Saturday 30 June 2012

Sunset Picnic

Since yesterday turned out to be SUCH a gorgeous day, we decided to go to the beach for a picnic for supper. I packed a bag full of goodies and we headed out as soon as Matt got home from work. Our plan was to cook hotdogs in the microwave at the family cottage and eat our supper down on the beach. But alas, when we got there, we could not find the key where we were told it was, and despite every effort my man used to try to "break in" to the cottage (including using a credit card to slip the lock, taking out a window, etc.), we could not get into the cottage. What were we to do now!?!? I headed to look for the key again where it was supposed to be, and Matt reached for his cell to call Dad for a more concise explanation to where the key might be. While he was on the phone I just happened to look in a remote spot, and would you know it???? THERE WAS THE KEY!!! We then embarked on the frustrationadventure of trying to make it work in the keyhole! After MUCH fiddling, Matt was finally able to make it work and we walked into the cottage.........only to find there was no microwave! groan Our next option? See if there was any propane for the stove. Thankfully there was, and after this city girl learned how to use it, our hotdogs were cooked in short order and we headed down to the beach to relax and enjoy our supper. It was such a beautiful evening, and we found ourselves just looking around enjoying the scenery instead of eating our supper. :) We stayed on the beach enjoying the sunset and the refreshing sea breeze until it was almost dark, and then headed back to the cottage to just sit and relax for a bit before heading home. After a while, we packed up and started on our way back home....none too soon either, because before we made it home (about 15 minutes away), clouds rolled in, lightning was streaking the sky, and the rain was beginning to fall!! We were in for a thunderstorm that lasted about an hour or so. Who would have thought that earlier that evening we enjoyed the perfect weather for a picnic??? That's Maine weather for you! :)























In the cottage.
For those of you who have been asking FINALLY here is a "contacts" pic! :)

Thursday 28 June 2012

"little touches"

Matt and I both love adding "little touches" to our house to make it look better and feel more "homey". We have a TON of schemes and plans that we would someday like to do to the house. We are taking one project at a time as we are able to, and this was our Tuesday project!! :)


Before


After

Our kitchen had four recessed lights in the ceiling when we bought the house. They were fine, but sometimes we found it a little dark, especially in the evenings. So we bought these really easy conversion kits to make the kitchen brighter, and add some style to the kitchen! :) All you have to do is screw the fixture into the recessed light pocket, adjust it to your desired length, screw in a lightbulb, and enjoy your new fixtures!! ;) We were surprised at how much extra light we get and we love the little touch of style it added over our kitchen table!

Friday 22 June 2012

On top of the world!!!!

Since Matt had to work on his normal day off this week, his manager gave him yesterday off! YAY!!!!!!! We tossed around many options of what we wanted to do with our day, but after running a few errands and grabbing some lunch, we decided to go mini golfing. BUT.....we never made it to the golf course! Instead our car pulled into the Acadia Scenic Flights parking lot, and we embarked on a far more exciting adventure!! We changed our minds about mini golfing quickly when we saw a plane taking off from the runway, and Matt found out that I had never flown in a small plane! :)
Flights are kind of expensive, so we only chose the 15 minute flight around Bar Harbor! Our pilot had retired from flying three years ago, but loved it SOO much that he couldn't NOT fly! He called this his retirement job, and you could see in his face how much he loved flying! He helped us into his little plane and pretty soon we were cleared to take the runway! I LOVE feeling that moment when the plane leaves the ground and we head up, up, UP into the sky! SOO exhilarating!!!!! Our pilot knew quite a bit about the land and its history and took us for a much longer flight than we paid for! We were in the air at least half an hour as he showed us different islands and places! He even let Matt man the controls for a little bit, and my man had a blast!! You see, Matt would LOVE to get his pilot's license some day. Hmmmmm....it would be pretty neat to have my very own pilot! ;) I enjoyed just looking out the windows and taking pictures! It was a calm, clear day, and you could see quite a distance....a PERFECT day for flying!! I couldn't stop smiling the whole time I was up there, I was so excited!!! I LOVE flying! :)
When it was time to land,our pilot took the controls again and expertly navigated us back to the runway, where in short measure we were back on the ground and slowing down to park the plane. It seemed like all too soon our ride was over, but I have pictures and memories that will last a lifetime! When Matt said he felt like doing something with his girl for the day, I never expected to be spending half an hour with him on top of the world!(But then, he makes me feel like I'm on top of the world every single day!) He spoils me rotten!!!




