Happy 2013!

 Hope this new year is off to a sparkling start!

Did you...

have yourself a Merry Little Christmas?

We certainly did! 

Our tree is still decorated.

But...

 

I am sad that the presents are all opened.

 

 And the wisemen have all returned to "afar."

It all went so fast this year.
Hope you enjoyed a beautiful Christmas!
 

 

 

 

 





This Picture Reminded me

of my sister.

found on pinterest here via facebook

A very long time ago,

we were at one of the largest track meets of the entire Twin Cities area.

I mean, like EVERYONE and their mother (and grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins and next-door neighbors) was in attendence.

It was my turn to run a relay. 

 I was late to meet with the race officials. 

Luckily for me (not) the announcer somehow spotted me in the crowd and was joking with me over the loud speaker.

(I really didn't appreciate his jokes at the time.)

I still had my warm-up pants on.

Luckily for me (again NOT)

Libbie was there to help me.

As I was running for check-in, and while the entire population of the Twin Cities Metro Area

was watching me panic and run for check-in, and try to take my pants off at the same time, Libbie, bless my sister, decides to step on one leg of my pants.

That was it.

I have a vague recollection of lying there on the ground.

In the middle of the track.

While EVERYONE was looking on.

While a circle of people stood over me,

you know, like they do on tv.

The announcer was sputtering over the loud speaker.

And in the midst of that circle, I caught one face.

That's right.

Lib.

Laughing so hard she had to have been crying.



She's Back!

from here

And it's fabulous.

 For almost two hours, I had my entire family under one roof.

And my favorite story so far, she got mistaken for an Olympic athlete while in London.

If You Were Wondering Where I've Been...

I've been busy planning the opening ceremony for the Olympics.

(Well, the opening party for our family, that is.)

Coordinating the arrival of the athletes was a bugger of a job...
('Cuz some were completely overjoyed to be there and have their picture taken.)

But as you can see, the delegations from USA and France at least arrived safely.

Even road construction could not stop our torch ceremony.

Although we really missed David Beckham

(some of us more than others...)

And we had to re-do our torch run two or three times to get it down.

(photo from The Mirror)

Just in case you were wondering who was texting Rowan...

It was Lib. 

And our fish and chips were rather smashing, if I do say.

Happy Olympics.

Whew.  That was a ton of work people.  (Have you ever made a double-deckered bus or a torch???)

From now until the closing ceremonies, I will be glued to my tv...

Go USA!

Happy Independence Day!

May all your flags wave proudly, your sparklers light the first time, and all those hot dogs (gross!) not burn on the grill...

My littlest guy in a vintage World War II costume. 

 May we always live in the

Land of the Free!



The Magic Words

can make everything all right...

My son sold his dirtbike today. 

I am sad.

 It has made loads of people smile.

Whenever we have company, it is in constant use. 

I can still hear the giggling of my nephew Bo, as my son gives Bo a ride and does a wheelie across the lawn. 

Bo hangs on for dear life but laughs the entire time.

But today, even though I am still irritated that he sold it.

The dirtbike made me happy one last time.

As I walked away, the man he sold it to asked my 17 year old son,

"Is that your sister?"

Whew!

It's Friday...

Enjoy your weekend!

Everything's Just...

peachy today!!!

I am Obsessed...

Completely

and

utterly

obsessed...

Are you with me?









Hope on this day you felt like

Miss America!

photo via

(Only maybe not so old...)

Happy Mother's Day.

I Really Think

I need to have a party like this one. 

Found here on pinterest

To celebrate May Day.  (I am already planning it in my head.)  Now only for a May Pole. 

I know Annie's in.

It's True!

It seems almost unheard of, but I am not complaining.

75 degrees today.

Last year we still had a foot or two of snow on St. Patrick's Day.

I hid my eggs for my Easter Egg Hunt in eight inches of snow.

Nothing but clear skies and sunny weather this year.



It won't be long until my fairy garden can actually get out into my garden.



KONY 2012

Click here.  It's long, but worth watching.

Spring is in the Air!

My old bike baskets are ready to welcome spring.

I know you are all waiting with me.

It won't be long until we are out hunting for fairies in the garden!

I will...

save

a

place

for

I would love to have you for tea!

Can't Wait Until...

I can sit here

and enjoy some of these.

and this too!

I have a long ways to go, but a girl can dream, can't she?

Up to my Eyeballs

In glitter!

Just the way I like it.

Since this girl decided to leave me for better things

(like college...)

I decided I needed to get my act together and send some love letters her way.

I added some treats

 a sweet "love" diary, some black cherry soda, valentine marshmallows, a pretty necklace, some cupcakes

 topped it off with a special valentine,

and called it a day. 

One very sweet day.

Hope you enjoyed your day my sweet girlie.  We missed you tonight.

But we couldn't stop there...

I found these on pinterest. 

Thought it was the perfect valentine for my Little Fireman, who is now obsessed with all things from WWII.

36 "love bombs" later, we were done.

Whew!

(And incidentally, after making all 36 of them, I wondered if these babies would make it through the school day without getting him expelled.

I chanced it.

And no phone calls from the principal.

Thank goodness) 

Hope your day was filled to the brim with loads of sweetness. 

Hope your day is...

filled with love and loads of flowers!

Happy Valentine's Day!

For Now...

My mom and dad TOTALLY hooked me up for Christmas with a new camera and all, but I am a little lot slow about actually taking it out of the box.

But I am craving being surrounded by "pretties" having taken all my Christmas decorations down in a timely manner this year.

(Even got the outside lights taken down today. Living in Minnesota, that usually doesn't happen until March. Or April. Okay, maybe even May... But in my defense, we usually have three feet of snow covering all those electrical cords until then!)

And not exactly knowing the etiquette about snagging pics off of Pinterest, that has me swooning on a daily basis, here is an old post.

Hoping to brighten your day, here are some of my favorite things...

Little girls who take baths in a bucket in the garden

Beautiful teacups

Spools of lace

Engagement rings

Homemade nests

My grandma's earring

Engraved silverware

Engraved anything

Old family photos

Little boys who let little girls drive!

Enjoy this weekend that God has provided for us!