T'was the Week before Christmas

Back from the frame shop.

Trying to stay “not busy” during the month of December can be downright difficult. You can have all of your shopping done. I had all mine done when I decided today that I was going to get Mama something to wear even though she doesn’t need it. She has always loved new clothes, so I am going out this evening to find something. You can have all your presents wrapped. Yes, all of mine are wrapped … minus the one I plan to purchase this evening. Now, those presents are wrapped with pretty paper and all have a sticker label on them, but not one bow. I actually love wrapping presents and making them especially pretty for Lindsay and Katie who will notice, but this year hasn’t been normal and I am sort of feeling my age and stressed, so I figured wrapping was better as I bought the presents rather than one big long session when each of my days is subject to interruptions. I am doubting any bows are going to be added this year, but oh well. Maybe next year.

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On my last post I think there are lots of thoughts and we are all right on our thoughts. Some love it and like me enjoy the china, and there are those of you who don’t care for it and that is A OK too. My sister-in-law falls in that camp. 

*But, my 2 cents is ladies, we should use that stuff and enjoy it! Use it and don’t worry if it ends up at a thrift store. I read a blog post once where a lady found a full set of my Silver Pines pattern and was thrilled with her purchase of it. Check it out.

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Jeff and I went on a three day weekend trip to Auburn, Atlanta, Columbus, GA, and Calloway Gardens. If I am being truthful from the moment our good friends asked us to go I had strong reservations. Climbing stairs at a basketball game and walking the distances for the other activities sent me into panic mode for Jeff. But, he was determined we were going. When he said yes, he was having some really good weeks. I prayed and prayed and had to let it go. I prayed hat he would be able to do it and that if he was going to struggle that he would still be able to do this without complication. Days before our trip, I began to see a change in his gait again. Let’s say we made it through, but I don’t want to go to big cities anymore. Quieter activities will be best.  

I have one more thing planned going with friends. I bought tickets to see Sean of the South and Three on a String in Pensacola for the end of February. I will also not be so quick to go with friends in the future as well. I don’t want to friends to have to deal with us if he is having a bad time. We are blessed to have such good friends but I just don't want the unnecessary struggles. 

I have pictures that look like we are having the time of our life and while I did enjoy the festivities the truth is I was stressed to the max. 

Maybe at some point I can write about this new life I am in, but for now I just need to walk it a bit more.

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December has been a lovely month. It is usually one of my least favorite months because a typical December is cloudy all day with pea soup fog at night. It has been mostly sunny and warm. The fall season in north Florida has never been more beautiful. The leaves this year are super colorful.  I am enjoying my Christmas decorations this year. I haven’t gotten ready to take it all down which usually occurs about this time…well, not the tree. I always like the tree.

We will be doing our family Christmas on the 23rd to help the children visit the other side of their families. We will do a brunch out at Lindsay’s on Christmas Day. Gotta see what Santa brought,

Then I hope to sit all day Christmas Day and stitch or read. Wish me luck.

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One picture I wanted to share was my first year teaching school. For years I had heard they had built a big new school. While driving the back roads from Columbus to Calloway Gardens we happened upon it. Such a beautiful fall drive  BTW. I simply had to hop out and have a picture taken by the sign.

Which prompted a quick drive by the original school which is now a middle school. We drove around back to see the door that I used to go into. It was on the back of the school. Auto mechanics was to my left and I entered my home economics room right there...

We made it to an Auburn basketball game and to the Christmas lights at Calloway Gardens. In between all of this we have been attending flag football games and just one thing after another even though I have tried to keep it all low key.

I did enjoy it but it wasn't at all an easy weekend. Just truthful, but I am all good. Don't worry!!! I am blessed and looking forward to Christmas with my family.

A Lighthouse and More

Yesterday, the Farmer's Almanac had an Instagram post that said, "As November 21st, so the winter." Then it said, 

farmersalmanac

This old saying suggests that the weather on November 21 sets the pattern for the rest of winter.

Well, the weather here yesterday was a winter I can live with. The fall has been mild and I am sure to some, it hasn't not been like the fall they welcome, but for me it has been just right.

I saw snow happening in Ohio on Instagram, but here it was sunny and bright and yes, cool. Cool for Florida standards. I chuckled when I took Mama for an appointment and saw a lady wearing boots. We more native southerners and especially those as close to the coast as me think winter has arrived for sure and out comes the winter attire. I think what gets me the most in winter is the shorter days with clouds. I need my sunlight as I am sure I have droned on too much here on this blog.

*****

I finished my Pensacola Lighthouse stitch. 

I love how it turned out. I added the script at the bottom and the compass rose on the upper left as I felt it needed something in that area to balance the stitch.

The day after I finished I saw kids from here had gone on a field trip to the lighthouse. I loved seeing it right after I had finished stitching. The photos were great of the kids at the top and the building too.

My plan is to make a Florida wall. I am taking something down in my bedroom to accommodate this idea. My next stitch is some sandpipers on the beach. I actually have several patterns already bought to stitch for the wall. Stay tuned. 

One thing I have gone back to: is just stitching one thing at a time. It has made me more productive and fits my personality well. I can see how the stitching rotation works for many because we are so different, but I am better sticking to one thing. I do like to have something small to go to if I make a mistake or need a little mental break from the larger piece. 

I will be starting the baby name soon. I am kind of mentally getting my ideas together. I am revealing the name as I know it now. I think they are pretty confident. I am already calling her this....

