Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

This amazing lady. She has such a beautiful spirit. I'm excited to see what the future holds for her.

 

Photographs. I can go a tad overboard snapping away, but it's times like this that I am happy I do. Can I tell you that I remember every one of these captures and not just the facts...the feelings too. That's a gift.

Family. The people who show up in the good and the bad to laugh, cry, love the heck out of your kids, go out to pick up your rolls, stop for ice, make your favorite dip, cut your cake, help clean up your kitchen.

 

We got a picture with our celebrant. Just one, but sometimes we don't even get that.

The house was full of flowers this week as everyone came bearing bouquets.

Getting to spend some quality time with these two.

My salvia plants. They were a gift from my aunt. They attract butterflies and what's not to love about that.

A relaxing weekend ahead. I'm looking forward to much of nothing.

weekending

Is it Thursday already? I'm finally unwound from the busy weekend celebrating our recent grad and soon to be 18 year old. The weather didn't cooperate, but we made it work with a full house. I was watching the weather all week which said hot hot hot, but the severe weather that popped up was not in the plan. Luckily, we didn't lose power and had a menu that relied very little on the oven. The food was delicious, the cake an absolute hit, and the house looked festive thanks to Mike and my aunt who decorated every surface. Not to mention the numerous bouquets Lily received. By the end of the night, Lily said her social battery was dead. Mine too.

There was little down time in party planning mode while simultaneously hosting out of town family, but this is an observation not a complaint. We had a lovely stretch of days with my aunt and uncle who came over from Michigan with our favorite Red Haven peaches and boxes of big, fat blueberries that Lil's eats like popcorn. There was talk of how to freeze, but I knew they wouldn't last that long. 

Friday we went to Windmill Beach because they have never been. The sight of Lake Michigan is nothing new to them. They live almost directly across on the other shore where the water is warmer and wavier. That was true even on this 90 degree day. We could only wade in the water. On the way back, we stopped in Port Washington for dinner. I had the best fish fry in as long as I can remember.

I was up early Saturday and hit the ground running. Everyone chipped in and we were all set for guests at party time. My aunt and uncle left after breakfast on Sunday. Mike and Teddy left for Madison to officially move out of W Wash. Some time in August we will move Ted back up to Madison for his last semester as an undergrad. He'll be back on Brooks Street, but in a different house with 4 other friends. On August 31st, Lils will be blocks away in a triple. Until then, we will make the most of the month ahead.

 

Some Summer Snaps

 

Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

Both my kids are reading...reading for pleasure. Like most parents, I read to them from the time they were babies. Before they could take on chapter books, I read to them most every night. Once they could read independently, they opted to do other things so to see them enjoying a book thrills me to my book loving core. This is my current stack and I'm not making much progress. I don't think I can read 3 or even 2 books at a time anymore.

My big fat hydrangeas even though they are taking over my front bed.

The rather rotund robin who takes a nightly soak in my bird bath. I get more joy out of my bird bath than I should. The tres amigos too. I'm quite envious of the owl my step-mom captured staring in their window.

The turkeys are getting big fast and they are still visiting the yard every day mostly in tact.

 

 A rainbow on the beach.

 

 Ted and Cousin Gigi met up in Chicago for a visit when she was in town.

 Peace in the family.

 Happy hour with my dear friend Wednesday eve. She came with a much loved pinot and hunk of good cheese and it was a highlight of my week.

 

 

 Twins.

 

 

 

I have 2 photo boards done for Lily's party and 2 to go. I went a little crazy on the pictures, but I've had so much fun looking back on her beautiful life and I had a good laugh when she commented on what a little fashionista she was back in the days she let me dress her.

  

New sheets in a beautiful blue that reminds me of tropical water. I ordered what I think is a good pair based on my research because I'm sick of replacing mediocre sets season after season because they pill or shrink or stretch. 

I found a nice set for Ted because right now he has a queen set on his full bed in Chicago. He does have three beds: one in Chicago, one in Milwaukee and one in Madison so we sometimes have to just make do.

The random pictures I sometimes find on my camera that Lils has taken.

 New toys. I'm not going to lie...there are 100s of balls, mice, springs and such under the furniture, but it's easier to buy new toys than to fish them out. Here is Hazel with her new favorite...a strawberry. Hazel loves red.

 

 

Their little personalities. Finn loves this perch: a jewelry box on my dresser. Hazel fancies it too. And Gus is the resident goof ball. Yes, he's sticking his tongue out. It's his normal.