Vacation Bible Camp! (VBS)

Jesus Loves All The Little Children!

We have been busy this week with VBS at church! I'm the head of the kitchen and my 2 oldest boys are camp councilors. One for 5/6th grade for his brother Nick's group and one for 2nd grade for his brother Noah's group! The girls are together in the nursery group and get to do much of what the rest of camp does!

We have another VBS to help at/attend next week!

The theme for the next one is Crocodile Dock!

Its a few towns over and we need to get there at 8:45 am eeekkk! We will be very tired by Friday!

I pray all is well with everyone and you all are having a safe summer!

Blessings,

Georgiann

The Bridal Shower~

Once upon a time a man asked a girl to marry him and she said "Yes"!

That girl was my sister and she would need a bridal shower!

Who would give the shower?

Who could love her more?.....OK lots of people really love her and we ALL wanted to give the bridal shower but Maryanne and I got dibs on the delightful task!

There were loads of flowers......lots of food and a yummy cake! But no party is complete without love and good friends to help celebrate the bride to be! We had it all......thanks to the Lord!

You are welcome to join us......

Grab a cold drink.......

Eat a few appetizers............and play a couple of party games and hope to win a prize!

Enjoy a crisp Caesar salad and wait for the main course!

Handmade chicken cordon blu topped with hollindaise sauce,rice pilaf and asparagus


Dining with family and friends in honor of the bride and best sister a I could ask for!

We love you Beth!

Then it was time for cake and the opening of the gifts!

There was lots of talking and catching up with old friends we had not seen in a while!

Our mom was there from out of state and a old childhood neighbor girl and her mom from a few towns over. My mom loved visiting with her old friend!

My sister enjoyed visiting with her good friends.....some of which are in the wedding party!

Maryanne made candy bar favors with special wrappers and cookies on a stick for the girls!
Fun was had by all.....then it was time for the clean up!

Blessings,

Georgiann

The 2 flower girls had fun playing with sidewalk chalk! Jackie loved being a part of the "girls" party!

The Fitting~

My sister (bride)with all my kiddos down at the Men's Warehouse to get fitted their attire and pick out ties for the wedding!

So many ties.......so little time!

I have 2 days left to do the rest of the shopping and get the house ready for my sisters bridal shower I'm hostessing!

I will serve 4 handmade appetizers and a sit down dinner for 14. (I will post pic's after the BIG event)

Much to do .....so I'm off !

Blessings,

Georgiann

Under The Tuscan Sun....

....is my all time favorite movie! The movie is full of sunflowers and everything Italian!
I love the symbolism in the movie. The love and freedom portrayed in the story. It runs deep!

I sssooo want to go to Italy one day!

But for now the sunflowers in my yard will have to do!
I love the part in the movie when the lady talks about the ladybugs......

During one of my nightly strolls though my

Rambling Garden I noticed my first sunflower of the season had fully opened. I then noticed a ladybug on the back side!
I've tried to grow sunflowers before but I was unsuccessful until this year!
This was my first year of in depth gardening! I learned a lot and feel over all I was successful at my efforts with veggies and flowers! I have always grown herbs and tomatoes forever though... in containers! This year I had containers, 2 large raised beds and a 30x30 tilled garden bed.

I love sunflowers......the back is just as beautiful as the front! Can you see the ladybug on the back of this sunflower?

Rambling through my garden is like a treasure hunt! The things I find are new everyday and its beauty brings so much JOY to my heart! The garden is always changing. It beckons me to stroll through its paths several times a day. Looking closely to find the hidden treasures within......as God calls me to mother my children and to find and take notice of treasures with in them!

Have a beautiful day!

Blessings,

Georgiann

Finding Calm.....

in my busy schedule of chores and getting ready for house guests!

No, I'm not at the creek today.....but after a day of chores yesterday I am taking the kiddos to the FREE Regal movie today! Inkheart....the kids read the books and said it was good! I have no idea what its about?




Well, I'm off to get ready!


Blessings,
Georgiann

Doggie Spa~

Well those of you that follow my blog know our funny beagle and his love for adventures! Well he found and rolled in something VERY stinky so he was in urgent need of a bath!
As soon as he heard the word bath he went running....and not for the tub!
I had to carry our fat beagle up the stairs to the tub!
Two of my boys were eager to get him all soaped up! A fun time was had by everyone.....and after a good rinse and a quick towel dry, Benson our dog was quit frisky....running all over in a playful way! (very unusual for him)
I think he was glad the stink was finally gone!

Well, one chore done and 99 left to do before my parents get here in 2 days!.....and the BIG bridal shower I'm giving for my sister this weekend at my home!






