On July 4th, we took our daughters on a carriage tour of downtown Charleston.  It had been years since my husband and I did one of these tours, and it was the girls’ first time seeing the city this way.  Thankfully it was an overcast, cooler morning than usual for Charleston in July, and the Lord held off the rain until after we were back in the car!

Sarah gives us 6 Ways Small Prayers Grow Big Faith.

Kristen lists 15 Ways to Teach Kids How to Work Hard.

Cori shares Tips for Happy Travel with Kids.

Lauren has 18 Ways to Add Farmhouse Character to a Builder Grade House.

I made Rachael Ray’s Paillard “Pizzette” with Summer Pesto, Tomatoes, and Arugula for supper on Monday night.  It sounds fancy, but it was easy to make, and oh, so good!!  [Two notes:  I didn’t use mint in the pesto, since I don’t care for that flavor.  Also, I didn’t top the chicken with the arugula, just the tomatoes.]

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

While it was quiet here on the blog this week, it wasn’t in real life.

Since my husband and older daughter were both gone for the week, I planned a few fun days with our younger daughter.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely, but it will be nice to have everyone back under one roof again tonight!  Looking forward to hearing all about our older daughter’s two weeks at camp when she gets home this afternoon.

Here’s a few good posts I found this past week.

Sarah Mae reminds us that God Delights in Our Pleasure.

Ayanna tells us Why All Kids Need Chores.

Whitney says “I Took My First Taste of the Empty Nest, and It’s Bittersweet.”

This Bandana Wreath is so cute, and I think even my craft-challenged self could make it!

And since I seem to be in the habit of sharing a recipe, this week’s choice is Amazing Cream Cheese Pound Cake.  I want to make this soon, but I’m afraid of how much of it I’d eat all by myself!

I didn’t keep track of my fiction reading this month, but I did find time to make it through a number of books.  Our library offers Hoopla, a digital media service, which allows me to borrow five books per month on my Kindle free of charge.

I did want to mention the nonfiction book I read this month.  What’s It Like to Be Married to Me? by Linda Dillow was an excellent book on marriage!  The author shared ten “dangerous” questions to ask yourself about what it’s like to be married to you.  She shared numerous examples from women she’s counseled throughout her career.  There’s also a brief Bible study at the end of the book.

I have a new post about 80% finished, so hopefully it will go up Monday or Tuesday.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Beautiful downtown Charleston at dusk

Kathie lists 7 Ways to Give Our Kids Purpose.

Angelina is Saying Goodbye to Martha Stewart Hospitality.

Katie reminds us of God’s Steadiness in the Storm.

Jill shares cute ideas in Celebrate Summer with Fun 4th of July Crafts.

I made this Pistachio and Coconut Cake last weekend for Father’s Day.  It was delicious!!

Very excited that I’ll get to connect with my daughter today!!  She’s been away at camp all week, and has another week to go.  They don’t have access to their cell phones during the week, but get them for a limited amount of time on the weekend.  I’ll have my phone close by all morning!

This past week we had Vacation Bible School at our church.  There were several salvation decisions, and it was a good opportunity to serve in that ministry alongside others.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

This picture from last year’s June vacation (near La Jolla Cove, CA) brings back some wonderful memories!

Dionna says Go Ahead, Thank Him.

Susan shares Must Do’s and Don’ts for Your Marriage.

This is an older post from Rachel, but worthy of revisiting – 20 Things I Will Not Regret Doing with My Kids.

Marci lists My Top 50 Cleaning Shortcuts.

This Chocolate Poke Cake from Scratch looks amazingly delicious!  Maybe I can get one of my daughters to make it for us soon.

My oldest daughter will be packing her suitcase this weekend.  She leaves on Monday for two weeks at camp, and it will be the longest she’s ever been away from home.  We’re going to miss her!!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Our girls at Pounce Cat Cafe earlier this week.

Ever loved a dog?  You’ll want to read Dave’s post Chosen.

Kayla shares 6 Ways to Slow Down So You Don’t Miss Your Kids Growing Up.

Kathie lists 3 Things That Make You Lose Your Joy as a Mother.

Shannon has 4 Ways to Quell Comparison.

Lucretia talks about When Struggle Is the Reward.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

My daughters finished up final exams Wednesday morning, so we headed to the beach in the afternoon for a little relaxation!

