Another Apron Swap - Yeah!!

Shawnee over at the Flirty Apron Swap is hosting another apron swap that I just had to join! I mean I love aprons and I also love Fall so it was 2 of my favorite things so of course I had to jump right over and join.

I really need another apron like I need a hole in my head but I just couldn't help myself. I've been trying not to join any swaps lately, and I haven't for quite some time, but I just did it anyways. I already got my swap partner's information about her likes and dislikes and her preference for what style of an apron she would like me to make. So I'm making a full bib style apron with a ruffle and a pocket.

Finding the fabric was fun. I couldn't believe it when I found what I wanted at my first fabric stop. I had a lot of different choices to pick from. She didn't want a Halloween apron, and would prefer a more Thanksgiving or Fall type apron, so that is what I chose for her. I think she'll like it. It is a Debbie Mumm fabric with little pumpkins all over it and a cute border of a bunch of squirrels wearing pilgrims hats and holding pumpkins. It is so cute! I'm also using the border part of the fabric for the ties and for the pocket.

Now I need to go and finish finding all the little tuck in gifts to go with it. I'm planning on making her a pumpkin pincushion in addition to a few other things I plan on making for her. I'll post a picture when I get it finished!

Hawaii

I also made a solo trip to Hawaii for 10 days to visit my daughter and son in law. They are expecting their first baby, and although she was visiting us in early May when she shared the news that I’d waited a lifetime to hear… Heather and her hubby Ryan were expecting a baby!!!


I wanted to be able to see my little baby in different stages of her pregnancy. So when I found out she was having a couple of doctor appointments and another ultrasound, that would probably be able to tell them the sex of their baby, I planned my trip around those appointments. I really wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat in addition to finding out whether or not it was a boy or a girl!


So luckily I was able to go to two of her doctor's appointments and the ultrasound appointment in that one trip. She is a little thing so even though she was only 4 months pregnant at the time you definitely could tell she was pregnant. She had a nice little bulge to her belly. Hearing the baby's heartbeat was wonderful! That was one of my sweetest moments I remember from when Brenda was pregnant with Connor also. I mean you know their pregnant, but when you hear that little thump thump thump of their little babies heart, it just makes it so real. I had such a warm feeling come over me when I heard that precious baby's heart beating so little but so strong! I can't wait to welcome Grandbaby #2 into this world and hold it in my arms and love on it. I've got lots and lots of Grandma kisses ready to shower it with.

Then to get to see him on the ultrasound! Yes it's going to be a little BOY. My baby is expecting a baby boy! He looked absolutely perfect, healthy and growing strong. 10 little fingers and 10 little toes! The doctor said everything looked great and there should be no problems at all. This baby is going to be so loved when he gets here! We can't wait to meet him!! He is due sometime in mid January 2011 around the 14th.


I also spent a lot of time at the beach working on my tan. I did manage a little shopping and a little sightseeing too. I also went on my first kayak adventure with Heather. We were able to spend the weekend at her in law's home and took the kayaks almost out their backyard right into the ocean. I had never been in a kayak let alone paddled one. We had a blast though and went to a little secluded beach and had our picnic lunch there. We then looked for seashells and I collected some sea glass also.



They also have recently bought a sailboat and have been working on sprucing it up and making it their own. We took it out for a few hours and sailed around Honolulu. We saw quite a few large sea turtles swimming around and I was on the look out for a dolpin but didn't see any. It was the wrong time of the year to see the whales.





We did a circle island tour again and Heather stopped at a few of her favorite beaches for me to get out and look at. We had a great lunch at a North Shore island favorite restaurant. They had huge hamburgers and some killer cake! Yum Yum!! We stopped at the famous Pipe Line on the North Shore and was able to also go to the beach for awhile where the large sea turtles hang out at. There are "Turtle People" there watching the turtles and making sure that the tourist leave them alone and for the most part let them be. There was a few on shore and the most I had ever seen swimming real close to shore.





I once again had a great trip to Hawaii!!! It's really cool that my daughter lives in paradise and is so close to the beach. I think I could get used to this.... I guess I'll be racking up the frequent flyer miles when I come to babysit!



“Grandmas are the people who take delight in hearing babies breathing into the telephone.”

Connor's 2nd Birthday Party

Right after we got back from our trip to Mexico it was our only grandchild Connor's 2nd birthday. We helped our son and daughter in law throw a large party at the park for him. We held it under a canopy and was able to hang decorations and streamers from the ceiling along with decorating the tables. He had a Sponge Bob themed party as Sponge Bob is one of his favorite characters right now. There was BBQ hot dogs and hamburgers, chips and dips, a couple of different kinds of salads, fresh fruit, soda, water and of course cake, cupcakes and ice cream.



I think there was about 60 or more people that made it that day to the party. In addition to the playground to play on there was of course several other games for the kids to play. They had a pinata with lots of candy in it and then there was treat bags for the kids also.




They kids really enjoyed playing in the little pools full of bubbles. There was wands and other things to use for the bubbles but a few of the littler kids, including Connor, had more fun playing in the pool of bubbles then out of the pool using the bubbles.



Of course there was presents galore! I think little Connor got a whole new wardrobe and many many new toys for him to play with. He got a little tricycle that came with a little storage compartment on the back from his Grammy and Gramps. He couldn't quite pedal it at first but he climbed right up on it and wanted to stay there for a long while. He also got a child's size lawnmower and a shopping cart filled with fruits, vegetables and other products. He also got a big wheel vehicle which when his daddy was a little boy it was one of his favorite things to play with.



