Week 21 - Stitching Update

No photo today. All I've done for the last two weeks is stitch away at Katie's stocking. I think if I work on it consistently I could have it finished in two weeks. I hope so! I need to take a break from my Crazy January Challenge starts and stitch a baby sampler for one of Katie's high school friends. Then it's back to stockings... There are only 205 days until Christmas so I need to get moving!

Through the Eyes of a Child: Sparklers

Jessica and Adam brought Sparklers and Poppers to our BBQ on Sunday. Here is Sunny's reaction to the Sparklers:

"This might be fun!"

"Oh my goodness gracious - fire!"

"What are you doing?! Keep that away from me!"

(Notice Rascal is keeping a watchful eye on the situation)

"This is too much for me..."

"You know, it is kind of pretty."

"(Gasp) You expect me to hold it?!"

"Ok, this is fun!"

"Look at me, Grammy and Tio!"

"I can do it all by myself!"

Our Weekend

We were party animals this weekend. We kicked off the fun on Friday night with a graduation Open House for a family friend. On Saturday, we attended the 2nd Birthday Party of a sweet little boy. Then it was off to dinner with Zach, Ashley, and Skye. We ended our 48 hour party marathon with a Memorial Day BBQ at our house. Whew!

Skye enjoying the "splash" theme of the birthday party

Grammy and Skye

I found this on Pinterest and served it at our Memorial Day BBQ.

I used Colby cubes instead of Feta.

I can't tell you how proud I was!

Uncle Mark (my brother)

Thunder

Sunny

Thunder grimacing, Sunny smiling...

Thunder smiling, Sunny turned away...

Thunder getting bored and splashing. The adults giving up on a photo with two smiling kids.

Don't worry. It's Root Beer. And he didn't really get to drink any.

Gramps was just torturing him!

Me, Kelly (my SIL), JoAnne (my mom) enjoying the sparklers

Carl (my dad), JoAnne, Me, Jessica, Katie, and Sunny

Believe it or not, I'd never heard of poppers before

They were too fun. Here is proof that I am VERY easily entertained!

Memorial Day

"On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation!" 

Thomas William Parsons

"For love of country they accepted death..."

James A. Garfield

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example."

Benjamin Disraeli

"Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes - remember there is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth."

W.J. Cameron

"The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots." 

Randy Vader

Estate Sale Treasures

It has long been my desire to be able to visit Estate Sales on a regular basis. I'm pleased to announce that time has arrived. Dan and I have been available to visit Estate Sales the past three weeks.

We are fortunate to live by several retirement communities: Sun City, Sun City West, Sun City Grand... you get the picture. In our area the sales are primarily scheduled on Thursday/Friday. As an added bonus, neighbors in those communities also hold their garage sales and yard sales on those same days.

The first week out we scored big time by finding a framed piece featuring a personal letter signed to a friend along with an official photo autographed by a former Vice President. We are taking this to Antiques Roadshow when we go in August.

The second week we came away empty handed. But yesterday I found lots of treasures. I collect glassware. I don't set it away to gather dust however, I use every piece I purchase. My normal source is the Goodwill Store. But I now know that Estate Sales are loaded with the stuff. You have to be careful though, as much of it is way overpriced.

I also collect vintage linens (preferably handmade). You can find these scattered about my home. Here's what I brought home yesterday (please ignore my smeared oven control panel):

I'm going to cross-stitch a piece for the lid of the fishing basket and place it in Dan's office.

 I also plan to cross-stitch a piece for the cigar box, but will not paint or stain it outside or inside.

 It has cool labels on it that I don't want to cover up.

The jar in the rear (left) has an engraving of a cabin in the woods.

 I plan to use this as Christmas decor in Dan's office. 

The tiny bottle is going to be a toothpick holder.

I saw a cool table runner on Pinterest made of doilies sewn together.

I have many doilies crocheted by my grandmothers and don't want to alter them.

So I'm buying up doilies at the sales to make a table runner with. 

Stay tuned!

These are handkerchiefs. The photo is terrible. 

I tried to take a closeup, but it's even worse. 

They are very delicate and the colors of the crocheted edges are just beautiful.

This Week...

On Monday both kids were over for Grammy Daycare. On Tuesday only Thunder came. Here's a look at some of the fun we had this week:

Helping Gramps by watering the flowers

Playing play-doh

Cooling off in the pool

Showing off an outfit from Tio JD and Tia Janel

Using the piano as a walker!

Girls Day Out

On Saturday, Katie and Jessica treated me to Girls Day Out for a delayed Mother's Day gift. Dan watched Thunder, but Sunny came along with us. We had such a fun day! We began the morning with pedicures, and then went to a shopping area that I've never been to. We shopped at Charming Charlies (my first time there), where i purchased a purse for the summer. It was such a cool store with tons of unique accessories. I definitely want to go back. We had lunch at Johnny Rockets, and then walked the other shops. It was relatively cool (only 96 degrees) which made an outdoor stroll manageable. It was one of my best Mother's Days EVER! Thank you girls!

I have no idea why Sunny stuck her tongue out,

I suspect Dan had something to do with it!

Me and my girls!