Savoring Late Summer

 I know everyone is thinking fall....

I am kind of leaning towards it, but not quite yet.

I have learned I really don't like to rush the seasons as I age (well, maybe winter) and to just rest in the moment a little more. 

I made a trip out to the beach this morning to stroll and have some prayer time with the Lord. It is my place to go when I have been pulled in a lot of directions or just tired. He met me there and comforted me. I prayed for my entire family one by one and thanked Him for our blessings. I really strolled more than walked because the water was gorgeous and the perfect temperature. I kept my feet in the water for most of the walk, so it slowed me down which quite frankly I think I needed literally and figuratively.

As you can see, I went fairly early. The sun had not burned off the cloud cover. It was just lovely. This time is often not seen by many because of back to school, but it is a wonderful time to be at the beach. The water is clear and warm, the crowds are gone, and it is truly such a beautiful time to beach it.

As I turned to head back to my car, it started sprinkling rain. We have been getting a good bit of rain coming off the Gulf lately. I noticed no one rushed in. It sprinkled on me for most of my trip back down the beach to my car. I didn't rush it. My shirt was wet, but I just continued on my stroll. There were no signs of bad weather, so I went with it. Time well spent to cap off some rather busy weeks.

As I was walking back to the car, I thought about something Jeff and I had talked about in our morning devotional. We have been doing the Bible Recap together this year. He heard me doing it much of last year and decided he wanted to do it this year, so we have gone through the chronological reading of Scripture and listened to the recap podcast together. We were in Jeremiah and it was talking about how rain was considered a blessing in ancient times. We often miss that thought in modern times. It reminded me of a song I heard back in college by a girl named Joy Krueger. To simplify ----She spoke of how the flowers need rain to grow, but we do too. Troubles/rain grow us too. 

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Summer is fading into fall in many ways. The intense heat doesn't leave us here for at least another 6 weeks. They are speaking of a cool front coming down, but I doubt very seriously it reaches us. I have some late summer decor that holds me off of the pumpkin decorating that usually takes place for most on September 1st. I understand as I decorate for spring on March 1st.

I will slowly add in my fall decor, but usually don't add a pumpkin until late September. I have some stitched pieces with squirrels, acorns, and leaves to start the ball rolling.

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While on the seasonal change, I am wearing my white shorts today and my white pants tomorrow. I will wash and put them in the back of the closet until next Easter. I still adhere to my rules. We don't have huge seasonal changes in the weather, so you have to have the fashion rules to guide the seasons here. I know many roll their eyes at me. Go right ahead. You won't deter me one bit from following my rules! 

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I am slowly getting my stitching mojo back. I won't have much to show for a while, but it truly felt good to pick up my needle today. 

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School seems to have been a rocky start for many this year, but Miles is doing well, FINALLY.  His teacher is gifted! He got to bring home Dani, the dinosaur this weekend. They needed to document Miles's adventures over the weekend with "Dani." It will be hard to top this.

They went to a restaurant on the island for lunch. Look at Valerie holding it too. Oh my, she is going to have a big personality. I think at 7 months I can tell she will hold her own with Miles and the 2 cousins. I feel like I haven't take many pictures of her, but trust me they are coming.

They had a roller coaster simulator there too. Is not the face of pure joy?! It is so good to see after so many tears. Miles's parents deserve this. He had worn them out!!!

Tucker and Palmer are doing well with their new grades too.

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In an effort to get back to blogging again, I will share a few changes in the home this calendar year. I am way behind on sharing any of them. I might add too, that all of them have brought me such joy. 

I shared that we painted the guest bathroom, aka Lindsay's old bathroom. It now is the same color as the adjoining bedroom. I am telling you....PURE bliss. I also changed out the bedspread for the last time in her bedroom. I finally found something I really like!

I found this at Home Goods in Auburn a while back. I knew it would be a good match. I think it was just what this room needed. The print is more subtle than past tries. 

In the living room or family room (the room we do life in) I saw a leather chair in a fall magazine. I have missed my leather furniture. I really love my sea grass green couch, but I have missed the ability to wipe down leather. I had purchased a new chair for me to sit in and given Jeff my extra large chair that we bought when we got the couch back in 2020. The chair was like a chaise lounge with the size. I noticed though it was beginning to wear and stain with Jeff, so I decided he needed a leather chair. He really liked what I showed him and it was in stock in SanDestin so off we went. I could not love anything more.

I have been sitting in quite a bit myself. 

I wish I had professional pictures to show you how good it works in the room, but that will never be me. 

The extra large chair went downstairs to the big room. I have loved it down there. I have made me a little reading nook. I kept Jeff's brother's record player and honestly I love going down there to sit. It is one of my little hiding spots when I need quiet.

The painting is done. How is we love getting things done, but hate the process! It was so over stimulating to my already cluttered brain to have painters in the house, but it is finished. Thank goodness.  They had to come back for the garage. I didn't even want to tell Jeff that it was not sticking, but I knew I had to write that check and when he finally did notice it - it would not be good. It is due to the heat and humidity. He is thinking about getting a dehumidifier for the garage. 

The next home improvement project will have to be addressed by next July. July, August, and September are intensely hot months and with the removal of the pine trees by the kitchen it has been so hot in the kitchen and living room in the mornings. That  eastern sun coming up is steaming it up. I don't want to have to cover those windows with something year round, so we have to do some research on a solution by next July.

How's this for a more normal blogpost? Can I keep it up? Time will tell. 

Until then,

Sandy