Let's Review July

 How can it be August? Teachers went back to work yesterday, and I ALWAYS still get that pang of summer's over even though for me it is not. Katie even posted the sweetest Instagram post about what a wonderful summer she had. She was tremendous help with Lindsay's boys this summer. We did so many fun things together and it has helped me have a feeling of really having a summer. I feel like the past few years have been tough and I had missed that good old slowing down of time and schedules (even though I do thrive on schedules). This summer has been good for me in so many ways. I feel refreshed!

Since my last post, we took the boys to the Temple Mound Museum and Camp Walton Schoolhouse downtown. The city has refreshed the area and built a new museum and added to the schoolhouse buildings. I had not made a time to go and visit it, so off we went. It exceeded my expectations. It got close to lunch and nap time so I really need to go back. The little ones enjoyed it. I won't show you too many things, but I think some are worth noting.

The sign under the clock and above the door says, "Procrastination is the thief of time."

I was surprised at they all got into writing on the chalkboards or slates. I think I need to go buy some this weekend for next week. I am keeping all 4 this coming week. I NEED prayer:)

The new museum is a whole new building downtown and I was quite simply amazed. There were wonderful displays and stations set up for the children to actually do things. With myself, Jeff, and Katie we were able to spend quite a bit of time in there letting them have fun.

The above scene caught my eye because I love stuff like that, but I learned something I didn't know and I have been to the old one with students before. The pottery in this picture is unique to our area.

Like I said, I could do an entire post on this place, but it went through our local area and pirates must be in that since we have a big Pirate Landing each summer, the Billy Bowlegs Festival. I have written before about this. In the last area of the museum, they got to dress up. Valerie made herself in charge of the steering wheel. I can tell you now those boys were not allowed to touch it. She holds her own:)

Final thing about the museum. We must travel back through the museum to the front...

where we entered and almost missed this....

Jeff actually spotted it. 

On the far right is his dad. Mr. Palmer was a city councilman back in the 70's when the whole idea for the Temple Mound Museum was approved and a structure was built at the top of the mound. There are actually 2 mounds right downtown. It is the heart of downtown and you can miss it if you come through the area.

Kind of neat that his great grandchildren are visiting it.

Palmer has turned 5 and really looks like a 5 year old. He stayed with me this past week by himself.  I feel sure he was bored but I tried to let him run errands with me and cook to keep him from being too bored. It was really too hot to be outside. We had gotten him a new fishing rod and he so wanted to fish, but it was a heat index of 116 with this picture.

Here he is with his biscuits that he helped make. In fact, 4 of the 5 days he wanted a biscuit for breakfast.

He cut his in half and added his own jelly. He learned before the end of week that Mimi's peach preserves were worth trying too.

He followed Gus wherever he went, so Gus got lots of loving.

Miles is turning 4 this week so I will share more of him next visit.

I added to my flowers. Yea, I am crazy. I decided I really liked all the color this summer. It brought in bees even to the bottom deck by the water. I love zinnias and marigolds. I found I don't love the mixed pots of flowers as much as one plant in a pot. I would have to do a bit more trial and error on which grow well together. I added 2 new to me plants to try. They are not new to the lawn and garden section, just that I had not tried them.

One was called Golden Trumpet or Allamanda. It has done very well even with the heat indexes and full sun like that. It holds its blooms all through the day.

This one will be a keeper in the summer line up.

I also added a Rock Trumpet or Mandevilla. It is lovely...no picture, but it looks pitiful in that full sun. I think it could use some shade in the day and its present location is in full sun all day. Few things can look that good all day.

In my stitching world, I have 2 things to share. One shows how poor a blogger I have turned out to be. I met my sweet friend that I met through blogging ages ago in Pensacola this week. She and her husband were down for a conference and I drove over and met her. We didn't take one picture, but I talked nonstop and let her talk a little bit:) It was so good to visit with her and I think that "no picture" is the result of truly enjoying the moment. Not everything needs a picture to validate its worth!!!

I have stitched patriotic all summer long. I have been steadily working on the Pledge of Allegiance by Plum Street Samplers. The pattern is divided into 6 pages. I wanted to finish the first 2 pages before I set it aside for some seasonal stitching (fall). In all of this patriotic stitching, I think I learned I like to stitch things in season?

Here is where I left off on July 31st.

