Arts and flowers and gifts of love

They were engrossed in something

I've meant all week to tell you about the party we had last Friday.

But I have been consumed with preparations for the party we are having this Saturday.

The former was Allissa's birthday party.

We nailed it

Our second granddaughter turned thirteen on Tax Day.

The latter is a small baby shower I am giving for our Erica.

I mean that the shower will be small (relatively), although I imagine the baby will be small too, and certainly my relative.

The marigolds will love all-day sun

And we have showers in the forecast, so everything is going swimmingly so far.

And I say swimmingly because the shower has a nautical theme.

Pirate!

Thirteen, with bubble braids

And you know what they say about April showers.

Actually we have April flowers, as our Cherica came over yesterday and planted flowers in my three giant poolside pots.

I'm not good with flowers so I would appreciate prayers for these petals.

We want to live

(We had to COVER THEM last night with oversized black plastic bags because our temperatures sank to the mid thirties!)

And the same is predicted for tonight, so I will cover them again. Whatever it takes.

I'll tell you all about our baby shower -- with pictures -- next week.

Lit from within ... and without

Meanwhile here are a few photos of Allissa as we fêted her at Cracker Barrel in Charlotte last Friday, the day after her actual birthday.

Her dad -- our Joel -- could not be with us as he had left early that morning, bound for Pennsylvania, to help his mother and siblings to celebrate his own dad's seventieth birthday.

Bloom where you are planted ... that's an order, not a suggestion

Cherica were absent as well, as they had gone for an end-of-week vacation in the Chattanooga area.

Andrew and Brittany were missing too; they are preparing for their move to Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma, in a few weeks, where Andrew will begin formal flight training.

Cousins and friends

But the rest of us had a wonderful time nonetheless, just being together.

Allissa and I were delighted to discover that we had both chosen the same press-on nails and aside from the fact that my hands are old and hers are young, we matched.

(Those would be imPRESS press-on nails in One More Chance, in case you're interested. Hers are medium length; mine are short.)

Trailing Jenny the Pirate ... I mean, Trailing Jenny

TG and I gave her a Bath & Body Works haul, plus a book and some accessories for her room.

Cherica had sent her a charming outfit.

Audrey gave her a precious rose gold bracelet with the number thirteen dangling from it, and a charm that said Love You To The Moon And Back.

She's young and sweet and special

Her parents gave her a necklace with a dog's paw hanging from it, and inside the dog's paw was a picture of Shiloh.

It's called a projection necklace.

You had to hold it up and look directly into a light in order to see Allissa's favorite picture of their late family dog.

You don't have to baby us ... but we hope you will

No matter what I did, however, I could not see Shiloh in the paw.

I take it on faith that he is in there because the others who looked, saw him.

Unless they're gaslighting me. It's always a possibility.

Hearts and hands

At any rate, we had a good meal and cake and lots of laughs and it was a typically memorable time.

Dagny participated in a school concert last night, after which she stood beside her artwork as displayed in the classroom.

She has ability in the area of art, I think. Even if it turns out that she doesn't, she enjoys it, which is key, because creativity is good for the soul.

They were inspired by the work of Georges Seurat

Speaking of creativity, I must go now and begin my final phase of preparations for tomorrow's party.

We will be a total of eleven guests if everyone comes. I will show you all of it next time I write.

Until then, have a peaceful and relaxing and restorative weekend.

I love you.

And that is all for now.

=0=0=0=

Happy Friday :: Happy Weekend

Comments

[Jeanette]

Oh my 13 years old1 She's beautiful and Dagney looks like she loves being with her big cousin! We had a inch of snow the other day and I covered my new lilac bush and my new azalea bush and they made it through! Looking forward to hearing about the baby shower!

[Ginny Hartzler]

The art is very like Seurat! And the cake is way too pretty to eat!

[Jennifer]

@Jeanette ... AN INCH OF SNOW??? Do you live at the North Pole? Haaahaha just kidding. April is always iffy. Turns out it did not get down into the mid thirties last night, and tonight will hold in the fifties so I think we're in the clear. I will report fully on tomorrow's festivities!

