Meet the Family

This week I've been working on the family band of LHN's Family Sampler.  It's been fun choosing the colors for the eyes, hair, and clothing.  I see now that I didn't stitch in DH's mustache...I'll have to fix that.  Sorry the picture quality isn't great....I've been taking pictures of it on the stitching stand.  I'm really enjoying this piece and look forward to finishing it.  I've got a way to go, though.

Speaking of families, our bird couple's eggs have hatched.  For a while we only saw 3 babies but yesterday I saw the fourth...so all their eggs have hatched.  Mama and Papa bird have been very busy tending their babies.  It's fun to watch.

I hope everyone in the US has a happy July 4th!

Friday already?

I'm not sure how but I seem to be keeping pretty busy this summer.

I finished and mailed the model and it's been received.  Sending a model out is almsot like dropping a child off at college...by then you've done all you can but your sort of hold your breath.  I'm always a little afraid the PO will lose the package but so far, so good.

My walking buddy is on vacation...so getting myself going (and walking the full distance) has been a struggle, especially because it's been so hot.  So far, so good on that too.  The ipod helps...a little.

I'm back to personal stitching.  I finished a little DMC freebie called Island Stamp.  It had numbers in the corner...like would be on a stamp but I left them out.  I'm thinking of someday finishing it into a little pillow to display in a basket (with other future beach themed little pillows.)

I also started a beach themed wedding piece for a neice who had a beach wedding.  I like the design but am not enjoying stitching it.  I think rather than stitching on it constantly, I'll put it in rotation.

I also put in some more stitches on LHN Family Sampler.  It's not a great pic because I was too lazy to take it off the scroll rods but you get the idea.

On the very day of our anniversary, I was looking at Jill Rensel's blog and found a sampler I just have to stitch....A Sweeter Love by Plum Street Samplers.  It's on its way to me as we speak.  Now to decide if I want to stitch it in silks or DMC conversion.  (I'm leaning towards silks.)

I really have to stop looking at stitching blogs.  I'm so week against the enabling.  lol!

On the reading front....I'm on the second book of The Hunger Games trilogy and really enjoying it.  I should make some time to find an online discussion groups about this series.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Wedding photo

I mentioned our wedding anniversary in a previous post so I thought I'd post a pic from our wedding day in 1978.

Contest on another blog

Linda Lee is having a contest on her blog.  You can read all about it here:

http://lindalees-crossnmystitches.blogspot.com/2012/06/another-flower-and-heads-up.html

Lazy Days of Summer?

Not exactly!  lol!  DH has been on 2 business trips in the last 2 weeks, one DS is taking summer school at UT, and another is taking dual credit (HS and college) courses at the community college. 

I'm still walking every weekday morning...up to 4 1/2 miles now.  Sometimes I even run for little parts with the emphasis on little.  I hate the heat and humidity!  It must be paying off, though.  I had my annual exam with the doc yesterday and my bp is lower than I can ever remember it being.  I feel great too.  Yay!  The doc was happy and I was too.  I had to remind myself that when I trudged out this am b/c my walking buddy couldn't make it.  Did I mention it's hot and humid?

I've been stitching but can't show anything.  I'm finishing up a model and another piece for a gift.  It's nice to be on the "home stretch" for 2 projects.  Hopefully I'll at least have a progress pic of something else next week.

We've enjoyed watching a couple of birds building a nest right outside our back door.  I'm no expert on bird ID but I've been looking online and think they're a couple of barn swallows.  Last night we climbed a ladder and, with a mirror, looked into the nest to find that mama had indeed laid her eggs.  Then I carefully angled my phone to take the picture below.  I look forward to the babies hatching.  I keep a feeder full of seeds year round and enjoy watching the birds.

This Sunday we celebrate both Father's Day and our wedding anniversary.  Occasions such as this remind us how blessed we are to have those special people in our lives.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

(Did I mention it's hot and humid?)

Contest on another blog

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler is having another great drawing on her blog.  You can read more about it here:

http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/2012/06/its-time-for-another-grand-give-away.html?showComment=1339444405487#c1211045567362139885

The Eagle has landed

We celebrated DS's Eagle Court of Honor last Sunday.  Our adult "children" and my parents flew in for the weekend.  It went very well and we enjoyed it very much.

For anyone who isn't familiar with Boy Scouts, earning the rank of Eagle is a big deal.  It's not something that's just handed to them and only a small percentage of boys who spend time in Boy Scouts ever attain it.  It involves earning lots of badges, lots of camping, service hours, their Eagle project, etc.  It's also that looks very good on a resume in the years to come.  We're so very proud of him!

A friend of mine baked/decorated his cake.  I meant to pay her for it but she wouldn't have it.  I'll have to think of some other way to repay her.  She did a fantastic job and many of us decided that she raised the bar on Eagle ceremony cakes.

Here he is taking his Eagle oath surrounded by the other Eagle Scouts who were present  I love this tradition! The redhead is another or our sons.:

Another tradition, at least in his troop, is for people in the audience to "roast" the new Eagle.  Our 3 other kids really enjoyed this part.

What touched me most....the new Eagle Scout can choose and adult mentor, usually someone outside the family.  T chose his dad who's gone through the Scouting program all the way with him.

It was a wonderful ceremony and we had a great time visiting with our family who came to visit.

I'm still fighting with the school about their stupid attendance mistakes and apparent disinterest in fixing them.  The principal canceled our meeting.  His secretary said he considers the matter "resolved".  I don't think so!!!!  And neither does the school board member I met with the other day.  I've heard indications by some on staff that the principal is "over his head" as far as his qualifications for his job.  I'm beginning to think the same.  :-(

I haven't picked up a needle in about a week...a situation I'm hoping to rectify tonight if I don't fall asleep on the couch.  (I waited up for my Eagle to come home from a midnight movie premiere and then had trouble falling asleep when I WAS able to go to bed.)

Everyone have a great week!