I have a crafty sister!

This arrived yesterday and I love it!  Thank you, sissy, for your handiwork!
 

I love sharing creative time!

I love to work on making cards.  I enjoy having a space to walk away from and come back to without having to clean up every single time.  I do try to straighten things up when I have guests.  

Sloan and I got to make cards on Saturday.  Another friend came on Tuesday and we made a couple cards as we talked and fussed with the dogs.

 

Saturday is one our favorite days of the week!

We have time put things on the grill or smoker for yummy meals!

We get to have fun company!  This weekend, Teddy and Sloan came for the day.  The guys worked outside with the new tractor.  Sloan and I worked inside on various card projects.

We came up with a thank note idea for upcoming baby gifts.  It was fun to be creative!

The guys came down to hang out with us after they were in the pool.

Another trip to the garden showed these stragglers...there are a couple other things, but the plants are showing the stress of the heat.

 

Doing something every day

I had a new friend over and we made cards!  I love that God has put creative people in my life here in TN...and she loves dogs.  Oakley knows her now and always wants to play.  A beautiful, creative mess continues!

I had to go to town to return packages to the UPS store.  I meandered through the thrift store.

I hit the grocery store for spices I needed for canning pickles.

I made fresh salsa for supper.

Simple supper but so yummy with fresh ingredients!

First cucumbers...yum!

My potion on the counter!  I am feeding the garden by trying different sorts of homemade fertilizers!  This one...soaking banana peels in water.  Easy...and no harmful products!

Rainstorms moving in...I love hearing the low rumbles of thunder as the storms approach with the good, soaking rains.

UH OH!  Another sighting of a BIG stray dog walking our property.  I am glad I saw him before heading outside with the dogs.  YIKES, that scares me.  Living out here in the country, we have seen a couple different dogs that are known to be strays.  I have to pay attention...every time we go out!

 

Catching up with this and that

This little pup makes us laugh every day!  Every time she goes bounding through the yard, I hear the Little House on the Prairie music play!  It still makes me sad remembering how Chica loved being outside with us too, but I am thankful for this little bundle of energy.  

Sloan and Teddy came to visit on Saturday afternoon!  It was fun to catch up, enjoy the pool, and eat some yummy snacks on the deck.

NOT what you want to find flying around the house!  I finally grabbed it in the dining room and squished it...then took a pictures to get it identified...a blue mud dauber wasp.  It doesn't show up well in this picture...but it was black with a blue iridescent coloring.  We are a little shy about stinging flying insects around here lately!  The google said it wasn't aggressive to humans and beneficial to gardens due to their specific hunting behaviors and diet.  Ummm, sorry, it was in our house.

I didn't go out to the garden on Saturday after the Friday morning haul...I should have!  I found cucumbers that I didn't even see.  EEK!  I hope they are not too big!  And more squash to add to the pile.

Another day to enjoy the pool on Monday after chores were done!

Trying to get Oakley to settle down at night is comical!  The more Ted restrained her...the crazier she got!  "If you would settle down, you could stay on the bed."  Wait, what?  No!  We said she is going to sleep in her cage!  Who is the softy now?

 

June 24...a Happy Golden Birthday!

I saw the beautiful colors of sunrise at 6:00 am, thanks to Oakley!  Later, the fog rolled in till the sun got higher to burn it all off.  What a pretty morning as I got to work to finish up the last parts of a special delivery!  

Fresh strawberries to go into cupcakes!  Homemade buttercream that I was hoping wouldn't melt!

I filled the cupcake liners too full and they baked into each other.  Next time...less will work better!

I packed up lunch, birthday treats, the dogs, and we drove to Knoxville to be with the girls!  Such a beautiful day for a drive!

Pink and gold...whoops, Alisa's Christmas placements...added more color.

We sang to her and asked her to make a birthday wish as she blew out candles...2 candles and 4 candles for 24!  Mom has botched multiple opportunities for birthday plans this year. I forgot to go back and grab the gold 24 I had found at Hobby Lobby.  In my defense, I was not supervised in my favorite store and wandered the rows, overwhelmed by all the pretty things!  I had not been in several months.

The day's plans were lowkey and involved a day spent inside away from people.  No fanciness!  And I have learned to not snap pictures when we are in the relaxed, no makeup, messy hair, and lounge clothes state.  Just three girls and three dogs...food, treats, chick flick, naps, and quiet!  I hope and pray they felt re-energized to be adulty and peopley today!  Working in and with the public is no joke these days.

Happy Birthday to our sweet Alisa!  and Ashlynn too!  She had a June birthday too.

It was yummy!

Oh the memories!

Our sweet girls!  And we didn't even take a picture together...again!  We have been together a couple of times and have not documented it well for the memories for the blog.  We will next time!

I am in awe of how fast the years have gone by as I look at pictures and then get to watch our young women!  24 and 25 and the best of friends...and I now know how my Mother felt every time we all got together.  Thankful...teary...blessed...
 

Making plans!

Birthday treats to share with the girls!!!!

 

It is cooler downstairs!

We worked some more downstairs.  I unpack boxes and the dogs play and nap.

 

Time with new friends

Since we went to the vet and got her big girl's shots, Oakley can now go outside and in the grass.  She loves hopping around and exploring.  It also meant she could go with me to meet a new friend.  Pam invited me over to help her get some things ready for Bible study and a visit.  I packed a doggie bag for all the things...just in case!

Ellie welcomed Oakley and wanted to play, but Oakley was tired...and feeling shy?!  

She curled up in the doggie bag and slept there most of the time...even though she had her nice travel cage.

We made cupcakes and chocolates and mini cheeseballs. We visited.  Then we went for a walk to see the garden and the big garage.

Loved her bike!

I am thankful for people who have reached out and drawn us into the church family.  Pam has been welcoming and kind.  Added bonus...we like to do a lot of the same things.  She has had Morkies and Yorkies in the past...so that will be helpful if any questions come up.

Oakley and Ellie did play quite a bit after the initial nap.  Ellie was gentle with the baby.  They are fast friends...now to get Velle to make friends with Oakley!  She was very tired when we got home!