@Ginny ... Isn't it though? I think it's thrilling that they are exposed at a young age to great art. xoxo

[Mari]

We had snow, and are still under a freeze warning. Crazy weather!
I can't believe Alissa is 13. Such a pretty girl - and now a teenager!
I love the Shiloh necklace. That is such a wonderful idea.
Dagny's art is very good. I agree that she's creative.
The nails! I really like them, and your matching hand shots are really sweet, A keeper I would say. :)
I'm sad that Andrew and Brittany, and of course Ember have to move so far away. I hope it's not for long.
Guess where I am tonight? I'm in Kokomo, IN. We are on our way to the Smoky Mountains, where we have rented a big cabin that our whole family can fit in! It was our gift to the kids at Christmas. We will have all of us together until Wed, in one place. I can't wait!!!

[Jennifer]

@Mari ... WHATTTT? Did you know that I was born in Kokomo, Indiana? I bet you did not know that. Or maybe you did. Anyway WOW have a wonderful time! I will catch up on your blog after the party is over tomorrow. Yay! So glad you're getting away for a few days! Can't wait to see pictures. xoxo

[Gayla]

Loved the sweet photos of your beautiful birthday girl! And those nails! So fun! We had snow on Monday, too... It melted by the early afternoon though. I liked the flowers... I just do not do them... my mother would say "lazy" and she might be right. Just not my jam although they are so pretty to see... Have a fun shower.

[Mari]

I did not know you were born in Kokomo! We enjoyed our stay there. Apparently good things come from there!

[Debbi]

Oh I am loving this bright and happy post my friend! All the pretty colorful pictures. Love your new pots of flowers and just look at those PRETTY PRETTY fingernails, love them! I've always taken pictures of hands too. I have old pictures of my Ma-Maw's hands, with mine, and my Mom's too, and my daughters as well.....those photos are priceless memories to me now and I'm so so glad I took them. I think hands tell a story, especially the older care-worn ones compared to the young and yet unblemished ones. Life stories to be told right there for sure. Loved seeing the birthday celebration.....Oh what a pretty cake!!! Love it. Happy happy birthday to sweet Allissa, what a sweet beauty she is and what a fun and exciting age. I love her presents especially the doggie necklace one......very very special. And those fun light up candles, I've never seen those, I MUST GET SOME. LOL Enjoyed little Dagny's Art picture, she looks very proud ot her art. Did you get to go see her sing at the school? Well, it's rained ALL DAY HERE.....drip drip drip....hopefully tomorrow will bring sunshine back! (and the "wind can be SO BRIGHT!"-----THANK YOU MISS DAGNY!) Cant wait to hear all about your party today and see pictures!

[Debbi]

PS...I never commented on your lovely Easter post and I did so enjoy it and all the pretty pictures. Ive got to figure out where that Rock Hill place is.....I'd love to go to that big pretty garden with the fountains, very pretty! Looks like a real nice place to spend a spring afternoon. Loved the post with little Ember too and her cute little green dress and that tiny jean jacket, so adorable! Fun pictures. I know you love it when they can come visit. I hate that they will be moving far.....but it's necessary for his training and that is so important as we military moms understand, but it's hard too isn't it. Do you know when they go yet? Loved the pictures of y'all at Easter Sunday church, everyone looks gorgeous and I do love your Easter outfit and of course, especially THE HAT!!! HUGS!

[Mari-Nanci]

Beautiful Birthday Girl! What a lovely young lady, she is becoming.

So cute to see the 2 cousins together. I'm sure Dagny is thrilled to spend time with her cousin. A wee bit, like having a sister, for the afternoon.

And Dagny's art! Hooray for her. Enjoying making Art. Not everyone has to go on, to doing it, for life. It's super wonderful, to enjoy it, though. And I love her dresssss!!!!!!! What is the material? I should know, but it escapes me. And I would love one, in a zillion sizes bigger, of course. -smile-

Oh those nails! I love sparkles!!!!!!! Have never tried press on. But copied the name, and will look. -smile- I imagine they last longer, than regular nail polish............

What did I forget??????? -grin-

Looking forward to the Shower pics!!!!

