• Blue skies & a perfect Summer day…

    June 28, 2013 / 6 Comments

    If you could paint a picture of the perfect Summer day, today would have been it. 82 degrees. Blue skies – the absolutely perfect shade of blue. Snow white cotton clouds scattered here and about across the blue. Bright sunshine. Vivid green trees and grass. A constant breeze. It was going to be a fun day and I was up at 6:30 a.m. looking forward to it.

    I met my daughter and her four children (ages 15 – 4) at the YMCA at 9:00 a.m. They had been there since before 7:00 a.m. for my grandchildren who swim competitively to practice for two hours.  They do this each weekday morning.  They all get up at the crack of dawn!  I got into my daughter’s van and we headed to a small nearby town where she has “rented” a 40′ x 40′ garden space from a nursery there.

    I know I have mentioned my daughter’s drive and energy in previous posts, but sometimes I am amazed.  She takes care of their large (5 bedroom – 5 bathroom) home, does laundry for their family of six, cooks totally from scratch and mostly organic (think even grinding her own flour), homeschools my grandchildren (although they have taken a few classes at the local school),  maintains large flower beds all around their home, puts up homemade jams, takes care of a garden in their backyard which includes vegetables, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries AND now has a large garden space she is renting out from a nursery!  She hopes to “feed their family for a year” with all the produce.  She has purchased organic beef and pork for their freezer as well.  (I remember my Mama commenting on my energy when I was about my daughter’s age.  I confess it isn’t there anymore!)

    My daughter had spent a few days over the last couple of weeks getting the garden in shape and it looks great!  Some of the surrounding plots belonging to others – not so much!  Today, she harvested some tender ripe squash and fresh spinach to go along with their dinner tonight.

    Roses in my daughter’s flower beds…

    Flowers in the front yard…just barely past their prime.

    Raspberries in the backyard…

    Above and below:  at the 40′ x 40′ garden plot.

    All the plants were thriving and looked very healthy. 

    Part of it is that my daughter grew all of these plants from

    HEIRLOOM seeds in the basement under grow lights! 

    Part of it is this rich Midwest soil.  

    Below:  Come Autumn, there will be PUMPKINS!

     

     

    Afterwards, we drove around the small town and dropped by a few garage sales.  My 4 year old grandson scored his first bike – a bright blue and lime green bicycle that looked new for $10!  Then we stopped by the local Fareway grocery where my daughter picked up her order of organic milk. She buys something like 18 half-gallons at the time and they give her a great price!  They drink a lot of milk.  We stopped by the YMCA for me to pick up my car and then I met them at their house for a pizza lunch.

    Last stop before heading home – and by that time I was tired – was the library to pick up the books that I had on hold there.  All in all, it was the perfect Summer morning…complete with blue skies.

  • A rainy Sunday…

    June 24, 2013 / 2 Comments

    On Sunday morning, I awoke to the sound of pouring rain with thunder and lightning accompanying it…and the realization that my umbrella was in my car.  Of course, my car is across the tarmac and in my garage.  Thankfully, before it was time to leave for church,  the rain turned into a drizzle.  After living in Oregon for 5 years, I could handle a drizzle.

    My daughter and her husband volunteer once a month in my four year old grandson’s class during the worship service.  (In the photo below, he’s sitting next to the little boy in the blue shirt.  You can barely see the edge of his face).  So, yesterday, I decided to try the worship service for the “older folks” who enjoy more of a traditional venue in music.  My daughter quipped that I would be the “youngest” person in there.  I wasn’t.  I was surprised to find that they were serving a wide array of breakfast choices.  I tried a couple of them – which were delicious.  I enjoyed the music but was disappointed to see that instead of a “worship team” there was one young woman leading the singing (at a much slower tempo than the songs called for).  I wasn’t sure if she thought the “old folks” couldn’t keep up or if she had not grown up singing the hymns.  I told my daughter that they didn’t sing my “favorite” hymns…she laughed and replied that it isn’t a “request line”!  She’s so funny.

