Remarkable Futures Scholarships

We got exciting news yesterday!  Rachel has been awarded an educational scholarship from Chick-fil-A!  As you can see seven other employees received them as well.  The other Chick-fil-A in our area is operated by the same couple and they had eight student scholarships at that restaurant, too!  Lindsay's sister in law, Laura, received one!

Chick-fil-A as a corporation has given out $14.5 million dollars worth of scholarships this year.  Since 1973 they have given $60.5 million dollars in scholarships!  They are very committed to their employees futures.  You can read about their Remarkable Futures Scholarships here.

Scenes From The Weekend

This weekend was busy but fun.

On Saturday, we planted the two David Austin roses I purchased last week, and the red quince I bought the week before.

While planting the quince, I noticed some Honeysuckle growing next to a Viburnum along the creek.  We clipped some to bring in.

I also clipped some of my Bridal Veil Spirea.

 Its fun that it is in bloom this week.  The wedding I am coordinating is this coming Saturday!  We've had heavy rains and thunderstorms so I am not sure the blooms on this plant will last long.  I'm glad I clipped some while I could!


We had everyone over for Mother's Day yesterday.  We bought steaks from Costco and marinated them for 24 hours.  We broiled them in the oven, and they were the best!  I found this helpful guide to cook times here, and a delicious marinade here.


We at a later lunch then, Kayleigh did a dip treatment on my nails.  The dip is very fine acrylic powder.  This did not increase the length of my nails, but since the color is acrylic, not polish, they will not chip or peal.  That is perfect for me with the wedding coming up.

They turned out really great and I'm looking forward to using this method in the years to come.  So handy having a nail tech in the family!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Friday Five

Welcome to Friday Five a list of random things.




1. I spent a lovely afternoon journaling.

2. This little one enjoying a waffle fry at Chick-fil-A.

3. Fun with a box.

4. I bought one of these roses at a local garden shop.  This one isn't mine, but I can't wait until mine blooms!

5. Wedding Flowers.  I pick up the order of flowers for the wedding on Wednesday, and then we put them together on Thursday.

Next week will be busy, but I hope to pop in here at least a few times during the week!

Happy Weekend!

Screen Door

You all loved my screen door so much yesterday that I thought I'd tell you a little about it.

We had white pretty screen doors on the front door and here on the kitchen door that we purchased from Lowes.  They are reasonably priced, and made mostly of pvc.  The front screen door is still in fine shape, as that door is opened but not used much.

This kitchen door is the door we use all the time, even by our guests.  The other screen door did not last with all that use.  We had planned to replace it with another, but winter came and we did not hurry to do it.

One day, as spring was coming on, I happened to be driving home, and along the side of the road in a pile of free items was this door.  I turned the van around and went back, certain it must be broken.  It wasn't it.  I couldn't believe it.

I packed it into the van and brought it home.  Its made of much sturdier stuff and I love that you can see all the way to the floor.  My grandbabies like that, too.  Klaire loves to stand at the door and look out at the chickens or the cat.

Its very common for people to put items out for free.  Is it common where you live?

Life Unedited

If you look closely you'll see our trash can, some chicken pooh on the driveway, my quince and two new roses (David Austin!) that need to be planted.

This is the real life stuff of everyday life for all of us.  In the social media world we want to encourage and share beauty, so we don't show dishes piled in the sink, a stove top to be wiped down, dirty windows, dusty shelves.  We share edited moments of our lives.

I have no problem with this because I feel like we should understand that this moment in a photo is not the whole of our lives.  

We often have my granddaughters here, and use a chair to block the stairs, Klaire loves to play in the drawer that I store my canning jar lids and rings, and metal cookie cutters.  That means they end up all over the kitchen.  

Life can be messy.  For every cute chicken photo I show, there is clean up to do because we allow them to free range.  I have to sweep the dirt off the front walkway in the cottage garden, because the hens love to go in there and scratch and peck, and sleep in the sun against the house.  We need to sweep dried up pooh off the driveway because they just go where ever they are.

