Home

So I'm finally home.....It was a wonderful trip. So much fun.  I've tried to keep up with everyone, but leaving comments from the phone was a bit tedious....so sorry about that.  I might not have left words, but I was there in spirit...now back to the real world...Ugh!

I know I paint a pretty picture when I talk about this trip and how wonderful it is that the children and adolescents get along so well, but they truly do. I sometimes wish that the "littles" were a bit older so they could do more with the older ones, but looking back, I'm actually glad that they aren't.  It's so amazing to watch these teenagers who are so willing to be with these young ones. They play with the babies, take care of them, watch them and totally adore them.  It gives me so much hope and happiness...and such sweet moments when they think no one is looking.....

Little cousins are so cute...

When they want to feed you gold fish

Let you steal kisses and snuggles

And just let you hang out

These are the moments that I'm going to miss the most.  They are all growing so quickly.  Before I know it, the little ones won't be so little.  But the greatest reassurance was that every last one of them is looking forward to doing it again next year.  If you hear that funny noise, don't worry.  It's just my heart swelling.

This Moment

This Moment-a single moment from this week, no words, that I want to remember and savor. Inspired by Amanda at www.soulemama.com. Please feel free to share your link as well.

Happiness

Happiness is a cool breeze on a hot sticky night.

{Magic of the Mundane}

Please forgive the lack of link to Sophia at Sophia's Idea. I'm posting from my phone and I'm just a bit limited. I'm on vacation this week. We are at the beach with family...all 16 of us. I am here with my seven nieces and nephews and it is wonderful. It is amazing how well they get along and enjoy each other's company. They all look forward to this trip and usually start talking about it a month out.

Of course, I'm in absolute heaven because I get to spoil children and give them back. I mean seriously, who wouldn't want to spoil this....

Mother Nature

These are just a couple of examples of Mother Nature's awesomeness. They were taken through the windshield.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Happy Friday!!

My nieces and nephew - A little blurry, but still pretty dang cute!

Inspired by Amanda Soule - Feel free to join in and share a link to your moment.

BORING...

So I've been cruising around the blogosphere, looking at everyone's beautiful projects and realized that my space is going to be a bit boring.  I'm still working on the same two projects that just drag on and on and on...sigh.  I thought about taking some pictures to show them off, but what's the point? They both are repetitive patterns, so all they've done is gotten a bit bigger....yawn.  I am forcing myself not to start any new, instant gratification projects and it's been HARD I tell you. Particularly when I see all the gorgeousness out there.  I am itching to start on a Citron of my own, but keep pushing it off.  My goal is to finish at least one of these - the Herringbone Poncho - while I'm at the beach next week.  I don't mind if the Chevron Scarf hangs out for a while because it's a great project to work on when I need mindless knitting...and it's a scarf, so it's a great "on the go" project.

So rather than bore you with the never ending projects, I thought I'd share some new purchases.  Whenever I go past a Tuesday Morning store, I have this compulsion to go in and see what kind of books they have because you can get some really good deals and guess what?!?! I scored!  Not one, but two really cool books!

This book is full of some really great, quirky and vintage (duh) patterns.  There are several that I can't wait to make and I'm sure that this is not helping my with my current state of boredom with current projects.  Not to mention the fact that I haven't crocheted anything in ages and I'm really starting to miss it.  By the way, I got this one for $6.00.

This is the other book I found.  What attracted me to this one is the whole section about fit.  I'm still relatively new to knitting, so learning all the tricks of making flattering sweaters appeals to me.  I don't want to be one of those women that works forever on a project only to put it on and...UGH!...end up pushing it to the pack of the closet because it looks so heinous on me. That would be so depressing.  There are some really cute accessories and sweaters. I also like the little tidbits and insights they share about their relationship. As part of a mother/daughter relationship, I always find the dynamic of other relationships interesting.  This one was only $9.00.  Like I said - SCORE!

All in all, not too shabby if I do say so myself!  And also so much more interesting than looking at the same boring pictures of the same old thing. 

{Magic of the Mundane}

Today, I am joining Sofia over at Sofia's Ideas for Magic of the Mundane. I so love this idea because it totally falls in line with my desire to get back to simple. It can be a picture, a poem or song, a short video or anything else that celebrates the Magic. So often, we get caught up in "where we're going" that we forget to look at the beauty of "where we are."


I've been away from this space for a bit.  I've missed it.  But sometimes we have to pick what we can do without for little bit and get done what we need to get done.  This summer if flying by.  I'm trying to grab hold of it with both hands and it keeps slipping through my fingers. But there are a few things that I am enjoying.

One of them is watching my oldest son turn into a man. Watching him have intelligent conversations with adults and holding his own with topics like politics and the economy.  Listening to him debate a topic while listening respectfully to someone else's point of view and arguing against it thoughtfully and maturely.  Then turning around and watching him chase his three year old cousin across the yard with unmasked glee and tossing him in the air when caught...oh those giggles make my toes tingle with giddiness! Then watching him struggle to show his father that he is growing up and does have a valid point of view...that is such a struggle for his dad as well...letting go of his little boy. It all melts my heart and breaks it at the same time.

 I've also enjoyed spending time with great friends.  Lots of late night laughter, great food and wine and a support group that can't be beat. I have been truly blessed by the friends I have...always there with a joke, a smile, a glass of wine and a hug...and occasionally a few felonious suggestions that put everything into perspective.

But the thing I've enjoyed the most this summer is the time with family. We have been deeply immersed with visits - both coming and going and it has helped ground me during all this change....and then.....

