After staying overnight in Pine Mountain, Georgia, we woke Sunday morning to this pretty sunrise! We got ready, checked out of our hotel room, and headed to breakfast at Country Kitchen for pancakes and coffee--delish! We could have driven back to our home church that morning, but my daughter had a bridal shower to attend in Auburn where my sister's family lives, so we went to their church with them and then enjoyed lunch all together afterwards. After lunch, we had a little time to kill before my daughter needed to be at the shower, so we went to walk around Botanic, a beautiful garden center, complete with greenhouses, restaurants, coffee/bakery, and gift shops. It is just the ... Read more
The Azalea Bowl
Continuing on our springtime visit at Callaway Gardens, the Azalea Bowl wasn't quite at its peak when we visited last weekend, but it was still a lovely walk just the same. Another week or two and this place will be exploding with blossoms! After walking through the Azalea Bowl, we continued onto other trails and then later checked into our room at the Callaway Lodge before heading to a delicious buffet at the Piedmont Restaurant. Too bad I didn't get a photo of my plate(s). Prime Rib, seafood, sides, salads, and the most amazing dessert bar ever made for a scrumptious birthday feast! ... Read more
Callaway’s Butterfly Center
I'm continuing from yesterday's post with a few photos of the butterfly center at Callaway Gardens. Enjoy! ... Read more
Spring Tulips at Callaway Gardens
Good Monday morning, friends! We had the loveliest weekend! On Saturday, I celebrated my fiftieth birthday. Yep, FIFTY. 5-0. It feels a little weird to say that, but I've never minded getting older and I'm really looking forward to my fifties! Saturday morning, my husband and kiddos and I drove over to Callaway Gardens' Spring Festival in Pine Mountain, Georgia. We spent the day enjoying the gardens and then spent the night at their lodge Saturday night. My sweet guy lavished me with all the feminine things my heart desired and let my daughter and me take the time we wanted enjoying the gardens. My son was okay with it all as long as we kept the food coming throughout the day, ha. I ... Read more
Spring Flower Basket
Spring is almost here! I've truly enjoyed the last couple of winter months so much, but my front porch has seemed dead for a while. Lately, I've just lacked motivation to tackle projects around the house, but I finally decided it was at least time to spruce up my front entrance. For a couple of years now I've been wanting a door basket, but everywhere I checked they seemed pricey. Last week I managed to catch the 50% off basket sale at Hobby Lobby so I bought a door basket, a few new flower stems, and a fresh roll of ribbon. This was so easy to assemble because I just dropped the flower stems in the basket and tied a simple, flowy bow on the side. No gluing or wiring required, and it ... Read more
Mother’s Day Fancy
I'm continuing to catch up on my spring posts and today I'm covering Mother's Day. We hosted my husband's side of the family this year and while my sweet husband insisted that I not work too much on Mother's Day, I assured him that getting to set a feminine table for the ladies would not be work at all but, on the contrary, would bring me great pleasure! I set up the dining room for the ladies so we could have a frilly table and the men had the kitchen table set just for them so they wouldn't have to endure the pink and fluff, haha! I've had this April Cornell tablecloth for so many years and I've always called it my "Mother's Day tablecloth" because the floral pattern and soft ... Read more
“The Next Chapter” Graduation Sunset Tea
Hello again! Yesterday I shared some photos from a graduation luncheon my friend Kelli hosted for our daughters with our life group mothers and daughters. It was a lemon theme to mark the girls’ “fresh start” for the college years! You can read about it here. Today I'm back to share the evening tea I hosted for the girls and their soccer friends (plus another friend and a cousin). First let me back up and share about a tea my girls and I attended a couple of years ago that my friend Missy hosted for her daughter's graduation. Y'all, this was the tea party of ALL tea parties, and you need to go read both of her posts as soon as you finish this one! It was a Hobbit themed sunset tea, and ... Read more
“A Lemony Fresh Start” Graduation Luncheon
When my younger daughter was four years old, I taught her Bible class at church. She was a quiet little thing who stayed in her own quiet corner, and I had been praying God would send her a sweet friend for her very own. Then one Sunday morning, another tiny little girl with long brown curls and red glasses wearing a smocked dress entered our classroom and our hearts. Her family was visiting that morning and so I introduced her to the class and sat her beside my own little girl. The rest is history! From that very first meeting these two girls hit it off and have been kindred spirits ever since. They've grown up together in homeschooling, church, life group, soccer, and the love of books and ... Read more