A Very Fun Pampered Chef Party & A Beautiful Spring Time

My good friend, Kelly, threw a Pampered Chef party at my home on Tuesday. She is now a Pampered Chef consultant, so if you need anything Pampered Chef, let me know, and I'll let her know:). That's what the beautiful fruit pizza and blueberry muffin photos are from...yummy!

There's something about taking time to photograph the beauty all around my home that makes me appreciate it more. The uncurling of the garlic sets, the reddening of the Anna apples, the way the grape vine is growing a foot a day on the pool fence AND it's producing grapes for the first time, the oranges, apricots, and peaches that are developing, the tall healthy corn stalks, the broccoli flowerettes, fresh rosemary, thyme, and lemon balm, they all seem so magnificent when I look at them in photographs. And I feel so grateful for the blessings that are growing all around me. Although, I did remember what my dad told me, the most important thing you will ever grow are your children. And with Savanah turning 15 soon, I realize my growing (children) season is at it's peak and in just 15 short years, it will mostly be over. I haven't written in a while because my life has shot into warp over-drive. I have 5 boys playing baseball, to the tune of 10 games a week plus Eli's umpiring some extra games. I'm still making fresh bread, but every day now. We all decided it tastes so much better when it's never been refrigerated or frozen. I make dinner every night, there are very few left over nights with 10 of us eating every night, although, eating together seems to be a thing of the past:(. After all my efforts it is frustrating to me to not get to enjoy it with everyone all together! But Eli has his games until 10pm and the first games start at 5:30pm (arrival time 5pm, leave the house at 4:50pm)-anyway, it just doesn't work out right now for all of us to be in the house together at a single moment for dinner. I'm gardening, because if I don't do it now I'll regret it when it's over 100' in the garden this summer. I made a shade cloth from sheets...any good ideas on how to put it up? Savanah has taken up quilting. She is doing a wonderful job making a beautiful blue quilt that her young women's leader is helping her make. She's also heading into high school sports which begin to practice in May (swim team and basketball). Her height and dad's genes should give her quite an advantage in both sports! She seems to love exercising at 5am in the morning...with me. Thus, my candle in burning on both ends. I had been helping with the PTO for my older kids' school, but I was just feeling like I was spread way too thinly. So, I'm trying to make time for me and my family. I went to yoga on Tuesday night, which meant I had to skip 3 baseball games, a PTO meeting, and another event. But it was SO worth it! I had missed 2 weeks in a row and well, I was feeling spent. Yoga is such a great time to really breath deeply, and concentrate on moving slowly, which isn't really part of my daily grind. I felt guilty for everything I missed, but I felt so happy when I was done! Plus the yoga instructor (my great friend Lee Ann) gave me a shoulder rub right where my muscles were in a huge knot by my neck. I'm so grateful for my girl friends. They are amazing girls! When I'm with them I am happy and laugh and feel loved, they share their knowledge and lives with me. It's good to have friends. God blesses me every day with family, religion, health, love, beauty all around, and happiness. Everyday I am grateful to live my life. I truly am loving life.