Stitching Post and More

 I am back for a mostly stitching post.  For stitching almost everyday, I feel like I should have a lot more to show for it. I think that is because I am enjoying stitching again and there is just so much good stuff to stitch.

I have put the bunny aside for now. I am coming back to her though. She needs to be displayed by fall with her yellow sweater. This is where I am on it.

She is a cutie.

The reason for leaving her is I just am in the mood to stitch my patriotic stuff. I have a stack of other goodies that are calling to me as well, but red, white and blue is winning now.

I started the Pledge of Allegiance by Plum Street Samplers and was happily stitching ---although I did have to pull out some because I made a mistake in counting. Arghh...

This one is just so pretty. I really can't wait to stitch on it exclusively. It is all over Instagram and it is a beaut!

This is the pattern for the Pledge.

I set aside God Bless America too...

I honestly don't have much left on God Bless America. When I return it should be a quick finish.

What has happened you ask???

Too many to choose from ---

You see Jeff put an idea in front of me that I found to hard to resist. He suggested I stitch the grandkids a remembrance of America 250, so I knew just what patterns I wanted. I had already been looking at them. Both are by Teresa Kogut. They are similar and I thought they would be perfect.

My idea was to do one of each for both kids' families. Then the grandkids would have one of their own to keep. I want to maybe make them hanging like ornaments so they can hang them on their shelves or whatever down the road.

I ordered them right away and went to my stash for linen. I picked out the lighter linen shown below to stitch. This linen looks similar to the chosen colors on the patterns.

I kept thinking that light blue was too light, so I went back to my stash and chose one a little darker. Thank goodness for stash.

I have ultimately decided both are ok. I think the light blue is indeed light and the white of the eagle is very light. I have decided to complete both and outline in 801 anything that needs some definition. I think the trim on the finish can help with that too.

I have enough of both linens to do all four so that is not an issue. Anywho, I am stitching away on these and then I can't wait to get back to the Pledge stitch.

***If all that is not enough patriotic for you, I have another pattern someone gifted me that I am wanting to do as well. My goodness.

Thanks, America 250 for getting me back in the mood to stitch.

That is just a little look at where I am in the stitching department. I am not one to skip around, but I am breaking my rules. Let's see how long I last at jumping around before I go crazy.

*****

I have enjoyed my first week of no grandkids. I have slept a little later, like 30 minutes later. Nothing to sing about. I know many think I am crazy for keeping the littles everyday, but it truly is good for me. It brings life and purpose to me. 

I have a lot of sadness around me with a 91 one old negative mom (who just doesn't seem to know she is negative) and a hubby with Parkinson's. Children keep things in perspective. 

I needed June to reset my mind, but I will be ready to go back to my routine. Even in one week I found time to think and plan and change plans, etc. Week one proved fruitful.

*****

Jeff and I drove over on Thursday to Falling Waters State Park  near Chipley to see the state's only waterfall. Nothing like living that close to something and never once going to see it. It was a small park so not a lot of hiking or anything, but very much the Goldilocks moment for us.

Not Yosemite, but pretty cool for Florida.

Jeff had bought tickets to go see a comedian in Mobile last week on that Thursday night. I knew from the moment he told me that was a terrible idea. So many reasons... it would not be a quick trip to the car in a safe location like something in Pensacola. It would not be an easy drive where I can do it with my eyes practically closed. I was kind of fretting over it, but had let it go. 

Tuesday morning I walk into the living room and he announces we aren't going. I didn't really need to ask questions. I knew it had been too much.

Lindsay was none to happy about it. She thinks we need to travel the world which is not what we want nor what he is able to do. She has a very hard time watching her dad. Paul Allen seems to accept it better and just do everything and anything he can. They both love him immensely. They just deal with this ugly diagnosis differently.

He came up with this ride over to the park, so I said yes, instantly. That is more my kind of thing anyway. Quite frankly, I have learned that too much and too many people are hard for him. He has always been the outgoing one, but he struggles with a large crowd.

You never know when things you once did routinely will be LASTS. I don't think he will ever be able to go to an Auburn football game. I am so grateful for all those years we had season tickets. My thoughts are as the grandkids get older I will take one of two of them to the less crowded games myself so as not to stop all things for myself. Maybe Tucker and I will go to one this year. 

All those lasts are not just hard on Jeff, but myself AND the kids.

The progression of it all is difficult. I have moments. Like the other Sunday he came in after me to sit at church. The gait he was using almost teared me up. We are so blessed and I do my best to focus daily on all our good, so a little drive over to Chipley was a good day for us.

Lunch in the railroad southern town of Chipley with a cup of coffee from the Boxcar Coffee Shop was a special treat for us. He even went to a war movie with his friend Mike who he and Cindy were supposed to go over the comedian with us. Thankful for good friends!

