Just Thinking

 Hello and welcome! 
I know I've shown you this pint-size coffee set before.  Sorry.  I like to look at it. 
I might use it when a friend comes over for coffee/tea on Thursday. I don't think she'll mind drinking from a small cup, do you?

 My brother is having surgery on Monday or Tuesday and I am praying for him.  

 When I was working on my Thin Within study this morning I came upon a sweet bit of truth.  She reminded me that my body is fearfully and wonderfully made and is to be protected by establishing godly boundaries.  I've read a lot about boundaries and I'm sure you have, too.  Boundaries are different than laws and rules.  Boundaries can keep us safe.  I'm feeling pretty good about boundaries now.  

 It is quiet here.  The refrigerator is humming (it is in the dining room due to the kitchen revamp). Bill is over at Jeff's house helping in the yard.  I'm deliberately enjoying the peace and trying not to panic at the thought of peace often being short-lived.  Even after almost a year from the time I stopped teaching middle school, I still hear a small pushy voice that says, "What should you be doing?  Go wash the sheets on the guest beds.  Sweep the floor.  Plant your zinnias.  You COULD do it NOW!" The nagging little voice is getting weaker, so that's good.

(I wish I still had these tree print pajama pants.  I do have the bunny slippers.)

My favorite article of clothing is still my flannel rose print pajama pants.  I am very thankful not to be busy every moment with event after event or commitment after commitment.
With a mind seeking to move away from the trivial and toward the eternal, I love this verse:
"Watch, stand fast in the faith and be brave, be strong.  Let all that you do be done with love."
I Corinthians 16: 13-14

Summer's Coming!

 Don't you love geraniums?  They are so cheerful and a bit festive, too.  After I planted yesterday afternoon, rain came.  We've had a lot of rain.

 And fear not!  There are A LOT of bees!  They love the bee balm.  Can you spy a bee or two?

 I have concluded that a watched peony bush does not pop.  I can't wait!  Jenny gave me a lovely pink print vase for Mother's Day.  It will be the peony vase!

 See Mr. Thunder looming?  He is!

 We've had plenty of blue sky, too.  I am waiting to plant my marigolds.  

 I'm happy about the red and white gingham curtains in the garage.  My sister's bridesmaids wore red and white gingham gowns and the wedding cake was red, white, and blue.  Her wedding was BEAUTIFUL!  

 Aren't naked kitchens thrilling?  I'm so excited!
It's going to be such a bright room!  Yippee! 

 We were at Kelli and Bryan's on Memorial Day.  The clouds were showing off!  Do you like the blue mountains?  
Do you like Smores?  I thought I did, but I forgot that I do not like the mess of melting marshmallows.  We had stickiness on hands, clothes, and in hair, too!

 Something funny happened.  I ordered Plum Cake and Sam each a mouse in a box because they wanted to play with mine and take her home.  When the mice came from Maileg (a favorite company and I'm still happy with them) one mouse girl was  . . . BLIND!  Yikes!

 Granny had to give her eyeballs.  She looks just fine now.

 Even though the weather is unpredictable, the walk around our neighborhood is fine.

 The other day, James was looking at birdies hanging on the thistle seed sack AND he was looking for his parents. Actually, he doesn't have that "Don't leave me!" thing going yet.  I'm glad.  He's always happy to see his parents drive into the driveway though.  Precious lamb.

 Our Brad and his lovely wife April went to the Stanley Hotel (The Shining!  Yikes!) for Memorial Day.  Estes Park is SO lovely!  Brad even fished a bit!

 Aw! I love these two faces so very much!

 Look at these two delighted faces!  Fun on the trampoline!

 Miss Bug = PRECIOUS!

 James would like to know if you'd like a popsicle.

 When I was packing up the kitchen I found the key to the family room door.  Yay!  I like the early morning sun to shine in onto the floor.  

 Summer is SO happy.

 Playing at the park is SO happy, too!

 Playing in your cousins' playhouse is super fun!

 Yes, we have new corners and clean walls.  Now we wait for the cabinets (Monday!) and soon we'll be back in our kitchen.  It's hard to operate without a sink.  Bathroom sinks are awkward.  I don't have a laundry room sink.

 Miss Bug had a sleepover with Sam and Plum Cake so Birdie and Millie Rose came to sleep here last night.  Millie slept on the hard floor and I was sleeping with her until my hip started to hurt.  I found a popcorn kernel beneath me.  OUCH!  The Princess and the Pea/The Granny and the Popcorn Kernel.  You know.
And we had our first knitting lesson.  It's hard to get the right hold on the needles and the yarn.  Birdie was a bit frustrated.  Grrrrrrr.

