Show and Tell: Pillowcase Top

I've been itching to get back to sewing and decided to whip up a super simple pillowcase top for Abby.  I've had this fabric in my craft closet for a long while and couldn't decide what to do with it.  I wanted to make a pillowcase dress but Abby said she's too old for them and they're "lame".  Sheesh.  So we settled on the top.  (My baby is growing up :( ).

My pretty girl modeling her top.  Notice her model face and pose.

Gorgeous!!

I've got a pattern for a pair of ruffle pants that I really want to make for Abby.  I found a cute turquoise and brown polka dot jersey fabric, so maybe she'll wear them.  ;)  I'm trying to come up with something cute to make for Wyatt.  My sweet neighbor Sue said that she'll teach me how to quilt whenever I'm ready, so I might try and make a simple wall quilt for him.

Happy Memorial Day!

I love decorating for each season and holiday, so I decided to get a little festive for Memorial Day.  I can reuse these decorations for the 4th of July too. 

The mantle.  I found these red, white, and blue carnations at Michael's.  I tied some red and blue ribbon around my coffee bean jars.  I bought some painted wood embellishments shaped like flags and stars but I think I accidentally threw them away with the Michael's bag. :(

I arranged these little plastic gold and silver stars on the top of the mantle.  They give it a kind of nautical look.

I found these cute luminary buckets at Target in the dollar spot.

We are getting ready to cookout and enjoy the day together as a family.  I love spending time in our backyard, splashing around in the pool and sprinklers, and just being together.  Casey is a master on the grill so anything he makes always turns out delicious. 

I always get really emotional thinking about the brave men and women who laid their lives on the line to keep our country free.  I have the utmost respect for all of those in the military and their families. 

Hope you are enjoying your day!!

 

Lauren's Wedding

My sister Lauren got married a couple of weeks ago, and had a beautiful, intimate ceremony at a museum in Perryton.  I was honored to be her Matron of Honor.  Abby was one of the flower girls, along with my brother Scott's twin girls.  Wyatt was supposed to be one of the ring bearers but he had other plans.  When it was his turn to walk down the aisle, he screamed and cried and simply refused to go.  Ironically, he had no problem following the flower girls out.  Sheesh!  Here are a few pictures from the wedding.  I apologize that some of them are blurry and not so great, but they're all I have right now.

Lauren and her dad (my stepdad Denny) walking down the aisle

My nephew Trey carrying the rings (Wyatt was supposed to be next to him)

Abby dropping petals

Addison dropping petals.  Ashlynn is right in front of her crying her eyes out. :(

The Newlyweds

Getting ready to make a toast (ridiculously bad picture of me)

Siblings.  Scott, Lauren, and me.  I love how we're all looking directly at the sun and squinting. ;)

Aunt "Lolly" with her nieces and nephew

My mom, stepdad, and Lauren

Those are a few of the highlights from ceremony.  I'm happy for Lauren and Michael and hope that they have a long, happy marriage.  Love you Sister!!

Summer is Starting!!

Today is Abby's last day of school and also marks the unofficial beginning of summer in the Tolliver house.  I'm excited!!  I absolutely love summer and all the wonderful things that it brings...cookouts, swimming pools, vacations, long summer nights on the deck, VBS, etc...  Love it!

We've been hard at work getting the loose ends tied up on our vacation plans.  We are going to Colorado in July.  I've never been to Colorado before but my husband has and he's told me how beautiful it is.  We've got some really fun things planned.  I can't wait!

We've got a fun Memorial weekend planned, with lots of grilling out and swimming in the backyard.  It's supposed to be in the upper 90s all weekend so I hope we can stand the heat.  

Have a great weekend!!!

Soccer

Abby decided to play soccer this year and had her first game this past Sunday.  She's a little apprehensive to get in the mix because she's afraid of getting kicked but she's starting to get the hang of it.  Her coach is great and her team is adorable out there on the field!

Abby's got her game face on!

She did really good as goalie. 

In the mix!

The other team's players were a lot bigger than ours but we still came out on top!

