Homemade goodness

OK- YUM!!! Brinley reminded me today about cinnamon rolls when I was making my bread dough. I'm so glad she did. I haven't made them in a long time. My recipe makes 4 loaves of bread, so I just use one of them to make the cinnamon rolls.  They are so good, and I obviously couldn't wait!

Megunticook

So, we are starting to see little traditions emerge on this, our third year of camping. We are starting to return to favorite campgrounds at the same times of the year. This is our second annual trip to Megunticook Campground by the Sea on the weekend after Memorial Day. We love this campground for the super warm pool.  When they say they have a heated pool, they mean it (unlike many campgrounds up here in the North- northeast). :)

We brought the other Johnsons with us- don't the Casita and Oliver look cute together, though?

I was told there was alot of this going on...

and this....

and this.....

AND this.

But, unfortunately, this is pretty much all I was seeing for the weekend. Here's the story- Braedan woke up Friday night at 1AM screaming that his eye hurt and grabbing at it. He wouldn't open it to let us see, so after about an hour of him drifting back to sleep and waking up screaming, he slept the rest of the night.  The next morning, he wouldn't open either eye, although it was the left that had the issue.  At first I wasn't too worried.  I figured he would eventually open it.  We bought some saline to flush it out and this eye patch to cover it.  But he spent all day with both eyes shut and lying STILL (which was the scary part).  It was like having a little blind boy.  We even carried him down to the nice warm pool and thought he would open his eye when he got in there, but no such luck.  Sunday passed in the same way.  By this time, I was really worried. What was hiding behind that closed little eye?  We were afraid to take him to the ER because we didn't know to what lengths they would go to open his eye.  Sunday evening I put warm compresses on his eye for two hours and he finally opened it.  It was very red and inflamed.  We took him to the doctor and discovered he had a corneal tear/abrasion which healed after a few days on antibiotics.  I am so happy to see those beautiful blue eyes again and I am so thankful he is healed!

Memorial Day Weekend- Bar Harbor

Our second annual trip to Bar Harbor for Memorial Day weekend.  It sure is good to be back out camping and sitting around the fire roasting our Friday night hotdogs and smores!

Good morning, sunshine!

This picture is out of order and I don't know how to move it, so pretend it is down with the other Bar Harbor pictures. Thank you.

Sabbath, we took a drive up Cadillac Mountain.  We spent quite a while up on the top balancing rocks,

taking pictures,

and enjoying the view.

Cooper loved hiking.

Brinley found this cool heart shaped rock.

On top of the world!

Sunday we went shopping in Bar Harbor as it was drizzling rain a bit in the morning.

But by afternoon, it was sunny and warm. 

That evening we played miniature golf at Pirate's Cove.

We could not make Braedan understand that it is not a happy thing to be in one of these.

But we knew it! (not from experience)

On Monday, we packed up ready to go, but left the trailer while we went around The Loop.  Here's a quick stop at The Beach.

Then Thunderhole.  My sweet boy.

The mountain goat.

What a great weekend. 

Let the nightmare begin...

I am happy to see that my dear hubby is not letting much time go before starting on the bathroom rennovation.  Remember the fire?  Well, here he is now popping the tiles off the walls.  Poor guy- he had bleeding knuckles before it was all done.

A work in progress

Spring Magic

A little spring magic happening around here in the form of the new table topper I made from the Spring Magic line by moda.  I fell in love with that fabric at first sight...

Also, a little more magic happening in the garden...

And then there's the backyard....

The kids so love an adult to bounce them!

Spring has sprung!

Crocuses are the embodiment of the promise of spring!  We are always so excited to see them!

They look so happy and cheerful on an otherwise dark and dismal backdrop.

Also, finally time for Brinley to put out the birdfeeder she built and painted this winter.  Yeah, spring!

Bouncing Boxes

Today, I hosted a "quilt camp" for girls. Brinley, of course, and two other 9 year old friends and one 12 year old. I got the idea from a magazine and thought it would be fun to try.  We started at 9am with the girls laying their previously chosen and cut blocks in the way they wanted them to be sewn. The quilt pattern is called "bouncing boxes."

Wow, the quilts are going to be big.... Can we really do it?

The girls worked industriously for about 5 hours before we took a lunch break and a Cooper cuddle break!

The day passed quickly with much laughter, the hum of sewing machines, and the occasional sighs when one or other was informed of a seam that needed ripping.

I was very proud of how focused and hard they worked all day.  

Brinley very comfortable sewing in her PJ's. 

About 10 hours into the day, a candle I had lit early that morning caught on fire in the bathroom. The door was closed at the time with poor Cooper inside. We kept ignoring the fire alarm when it went off, since we didn't smell anything and couldn't see any smoke. Finally, I DID smell something and when I opened the bathroom door, smoke billowed out. It was very exciting for awhile there.  Amid girls screaming, shouts to call 911, and much running to and fro we got the fire extinguished quite easily when my husband carried the burning Longaberger basket out into the yard and threw some cups of water on the smoldering wallpaper and shelf.

The ceiling was black, the wallpaper burned and black, the toilet bowl ceramic lid was cracked clear across, and the shower curtain rod had melted. It was a mess, but the girls had a great time. What a great ending of the day it was to them! And I get a new bathroom!!

This little four year old was a prince!  I was dreading how bored he would get, and be in the way pestering me and the girls all day, but he did none of that.  He entertained himself all day and never complained.  His daddy took him out when he got home and got him a little present for being so good. After all, sister was getting a new quilt...

After 12 hours-- do you hear me???- 12 hours those girls worked, the quilts were completed!  This is Marjorie's.

And Gracie's. (This quilt has almost made me a fan of batiks- almost!) I was really hoping she would forget it at my house, or maybe an early birthday present? But no, she took it home with her- how rude!

Here's Brinley and Isabelle doing the final tying of their quilts.

And then later, a snuggle on the couch before sleepover.

This is Brinley's finished quilt. Her's was the only flannel quilt- so soft!

And last, but not least, Isabelle's.  It was a long, but rewarding day. Possibly the start of an annual event?  We'll see... Right now? Bed never felt so good for this mama!