Gatherings

This summer has been so chock full of activities, it is flying by in a whirlwind.  Parties to host, parties to attend, things on the calendar.  It's kinda crazy.

And it isn't winding down!

Here are a few photos from the last few to get me (and this blog) caught up...though mercifully, not many!  Too busy for photos when you are having fun, I guess!

An Ice Cream Sundae sort of Sunday:

(Probably the boys' favorite shin-dig of the bunch!)

It's not a party until the firework box blows up and catches on fire.

NOW it's a party!

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The Newunion

The day was 96 degrees miserable so I made sure to do as much prep and cooking BEFORE the party to keep things as comfortable as possible on the day.  I didn't want any guests to be fried and I didn't want MYSELF to be fried either.

It worked out amazingly.  

Reason # 4659 that I have children:

The little one on the end was the quality control officer... she took her job very seriously.

My favorite part of party prep- the flower bouquets for the tables.  

Apparently, Ineke takes after her Mama.  

She was a good little helper, though a few flowers' heads were sacrificed in the making of the bouquets.

The most remarkable thing about this party was that, despite people coming for supper the night before and despite the party being that afternoon, we were able to hightail it outta there and head to Matt's parents' lake for an hour swim right when I am usually going INSANE trying to get everything done.

I never thought I would EVER be swimming at a lake a few hours before I was hosting a party!  I still can't believe it, actually.

That's what being crazy a few days beforehand will get you.

It was just what I needed to cool off and get refreshed and ready for all the last minute stuff.

By the end of the night, I was so relaxed and chipper and perky...

Oh wait.  Who am I kidding?  

Are those weird perfectly rectangular light irregularities and lines horrible photoshopping evidence?

Yup.

This photo is the real deal:

Slightly less perky and chipper.  Still pretty relaxed though.

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A Cricket Shower

My brother and sister-in-law hosted a little family Cricket shower for this babe o' mine.   As anyone with six children knows, by the time the 6th comes around- things are looking pretty dingy.   Cricket got some very nice crisp and clean things to wear but the best gift of all was knowing this this 6th child is being celebrated.  Welcomed.  Anticipated.  Rejoiced over.

As every single child should be.

That was the greatest gift to me of all.

When I arrived, I realized that my camera battery was almost stone dead.  Here are the few pictures I was able to get before it gave up the ghost.  I never even got a picture of the sweet hosts.  :-(

It's been a full summer, but oh, so good.  

Edible

It took a stressful, rainy spring, an entire corn crop rotting in the the ground and a pitiful swamp garden that yielded a large portion of the garden entirely unusable... but eventually the sun came out and the plants started to live again.  Thrive may be an overstatement, but 'live' suits me just fine now that I am eating fresh squash and popping warm cherry tomatoes every chance I get.

Glory be!  Garden fresh goodness!  I glory in it!

And because I never posted them at the time:

The clean slate:

The baby garden:

an exhausted Mama:

...and mean children who take full advantage of every situation.  

(Notice the boy with the Nerf Gun in the background)

36 weeks baby!  And three ripe tomatoes waiting to be picked.  

Slow and Steady

restaining the porch floor meant clearing off the entire porch.  Ack!

End result wasn't bad though, eh?

 

My most favorite lunch these days- if I can scrounge half an avocado in the fridge.  

"Mama!  Take a picture of me n Ruby!"

Kiddo version of supper

Low carb (aka gestational diabetes) version of supper.

Sewing projects on the porch

The location of the some-day Timber Frame barn

Cutting braces

All the wood in the background waiting for Timberframing special treatment.  And a girl who needs earplugs.

This summer has been brutal and wonderful at the same time.  Nothing like being large with child to slow you down and help you not stress about the small stuff.  I really honestly DO NOT CARE if I accomplish my to-do lists every day because breathing/waddling/surviving the heat can feel like it is the biggest TO DO of all.  Weeds in the garden?  Eh.  It's okay.  Laundry yet to do?  Ah well.  A school room to organize- I'll get to it some day.

Maybe.

Somehow I do... I've tackled some pretty big projects the last month or so- I've cleaned and sorted the Granary (a HUGE project and MUCH needed and TOTALLY exhausting), we restained the porch floor, I've reorganized cupboards and rooms and some of those secret places of disorder that nobody knows is an avalanche but the woman of the house.  The children and I have somehow kept the weeds at bay a bit and harvested garden goodness before it was too late.  The laundry seems to keep caught up better than it has in the past.  We've hosted several functions and shown a bit more hospitality lately (a goal I have made for myself after reading this book.)  I sorted through my stored baby boy clothes (bins I haven't opened in 8 years or so...) and inventoried what I have and what was ruined in eight years of storage.  

There is certainly progress- but the urgency I often feel this time of year just isn't there and I don't mind it one bit.  I'd rather be swimming and often we do just that.  You know what they say.... slow and steady wins the race.

I am very thankful we live just a few minutes from Matt's parents and they happen to live on a lake.  Swimming for an hour when you can't stand the heat helps SO much.  Although- not sure how much longer I'll be able to squeeze into my maternity swimsuit. Just sayin'.   If I didn't hate bikini's so much, I'd find them very useful when it comes to pregnancy.  Or skinny dipping.  (If the entire world were blind.)

Matt began a new project.... not for the necessity of the thing (though HE might say it is necessary- we all know the truth) but I suspect more for the 'dream' of it.  He decided to build himself a Timberframe Barn.  Or a three-sided structure anyway.  Is that a barn?  A shed?  I dunno.  Whatever it is called, it will be a great learning experience for him and hopefully, a bit of "outdoor therapy".  Timberframing is also an exercise in patience... little by little, bit by bit.  The joy is supposed to be in the process.  He has his own 'slow and steady' project going on. 

 That is how Matt fills up his tank.  He heads outdoors and finds something to do.  

I just try and hang on for the ride.

Lots of flowers being made into bouquets and tucked into corners of the house.  Lots of delicious garden fresh suppers and lunches. Lots of homemade sugar-free ice cream.  Lots of porch sitting.   Lots of busy weekends. Lots of midwife appointments.  Lots of waiting rooms. Lots of knitting.  Tomorrow I see the midwife again and get to see Cricket ONE MORE TIME before the big day...whenever that big day comes.  (I love ultrasounds.)  

I finally made a good start on the knitted romper I spoke about in this post.  It was a slow start because, while I had the right diameter circular needles, the cord was too long for the project and was a MAJOR hassle!  When I finally bought the right length (16") circular needles, it made things go a lot more pleasantly.  After that is done...I am hoping to have time to finish a little hat too.  

We'll see.

Reading (and LOVING!)  Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey.  

crafting and knitting along

Summer Bible Reading Challenge

How goes it?

#samepagesummer

My Little Slice of Paradise

It's where I'll be if you need me.