A bridesmaid luncheon

Baby Girl and I hosted a bridesmaid luncheon today that included a table FULL of ladies we love. One of my good friends is the bride's mother. One of my husband's good friends is the bride's father. And all of their children are some of our children's great friends too!

We had a great time decorating, cooking and setting the table for the occassion.  I'm ashamed to say that I didn't even get a picture of the food spread (london broil, mushrooms, rolls, green bean bundles, cheesy twice baked potatoes and fresh fruit salad with poppyseed dressing)...but it sure was good.

The Bride is a sweet little thing and so beautiful. And sadly, I didn't even get my camera out to get her picture either...we were too busy eating and chatting.

Oh, look....I did get a pic of the desserts...YUM!!  Almond chess squares with caramel & cream and oreo truffles, complete with a chocolate monogram for the bride.

 As with after hosting any party or event, I'm relishing in a clean house and leftovers.  Life is good. Especially when you have oreo truffles.

Snack time on the beach....

2 very good reasons why I love my sister....

Exhibit A: 

White Chocolate and Blueberry bread pudding....hot and fresh from her oven when I visit.

Exhibit B:

Bunny Bread....a great surprise gift!!

(she knows it's not carried on the shelves of any grocery stores around my neck of the woods....and she knows I love it, so she buys me a loaf every now and then. )

And she calls herself a gymnast?

While relaxing on the beach one day, Aunt Elizabeth announced she needed me to get a picture to match a picture taken in the gulf of the three Temples WAY BACK WHEN.  That's my husband on the top in 1976. And these pics are from slides that E painstakingly downloaded onto a family photo CD for all of us. (She's so sweet)

 

My husband doesn't really have a bad back, but he does have a "not so good" back.  And so, the thought of putting his father on his shoulders and then our teenage son on top of that......well, it just didn't seem like a great plan.  So we opted for an attempt at matching slide #2 from the gulf in '76....a pyramid of a grandfather with two grandkids:

Baby Girl and Middle Child were chosen.....mainly because they were the only ones still lingering around at the beach....so the pyramid began.

Looking good so far, just smile and wave at the camera.....

Now the plan was for Baby Girl to climb to the top and sit on her brother's shoulders, who was sitting on their Pappy's shoulders, in the gulf, in 2011.

But thanks to some sunburned chests and shoulders, a little awkward positioning for the climbers, and some waves that kept crashing in on top of the human pyramid, this is as good as it gets for this year.

Obviously, they won't be getting a job with Cirque anytime soon. 

They didn't make it to the top. Of course, the children in 1976 were only 5 and 8 not 9 and 12.
We'll work harder next time.  And maybe just throw the baby on top. 
And pick a time when the water is calm.
And have helpers out there to manuever the people in the pyramid.
Or steady the base.
Or something. :)

Remember, it's not about how fast we get there, but as Miley Cyrus always says, it's the climb.

I can't speak for Pappy,  but I know for certain Baby Girl and Middle Child were having fun in the climb.

My little three

Happy Independence Day!

Sorry for the H3 post being late this month.  Our internet has been out for about 4 days, acting all wacky on my iphone as well as our home computer.  May not sound like much of a problem to you, but it is when you're used to such modern conveniences.  Sure, I should have had the forethought to schedule this post ahead of time....but alas, I didn't. So, again, sorry for it being late, but here's the new verse for July.

"in all your ways acknowledge him (or submit to him),

and he will make your paths straight (or will direct your paths)."

~Proverbs 3:6

See...I told you it was important to learn June's verse....it connects right to July's verse.

This combo was one of the very first scriptures I memorized in my adult years, about a decade ago, when I decided I'd give it a try to keep some of that good stuff God had written on lock down in my gray matter. 

Some of it sticks better than others. :)  I bet you've noticed that as well....have you?  During the almost 2 years we've been memorizing....have you noticed how it's easier to lock those scriptures in when they are something that really speaks to your heart, your soul, your crisis or heartache or joy or sorrow or whatever your moment is and the words written are exactly what you needed to get you through it? 

Well, to me, Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks to everything in my life and can be applied daily. 

I can't sum it up any better than the Message does in it's breakdown of Proverbs 3:5-6, so I'll close with it.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don't try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

he's the one who will keep you on track.

I know my pathways have always been easier when they have been straight. There's a reason why the signs say "Dangerous Curves Ahead"....cause the devil puts them there hoping we will wreck every time. Failure. But God can make even the curves straighten out, at just the right spots in the road, in just the nick of time. All we need is to be listening, looking, seeking his will. Daily.

By the way, I hope you are all having a great summer.  Be blessed with safe travels and straight paths!

A night at LuLu's

We had a long wait for that famous "cheeseburger in paradise"....so I took some pics to pass the time.

This shirt would make even Jimmy Buffet jealous...not to mention that cheeky smile! 

Slushes for everyone!!

And a hula girl....one hula....

two hula....

three hula more!!

Ocean of brotherly love.

Elder and Middle Son went for a dip in the ocean.

The most important thing to remember while in the ocean is...don't lose your pants.

Just go out there and have fun.

Together.

'Cause that's what brothers are for....

There for you during the ups...

and downs.

And when you wipe out...he's there to laugh WITH you.

 And then take life by storm and show you how it's done.

But at the end of the day,

 it's great to have a brother

to float through the ocean, or life, with.....forever.

I love my boys.

I'll go ahead and say I'm sorry. Even though I'm not.

Around mid-June, we spent a week at the beach, the wonderful Alabama Gulf Coast beach.  All of my husband's immediate family went...everyone...parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and an 85 year old grandmother. 

Needless to say, I took lots of photos to remember the occasion.  Like over 1,100.   So, apparently I may have a few beach related blog posts in the coming days or weeks or however long it takes me to sift through and get it documented. :) 

Just bear with me....and consider it a break from all my tomato and zucchini and all the other garden related posts!