Grandson Photo Fun Plus July Blogging Break

July 5, 2017 by 6 Comments

*Don’t miss a special giveaway going on over on my Mother of the Bride Blog. You don’t have to be a mother of the bride to win!

When the month of July rolls around each year, that means it’s time for some Summer Photo Fun here on the blog. And what better kind of photo fun to feature this year than Grandson Photo Fun, right? How can I not share this kind of sweetness with you!

For those of you who don’t already know, God has blessed us with TWO sets of twin grandsons! Isaiah and James are pictured above on the left (James on left, Isaiah on right) and belong to our daughter Kristin and her husband Shawn. Samuel and Silas are on the right (Silas on left, Samuel on right) and belong to our daughter Kelli and her husband Jake. Isaiah and James are now 2 ½ years old and Samuel and Silas will be 11 months old in a few days. We love these little guys beyond words. And yes, they keep us hopping!

Life is so busy for me right now—and July is always extra busy when my husband is on vacation for a few weeks—so I’m going to take a blogging  break and leave these photos of our sweet boys up here on the blog for the next few weeks. Hope you enjoy seeing these little sweethearts—and I will be back with regular weekly blog posts in a few weeks. Have a great July!

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV

Sweet Samuel

Busy Silas

*I have some family events and travel scheduled for July. Will you be doing anything special this month?

The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early August. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive $15 cash (summer mad money!) and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

Filed Under: blessing, family, fun, joy, life, little, love, pair, photo fun, summer, variety Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Winter Wedding Favor: Dancing Socks!

June 6, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I know it’s June and most people aren’t thinking of winter, but you and I both know, Mother of the Bride, that winter weddings are being planned as we speak, right? If your darling daughter has chosen a winter date for her big day, then this post is for you. Just turn the air conditioning up enough to make you shiver, and you’ll be in the mood for winter ideas in no time!

If your little bride-to-be hasn’t settled on a favor idea for her winter wedding bash, here’s an idea that might just set her feet to dancing. How about some warm and cuddly dancing socks so everyone can kick off their shoes and dance the night away in comfort? No frozen toes for your guests, right?

Grippy socks personalized with the bride’s and groom’s name and wedding date—and in the colors of the wedding, of course—are not only a fun memento from the wedding but are practical as well. Just do a google search of “personalized socks for wedding favors” or “personalized wedding socks” and you’ll find several ideas and options to choose from.

Why not pass this idea on to your daughter and see if she gets a little dance fever? Just be prepared to kick off your shoes and have fun, MOB!

*You might also like to read Wedding Favors That Grow: Tree Seedlings! and Favor Help for Winter Weddings.

*My photo

Filed Under: accessories, bride, celebrate, comfort, favors, fun, memories, Mother of the Bride, pair Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Blogging Break Plus Our New Grandbabies!

August 18, 2016 by 4 Comments

SamSi1 (Si on left, Sam on right)Just in time for Summer Photo Fun—our new set of twin grandbabies are here! That’s right, this is our second set of twin grandbabies in just over 19 months! First Kristin and Shawn made us grandparents to twins, and now it is Kelli and Jake’s turn. Amazing, fun, and miraculous all rolled into one!

So now allow me to introduce our newest little loves—Samuel and Silas! Samuel is on the right above and Silas is on the left. They weighed in at 5 lb 7 oz and 4 lb 3 oz respectively. They arrived almost a month early, but everyone is doing well and we are oh so grateful to God for this new beyond-belief blessing in our lives. Thank you to each one of you who have prayed for them and for Kelli and Jake. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. Samuel and Silas are still in the NICU as of today, learning to eat better on their own and gaining the strength to do so. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this, but we are so in love with our new little guys!

Also, since my summer has already been very busy and since the next several weeks (months and years! Ha!) promise to be extremely busy as well, I’m taking a little blogging break. When I come back after Labor Day, Summer Photo Fun will be over for another year, and I’ll start back with more of the inspirational posts you usually see here. Enjoy the waning days of summer, friends. As for me, I’ll be in Grandma heaven!

“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3

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*What joy has God blessed you with lately?

*The newest issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Photos by family members

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, blessing, family, fun, joy, love, miracle, new thing, pair, photo fun, praise, summer, thanks Tagged With: , , ,

Summer Photo Fun: Sweet Grandsons Isaiah and James

August 15, 2016 by 6 Comments

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*Our new set of twin grandsons arrived last week! I will try to have a post featuring them later this week. They have been in NICU so it can be challenging to get good photos. They are doing well, though, and we are overjoyed!

You knew I couldn’t let Summer Photo Fun get by without featuring some photos of our sweet grandsons Isaiah and James, right? After all, they are one of the best parts of our lives, and I would be remiss if I didn’t share them with you!

So today’s the day—here’s a little photo fun featuring our first two dearly loved grandsons. They are growing up so fast. What one does, the other has to as well—whether cute or naughty :) And yes, that in itself makes them especially adorable :) Oh how we love them!

IMG_6635They loved seeing the chickens at Aunt Kelli and Uncle Jake’s country home in July.

IMG_6596They love playing with the kitchen set that used to be their mama’s. Their aprons were made for them by our long-time friend Pam. They love wearing them :)

IMG_6647Of course they’re learning a love for music and piano from their musical mama. Notice in the background, shelves have been cleared and other areas barricaded for their visit :)

IMG_6342Reading with Grandpa. These boys love books!

IMG_6833Our sweet boys. Brothers and friends for life!

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”  Proverbs 17:17 NIV

*Do you have brothers and sisters? Do you enjoy a special bond?

*The newest issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*All photos are mine except for the next to last one. That one is Kristin’s.

Filed Under: family, fun, love, memories, pair, photo fun, summer Tagged With: , , , ,

A Winner Plus A Message for the Newlyweds

July 21, 2016 by 3 Comments

12893863323_341719a366_zThe day has come—time to announce the winner of the Mother of the Bride Book Launch Giveaway! That lucky winner is . . . drumroll, please . . . Susan Best! Congrats, Susan! I’ll get your winnings to you as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy each and every item and find my book to be super helpful and encouraging.

And now a little gift for the rest of you—a special message you can share with your sweet soon-to-be newlyweds! Perhaps you could share this message with them by reading it at the wedding reception during the time for toasts or perhaps you could mail it to them in a card. It could be a sweet surprise waiting for them as they return from their honeymoon.

Hope you enjoy sharing this with the new Mr. and Mrs.!

For You, Dear Newlyweds

What a joy it’s been to watch
Your story of love unfold,
From dating to engagement to marriage vows
You’ve made the perfect couple.
The wedding may be over now
But there’s still much to celebrate,
A chance to say “I do” again
Each day for the rest of your lives.
Right now that may seem easy
But days of challenge may lie ahead,
Keep saying “I do”, keep choosing love,
The rewards will surely come.
One day you’ll be that older couple
That everyone admires,
They’ll see your lasting mutual love
And decide to work for their own.
But today live life as newlyweds
Enjoy these fleeting days,
And in the process you’ll inspire
Others to choose love again.

Copyright © Cheryl Barker

*When you read this piece or print it out, please give attribution by saying it’s by Cheryl Barker, author of Mother of the Bride. Thanks!

*You might also like to read A Prayer for the Newlyweds and Gift Idea: The Newlywed’s Instruction Manual.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early August. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by KerriNikolePhotography, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: bride, Gift, giveaway, groom, joy, love, Mother of the Bride, new thing, pair, surprise Tagged With: , , ,
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