It was evening when I took the picture and I don't have time to redo things. 

Next week it is all four grandchildren so I should fall into bed or the couch each evening. We are watching the new Little House of the Prairie show on Netflix. Hopefully we finish it this weekend because I will be too tired next week. 

I am welcoming August. I am glad Miles has an August birthday. I feel like August often gets overlooked with school starting and everyone tired of hot weather and longing for fall (except me). I do love fall, but it is a long way off for me. Jeff's mom had an August birthday so it is kind of nice to have a family member to celebrate again in August.

Even Gus is tired. He really will be after all 4 are here. I am working on my plans this weekend. 

Wish me luck,

Sandy

July 19, 2026

Summer is ticking off quickly. I will say it again...I am loving it! I think the past few have robbed me of the down time I needed so I am enjoying this one. There is a disturbance out in the Gulf right now. I hope it decides to fizzle out and disappoint all the weather personalities. 

I am going to make this a quick post with not a lot of details, but just record a few things. Hopefully, I will be back for more a newsy one with thoughts again.

I finished the bunny. "Maggie Mae" by Stacy Nash. I used 28 count linen which made it larger than the pattern called for. I think I would not do that again. I think they are meant to be smaller.

I think Aida would be a good choice too since they are full coverage. Just get you some 18 or 20 count and stitch away.

I pulled out the cabbage plate to display her for a photo.  Currently though she is just sitting in my sewing room.

A grouping of them would be cute. I purchased the goose, but I am not planning to stitch it anytime too soon.

This week's children's activities included a park visit and a gym visit. One of the gymnastics gyms in town has an open gym for an hour and a half for preschoolers. Tucker was gone to baseball camp so Katie and I  took the other 3 to gymnastics. It seemed to be a hit. Everyone entertained themselves with all the equipment. Valerie saw the boys turning flips so she found a bar she could hang from.

Valerie is the most chilled child. She is so easily entertained and handles those 3 boys well. 

Tucker's baseball camp was a dud. Not at all what Lindsay thought. No go for that one next year. I think he liked the golf camp last year much better even though was so hot. He has one more thing this summer and I think that is fine. Not everything has to be scheduled.

Jeff and I made it to our event in Pensacola last week. We enjoyed our evening out by ourselves. Here is our selfie.

The family made it to the Blue Angels home show on Saturday. There were tired children and some tired old folks too. We had a lot of fun. I realized it had been since 2022 that we had gone. '23 was the year Mama fell and I spent the summer getting her back on her feet and the last 2 have been tough years for Jeff. A diagnosis for Parkinson on one and bladder cancer the other, but hey- this summer is giving us a break. I am going to pass on all the pictures from the day except this one of Valerie taking her nap. 

The bean bag has been a wonderful thing for boat rides. All four grandchildren have been on a boat since infancy and they love it. Miles was seeing the Blues for the first time and he loved them. I worried he would think they were too loud, but he didn't flinch. 

The F-35's here at Eglin fly over our house 3 times a day. At 11:00ish they fly directly over. Yes, it is loud. The other 2 times they are a little left and right of our house, so people around here are used to the noise. I thought she might sleep through but she woke up in time to watch. Thankfully for me:) BECAUSE I love airplanes. 

I will log off for this week and pray that the storm only produces rain but not too much and no wind. In fact, right outside our cul-de-sac is a tree that is leaning. It has not always been leaning. We have had a ton of rain lately and I think the tree is diseased. Jeff called the power company. They said they were putting a work order to get it down, but they have not arrived yet. Power lines will be down if it falls. I don't think it will take much wind. Things that make you go hmmmm.

Fortunately no houses will be in its path, just the road the power lines.

 

Grateful for Summer Days

 Another week has flown by. I had a very nice Fourth of July in Auburn. It was quiet, but restful and fun all at the same time. I stitched and read and watched more TV than normal for me.

Gus says the hot is making him sleepy.

This summer has been so good for me. It is hot, but I am enjoying the lazier schedule. I still have to fit in some things, but the days are longer and I am letting my hair down to speak.

Katie, daughter-in-law is keeping Daughter, Lindsay's kids for July. Jeff and I have done some things to shorten the days in the morning for her. We have gone to the park, to the library, to the Armament Museum to name a few. We help haul the kiddos since they need car seats to places around town. Jeff and I get to come home and rest while Katie takes them back to her house and keeps them for the remainder of the day.

