: Simply Sweet Summer :

In between my mid Summer "spaz attack" we have quite enjoyed the fruits of this season..coming in the form of a white bowl full of cherries:

My new beach tote from Mr. L & the Boys:

Slices of ice cold watermelon with a dash of fluer de sel - oh ME oh MY!

After having a near death experience via drowning to most of my white&green potted plants, my Marm bought me some new ones to help fill the gaps...and apparently I'm an okay parent as they haven't died yet!

Garden fresh peas {not from my garden} but delish and fresh non the less!

French lemonade late in the afternoon while chilling on a blanket and reading a book is pretty much pure bliss {until your child turns the sprinkler on you!}! And the fact that I got these awesome bottles to keep once I drink the lemonade makes me even happier...AND I got them on sale for $2/bottle makes me absolutely ecstatic!

Enjoying family, warm Summer sun & amazing food in the garden...also another thing I've enjoyed...

Hope you're finding joy in the little things that fill your Summer days!

I'm off to a day full of the normal stuff like lining up back to school doctor/dental appointments, banking, grocery shopping but then I get to top off the day out for coffee with a friend! Enjoy your Friday Lovelies!

{XoXo}

: Camping :

One day last week my parents {in case you don't know/remember, we moved out of our house on July 1st...and have since been in my parents basement suite} bought the boys a tent to play in, it was super easy to set up and the boys were just SO excited!

All the details including a mini cooler with snacks and drinks - HA!

Just before they saw it

Realizing what the surprise was...

And checking out the digs!

Really nothing's more exciting then their very OWN tent!

All zipped in enjoying their new digs!

And yes, I brought out a little t.v. and a dvd player for them so they could watch a new movie until sunset...which means they were up until 10 pm, then fell into a sound sleep in the tent - There was a bit of frustration when JJ woke at 6 am and figured out that he wasn't still in the tent!

Thanks Grammie & Grampy for the great tent & memories for our boys!

{XoXo}

: What I Love Wednesday ~ Summer Edition :

Feels like it's been eons since I posted a "What I Love" post...so here's what I'm loving this August!

: About the things I Love :

• The Help - Read the book {Loved it!} Saw the movie last night, absolutely wonderful!
  
• Macarons {finally mastered the perfect recipe this summer}
  
• Fresh cut flowers
• Organic Coconut oil to stay moisturized, gives the nicest glow to tanned legs
  
• Oh, and the local berries this Summer have been fabulous
• And my favorite go-to natural nail polish for both my fingers and toes, I know, I'm boring - oh well!
• Rosary Necklace -- looking for an authentic one, have yet to find one at the antique market...will keep looking till I do!
  
• MK Fragrance : Loves it! Oh my!
  
• Benefit High Beam, this stuff is a secret weapon shhhh don't tell anybody!
  
• CoCo Quote, thought this was a great quote, couldn't help but post it!
  

: What are some of your favorite things this Summer? I would love to know! :

It's an absolutely gorgeous day and I'm on my way to getting organized for September, feels good...crazy that it's almost that time again, but as you know...it's my favorite time of the year!

{XoXo}

: JJ's Graduation :

: At the end of June we celebrated Jacob's preschool graduation, he was just a tad bit excited about this very small {BIG} milestone in his life. Something that made it extra special was that he got to be on stage with his buddy Karter, we heard about his excitement days before and after the event! :

: The kids performed for us, well all the other kids, but mine - HA! He just stood there stone faced and watched until the end of the song, and if we didn't clap he would point to us and say "CLAP!" - Seriously hilarious! :

: Here he is with one of his three teachers getting his certificate...and if we didn't already know it he wants to be a train conductor when he grows up :

: Our family just after he walked off the stage, now the next really big step, kindergarten! :

: Teacher Cheryl & JJ :

: We enjoyed a lovely tea after the graduation, and here are Grammie & Grampy with the Graduate :

: And with the Graduate's brother...it will be his turn in a few short months! :

: Congratulations on your milestone of graduating preschool JJ -- Just one of the many times you have made our hearts so happy & proud! :

That's all for today lovelies! Thanks for your sweet comments, emails & texts yesterday after my spaz attack...You are all just so lovely!

Have a great day --- It's a beautiful one here!

{XoXo}

: Derailed :

{via}

Do you ever have those times in life where you feel everything has derailed itself; or am I alone in this?

• You go on a diet and you gain 4 pounds
• You plant flowers and end up over watering them to their death
• You work at getting all the clean laundry put away just to have your youngest child tear it all off the hangers and out of the drawers
• You put your heart and soul into relationships to have it just blow up in your face and dissipate to thin air
• You make the perfect chicken curry dish {family fave} to have the heat turned up to give it a quick warm before dinner and end up burning the whole dish
• Purchase the perfect amount of balloons for a gift to have one of the balloons pop on the way out the door

This {and a few million other GOOD reasons} is as to why I haven't been around here...it's been a bit of a ghost town and I've been okay with that. Sometimes it's just the place I want to be in. Not that this is a healthy place, but you never get to the top of the mountain unless you've been in the valley.

I have SUPER supportive family & friends that have been there to carry me the whole way through this valley and that, my lovelies is priceless!

My hope is that I'm on the way up the mountain {cause my legs are still burning!} and that the valley is far behind me.

Doesn't mean I won't hit a steep cliff or run into a fog every once in a while, but for now I feel good knowing that I'm on the upward swing to a healthy whole me.

God is greater than my "funk" and sometimes I forget that He is willing {& mighty capable} to help me through it! So all that to say that I'm officially back, more so for my own memories and to share in my life, passions & joy {and maybe the odd spaz attack!}.

This song has been such an encouragement in my life as of lately ----



Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT

Happy Monday Lovelies! It's almost vacation time and for that I am very thankful!

{XoXo}