Saturday....

 This morning I tied my apron strings and got busy with keeping the home. I am doing a thorough deep clean before Fall...School starts soon! And we're throwing our daughter a Mad Hatter Tea Party this coming weekend for her 11th birthday. She didn't have a party for her 10th so we are making it up since we won't have another until probably her 13th. Big parties every year wouldn't make things special anyway. Can't wait to show you some of the ides I found for her day! I am also making her gifts!

I made a hearty, country breakfast to get the day going and I was off !

 I love pancakes,scrambled eggs and sausage,YUM!

 
I also love my new apron..I got it for pennies,
 literally..It was $1.00!

Enjoying my new chair.... I sold a few things on Craigs list and Ebay to buy my chair since my old chair was too awkward in that space and starting to rip. It is the cutest find with it's sweet plaid upholstery full of happy colors, jumbo rick rack for whimsy and pockets on each side.
A perfect spot to keep remotes, toys and my Bible for quiet devotions.

Today I swept, vaccumned,scrubbed,mopped,dusted and moved things around for a little change of scenery.Everything smells and feels so Summery fresh!!!
Also enjoying moments with my daughter, reading our vintage childrens books.
 She loves to be read to every night...well, almost every night, when there is time.
And...Playing with dolls. This sweet doll has been with us since Freckles was a baby.
 It is an Anne Geddes Rag Doll. We are also missing our son while he is currently out of the Country on his Mission trip to Czech. We got an e-mail from him the other day which was wonderful and very encouraging. Two more weeks and he will be home! Tonight we prepare for The Lord's Day...Church and fellowship with our Summer internship congrgation and hopping over our friends house afterwards for an overdue visit. hope you all are having a great weekend!

This Weeks Glance

More Canned goodness!

Visitors in the backyard.

A wonderful Sunday and sermon at Church by my dearest Mr.Darling.

Our friends wall...They have prints from all their friends who visit.

My son before his trip to Czech.What a happy face.

Growing a pot of grassy goodness...Just because.

Another sweet visitor...I saved this lady bug from drowning
 in our blow up pool. "LUCKY" for him.

A heart shaped parking lot!

A visit to a friends pool cools Freckles on a hot Summer day!

And...A beautiful sky just before the sun sets.
Hope your having a spectacular Summer!

Baking In The Mud Kitchen....

Freckles played out in her mud kitchen today....She asked me if I wanted to
 order something...I asked her if she would make me a cupcake.

And this is what she came up with.
With a snail on top?



She made a couple mud cookies and pretended that
 she was about to eat a spoonful of mud. Thankfully she didn't eat it.

It was a good day... Playing outside.

A Little Bit Of This & A Little Bit Of That

Every Wednesday this Summer we go up to the Church where Mr. Darling is interning and spend time at the park playing volley ball and having a nice picnic dinner. Last week there on a picnic table was this sweet flower wreath made by someone...I couldn't resit making it into
a heart shape and snapping a shot. It was so pretty....Don't ya think?

Little Miss Freckles has been doing a little baking on her own...She made this yummy pound cake with homemade whipped cream and strawberries on top...It was delish!!! She did an awesome job...So here is the recipe from Gooseberry Patch.
Grandmother's Pound Cake
*******
1 C. softened butter
1 2/3 C. Sugar
5 eggs
1/2 t. Vanilla
2 C. All-Purpose Flour
***
Beat butter until creamy.Blend in sugar, eggs & vanilla. Gradually mix in flour; pour into a greased and floured 9X5 loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 8~10.
 
I went to the Thrift Shop for a little browse since they were having 50% off...And found 8 more children's books to add to my collection..WOO WOO! They were .25 cents each!!!! Total cost $2.00. Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Also found these little Cuties...Sweet Cupie Dolls still in it's old original packing...for $2.00!!! It reminded me of when I was Freckles age. I went to visit my Aunt & Uncle for a couple weeks one Summer... My Uncle & I went to the store to get a couple things and he bought me one of these babies. I will never forget!
I am also doing a little sewing. Trying to finish things on the work table...Slow moving...maybe it's the heat. Well, two days and my boy is off to Czech for 3 weeks. Can't believe the time is finally here. What's a Mama to do when he won't be able to call me everyday??? He may only have the chance to e-mail a few times here and there..sniffle sniffle. I see it as a preparation of sorts for when he will leave home and be his own man someday too soon! How do you deal with your babies leaving the nest?
Well...Hope this finds you all well...
 Happy Summer!!! 

Take The Time....

 
To smell the flowers.
Life is too short and too fast.
Have you thanked God for His blessings today?
Have you stopped to smell flowers today?
Have you told your husband how much you love him today?
Have you hugged and kissed your kids today?
Time flys so fast beloved....Take the time to slow down in this fast paced world....Take the time to relax, to breath, to pray and spend those precious moments with the ones you love. Take the time to enjoy your blessings and bounty and pick some flowers. Take the time to soak up this beautiful creation.
****
The grass withers, the flower fades,
 but the word of our Lord will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:8
****
This is the state of man!
 Today he puts forth
The tender leaves of hope: to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he falls -
- Never to hope again.
Hen. VIII, Act. ii. Sc. 2.
Shakespeare
***
Have a blessed day!!!!

Summery Bandanna Table Runner,,,,

A while back my sister and I were roaming through Pinterest and came upon this really cute table runner project...So I went to the store and got me some really cute bandannas
 full of happy colors to make the table runner for myself.
You can find bandannas in most craft shops...I got these colorful sweeties at WallyMart...Best part was...They only cost one dollar each!!!! I bought 4 for this project. Total cost $4.00.
First I started out with two bandannas...with right sides facing, I pinned them along the sides where there was writing on the edges. Then simply sewed a straight stitch right down the side, leaving the writing on the other side of the seam.( I don't want the writing there).

I did the same for the other two, then attached them together, making 4 across..
Trimming off the writing and pressing the seam with an iron.
Now your ready to put on your table...This is so easy...
It only took 10 minutes to put together!!
It looks so cute! Perfect for a Summery
 table setting or BBQ picnic.

Hope this gives you some inspiration!
 Use different colors or one color bandanna's to suit your fancy.
Happy crafting!!!