Packin' up and Headin' Out

So we're packing our bags and heading out first thing in the a.m.  It's the first Outer Banks trip of the year..for the weekend with Mom, Sisters, and our 'crews'.  I can't wait to breathe in the salty ocean air and have my toes in that OBX sand.

But I'll leave you with our own little beach pics.. Right here in Mathews County.  On our little beach.  The beach right here at  home.  The beach that will always be enough for us.  When the Outer Banks is just too far that day... 

"Look at that sea, girls--all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn't enjoy its loveliness any more if we had

millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds."

— L.M. Montgomery

Cupcake Stand in A Jiffy

You might have spotted my cupcake stand here..

truth is, I have been wanting to craft a vintage-looking one for a while but haven't spotted the right materials.  I knew I was going to be needing a blue cupcake stand for my Father's Day gathering so I picked up some Melamine plates at Wallie world a few days prior.  And the truth again... I never got around to making the cupcake stand.  So amidst all my cooking, baking, etc. I zotted a cupcake stand together in a matter of ughh 3 minutes and it WORKED - so though you thought you had seen these all over blog world  you hadn't seen this.  I admittedly use Zots for everything...

so I have a temporary cupcake stand that I may or may not keep around, may or may not end up actually gluing for a more permanent existence.  I likey! 

2 Birthdays and 7 Dads

The Weekend brought 2 Birthdays (and their celebrations), Cocomos with friends, and Father's Day where we honored a slew of Dads. 

Courtney and Liam share June 17 birthdays.. Liam's was big number 1 and Courtney..well she is still in her twenties!

Friday night, we cooked out over at Court and James' without any citronella torches with some rain and a bushel of crabs - YUM! Unfortunately, the Canon T1I isn't allowed out in the rain, so no pics from Friday night. The kids jumped on the trampoline and played in the rain yet again while the adults sat around in camp chairs talking about old times.. nice.  HB Courtney Jayne!

Liam had his FIRST birthday and a POOL party. We love those! Happy 1st Birthday William Norfleet Penick Jr.! xoxo

 

 On Sunday, Gordon and I hosted our Dads and the rest of the gangs for a Father's Day grill out... 

see, seven Dads!

there's mine!

and I redeemed myself. (Yeah, remember when I gave G a lousy anni gift from this post and he gave me a diamond platinum ring.) The gift I gave him was a bathing suit (yeh, lame I know)..hence a new Weber grill for Dad's Day. A grill, you say? no biggie. Well to a Penick guy.. my Penick guy in particular, the Weber is Grill Heaven so he can be King of the Grill! He was happy and that made me happy! He is a great Dad afterall and ever-so-deserving. I think our guests appreciated the kabobs from the grill, too!

Ahh, a refreshing Mexican cola.

peeking at Liam

strawberry short'cup'cakes

shiver me timbers brownies

from the yard

 brothers and their babes..

whipped Colty..and in a good way!

my angel baby

sister session.. and we had just finished skyping with Cass, Chessie, and Shawn

It was the first planned entertaining we had done this summer and we enjoyed having our family over.

It was a weekend full..and next weekend isn't slacking up!  Heya it's Summatime!

He'll Always Be There For You

Happy Father's Day To The Best Dads Around..  We're more than Blessed to have them and not enough can be said about each of them.  All my love to these three men!  Cheers to a Day for Dads!

June 2011 Dada and Cal

Aprill 2011 Poppy and Cal

October 2010 Buddy and Cal

Can We Take Your Picture Pretty Baby?

"No thanks, I'd rather be sleeping."  Photos taken just one day shy of Chessie being one month old.  She rests very peacefully in the ole iron doll bed... that thing has been around for a long time.  It used to be in Nana Libby's house and now resides in Callie's room.  I played with it when I was a little girl. *treasure*.  Doesn't Chessie Layne still look like a porcelain doll when she sleeps? 

Showing Off Baby Chessie to The White Dog

Baby Chessie came to town this past weekend.  Oh yeah, she didn't trot into town all by her lonesome..her Momma brought her.  This means we have seen her every 2 weeks since her birth which pleases me because she is changing so quickly.  We had the pleasure of keeping her while Cassie attended a high school friend's wedding Saturday night.  So, we showed her off at The White Dog with a gathering of friends and family. Take a look-see (as El now says):

We started in the late afternoon and closed 'em down even after the driving rain moved us from the Portside Deck into the enclosed bar area.  The kids danced in the rain.  It was a good day ;).. more memories made.  How could I ever forget Callie doing that rain dance?  

In Her Shoes

I don't know who invented the high heel, but all men owe him a lot. ~Marilyn Monroe

Ya think Marilyn cleaned in her heels?  Callie sure does in her Momma's heels!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Things are growing around 1303.

Hanging Baskets from Ware Produce ... always just lovely

This hibiscus and I have a history.  You see it is from Our Wedding Day.  That makes it over 4 years old..and that is old in plant years around here.  I winter this thing in the garage or inside.. and we do okay.  Not always grand... but she's a flowering.. daily now!  And I love her... we're making memories - our hibiscus and us. 

Ginormous Fern also came from Ware Produce.. this thing WOWs!  I have never used this planter as a planter before.. it's just too darn big and even for this big ole fern.  But, a friend gave me a great tip.  I filled the empty space around the pot with empty plastic bottles - everything from water bottles to two liters to big apple juice containers.  I'm telling you this pot is big.  This trick also works if you have a big planter and you want to fill the bottom so you don't have to use so much potting soil; you can just pot on top of all the plastic.

I caught the Hydrangeas in the early morn.. now the 96 degrees temps are getting to them in our unshaded yard.  But they are still my favs.

So...how does your garden grow?  Mine grows by the watering of a precious 22 month old baby girl each morn and the sweet sunshine all day ;) 

*Still promises of the garden trellis.. I'm gonna snap a pic of it this weekend.