Farm Days

For the next couple of days, I'll be playing a bit of catch up here on the blog.
Too much fun and not enough time to post!
~~
Two weekends ago, we headed over to Mom and Dad's to attend
Thunderegg Days.  I remember going as a kid, and my kids love it, too!

Afterwards, we went back to Mom and Dad's for a BBQ, to spend the night, to learn how to
can raspberry jam, and to enjoy their beautiful yard!

You've seen this stump on here before...it's Ryan's jumping stump and Emma's
dancing stump. We've never seen it like this before, though.  The
Lilys were SO tall!

Did I mention hand-cranked icecream with the
same recipe we  had as kids?  yum!

Ryan has so much fun going down the dirt roads that surround Mom and Dad's property.
Emma hopped on for a quick photo before he headed out again.

{Photo by Emma...that's what we can see of the convention grounds
now that the corn as finally started to grow}

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for an awesome weekend!

{Time}

Every year, at about this time, I buy a new planner.  It's the only way I can keep our household organized.  It's full of birthdays, anniversaries, events, appointments, the school calendar, deadlines, etc.  Without it, I would be lost.  I know it can all be done on the computer, and with the laptop, it would be easy and convenient.  But I prefer a real book...something I can put my hands on and thumb through. 
~
I bought my new one today.  School starts on August 24th, so I've entered the school's calendar and what few appointments are already scheduled.  Once school starts, I'll add the kids' schedule, my volunteer days, practice dates, recitals, games, etc.  But, for now, it's pretty bare. 
~
Time has been on my mind today with the news this morning that a friend of mine had passed away, very suddenly and at a very young age.  No warning...just gone in the morning.  Her passing is a very real reminder that age does not matter when it comes to our time...we need to live each day as if it were our last.  It's o.k. to plan for the future, as long as we are living as if this is our last day.
Often, I tend to forget that.  I spend so much time looking to the future that it seems another day has passed me by without really taking notice.  Her life was an example of how to live...I'm hoping that her death will also be an example for me of how to live.

Spaces

My best friend from high school stopped by our house a couple of weeks ago...visiting from Texas.  The kids gave her a tour of the house, and I had to tell them to please skip the craft room.  She asked to see it anyway; since I knew she wouldn't shudder judge me turn away in disgust...anyway, I let her in.  Since Christmas, this room as been a danger zone.  As I made gifts, I'd throw supplies back in~not bothering to put them back in their places.  When we had company, stuff was tossed in.  You literally could not take more than one step inside.  I would have taken a photo, but I was seriously too embarassed!  Luckily, that visit from my dear friend inspired me to get with it and clean the mess.

{This isn't it.}
This is the main room downstairs.  It's where we hang out most of the time...it's SO cool in the summer and it's where we keep all of the fun stuff including the fabric cutting table pingpong/pool/table tennis table.  It's also where I sew.  There's a little space that's  just perfect.  It's near the table that the boys so kindly share with me (it really is the best place to cut out patterns!!) and the ironing board.

And this beautiful quilt hangs over my machine. 
This is great place to pin my pattern directions!! 
And it's gorgeous and inspiring to look at!
{No, I didn't make it.  This very talented quilter did!}

Right next to my sewing desk is the door to the (now clean) craft room.
It's 5'x22' and used to be a laundry room. 
Now it's where all of my sewing, scrapbooking and card making supplies are kept.
And where I work with the paper crafts.
And where Emma likes to make a mess as she creates beside me.

There's ALOT a few things in here, but everything has a place
and I can find everything!
What a concept, eh?

It's too narrow to have a standard desk or countertop, so we got some 22" doors from Habitat for Humanity for a few dollars and made a "L" shaped built in counter.  It works perfectly!

These are the two cabinets that used to be in my kitchen...now they are holding current projects and my slowly-but-surely growing fabric stash.
~~~
I love this space!
{And thanks to Diana for the little nudge!}

Lakeside Lavender Festival

Mom, Emmalee and I headed to the Lakeside Lavender Festival this weekend.
After you park and get out of your car, the smell is amazing!
Here's the view...lavender with the lake in the background.
I would LOVE to live here!

One of Emma's friends has encouraged quite the fear of bees.  In each picture, you'll
notice that she's cringing.  Sigh...we're working on it!

This little girl was SO smart!  She made a bunch of paper fans, decorated them and sold them for a quarter each.  She sold all of them!

They have the PERFECT climbing tree...Emma loved it!

Afterwards, we headed to downtown Nampa.  Emma was amazed by the size of these horses.
Look how little she is compared to them!

Emma got a balloon butterfly at the farmer's market.  While the balloon artist was making her butterfly, she couldn't help but shake her hips to the beat of the band.  :)

She was enthralled, watching these little skinny balloons become a butterfly.