Hope everyone is having a productive day!

Blessings,
Georgiann

Oh Happy Day!

Have a blessed Sunday~

Dog Days Of Summer!

The Rope Swing......
Ah......Life at the Lake House! Boat rides,rope swings,tubbin',swimmin off the dock,lemonade and a bbqs! It doesn't get much better than that! Well ok.....the sunsets and the mountain veiws are pretty AWESOME too!

I'm enjoying hot summer days!

My mom and dad are coming out for a visit in a few days and to attend my little sisters wedding in August! My kiddos have fittings to go to (they are all in the wedding) and I have a bridal shower to cook for and give! I have one week to clean house (with my mom) and get read for the shower @ The Bluebird Cottage aka my home!

We have 2 weeks of VBS coming up!

Later today we have a church picnic to go to!

But for right now I have breakfast to make, a garden to water......oh and coffee to drink!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Georgiann

Every Life Counts.....

**please remember to silence my play list

......lets work together to end abortion!

This is a 45 second video ad made by Catholic Vote a grassroots movement to end abortion.
It was made to enlighten others of the worth of ALL life from conception until

natural death when GOD calls us to heaven!
I hope you will take a moment to watch this POWERFUL clip.

All life was created by GOD and counts!

Blessings,
Georgiann

The Seasoned Gardener!

I found a bunch of HGTV videos on the topic of gardening during the summer!
Master gardener Paul James from Gardening By The Yard talks all about gardening!
To watch his short videos go here!

There are many short videos to watch on subjects like watering schedules,fertilizing, weeds, how and when to dead head plants, buying bargain plants and when to plant them, and many other helpful gardening tid bits!

I hope you all enjoy!

Blessings,

Georgiann

Pigtails and Puppies!

Have a blessed day!

My Alleluia Day!

I wanted to share this picture with you all....I call it my Alleluia picture!

Let me set the scene......

Earlier on this beautiful Saturday hubby,the kiddos and I spent relaxing, swimming in our pool and cooking burgers. Having a simple day together!
We then headed off to the 5pm Folk Mass at church all together in the same car! (that is rare) We usually drive separate each taking some of the kiddos.
I love the Folk Mass.....
Hearing the flute and acoustic guitar always makes me smile. I love to sing (even though its off key). The band was off key too but I loved every bit of it! My soul swelled with overwhelming Joy! The music played and we all sang from our hearts! I love being at church praising the Lord for my family with my family!
After Mass we headed to Winco to buy ice-cream sundae makings to fix and eat back at the house. It was fun to browse the isles with all the family in tow! The boys love baggin the groceries up!

We then made a big loop over to the library to turn in several movies that were due back!
The evening was spent together.....all getting along! Yes!
The mini van was filled with love and people joking around, laughing having a great time.
As we were pulling out of the parking lot of the library, I looked up and saw the sun fixin to set!
Another Awesome day was about to come to a glorious close!
The sun was shining through the clouds!
I felt God there with us....it was Powerful!
WOW! I said, that is a Alleluia picture right there!
One quick click of the camera....and hubby drove us all home to make sundaes before the ice cream melted!

God made my day and it was good!

Blessings,
Georgiann

Thank You Hubby!

(more charm for my counters) hee hee


I pray everyone is having a terrific weekend!

My sweet Hubby came home Friday with this beautiful bouquet of sunflowers!
My man really knows my heart!
Thank you for the flowers Honey!
You are the best!

Finding Charm In The Clutter

Last night while I was washing a load of dinner dishes and looking around my kitchen I thought to myself......

where is my camera?

I want to capture the charm of my cluttered counter!

There was a certain rustic beauty I saw in the eclectic mix of stuff that had accumulated on my kitchen counters!

How can a cluttered counter be charming you may ask?

Well I suppose the beauty that one sees is in the eyes of the beholder!

Yesterday I had spent the morning harvesting herbs to dry. I had some extra stems of sage and basil that had started to flower so I decided to put them in a mason jar.(I have stacks of jars I use for everything) Later in the day Jackie came in and gave in some daisies that I added to my jar of herb stems!

Also on the counter I have my chamomile drying on a saucer....we add more flowers to the plate each day!

My counter also holds bottles of my favorite lotions and my lipstick, well whats left of it after the girls got into it!

Kitchen counters reveal a lot about a person and the life they live!

As I snapped the picture of my charming counter I thought that was all I was capturing on film......but when I went to put the picture on my blog I realized my camera caught more than I saw though my camera lens last night!

My kiddos were outside on the sports court riding their scooters!

The beauty and charm of my cluttered counter top framed out my kiddos playing!