Phylicia lists 10 Truths I Speak to Myself as a Mom of a Toddler and a Baby.

On the other end of the parenting spectrum, Kara shares about Personality, Patience, and Parenting Tweens and Teens.

Elizabeth writes Dear Daughters:  12 Things I Didn’t Know I Needed in a Husband.

I rarely share a home-decor-related post, but this house at Chatfield Court is just darling!

Per my husband’s request, I made this No-Bake Coconut Cream Lush Dessert last weekend.  It. was. delicious!!  My girls aren’t big fans of coconut, which left plenty for my husband and I to devour!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Lisa talks about When Pain Becomes a Gift of Mercy.

Katie gives us 5 Ways to Create a Unique Family Culture.

Kathie lists 7 Ways to RUIN the Relationship with Your Child.

Samantha’s Letter to My Son (The Kindergarten Graduate) seemed especially appropriate for this time of year.

Here’s a video of my favorite song from our daughters’ last choir concert of the school year.  [If you’re reading via e-mail, click this link to view the video.]  Our daughters are in the second row of girls, third and fifth from the right.  Interesting side note:  the violinist is their piano teacher.

Here are the four books I read this month.

I really enjoyed reading Love Does:  Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff.  He reminds us through many stories that love is so much more than words.  It’s taking action, and reaching out to people, whether in very small ways or large ones.  This “people-before-tasks” type love draws people to Jesus.  It was an inspiring book!

I bought The Problem of Prayer: And the Promise that Changes Everything by Cherie Hill “accidentally” on my Kindle!  I decided to read it anyway, and am so glad I did.  I highlighted many quotes from this book.  It was full of practical, helpful reminders about how God works in our lives through prayer.

Why I Hate Green Beans by Lincee Ray was a memoir, I suppose.  She shares thoughts about and stories from her life, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

My fiction read this month was Desperate Measures by Sandra Orchard.  This was the third book in the series, and it had been awhile since I read the first two.  Because of that, I was lost in parts of the book, and there was too much going on at times for me to keep it all straight!

Looking for some interesting books to read this summer, so let me know if you’ve read anything good lately!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Our girls and I on our annual Mother’s Day beach walk last weekend.

Ayanna shares Secrets to Being Grateful No Matter Your Situation.

Casey reminds parents how their children can feel in I’m Just a Toddler and I’m Still Learning.

Jessica shows us how to create a Summer Bucket List Jar.

If you sign up for Jess Connolly’s e-mail newsletter, you get her Summer to Thrive Guide for free.  I did, and have already used some of her prompts to start planning our summer.

Stacie has 10 Organization Apps to Simplify Your Life.

This No-Churn S’mores Ice Cream sounds like the perfect warm-weather treat!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

From last year’s Mother’s Day Eve walk on the beach

Kari lists 10 Truths Moms Should Know.

Elizabeth shares Life Lessons from the Sidelines.

Lauren has 30 Easy Summer Activities for Kids.

Dawn tells us How to Prepare Your Home for Guests.

Leslie encourages us in How to Love Your Home Just the Way It Is.

As I’ve mentioned in previous years, we typically celebrate Mother’s Day on Saturday night.  It’s easier to find a restaurant without a long wait.  Also, I really enjoy walking on the beach, so after supper, we drive to the beach and walk off some of those calories we just consumed!

This year, however, our older daughter’s scheduled to work tonight, so we celebrated last night!  I’ll share pictures in next week’s Saturday post.

I’m blessed to have a wonderful, Godly mom in my life!  I’m very thankful for her, and the love and encouragement she offers to me and our entire family.

To all the moms out there, I hope you feel loved and celebrated this weekend!!

Saw this on one of my walks in our neighborhood this week. So cute!!

Elizabeth gives us 5 Things We Sometimes Have to Do Before We Feel.

Christ-Centered Mama say “Please Don’t Tell Struggling Moms to ‘Enjoy Every Moment.'”

Lisa gives tips for Parenting the Bossy Child.

Caring for aging parents is something we may all face as we get older.  Michelle shares her experience in The New Mummy Guilt:  Putting Your Parent in a Care Facility.

Joy has 12 Creative and Smart Kitchen Organization Ideas.

Wednesday’s Focus on the Family podcast Helping Your Children to Embrace Their Future dealt with guiding our children into God’s plan for their lives.  I thought the advice given was actually helpful for me as an adult as well!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!