    In the end, I decided that I missed the energy of the contemporary service.  In a perfect world, they would include my favorite hymns from time to time along with the contemporary music:  Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Amazing Grace, Be Thou My Vision – to name a few.  But I do enjoy the upbeat, vibrant music in the contemporary service as well.  I confess the hymns make me homesick…homesick for an earlier time and place.

    The day ended up being a sunny Sunday.  Any Sunday which starts with worship is wonderful…

    Below:  my daughter and her husband teaching small group during the worship service.

    The “Traditions” service is held in the Chapel.  I think the stained glass windows there are beautiful.

     

     

    I love to sew and each of my granddaughters was wearing something that I had made yesterday…

    My oldest granddaughter is wearing a top and skirt made from a Simplicity pattern:  #9001.  The fabric is wonderful – a soft, high-quality twill.  The top has covered buttons.  She likes it!  I love the fact that, unlike her Grandmom, she has broad beautiful shoulders!  I think swimming in competition contributes to that.

     

     

    I also made this dress which my nine year old granddaughter is wearing when I was living in Oregon!  I purchased the fabric at a wonderful quilt store there.  She loves the pattern, so I need to remember which one I used!  I have six (soon to be seven) granddaughters, so I need to sew a lot!

  • Thirty-three years ago…

    June 21, 2013 / 6 Comments

    It was the first day of summer 1980, the day before Father’s Day.  That year, my husband received a very special Father’s Day present:  a beautiful baby boy.  Even then, you could see that his hair was a wonderful strawberry blonde and his eyes were green like his Dad’s.  I remember immediately after he was born, he gave a healthy cry and then he was quiet, remarkably alert for a newborn.  Held in my arms, he was busy looking at his dad and me…as if to say, “well, there you are at last”.

    He grew up to be a fine young man who has always brought joy and laughter to everyone…and he still does.  Happily married and the father of a beautiful baby daughter (soon to be two beautiful baby daughters in August!), he is successful and loves what he does – executive producer of a television show.  I’m proud of the husband and father he is.  I’m proud of who he became.  I know his late dad is also…

    Happy Birthday, Son.  I love you!

    (I’ve written about my son and his precious family in several other posts – here is one.)

     

    Above:  Fans at a Chicago Bulls game in Dallas…

    Below:  Enjoy the pics from the early years…just use the right arrow to scroll forward.

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  • Anna Maria Island…

    June 14, 2013 / 9 Comments

    After a wonderful fun-filled-four-days visiting all four theme parks at Disneyworld, we headed to Anna Maria Island, Florida, for another four days of sun, sand and relaxation.  It had been more years than I could remember since I had seen the beautiful Southern waters of the Gulf.  It brought back memories of our family’s vacations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on the Atlantic side years ago.

    My daughter had found a very nice beach house for us right on a canal and complete with a private pool.  The house was decorated in the sunny and cool colors of the beach:  shades of blue, yellow, lavender and coral.  The white trim throughout the house accented the colors perfectly.  There were several abstract paintings throughout the house that we learned had been purchased in Brazil.  With speakers inside and outside for the pool, we also enjoyed the beach music selections provided by the owner.

    I shared a room with my four year old grandson with a twin bed for each of us.  He’s a perfect little roommate and I loved it when he said, “goodnight, Grandmommy”.  Although on a couple of nights, I was actually asleep before he was and he tiptoed in without waking me.  Perfect little gentleman.

    After a morning on the beach, we walked the 5 minutes back to the house and had lunch – after rinsing off in the outdoor shower.  Afterwards, we usually watched a video, played or read for a while during the hottest part of the day.  Then it was out to the pool where the fish my grandchildren loved practicing all their strokes and actually playing in the water.  The three older ones swim competitively and have a stack of blue ribbons to prove it.  Consequently, they have little time to actually “play” in the water.  I enjoyed being in the pool some with them, then reading my Karen White book which I’d brought along with me.

    I think my daughter had the perfect idea, scheduling the four relaxing days after the four busy ones.  Ten days passed all too quickly and we flew back to Iowa on Tuesday morning…with a bank of memories of a wonderful time together.

