oh those bangs...

Not sure what to do about these bangs of hers...

cut them? keep them?
She doesn't like hairbows...

It is reeeealy hot in these parts this week.

I spent her nap time making this little outfit.

The skirt is made using the idea from this pattern.

I added four layers of fabric and a bit of lace to the collar.

I'm happy with the way it came out.

And.....

My daughter and I set up shop in another space locally----weee!!

Bad picture, but you get the idea.

June...

June has flown by. It's been rather busy around here, all good stuff.

There has been jam making, bread baking...

skirt making,

horse back riding lessons begun...

Had the first one the other day and she loooooved it!!!

Black raspberry picking, YUM!

I turned another year older and last but not least, My daughter and I opened a stand locally where locals peddle there handmades. So far so good. Very fun!

A recipe for you...

Black Raspberry Muffin Recipe

2 C flour

3/4 C butter
2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 C butter melted

3/4 C milk

1 egg

1/2 t vanilla

1/1/2 c fresh raspberries

Heat oven to 400. Line or grease 12 cup muffin tin. In medium bowl 1/3/4 c flour, 1/2 c sugar, baking powder, salt. Add butter combine. In another bowl whisk, milk, egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture until just combined.

Toss berries with remaining flour and a little sugar. Fold berries into batter. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake about 18 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and enjoy.

These are so yummy!!

1!

Our baby girl turned 1 this weekend!!!

I often think, how did I/we ever get so blessed to get to do this all over again?!

I am in awe of God's ways!

If I have learned anything in my life thus far it is that His ways are far better, beautiful, wonderful, exciting and absolutely perfect and I don't want to get in the way of them.

Wish I had learned that a bit earlier in my life...

We just finished our first year homeschooling dd7 and it has been very good.
I am so glad we have chosen this path for our family.

She has learned/we have learned so much about so many different things.
She amazes us with her enjoyment and love and growing knowledge of God's creation.

She waited so long for her little sissy and has been able to spend this year watching her grow, bonding and playing with her in a way that simply would not have been possible had she been away at school so many hours a day.

We went strawberry picking earlier today.
It was a lovely cool morning...
They feasted.
It makes my heart sing when I see my children eat such fresh healthy food.

Blessed indeed.

what to do...

Looking out the kitchen window the other day, I saw dd7 and her friend

munching away among the lettuces.

They weren't completely happy with the leafy taste.

I gave them each a little ranch dressing for dipping and the munching continued until bellies were full.

It was a precious sight.

spring...

Baby's first time on a swing at the park. She absolutely loooved it!

Pretty flowers.

I ran into Wal-mart really early the other morning and got these beautiful roses for Free! They were giving them away.

I'm still enjoying them.

Delicious asparagus from the garden.

We like it roasted on about 450 for about 15+ min drizzled with olive oil with a little sprinkle of kosher salt and cracked pepper.

And one innocent looking college student home on break
commandeering the kitchen table. So good to have him home for a few days.
Just a few more weeks and home for summer.

Somehow it seems like my house is shrinking.
Must be all the rain.

must be spring...

Lots of this...

A new curtain for my kitchen window... which I didn't love...

So...I made this one instead.

Bad picture, but it is bright and happy and I am enjoying it.

I'll get a better picture just as soon as we have a bright sunny day,

which cannot happen soon enough. Too much rain...

our baby...

photos by big sissy