Category Archive

I found a new recipe.  It’s this amazing bread that has pumpkin baked right in, and then you dump a whole bunch of sugar and butter on top of it and bake it.

And it is really good.

A little more time-intensive than what I usually do for “extra” treats around here, but I think it was worth it.

You can find the recipe here, at Sunny Side Up in San Diego.

Spent the weekend at Jordan Lake, camping with my parents.

(with a birthday celebration thrown in there….thanks, mom!)

Since the girls have a break from piano lessons during the summer, I wanted to make sure they still kept up with playing pieces.  I found this book at a yard sale some years back, and it seems just the thing for them.

(by the way, learning to play a duet with your sister is a great opportunity to practice patience with her. )

Try to ignore the messy bookshelf.  Next up:  how to organize homeschool books on a bookshelf.  There is just no pretty way, is there?

Eleven years ago today!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you out there.

And especially to my  mom!  Love you, Mom!  xo

For your viewing pleasure.

Who doesn’t love a rosebud baby mouth?

Ivy June turns eight today.  Eight!  I know!

I love going through old pictures of the children.  What a wonderful reminder of how quickly things change, even when it seems as though what I’m in the thick of right now will always remain the same.

From a tiny 6-pound beautiful baby, Ivy has turned into the most lovely just-turned-8 lady we know.  She loves to play hymns on the piano, read “adventure books” (and really, all kinds of books), sew, draw, talk to people, dance, bake things, and ride her pink bike.

She’s our blue-eyed, fair-skinned, beautiful girl and we enjoy her completely.

I’m looking forward to this year for her.  I have vague memories of being 8 and in the third grade, and I think she’ll learn a lot this year:  new piano songs, how to care for a new baby sister, swimming at the pool all summer, and giggling with friends and siblings.

Happy Birthday, Ivy Juniper.  We can’t wait to see what year 8 brings for you, sweetest of girls.

Annie (“mercy”, or “God has favored me”) Beth (after my maternal grandmother, Betty Simmons)

She’s chubby and quiet, and so far appears to enjoy the smothering kisses from her siblings.

Things are quiet here:  we’re looking forward to some spring weather this week and keeping things simple around here while Mommy recovers and we all enjoy this lovely girl.

(cute polka-dot outfit compliments of Gramma)

What a gift from God…we are so thankful!

All three of the children are at Grampa and Gramma‘s house this week.  Which, needless to say, makes it eerily quiet around here.

This week I’m finding myself noticing the “little things” around the house that remind me of them.

A stray toy here, little notes they’ve written to each other on scraps of paper, books left open on the dresser…

Little parts of their day that often get overlooked when we’re all caught up in our normal daily things.  I love that they can go stay at grandparents’ houses and have a great time, and Scott and I sure enjoy the time together while they’re gone.

Often, though, after they’ve been gone just for a day or so, I want to call out the front door, “Okay!  You can come back now!”

Instead, I think I’ll finish the binding on the baby quilt, tackle some new sewing projects (like trying something from this pattern out, or maybe make this for a niece turning two this summer), tackle some spring cleaning, and take a nap (or two!).

Here’s to a peaceful week for everyone!