  • Four days at Disneyworld…

    June 13, 2013 / 2 Comments

    On Sunday the 2nd day of June,  I took a direct flight to St. Petersburg, Florida, with my daughter and her family.  They rented a van to seat all seven of us and we headed for Orlando and four wonderful days touring all four of the theme parks at Disneyworld!  I was finally going to see Disneyworld for the first time in my life!  My daughter had rented a fabulous 4 bedroom – 4 bath house complete with a private pool and about a ten minute drive from Disneyworld.  It was beautifully decorated and fully equipped, although it was hard to imagine using such nice furnishings in a vacation rental home!  Nevertheless, we totally enjoyed it!

     

    Below:  After we picked up the rental van at the airport and were headed to Orlando! 

    Can you tell the kids were excited!?

    On Monday morning, we headed to Epcot and spent the next twelve+ hours seeing everything!  (On the first of the four days, I was tired beyond measure but got progressively better as the week progressed.  I took that to mean that I should definitely start walking TEN+ miles a day!)  😉  Well, maybe not ten!

    Epcot was amazing with all of the different countries represented.  I could have spent a whole day just visiting that section but there was so more much to see!  And there were so many great rides!  I think my two favorite rides in Epcot were Test Track and Soarin’.  We finished the first day at Disneyworld enjoying a fantastic fireworks show.

     

    On Tuesday morning, we headed to Animal Kingdom.  That was probably my favorite of all the parks, but it’s hard to say.  There were also some great rides in Animal Kingdom.  I loved the African setting especially and seeing all the wild animals.   My daughter loves roller coasters and rode the Expedition Everest several times.  I gave her my fast pass ticket – that’s for sure!  😉

    Read about the Tree of Life below here.  Amazing sculpture!

    On Wednesday, we enjoyed the Magic Kingdom…a fairytale come true!  Each day, there were great shows to see as well as rides.  I especially enjoyed The Little Mermaid musical and The Lion King show.  Such talent!  There were also great rides at the Magic Kingdom!  And, yes, I rode Dumbo the flying elephant and the Goofy Barnstormer among others!
    Tropical storm ANDREA arrived in Orlando on Thursday morning.  We ventured out anyway, covered in plastic ponchos – this time to the Hollywood Studios theme park!  We enjoyed several shows and rides to remember.  Altogether, a fun day regardless of a mere tropical storm!
    In past years, I have taken my camera everywhere but, this time, I was carrying a backpack with water, etc. and didn’t take my camera.  I wished I had but we were moving so fast, not sure there would have been time to take pics!  My daughter snapped these pics with her phone but I never could get HER in any of the photos!
    Coming post:  Four days on Anna Maria Island…

  • Summer days…

    June 13, 2013 / 7 Comments

    The past few weeks have been busy ones – leaving little time to blog about it…but it’s time to catch up now.  The photos below were taken a few weeks ago on the last day of school and the weekend after.  We went to a nearby park while we waited for the time to pick up my oldest grandchild from class.  WE climbed a rock wall (I still have the bruise on my leg to prove it!), went down the slide several times and climbed on the gym set.  The only thing I absolutely could not accomplish were the hand-over-hand monkey bars!  Clearly, I no longer have the upper body strength.  My daughter captured it all on film but I am so not going to share those!  No doubt, she will blackmail me with them when I am eventually old and refusing to give up my car keys!  😉

    Below:  At their house, my grandsons enjoying an old but still fun game – Mario!

    Below:  At the park the day classes officially ended for the Summer…

    My sweet granddog, Kiana, is also glad for Summer days.  She’s a Hungaria Vizla…

    The first weekend after school ended (although my daughter’s children homeschool some year round), my granddaughters came over for a sleepover.  We cooked a delicious supper (they’re great helpers) and made a delicious JELLY ROLL with strawberry jam!  They took some home to share.  I have plans to teach them how to bake several different things over the summer and will post the recipes as we go.

    Below:  at my apartment, creating stretchy, adorable bracelets out of gum wrappers!

    Below:  Enjoying spending time at Grandmom’s apartment…reading on the porch.