For a lifetime

Sixteen years ago today I became a Mrs.

As it only takes a few minutes to say the vows and sign some papers to become a Mrs. it truly takes a lifetime to learn the role of being a Mrs.

I have been so very blessed with what seems like a lifetime already to be the Mrs. to my Man.

If I knew then what I know now about being my best friends Mrs. I would say "I do" all over again.
~Marla

A party kind of weekend.

This weekend was very girly at our house due to the fact that it was miss Lulu's 9th Birthday.
We started off the weekend with treats to school being Fuity Pebbles Bars (rice crispy treats made with Fruity Pebbles). When I asked her why she wanted those made for her class she said "because they are so colorful"... of course.

We later took four friends to get all the girls nails painted and out for burgers. My girl is as girly as they come, but she also loves a good burger and messy chocolate cupcakes.

The weekend was wrapped up with Red Velvet cake and the extended family.
What a fun couple of days celebrating Lulu and what she means to us.

My hope is that you all had a cake filled weekend too.
~Blessings, Marla

Inside and Out.

One of my favorite things to do is mix things up in my house, you know move furniture that has been sitting in one room and change it up with something else in another room. This sort of thing drives my family nuts, mostly because I do it a lot. Although because of adoption stuff I had not gotten around to doing a mix up or anything else around the house for that matter in almost a year. Needless to say I have gotten very bored with the way things were looking around here, so I spent a whole day this week just moving things from here to there and everywhere.

I then threw in some fall decor.
By the way, yes now I see that my pear picture is a little off. I'll get right on that.

After that, went outside to pick corn for dinner.
Hot, buttered, and with sour cream and onion popcorn seasoning, who needs anything else on the menu

And last we had to check out who may have stopped by.

I Love, Love,Love this time of year! How about you, what is it that makes this such a wonderful season for you?

~Blessings, Marla

Not so Martha

Sometimes a mama just wants a GREAT dinner to serve to her family, tonight did NOT end up as one of those nights in our house.

I found what looked like an amazing dish online today and even better then that I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. We were having "Raspberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole" (say that ten times fast!) I was foaming at the mouth with the thought of breakfast for dinner.

I got in and made it before football practice...

Set the time bake so my hungry athlete wouldn't have to wait long once we walked in the door...

Then came the moment of truth, would this be a new family favorite we would years from now pass on to future generations....

I think not! It was pretty bitter in some places and a lot soggy in others. OH WELL, sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't. We ended up making the "Blue Box" of pasta instead.
Here's to not being a perfect cook and our kiddo's being okay with it!
~Blessings, Marla

Good Bye Summer

Today has a real feeling of Fall with the date on the calender being September 1st and the big kids having started school today. There was rain yesterday and a crispness in the air for the last week. Because of these things I do believe Summer has left us, but before it is gone completely there are a few things I need to say Good Bye to...

the need for sunglasses...

the laughter when mama realizes hers have been stolen...

outings like a day at the local county fair...

my fun blue chair for magazine reading while dinner is near by on the BBQ...

my fountain for the sound of running water and for the place the kids store their water balloons during battle...

to the pool that gave us all lots of fun filled hours of cooling off in the heat...

What are the things you are going to miss most about this last Summer?

~Blessings, Marla

 

Something I have never done before....

Can Fruit.

It was time consuming, but easy for the most part. I just found some directions on-line, bought some of the cool jars that look like they came from grandma's house and then went to the local fruit stand. I became so inspired with myself I ended up making freezer jam the same day. This I did learn to do last year and again ~EASY!

I have now done canned peaches and made two kinds of jam (raspberry and blackberry). Next is to can pears and steam cook then freeze green beans. All of which is bought and ready to go.

It does feel good to know that the time, money and effort now will taste so good in the colder months to come.

What is it your cooking, canning, or freezing to get ready for the fall and winter months?

~Blessings, Marla

Just Moved!

I have decided we are due for a move. After two years of going through the international adoption process we needed a family blog that tells our families story, not just our adoption story. There will be a few things come up here and there for the adoption still on Gavin's blog, but for the most part the adoption is over and we are a functioning family of six (not just the one new guy).
Just a few things we have been up to this summer......

                                                                                               Playing...

Relaxing....

Eating....

                                                                            

And getting together with friends.

We are just two short weeks from the start of school and then the set in of fall. Oh and the things I have planned for this fall, the painting, and sewing, and canning Oh My.

I hope you all enjoy these last days of summer and thank you for stopping by our new place.

~Blessings, Marla