Garden Tour

Every year for the last several years now my sister and I have gone on "home tours" called the Parade of Homes. You get to see new homes, some remodeled homes, how people have decorated and the new trends in home decorating. It's always been something we've enjoyed doing together and dreaming of how we'd like our "dream home" to be or what we want to incorporate into our own homes. Of course, all the ideas I come home with my wonderful husband just shakes his head and says, "Okay, I'll add that to my list to do...let's see that's number 1001 on the list." He's such a funny man! One of the bad parts of the home tours, though, is that you're not allowed to take pictures. Anyways, this year, at the beginning of the summer, my sister and I went on a Garden Tour and yay! we got to take pictures! I'd like to share some of the beautiful flowers and gardens with you. The tour began at the Original Governor's Mansion. I was able to get a few pictures of the inside before we headed off to tour the gardens so I'll start with those.








Next we have a view of the city. These were taken by from the first home we went to and the view they get to enjoy as well as their lovely garden.







The garden and home in this next picture wasn't on the tour this year but from what I understand it was last year. It was just a couple homes down from the pictures above.




Now, let's get on to some other homes...












This home had a stream that started at the top of the property in the back of the home and had a few waterfalls and then dropped into a pond. There was a pergola by the pond that you could sit under and relax and just listen to the peaceful, relaxing sounds. You could also sit on the deck of the home and see the stream, the pond and the lake. They did most of the work themselves so they have more than earned getting to sit and take in all this beauty.





This last home here was down a country road a ways and was very nice and secluded. They also have a small stream running beside of their home and a nice sized pond behind their home. They have nice little sitting areas all around the pond. The one picture here is taken from their hot tub looking out at the view they have from there of their yard and the pond. The other picture is a close up of one of the waterfalls on the opposite side of the pond.





Well, hope you enjoyed the tour.

My favorite men

Well, it's been a couple days again but I have spent soooo much time looking at so many other people's wonderful blogs that it's been so late by the time I get to mine that I just haven't taken the time. You all are so talented and truly amazing out there. To have little kids around all the time and still find time for all of your talents...well, I'm impressed. Most days when I get home from work the last thing I feel like doing is dragging all my craft stuff out and then having to put it all away again when I'm done. Plus trying to squeeze dinner in there as well. And I don't have little kids running around. What's your secret?
I would like to share a picture with you all of my 3 favorite "men" in the world. They are my husband and my two grandsons after going for a ride in Grandpa's jeep. They love going out for jeep rides with him. He does all kinds of fun things to make them laugh! Of course, they just love being with Grandpa period. Aren't they the cutest!



Here is another one of the things that the boys have always loved doing when they've been at our house. It's roasting marshmallows in the firepit and making smores. They also enjoy singing the Veggie Tale song about smores sometimes while we sit out there. I absolutely adore these guys! They sure know how to brighten their Gramma's life.



The youngest one's birthday is coming up in a little over a week and he'll be four. The oldest one is seven. School will be starting for them both that same week. Here's another picture I'd like to share with you of the boys.



And yes, most of the time they do get along like this! I just want to smile every time I look at this picture of them!
Well, maybe next time I'll have found time to do something creative and I'll take a picture and show you all. Maybe.................

Big Sky Country

I had so much fun yesterday visiting so many different blogs that I didn't take the time to write in mine. Actually I spent a lot of today doing the same thing which is why I'm writing so late at night. There are so many fun, interesting, gifted people out there. It would be fun to have a blog like theirs. Maybe mine will eventually evolve into something like that but for right now mine will mostly be about the goings on in my life and in my small "neck of the woods".
Speaking of that...
....my wonderful nice friend did come over yesterday and brought food for my husband and I for two nights not just one along with desserts for both nights. Two other really good friends have called in the last couple days to check on how I'm doing and are coming on Friday to have lunch with me. I can't wait!
Kayla came over and visited with us for awhile tonight. I always enjoy spending time with her. We want to get together and make some more cards. That's a lot of fun! We went on a trip together at the beginning of the summer and took all of our cardmaking supplies (okay, that part was a lot of work, hauling all of that into the motel room!) and made some cute ones in our motel room. (That part was fun!) My sister and my niece came to our room and we watched "27 Dresses" together with them. My niece had a dance performance that we also got to go and see while we were there. It was just an all-around good time!
I just got done visiting with my niece, Amanda... actually, text messaging back and forth, but that's still visiting. She's the one who's dance performance we went to see. She just left for college and is going to school in one of my favorite places to visit so I'm hoping to get to see her at least a few times a year. She is such a funny, talented young lady. I know she'll do well at school, too. Here is a picture of another one of my favorite places here in Montana. This isn't the place where my niece is going to school but still a favorite place. This is Flathead Lake. Can you see why they call Montana "Big Sky Country"?



