A Stitching Post

I should know by now to never ever type a commitment of when I am gong to do something. I said in my last post that I was going to try and do a weekly post. This one would NOT be happening today had Katie and Paul Allen not taken off from work. The past 7 days have been insanely busy, so the break was much needed. Katie had her big appointment where they do the sugar test and they have been enclosing their garage in order to give some much needed space for a new baby. They are down to putting a closet rod up, painting baseboards, and putting blinds up so Paul Allen just decided to take off and get it done for Katie. I think she is ready to get the baby's room done and can't start that until they get their third bedroom emptied. The new room will be a room like a den. Bookcase, toy room, a sort of catch all. It is all shaping up nicely. Katie's dad is a contractor and has done the major construction, but Paul Allen is doing all the finishing touches. 

I will share some pics later of that room. I also took the time today to finish up some stuff that was on my to do list that was kinda driving me nuts. I also decided I needed to finish up the Advent calendar for Paul Allen and Katie's family so I buckled down and got the binding on it. Now all I have left to do is hand stitch the binding to the back and paint a dowel for it to hang on. That feels really good to have it to this stage. I also can clean my sewing counter off of this project.

My lighthouse stitch is coming along too. I am hoping to finish it before the end of the year because I have new baby's name to stitch up. I do not know what that will be yet. I am anxiously awaiting that:)

The weather for October has been glorious. I know some would think it too warm, but it is truly been spectacular to me. A little cooler in the morning and then warming up in the day with amazing blue skies and low humidity. Can't ask for more than that.

The days have just been very busy with family. Can't complain there either, but they have been busy.

Blessed,

Sandy

Fall and being 6

Fall arrived yesterday.  I thought I was ready --- if nothing else to calm the tropical weather down, but when it arrived I was like Brrr. I know everyone else is loving it, so I am going to do my best to play along. The orange pansies and the violets have been planted, so yes, fall is here.

Jeff and I went to Auburn this past weekend. I ended up with a nasty cold which Jeff got after me, so I haven't felt like doing much other than the necessities, but today felt like I was back to almost normal. I am going to try and get my blog mojo back for a weekly Thursday post. We will see if that happens:)

I took absolutely no pictures in Auburn. I was already feeling bad but I did enjoy the trip. I probably was able to rest there more than I would have done here at home. Lindsay took the boys over to see Mom and eat lunch with her on the Saturday we were gone, so that was a big help. Mom loved having them in the dining room to show off and they played putt golf outside.

Jeff and I shopped downtown Auburn for the boys some Auburn apparel for Christmas, ate brunch and a mid lunch/supper at two of the really old places we love there and then took a long walk in a city park with Gus. No pictures to prove any of it. What kind of blogger am I?

On Monday we watched Tucker and Palmer since it was a teacher workday. We took them on our little hike and ate a snack at the end. I don't know if you can tell, but Gus is leading the way. By the way, the woods in Auburn are so different than the woods here. I love both though.

The boys enjoyed themselves. Miles went to school with his mommy that day.

Lindsay and her friend decided to dress up and take each other's family photos. I think they did an excellent job. This was one of my favorites.

Actually they were all good and a lot cheaper. The phones these days are amazing. 

Tucker turned 6 this week. I am seriously wondering how to slow down the days. I mean I just held him in my arms just a bit ago.

Being a grandmother is just amazing. Jeff, Miles and I went to eat lunch with him at school today. I couldn't get over how different things were than when I retired just 10 years ago. Lots more security which is a good thing.

Tucker is loving kindergarten and the social being that he is I was not surprised at how many kids said hello to him or that he said hello to. Tucker and Miles are more alike on that trait than Tucker and Palmer. Fun was had by us all and sweaters were worn to stay warm. I have no idea why but the first cold days always seem so much colder than they will in a week or so.

The moon on the water was brilliant last night.

The fall sunrises are the absolute best. I have shared a few in stories on Instagram. I get up and immediately look out to catch all the color each morning.

I really don't have all that much exciting to share, but I thought I would mark 6 years as a grandma. Tucker named me "Mimi." 

Happy fall y'all,

Sandy

Quiet

It's been 2 weeks since my last post. 

The amount of things that have happened are mind boggling. When things get nuts I often have to stop and just get quiet. Quiet I have been...The first of the list happened about an hour after I wrote my last post. I was on a high from my family weekend when the first bad news hit the scene. I honestly had no plan of sharing it but I think I need to record it and another along with the natural disasters.

Paul Allen texted the family about an hour after I hit send on that post and said that a friend from his larger friend group was missing from a diving accident in the Gulf. My heart sank along with my family's. When you pull away the military from the Fort Walton Beach / Destin area what is left actually a small very close knit community. This was gut wrenching. He was 32 years old, the same age as Paul Allen and Katie; the same age as my dad when he died. For some time, the entire fishing charter fleet and anyone who had a boat that could go that far out was patrolling along with the Coast Guard looking for Jeremy. Our community was invested in prayer for finding him. Many thought he could survive because he was Air Force Special Ops. His family is just such an amazing family. These kinds of things are just so hard to understand. His mom is the most precious human I know...the director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the Emerald Coast. Thankfully, he was found on the last day before it would have been too rough to go out due to the incoming Helene. It was not how our community wanted, but the reason I share this story....

Is the human spirit.

Let me explain...

Watching Helene hit an area that had already been hit hard last summer by a hurricane would have been enough for all of us. I could not stand watching the scenes from the Sag Harbor Marina in Steinhatchee, Florida. Helene was worse than the year before. Putting things up on the second floor wasn't enough because there was a record 20 feet storm surge. Who can imagine such a surge? One story of so many...

One scene was watching the water flow under all the houses on Cape San Blas where we spent the most glorious family vacation in July. But, they were on the west side like us so they fared well comparatively.

None of us in our wildest imaginations could have conceived the images that would be so hard to look at up the southeastern states. At some point, you have to stop looking because it is too much to see, but some people are in the middle of it and can't stop looking. Things such as this will grip you to your core.

In my quiet, I had to rely heavily on prayer, doing specific things to calm my soul which included long walks with Gus, sitting on the decks and listening to the water, going in my sewing room and looking out the window for birds to visit me on the fence, and going downstairs to listen to my old records on my brother-in-law's old stereo. 

The world seems to be firewood with kerosene poured out all over and just waiting for the match. It is a lot to take in. I know for me...I have to turn it off and concentrate on the blessings right in front of me.

The memorial for  Jeremy was yesterday and I know many would have expected old normal Sandy to have come home to watch college football, but I had zero interest. As if I have not shared enough, a student from my high school alma mater was hit on the first play of the game on 2 Fridays ago and had a broken neck. If there is a silver lining to this, the game was being played in Mobile rather than the very very small town of Brewton. The boy was able to receive excellent care at the top rated hospitals in the south. His spinal cord has not been severed, just injured so my little hometown has been heavily invested in praying for healing for this young man.

Football just wasn't on my mind yesterday.

What I did think about though was the hope of the human spirit. There is so much bad, but if we lean in to our Heavenly Father, He can help us shine a light to those that are hurting. It will be so many people who will do good deeds, so many churches that reach out to those that are so broken and hurting. While there is another hurricane on its way to the peninsula, I have faith that God will get us through it all. It will be a reminder to put our thoughts on Him rather than the chaos everywhere.

I keep coming back to Hebrews 4:16 which has become a favorite verse of mine...

"Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

The therefore is from the verse before that we don't have a God that doesn't sympathize.

Let me turn this post to a more positive tone. The above is where not just myself has been, but my family as well. Most of our family's texts were on those thoughts as well.

However, 

I have filled my two weeks with the usual:  chores, grandsons, Hubby, Mama, reading, stitching, and sewing. It is good to keep our hands busy so to keep the mind from resting on the troubles.

My stitch has been a joyful reprieve from the news. I am still working on the Pensacola Lighthouse. It is coming along beautifully and a reminder to let His light in us to  shine on those that are hurting.

I am really enjoying this stitch. I have not even minded the lots of one color stitching. It is going to look great with my Florida sampler and the other coastal things I have lined up to work on in the coming days.

I have been sewing on the Advent calendar for Paul Allen's little family.

I have the pockets made and all stitched together. Next up is to put some trim around the front, then back it and quilt it, then finish it with a binding.

I read a really good book. I didn't mention that several weeks ago we went to see the movie about Ronald Reagan. It was excellent. We had listened to the interviews from the actors beforehand and really enjoyed it. At the end of the movie, a book was show on screen that one of the secret service members had written. The gentleman had been with the Reagens longer than the normal run for a secret service member on the request of the Reagens. He was in charge of riding horses with President Reagan. It was a fantastic book. Riding with Reagan: From the White House to the Ranch by John R. Barletta. It was written in 2005 so if you are interested you might find it at your local library. All of it was written from Barletta's perspective of course. The first half followed the events in history, but the second half was more personal accounts of his time riding and being with the President.