One of my adorable nieces.

there is the fact that I am currently getting to snuggle this sweet little bundle...smell that baby smell and watch her giggle and coo....Life is pretty dang good!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Happy Friday!!

Inspired by Amanda Soule - Feel free to join in and share a link to your moment.

Side Note:  Hope everyone is doing well.  Life here is REALLY busy between boys going on trips and getting one ready for college...he leaves in a month?!?!  We are still here and muddling through.  Hope to catch up soon!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Happy Friday!!

Number One Son playing with his cousin.

Inspired by Amanda Soule - Feel free to join in and share a link to your moment.

Happy Fourth!

OK, so I know I'm a day late, but it's the thought that counts....Right?!?!  On a real quick note...I've been asked and I have to tell everyone that the foot is doing MUCH better.  I'm in a smaller brace that I don't have to sleep in..YEA!!! and was told that I can even start weaning myself off of it. It's more of an annoyance now.  It feels so close to being healed, but I can't do things that I used to take for granted...like moving quickly.  But the Doc says that it's healing beautifully. Thank you all so much for your concern and well wishes!

Number One Son finding his way around campus

Orientation... What can I say about that...hmm...Number One Son had a blast. I think I received maybe two texts and no phone calls the whole time he was there.  And one of those texts was to let me know what time he needed to be picked up. He met his roommate, whom he'd been chatting with on line and made some new friends.  He loves the campus and thinks he will enjoy his classes.  He's pretty excited and looking forward to August. All this information was gathered in a conversation we had Monday evening when he got home...as he was packing to leave again.  Yesterday morning we took him to the airport and loaded him on a plane bound for Tulsa, OK to spend the week with his aunt and uncle and four adorable little cousins. As he was packing, he admitted that he was more excited about going to Tulsa than he was about going to Orientation.  That did this mama's heart some good.  He's getting ready to leave the nest, but he does understand the importance of family. *Sigh* Maybe he won't forget his mama. I know he'll be kept busy, so I probably won't hear anything from him until it's time to come home.  But my sister-in-law promised to send photos, so I'll try to share as I receive them. In the mean time, I get the next week to spoil Number Two Son....hmmm....what to do....

As you can see, I've been doing a lot of running around, getting nothing accomplished.  Once Number One Son gets home, we'll have a week of down time and then we will be heading for the beach for a week with Car Guy's family....16 of us in one house....Craziness, but we love it.  Hopefully I'll get some knitting/crocheting done while there and have something to show you.

Hope you all had a great 4th!

Time Flies

Hello dear friends!  Sorry I've been away so long.  Life has been keeping me VERY busy.  Have you ever noticed that when you take one day off from work, it takes a whole week to catch up? Craziness.  So I finally start getting caught up and we had to take Number One Son to ECU for college orientation. Car Guy picks him up tonight.  I haven't heard a peep out of him, so he must either be really busy or having a great time....or both. I'll give a full report after he gets home and fills me in.

The girls trip to the beach was AWESOME!  We had the best time.  There is nothing like a weekend with good friends, great food and wine, and relaxation. If you ever make it to this neck of the woods and get to the North Carolina Coast, I strongly recommend that you go to the beautiful little historic town of Southport. Once there, you must eat at two Restaurants - Ports of Call and The Pharmacy. Both of these restaurants serve amazing food, have lovely atmospheres and superb service.

This picture from Friday's Moment was taken at Ports of Call.

Here are a couple of pictures from The Pharmacy:

I commonly refer to these lovely ladies as "The Amys"

Sue and Araceli

The Pharmacy is actually in an old pharmacy and is very charming.  I'm no food critic, but I do love good food and both restaurants provided just that. Both have food for the land lover and amazing fresh caught sea food.  I promise that you will be happy eating at either one.  Neither restaurant is cheap, but I do feel that it was well worth it. I wish I had taken pictures of the food, but quite honestly, it didn't stay on my plate long enough....fresh caught wahoo, pan seared with sesame seeds and served with a ginger glaze....yum! I showed great restraint and manners by not licking my plate....my mother would be so proud!

We stayed on Oak Island at my grandparent's beach house and if we weren't on the beach, we were sitting right here:

I spent most of my childhood beach visits in this house and I love being able to share it with friends. It's a wonderful thing to be able to continue the tradition of good friends and laughter. I know that my grandparents would be pleased that we are enjoying ourselves in the wonderful home they provided for us. We will definitely be going back. 

Alas, there will be no bathing beauty photos....some things are best left at the beach...like my lily white bathing body.  Why is it that tan fat looks so much better than mayonnaise white fat? I do know that Sports Illustrated won't be calling me to be their cover model...oh well.  Maybe next year - HA!

Speaking of bodies....Ladies, if you are needing a little beefcake in your life - and who doesn't - I strongly recommend that you go see Magic Mike.  Talk about YUM!  I went last night with a group of ladies....by group I mean we took up a complete row in the theater.  I was actually kind of surprised by the movie.  I openly admit that I went to see hot rippled abs - what can I say, it's a weakness I have.  But there was a story line and a resolution and once I quit drooling wiping my chin, I actually enjoyed it.  I'm not saying this is an Academy Award caliber flick, but it wasn't just a beefcake flick.  I will say that if your are the least bit umm.....shall we say reserved, then you probably don't need to go. Ahem...there are some graphic scenes not designed for the faint of heart...she says winking.

Well I'm off to see what everyone is up to.  I promise I'll be back soon, but probably not tomorrow.  Happy 4th everyone!

Update: I am sad to say that Andy Griffith, North Carolina Icon, passed away this morning.  He was a true gentleman and benefactor to our state and more personally, my sister, who had the pleasure of working on Matlock with him.  He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace.