Backyard Improvements

     Today Mom, Ellen, and I went to Grandma's house to help her transplant some hostas; however, Ellen and I ended up digging up and moving paving stones.  About 30 years ago, Grandma got them for free, thinking she could use them to make a patio; but she never has.  Instead, the pavers which once were sitting above ground have sunk into the ground overtime. 

  

    We decided that they would be an excellent boarder for the patio.

Mom calculated that there are roughly 130 paving stones in the boarder and plant stands.  

And there are still more!!  

In the end, it was hard work but an excellent start to landscaping Grandma's yard.  We made very good progress in only an hour and a half, and the backyard looks much better.  But we'll certainly be over again sometime to continue the project. 😊

A large nightcrawler was disturbed with one of the hostas; and, of course, Ellen had to take a selfie with it!

CWS!!

Tonight is my first College World Series game this year!

This is my view of downtown Omaha from our seats.  Isn't it pretty with the sunlight!

I honestly don't pay much attention to the baseball itself. I usually clap when the team we're cheering for makes a good play, watch all of the people around, do things on my phone, or crochet.  😊 

But it is a fun family tradition just the same. Dad really enjoys it, and it is a nice thing to do with him on Fathers' Day.  And tonight is a beautiful evening to have it!  Our seats, starting around 6:30, are in the shade, and tonight there is a refreshing, steady breeze.  

P.S. (added later) We were cheering for Coastal Carolina University (partly because they are the underdog team, with this being their first year to make it to the CWS, and partly because Mom knows the mother and aunt of one of the players), and they won!.  :-) It was an exciting game!  

Happy Fathers' Day!

June 2015

January 2005

September 2011

August 2014

March 2015

     I am so thankful for my dad.  He is loving, selfless, considerate, patient, and hardworking.  He does things with us, waits in the car to pick us up from late night events, kills indoor insects when called upon, teaches me to drive, enjoys fishing and sports, and a hundred other things!  Thank you so much, Dad, for being such a wonderful father.  Love you!

Summer Selfies

Since Ellen and I have had a friend move out of Omaha recently, we have been texting her random selfies of what we've been doing.  To record those fun memories and give you guys a small glimpse into what we've been doing, I decided to post them!

Tracing stencils to make hieroglyphics to decorate for our church's VBS whose theme this year was Egypt

Praise the Lord for stencils!  I could not have done it without them!

Red Mango!  Ellen absolutely loves this place.  So ever since Grandma gave us gift cards, we have made several stops there.  Yum!! (This is not officially a selfie as I took I, but I'll include it anyway.)

Random good night selfie to our friend!

Playing Five Crowns last Friday

 It is one of our new favorite card games that friends from church introduced us to.  (Grandma played too, but unfortunately she didn't quite make it into the picture!)

Playing Dutch Blitz, another favorite game, on the back porch after I took the ACT

  It was such a blessing to relax and have fun after that ordeal.  :-)

     At the beginning of summer, I always seem to stress over how I spend my time.  I want to make my summer productive by doing things I am less able to do during the school year (such as fun reading, doing some school, practicing more piano and violin, and the like) but also I want to leave plenty of time to do fun things with family and friends.  I need to continue to be thankful for the things I have been doing (shown by the pictures above which are only a small glimpse) and know that the most important things that God wants me to accomplish I will accomplish.

One of my goals is to blog a little bit more.  Blogging is a wonderful way to record events and to practice my writing skills. :-)  I hope also to be able to make it a blessing to others and honoring to the Lord.  

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." 

Colossians 3:17 

 

Completed!

     This is a blanket that I started, if you can believe it, about nine or ten years ago, and I just finished it last Monday on Memorial Day!  In reality, it is not that big, but because it is larger and heavier than anything I've made before, it took me a while--more like ten years!  I started this blanket because a friend of mine had made one.  It is using three strands of yarn at one time with a Q sized hook in a basic single crochet pattern.  Completed it is about 50" x 42" and took 9 balls of Simply Soft yarn.  

     My grandma (who has made multiple blankets ten times faster than I did) and I were discussing the other day how nice it is because it is so heavy and warm.  I am so happy to say that it is finally finished and be able to use it!

Cedar Waxwings!

     Last Friday the Cedar Waxwings were here!  I always enjoy seeing these beautiful birds with their colorful markings and tall, slender bodies.  They travel in groups from the South to the North where they breed each spring.  They are attracted to our yard because of the berries on our Cotoneaster bushes.  When I saw them on Friday, I jumped at the opportunity to photograph them, but within fifteen minutes they were gone!  (I guess they thought our berries weren't ripe enough yet.  :-) )  I still got a few good pictures, though which I thoroughly enjoyed.  

Here is what I posted after I saw them for the very first time back in April 2009:

Last Thursday night we were pulling dead plants when Dad saw a group of (about twenty) birds up in the trees. We did not know what they were at first because we could not see there backs. On Saturday Dad showed me a picture I had taken and one of the birds that was looking down so we were able to identify them as Cedar Waxwings. The Cedar Waxwing migrates [through] some areas of Nebraska. My bird book says that they live here year round, but I rarely see them.

Please forgive my grammatical errors. :-)
I am so thankful that God created such lovely birds for us to see!  

Happy Mother's Day!!

To all Mothers but especially to my mother and grandmothers, happy Mother's Day!  I am so thankful for each of them!!  I cannot say how many times you have taught me, served me, given to me, prayed for me, been patient with me, and shown your love in countless ways.  We have done so much together and had many fun times together and some difficult times.  You are such wonderful examples to follow.  I am so thankful God gave you to me, and I do not know what I would do without you!!!.  

Love you so much!!!

May you all have a blessed Mother's Day!!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17