What are Paul Allen and Miles looking at? A bald eagle. I decided he was flying too close so I put Gus inside. I think the eagle had certainly spied Gus. He has been hanging out in the bayou a good bit lately. Miles and I witnessed it eating a fish outside the kitchen window while sitting in the pine tree. I have to say that was even cooler than the osprey or the heron which we have seen doing the same.

Jeff and I are off to Pensacola in the morning for his second visit with the "mean" doctor. The movement disorder specialist has my ear now because the way she dosed his medicine has had a very positive effect. He did kind of make me sad this week when he said he would be going to North Carolina with a group going from our church. I understood and he would if he could. Hopefully he has much to offer yet. 

Perseverance and prayer. Prayers for those who are awaiting Milton on the west coast of the peninsula of Florida. 

Lots of praying,

Sandy

First Day of Fall....Not Feeling It

The calendar says it is the first day of fall, but the temperatures are not being agreeable. In fact, it is hot and tropical feeling. A good old yucky storm is trying to brew in the Gulf too. Regardless of all that negativity I am going to hop in and do a quick recap of a wonderful weekend.

The entire family has tried to make an annual plan of all descending on the Auburn house right around Lindsay's birthday to celebrate and enjoy some family time. We are ahead of her birthday by a few days and we were hoping for a wee bit of cooler weather but fun was had nonetheless.

The pictures are in no particular order, but rather are a sampling of the weekend. We arrived Friday evening and after getting the three boys down, we all just sat in the living room catching up and found ourselves talking until 10:40 PM which is way beyond any of our bedtimes, even the younger crew. They have kids who wake up too early for that kind of late nights.

Paul Allen and Katie took Miles downtown early for some walking around and then Lindsay, the boys and me went midmorning for some Toomer's lemonade. I think this was Miles's first experience with it and he approved.

Jeff and I did a lot of food prep before we even left for Auburn and finished the remainder before I headed downtown. We grilled out Saturday and had friends over so the house was full of people, kids and 4 dogs. Lots of chaos but good food, fun and fellowship.

Lindsay and Tyler did go to the game ...the sad game. I am guessing Auburn is going to go about 3-9 this year. We are Auburn people through and through so that is that. I love the coach and hope the crazies will lay off until he can build a program.

No one chose to stay up as late Saturday night, but we all had such a fun day that I think sleep was good last night. The boys have finally gotten big enough to play in the playhouse. They still love the Auburn wagon and a ball entertains as well. Oh and Tucker can officially play Uno. Mimi indulged him with the game of War in cards when we couldn't round up enough for a good game of Uno.

Honestly most of Saturday was spent outside despite the warmer than desired temperatures. We really tried not to look at the weather too much (storm brewing?), but it was in the back of our minds. I am making my post quick because I do need to do a few things around the house.

I am delaying any flower purchases until the following week even though these orange marigolds were so pretty. Fall will come just not quite yet. Oh and the cotton was blooming in north Florida and south Alabama. That is a rite of passage for this time of year.

 I didn't take any stitching or reading with me, but I will have some to share next time.  I am grateful for every single day we have together as a family. 

War Eagle despite the loss and Happy Birthday week for Lindsay. 

Watching the Change of Season

Two weeks plus have passed once again like a flash, and I am wondering how it can possibly be midway of September already. September has been very busy and a little busier than I would like. I haven't as much time for some of the things I have wanted to do but some very important things have been accomplished.

In the way of stitching, I have been slowly working on the lighthouse. I wish I could say I were further along with it, but I forget sometimes I am not in a competition for finishing things quickly. I know I am going to love this one when it is completed.

I read an oldie book and just fell in love with it. Walking into our public library is a bookcase in the foyer for freebies. Some of these are library books they are parting with and some are things people drop off. I usually will take books that are nice and I think will be picked up quickly rather than donating to Goodwill sometimes. I always peruse the shelf. One day I picked up this oldie but goodie and honestly the forward to the book is what me intrigued me to take a new and deeper look. It did not disappoint.

Here is the version I picked up.

The forward said we are often too young to read this in high school. Its wisdom is missed by the youthful. The author of the forward said the following about reading it later in life..."In other words, I had lived enough of a life to finally understand what was so great about Our Town."

