The Lazy Days of Summer ...

Where are you, Lazy Days of Summer???

 

 Dan & I have been getting projects done that we haven't been able to get to for the past few years... so the "Lazy Days of Summer" has pretty much skipped our house for a while.

And that's okay.  We've actually been getting quite a bit accomplished ...

 

Dan has wanted for several years to lay down outdoor carpet around our pool deck... we are half-way there!  He & I laid the biggest parts down and then the weather turned too hot & humid.  So, the rest of the carpet will wait until cooler weather arrives.  

We've also transplanted some of our shrubs from the front of our house to our rock walls along the driveway.  It's been challenging uprooting some of these, so we are still "babying" them to make sure the roots get grounded in their new soil. 

 

 

And we've been busy creating a new look in front of the house ...

 



 

 

Still a work-in-progress, but our new landscape is taking shape! 

 

And then ... the inside of the house that has not been painted in about 14 years (we moved here on July 1, 2000).  So, we decided on some colors ... then changed our minds.  This is one side of the wall in our open dining room-kitchen area. Changing to a darker color is not as easy and smooth as I had wanted it to be.  But, the results are well worth every moment I spent up & down the step stool!

 

Tag asked if we could leave up the green tape because it is his favorite!  I almost hated letting him down...

it took Dan close to 2 hours to get the tape off. 

 

 

Now I just need to find a few new switch-plate covers. 

And we're already starting on the corresponding walls too ... new paint and a backsplash! We've never attempted a backsplash, so we are planning on several days to get that project done.  Thankfully it won't be too big of an area to cover.

 

I'll post some more pictures soon of a little summer fun with our little ones...

they had a spectacular July 4th celebration!

 

But for now, more wall preparations await ...

 

 

Have a blessed week, my friends!

 



 



 

 



The First Week of ... June???

I simply cannot believe the calendar says "June"!  This week has been cool and rainy for our little corner of the Mid-Atlantic... okay, maybe more like COLD and rainy (when the temperature says 50s in June -- it's cold!)   And more outdoor projects on hold.

 

This little triangle was "supposed" to have been leveled, terraced, mulched and planted by now... hopefully by NEXT weekend now! We have some pretty awesome plans for our yard and we have completed some mulching along our driveway (waiting to transplant some of the above along our rock walls).

 

Dan has his plans all diagramed so that we will know what plant will be transplanted where, so hopefully we can get a bit of work done this weekend.  I think it will really brighten our landscape up when we're all done. 

We had originally intended on putting our house for sale this spring, but I just could not get rooms painted and the outside landscaped. As we get deeper into cleaning and maintenance, we see more and more potential here. So, we will continue to do our projects and maintenance and then see what God has for us... either staying here for a while longer or bringing us the perfect family who will make their home here. But, we are fine no matter which way we are led.

 

 

We are gearing up for a very busy summer (that's one of the reasons we've been working so hard on household projects)... Monday begins Lucy's summer dance classes, so she will be coming down here to stay with us a few days a week just like she did this past year. Then she has a summer dance camp for a week... which is the same week as Mega Camp at church (like Vacation Bible School) that she & Tag will be down here for... as well as regular church activities and events/activities they will have on the military base. There's so many awesome organizations that provide some stress relief to all of our wounded warrior families.

 

She brings joy to everyone

 Jacqueline had the kids at the base pool last weekend and Tag scraped his foot getting out of the pool... upon seeing a little bit of his blood, he passed out.  He checked out good, but it was very stressful and scary for the girls. Michael had stayed at their house because his leg was bothering him -- a lot. 

 

I melt in his smile

 By Tuesday evening Jacqueline & the kids had Michael in the ER... there is an infection in his leg that took the direct hit from the rocket over 3 years ago. They took him back to get the wound redressed yesterday and now he is under the care of a wound specialist. She told them that the abscess has been growing for "quite some time" so they will closely monitor it. They're trying to get rid of the infection by medication... and praying for no more surgeries (he had numerous surgeries on that leg within 2 weeks of his injuries). He can barely walk on it, but is determined to help Jacqueline give the little ones a good summer on the base. This is (hopefully) their last summer there before he is medically retired.  And they have weekend events today & tomorrow... and we will bring Lucy down with us Sunday - Tuesday.

So ... a busy summer indeed ... but a good kind of busy!

 

I am so very thankful that God sees what we cannot ...

that He knows His plans for each of us ...

that He loves us.

 

Wishing you a blessed weekend, my friends ...

 

and until my next post

{whenever that may be}

 

may God continue to be your Light

and your Direction

 

 

 

 

 

 



Summer Saturdays with Lucy ...

Here's a few pictures of Granny & Granddad's summer Saturdays with Lucy. There's absolutely nothing on earth that can compare to a grandchild. God is truly wonderful!

 

This laugh melts my heart!

 

Waiting on pancakes with Granddad.

 

Lucy loves a game of checkers after her Cracker Barrel breakfast.

 

Laughing with Nanny

 

The "cake-game" at Cracker Barrel is a favorite!

 

And the Christmas list begins ...