We have two practices this week and another game on Sunday.  It's gonna be a fun season!

What We've Been Up To

It's been way too long since my last post, but student teaching is over and school is almost out so I promise that I will post more consistently.  Summer is almost here!!!!  We are SO ready for it here at the Tolliver house.  Fun and relaxation are in store!

First up, I finished student teaching.  I'm sad that it's over because I loved it so much but now I am all ready to have my own classroom.  Hopefully, this hiring freeze will be lifted soon and I will find a job for the upcoming school year.  If not, I'm planning on subbing and taking care of my babies.  It has been just wonderful to be home with them again after three months of student teaching.  My house is clean, the laundry is caught up (well, almost ;) ), dinner is on the table at a decent hour, and my babies are happy.  It can't get any better than this!

I'm also recovering from a bout of walking pneumonia.  Bad stuff.  I had it 2 years ago and was seriously hoping that I would never have it again, but I did.  After steroid and antibiotic shots, oral antibiotics, and breathing treatments, I'm finally feeling like I'm going to be normal again someday.  I've still got a cough but it takes awhile for that to completely go away.

Unfortunately, I was pretty sick on Mother's Day.  Casey and the kids tried so hard to make it special but I was too sick to really enjoy it.  We usually always go out to eat on Mother's Day but since I was sick, Casey made my favorite: enchiladas.  They bought me some beautiful flowers, some new earbuds for my iPod and an iTunes giftcard, and some goodies from Bath and Body Works.  Plus, I got serenaded with some really cute songs from the kids. 

We were in Perryton this weekend for my sister's wedding.  More on that plus pictures to come very soon!  It was beautiful and special, but I'm glad that it's finally over!  I did get to see some family that I haven't seen in years and even meet some new, tiny family members (my cousins' babies).  It was a great weekend!

This will be my first full week at home in three months, so I'm planning on getting caught up on some sewing and decorating projects that I've been putting off. 

Happy Monday!!

 

Flower Beds

I spent last Saturday in my three flower gardens, weeding and planting some new plants in a few bare spots.  I have some early spring bloomers like daffodils, tulips, and grape hyacinth but most of my flowers are summer blooming.  Here are a few pics.

I am still not entirely sure what this tree is.  I've researched online at still haven't been able to figure it out yet.  I think I will take a picture up to our local nursery to find out for sure.

This is one of the new transplants.  It is a Canna "Tropicanna" and has beautiful purple, orange, and pink foliage with orange flowers.  I can't want until it starts blooming!

One of the rose bushes.  I have two bushes with these blooms and antother one called "Diamond Jubilee" with cream roses.

Since so many of my plants are summer bloomers, I don't have pictures of them yet since they are still in the process of coming up.  I found some pictures online of what my gardens will soon look like and will post actual pictures once they're up.  

(via Google images)

Society Garlic.  I used a picture online because it hasn't bloomed out yet.  This plant has a strong onion aroma and pretty purple flowers.  I planted this in one of my back flower beds about  5 years ago and it is still going strong.

(Google images)

Stargazer lilies are my absolute favorite flower so I decided to try my hand at growing them.  I decided to go with bulbs a couple of years ago.  They have actually done really well in my beds.  I just love their vibrant pink color and heavenly scent.

(Google images)

Shasta daisies.  These were planted before we bought our home over 6 years ago, and I loved them so much that I decided to keep them.  They are in my front flower bed so I get a lot of compliments on them.  I've had people stop and take pictures when they are in full bloom!

(Google images)

Jasmine.  This is a new transplant and is supposed to be a climber.  I planted 2 plants near my back fence so it will vine up it.  Can't wait for it to bloom.

(Google images)

My irises are just about to bloom.  I'm not sure why they haven't already but I'm looking forward to their beautiful blooms.

I decided to edge my flower beds with orange zinnias this year.  I usually plant petunias or celosia as an edger but loved the orange pop. 

These are a few of the flowers in my gardens.  I have many other and can't wait to get some pictures of the rest.  What about you...do you garden?