The copy I picked up was all marked up by a student and I truly loved seeing what she chose to highlight and star, but I had my own things to star and underline. If you recall from your younger high school days, it is only 3 Acts and follows the same characters through 3 days in different stages of life. 

Here are a couple of quotes I marked ---

When asked about the town of Grover's Corner, NH one of the main characters says of its people...

"I guess we're all hunting like everybody else for a way the diligent and sensible can rise to the top and the lazy and quarrelsome can sink to the bottom. But, it ain't easy to find."

And then this...

"No ma'am, there isn't much culture; but maybe this is the place to tell you that we've got a lot of pleasures of a kind here: we like the sun comin' up over the mountain in the morning, and we all notice a good deal about the birds. We pay a lot of attention to them. And we watch the change of season; yes, everybody knows about them." ----Oh that is me to a T and I suppose it takes some age to appreciate those things.

I enjoyed the book a lot and saw many life lessons. It ended on page 112, so very short. The remainder of the book was about the play and its history. I didn't read all that.

After that, I haven't read anything new. Waiting for something to call me in from my stack.

Family Life

~Miles started a Mother's Day Out program at a local church after Labor Day. He is so smart and I really felt he could use something, but he has cried a lot. That has not been fun to watch. I do think he likes it but he knows how to make Mimi and Mommy feel bad too. It is only for a half day. He has rebelled by not napping. Whew! Major sleep regression. He will sit in there and relive what he has done that morning. I guess we will have to play it by ear and time with what to do.

~I turned 64 yesterday. My how time flies! I always celebrate birthdays. When you lose a parent young in life you are part of a club you didn't ask to join, but you view birthdays differently than most all the way through life. I feel them deeper and am very grateful for them. I also can very easily see there are less of them ahead than behind. 

I didn't expect anything because with Lindsay's birthday in September as well, we have chosen to celebrate together for the past few years. Paul Allen, Katie and Miles went to eat breakfast with us yesterday at a new place out on the beach. Then we went to Lindsay and Tyler's for supper last night and watched the first half of the game. Tyler and Lindsay had my favorite foods and the meal was so good, and Tucker and Palmer could not hardly wait for me to blow the candles out on the delicious brownies they had helped make with Lindsay.

In other happenings...

The important stuff mentioned in the beginning was getting the places that had leaked inside the house over the past couple of years all repaired. I hate having workmen in the house because for some reason it disrupts me so much. It makes me so nervous. BUT...I am so glad that it is behind me. They did a great job. I have some wood to restain, but that will make good winter projects for the days when it is too cold to do much else.

This was the scene in three places; the worst being the bathroom. Fortunately, they did that one first so we could get back to showers upstairs.

I have a new car. My truck was 9.5 years old. I can't believe that, but another reminder of how quickly time flies. I loved my truck, but Jeff had told me I needed to think about trading it before it hit the 10 year mark. I had done my research. I knew I would miss my truck, but with lifting kids up so high for car seats and trying to lift Mama up in the truck for appointments I knew I needed a different style. I landed on a Kia Telluride.

It is very nice and I can still drive Jeff's truck for my truck driving needs. It has way more bells and whistles than one needs, but they all do these days. I have located the ones I like and that is that.

I am grateful that the latest storm didn't decide to veer east. I can never wish one on anyone, but Francine decided to hit Louisiana. If she had chosen us she wouldn't have been a Cat 1 or 2 as she would have way too much time in the hot waters of the Gulf, so for now we dodged another bullet. September is the month of a changing season but it can hold onto summer. The light has shifted and we have had some milder weather but nonetheless still hot. I have pulled out some fall decor in the house, but it all feels so out of place still yet. I drove by the lawn and garden department at Lowe's today, but it is honestly still too early for those too. 

I watching for fall though. We went on a hike earlier and there are some wildflowers or vines with the colors of fall, just no fall temperatures. 

September is also the height of hurricane season, so that is always in the back of our minds. I can't tell you how many times in my 64 years there has at least been one sitting somewhere in the Gulf on my birthday. I have enjoyed summer this year so it will be easier to welcome it when it arrives this year.

Thanks Robin and Arlene for my cards. They made me happy.

Grateful and blessed,

Sandy

Highs and Lows...

 A line from a song last Sunday...

In every high and every low You never left me without hope.

