Look Who Had A Birthday

My son-in-law-to-be had a birthday yesterday

One quarter of a century young!

Check out the most delish double chocolate cheesecake

Adeline made for her sweetie

(totally made from scratch...including the brownies inside)

Matt was able to extinguish the candles in one full sweep

HAPPY WISHES TO THE BIRTHDAY BOY!

The Worker Dudes

Lots of activity on Friday and Saturday

We finally poured concrete for the step/landing outside the kitchen

You see the "temporary" wooden step which was borrowed from my sister's remodel

Finally started rotting after 20 years

It was time to make something permanent

So after over a month of preparation

(DZ is very careful/precise/exact/and slow..and does very fine work!)

The real action started happening:

My nephew Dan was invaluable...we could not have done this without his help and muscle!

A very proud masonry man indeed...

We used the excess concrete for the posts

Notice how DZ formed a cone at the top...so precise!

For this fence across the side yard

All we need now is the gate

I am one very happy camper!

I Spy

Do you spy a difference in our driveway?

It should be pretty obvious

Unless it has been while since your last visit

Well, between Adeline's hard work and through Craigslist

(love that Craigslist, don't you?)

The Plymouth Valiant has a new owner



Loved selling the car to this guy

He carried the "Ben Franklins" rolled up in a sport sock

Says he is going to "fix it up"

I can only imagine

And I am oh so happy to have an additional 200 square feet in my driveway.

My Rhodies

I parked my car in the street in front of my house last night

(Not in the driveway)

As I opened the door to go to work

I was greeted with these beauties peering at me through the window

Don't those blooms look like they want to jump into the car?

All of my rhodies are blooming about two to three weeks later than usual

And are lasting longer too

Probably because it has been so cool

How sweet is that?

Saturday Hike

What a beautiful Saturday morning hike

The pond that is normally dry

Was totally full

I love spring

Roasted Red Pepper with Gouda Soup

I am devouring a bowl (in a Styrofoam cup no less) of roasted red pepper with Gouda cheese soup at my desk here at work and boy is it tasty. Nothing finer than a steaming "bowl" of soup on a rainy chilly day in May...did you read that? It is raining here in May! What is with this "winter-like weather anyway? Our furnace has been churning the past couple of days.... unheard of! I need the sun to come out and the temperature to rise so my flowers in my garden can grow!

A Busy Day

Been busy all day

Tackling the second delivery of materials

Gold fines, mini bark, base rock and gravel

Should all be gone by next weekend

Nothing like a wedding to spruce up the yard.

Love Being a Mother

I love being a mother to these three...circa 1990

Me and My Mother

Me and my mother....

A fabulous woman indeed

My Little Friend Leah

I have a very fun "calling" (job) at my church

In Primary (similar to Sunday School)

I am a "buddy teacher" (I made up that title...)

To a most precious little girl

Her name is Leah

This picture is blurry because I couldn't snap quick enough

You see, she has Rhett syndrome...a particular form of autism

She is unable to communicate with words...but she does "speak volumes"

With her most beautiful eyes

She loves to be around people...especially real little people (babies)...

She gives the most delicious Leah hugs

Her mother dresses her in the most chic and cute clothes..

Always with fun bows and ribbons in her hair

At times, the two of us wear the same colored outfits

She even has her very own blog...check it out here

Life can be hard for little Leah

Can you imagine life without the ability to communicate with words?

Or to use your hands?

Think about it

She has been blessed with the most loving and wonderful parents

Who are trying their very best to provide a comfortable life for her

I come home from church every Sunday feeling oh so blessed

To be a friend to this very sweet and loving little girl.

Shoes

How many shoes do you have in YOUR closet?

This is a picture of only half the shoes I own

I put the shoes I wear the most in these pockets

There are another 25 - 30 pairs sitting on shelves inside my closet

And then there are hiking boots, running shoes, and after ski boots in the garage

Really, how many does one need?

For example

DZ interchanges between one pair of shoes

And one pair of flip flops

That drives me nuts

I say the number of shoes one owns

Should be somewhere in between

A Busy Week Indeed

What a busy week...

Tasted some cake

Gathered with my sisters in SF on a most gorgeous day

Spread 5 yards of compost...with 1 more yard to go

(Actually my dear nephew and his friend did)

And cut out and sewed a wedding dress

out of the most beautiful ivory silk.

(I love sewing with silk)

So now off to the start of a new week...Happy Monday!