~Tis the End of Summer via Simple Pleasures!~

Simple things don't have to be things, although sometimes they are. Family, friends, and memories, are what simple pleasures are to me. We have had time spent at the close of the summer with all of these, family, friends, and memories. I couldn't ask for a more faith-filled life and am blessed to be able to share with you some of our end of the summer memories:

Our daughter making her way off to school. We were LOADED! In the cool-whip container is her pet turtle. Um, yah, that one I wasn't going to take care of......


One of my six fruit trees that bore fruit for the first time. Apples, pears, nectarines, cherries. It is a little tree, but mighty in growth......

A HUGE 'friends' camping trip. Life is GREAT with friends like these........


A special order from Farm House Primitives.........


A really fun trip with our missionaries to an old ghost town in the mountains of Idaho. And check out the beautiful architecture that existed. Beautiful............

My husband started his 12th year of teaching. He wanted a new Disney Cars tie, so I made him one.......

And I got a new bike at the end of the summer sales. I haven't had a bike since I was a kid, so this is a huge simple pleasure to me. I just wanted to 'cruise' around the neighborhood. I am having a blast! My husband picked it out - said it was so appropriate for me 'cause it had quilting motifs on the fenders. I am just glad it didn't have pin striped 'flames'..........



Hope your summer is ending well, and take time to enjoy the geese flying overhead, the low sunsets, and hugging a loved one. These moments are so fleeting. I am preparing myself for a flood of emotions that have also come over me as I prepare to welcome home our son.

Blessings on your day!

Shanda

~Can someone please get me my smelling salts.........~

I can't breath....... it came in my mailbox today....... oh, if I can only make it to my chair to read it cover to cover.......... I'm stumbling in the front door........ okay, I can make it to the chair....... it came, it came, it came......... oh goodie! I can't stand it...... I can't believe it is here....... deep breath........ I'm getting a little fuzzy, can't see straight........ focus, girlfriend....... Okay, I made it to the chair........ relax....... turn the cover open....... WOWWZERS! I AM OUT FOR THE COUNT!!!! IT IS BEAUTIFUL! CONGRATULATIONS APP!!!!! Subscriber for life!

~Faith, Family, and Friends~

Faith ~
This summer, 223 years ago, 55 men spent the summer sweltering in Philadelphia hammering out our Constitution. In the beginning, these delegates were arguing amongst one another, selfish, and were at an impasse on the form of government our country should have. Then, after 5 weeks, around the end of June, the most amazing thing happened. Benjamin Franklin arose and proposed they should begin each morning with a prayer, that they importune the Lord for strength, inspiration, and guidance. He said, "That God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aide?" After this simple, yet humble and acknowledging act of prayer began, these men worked with one another, not against. No man esteemed himself above another. They were being led by inspiration to build a government that to this day is the longest lasting in the World. This is a beautiful example of Faith.


Family~
I was able to pick up my young cousins from Alaska at the airport and deliver them to the horse camp van that would whisk them up into the mountains of Idaho. We had one brief night together, so we took in the Capital Building in downtown Boise. Sorry girls for being a little late at the airport - I was only following the security officers directions (long story)!






Family is SOOOOOOOO important- keep all your family members safe and hold them close!


Friends ~
I am blessed to have some wonderful friends! And I times I feel like I could go back in time and make more friends:


What a blessing we have in Faith, Family, and Friends, some of the most important ingredients of the summer, and all year long!

Blessings on your Day!

Shanda

Another Parent Payday.......

Being a parent is hard work. But parent paydays are the benefit! And you don't even have to pay taxes on that kind of income/blessing. Graduation is another in a series of our recent parent paydays. So glad she made it. Her future 'dream' during the slideshow for the graduation seniors said ' Sarah's future dreams include blowing bubbles off the Empire State Building.' And yes, she wore her red converse tennis shoes down the isle!!!!!!


You gotta love that smile....

She got a .22 for graduation. Her she is with her grandmother - she looks like Sarah Palin II....



And a quilt from grandma......


And then can you believe it - my camera died!!! Guess it is time for a new camera before David comes home and all the other family memories come upon us. We are truly blessed!!!!

~Aprons.......~

I begged my missionary son to send a photo - any photo - as I wanted to make a post about him. I received this - him doing dishes. I LOVE IT! It made me cry....... I now know how much he has matured because prior to leaving home in September of 2008, he would have never, ever, donned an apron! If Great-Grandma Siebrasse only knew.......

I love you Elder Lindsay!!!!! You make my life smile.......

~ Tis THE phone call, prom, and crafts!

Yes, I received a phone call from Elder Lindsay last night about 6pm. My, how he has matured! I only have about 4 1/2 months before he comes home, and it was very 'bittersweet' to hear his voice. 'Bitter' as that was technically my last phone call while he is out in the mission field before his return home, but 'Sweet' as I miss him so and it is so good to hear his voice. He will be sending some photos home this week, so hopefully I can get them posted.

Also, it was Prom for my daughter, also 'bittersweet' - This is her last high school dance as she is my baby and a senior this year. Again - where does the time go? As a mother, I still can't answer that properly! This was her 'silly' pose from the group she went with:



And what do we have here? I helped our own missionaries, Elder Watson and Elder Martinez create something for their Mother's Day gifts to be mailed this afternoon. They worked diligently on them...... tiles with vinyl sayings. Elder Martinez said they were 'stressful' while Elder Watson said 'this is gonna kill me.' Guess missionaries are not cut out for crafts!!!!


The missionaries worked on these early during my 'Finish It Friday Night'. For those of you who don't know, I have a finish it project night on the first Friday of every month. It is potluck, from 6 'til midnight, and you bring something to work on. We have everything from cards, scrapbooking, quilting, painting, coupon clipping, knitting, punchneedle, cross stitching, sewing, and the list goes on and on. I have held this faithfully in my home for nigh unto 2 years now, and if I miss a month, my friends faithfully hold me to having it twice the next month to get 'caught up'! Here is the group hard at work:

I couldn't even get the missionaries to look up for the camera - they were dead serious at their 'craft'. It is all really fun!

Gotta dash - time to get these 'crafts' in the mail. Mom Martinez and Mom Watson - look for something coming to a mailbox near you!


Blessings on your day - Shanda