So sometimes, I decide to show you a glimpse of real life around the cottage.  A family lives here.  We are not slobs (though the 12 year old boy borders on it), but the house is lived in 24/7.

I'm so grateful for this home that God has given to us. We've learned to not stress over needing to clean up.  Its a part of life.  Our home is never pristine.  There is cooking going on, reading, game playing, laundry to fold, grass to mow, chicken pooh to sweep.

Are you grateful for your home?  Do you enjoy using it for everyday life and for hospitality?

Tea On Tuesday

Sometimes you find the most delightful things on Pinterest, have you noticed?  This delightful tea cup came up in my feed last week, and I went to Etsy,  ordered it and it arrived today.

I love unique tea cups and this one ticked all the boxes for me, beauty, Royal Albert, the flower of Scotland.  Could it be more me?  I think not!

Just Because It Made Me Happy

 I enjoyed myself on Saturday, puttering around the house, and I also planted some herbs.  I put Lavender in this big pot and I'm hoping to not have to transplanted it at all.

In these little biodegradeable pots I put Verbascum Mullein, Germain Chamomile, and I also potted up some Painted Daisies. (no herb)

I'm just going to enjoy seeing how they do, and if I can sustain them through the summer.  Its fun to do things just because they make you happy.

What did you do this weekend?  Did it make you happy?

Friday Five

It's the end of a busy week, and we're tired here at the cottage.  Looking forward to the slower pace of the weekend.

1. 

Our hens are laying prolificly.  I'll be making some hard boiled eggs this weekend.

2. 

The apple trees are blooming.  We planted two several years ago.  They flower every year, and one tree gets some fruit but not much.  I need to do some research to figure out what's going on.  

3. 

We have our homeschool evaluations today.  Another year finished.  When we start back in the autumn, it'll be my 24th year educating my children at home.

4. 

We had a few nice days with the windows and doors open.  Then it got to be 90 degrees yesterday, so the air conditioning is on.  We'll see if it stays this hot from now through summer.  I hope not.  

5.

With treats on CFA calendar cards, and a free sandwich for doing a survey, I took the kids to lunch yesterday.  I'd love to look so adorable eating a waffle fry. (I actually don't eat them.  I ate a cobb salad!)

I hope you have a great weekend, friends!  What are your plans?

Wild Violets

Living in a country neighborhood, we have a lot of wild flowers.  Dandelions, clover, chickory, daylilies, wild mustard, Queen Anne's Lace, and wild violets.

They are sweet, and I love seeing them blooming in the grass, along with other plants people consider weeds.  Here in the country we aren't worried about having grass only, I just like it to be green, and reasonably easy to mow!

Sarah picked a small jarful yesterday, and they were a sweet surprise this morning when I opened the front curtains and saw them in the window.

Do you like wildflowers?

In The Middle Of A Busy Week

A misconception I used to have is that as my kids got older and left the home, I would be less busy.  So far that is not true.

This week my granddaughters will be here four times, we are in the last few weeks of school, we have our year end evaluations on Friday, and I have wedding work today.  

Tim and I are taking my parents out for dinner tonight, since their birthdays are May 5th and May 15th. We are taking them to a nice Irish pub we like, that they've never been to before.  My mom always says that you don't need to buy us gifts, so we decided that dinner out on us would be our gift to them this year!

Yesterday was the warmest day we've had and the evening was perfect weather.  While Tim and the kids washed cars, I did some repotting of some plants, and cleaning out old pots to get them ready for new plants.

I need to get plants for the deck now that I am sure we are past a freeze!  Of course with the weird weather we've had, as my Grandma Lily used to say, "You just don't never know!"

I've gained a bit of my weight loss back, but I am really working to eat on plan, as I really want to kick back into weight loss.  I need to get consistent in working out as well.

Happy Wednesday!

Tea On Tuesday

Just a quick peek into my great grandmother's hutch (an inherited piece) where I store my tea cups.  These lovely tea things make me happy.  

Have a great day!

Joining Bernideen