A few highlights...

Katie let them make chocolate for dipping strawberries.

Snack time 

and 

coming out of the library.

All four standing in front of a C130 like Uncle Al flew.

And all four sitting on a bomb.

Miles and Palmer have learned to ride their bikes without training wheels. Big things! Tucker has baseball camp next week, so Katie gets a bit of a break, but I think they are having fun.

Katie has kept them busy but has also made them play without everything being scheduled which is hard for children today. They do NOT know how to entertain themselves at all.

We had a discussion while at our beach vacation about how teens today don't get out and do things. Our bayou in the summer when my children were teens was full of teenagers wakeboarding or swimming. They all went to the beach to play volleyball. They were busy and active. Mine even had summer jobs.

I Never see teens out and about anymore. I am not sure what happened. I have some thoughts, but it makes me sad that don't get out and interact anymore. I have digressed....

One of the days the 3 boys were being all boys and Katie sent a video of Valerie at the table eating (looks like ice cream) and the 3 boys were making quite a bit of noise and were involved in play. She was just staring them down but not breaking with her eating. Jeff freeze framed this shot of her. She is looking at them and back at her mom with a look to say, "They are nuts. Are you seeing this?"

I have been reading a newer release of books called The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower. There are 8 published but more on the way. They are set in the 1880's (again another book in that period that I am loving). I am on Volume 3. Thus far, I have been able to check them out from the library. Highly recommend them!!!

I make visits every 2 weeks to check out books for Tucker and Palmer. Lindsay has zero time to check out books to read to the boys. Katie does this every 2 weeks which led me to do it for Lindsay. It has been a win win. I am helping Lindsay and the boys are getting good books read to them each night. Our county has the entire library system connected, so you can check out at one location and check back in at another. It makes it very convenient. I also go to another location to check out large print books for Mama. The Mary Esther location seems to have great clean books with a simple story that a 91 year old can follow. Bless the buyer at that library.

Jeff and I are headed to Pensacola tomorrow night to see an author but newsy personality. I have read all of his books which are about history. I am very excited to go to this. Going to Pensacola is a doable trip for us. I do hold ALL plans we make loosely with Mom being 91 though.

Something I didn't think would happen again is the Blue Angels. Normally, the Blue Angels do their home show in Pensacola on the second Saturday of July, but it is not until next weekend. I am guessing all the America 250 stuff knocked it back a week. Lindsay and family are going in their boat and Paul Allen is going to drive our boat. Valerie is finally old enough to make the trip so we will all be going to see the Blue Angels. As always there are friends going so we will all tie up over there in the water to watch the show. I have written about visits there before. It is a big deal in our part of the world. They say it will be bigger and better than usual to celebrate 80 years of the Blue Angels and America 250. Can't wait. Praying it will all work out to go.

I promise this is my last picture of the treasure boxes. 

The final boxes have inside them:

a 1976 half dollar

a 2026 half dollar 

both in a holder to make them even look fancier..

an Apollo 11 patch

an Artemis 1 patch

an Artemis 2 patch

an Artemis 2 lapel pin from a friend who works at NASA.

A little bit of old and new from the 2 things Mimi and Paw Paw collect. Me patches (you wouldn't believe how many I have) and Paw Paw coins.

Palmer, grandson #2 and the one on the far left of the picture seemed to like the gift the most. Now, I must say they all seemed to get our idea and liked them, but Palmer is just more crafty and really understood the idea of a box to put treasures in.

While I was in Auburn I got back to stitching on the Pledge of Allegiance stitch. It is a big one and the pattern is divided into 6 pages. I am close to having 2 pages done, so when 

I get there I will share it again. No need to do it every week. I will be working on it for a while.

I did stop this week and pull the bunny back out to finish. I think its yellow sweater will make it cute to have out for fall. I am in no way ready for fall, but I do think ahead.

I have the backing fabric picked out. I did it on 28 count so it is much bigger than the pattern called for. I think I would like the smaller count too. I do however think since they are full coverage I would do them on Aida if I choose to do more of them.

Well that is another week in the books. I feel like the post was all over the place, but I feel that way about me too. I feel my age so much more these days. Thankful for Katie helping out this summer.

Blessed,

Sandy

Summer , you are here, but please don't go too quickly.

