In my blog I plan to chat about nature, crafts, baking, gardening, beekeeping, family, and whatever else seems appropriate at the time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Technical Difficulties

Sorry about the "Technical Difficulty" peeps and thank you for those of you who e-mailed and asked to be able to read my blog.

Cindy Bee

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Ashley's Bridal Shower - The 2nd week of May

The 2nd week of May was full of appointments (fireplace inspector, perm, Plan of Care mtg for MIL).  But I also had a wedding shower, at our house, in our unfinished room, to plan.  It was supposed to be in the neighbor's outdoor pavilion but the weather was the same as it is today.  Windy, cloudy, threatening rain.  And Connie , what I did was crossed off Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on my calendar way ahead of time.  Big X's on those days.  Nothing, absolutely NOTHING going to be done on those days but work on house and stuff for the bridal shower.  
And most of the time, My Shug does the house building work and I do everything else.  He says I'm his secretary.   I do all of the phone calls, scheduling, cleaning, cooking, laundering, errands, etc.  I do it all so he can have time to work, and build.  And I help him when he needs me to help him.
(and did I mention the drywall guys are upstairs!!!  SO EXCITED!  It's looking like a house!)
(and also, Connie, my sister replied to your comment in my last post)

So, Ashley's shower....my sister and I were putting the shower on for Ashley Bashley, as I so lovingly have called her all of these years.  Sometimes it's just Bash, for short!   And since my niece is in the wedding, my sis made her help.

She was not happy to help.
 Especially when I insisted on making these adorable fish cupcakes that a friend of mine had made.  Sorry...had to have them.  Ashley Bashley is getting married in St. Thomas, and I felt that a beach theme was perfect for the occasion. 
Hence, fish cupcakes!  Aren't they adorbs!
 
And my sister found these sand dollar cookie on pinterest or something.  They required putting the cookie dough in the oven, waiting until it started to melt (soften/spread/whatever) then pick out UNbroken almond slivers and put each one on the cookie then sprinkle with cinnamon.  Again, Taylor was not amused.
I had done decorative type creative stuff (below) throughout the week during my free time.
This is Ashley and Eric's wedding invite.  I put a glass cylinder and a candle inside the glass vase.
I got the idea below off of Pinterest....

and liked it so much I'm using it for decoration in our room.

This idea was just something I dug out of our back room, which has boxes and boxes of stuff in storage.



 So, we had the shower in our upstairs unfinished Grand Banquet Hall (aka dining room!)
We skewered fruit, here-to-fore known as kabobs, and stuck umbrellas in a few of them, to give them a tropical feel.

I did go to crochet group that week.  And we made flip flop dish cloths.  Perfect for a bride getting married on an island don't you think?
Everything is ready to go....is Taylor unhappy again?  Could it be she had to spend two days in a row with her Mom and Aunt instead of her friends? 
So, my Sister had this idea.....
"Have you seen the movie Bridesmaids, Cindy?"
"No"
"Well, watch it.  Because I have an idea.  Let's drive everyone up to your porch, and they can get something to drink, then go inside for the shower.  Just like in the movie when they ride a horse up to the house for the shower.  Watch the movie."
OK so Saturday night I watched the movie.  
I respectfully asked my sister to stay off of Pinterest, and to quit watching movies!
So we put the drinks on the porch.
My Shug was supposed to be the driver, but after the first two people declined I think he got a complex, because he told me to drive and he would direct traffic.


So I drove.
 And right after dropping Aunt Betty and Aunt Nancy off, they decided they needed to go to the restroom.  Which is downstairs in our room.  We do not have one installed on the main level.  So, back in the cart they go.  And I said, "please only one other person at a time,"
but Aunt Betty insisted on getting in the cart too.  I was afraid she was going to get flung off of the cart when we turned a corner.  It's only seated for two.  
We went around the corner and she raises her hand and says, "HIIIII DAAAAVE!"
I said, "Aunt Betty HANG ON!"
In the movie Bridesmaids, everyone was young, riding horses, didn't need to go downstairs to potty......whatev...I have to admit it was fun.
(selfie of me and sis)
 We played games.  Only two.  Good thing because Aunt Betty declared no one likes playing games!  LOL!  She also told me she really didn't have to go potty.  I think she just liked riding on the cart.

 we ate,

(brides Mother,  left of pic.)
 and Ashley, the bride, opened her gifts!
 It was a fun day.

