Sunday, October 27, 2013

Cutest Costumes

History of Halloween at our House
It is a lot of fun to dress up and transform into another character!  Our girls (with my help) start planning out their costumes way before October is in sight.  Birthday themes and trick-or-treating costumes are popular topics at our house.

2014 - DIY Heroines:  Wonder Woman, Bat Girl, Super Girl
2013 - Singer/Rockstar and Twin Hula Girl Costumes
 2012 - Ladybug Girl, Butterfly Girl, and Dragonfly Girl

 2011 - Homemade/DIY Crayola Crayon Costume (made of Felt Fabric & hot glue) 
2010 - Fairies (DIY Tutu's and wands)
 2009 - Wizard of Oz
 Off to See The Wizard!

 
2008 - Cinderella and Twin Pumpkins

 
2007 - Giraffe 
 2006 - Little Lamb


 Be creative, have fun and treasure these precious moments!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Summer Blossoms

And It Was Good
"I think this is what hooks one to gardening:  It is the closest one can become to being present at creation"
- Phyllis Theroux
 When I began to garden I intensely researched and studied as much as I possibly could.  The more I dug in the dirt and became hands on, gardening became less of a challenging chore and more of a relaxing, rewarding hobby.  Watching a seedling form into a beautiful plant is an exciting event.  However, in my opinion, it cannot compare to the births of my children.  If you are a parent, you are a witness of this great joy.  Both events are similarly breathtaking and beautifully display Creation all the same.

Cleome and Knock-Out Roses 
 Verbena and Rose of Sharon
 
All Things Bright and Beautiful
 - Cecil Frances Alexander
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.


 He gave us eyes to see them,
   And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,

 Who has made all things well.
Cleome (an annual in Michigan that happily reseeded itself)
Asiatic Lilies
  Shasta Daisies


 Yellow Sundrops
  Perennial Garden (Part Shade) - Sundrops, Spirea, Iris, Ferns, Moon Flower, Stella De Oro Day Lilies, Dianthus, and Hens and Chicks
 Entrapment Lily, New Guinea Impatiens, Geraniums
 
 Day lilies, Purple Catmint, Peonies 
 Knock-out Roses and Spider Wart
Small mailbox flower garden added 
 
 

 Knock-out Roses
 
Perennial Garden
 Bright pink Dianthus, Lt. Purple Balloon Flower, Knockout roses, Daylily and Sundrops, Hosta, Blue Salvia, Knock-out Roses 
Hydrangea (Purple flowers turned from pink after blending spent coffee grounds into the soil to change the acidity  It started out the same color as the pink hydrangea shown)
Huge Hydrangea - This is one flower in a large vase
Dianthus (typically an annual, but happily reseeded & were gorgeous this year) 
 
Annual August pictures of my girls in front of the Rose of Sharon 
 
Pansies lasted well into Summer
 Marigold
Cana
Shade perennial garden (Astibe, Sedum, Hosta, Columbine, Heuchera
Neon Flash Spirea Shrub
Coleus and Creeping Jenny trailed out of this old wheel barrow and added color, height and character to the shade garden this year.

 
Looking through Spring & Summer pictures has me excited about watching it all over again a few months from now.  First we will be busy raking and watching as the gardens become covered in blankets of snow. 
 
Stay cozy as we anticipate another season. my friends!

~Thanks for stopping by~