Summer Lovin'

 Mornin' friends! How are you, truly?  I'm hungry, happy, and tired.  The little gals are still asleep because we stayed up a bit later again last night with them.  It is SUCH fun this year to experience summer with our gals!  Both are out of the teeny baby stage (which isn't my fave if I'm honest) and can walk and talk and experience all that life has to offer.  It's a blast.  

We're enjoying the fruits of our labor in the garden immensely.  So much so that the word "enjoying" doesn't even seem to be a word big enough.  We are loving what we're eating and we even feel good because it's real food grown from the backyard!  It doesn't get better than that.  What in the world will we do in winter?  We're going to start canning this weekend so hopefully that'll do.  This lovely mixture above was olive oil, tomatoes, basil, garlic, and a pinch of salt which we ate on bread as bruschetta.

 I tried to artfully arrange the garden goods on the table as a centerpiece yesterday.  We had a bit of a tough day with fits galore and I needed a breather.  Whereas I used to turn to sugar, this time I did something quick and creative instead.  My stomach thanked me (starting month 2 with no desserts, sweets, candy, or ice cream), and this is a treat that lasts.

I found a new (to me) recipe site I'm just loving that I think you'll like too! 

Like I seriously want to eat every. single. food. on their site!  Their tagline is "Simple ingredients.  Elegant dishes."  I'd say they've nailed it.  You can find it here!

 Did your eyes do a double-take at this picture and think "Is that?......"

Yep, my friends, those are covered wagons you see!  In front of my house! A couple of minutes down the road is a pasture that gets mowed every year for this bunch of folks.  Brett tells me that people from all over the country ride their horses to the campsite (I mean, I'm sure they start somewhere in Arkansas) and camp out for the night in a pasture.  They're here for the local rodeo which is actually kind of a big deal. We're going to the rodeo parade and I can't wait! 

 These little projects are for a mini art retreat at the cabin I'll be having later this month with some friends. (!!!!!!)  Next week I'll share an announcement about my own Rosy Retreats starting this fall!  The idea is simple-an evening retreat with photography exercises, food, crafts, take-home tips for leaving you refreshed once you get back to the daily grind, coffee, back-porch, front-porch, screened-in porch sittin', twinkle lights....

and handmade wares to take home from me. 

And the best part?

This won't cost you an arm and a leg,

or days away from your family. 

(I'd better stop there or Rosy Retreat news will take over the rest of the post! So stay tuned!)

 Look at this little sweetie!  And those looong legs. 

I love it. :)  I finally confessed a truth I've been carrying around forever that felt ugly and realized it wasn't ugly at all, but just honest. 

Brett and I thrive best when our kiddos are a bit older.  I'm not so great at the newborn stage.  I've read so many of my friends comments about wanting to stay home and hold their newborn for days and days and days.....and all I felt reading that was guilt after guilt.  I like the cuddly little babies and am thankful I've experienced two newborns!  But my favorite part is this year and a half age and up....

and I had two moms (of grown kiddos) tell me they felt the same way and it didn't mean you don't like your kids and it isn't ugly to think the newborn stage isn't your favorite.  

 I mean really! 

She went and put these shoes on with this dress and pranced and danced around....

this gal's got major confidence and I like that. 

 Anna Ruth has been SO interested in fireworks this year! We talk about every single fireworks stand we drive by.  Brett taught her how to hold a sparkler and I'm pretty sure it made her entire summer.  We are going to shoot some fireworks off for the girls Thursday evening!  It won't be that dark, but based off how well the sparkler went I don't think they'll mind. :) 

 Betsy Grace just wanted to play in the rocks while Daddy and Anna lit the sparkler :)

Another major perk of summertime are the lightning bugs! They are just magic.  Brett even commented and said so.  There's a certain part of our yard (not this) that gets SO dark and the lightning bugs seem to flock to that area.  You can stand there and just watch their glow here, there, and everywhere.  It is beautiful.  I tried to catch some in a jar and only managed to get one!  I was so good at that as a kid!  This photo has major grain but I kind of like that.  It reminds me of the long, lazy and hazy summer nights.

 I'm excited to share these two things with you as well!  This happy little spot reminds me of summer and how carefree it is.  The garland is something my friends and I will be making at our art retreat.  Little bits and bobs tied up here and there.  The art is made by the most talented, sweet gal named Mary. You will love her blog and art!  She has a shop on Etsy, which you can find here! Her use of color is just gorgeous.  I could stare at her Etsy shop (and blog for that matter) all day!  We seem to have a lot in common and communicate on IG sometimes.  I actually think we may be soul sisters. :) 

This little print is actually a greeting card which came from her shop also!  Her shop has original paintings, art prints, notecards, and dream catchers for sale!  I encourage you to check her out! :) 

What will you be doing the rest of the week?  We plan to celebrate the fourth in style, complete with banners to decorate the barbed-wire fence.