Some Really Cute Boys

In June, we traveled to Maryland to babysit for a few days with these guys...

We did some fun things.

WATER GUNS!!!!

GET PAPA!!!!!

STAR WARS LEGOS!!!

MONSTERS U!!!!!!

Charlie never even turned his head away from the screen once...

eyes glued on the action the whole movie.

Miles, who wanted to sit on Papa's lap, fell asleep midway

through the movie...snoring level sleeping.

When it was ended and the kids in the audience were

clapping wildly, Miles woke up and turned to David and said

"Papa, that was awesome!"

Through Pinterest, I learned to make SPONGEBOMBS at

Whipperberry's Blog here

We had so much fun with these. Miles wasn't sure about them at first but he eventually got into the fray. 

Charlie soaked me from head to foot and every time I threw a spongebomb at him...he deftly jumped this way and that to avoid them. Oh what fun a bucket of water and some sponges can provide!

OK...last bit of fun...

Charie and I made Pigs-In-A-Blanket for supper on Saturday night...

hot dogs, cheese and crescent rolls. He was a big help and Miles rolled

a few, too.We also had baked beans...

and for dessert....Make your own sundaes!! (I forgot to take pictures of that)

Lots of fun...high energy weekend...Papa and Bam slept well!

The Summer is moving too fast!!

xoxo

joyce

My Bluebird of Happiness and Other Cute Things

If you walked into an Antique Shop and saw this guy...would you pick him up?

If you turned him over and saw that he was $5, would your grip tighten?

It was love at first sight for me. I'm not sure if he's a small planter or not

but I knew right away what I was going to use him for...

Now he sits on the lazy Susan on our kitchen table holding toothpicks that are needed at this time of year with all of the fresh corn coming in! I smile at him every day.

I also found...

glass salt and pepper shakers (I have plans for them) and a

vintage cabinet card of a child on a tricycle...just some fun things to

repurpose.

For you local Pittsburgh area shoppers, this is the shop...the owner is very friendly

and there are many interesting things to be found there. 

I used to go to lots of Estate and Yard sales in the summertime but our basement is so filled with treasures that I've limited my expeditions. There is one sale I never miss though, and that's held at the home of a local antiques dealer. Every Summer, she cleans out a lot of things from her space in a local Antique Mall and has an Estate Sale at her home. She slashes her prices 50-75% so some treasures can be found at her sale. 

This year I was happy to bring home this bowl..

It is a beautiful shade of blue...similar in shape to some Homer Laughlin plates I have but it is unmarked and there is a tiny chip but that's OK...strawberries look gorgeous in this bowl!

Do you know what this is?

It's a table-crumber..the bristles of the brush are very stiff 

and perfect for whisking away the crumbs from your table.

It works great and I feel like I've just stepped into Downton Abbey 

when I use it!

A brown transferware plate. The plate and the blue bowl were each $3.

I thought that was a good price.

My dear friend Marie calls photos like these, Instant Ancestors. I love these old photos because I don't have many from my own family so I'm happy to adopt other people's families.

Old keys and silverware...so much fun to repurpose in crafting.

I have one other bounty to share, from Lucketts in Virginia but I'll share that on another day.

Hope you're keeping cool!

xoxo

joyce

Profile Photos

I decided today that it was time to change my profile picture on my blog. The picture you see below, my most recent profile picture, was taken last June.

 The photo of David and me was taken in January of this year when we were at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and I was deathly ill with bronchitis. (You might think I look OK but I had a fever and my eyes were glazed over)

I decided to go back through my picture folders and review the
many photos I've used as my profile picture on this blog. 

2008

2009

2010
(Thank steroids for this look-yikes!)

2011

February 2012

The only thing constant in these photos is my naturally blonde hair!

Now for the pictures that didn't make it...

Yes, that is a turkey on my head!
 You know me, I'll do (almost) anything for a laugh.

So, this is what I've come up to this year...
don't even ask how many pictures poor David had to take
 before we arrived at this one...

instead of this one...

It's good to laugh at yourself.every once in a while!

Note: I hope you don't think that I'm narcissistic..
it was just a silly experiment to see how I've aged bloomed!

xoxo

joyce

23 Years

For 23 years, you have been a blessing to my life.

For 23 years, you have been an unending source of strength for me.

For 23 years, you have supported me and my endeavors,

For 23 years, you have made me laugh...EVERY day!

We have a wonderful life together and I pray that it continues for a long, long time!

"I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers" Ephesians 1:16

Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!

xoxo

Joyce

Happy 4th of July

My country tis of thee

Sweet land of liberty

of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died

Land of the pilgrim's pride,

From ev'ry mountainside,

Let Freedom ring.

Our fathers' God to thee,

Author of Liberty,

 to thee we sing.

Long may our land be bright,

With freedom's holy light,

Protect us by thy might,

Great God our King.