Birthday Memories

My mom would have been 68 today.

I had her 15 years, 10 of them where healthy ones.

The memories of those years are so abundant and joyous.  Those years with her shaped me to be who I am today. Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for all I had. 

We plan on celebrating the gift of her life by sharing memories, eating chocolate cake and drinking iced water.

Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. -Tennyson.

I feel so blessed to have been raised by her.

Thrifted

 Awesome reading shirt that Adrian loves dearly (and I want one that fits me!) and a tractor. $5.00.

 Vintage books and two big magnet photo collage mats for the fridge (it has slots for pictures...looks great filled on the fridge). $7.00 

LL bean fleece lined hoodie, two LL Bean Kleen Kanteens, Ants in the Pants, three vintage aprons (for Audra's birthday). $5.50.

Books!

No time like the present to sneak away for a little respite with a good book. 

Even better if you sneak away to read to your 'children' (this is Anna-Kate's 'children', so she says).  

Bundle up Mainers!

This is the weirdest May in Maine.  We start our day in layers, fleece, flannel, wool, turtlenecks and a fire.

 And the warmest part of the day we are somehow picking flowers to press...still in our wool, fleece and layers. I've done hardly anything in the garden yet.  I guess this year I may be like my grandfather and do my planting on Memorial Day. These baby chicks may be in our house for much longer than I desire!  I really need to take pics of them, they are growing rapidly.

Mama Made: Dress

 A vintage dress pattern, but it doubles as an apron too!  She's worn it as both.  I love my little old fashioned dress lover much much much much more than I love sewing buttons.

Recap: Anna-Kate's 2nd Birthday

I'm a bit tardy, but so was her arrival!  Here's the recap of her 2nd birthday.  She spent much of the day wearing her party dress, tap shoes and bike helmet.

 Her spread was fried chicken, corn, asparagus and apple juice.

 This girl can eat more asparagus than anyone I know.

 And chocolate. Always chocolate with this one.

I guess I never did get a pic of her presents, but she got babies, dresses, a tea party, goldfish and hershey kisses.  She was mighty happy! She's such a fun 2 year old!

Mother's Day Recap

Mother's Day for me was a different one.  For the first time in my parenthood journey, I wasn't the one up with the kids, not the one to make breakfast and not the one to tend the animals. My kids insisted they serve me and they forced their dad out of bed to help! I started the say being served!

Then the rest of the day was a day of serving.  I teach 1st and 2nd grade at our church.  I had the kids there make "Happy Mother's Day" tags.  Then a generous local connection found out that we were in the habit of delivering flowers over summer to nursing homes and she welcomed us to pick her daffodils.  We took a small amount of what she had and had enough for THREE different nursing homes! Did you know that many nursing homes keep a cabinet of empty flower vases and many love it when folks swing in and fill those vases?  It's so nice to go from an empty dining room to leaving with a fresh bouquet on each table! Nothing beats the smiles from the residents. Such a quick and fun service project! 

 I am not a fan of this pic of myself, but am posting it anyway because the flowers and children both made my mother's day spectacular !