That is where I have been for the latter half of August. I will start us off with a cute picture. Miles arranged all the stuffed animals on the shelf. That my friends is a sweet find and one of my many blessings.

The last half of August tried really hard to bring me down. I had lots thrown at me and kinda got in the weeds longer than I normally allow myself to stay. I will share a wee bit to maybe lift someone else who needs to be reminded we have highs and lows in life.

This has been my go to quote other than Scripture for reminders that fear is not something to be embarrassed by.

From C.S. Lewis....

Courage isn't the absence of fear but acting despite it. In fact, you would not need courage if you did not have fear. 

I honestly think the next picture was the beginning of my emotions spiraling downward . Home ownership always brings challenges, but this was one I had spoken of so many times to Jeff and he just kind of ignored it. Granted, he has had more on his mind than this. However, I sort of fell apart as the drip drip drip of water came down which it has done numerous times, but this time the wood started dropping down too.

While we have a new roof this one place has not been helped by a roof. It needs something more. One day in one of those torrential downpours the wood fell down and the water was coming in and I just couldn't handle it. All is better now. Someone has come to look at it and are one their way next week to fix this problem that is kinda more a design problem than anything else. It is one window, but it was the catalyst for a lot of emotions to pour out.

The same guy and crew are coming to redo the walls leading up to our 2 skylights too and get all that straightened up.

We haven't had a working dishwasher in about a year. All of our appliances are kind of meeting that magic age to go out. Remember the stove had to replaced not so long ago. Anyway, when the dishwasher went out the guy came out and said basically it was time to replace vs repair. I put it off because as I told Jeff I just didn't want to deal with it. I suggested we just get a new one before Thanksgiving. Jeff actually went shopping and picked out a new one without me and got it scheduled for delivery. A Bosch no less. I have never owned something so fancy. It was at a local place here in town and a discontinued out of the box one for way less. It is pretty snazzy if I might say so myself. True to the last half of August, it wouldn't go into the space because the newer tiles are too high. We couldn't even get the old one out without popping up the tiles. Fortunately, I have kept extra tiles and had plenty. The guy coming next week is going to repair that too.

The remainder of my emotional spiral revolves around the fear of Jeff's health. I spoke of our July visit to Mayo and that was good, but he was assigned to get a physical therapist that specializes in his condition. Jeff has the postural instability and gait issues of Parkinson's not the tremor kind of Parkinson's. I won't go into all the terminology. In my searching for that kind of physical therapy, I kept coming back to a movement disorder doctor in Pensacola. 

If you have read my heath journey in my top tags, you know I visited a neurologist who left that to become a functional medicine doctor. He has retired, but we still actually keep in touch with him and he shared that Jeff really needed to find one with that fellowship training. This doctor in Pensacola is new and after much discussion we decided to go visit. It couldn't hurt. 

I ran the gamut of emotions with this. We went over one day to check out the location. Good point is that is on the south side of town making it an easier drive for us. We walked in and they had a cancellation so we were able to get in way sooner than expected. 

We arrived early on August 19th for our appointment. Katie's mom drove over to keep Miles because I have to go with him to these kind of things. First thing that I didn't like was a 50 minute wait. Then she walked in and my first 3 thoughts were:

~I don't like her

~she is harsh

~she is mean

Jeff did not feel that way. He leaned in and heard her out on her method of assessing him and she spent 50 minutes with us. I began to change not because I didn't still think she was harsh, but because she was thorough and knowledgable and had reasons for everything she did. Jeff liked her though.

We are going to continue seeing her. 

She changed his medicine he has been taking for which we have see significant improvement (not the dosage, but the scheduling of that dose). We were happy about the changes because there had to be some or we as a family were very sad to see what was happening. She didn't like the higher dose all of a sudden in the mornings because she felt that was too much stimulant at one time. It should be more evened out over the course of the 24 hours. His mornings are his worst times, but the change has worked. We will see her in October to see how the change of medication is going and then start with intensive PT in Gulf Breeze...like an hour daily for a month. 

Basically, we as a family have seen him go from old man shuffle stooped over and depressed which is not our Jeff to walking with longer strides and life in him to try and do. He is walking in the mornings and riding his bike in the afternoon. He has chosen to be on a board that does things for the school system and is getting involved in things.

