Garden Blooms, Great Gram & Fondue-ing with the Bachelorette

I can't believe our little Isabelle Kate graduates with her preschool class tomorrow morning!

She's very, very excited! And she still has nightmares about last year- oh, what a sad day that was!

All this rain has kicked our flower gardens into high gear already, and I've already filled more than half a dozen vases and jam jars with beautiful blooms. We made a quick stop by the "pink castle" to visit Great Gram this morning with a special bouquet.

I hope we made her day a little brighter. My grandmother is one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever known, just like my Dad.

Isabelle was concentrating so hard on keeping the water from spilling onto Gram, and my sweet grandmother oohed and ahh-ed over her special flowers. She was sniffing them here, so cute.

I just love cutting flowers from around our yard and giving them to people. I think it's one of my most favorite things in the whole world. This simple bouquet reminded me of the one the boys and I brought to my Auntie Brenda a few months before she died in 2006- she always told me how much she loved "real flowers" (as opposed to store-bought ones) and made a big fuss every time we brought her some. Boy do I miss her!

Last night I hosted a little get together with some good friends to... judge and/or pick on   watch the men vying for Bachelorette Emily's attention. Such an awkward phenomenon! I wouldn't do that for a million dollars! Of course, as any good wife should do, I was quick to point out that my man makes all those other dudes look more like duds. Yes I did. There were witnesses!

What's a party without food?

And more flowers, of course! Weird light, but they looked so pretty in person!

And...oops...I never got a picture of my friends! You know, for proof.  =)

I decided it was finally time to do something with my poor mantel. Nothing major, just some candles and simple flowers, but I really like it! Now if only I can keep the cats from jumping up there and nibbling the ferns...

See those wooden candle holders? Ethan made those for me for Mother's Day with my Dad- they are AWESOME! I was so touched by his thoughtfulness in working on those ahead of time for me.  Each of my children did something personal and special for me- I am so, so blessed!

 I am so in love with teeny tiny vases and pitchers! Aren't they so pretty?

We're off to a school concert, where Caleb has just informed us that he is singing a solo. Ah, boys. They make so much noise, yet they keep so much quiet at the same time. Go figure!