Missing a friend....

It's hard to believe a year has passed...you touched so many lives, near and far...thinking of you today, dear friend.....

Stitching?

Okay, I am wondering where the time went since my last post...a long, long time ago...

We had a busy end of the summer...from family vacation, baseball games and triathlons, to birthday celebrations, and back to school and saying goodbye to dear friends.

Hanging with an old friend after school was finally over...

How they have grown in two years...and, if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you'll know all about the elusive teenage smile hunt during our Tennessee vacation...

I did catch an amazing smile during a moment of genuine fun with this brothers...

 

Exploring in the Smoky Mtns...

I love their reflections in the water...

Hiking in the Smokies...

Views from our cabin...I love these mountains...relaxing on the porch listening to nature's songs, watching the hummingbirds feed, reading books...pure heaven...

 

The oldest finishing his season...the last time playing with some of these boys....still playing for the same place this fall, but some new faces joining the team as others move on.

The youngest finishing strong in his third triathlon.  The final one of the season is this weekend.  He will be running cross country this fall.  He is amazing me!

And the middle guy back at the job for a new team this fall.  They placed third in their first tournament together, not too bad.  All signs point to a fun fall season!

 

My middle guy turned the page into teenagedom...the big 13!

We spent the day at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore, walking inner harbor and then dining at a fabulous German restaurant....yum!

 

We had about three weeks in August where I wasn't working and before school started back...we had some down days, but had a lot of fun too...

a day at the bay with neighbors and old neighbors who were in town...felt like old times...

A night at the Phillies game for mom and a friend...

We were able to see Charlie Manuel inducted to the Phillies wall of fame...

We watched the Little League World Series...cheering for the Philadelphia team, the Taney Dragons.  Congrats for a former team~mate of my middle guy, Kai on his home~run in their final game!

There was a day of target shooting at Grandma and Pappy's...

The first day of school...the teen lost his smile again...

And while Labor Day found my middle guy and I at a baseball tournament and my husband working, my other two were again at the bay with friends...having a blast and being well taken care of...

Crab time and I missed it!!  Ugh!

My middle guy and I enjoyed some quality alone time and time with team~mates...

We had some good laughs eating here ~ the menu and gift shop are hysterical!

I returned home on Sunday to spend time with my other two and the middle guy stayed behind with his team~mates' family...he's sandwiched between the twins...they gave him his first experience at a Japanese steakhouse...

All~in~all, a busy fun weekend before returning back for the second week of school!

 

Panzer loved having the boys home over the summer and seems to also be adjusting well since we all have returned to school and work...

the lazy dog days of summer...

Panzer wasn't too sure of the bay, and despite the boys all trying, he went back up the steps...

Love that face...

Workin' those eyes!

 Escorting the youngest to the bus...

 

Did you figure out the reason for my title yet?...I did not put a lot of time into stitching...really, nothing that would amount to anything worth showing...I did however frame this piece that I stitched last year...

I saw some great things from the fall market ~ and especially fell in love with the big one from Heartstring Samplery...it's waiting for me at my LNS, the Strawberry Sampler...can't wait to get it and make a start...well, I actually can't wait to find some stitching time...

 

And finally, we said goodbye to some good friends and they are greatly missed.  They are now living in the Atlanta, GA area ~ well, at least for a couple of years, and then hopefully back to this area.  I taught her to stitch a couple of years ago, so if any of you live in that area, maybe I can get you in touch with her.  And if you have any suggestions for shops that are closer to the Atlanta area, please let me know, as there seems to be nothing in Atlanta and that seems crazy to me!  She's really homesick, so hopefully her stitching will help.

 

Thanks to all of you that stop by and lasted through my long post with virtually nothing stitching related...I am reading your blogs, seeing all of your beautiful work and leaving comments here and there.  Hopefully, I will have some stitching to show next time!

 

Given my long absence and saying goodbye to our friends, I thought this more than appropriate...

“Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would, I'd never leave.”
― A.A. Milne

Life, enjoying the crazy ride!

Life has been happening.  That is the reason I have for being away from my blog and stitching for so long.  I have been keeping up with your blogs as best I can, not always leaving comments, but please know that you are part of my day when I take some time to sit and have a break with my cup of Chai! 

My boys have kept me busy.  We are finally wrapping up the school year, thanks to all of those snow days!  It's a bittersweet ending...my oldest will be entering high school next year.  I'm excited for him and sad for myself all at once.  The last fourteen years have passed so quickly, I can only imagine how fast the next four will go!!

Baseball is still going on for my oldest.  He plays until the end of July.

And this year, my youngest put baseball to the side to train for triathlons.  Well, I am so proud to report that in his first triathlon ever, he placed 4/7 in his age group and 25/63 overall.  On the way home, he commented that he felt good about himself ~ it was a mommy moment!

He loved it so much, he competed again the following weekend and placed 3/7 in his age and 14/33 overall!  He was so excited to place third and it made my husband's Father's Day even more special!

There are two more triathlons in this series, one in July and one in September.  I think it is safe to say he has found his sport!  And he says it is better training for a future Navy SEAL!

One thing is for sure ~ triathlons make for one hungry boy!

We've also celebrated our 21st anniversary and my husband's birthday ~ again, time passing by in a flash!  Oh, and I finally finished all 43 hours of my training and have about a month left of my six month probationary period.

I wanted to share some news about my niece, Kellen.  You may remember that she has William's Syndrome.  Well, last August, she started painting, working with a local artist in Fredericksburg, VA where they live.  I sent her my favorite sheep picture and look how fantastic she did!!  I told her if she ever sells it, it's mine!!  I will share some more of her paintings in future posts. 

Kellen also competed in the Special Olympics playing tennis and taking gold for singles and doubles!

On to the stitching...

There has been very little stitching and a couple of lovely gifts.

Yep, there it is...my little bit of stitching!  Actually, I have also been trying to finish a gift for another niece who just graduated high school.  It is a piece I won from Kim at Wisdom with Needle and Thread at the beginning of the year.  I thought I had plenty of time and well, she graduated Tuesday night ~ I am almost done the stitching and then I need to assemble and will share a picture when it is done. 

I received these goodies from Julie at Julie's Knit Sew Craft Corner.  It was a complete surprise and made my day!  I love the sunflower cushion and all the extras will come in handy for finishing.  Thank you so much, Julie ~ I love sunflowers and the ladybug makes it even sweeter!

June, of Butterfly Wings, sent me a beautiful gift for my birthday.  Not only is her stitching and finishing beautiful ~ but it brought back memories of my grandmother with its smell, like roses, just like a powder that my grandmother used many years ago. 

Thank you, June.  I will treasure it always!

I will sign off now with some random pics from the last few weeks...enjoy!

Exploring at Grandma's and Pappy's...

Tractor driving lesson with Pappy...

Panzer goes from looking all grown up and serious...

back to playful and curious puppy...

I am thankful for my boys that keep me running, my husband who is my rock, and to all of my friends for being there!

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts.”
― A.A. Milne