We have our family trip to the Cape (Cape San Blas) soon and going to make the best of it. Mama is going to stay with her sister while we are gone. Praying all with be ok, but resting in God has us.

I had planned to get outside today and wash some windows or even sun, but I guess I am going to get to stitching on my patriotic things.

Sandy

Welcome June

 We made it to Auburn for Memorial Day weekend. It was a quiet trip with nothing big to do. We just went up to check on the house and rest. I rested some, because Jeff usually wants to go go go. It was overcast mostly but not that rainy while it was raining here in Fort Walton. That meant the kids didn't really get much sunshine outdoors time. I did which I really needed! I sat outside and read a good bit. We watched a movie one night and lots of SEC baseball on TV. 

On one of my walks in the neighborhood, I noticed how much larger and taller the daylilies were in Auburn versus here. I would guess that has to do with the richer soil vs the sandy soil here.

I feel like my daylilies have struggled this year. They were getting ready to put on a show when that last cold snap kind of bit them. They are starting to bloom, but they have been very slow getting started.

Jeff took this picture and sent it to the kids. I forgot what he said to them, but it is proof I rested:)

Gus did too.

I thought this picture of Mama was really good taken at her senior living facility. She is truly the most photogenic person I know. She looks amazing, but that picture doesn't capture the truth. She is good and  probably will live to be a 100, but she has her moments.

She got some injections on Monday of this week and I am hoping they will give her some back pain relief. They have in the past. 

Now, for June plans.

I don't have to keep the grandchildren mostly for the month of June. We have a family trip to Cape San Blas, but for the most part June is open for me to hopefully reset. I need long walks, beach time, etc.

I don't want to have too much on the calendar other than just time to let my body and MIND rest. 

I headed to the beach on Monday after I had gotten Mama home from her procedure. I have tidied my house for now, so really no big plans on the horizon. That is such a nice line to type.

Last week I had to keep multiple children each day so I am more than ready for a little downtime.

Last night, our niece Kristan and family joined us for pizza night. Our family is very small. I have no siblings, and Jeff only has 2 one of which 1 has passed. That one had no children, so Jeff's sister only has 1 ---Kristan. My brother-in-law, Kristan's dad had one sibling who died young so that means Kristan, Paul Allen, and Lindsay are the only cousins each has.

If one of us is not at our family celebrations it is noticed. Kristan lives in Texas, so we have her here at Thanksgiving and in June. Last Thanksgiving they didn't come and it was awful for us. The kids are now in high school and had sports that made it difficult for them to come home. 

Thanksgiving also highlighted how much Jeff has gone downhill with Parkinson's. Parkinson's stinks big time. It made it just sadder than normal.

It was so good to see them all. We had such a good time together. Much laughter and good times.

Now, that Kristan, Lindsay, and Paul Allen have become the adults the picture taking goes to the next generation. I would have forgotten to do it, but Lindsay rounded them up for a shot on the couch. Tanner and Katelyn are now almost 17.

They are completely grown up. When I first started this blog, they were the little ones pictured at Thanksgiving. Valerie was real uncertain about the picture taking.

Katelyn has combined some college visits with this trip. She wants to head back to Florida for college really badly. The twins were born in Tallahassee and moved to Texas about the time they started school. She is a Florida girl while Tanner seems to be a Texan. I think she is eyeing Florida State the most. She makes an official tour later this week. 

I have been reading and finished all 4 of the books I was reading at the same time. I loved Liberty Island by Virginia Hume. I chose it because I had loved the author's previous book, but I think this one was outstanding. It was set in the late 1890's through the 1920's in America. It followed 2 generations of women and covered the Suffrage Movement. I would not have thought I would like this one based on the time period so much, but the characters were so well thought out and I would give this one high marks.

My space book was one I liked but not sure if you aren't a space nut you would like it.

I enjoyed the Camino Trail book too. It didn't make me want to walk the trail at all. I like hiking, but I like to know what I am gonna eat that night and where I am gonna lay my head that night too. It was a good read if you have followed the author's story. If not, you might now like it.

The final one would make a great gift for a college graduate. The author shares 31 life lessons or legacy letters as he calls them. He intended them to be for his grandchildren, but ended up writing the book. I thought all of the 31 lessons were wonderful and on point which is why I think it would make a good gift. He recommended you read each of these letters over 31 days (obviously a month) and then choose 11 of them to work on over the next 11 months making it a year of application of the book. I read it like that and have chosen my June idea to work on throughout the month.

I am stitching away and think I will leave that for a separate post soon. I am way behind in blog reading and responding to anyone due to keep more than one kid everyday last week. I was so dang tired each day that I just fell in to bed. 

I hope to catch up this week with everyone.

Summer has arrived and I am here for it. I told y'all we had a spring this year, but the Tuesday after Memorial Day I walked outside and knew with 100% certainty summer had arrived.

YES!