All of those are positives, but the thing that sent me down the doom and gloom hole of despair was some research on the kind of Parkinson's he has. This kind tends to have a higher rate of dementia form later and you just don't want to even know about the stages. I let it get me and shed so many tears. I think I had been holding them back for months and I had a hard 2 weeks trying to get hold of myself. I got this way back last fall right after he got the official diagnosis. Remember I had already self diagnosed him. It took me some time to pull myself together then.

I am going to be ok. It is a journey I have been called to walk and I know He will walk it with me. I know that I have to be more positive and live for the day right in front of me, but I am human and sometimes you just get low....

I also couple that with my mom who is has been struggling lately with her happiness level and folks, it is just hard sometimes. 

We will move on though, because I am coming out of my funk.

*****

I saw this on Facebook the other day. I loved this picture. It speaks so much of how times have changed. I have no idea who this is. It is just a What We Did group on FB in Fort Walton Beach. It is a picture of an old hotel on the island and the lady just reminded me so much of a different time.

The lady is dressed so neat. The outfit is so like something Mama would have worn. I love her pose. I was taught always to put my feet like that for photos. These days I see these girls in some weird poses. I am gong to be honest; I prefer this one. It is much more elegant. Bring back home economics and shop I say!!!

Reading

I had to put a book away because it was just too heavy to read. The Nightingale is highly favored and it is honestly a great book. It is about 500 pages and I got halfway through struggling. It was just too sad to read at this point in my life, so I put it on a shelf for maybe later. I did however pick up a sweet book. Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni was much more my speed at this time in my life. Redemption, forgiveness, sweetness, quirky characters, small town living on a lake all made me a much happier camper.

I finally put my reading list on Goodreads. Lindsay had been after me for a while to join her, but I couldn't seem to make myself just start out there in a random time and forget about all the books I have read for some 60 plus years, but I did it. I had my planner back to 2021 and listed all the books I have read since then. I only list them and rate with stars. I don't try to write anything. It will just serve as my reading list. I rate too high and give myself no room for the stellar once in a blue moon book, so if I read one of those I will have to write something I suppose. Ha!

Stitching

I am working away on my Pensacola lighthouse and am enjoying it again after some loss of interest even in stitching. I am also plugging away on making the pockets for the Advent calendar. Below is my old sewing machine that I LOVE sewing on. I gave myself permission to box up the fancy one I bought about 10 years ago and put it in a closet for now. Maybe one day I will feel differently about it, but for now this old Kenmore sings my song.

Gardening

Even this has been a struggle for me as of late. It is August and that means no flowers are happy in the heat, but with my fertilizer debacle I have had lows there as well. I am actually looking forward to fall and planting some pansies. No, you didn't read that!

I love summer and am still reveling in her heat despite all the naysayers on summer. I am not dreading fall though this year, so I guess that is something. On the 23rd, we had the oddest thing ever. It was cool. I mean like a fall day in August. Jeff and I don't ever remember a day like that in August and we are getting old:)

Well, if you are still reading you are tired and ready for me to close and I will.

Katie is having a girl. A granddaughter is arriving in January. The ladies in this family have already been scheming and pulled out Lindsay's old smocked dresses that Mother made her. Excitement is in the air. 

Each good day is to be counted.

Growing Up

 I did not quite plan to be away this long, but life has been full and sometimes the longer you wait to write the harder it gets. 

I left off with my last post going to Auburn for a quick getaway. It was a good time of rest, stitching and reading. We did drive over to Warm Springs, Georgia and visit the Little White House. This is a place we have visited more than once before, but it had been a long time and I always love  the drive over to those parts. It doesn't matter the season to see the beauty of that area. The trees were so lush and everything was so green. It was really the first time Jeff has felt like walking and doing anything like that in 6 months. It was a good trip time for both of us.

Stitching

I did finish my Advent pieces. Whew ---- no. 21 was evil. It had to be stitched twice. I was cutting them out and somehow managed to get it under something and cut too close. It had to be one with lots of stitches.

I should have time to get it all put together into a calendar pocket for Miles.

I have been stitching as much as time would allow on some other things and will share them later.

Summer

Summer is easing away from me. I have been so grateful for the season this year. The grandsons are growing up so fast and part of my absence has been helping get them ready for the new school year.

I kept a combination of the boys last week to give them a break from their normal routine. Tucker started kindergarten this week on Monday. Rather than attend the church camp he had gone to all summer, Lindsay and I decided he could use a down week, so he was with me everyday last week Monday through Thursday. Lindsay took off last Friday and took him to his open house.

