you today}

Oh Happy Day!!

Mother's Day was a wonderful day! I really couldn't ask for anything better....
..... a day filled with happiness.....

Let's see..... breakfast in bed served by two boys, a warmish day, baking a cake, playing in the flower beds, new shoes, sunshine, new cake plate, homemade cards, little girl waving, one little boy that didn't feel so good (OK that could have been better), supper on the deck, and new flowers to plant!
It was a wonderful day!
(Thank you, thank you! I love you!)

Yummy chocolate cake, pink cream cheese frosting, and edible flowers
(recipe from here)

I hope you had a beautiful day too!

{Linked to Mosaic Monday at the Little Red House}
{Click to see other lovely mosaics today}

Happy Mother's Day!

Only One Mother

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.

~George Cooper~

Easter Collage and a little SNOW

On this fine blustery, snowy morning......
(well it is April on the Palouse.....what did I expect?)
I thought maybe I'd post some pictures from our Easter.
I know, I know -- everyone else posted egg coloring and egg hunting pictures all last week.....
I guess I'm just a slow egg.

Color coordinated Easter baskets -- sad, right?
I am a sucker for coordinated colors.

(Don't you think it is mighty suspicious that Wally world had baskets that matched the M&M "spring selection"?)
((Is that marketing directed shopping or what?))

Simple delights

Love this photo -- youngest and oldest
It was such a blessing to have Reid home for a whole week -- he is a good big brother.
(Of course he about drove me nuts some days -- he is used to the busy school schedule,
and we are not so scheduled here at home).

And little Miss Nona -- well, she apparently ate more chocolate than a little girl should eat--
because she spent practically all night up with a tummy ache. Bad Mommy.

Linked to Mosaic Mondays
at the Little Red House
Go see other beautiful mosaics

He Is Risen

(This is one of my favorite Easter songs -- I have many -- probably more than Christmas songs. Yes, I love Christmas and all that it stands for -- but Easter is very special to me. Afterall, it didn't take much to be born for sinful mankind -- but it took EVERYTHING to die for sinful mankind. My gratefulness cannot be measured.)

Was it a morning like this
When the Son still hid from Jerusalem?
And Mary rose from her bed
To tend the Lord She thought was dead

What is a morning like this,
When Mary walked down from Jerusalem?
And two angels stood at the tomb,
Bearers of news she would hear soon.

Did the grass sing?
Did the earth rejoice
To feel you again?
Over and over like a
Trumpet underground,
Did the earth seem to pound:
“He is risen”

over and over
in a never ending round
“He is risen, alleluia, alleluia!”

Was it an morning like this,
When Peter and John from Jerusalem?
And as they raced for the tomb,
Beneath their feet was there a tune?

Was it a morning like this,
When my Lord looked out
On Jerusalem?
He is risen, alleluia, alleluia.

(by Sandi Patty)

Renewal

Spring is a season of hope......
of life.......
of renewal.......
of brilliant green......

Thoughts of death and life seem quite normal this weekend.....
reflecting on the death and resurrection of our Saviour.....
our eternal hope....
our sacrifice.....
our purpose on this green earth renewed.....
our lives made anew.....

May the contemplations of this Easter weekend renew you and give you hope.

A Valentine's Verse

You've roped my heart and tied it fast,
There is no escaping your twine.
Willingly I stay, tied to you,
My lassoed heart timed to thine.

Our red-headed gang circling round,
One buckarina and three buckaroos;
Together we'll ride, our family sure
All knotted together by your lasso.

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours.

Christmas Loot part 2

Christmas Loot part 1

More to follow later, hopefully.
(digital template and paper from here)

Before and After

In the beginning....there was darkness, quiet, peace.
Order reigned supreme.

Barely finished stockings (with paper labels--ran out of time),

hung from sawed-off paint sticks,
filled with goodies from "Santa".

Ready, set, go!!!

Finished.

Except for all the cleaning up. Ugh.

Merry Christmas

My Christmas Wish for You

My Christmas wish for you......

...angels to watch your steps.......

.....friends to hold your hands.....

.....love in unexpected places.....

.....time to enjoy life....

....something to smile about.....

....and as much chocolate as your little heart desires.

Merry Christmas!!!