Cindy Bee


Sunday, June 7, 2015

The first week of May

May was one of those months that had so many events in it, I decided the only way to get through it was to do only what was necessary.  Take one week at a time, and prepare for the event that was going on during that week.  I barely had time to breathe, let alone blog. 
 I blogged Mom's 80th birthday celebration, which was the beginning of the month, and I blogged the end of the month, with the passing of my Mother in Law.  But there was a whole lotta in between stuff that happened.  Sometimes when I would wake up in the middle of the night, I would get out my phone and read some of your blogs.  Today, I had some time....and I decided to blog, but I didn't know where to start.  I had a couple of other posts ready, but didn't like them much.
 So I got out my calendar and decided to start at the beginning of the month, and work my way through to the end.  June is here....and it's going to get busy too, but hopefully, a lot happier.

Starting with Friday, May 1st, which happens to be" First Friday" in downtown Kokomo, and the last Friday ever that Beth's studio would be open.  We spent a lot of time in her studio over the last year,  and I went almost every "First Friday" and hung out there.
During May's  first Friday, my friend Debbie and I went.
(this is Debbie at my house.  She came over to learn how to make a flower, and sew a lining in a bag she made for her Granddaughter.)
We decided to go shopping for a little bit at this new store downtown called "The Jitterbug" and they sell fun, funky, vintage kind of houseware type stuff.  
 Well...when we were there we saw Frank Sinatra!  And funny thing, when my friend, Teresa, and I were in Vegas, we were wondering if he was still alive.  Well he was, or is, because he was in The Jitterbug singing Frank Sinatra music.
A very bittersweet evening, since we knew it would be the last time in Beth's studio, but fun times downtown.

The next day our family went to Ty's first Birthday party.  
Ty is my Great Nephew.
 He was a little fussy.
 My sis in law and I decided to have a brewski.
 Andrew (my nephew) and Duke (my brother/Andrew's Dad)
 The birthday boy with is ma and pa.  My niece and her husband.
 A selfie with my sister and niece.

Mom with her Granddaughter and Great - Grandson!

Dylan, the birthday boy's sister! (my great niece)

It just happened to be the day of the Kentucky Derby so we had a little bit of betting going on.  
And our family won!  American Pharoah!!!  
IF ONLY WE KNEW THEN WHAT WE KNOW NOW!
The Winner Circle!
(Cindy, Taylor, Theresa, Lorri, Tom - Taylor put her name down after I snapped the chart. Bets were only $1.00 and we had to split it, so I think we all got 6 or 7 dollars.)

Monday of that week some of us met at Red Lobster for my cousin Vickie's birthday,
 
Next was
which I already posted about.  Just click on 
Mom's 80th birthday celebration (two lines up) if you want to read about it!
And of course, the next day was Mother's Day.
But we had a lot of partying that week, especially the night before, so I just had Mom over for simple sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and dessert.
 Strawberry shortcake!  Tis the season.
 The bag came from The Jitterbug store.  
That ended that week, except I want to show you....I did take time to smell the lilacs!
No, we don't have money growing on trees.  We gave Mom a money, lilac bouquet for her birthday!
 And yes I really did take time to smell the Lilacs.
 After celebrating Mother's Day with Mom, we went to see Dave's Mom.  At that time she was okay.  Not great, but in rehab complaining about her lousy dinner! (it was lousy - hot dogs and crusty baked beans) so we knew she was feeling okay.  And she did like the hand warmers I made for her!  Fastest pair of hand warmers I ever made! 
 Her hands were always cold, even after the stroke.  So we put them on her after the stroke.
 Oh, and during that week, I did get a swarm of bees, so now I'm up to three hives.
Yes May was a busy month....this was only the first week.....

Coming up.....
a bridal shower, AND
a bachelorette party! 

Cindy Bee

PS - Click here to see our finished breezeway!