January 23, 2026

It has been 2 plus weeks since I last posted, so here we go. We will talk about stitching, puttering around the house, the weather and family stuff.  I think I found enough pictures to break up the words without family being the focus.

First up is what I have been stitching...

I did quit procrastinating and finish The Twelve Days of Christmas. I like it, but it would have looked better framed. Live and learn.

I may fluff it a bit more next Christmas. 

I am currently stitching for another daughter of our friends. You may remember I stitched a verse for Laura on her high school graduation. Her sister Alayna is who told me she would like it. I didn't love the framing, but I was in a rush to do it. 

I had no idea these girls would be so crazy about my stitching. I am now stitching Alayna something I have stitched before. I think it is a just right piece for her. She is still in school working on a master's, but she is working full time too and moved to her first place on her own. I am stitching the sandpipers that I did here. I am enjoying every stitch even though it wasn't that long ago. My favorite designer has definitely become The Crossed Wing Collection. I love stitching the wildlife and plants. I know it seems odd to some, but they are purely delight to stitch.

I am also stitching on a small piece mostly because I am impatient. I am looking ahead to this summer I really wanted a patriotic stitch to commemorate the  Semiquincentennial. I have so many patriotic stitches so I really don't need another one, but it is not everyday a nation celebrates 250 years. I downloaded a pdf stitch from Etsy. Here is the picture of it from the pattern.

From Needle Treasure Nook

I do plan to change the stars to 1776 and the 1776 to 2026. I also am using brighter colors than the pattern called for. They don't look all that muted in their picture but the floss choices are more muted.

I have been working on those hotspots I mentioned in my last post. For almost a week I just walked into the 2 rooms with the problems and pondered the situation before I ever started trying to solve the issues. Both rooms and their problems ended up being connected.

This bedroom has too many things from Mama's house just laying around. Mainly photographs. I worked so hard on them, but I am left with photos that I will probably sort out of albums and either give away or throw away. I can't do that for now, but I have procrastinated finding a home for them. I finally go in there and consolidated some of the bins and rearranged the closet in that bedroom to hold the stuff. It feels so much better when I walk in that room not to see all that sitting out in the floor. Now, I can NOT open the closet or I feel like I am going crazy.

One corner looking so much better. 

Notice that TV in the room. 

That cause the problem in the sewing room. 

I once had the printer on that little table in that room. Didn't love it, but it wasn't a thing you used often. You can even see the printer paper still on that table under the TV.

We moved the printer causing me much trouble to put a TV in there when Mama was here after her fall a few years back. We had cable then, so we moved her a rocking chair and TV in that room. The chair is with her now and that TV just sits. We no longer have cable and I haven't bought a device for it to read the Internet. It is just taking up space and will continue for now.

The printer went to my sewing counter which was driving me NUTTY!

I found a new home for the printer and the counter looks better. I will still have to deal with the stacks that I make. I am a stacker. It is not my best trait. I use this counter to fold clothes, organize taxes, and sew or finish a cross stitch piece. It is multipurpose so I need to keep it somewhat neat. The plant is only there for winter.

I have been working on a few more projects, but that will do for now.

I framed Lindsay some beach pictures for her new office. She had a big wall as you enter her office and a conference table. I think our inexpensive plan worked out well.

Last Sunday before dawn just as local meteorologists said there was a snow flurry.

I am no longer interested at all. No snow I say!!!

I think it is looking a little more possible later this next week. Two years in a row....weird!!!

I am over winter. I have tried to a be a good winter girl. I really and truly have. I have done well, but I am telling Mr. Weather ---February 1st, Sandy is looking for springy weather. 

I bet he is listening!

January entertains me with the ducks and pelicans.

Close up of them.

First camellia bowl of 2026.

Valerie turned 1.

I made her a smash cake and cupcakes. We added a set of zoo animals with tutus and birthday hats. A zoo visit was done rather than a traditional party.

(The boys all promptly removed the tutus.)

Mama has been filling her time crocheting again. She made this one for Valerie.

Gus interrupting my nap. 

He did decide to let me finish.

Hoping everyone stays warm,

Sandy

Life Lately: Busy and HOT

Yet another 2 plus weeks have flown by too quick for me. This has turned out to be a VERY busy summer and all my thoughts of relaxing on the beach or even on my back deck have gotten away from me. Of course, it has been August heat for all of  July so you would have to be sitting with your toes in the water or inside with the most wonderful invention ever...central air. I honestly don't know how we lived without A/C. We did though! In school as well.  

Hank Heron hiding in the grasses.

Jeff is a week and a half past the knee replacement. Other than the initial first few hours, I would say he is doing exceptionally well. Apparently, the nerve block they give you these days did little, so waking up to the pain was a lot for him. I have been through many surgeries with Jeff including a hip replacement and a revision. The knee was exponentially worse.  I do think he is recovering well, and he seems to be on the good side of a recovery timeline.  I will take that win.