 June has been really good to me. Life stuff still has happened, but I have had some much needed rest. Rest can do wonders for you. I never in a million years thought when I retired from teaching in 2014 that I would have been as busy and my schedule seemingly not my own. I know I thought I was going to have leisurely days doing just what I wanted. Quite frankly, I don't think God's plans for me involve that kind of day at least not yet. I KNOW He knows best. 

I have been busy with some cross stitching and reading and puttering around in the yard when it is not raining. We are no longer in a drought. It has rained since my last post almost 2 weeks ago. It has made for very muggy days. I have still enjoyed all of them though!!! Sometimes rainy days force you to slow down.

I have completed the 3 of 4 stitches that I have been working on for the grandchildren. I hope to finish the final one soon. The first 2 I stitched were called We Are Blessed by Teresa Kogut.

The one on the left was stitched on 36 count Dirty Teacup. I had to outline the eagle's head and tail feathers. I think it turned out fine. I went with 36 count Vintage Country Mocha for the one of the right. I have both already laced and ready to put them on something.

The "something" has changed or maybe it has. Jeff said I should put them on a box rather than making an ornament type finish. 

I went searching on Pinterest for ideas. I still love Pinterest. It is the best place to store any idea you see and easily get to it. I saw these ideas...

Now, I have ordered some chenille trim to go around my stitch, but I could easily change that to cording that I make using the floss, but I think I can make it neater with the chenille trim. Anywho, I ordered some paper mache boxes from Amazon after looking at the 2 craft stores locally. It seems everyone is thinking like me on this idea. They are 7 inches in diameter and the stitches are 6 inches. I have played with the painting of the boxes this morning.

I am not the craftiest person, so when I return with the finished products there is no telling what I might do. I have stitched the third one and started the fourth one which is 250th Celebration by Teresa Kogut. They are the same size just a little different design, but they have the same floss colors. I am using the darker linen for these.

Stay tuned to see if I turn crafty or if I just go with what I know and do an ornament type finish. 

My plan for giving them to the kids who are really too young to care...? I am going to let them choose from the 4 in order of their age. Tucker gets first choice. I will not let the other kids see what someone else chose. I plan to do their choosing separately so they choose what they like. I don't really know if I will have them in their hands before July 4th because I don't rush myself anymore. I will just make a mess. I do have the boxes and will probably paint them today and tomorrow. The lacing is quick and easy. Trimming them is a little more time consuming. The oldest 2 are going to visit their other grandparents for the 4th so it may be after the 4th. 

Then it is back to the Pledge of Allegiance stitching. I have NOT grown tired of it yet.

*****

Jeff and I along with Katie took the boys on Friday the 19th before the daily rains to Goofy Golf. Goofy Golf is a local landmark here for over 60 years. A young family has bought it and restored it and once again families are taking their children and in our case grandchildren to play.

All 3 boys are quite athletic and their dads have taught them to play golf so they actually did really good and stayed together. I think the groundskeeper was surprised at such young ones doing as well as they did.

Valerie got a plastic golf club and made her own fun. She is the most self directed child I have seen. 

We had the place to ourselves that morning.

The dinosaur has been a big part of the park for all those years. Jeff always reminds us he got a spanking from his dad for trying to climb it when he was a young boy. Pictures are always taken by it ...I am sure there is one back in the archives of this blog.

Katie has pneumonia and has not felt well. She really didn't feel well that day. I kept Miles and Valerie yesterday for her to go to the doctor again and then rest.

***** 

I have been a little sad and really absorbing the loss of a friend and mentor. She was truly one of the most Godly women I have ever known. I have learned so much from her over the years. She would have turned 80 in September this year. She had some heart issues over the last couple of years and they had really weakened her. She fell during the night last week and had a brain bleed. She never recovered. 

You know how you sometimes just feel like someone is invincible. That was Nancy.

Here she is from the blog back in 2016 when she was a little away from 70 years of age. We were giving a shower to my bestie's youngest daughter. 

She was physically beautiful too. I have finally written in my journal some of the lessons she has taught me and how much I will miss her. It is really hard to fathom her earthly absence. I could go and on. Hug and check on often the people you love!!!!!!!!

If I can only be a fraction of her loveliness and love of Jesus I will be happy.

I will share some of the books read in a post soon.

Until next time. Gus and I are trying not to be too lazy.

