pretty, happy, funny, real: March 2016

Joining Like Mother, Like Daughter for some pretty, happy, funny & real times...

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

A beautiful gift from a beautiful friend.

{happy}

We are still happily enjoying our vegetable & fruit home delivery...

{funny}

The hens have started laying EGGS again.

{real}

California earthquake?  Perhaps.

Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter to find more contentment...

~ Mother's Day ~ May 12, 2013

A gift from my son...

Very thoughtful...very sweet (very delicious, too!)  Love the lemon flavor on shortbread.


A gift from my youngest (Little Lamb)...

Cinnamon-y hot chocolate from scratch...Mexican Hot Chocolate!  My fave.

A gift from my Butterfly....an amazing Sunday Brunch for me, my mother-in-law, and sister-in-law...

A gift to all mothers...I LOVE to make flower arrangements.

A gift to Our Lady...Our Mother.

After the lilies have opened up a bit...I believe they are happy being at the foot of Our Lady as she cuddles her Son.

The morning began...listening to my daughters sing in the choir at the Cathedral; while my son served, as our bishop celebrated the Holy Mass. 

Then home, where my husband delighted me with a few of my favorite things...similiar to last years lovely brunch. 

Cookies Hand-made with love from SIL

A Very Blessed Mother's Day to All...

~ Random Five on Friday ~ April 5th, 2013

Joining Miranda at The Pebble Pond to try and organize FIVE family friendly random moments in my life...Here goes!

1.  We are just beginning to celebrate Easter here...all 50 days of AWESOMENESS!

2.  I make oversized corny love notes and paste them on our walls to let my children know that I'm thinking about them...

3.  I love to photograph my garden...every year, same plants, over and over; I'm always excited and amazed at the new growth and I never tire of the beauty...

4.  See, I told you...

5.  After watching an episode on making cannolis on The Cake Boss, I have been craving one!  Cannoli.  Cannoli.  Where can I get an authentic fresh cannoli?
I'm happy to report that I experienced my first cannoli this week...after months of searching for the perfect one!  It was well worth the wait...If you're ever in San Francisco go have a cannoli and cup of cappeccino here at Stella Pastry and Cafe.  Oh my.

Blurry, but beautiful...
my hands must have been shaking from the excitement.

Visit The Pebble Pond to share in some family friendly random moments on

~ Random 5 on Friday  ~

~ My Love ~

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY to all...
It's pretty quiet for us this year since we have already begun the Lenten season.  Nothing like LAST YEAR.

However, as I was waiting in the car for my husband to return from picking up a few grocery items LAST WEEK...this falls on my lap:

smart (camera) phones - handy!

It was such a surprise and so sweet and thoughtful.  I was completely caught off guard.  One week early! 
The roses still look lovely today...

and the thought will still be lovely tomorrow...

I'm OK if my sweet-heart brings me home a BIG BOX of CHOCOLATES today...



but I won't hold my breath.  LOL.

~ Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real ~

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

 

Ever since the challenge, I've been cleaning out my closet and clearing out my work spaces and piles.  While I was purging things from my closest, I found this lost treasure.  An ornament of the Holy Family with dried roses and eucalyptus cuttings. 

So sweet and PRETTY.

 

Now the question is...should I give it away or keep it?  Will someone appreciate it as much as me?  Will they bury it in their closest like I did? 

{happy}

I think I count 49 flowers...

A friend gave me an early birthday gift...flowers make me HAPPY, and flowers that I can plant in my garden make me even happier because, then, I can name my "flower" after the giver - reminding me of them. 

Kind of like a garden journal...filled with friends and occasions.  (yes; I do teach my children the proper names of each plant. lol)

 

{funny}

 

This is the box that is holding the ornament of the Holy Family...(above).The FUNNY thing is, I can't bear to disassemble the whole prettiness of this box!I really need to give this away...then I can be free from this silly attachment. 

I won't even care of someone takes the ornament out and flippantly tosses the box and dried flowers (the box that someone lovingly took the time to dry and arrange and make so pretty...)

I just won't care.
I.just.won't.care.

{real}

 

In my house, *piles* grow like mushrooms.This pile has paper work from last year and I don't even know what I have stored away in the pretty boxes below the baskets...perhaps more treasures that need to be given away.

My goal is to be rid of all old *piles* by the end of the year.
We will see what the new year brings.  :o)

Go to Like Mother, Like Daughter to find more contentment!

~ Gifts ~

One source of enjoyment for me has been to arrange bouquets of flowers for the sanctuary at my parish.  I am learning that there are so many techniques and styles to floral design.  I am always inspired by the other ladies that help with the floral arrangements. We each have our own style...I can tell who's done the floral arrangements just by looking at them. 

I have been trying to remember to take photos of some of my finished arrangements.
Each arrangement is different.  Even when I use the same types of flowers, or maybe even the same colors; the arrangements always come out different or unique, in their own little way.  They are all so special.

A lot like people.  :o)

I have come to learn that arranging flowers is a type of art...and since I can't draw or paint...I think I have found something that I can design & produce.

By no means am I an expert at floral design.  But, I do have a great love for flowers, and, an even greater love for God. 
And since this is my little gift to Him, for His glory, I know he will take what I offer and, as little as it is, make it His.
God really knows how to make all things beautiful...

Besides, you can't really mess up flowers; they are just so beautiful - each and every one.  And when you put them together...an explosion of beautifulness!!

~ SEPTEMBER'S GIFT ~

I took these photos with my phone...so the quality is not that great, and because of my poor photography skills, they are not so clear; but they show the general flaws colors, and the concept comes through - good enough.

















~ OCTOBER'S GIFT ~

On the High Altar...at the foot of the cross.

And a couple from the side altars...

~ NOVEMBER'S GIFT ~

an explosion of beautifulness

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

 

I thought I would give this a try...LM,LD is one of my top 10 favorite blogs.  The "HAPPY AT HOME" posts are helpful, while at the same time, fun to read.  My personal favorites are the "The Reasonably Clean House!" and "Food Organization"...well, my recommendation would be to just go there and read them all!

 

{pretty}

I bought these fresh cut flowers about 10+ days ago...they were looking quite sad, so I trimmed their stems, cleaned and changed the water in the vase...I think they still look PRETTY.

 

{happy}

 Visiting the "Happiest place on Earth"...but what made me HAPPY, was the park was not crowded! (one of the many benefits of home schooling - take vacation when everyone goes back to "school")

 

{funny}

 This LOTR costume really cracked me up; very FUNNY...the entire Lord of the Rings gathering was F.U.N.

 

{real}

 

pencil marks under table, courtesy of bored student...

Piles...PILES...PILES