Oh, Best Wishes!!!!!! to your flowers!!! -gigggles- So refreshing to read of a person, who is not a whizzzzzz at gardening.

Gentle hugs,
Mari-Nanci
P.S. What IS that material????????? I know it's cotton, but what kind of.....???? I will remember, in an hour or so. -sigh-

[Carla TePaske]

LOVE the nails. We had April snow, woke up to 20 degrees and more cold weather today. This is actually normal for us this tine of the year. A slow spring helps our spring bulbs actually have a chance to bloom instead of bolt. My tulips only lasted 3 days last year because we had highs in the 80's! This year we have enjoyed 3 weeks of bloom time. :-)

[Jennifer]

@Gayla ... Well TBH I am not much of a gardener ... wait ... I am not ANY of a gardener! Plants usually die under my purview! But I shall faithfully water and baby these, and see what happens. My mother was a GENIUS with plants! Hope you're having a good week ... xoxo

@Mari ... I'm headed over to your blog in a little bit to read all about your trip to Kokomo! xoxo

@Debbi ... I love pictures of hands too! And of shadows, and of people kissing, haaaha! Yes we have some bright colors out by the pool and I LOVE my little flowers and hope I can keep them happy. I believe that Stephanie got the light-up candle holders at Walmart! Wasn't that just the cutest? I'd never seen anything like it either. We've had a couple of "wind so bright" days around here, and the day of our shower was SO drippy but it was a great time which I will post about later today, and then get caught up with your blog!

YES it's awful for Andrew and Brittany and little Ember to be moving so far away but I, like you, will do my best to be supportive no matter what! It looks like they are moving right around the first week of June. They're planning to come and see us one more time before they go. Speaking of going, you MUST get up to Rock Hill! It would be about a five-hour drive for you, so you'd have to spend a night or two, but then you are basically in Charlotte NC and there is so much to do there, after you have been to Glencairn Gardens and to Fountain Square in Rock Hill! And on your way home, you can stop and see me! xoxo

@Mari-Nanci ... the word you are looking for is seersucker! And yes it is a charming summer fabric and does she not look DARLING in that dress? She is such a precious child and so happy to show off her art projects. I'm so glad her school offers so much in the way of art instruction. And NO I am zero good at flowers, but I will do what I've been told with regard to these and surely they will love it so much in my giant poolside pots, they will thrive and triumph! The imPRESS press-on manicure is so easy to do ... about $7 for a pack of them at Walmart, but make sure to get the short length or you can't do anything without them getting in the way! xoxo

@Carla ... UGH! I don't mind a cool spring, but a COLD one just does not line up with my view of life, haaahaaha! I actually did enjoy the definite change of seasons when we lived in the Chicagoland area for so many years, but I do not miss the cold now. Tulips are the happiest flower ... I love them and should plant some bulbs this fall and see what happens. What could go wrong? Haaaaaha xoxo

[Barb]

I'm playing catch-up again as I have been doing this and that but not using the computer much. Allissa is a lovely 13 year old. Of course I know nothing about press on nails, so I had to look at those fingers very carefully. My M-i-L had beautifully manicured nails and could cook in a silk dress with nary a splatter. Perhaps you're the same. I loved her dearly, and she loved me, opposites though we were. I'm sending those marigolds good vibes - they sure look festive in their blue pot. I can't imagine you were getting such cold temps overnight in April! Hope they survived. Happy Belated Birthday to Allissa who is now a teen.

[Jennifer]

@Barb ... NOPE I cannot cook in anything with nary a splatter! I wear very casual comfy clothes when I cook, and nails can certainly get in the way if they are too long. It makes me happy to know that you and your M-i-L loved one another. That's how it should be. I'm afraid mine did not care for me, no matter what I did. Ah well! Bygones. The marigolds seem to be divided among colors; the darker golds are not doing as well as the bright yellows. In one pot, the dark golds absolutely withered and died and had to be plucked out. I will replace them. I am careful to lavish them with love and water and more I cannot do! Yes, our Lissy is a sweet teenaged girl now. Only yesterday she was the cutest baby you ever saw. xoxo