Valerie Mae

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The room has been started and Katie is off this next week. She will probably pull it all together then.

Palmer won the contest for the best turkey disguise at his daycare. The first photo was taken right after Lindsay, Tucker and Palmer had completed him as a group. He was proud of it.

He was even more excited when he won the contest and got a gift card for ice cream.

I have a very busy week ahead with family, but I am looking forward to all of it. It is supposed to be nice fall weather all week.

Gus is tired just thinking of all the festivities. Just kidding! He will be up and following me around in all of it. He is my sidekick. I just couldn't resist showing you how cute he is.

Tyler had the boys on the golf course to just hit some balls, but they ended up seeing 2 eagles. I am just sharing the 2 in the tree and then the close up. He got some great video. 

Do you spy them in the tree?

Nature is just so amazing.

*****

I settled down after my last post. We did have the realtor visit. I think we have much to pray about and I know HE HAS THIS! 

After walking around the house, I realized I am not bragging, but very organized. I have spent the last 10 years going through things each year and slowly letting go of things. I think when the time comes I will know what to take and what to let go of. No more stressing until the next time:)

God will guide us on this journey.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving. I will see you after all of those festivities.

Sandy

P.S. I am still having trouble with comments. Many of you are showing up as no reply commenters...even ones who have not been. I don't know if it is from my end or blogger. I will work on it, but until then I am reading them.

Finishing Up October

I finished up October with strep. I have no idea where I got it and fortuately no one else had it but me in the family. It was not fun and I am looking forward to feeling better as we move along in to November. I sort of feel like my immune system has been down lately and as someone said my stress has most likely not helped. I think that is very true. I have let a few things get me the last few months. One of which is trying to keep Mama upbeat. That is not my easiest job and at this point I don't feel like that is going to magically get better. I do what I can, but I am one who frets over it all.

In other ending October things, we got a new fence down. It looks amazing. The neighbors agreed to help out with it. There was an old chain link fence on the other side and vines and underbrush had just overtaken the other side and were so hard to keep off ours. Our fence was 40 years old, so Jeff approached them about cleaning it all up and they agreed. It looks amazing.

The guys that did it covered the posts on the other side leaving the neighbor's side looking more finished.

It was kind of nice having it open, but Jeff wanted a fence and with dogs and kids I suppose he is correct in wanting one.

The neighbor's gained a good bit of land back from all the underbrush and just overall mess over there on that side. Now, they do have just dirt and will need some of those spring leaves from the live oaks to cover it up. They are coming back in a week to work on it some. They have even agreed to let Jeff get some quotes on getting those gigantic pines down that are more in the water now that on land. They have to be some of the biggest pines left on Choctawhatchee Bay, so that makes me sad. As I said though, they are going to fall at some point anyway and they are frightening in a hurricane. Since I didn't take a picture for reference these are the ones right on the property line that you see outside my kitchen table area. 

*****

I finished up the Advent calendar. It has a white border rather than red like the one I did back in 2020. That was mostly because I couldn't find a red I liked. 

That feels good to say, "This is done." While I love stitching, I don't love quilting. Nope ---not for me!

*****

In the words of Palmer, the cutest little Mickey Mouse roadster you have ever seen. "I like Happy Halloween, not Scary Halloween." Me too, baby.

Here are the three grandsons in their costumes ...

First up is Tucker and Palmer. Tucker is Donatello of the Ninja Turtles. They are back in vogue. Palmer chose Mickey Roadster and I can wholeheartedly say he could not have loved his costumer more.

Miles was a pumpkin. They mostly sent me videos so I don't have a good one with his little pumpkin bucket. He loved it all. Really understood it this year.

I thought this next picture was so cute. You can see the excitement in his eyes about Paul Allen carving the pumpkin.

All done and super excited about it.

*****

The room is completed at Paul Allen and Katie's house. They enclosed their one car garage. A portion of was already enclosed to make a laundry one at some point. The room is going to be a multipurpose room. All of these were from last week before I fell ill.

This first one shows the new room closed in. As you can see the stickers were still in the windows. Her dad it all and it looks great. Looks like it was always that way. They have a huge lot and could build out to the right and the back and have a huge yard still.

The inside which Paul Allen helped with some. Katie's dad had the tile in his storage so that was a help on the expenses. The room has door into the existing hallway that Katie had prettied up a while back, but it still looks great.

Paul Allen took this one so you can see it is going to be nice. Katie can now get to work on the baby room. They needed to move stuff out of the bedroom for that to happen.

This is the laundry room that was once a part of the garage. Katie's dad built her a closet in there where the door had been to come in from the garage. It is going to be a nice addition for storage.

Again all of these were taken in the height of the building. Katie's dad poured them a sidewalk out that door that you see above that goes our to the sideyard were they have a storage room.

It runs to the driveway. I know they are ready to get it all cleaned up and have done lots since I got sick.

I am super excited to see it all finished. 

*****

I know everyone goes straight to Christmas these days on November 1st, but I so love Thanksgiving and quite frankly it is not until November that it even remotely feels like fall. It appears there is something tropical trying to form late next week which is holding in the warm.  I don't mind the warm, but want no more tropical. I do remember a tropical storm in November 1985. We got out of school early one day. Those things are important to teachers! I am not interested in too much rain, just some as it hasn't rained at all in October. It is pretty dry, so just some rain will do. No torrential stuff nor wind, please!

Welcoming in November,

Sandy

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

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

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

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