Monday, September 23, 2013

Hydrangeas and Birthdays

It is Fall. Love it or hate it it is here, for those of us in the US anyway. So I have been thinking of Fall decorating and decided I should dry some Hydrangeas from the yard. I did this a few years ago and those are getting dusty so decided to dry some more.
 
 
I have no special technique--I just wait til Fall and they start turning color on the vine and I cut them and bring them in the house. I don't give them any water. They just seem to dry all by themselves. Maybe I am lucky?


The different colors they turn are pretty and very Fall looking.


Now I am looking for some wee white pumpkins--haven't found any in the stores yet. Next year I am going to ask my husband to grow me some!

This is birthday time of year in our house. It starts on September 1st when Chantel turned 15. Old enough to get her drivers permit! I can hardly believe it. I think I forgot to share a picture from her birthday so here is one...


She is such a pretty girl. To me though it seems like she should still look like this...


When it comes to the kids, time just goes by too quickly!

The next birthday happened last Friday...when Janae turned 24. Janae, Chantel and I had such a fun girls night out for her birthday!


Here are some cell phone pictures from dinner.
 




My mouth waters when I think about that dinner. Janae and I love Sushi, Chantel not so much. The cooked Sushi is my favorite--with all the yummy sauces. If I could afford to I would eat it everyday!

After dinner we went and saw the movie "Prisoners"--we all really enjoyed it! It was kind of a dark movie, the subject matter being someone's kids getting kidnapped and what they were willing to do to get them back. I tell you--I am not violent at all...I even carry spiders out of the house and let them go outside...but if someone did something to my kids watch out. I would lose it. I pray everyday nothing like that ever happens to my babies.

You can see in the dinner photo how tired I look...it was because I basically stayed up all night the night before making this doggie dress for Janae's birthday. I am so bad about waiting til the last minute.


Lacie looks so cute in it! Chantel picked out the Barbie fabric.


Janae's main gift was this bracelet I had made by a lady on Etsy of Janae's furbabies.



Janae loved it--which made me very happy.

Coming soon...the boys turn 14 in October. See what I mean about birthday time of year!

Hope this finds everyone doing well.
 
 
 
Thanks for visiting!
 
 




29 comments:

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter. Looks like you had a great dinner. I love sushi also, worked for a Japanese company for 20 years so I really got into the food. Also got to go to Japan for 10 days was a wonderful trip.
The dress is so cute and she looks like she is so proud of her new dress.
Happy Happy Fall
Mary

Melanie said...

Time does pass too quickly when it comes to the children! I see my own grown daughter as a woman, but my mama eyes still see that sweet little girl! The hydrangeas are lovely dried! Love Lacie's dress, it is so cute! Happy Birthday to both girls!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Happy birthday to your beautiful girls! The bracelet is so perfect!

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Sandy,
Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughters. They get their beauty from their Mom!!

Love the little doggie dress.

hugs
Sissie

Deb said...

Hi Sandy. Your photos today are simply beautiful and I just love the framed picture of Chantel years ago. Don't they grow so fast. Mine are all young women now with lives of their own. *sniff*. "Happy Birthday to all" Hugs, Deb

farmhouse-story said...

your hydrangeas are so pretty, sandy. happy bday to your darling girls! lacey makes such a cute model:) i'm with chantel on the sushi-yuk!

Grandma Carolee said...

All of these photos are beautiful. Glad you had such a fun time with Janae' & Chantel. The dress you made for Lacey is adorable!!

Junkchiccottage said...

Happy Birthday to the girls. I love this post as I love all of your posts. Your furry family too is so adorable. I love the way they smile and model their clothes you make for them. Tooo cute. Glad you had a nice time with your girls for their birthday.
Kris

Karen said...

Happy birthday to your beautiful girls, your hydrangeas are drying beautifully. Mine were horrible this year, I wasn't able to dry any...poo! but I enjoy looking at yours. The little dog dress is adorable.

Rosemary@villabarnes said...

Happy Birthday to your girls. I love decorating with hydrangeas in the Fall. Yours look great.

Our Hopeful Home said...

I'm convinced that some hydrangeas dry easily and well while others do not. I think it has to do with the size of the flower petals. Larger petalled ones do best. Yours are gorgeous! I'm looking for white pumpkins, too.

must love junk said...

LOVE your gorgeous hydrangeas! It looks like you girls had a fun night out! :)
Susan

lashawnmontoya said...

I'm with you on the sushi- like it cooked with sauces..and if I could afford it, I'd it eat daily, too!:) The gifts for Janae' are awesome- perfect for her! The dog dress is super cute (love the Barbie fabric) and the Etsy bracelet is also so, so perfect. Glad she loves her gifts- she oughta!:) Good mommy :)

The Polka Dot Closet said...

I am so jealous that you can grow hydrangeas, it is to moist here in Orlando. What great gifts for Janae, the bracelet is precious!!!

Carol

Janae said...

The Hydrangeas look so good I really like the lighter colored ones this time. My birthday was so fun, thank you so much for dinner it was so delicious. The movie was really good, I still need to get a cell phone to tape to my body Lol. I love my bracelet so much and Lacie's dress too, you are such an amazing gift giver. THANKS MOM!

sunnyskiesandsweettea said...

Happy Birthday to your girls! I love having girl time.... it is so fun.

Blessings,
Amy Jo

Robin Johnson said...

I have been clipping handfuls to dry also. they are just so pretty either way.

Anonymous said...

Your Fall vignettes are lovely! I love Hydrangeas too! Happy Birthday to both Chantel and Janae! They're so pretty! I love the fur baby bracelet; it's adorable!

JP said...

Glad to see that you had a sweet celebration with your lovely daughters and enjoyed that yummy sushi, too!

Cynthia said...

Happy Birthday to your girls for sure!!! I love the puppy just posing in its outfit, too CUTE!!!! I am telling everyone that does some hydrangea that I am planning planting some at the new house next spring when it should be finished. I love them and never planted them before. I have read up on them so I should be good to go, I hope, LOL!!! That sack they are in is beautiful.

Cynthia

Cynthia

Diane said...

Your hydrangeas are lovely. Such sweet pics of your daughters and furry model!

Cindy said...

Oh wow! Alot going on! The little doggie dress is sooooooo cute, and so is the bracelet. and Happy Birthday to your two beautiful sweet daughters. Your hydrangeas are amazing. Especially the one that is white with the little reddish pink tips. I've never seen one like it!

Cindy

Connie said...

Hi Sandy, I am not usually a fan of dressing animals, but I have to say that Lacie looks adorable, and it looks like she enjoys dressing up :)
This was a very pretty party and the charm bracelets are delightful.
Have a marvelous day.
Your blogging sister, Connie :)

Ivy and Elephants said...

Happy birthday, Janae! Love the gorgeous bracelet with the fur babies! So sweet, and how chic Lacie looks in her new outfit! I can see that it was a happy celebration.
Hugs,
Patti

Ivy and Elephants said...

Happy birthday, Chantel! I hope you day was fabulous!
Hugs,
Patti

Susan EvelynAndRose said...

Happy birthdays to everyone Sandy! My, you've been busy. What a sweet idea to get the fur-baby bracelet for Janae, and gosh -you're so talented, making the doggie dress! :)

Anne said...

Happy Birthday to your girls! Love that beautiful bracelet! Your hydrangeas are lovely!
xx
Anne

karlascottage.typepad.com said...

It looks like a festive celebration! And your doggie seems pleased to be decked out for the party. How cute!

Twinkle Terrior said...

Belated wishes! H
appy birthday to beautiful girls! May your birthday be as AMAZING and fun as you are ! oxox