freshening up...

Since our kitchen, we have been excited to check little projects off our list.

Our living room got a freshening up with a new coffee table.  Well, not new, just a fresh coat of paint (That we already had on hand...):

It went from this:

 Sanded:

 Primed and finished with a glossy top layer that's easy to wipe clean:

And here is the after:

I usually tackle projects like this while Ryder is at school and he is always so encouraging:
"Mom! It looks really good mom! You did a really good job!"

End of the Season Baseball Party!

This last Saturday we had our Little League party.  It was so fun to celebrate the season together! 

Here were a few snapshots of the afternoon:

 they got baseball cards of every team mate, with words from his coach!
So did the moms...❤︎

 We played parents vs. kids and I got a double and actually caught a ball....

 ...using none other than my junior high glove!

Kit is in Charlotte for church and he was SO missed!

Gosh I love this team and it's families!❤︎

gardening...

Kit recently planted two new citrus trees and an avocado tree.  We decided to take pictures of the kids next to them to document their growth (The trees and the kiddos...❤︎):

 We also decided to try our hand at artichokes and they have been taking off!

 We let this one open up a little too much...

 ...but since our family is NUTS about artichokes, we didn't mind the need to cut it!

Last game of the season...

Ryder had his last game of the season on Saturday.  They ended up being undefeated 20-0.  They played so well, worked as a team and encouraged one another...

 Last bat of the season:

Their coach was the absolute best: the perfect combination of instruction and encouragement! 

The Rae's love you Coach Smith!

But one of his assistant coaches was really my favorite❤︎:

 Ceremonies and trophies:

It was an incredible season and I can't tell you how much we love the kids and their parents!

Go Giants! 

(Ok, but now that the season is over, Ryder is excited to go back to cheering for the Dodgers...❤︎)

crafting and lemon cake

Eden and I had such a sweet time making a necklace for a gift:

I have so much to learn about stamped jewelry but am having so much fun with it!

 While I did that, Eden worked on her own creations:

And while we spent the afternoon crafting, we made and ate this cake from Trader Joe's:

How fun it was to have a day together to make fun crafts for people we love!

(And make treats that were consumed by our little family...❤︎)

Mother's Day 2017 Recap...

I had a sweet weekend with my family and came away feeling so celebrated!

The weekend kicked off with with a Mother's Day Tea at Eden's preschool:

It could not have been sweeter!

We grabbed some photos of Eden with the flowers she brought:

 They combined all the flowers from each child to make flower arrangements:

They sang special songs:

Our gifts we ceramic handprints:

The whole even could not have been sweeter!

On Friday night we got to celebrate our little buddy Micah's birthday:

They are about 6 weeks apart and these boys made us mama's...

Time goes crazy fast!

On Friday night, we did something that we have never done before:

We ordered Thai take out and had it DELIVERED TO OUR HOUSE!

It felt like room service!

We LOVED it...❤︎

Saturday morning they had a neighborhood garage sale and I had the best time going around local streets with my family, doughnuts, and coffee.  Thrifting and garage sales are so fun for me! ❤︎
(I can't wait to tell you about our FREE curbside find!)

Ryder had his last game of the season.  They played so well!
(More on that later this week...)

Last week I got his baseball pictures, which was an early Mother's Day gift in themselves:

On Friday night, we did something that we have NEVER done before:

We ordered take out (Thai from a local Tustin spot) and had it DELIVERED TO OUR HOUSE!

(When the kids are asleep and you want a date with your spouse but can't go out... We loved the in-home date night!)

Ryder made me a gift from his class:
(I got my gifts on Sunday morning with a big cup of coffee!)

Eden's class made us hand prints:

With Mother's and Father's Day always happening on a Sunday, it means that it's a work day for Kit so if there is any celebration time, it's on Sunday afternoon.
At church, the kiddos gave us beautiful sunflowers in the service and Kit spoke and what it is to be family and specifically family of Christ.
So many beautiful moments!

We came home and after Kit got home, He made an incredible dinner of pasta and artichokes and I proceeded to read and listen to music in our hammock while drinking fun, fruity drinks:

 I was absolutely spoiled, from gifts to words of affirmations, to the traditional video diary for Mother's Day that Kit has made the last three years...

It was an incredible Mother's Day and I am so thankful for all the ways my family celebrated me!  How blessed I am to call these people mine...❤︎