I took Mother for another round of nerve ablations in her back. I thought they might help. That is to be determined. As of now, she is complaining a bit more. I think the side they did them on feels better, but the other side hurts worse. I am hoping it is just due to the way she was lying and with a few more days she will feel better too. 

We have celebrated 2 birthdays over here since my last post. Pre knee replacement we did Palmer's party. Palmer didn't have the usual party with friends since they had just gone on a cruise with the other grandparents. Lindsay and Tyler  talked him into a day of him getting to choose things like where to eat and where to go for fun on his day. We had the family over here for hotdogs and hamburgers on the day before his birthday. He wanted hotdogs. I did a quick decorate for it with a Pluto/Mickey Mouse theme.

I made the usual cupcakes but this time I put the fudge icing that Mama always makes for a 7 layer cake on the cupcakes. Not as pretty but overwhelmingly everyone agreed tasted much better. 

Tucker and Palmer before everyone else arrived.

Palmer was very pleased with his presents. One present was such a hit that while I didn't get a picture of the fun that took place after this picture, you will see it down below. I ordered it again for Miles.

If you have a grandson aged 3-8, stay tuned for a perfect gift.

Also notice Battleship was out. Tucker had stayed with me that day. I can't even remember why now, but I taught him to play Battleship that day. 

Before we move on to Miles's birthday, I loved this picture. So many things are going on here.

First, is the storm cloud. They can pop up after heat laden days. The past 2 weeks we have had upper 90's with at least 2 at 100. That is not the bad part. It is the humidity which has had the real feel near 120 for far more days than I would like. 

I love summer. I make no bones about it. I love the long days full of fun and adventure, but also a slower pace. Although mine has not been slower paced this year. This summer has taken me to the max though with that kind of heat. Gus thinks he wants to go out to walk, but we go just a bit and his tongue is hanging out and I am drenched. I am not ready to call and end to summer, but will gladly take some low 90's for sure.

Back to the picture. We keep binoculars handy for nature sightings on the water whether that is the occasional alligator or just birds. Paul Allen grabbed the good ones out of reach of little ones and headed out to look for what he thought was an alligator. Of course, he didn't say that to the little ones. They don't generally hang out in our bayou because it is a little too salty for them, but they can and have been. Usually word travels when one is out there.

I keep 2 pairs of old binoculars for the kids to use handy to do the same. Little Palmer saw Paul Allen (who he adores grab and go), so he did the same. I thought this was just the cutest picture.

Post surgery, we celebrated Miles in the same manner as Palmer. He got his usual party for all of the family on both sides the next day, but with Jeff and Mama being down we didn't try to go and celebrate. 

Same cupcakes but with Star Wars. Yes, Paul Allen has introduced Miles to Star Wars. Paul Allen is an encyclopedia when it comes to SW and Miles is on board.

The food Miles chose--- chicken pot pie. He loves them especially the peas. I don't know if all the adults were on board, but it actually turned out pretty good. 

I only had a video of Miles with his cupcake, so I had to do a screen shot.

Now for the present that was a hit- Lindsay has to get credit for thinking of it. She had told me to order it for Palmer. That blue thing 

rolled up is a race track for hot wheels. It is a winner with parents in that it takes up a small amount of space, but a hit with the boys in that it really makes the cars go fast.

You can place it anywhere. It has suction cups to attach it to a window. Lindsay had it attached to their front door and the boys were rolling them down their long hallway. Here it is just on the coffee table and rolling into our kitchen. You can make hills with the box which they did. Something is slick about it because they will roll down and over a hill and keep going.

Every grandma out there knows nothing makes us happier than our families together having fun. 

Most of the month since my last post has been just taking care of people, trying to keep up with my chores, and staying cool. Not much to share. I am coming back soon though---said the ambitious person.

Jeff got a cute t-shirt from a friend yesterday, so I had to take a picture to send them.

I have probably bitten off more than I can chew, but I am keeping lots of kiddos next week. It is the week before school and I just felt like Tucker especially could use a break before school starts the following week. Katie is headed back for preplanning so I have Miles and Valerie too. 

It should be a hip hopping roaring place over here. We are calling it Camp Mimi. I have made stations downstairs in the big room. I have got all kinds of activities planned and Jeff will be able to help me with Valerie.  I think Wednesday is the only day I will have all 4 for the whole day. There are some other things going on during the week that will take one or some away, but yes, I know I am nuts.

Nuts like the nut grass in my flower bed is making me. My flower beds look bad for me, but dang it is hot out there. I almost passed out one day trying to work in them.

