edmonds garden calamity

well I've been putting this off because its such a travesty.... the garden survived beautifully and produced abundantly. So whats the problem?? Well..... we had two lawn treatments over the course of 2 months and about a week after the second one, we started noticing some issues with the plants. After further research and a visit from Pete's sister (who has a degree in this stuff ;) we unfortunately had to chalk it all up to a fun family project...an inedible family project. the lawn chemicals saturated the plants through the soil and we decided it just wasn't safe to eat. The many, gorgeous tomatoes were deformed, some looking more like peppers. Even though we couldn't eat any of it, we let the girls pick and dig to at least have "the experience." The last pic below is just a portion of our "first fruits." It was truly a shame, but we did get reimbursed for our losses and we're definitely up for the challenge again next year.

(I just hope this doesn't count against me in the green thumb department - after all I did keep them mostly alive and prospering till the bitter end ;)



mantle makeover

Another home project checked off the list! Originally we planned to sand down and repaint our mantle, but the dental and ribbed molding just loomed over us and it remained on the "to-do." I believe it probably would have stayed there until I had a VERY brave and VERY free day :)

BUT pete and my dad went to this Habitat for Humanity sale and they happened to have boxes upon boxes of beautiful mantles... lets just say it was quite worth the low price. So out with the old and in with the new! :)

oh and p.s. the "old" one is in perfect shape if anyone wants to buy it :) http://columbus.craigslist.org/hsh/3145679839.html

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

gotta say.... I really enjoy these 1-evening projects :)

all-star game

every year we get together with pete's fam for the all-star game. the original tradition was that everyone bring various snacks and we enjoy a new one each inning. though over the years, the length and lateness of the game and the exorbitant amount of food has now inhibited us from sticking to that exact tradition...we still had fun getting together and eating tons of yummy food. other than it being a blow out, im not real sure what happened in the game....which seems to be the case every year, as im only partially interested :) we missed the Burns but it was a good little spur-of-the-moment get together with the fam:

(looking back at my last few posts...i know you're probably thinking.. is there anything else you guys do but have parties!?)    the answer is.... sometimes. ;)

unfortunately the kiddos were just too fast and too uninterested for me to get a good cousin pic tonight :/

Happy 4th!

Had a great looong weekend celebrating the 4th and just hangin out together. Pete was able to be off work the weekend thru wed so it made for a nice little mini stay-cation. With the crazy windstorm starting off the weekend on Friday, we had some unexpected but enjoyable experiences.

Saturday we took a little day-trip to Cleveland to visit our dear friends and their adorable little guy. Spent the day eatin yummy food and checkin out their new beautiful home. As we headed home really late that night, we got a call that our other dear friends were out of power and their little guy couldnt sleep! Although, bummed for them, I was really excited to have unexpected houseguests! I love that. They stayed through the afternoon on Sunday and then Sunday night, Pete's sister and her family came to cook dinner and do a little laundry at our place as they were out of power too! We enjoyed an evening with them and spent Monday and Tuesday working hard on the patio.... almost done (pics to come later). For the 4th we were invited to share the afternoon with a cookout at the neighbors and finished the day's celebration at the Westerville fireworks with Nana & Papa. It was a stuffed-full weekend but tons of fun. Thanking the Lord for a cool house and the ability to use it to help friends and family...such a blessing. Also thankful for some time to just enjoy Pete bein home with us...always love that - still soak up every second I can with him and our little family.



my little sparkler and my little firecracker:

remae seemed to LOVE the fireworks... with some hilarious commentary through the whole thing: "wow, that one was really big" and "sooooo preeettty" after EVERY one plus things like:

 "i wanna take that one home with me"

"oooh that looked like a strawberry"

"that was pretty loud"

"im really scared...crying like a baby" (not crying at all)

"i dont like this.... ohhhh that was pretty!"

"that one is probably really hot"

"ahhh i think they are falling on me!!!"

"they are all circles... i want a triangle one!"

"mommy...thats not thunder..it sounds like it, but its not"

daddy-daughter-date-night

Tonight, the girls got all fixed up in their cute little summer dresses and were swept away by their date..... daddy. Pete picked them up right after work and took them over to the Chick-fil-A daddy-daughter-date-night. It was so sweet... they had "reservations" and the tables were covered with a nice cloth, flowers, placecards, etc. They had their picture taken and got special little prizes. Their date, of course, included a LARGE portion of ice cream from daddy :) and then a trip to meijer. They were so wired and excited when they came home, telling me all about it. 

Looking forward to their many more dates in the future......... with DADDY!  :)  (if i could triple underscore that, i would)

happy daddy's day!

Celebrating Pete's 5th Fathers Day! I love fathers day... truly, I love it. I am blessed enough to have what I believe is the most amazing, perfectly-suited-for-me, totally awesome, best dad ever... AND I've got that same kinda dad for our girls. What a day to count my blessings and totally love up on them both. Here's a little recap, pic-style:

girls workin on their homemade puzzles and cards for daddy

how cute are these?! our little crafting session turned out great!

of course, must do somethin yummy! carrot cake is one of my dad's and pete's favs so carrot cake cupcakes it is:

daddy with his breakfast in bed, opening cards from his girls :)

putting together his puzzles...

Father's Day lunch at my parents:

 papa putting his puzzle together too:

 and his new hat :)

 what an awesome daddy - completely loved by his girls

 always able to make them laugh

still daddy's little girl:

We also got to spend a little of the evening with gram & poppi and share some of the father's day cupcake love :)

Verses I feel truly embody Peter as a father and ways in which I know the Lord will continue refining him over the years. One thing I know for sure: He was picked and planned as the best dad, perfectly fit to be Ellia's and Remae's daddy and I couldn't be more thankful for such a wonderful partner in our parenting assignment.

Proverbs 22:6 - "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it."

Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Psalm 103:13 - "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him"

Genesis 18:19 - "For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him."