Speeding down the runway!!












My handsome man!





Back on the runway

Wednesday 20 June 2012

First attempt at cake decorating

Tuesday June 19th, was Dad and Mom McFarland's 30th wedding anniversary. Matt and I hosted a family BBQ to celebrate. Matt's sister Pam is the real cake decorator, but since she had to work, I was the one to decorate the cake. I borrowed her icing recipe, decorating book, and icing tips and headed into my kitchen with a slight bit of fear nervousness to begin the decorating process.
I had watched Pam decorate a couple of cakes, and had helped her decorate one, but this was the first one all on my own. It wasn't perfect, and my icing bags broke THREE times (aggghhhh!!!!) before I was done! I'm so VERY thankful for the decorating book Pam lent me, so I at least knew what tips to use, and the technique I needed to use to get a finished result! :)
Here is the end product!




Green is the 30th anniversary color, so the flowers and lettering HAD to be green! :)




Dad and Mom cutting the cake!


HAPPY 30th ANNIVERSARY!!

Monday 18 June 2012

Sunny days

I realize my blog has been silent for awhile, and I don't have an excuse other than that sunny days are here!!!!!! This past week, six days out of the seven were SUNNY.....and there is no way you can keep me corralled inside on a beautiful, warm sunny day!
With two flower gardens and a vegetable garden, I've been keeping busy planting and weeding.
I made it a goal this past week to accomplish at least one major project each day INSIDE, and then work outside the rest of the day. I was surprised at how much I was able to accomplish both inside and out when I took that approach! The stack of ironing that had been sitting in the laundry room continually growing is now ironed and hanging in the closet. The pile of summer clothes lying on our bedroom floor where they had fallen when the bag they were in broke is now folded and put away in closets and drawers. The mounded cot in the laundry room, left from when my family came to visit, is all cleared off, moved into the spare bedroom, and the air mattresses are deflated and put back in their boxes. Outside, the vegetables seeds sitting in their packages on top of the fridge are all planted, fertilized and watered. One flower garden is all weeded, and the other is ALMOST all weeded ( a huge accomplishment considering it was full of brambles and fern at the first of the week!) I grilled something on the grill almost every night last week. Who would use the stove when you could use the grill!?!? :-)
I LOVE summer!!
So, in the meantime, while I am busy enjoying these sunny days, enjoy a couple of my flowers from my garden, and know that I will be back to posting regularly as soon as I get my fill of warmth and sun! ;-)






Wednesday 6 June 2012

A few more creations :)

Here are a few pieces of jewelry I made over the weekend!
Enjoy!! :)







I LOVE the little heart clasp on this one!




Matching set!!




Necklace

Bracelet

Let me know what you think! Do these inspire any ideas in your mind? I would love to hear any thoughts or ideas that you have!!!

Saturday 2 June 2012

Obedience

OBEDIENCE

I said, "Let me walk in the fields."
He said, "Nay, walk in the town."
I said, "There are no flowers there."
He said, "No flowers, but a crown."


I said, "But the sky is black;
There is nothing but noise and din."
But he wept as He sent me back;
"There is more," He said; "there is sin."


I said, "But the air is thick,
And the fogs are veiling the sun."
He answered, "Yet hearts are sick,
And souls in the dark undone."


I said, " I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say."
He answered me, "Choose tonight
If I am to miss you, or they."


I pleaded for time to be given;
He said, "Is it hard to decide?
It will not seem hard in Heaven
To have followed the steps of your Guide."


I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town;
He said, "My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"


Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in the light divine
The path I had feared to see!

~George MacDonald



Friday 1 June 2012

Do you like my bracelet???


I made it myself!!! :-)

A little while ago I found some handmade jewelry on the Internet that I wanted to buy. When I asked Matt if I could get it, his reply was, "You should try your hand at making jewelry. I bet you'd be good at it!" That was all I needed to spur me on since I already had been tossing the idea around myself. After spending a couple of weeks researching how to do it, Matt took me to a bead shop and bought me some supplies. This is my first creation. I still have a lot more to learn, but I'm enjoying using my imagination to create beautiful pieces of jewelry! :-)





So, what do you think? Leave me a comment with your opinions. Any ideas or helpful hints would be appreciated! :-)