I have so many things on my to do list that I wanted to get done pre start of school. Just didn't happen. Jeff has a painter coming Monday to look at some things that need painting inside. Things I normally do, but you know what? I am no spring chicken and have lots going on, so I am going to let someone else do it. It has been hard to let some things go like yard maintenance. Wish you could find someone to pull weeds...those don't exist. No one does those things as well as you would like, but I am learning that I have to give up on some of my perfection and get help. Like I have said before, we are't world travelers. Our home and backyard are our playgrounds so I am going to let someone paint and scratch those things off my list.

I am trying to make a list of all the things I want to blog about...the new book I just read that was so good, stitching and just random things of life...like things come and go. I hope to be back blogging soon, but I have at least another week and probably one after that to recover. I have seen so many blogs closing. I feel like most are giving up and I have seriously thought about it, but I am hanging in there because I am not the best at social media. The blog is much more my thing.

Little Valerie is growing so fast. Mimi is looking forward to having her here everyday.

Until next time,

Sandy

Hope

Today marks 11 years since I put up my first blogpost. My life was so different then and I could not have imagined what the future held. I think the blogging turned out quite differently than I imagined, but that is ok. I have made many friends through the shared interests we have.

My first few blogposts had azalea pictures too. Azaleas are a core memory of my life. They bring me such joy. We drove to Pensacola this week and all along the way they were just showing off. The older the neighborhood the better because they had those huge unchecked ones. The azaleas have been such a blessing to me. We have to always look for the good and the beauty amongst the crazy.

I am blessed with 4 beautiful grandchildren from my two amazing children and their spouses that I love like my own. I often look around and think how did I get so lucky to have so much. BUT, we know with blogs and all forms of social media there is life behind the pictures too. This blog has been the highlight reel for certain. When I started this blog, no one would have known that I was driving an equilateral triangle between my home here in FWB, to Brewton to take my stepdad to chemo in Pensacola and then back to FWB on many of those days. I was spending the weekends going to Brewton when I started this blog and my house was a mess. I had planned a wedding for my daughter on many of those drives home from Brewton. I would cry the first half and pull myself together for the second half so I could get all the things done. I was a mess, but I was hopeful for better days a head. There is a book by Ronda Rich titled, There's a Better Day a Comin' that reminds of just that. One of many she wrote to inspire us to draw on God's goodness through struggles.

Yesterday, Mama turned 90. 

The senior living had a banner outside her door. They celebrate the 90, 95, 100, etc.

Lindsay and I both agree that Mama is the most photogenic person we have ever seen. She can be hardly moving around and yet, she looks like a dream. 

She always does her best to look nice. 

I got her early in the day and brought her to my house.

The kids are all on spring break so they arrived early afternoon for entertainment value:)

They all loved her crown which had a 90 woven in the jewels.Those doggone balloons didn't want to cooperate so the boys helped out.

She got to hold Valerie who is  growing and holding onto her black hair.

Later on we had her favorite pizza for the party. She ate quite a bit of salad and 2 small slices of pizza. We were amazed at that.

Then it was cake time. She also ate a large piece with strawberries and whipped cream. Truly that is more than she ever eats.

We got her a new outfit from Talbots. A leisurely outfit but quite nice. I know when I go over today, she will have it on. She likes to have new clothes.

We celebrated her well and told her what a big deal it was to be 90. I think she knows that.

I have been stitching on Valerie's name. This is my current location on it. 4 more letters to personalize.

I will back at stitching it today at some point between watering plants, checking in on Mom, and watching the basketball tournament.

A couple of things to share....

Jeff and I have decided to no longer look at homes. We have had time to look at retirement plans and have decided we will not be traveling or doing all the things such as that. Sitting on the dock and looking out at our water is vacation enough. We will continue to stay here for now which gives me a big sense of relief. God will show us if we need to make a change. For now, we will  hire people to do some of the bigger things we can't handle such as yard work. 

On that note, I kind of thought at some point I would share more about the Parkinson's journey because it might help someone. That has not flowed from my fingers yet. God will tell me when to do that too. What is more pressing at the moment is that Jeff has a bladder tumor. I have been sitting on some of that too. I am sharing it not for pity. 

I serve an amazing God and am so blessed, but to say that, I can't really be authentic without writing that we are facing another challenge. He had the telltale blood in his urine and that set off the trail to find the cause. Monday, we had the final tests in Pensacola to find the cause. He will have surgery on April 2nd in Pensacola. On Monday, we have to get him through all the pre surgery details like the EKG, so prayers would be helpful.

It is a heavy weight right now, but we will tote it. For those outside the rural south, tote is the word we use for carry. 

I am grateful for spring right now...azaleas brightening my day, grandchildren to come running in with hugs and joy, and so much more.

On this blog anniversary, I will continue to find joy in the things of home and have hope in the days ahead.  I am looking forward to summer and all the hot days. That is me!

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

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