Sandy

A Grateful Heart

I had the most delightful Mother's Day last Sunday. I always tell the kids to go have fun. They are moms and dads too! However, they all came over in the afternoon and we had a nice visit. We grilled some hamburgers and hotdogs, made baked beans and indulged in ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Simple and fun. Lindsay and Tyler came by boat and Miles was treated to riding in their boat with Tucker and Palmer. Tyler and Palmer drove them around for a bit and all were happy.

All things that make this mama heart sing with joy. Roses which I have shared with them are an amazing gift even more now that I have no roses in the yard or deck. They however gave me even more clever gifts. Lindsay came across some pink and green "OH so preppy" Adidas tenney shoes which was enough for me to squeal, but then you found me another unique gift. These were given as a unit by all the kids. 

Now, let me tell you about the cool bag. It is called a brailer bag and made in Alaska by a company called Nomar.

Here is part of the description of the bag...

Our Brailer Basket with Handle is the perfect companion for foraging, beachcombing, or collecting whatever other treasures you might find on your outdoor adventures! 

What drew Lindsay to this bag? Well she heard on SmartherNews that the company had made the tote bags for the Artemis II parachutes. Easy to lift them out of the water. You can read about it here.

My kids know me well! I could not have asked for more intriguing or Sandy like gifts. Oh and BTW, the Adidas sneakers are amazing. I forgot how much I liked them and went promptly out to the outlet store and bought me a white and black striped pair. All have been on repeat this week.

 

Here are the boys on the boat.

The weather has been truly amazing lately. I know the heat is on its way, but even today I have been sitting out on the deck in the bright sun and it is such a nice breeze. 

I made it out to the beach this week for one walk...

It was absolutely gorgeous. Not too crowded, a wonderful breeze. I could have just parked myself all day there. 

Next up is a view of one of my other top walking spots. 

The land across is the barrier island but this part is owned by the military so no tall condos. I do love where I live. Even in the heat of summer. 

Palmer graduated from his VPK which I didn't realize was a Florida term. It is preschool. They are expected to go to kindergarten in the fall. Lindsay has always planned to do it twice for Palmer because of his late summer birthday and his small stature. His teacher says he is ready for kindergarten but I don't think Lindsay is going to change her mind. The plan was always for him to attend the one Tucker had attended and Miles will be attending in August and then go to one closer to his house in Destin next year. She would used her voucher from the state for that one. I don't think she is going to change her mind. She would rather him graduate at 18 rather than 17 from high school. 

Let me just say the little stinker had a speaking part (one of 3 kids). He did amazing. He hopped down and knew his part and did it with complete confidence. I almost had my mouth opened.

This was him at home after Tyler got his hair done. Let me just say though that shirt did NOT stay tucked in long and he was quite anxious to get the belt off.

I am going to try and round this post up and come back next week with patriotic season around the house. I got my sampler back from the frame shop. I will tell more about it next week, but I love it!

Close up...

I will share more around the house later this week.

I have begun but have not finished deciding where to put some patriotic touches.

I am going to end with a personal note attached to the next picture...

This was an Instagram post by my church. You can see Paul Allen with Valerie and Miles and Jeff over to the side. This picture represents so much. I don't want to make Paul Allen sound bad, but he was a tougher teenager than I was prepared for. Let's just say the Lord did a work in me and HE needed to as much as did in Paul Allen. He never got into really bad things that would have been hard to make a comeback from like drugs, but for this perfectionist mama he had a lot of "fun" and didn't have a ton of ambition. 

I spent a ton of time in prayer for those years. I even remember thinking if he didn't go to college how was he going to meet a nice girl? How shallow of me!!! I was a first generation college graduate and had a history of alcoholism on one side of my family, so I had set high expectations that he was not meeting. I tell you I prayed a lot, but I also had a point where I realized I needed to work on myself about trusting God. 

Let's just say when I got to the point of surrender that God put on a show for me. Paul Allen doesn't have a college degree, but he has an amazing wife who we love like a daughter and he has 2 of the sweetest littles THAT ADORE HIM. Miles always says he wants to be just like Daddy. 

I write all of this to remind anyone out there to remember God hears out prayers and works in both the parent and the rebellious "Having Fun" child and they do grow up. Keep the faith.

I will try and get my house in order so I can take some pics for next time.

Happy Spring,

Sandy