Well, before I go, I'll post a couple more pictures on here from my yard. I think pictures are always fun. I was going to put some on here of the cards I made from Kayla's and my trip and realized I didn't take any of them. Oh well, maybe next time...
This first picture is a view of my bench through my bush by the pond...




This second one is one of my Gerbera Daisies. I think they are such a pretty flower.




Well, until next time...
...have a blessed day!

I do have a life...

I have been so anxious to get back on here and post another blog but thought having more than one in a day might show that I sit with my laptop way too many hours in the day wasting time where if I waited one day before posting again it would seem that I have some sort of a life. I have played with some of the pictures I've taken on this site called Picnik that Kayla told me about. Here are a couple examples from some pictures of flowers from my yard. I have been learning while I'm recuperating so that's a good thing. See...it has been educational sitting around doing nothing while I recuperate.

Anyways, I just got a call from my wonderful husband just checking to see how I'm feeling today. See how blessed I am! I really do have a terrific husband. The joke is that it's only taken 31 years to get him trained the way I want him so I think I'll keep him. Actually, he's been a good husband all along. Very kind and loving and oh, so funny! He knows how to make me laugh! He's been a great dad to our daughters and a fun grandpa as well. I wouldn't trade him for anything! Besides all that, he's good looking too. Woo woo!
I also got a call from Del Ann at work and she said things are running smooth there but that I'm missed and also that another friend would like to bring a meal tomorrow evening. More blessings...to be missed and another wonderful friend with a meal. I know I should probably say, "No, that's okay, we're doing fine and don't need another meal", but not me, no, instead I said, "Oh, that's so nice of her!". Which it is very nice of her but to turn down a free meal when, like I said yesterday, how spoiled my husband's getting with all the good food, and this way I get to visit with another sweet friend of mine. Her and her husband are a couple of the nicest people you could meet.
Another blessing...my sweet, pregnant daughter, Kayla had also called to check in with me and visit this morning. Did I say that she's pregnant? Yep, her & her husband will be first time parents some time in February. I can't wait! I love this being a Gramma! I have two grandsons already that are the joy of my life by my oldest daughter, Heidi. They are 7 and almost 4 and light up your world when they're around. They sure know how to make a Gramma feel loved!
Well, I don't think blogs are supposed to be books so I guess I'd better sign off for a while so anyone who actually reads this would think I do have a life...

Just the beginning...

Well, thanks to my daughter, Kayla, I have created my first blog. I've enjoyed reading hers and a few others so thought I'd try this myself. I am off work for a while recuperating from surgery so thought this would be the perfect time. Speaking of being home recuperating... along with the name of my blog "Pond-ering my blessings" I have to mention just how blessed I am. I have some of the nicest people in my life. They are my friends but they are also my "family". They have kept my husband and I supplied with meals for these days I've been home and having to take it easy. And delicious meals at that! My husband is getting very spoiled as he's not used to such wonderful meals all the time. They have blessed me with beautiful plants and flowers and the most important of all...their friendship.
I have to say that although I like my job, I have enjoyed relaxing by my pond and reading and playing around on my laptop working on this blogging stuff. It makes me want to go out and take a bunch of pictures now to show you all my pond and my fish and my flowers before the white, fluffy stuff appears and covers it all. I know it's only August but it does seem like it was just the first of June a couple weeks ago.
Well, thanks Kayla, for getting me started here. I think I will take a break and go get those pictures I talked about...