Summertime

This past summer, I became a Great Aunt when my niece Becca had her first baby.  A boy named Jay. He's absolutely precious. 

We kicked off our summer on Memorial Day at Territory Days with some Ice Cream and Rudy’s BBQ with friends.  I’m grateful for the freedoms we enjoy every day because of those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. We don’t know them all personally, but we honor them all. I’m proud I grew up in a military home. I hope we always remember that freedom is never free.

Some of my happiest summer memories were sitting out on a beach towel in the backyard with UB40 blasting from the boom box. My sister grabbing eyeshadow out of our neon pink and purple caboodle and swiping it across my eyelids. Everything smelled like Banana Boat and Malibu Musk. I was instantly brought back to that when I turned around to find this last night. I’m so thankful God knew I needed daughters, and that they needed a sister

Obviously Freda is my favorite flower in my garden, but I’m so excited about these snapdragons! Not only did they entirely reseed themselves, but in nature, they can only be cross pollinated by large bumblebees which have the strength to squeeze between snapdragon’s two protective lips. Thank you, adorable bumblebees, for these rare, gorgeous, multi colored dragons that are cropping up all over my garden. Also, the yellow and purple pansies started from one tiny flower that Lyla grew and brought home from school for Mother’s Day two years ago. Nature is awesome.