Miles and Palmer were with me some of the days. In other words, I had some combination of the three for each day. I promised them a water day and you would have thought I hd promised Disney World. 

I pulled that llama around with some combination of the 3 a LOT of times. 

Then I pulled them out to rinse off in the kiddie pool from the bayou water.

The Three Musketeers had a great time together that week.

Throw in another birthday for Miles and yes, it has just been go go go.

Katie's uncle let her use his pool and house for a pool party for both sides of the family. I made cupcakes for the shark themed party.

Palmer enjoyed this boat float so much.

Katie had everything decorated so cute.

With Palmer's birthday being so recent, Miles really understood the meaning of it all. He loved all the attention.

Tucker started kindergarten. I really can't even imagine it. Our family texts were going like crazy with wondering how every move was going. He loved it all. He is more than ready. Palmer was starting in the 3's class on the same day. He was very unsure if he would like his new room and did not have the confidence his older brother had. 

That little happy face of Palmer's melted to tears which always makes it so hard, but he had a spectacular day and decided the new class was fine. 

Lots of videos were shared of each little thing...like Tucker getting on the bus the second day. Lindsay took him the first day. Lots of love for each of these boys.

Miles starts a little daycare for part of the day after Labor Day. I expect there to be big tears, but he really is at that place where he needs a little more stimulation than I can provide.

Here he is in deep thought. I think I figured out what he was thinking on a little later. It was kind of devious:)

He did great the week the others were there to play, but he has a rough week thus far. Missing being home with Mama.  That makes it so hard. 

Summer is trying to run away from me. I think the entire family has had a good one. I thought this picture was cute. I know I am blowing up this post with grandboys.

I hope to catch up with my blog reading and get back to posting now that things should be getting back to the normal routine. I just didn't want to miss anything. I truly do love summer and all the summery things that go with it in our neck of the woods. 

My late summer stitches are out. This sunflower will always be one of my favorite small seasonal stitches.

Between these 2 weeks, Jeff and I went out Saturday morning early for a beach visit.

My shirt was bunched up and made me look enormous, but I did think it was a cool pic so there you have it. I am way beyond the vanity. 

Soaking up the last of the long days of August even if the really hot has settled in on us. August is really and truly a great beach month. The water is warm and so smooth unless there is a storm out there.

They don't stay little long, so they get center stage.

Sandy

A Trio of Treasures

July is almost over. I am not going to whine, because I have been blessed to feel like I was given a gift of summer this year. My favorite season has been missed for a couple of years now. 

My beach days have been wonderful. 

All my senses soaked up the beach: 

the smells of salty air, 

the warmth and beach breezes on my skin,

the views and colors, 

the sounds of wave action, and

even taste... I always carry a salty snack for beach time.

I hope to have a few more days there before the action of the school year begins. 

Stitching

I am down to my last 3 calendar pieces. I should finish pretty close to the end of July which will be perfect. That should give me plenty of time to put it altogether in a quilted hanging piece without being rushed.

As I stated before I have been thinking about the new grandbaby and the pieces I will stitch for the arrival next year. However, I have also been thinking about the Florida wall I am envisioning. I have all the patterns bought and kitted up and that should keep me busy for a good long time. I am ready to stitch daily again. There is another Florida sampler, a space stitch, some pipers along a beach, and a sampler with a sentiment I like all in that Florida wall mix. #thingstolookforwardto

Garden Notes

My roses seem to be bouncing back from the wrong fertilizer. I am happy to see that. I should get some nice fall blooms in October and November. I have shared that I have really downsized my growing pots, but it has all been good. For the first time in a long time, I feel I have a manageable amount to piddle with and I derive such pleasure in checking on them...not a burden.

Jeff sent me an Instagram post of a lady walking around in her flowers and plants early in the morning with her coffee and robe on with this sentiment...

"When you realize the real luxury in life is a morning cup of coffee while checking on your plants."

I said that fit me to a tee.

Family

Little Palmer turned 3 this July. He is the cutest most precious little fella. 

Those 3 are a true treasure.

The past 2 weeks have been quite busy, so Jeff and I are slipping off to Auburn today to REST. I really cleaned up last time to be ready for fall, so I am taking stitching and my latest read and plan to just rest for the weekend. We will be back for Sunday, but it will be the same amount of time as a weekend away. A little reset for the mind and body.

The first picture is where you will find me until sometime Saturday:)

Until next time,

Sandy