Though I did not know they were in my photo when I snapped the picture. I think they were very much a part of what I was feeling as I took the picture with my camera. A feeling that happens at the end of a peaceful loving day filled with family and food and things that interest us. The beautiful clutter is what fills my counters at the end of the day! The scattered remnants of successful day!

I do enjoy a clean and uncluttered house but have learned not to stress about it especially when it comes to the kitchen!

My kitchen is the hub.....the heart of my house!

We eat,pray,talk,read the bible,work,cook,bake,play games,paint,create and make memories there! Its the busiest part of the house!

I live a very relaxed and easy going life.....I have learned to find charm in the clutter when it comes to the kitchen counters!

Mason jars of flowers from the yard bring a simple rustic charm to a cluttered counter nothing else can match!

Have a great weekend and

remember to find the charm amongst the clutter in your day!

Blessing,

Georgiann

Nature is......

.....art in the garden! (God is 3 in 1 Father,Spirit,Son!)

Yes! Yes! Yippee! I achieved victory!

I have carrots! Purple carrots at that!

God is good!

How sad it would have been if I did not get any carrots! The many that read my blog (ok the few that read my blog hee hee) may have read about my struggles grow my carrots! I finally found success....learning things along the way!

Every morning and evening when I take my walks through my Rambling Garden I have my camera in hand and take many pictures!

I'm always amazed at the artistic beauty the plants give. They show their expression to the world.....or should I say my yard and ALL who enter!

My heart gets filled with so much JOY!
I love watching my kiddos walk through the Rambling Garden.
Seeing their eyes wide open discovering the daily changes the garden holds......right alongside me!

All the plants are sculpted by God our creator. They are colorful and each uniquely different!
The plants in my garden are not only food for my family to eat.....but nutrition for our bodies!
Food from the earth!

The fruits of our labor! (it does not feel like labor because we enjoy it so much)

Its very liberating to know that we have food growing right in our backyard!

I love peaking into the broccoli and cauliflower.......looking deep into the plant seeing the inter leaves that curl around and hide the secret it holds within!


I love looking at the corn plants.....the red hairs on the developing corn look like fireworks shooting out the side!




The cabbage plants make my heart dance! I love to look at the layers of leaves. I love the curves and the scalloped edges! I love the veins in the leaves and watching the water roll down into the cabbage! It repels the water!


I love the peas and the funny weird look of the flowers and the delicate scrolling threads that hold the plant on the trellis!



I love the inside of the zucchini flower......

The list goes on and on!

Well back to the garden......there is work to do and beauty to see!



Blessings,
Georgiann

Propagating Chocolate Mint

Its so easy to propagate any kind of mint plant! Step 1 Take a cutting or 2 from the main plant

Step 2 Put cuttings in a glass of water for about 1 or 2 weeks and soon you will have roots!
Step 3 Plant the rooted cuttings in a container of potting soil,water and give to a friend!
I'm propagating some plants to giveaway at a party I'm having at my home this fall!
I will share more about that later this summer!

Blessings and Happy Gardening!

A Few Of My Garden Helpers!

I have many pictures of my family helping me with our Rambling Garden!

The girls are my biggest helpers when it comes to the garden. The boys help most with the animals. Feeding them and gathering eggs several times a day!

All the produce is getting big.....well most of it! (My corn has stopped growing)

I hope to put a slide show together soon but life here with 6 kiddos is very busy!

These pictures were taken about 4 weeks ago....all my plants have grown so much bigger since then!
My chamomile is now in full bloom.In the bottom picture in front of the bricks you can see it just sprouting up. We are now harvesting the flowers every other day you can see in yesterdays post!

If you stop by my blog come say Hi! I love to "meet" new friends!

Blessings,

Georgiann

Polly Put The Kettle On.....

....and we'll all have tea! Fresh chamomile tea that is!
Yes, my chamomile did sprout! There was a time I began to wonder if it was ever going to!
The foliage smells like sweet apples.....yummo!

I have learned patience when it comes to the garden!

The plants need water,sun and time to grow!

I will have to wait a few weeks to make tea as I must first dry the buds!



It feels good going out into the garden to harvest what I have grown! Today I also harvested
broccoli,cauliflower,beets,zucchini and romaine lettuce!
For breakfast we had fresh eggs.....straight from the coop!
I feel so self-reliant!

Free from dependence on the grocery store for everything!
(I will always depend on God though)

Blessings,
Georgiann

You can go here to read more about growing Chamomile and making fresh tea!
or here to read more facts and check out recipes to cook using fresh chamomile.

Beauty On The Lake~

Have a blessed Sunday~