The best part of the party was seeing him interact with his little and big cousins and all of the other kids. In addition to David and I, his other grandparents were there too along with 1 great grandpa and 2 great grandmas. Many of his aunts and uncles and other family members were able to attend that day too. There was quite a few of friends of the family in attendance also.



The weather was very nice that day and his party was just perfect. I can't hardly believe he's 2 already!

Where Has The Summer Gone?

I can't believe that summer is over! Where did it go? It seems like this year in particular summer just flew by us. As a child I thought summer didn't last nearly long enough and now as I get older I seem to be having the same feeling about it not lasting long enough.

I thought I'd make a few posts and include a few pictures of what I did over this summer to refresh my memory. That way I can see just exactly what I was able to do over these past few months of summer.

I went to Mazatlan Mexico with my husband for the first week of June. We try to go there every year as we just love vacationing there. The resort that we usually stay at is so nice and relaxing. The people that work there are very accommodating to your every need.

They have some of the most beautiful sunsets that I've ever seen. Each night we would watch it dip into the ocean either from our balcony or from the waterfront restaurant that was just a few steps away.

We spent a lot of time just relaxing by the pool and working on our tans and taking siestas in their hammocks. Nothing taste as good as some delicious nachos and a cold margarita when your just laying around the pool working on that tan!

We did manage to do a little sightseeing though. We went to the downtown historic part of the town on a trolley tour. We saw the cliff divers, the old cathedral and the market place. We toured a jewelry store that does their work on-site. They specialize in diamonds and Mexican fire opals. We also did a little shopping downtown and then went to the newer area of town where most of the clubs and restaurants are. I managed to do a little shopping there also.

You can take me out of the country or anywhere for that matter and I will still be able to find someplace to do one of my favorite activities which is shopping! My friends tell me I'm one of the best shoppers they know. I'm like the Energizer bunny when it comes to shopping. I can go and go and go the distance and last a really long time when shopping is involved!

The Little Things That Light You Up

My daughter just did a post with this title and I thought WOW!! she's really on to something! I thought it was such a great topic I'd follow her lead and do my own version of it and include some of the things she also hit on.

It is so true how the older you get the more the simple things bring joy to your life. Going out to fancy restaurants and expensive places seem to lose their appeal after awhile. You kind of can get tired of having to dress up and make sure your makeup and hair is perfect and all of that kind of stuff. I kind of enjoy a pizza and a movie at home now more than I do going out to the fancy restaurants.

Why do people think that you have to keep up with the Jones every time they replace their new luxury car? A car is just an object that makes getting from point A to point B a little easier and faster. We can't forget all of the little must-have gadgets and appliances. I know I'm guilty of that one as I always think "I need that" every time I'm at the quilt store and I see some new quilting tool or toy.

Let's not forget the guys out there that have to have the newest most up-to-date software programs, flat screen televisions that are even skinnier and bigger than the last one they got, faster computers every time there is an update out and of course all of those tools that they think they have to have to complete even the simplest projects.

All of these things seem to fade from memory quickly with little lasting benefit when you really stop and think about it.

Whether it’s enjoying a cold drink on your patio watching the sunset, a backyard barbeque with family and friends, watching a movie with your honey, enjoying a bowl of ice cream with your grandchildren, catching up with your girlfriend over some coffee, driving through the country looking at the sights or feeding bread to the ducks at the pond. We all just need to think back on the moments that make us smile and realize that we really don’t need all that other stuff. It's just stuff and not the type of thing that memories are made of.

My daughter pointed out that you have 24 hours in a day. Even if you spend 8 of them sleeping and 8 of them working, you’ve still got another 8 left to spare. Find the little things that bring a smile to your face and get out there and do at least one of them daily. If you can’t find the time to do them then it’s time to reorganize your priorities and get your life back on a healthy track. Figure out what’s important to you and cut out all that other stuff.

If we all can’t do the things that make us happy in the life we live, then it’s time to figure out what we need to do in order to make sure we can do these things.

Nothing is worth letting life’s best moments pass you by!

Some Beautiful Flowers

Don't you just love these beautiful Peonies? They are so beautiful. I just love them! It doesn't matter if they are still kind of closed up or when they are all the way open. They are just so gorgeous. I think these are one of my favorite flowers and of course I love the color. They have quite a few shades of pink in them if you look closely.

Flirty Apron Swap

I recently participated in another Flirty Apron Swap. The theme this time was Cupcakes and/or Mary Engelbreit. I know I said I wasn't going to do another apron swap because I already own a zillion but I couldn't help myself! I love aprons and I loved that the theme was cupcakes so I went ahead and signed up again.

Being the procrastinator that I am I waited until the day before the apron had to be made to start it. I work well under pressure! I had already purchased the cupcake fabric that I was going to use but I of course changed my mind as to what type of an apron I was going to make and at the last minute had to run to JoAnn's before they closed to get enough fabric to finish the project and make a ruffle. I always like my aprons to have a ruffle and extra long ties so that if you want you can wrap the ties and tie it into a nice bow in the front. I had already picked up the little extras that I was to include as a gift in addition to the apron so that wasn't a problem.



I decided at the last minute to add the little pink pom-pom trim to the top of the apron and again on the top of the pocket. I thought it just added a little extra to the look of the apron.



Here is all of the goodies I included with my package. I of course had to send one of my all time favorite apron patterns as part of the gift. I included a roll of Mary Englebrite ribbon, some colorful candy or muffin liners, a magnetic note holder that I made and a few other little things.



Here is me modeling the apron. I fell in love with the cute cupcake apron and didn't want to give it up. I always do that. I should just know by now and buy enough fabric to make 2 of them because this has happened the last couple of apron swaps.