We have our family book club tonight (Hind's Feet on High Places and DQ Blizzards for treats).  There is gardening to do.  We have Taiwan friends coming to visit, a mountain retreat, and then Australian guests.  After that we're going to New Zealand and Australia.  Yippee!  
But before that, the new kitchen will be finished and our household will be back to normal.  
Take care, summer people!

Rainy Day Rambles

 I'd like to share my favorite salad with you.  Pretty, huh?
Our Colorado has been WET lately.  It's sort of hard to take considering we usually have such sunny days.  I want to get out in the garden and I have pulled a few weeds, but I haven't planned and planted yet.  Soon!

 I think I planted the pansy barrels one month ago!  We had a sunny appetizer before the rain, I guess.

 Everything in the back yard is a little forlorn looking.  I must order the dishes and tubs for the littlest grans.  They like to play in the Wendy house.  It's just the right size for them.  They do not neatly order things or arrange the little toys in a storybook fashion.  They sort of just throw things around.  That's their way.  

 Bill bought my mom and me a big Mother's Day balloon and it's still floating around the living room. 

 Soon (like yesterday) we'll need to start packing the kitchen because the kitchen wonder worker is coming to demo on Tuesday.  Yeeeeeeee  haaaaaaaaaw!

 I'm slightly distracted by this book club book!

 I have a stack of three more good reads that I'll tell you about soon (when I can't be in the kitchen).

 I realize that my plan is a little unconventional, but I am putting this variety of china knobs on our new cabinets.  Do you like them? Which pair do you like best?

I've been snoozy today and yesterday (the weather).  I am watching season 4 of Call the Midwife.  The characters are so kind, so loving.  It's really inspiring.  I've always liked nun stories and I LOVE newborn babies.
Thank you for calling in today.  I am always delighted that you thought to pop by.

Greatest of Great Grans

 Please pop over to Betty's blog to see what Mr. Badger got to do!  He's at Rabbit's door!  SO cool!
Hello lovely Lily of the Valley!  Aw, my sweet garden fairy neighbor has them in her garden and she shares.  Yay!

 I'm sorry I've been gone so long.  I was busy enjoying my beautiful mother's company!  And SHE also had the opportunity to enjoy the company of 5 of her grandchildren and (brace yourself!) 14 of her great grandchildren!  Wow!
My niece lives in Boulder so we trucked up there for dinner, a humanities school fair, and a piano recital.  It was fun, fun, fun!

 She was also able to see Miss Bug's graduation from kindergarten!  Adorable!

 Aw, Millie Rose!

 Finn and James!  Good boys.

 Here's my mom and our brood of grands.  Kelli couldn't get her little namesake to let go of her, so Auntie Kelli is also in the pic!

 Garden fairy neighbor has a glorious display of alum.  

 We enjoyed lots of grand visits!  The kids were busy and happy for their great gran!

 She was Birdie's "special person" at the homeschool tea!

 James decided that GGJo is A-OKAY!

 Christie and Jeff cooked us a lovely meal of planked salmon.  Did you know that you can buy the cedar planks in the BBQ section of your grocery store?

 Christie also made my favorite mustard potatoes.  Mmmmmmm!

 James is snuggling up to GGJo again!  See?  I DID make the lilacs into canvases.  So pretty!

 It snowed heaps on Mother's Day but we still drove up to hear our Brad preach.  The heater was broken and it was FUH-REEZING in the church.  My mom LOVED hearing Brad and seeing the church (and of course the kids!)

 Our April (Brad's wife, our other sweet daughter-in-law) is the best knitter ever.  Look at this pair of socks.

 Aw, Birdie cuddling with GGJo!

 Sam plopped down by GG to eat her hamburger.

 She also helped herself to GG cuddles.

 GGJo served at the tea party!

 This is the lovely meal my niece made for us in Boulder.  Scrumptious!  I am now a fan of Trader Joe's.  WE went today. They have such good frozen dishes (veg/grain) AND fresh foods, too.

 My niece Amy's girls and GGJo, too!

 Sam has joined a soccer team!  Go, Sam, GO!

 Thank you for sharing in all of our family joy!  Here is a piece of Christie's specialty shortcake JUST for you!  
Our little James turned ONE!  We enjoyed watching him at his party.  

I pray you have a lovely week, full of gardening and sunny walks!  Oh, I MUST have Bill lift Sunshine (my yellow bicycle) off the garage ceiling hooks.  It's time.