Showing posts with label Flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flowers. Show all posts

Friday, June 20, 2014

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

Friday, April 6, 2012

Happy Easter

A quick post before taking off to enjoy the Easter weekend.
I have decided to chose yet another stocking for my April ornament.
I figure, why not, I am on a roll!  Then I can just do the finishing on all of them at the same time.

I received my package from my Stitched With Love Exchange partner the other day.  I can't wait until the reveal so I can share all the goodies with you.  My partner truly knows how to put together a great package!

The boys are off this week and I am recovering from a nasty cold, so not much stitching has been going on.  Here are a few of my things from years past.

  We did get a little yard work done in between baseball practices.
Here are the younger two discussing the strawberry plants.
The yard is finally green and growing!
We have had a robin's nest at the top of a pillar on our front porch for a number of seasons now.  This year, a new bird decided to add a smaller nest on top and take up residence.
Fun to watch, but definitely not the cleanest bird!
And these buds,
now look like this..
This is one of my favorite shrubs, it smells so wonderful.
A few more springtime favorites..
These buds will soon be filling the air with their wonderful smell..
I hope you all find time to enjoy the colors, scents and sounds of the season.
May the joys of spring fill your hearts this Easter weekend.
“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
"Winter is dead.”
― A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Happy Gnome, a Wonderful Day, a Finish, and Some Kindness

Do you all remember my little gnome that didn't look so happy this past winter?
Doesn't he look much happier now?
We have finally had some nice weather here and have enjoyed spending time working in our gardens.  Lilacs are some of my favorites.
Can you smell them?
And I love this picture of the garden that lines the pathway to our backyard.

On Mother's Day, the boys in my life made me breakfast and gave me these beautiful flowers.
Afterwards, we spent some time visiting Longwood Gardens.  The spring flowers were beautiful.
We then cooled down with some ice cream from a local shop and headed home for some relaxation before dinner.

I was able to sit down and stitch while the boys prepared dinner.  The final stitches were put into Jenny Bean's Humble Servant Sampler.  I really love the spring colors in this one - and that cow still makes me chuckle!  In each JB piece that I have done so far, I have used my own initial and last name.  The original date on this pattern had my birth month - April, so I used my birth date (which is blurred out in the picture).

I was excited to receive a package this past week from my friend Lainey.  She sent this beautiful piece from Scotland, along with a thistle cross stitch pattern, some stickers, a pin, and a patch for the boys.
 


My mom loves thistles, so these will always remind me not only of Lainey's kindness, but of my mom.  Thank you so much Lainey!!

I have yet to do any small patriotic or summer finishes to decorate with, so I will be working on some of those next.
Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you all find some time to put needle to thread!