Summer Snowman

I found a forgotten bag of snow in the freezer.

It's just snow, not a more exciting snowman but it was enough to remind me of this delightful book.

Take a little boy, a big brother, a little snowman, and a hot summer day.

Put them all together and you have a funny story to read to your little ones.

It won't disappoint!

Linking Up to Read Aloud Thursdays               

Wednesday Odds and Ends

Odds and ends from today (so far)
*When I feel desperate for something to do with the kids, I head for the library.  Maybe that's why we are there two or three times a week!  Today, the library had an awesome craft hour.  While we were there we heard that the aquatic center is open for free today.  That's our next stop after Lucy wakes up.
*Which brings me to the next point and that is my not-so-baby-girl is sleeping in a big girl bed most of the time now.  We put up bunk beds in the girls' room but I wasn't expecting Lucy to want to sleep in one yet. Wrong.  I wasn't quite ready for this and have shed a few tears.  She's a happy girl, though.

*There have been rumbles of thunder for the past hour but no storm.  I'd love a good thunderstorm.
*I've ordered Sunday school material for the church plant.  Less than a month, friends.  Less than a month.  August 12.  Things are rolling around here.
*Lastly, I'll leave you with some more self-photos by Sammy.

Nana

We said good-bye to Brian's Nana this weekend.
In my mind it is bittersweet.
She had family with her all along- she was never alone.
Her family has loved her so sacrificially, self-lessly these past few years.
It has been a tender thing to watch.
Sammy prayed, thanking God that "Nana is happier than she ever imagined."
We believe that's true.
And yet she will be dearly missed.
She was a classy, kind, humble lady.
Brian thought she would have been so pleased to see so many loved ones eating, visiting together after her funeral.  There was no shortage of good food!
And no shortage of people who loved her.
We thank the Lord for Nana's life.
We thank Him for the hope of the gospel, which tells us that she is happy, whole, and healed.

Some Sarah Stewart Books

Have you ever read a book and when your done, really wished you had another one by the same author?
That's how it was with the first Sarah Stewart book we read.  I think it was The Gardener.  She has such a way of making you connect with the character and their situation in just a few pages and with stories that rhyme.  These are definitely books we have pulled off the library shelves more than once.  She and the illustrator are husband and wife- I love that little fact.  The pictures are lovely in all of the books.  Several of them have a certain teddy bear throughout- don't forget to look for it.  Here are a few:

A little girl goes to live with her uncle until things on her family's farm look up.  She comes up with a plan to make her uncle smile again.  Does the title give you a clue how she does it?  This one might bring a tear to your eye.

Another gem.  This young girl loves books more than anything and as she grows up, nothing changes.   A great story to celebrate reading and the library.

This one is my favorite.  Something made me think it might be autobiographical.

It is a sweet story of finding joy in the every day things.

Even more, it's a story of friendship that I almost guarantee will bring a tear to your eye.

Linking up to Read Aloud Thursdays!              

Grandma's Pound Cake

Pound cake says summer and southern to me.
Yesterday I made my grandma's cold oven pound cake for a church plant committee meeting.  Really, you can't make a pound cake and just have it in the house to nibble on here and there.  There need to be a bunch of people around to eat it up.  After all, there's a good reason it's called pound cake.
The only redeeming quality of it is the taste.
And the enjoyment of making one.
And the thoughts of eating a piece in Grandma's kitchen.
It's worth it.

It's quite satisfying to beat (and beat and beat) that sugar, oil, and butter, watching it swell and fluff up.  I've heard that's the secret to getting just the right texture in your cake.

We added some strawberries and whipped cream.
Delicious.

Grandma's Cold Oven Pound Cake

3 cups sugar

3 cups flour

5 eggs

1 cup milk

1 T lemon flavoring (or whatever flavor you'd like)

2 sticks butter

1/2 cup oil

Cream the sugar, oil, and butter until fluffy, about 15 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time.

Add half of the milk and mix.

Add half of the flour and mix.

Repeat with the rest of the milk and flour.

Add flavoring.

Pour into a well greased pan and place into a cold oven.

Turn the oven to 325 degrees and bake for about an hour and a half.

The 4th in Williamsburg

We spent last week at my parents' near Williamsburg.
It was really hot- isn't that what everyone is talking about now?  That and the storm last week.  I love hearing people's tales of the wind and the lack of power.  I think folks will be talking about this one for a long time.

Anyway, we had lots of good food and just a good time in general.
The Fourth of July was fun in the Colonial area.
It was just us and about 10,000 other people.

 I love this picture.

 Don't miss Jack's face in this one.  Papa- I don't think he's flat as a pancake anymore.

 In Williamsburg waiting, sweating, etc...

 Still waiting...

All tuckered out.  

About five minutes into the fireworks, Sammy asked if "we could get going."  He was tired and over it all.  I couldn't blame him.

Catching Up

1.  I  have a personal trainer.
He is 10.
His name is Jack and he woke me up at 6:06 to go for a bike ride this morning.  He said he let me sleep in.  Not sure what time he wanted me to get up but it was a good ride in the cooler morning air.  It's supposed to be near 100 degrees today which is hot anywhere but I have to say, 100 here is nothing like 100 in coastal VA.  That's a whole different kind of hot.  We've been at my parents this week near Williamsburg- fun week but we did a lot to keep cool.  More on that later.

2.  I didn't realize the link on the sidebar to the church plant website wasn't working.  Think I've fixed it now.  Take a look!  (Wait for the countdown to come up if you click it- 36 days to go!)

3.  Now to catch up.  Last weekend we were at Claytor Lake with Brian's family.  The water was a good place to be!  I didn't take near enough pictures but here are a few.

Sammy tubed for the first time this year.  He said it was his favorite part of the weekend.

Lucy liked "driving" the boat.

One of the fish.

Just plain cute.

In my mind I fast forward this scene to when they'll be teenagers.

Wonder what they were talking about.

Most of us were at the lake when the big storm hit.  This is just one of many, many trees that were knocked down.