Mandy's Birthday

Today is Mandy's birthday.

My baby is 32 years old...which isn't very old.

But when I consider she's my youngest...I feel really old!

These are some photos we took last April...before Kevin and his family moved to Texas.  We decided we wanted a picture of Aunt Mandy with all the "Littles" sitting on the ground.  Of course we decided this after an hour plus of other picture taking.  Some of the "Littles" were about done!  Some of them (along with Aunt Mandy) were just plain goofy!

We managed to get one fairly calm photo though.

We also got this one earlier in the photo shoot.  It's one of my favorites!  

Thanks to Jacqi for taking these!!

This next photo I took.  It was a party just waiting to happen.  
Happy Birthday Mandy!

We love you a bunch...and hope you have a great day!! 

Tonight she'll be celebrating her birthday by going to a concert at 

The Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA.

Four different acts...the main attraction being

NeedToBreathe...her favorite band!  

She's going with friends...and she's taking Charlotte with her!  

Praying for good times for all...and good weather too! 

Happy Birthday to Amanda!!

Amanda and I both had the day off from work today. So, of course, we went shopping! (and I took her out for a birthday lunch) Our first stop was Sweet Elizabeth Jane In Ellicott City. We love this store. Mandy picked out four books that were on super clearance....a happy birthday gift from Bill and I to her.  Then we stopped at a large antique store. She saw a lot of Pyrex (which she loves), but nothing that she wanted to take home with her.  We did find a great deal on a Fisher Price house for Katie....well, actually for Lulu!

 

 

Lunch was at a little restaurant called Bon Fresco...the birthday girl's choice. Really yummy sandwiches, and the best potato salad ever!! 

 

We made three more stops after lunch...Marshals, Homegoods, and a thrift store.  We left each one empty handed!  That just means we have money left for our trip to Bruesters for ice cream tonight!  I did try to talk her into this FABULOUS mirrored bull at Homegoods.........

 

Happy Birthday Mandy!

I love you a bunch!!

 

Weekend Wedding and Prayer Request

Katie and Mandy's friends got married last Sunday. 

I borrowed some photos from their Instagrams to share here.

Charlotte has a WONDERFUL time...she kept her heels on until the end of the evening.  

My favorite photos of the bride and groom.  A peek at Mandy's bridesmaid bouquet.

Breakfast for dinner is always yummy!  The cake...and Mickey & Minnie too. 

People always ask my daughters if they're twins. I just never got that...until this photo!  

Charlotte (and family friend Joe) LOVED the sausage meatballs!

While they were enjoying the wedding, I was enjoying this little one.  

Lulu spent the evening with Bill and I at our home.  

She was such a good girl..and she kept us completely amused!

This baby can eat!  Corn, zucchini, celery and red onions...two plates full!  

Plus the bowl of blueberries.  They're her very favorite.

This was the end result...after all the eating and playing that she did.  

I love how babies sleep...especially when their little bottom sticks up in the air!

Sweet girl!!  Lucky Gramma and Grandpa!

I'm not sure how often I'll be posting for a bit.

My eyes have not quite recovered from my cataract surgery.  I work on a computer all day, spending time on it outside the office has proven to be just too  much.  I have a lot of sensitivity to light, burning, and tearing. Plus my eyes are just so tired.

I may continue to resort to simple posts using photos borrowed from my families' Facebook and Instagram feeds....or from my own Instagram.

Sure would appreciate prayers for complete healing for my eyes!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Happy Father's Day...and a Birthday too!

In addition to today being Father's Day...it's also Bill's birthday! 

Mandy treated us to dinner at Long Horn Steakhouse to celebrate.

Lucky Bill got a well deserved day off from all the things he's been doing around the house. 

I think he's finding retirement to be hard work! 

Happiest of birthdays to a caring father and husband.

We couldn't have asked for more!

 

 

"Love...binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Colossians 3:14

 

 

 

Road Trip

Bill, Mandy and I took a road trip yesterday. We headed up to York, PA for the day.

One of the places we stopped was "refindings". 

I've been here once before...but it was the first visit for them.

They were very excited....well Mandy was more excited than her Dad. 

But he's a fun guy and pretty easy to get along with! 

We didn't buy very much...I picked up a few things to

create with (more about them in a future post) and Mandy found a couple little plant

pots and an old tin measuring cup (I should have taken pictures).

Even though we didn't bring much home We still saw a lot of interesting things. 

I thought Bill might like to have these letters.  I was wrong.

Mandy has been looking for a new ceiling fixture for her living room. 

This was not what she was looking for.  I personally think it's kind of fun!

I also thought this wire laundry basket was fun, and I liked the spindles too. 

Hmmm...what could I make with those?

One of the rooms we visited had some really interesting things in it. 

REALLY INTERESTING....

How would you like to have this guy staring down at you?

Here's a unique piece of sculpture (?)....Bill can't take his eyes off of it!

Then there was this shoe. Quite the fashion statement! 

I was tempted. After all, my last name does start with the letter "E".

I tried talking Mandy into this ceiling fixture. 

It seemed kind of appropriate since Charlotte and Lulu will be

having a flamingo themed birthday party next month.

But the answer was no.

There were some beautiful pieces too. Like this large piece of stained glass.

My photo doesn't do it justice...the colors are amazing! 

It's large. Probably about eight feet tall.

It's a nice photo to finish with since it's Easter week.



Mandy's Christmas Home

This was Amanda's second Christmas in her new home.  She has it decorated in such a fun way...and adding Christmas decorations to the mix makes it even more fun!  She spent the night at our house on Christmas Eve...when I went to pick her up I took some photos to share.

 

 

I love this area of her living room. She changes it up seasonally. The bulletin board is my favorite part of this display. All the lyrics and phrases are hand written by her.  If you visit, you have to take time to read it all.  See those little reindeer with the Santa hats?  Mandy's Aunt Sharon made those for her years ago.  The buffet in this area was given to her by my co-worker Joan. Mandy painted it with chalkboard paint...every now and then a message appears on it.

A pig with a bauble...the bell in the background was painted by my friend Patricia.

 

 

Mandy picked up this china cabinet when an antique mall near us closed.  It almost matches the buffet.  It's a great spot for all her sports and game collection paraphernalia. 

 

I think this must be her version of Hank.

 

 

 

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree.....love her white tree.  Yesterday, she bought some new shiny baubles to add to it next year. 

 

And yes, of course, there is a Mickey head ornament on her tree!

Yes, the wall is covered in tennis rackets...and right now they are decorated for Christmas.  The chair was a happy find on Craigslist...that's where the dresser/entertainment center also came from. That tree makes three in this one room!

Mandy likes to make "chalkboard" art....this is one of my favorites.

Charlotte and Penelope think this is the best display - it's in her guest bathroom.  When they visit Aunt Mandy, she lets them pick a color and then she paints their nails!

Another of her chalkboard art pieces.  The feathers were an "after Christmas" purchase last year.  

I made the Santa pillows many, many years ago. It's so nice to see it in a good home.

My father-in-law made this awesome coffee table...it's one of Mandy's favorite furniture pieces.

Here we are in her kitchen.  I didn't have time to take many photos in here...but here's a peek at the window above the sink.  I'm a little envious of her deep window sills!! : )

 

She can put all kinds of things on them, including this crate that she used as her advent calendar.  She added one red ornament a day until Christmas....such a clever girl!

 

 Hope you enjoyed a peek at Amanda's home decorated for Christmas.  Maybe someday I'll show a better peek at her kitchen, plus the bedroom (with her handbag collection) and her library!