a country cottage shower

Yesterday we had a shower for my future sister-in-law, Bailey.

Bailey & Robert will be living in North Dakota on a beef ranch,

[well, Robert's already there, but Bailey will be joining him after the wedding!]

so we thought it would be fun to incorporate some of that into the shower.

 Unfortunately, I was slacking on pics [again] and didn't get a picture of the food before it was gone. 

The shower was at Bailey's Aunt Jen's cottage on Lake Ontario - such a beautiful home & setting!

Bailey's sister Katie, my mom, dad, Victoria and I all made different jams for favors.

We kept the decor really simple - just ball jars with zinnias from the garden 

& wildflowers from the field across from the cottage! 

Seriously - what a view!

Part of the dessert table - lovely cake made by the one & only Manda.

I heard it was scrumptious - sadly I didn't get a piece! 

That just means you have to make another one, Mand!

Drinks & desserts - what's not to love?!

The beautiful bride-to-be opening gifts.

My sweet sisters, taking advantage of having control of the camera! 

The bridal party, L-R:

Jayne, me, Emily, Bay, Betsy, Martha & Katie

[sidenote: I think this was the only picture with all our eyes open!]

Bannister Babes, minus Mom:

& one more to get Mom in the picture with us.

So blessed that my brother has found such a wonderful girl to spend his life with!

Love our growing family!

Thanks to the Hartway-Wilson clan for all their help in throwing such a fun party!

We love you, Bailey & we're so excited for the big day!

awake and opened

i thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

ee cummings

happy friday.

good.things.

1.

We booked our flight to Ethiopia! Unbelievable.

2.

It's officially summer.

(That's for you, V!)

ode to summer

Work starts again for me on Monday. I'm always astonished by how quickly the summer flies by. I was talking with someone the other day and mentioned that the month of August is like a Sunday night - you know school is looming. Some of the distinct warning signs of summer's close...

1. Peaches. Sweet, sweet peaches & nectarines - the taste of summer & sunshine.

2. Realizing you need to change into jeans & a sweatshirt for that bonfire at night.

3. Fresh corn on the cob.

4. The hum of cicadas.

5. Crayon boxes and notebooks and pencils and erasers and packages of paper lining the aisles of grocery stores.

6. Premature orange and yellow leaves peppering otherwise green trees.

So, we try to make the most of our dwindling days by grilling as often as possible & enjoying as much fresh produce as possible!

[peach blueberry cobbler]

[chipotle pork wraps... yummm]

What signifies the end of summer to you, and how are you enjoying it??

i'd like to call back summertime

have her stay for just another month or so

but she's got the urge for going

so i guess she'll have to go

-joni mitchell

it's gettin' hot in here.

Zooey wants to send a huge shout out to the previous owners/squatters of our house for taking the AC unit when they left...

summer skin

squeaky swings and tall grass

the longest shadows ever cast

the water's warm and children swim

and we frolicked about in our summer skin

-death cab for cutie

jamaica 2010

We had a great trip our 2nd time to Sandy Bay, Jamaica! Thanks again to everyone who made this trip possible through financial gifts and prayer support!

week at home

Happy Independence Day!

Before I uploaded any pictures, I started this post with "Here are some of my favorite pictures from my time at home." Um, I need to revise that statement:

Here are a ton of pictures from my time at home. I love all of them.

Zooey watching the pig and goat very, very curiously.

Peas in the garden (I spent some time here every single day...)

Cute pea pods with only one pea!

Making kabobs with Dad.

Zooey & Elly being best friends... most of the time.

Beautiful skies

Dirt roads

Katie's adorable piglets

Luscious strawberries

Mama & baby

Dad's Oreo pancake... I did not try this confectionary experiment.

Fried zucchini, from the garden

Farm girl through & through

Baking berry pies

Watching soccer & cheering for Germany

and of course - gorgeous fields.

I forgot to take pictures at the 4th festivities at Nesbitt Pond, but I had a ton of quality time with my wonderful cousins. As crazy as we all may be, I just love the Bannister-Nesbitt family. And WNY? I can never get enough.

"What does the city have to offer me? Everyone else thinks it's the bee's knees.

What does the city have to offer me? I just can't see..."

- Camera Obscura