Counting Our Blessings

It has been a long week around here. The husband has been away on business since Mother's Day and won't be back until Wednesday morning.

I was feeling sorry for all of us this morning until I remembered all the service men and women that are apart from their loved ones.

My attitude changed pretty quickly.

Mid-Life Crisis

"It's for the boys! They need to learn to waterski, tube, go fishing!"

Yeah right...the need for speed at age 45!

At least it isn't another woman or a motorcycle!

Sad

My eight year old got up early today because he has a field trip. He is so excited to ride the bus, be with his friends and hear Tom Chapin sing.

His teacher is going to drop a huge bit of information to his class. One of his classmates lost her mother this past Sunday. Unexpectantly.

I can't be there to hug my guy and tell him that I am hopefully, not going anywhere yet.

It is going to be a long day.

I think it is funny that I live in a house that has been named. The people who built our house were from the South and what they lacked in knowledge of Northeast winters(and constructing a house that can withstand the winters...oh the tales I could tell) they made up for in adding charm to our home.

I fell in love with our home about a year before it was ours. On the days that my oldest would not fall asleep, I would take him for a ride around the lake in the car. Each day I would see our home sitting up away from the road and dream.

Then within three weeks, in a cold and snowy January, all pieces fell unexpectantly into our laps and the house was ours. We weren't even looking to buy a new home at that point. It was probably the one thing that my husband ever did without pondering weeks over the pros and cons.

Nine years later we are still here living in our named home!

What Are You Looking At!

I loved this guy (gal?) when I saw him! He was perched on a pole coming into the docks from our deep sea adventure. I took many shots of him as he sat there for quite some time. My only regret was that the sky wasn't crystal blue like it usually is in Florida.

Times are Changing

One of the great things about Seaside, Florida is the feeling of smallest of the town. It has a casual, laid back type of feeling. For years all that was there was Pickles Hot Dog Stand and Bud and Ally's Restaurant. This strip of town is still the original. Rumor has it, that in the next two years it will be torn down to create a more resort feel to the town. You might be able to see the first part of the plan behind the second picture of Frost Bites. That building took two years to build. The planning on Route 30A has been more prudent than in other areas of Florida. There are no huge condos, hotels etc... but it is sad to see this beachy town surrender to the developers.

In the Great Gulf of Mexico

Okay, by the looks of this picture it may seem that we didn't have the most productive day on the open sea. But, in fact we did! We caught White Snapper, Red Snapper, Grouper, and weird looking fish that I had never seen in my life. We had a blast! Deep sea fishing was one of those things that was on my To Do list that I mentally keep. What made it even more special and exciting was that I got to fish with my boys. I think they thought it was pretty cool that their mom enjoyed hooking the big one and reeling it in.

The best part of the day was when the biggest and oldest porpoise came up to the side of the boat and very slowly came out of the water and looked at us. Way too cool for words!

So the reason we don't have more fish on the board...season hadn't opened yet! Actually, it was okay. We are all catch and release fisherpeople!

A Family Vacation

Every year we have a family photo shoot to end the week of festivities. We all make a big deal about it and talk about all the fun things we did. For the past four years my little guy would not like to have his picture taken. It was a huge struggle. This year he promised that he would be part of it all. We got great pictures of our family and then the whole family...but right after, he had a total breakdown. My husband and I finally think we have it figured out. He hates to leave! All week long he counts how many days he has left until we go home. He confessed to me one morning that he cries on the last day. Poor kid. I know just how he feels. Seaside is such a special place to all of us.

So now we have a new plan of attack. We are going to take pictures two nights earlier. Maybe it won't be so hard for all of us!

An Old Standby!

I made this bag for a silent auction donation.

It is the Sophie bag made out of Cascade 220.

I am not thrilled with the results of the felting. We switched to a front loading washing machine and it just doesn't felt the way my top loader did.

Recently, I made a similiar smaller Sophie for a

Ronald McDonald House Fundraiser and it went for $90!

I was glad that the money went to a good cause but was giggling inside at the two women that were fighting over the bag! If they only knew how inexpensive the bag was to make!

16 Days and Counting....

I'm making this:

Out of this:

So I can go here:

Seaside, FL

in sixteen days!

Off to knit!

Another Girlie Baby Gift!

Baby Hat

Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Artyarns Super Merino

A little over one skein

I don't know what it is with me and making hats. They never come out the way it looks in the pattern. Maybe it's because I don't use the right gauge yarn...whatever it is I am usually not too happy with the results.

This hat is cute, but not the 6-9 month size listed in the patten. I did substitute a different yarn so the gauge is off. I do like the results of this one though. Just think, the family will think of me fondly two years down the road when their toddler is big enough to wear it!