Anticipation....and Preparation!

As I write this it is less than 15 hours before Amber and Mike return home from their year in Scotland! I was moved to tears when watching the video she made of the highlights of their time there....and the places they have been! It was fun to see Louis Dean and me by the North Sea and in Inverness. I am glad they went...and happy they are on their way home. They should be boarding the plane to take them from Aberdeen to London within the hour.

We have been busy getting ready for them and for the BIG Welcome Home Party!
Yard work as soon as we rolled out of bed! We are NOT morning people so this was an effort! So much so that I had to take a nap afterwards! Have I mentioned how HOT it is here??? Over 100 degrees for the last 6 days! It cools down to 80 at night...which is why we opted to do the yard this MORNING!

I brought back some sand and seashells from the Beach Trip with Summer and made a little display on a den side table.

Louis Dean made THREE batches of his famous cinnamon rolls!

That's a LOT of DOUGH!!

We set up a buffet table in the living room....placing it OVER the coffee table in front of the sofa. This way I did not have to move ALL the debris lamps, candles, candy dishes and books! I just covered them up!

Our groceries have been purchased...I made 2 batches of chocolate chip cookie dough and will make 2 MORE batches tomorrow and then BAKE all those cookies! The house is as clean as it's going to get! Cooking and baking will begin in earnest on Saturday! We have many people coming on Sunday afternoon for an Open House to welcome back the BELL'S!! All FOUR of my children will be here Sunday! I will need to take some pics!

This photo is from a custom made deck of cards Amber had made for Mother's Day a few years back and is of me and all my children on my wedding day in 2005! I think this is the last one I have so it's time to take another photo!

I am off to bed now.....tomorrow I am going to the AIRPORT!!!