JULY IS OVER!!

Where is the summer going so fast?  We ended the month of July by taking two of our granddaughters (8 and 10 years old--daughters of Son #2) to the beach for a few days.  We had a wonderful time, lots of laughs, some fun at the beach, swimming pool time, and great visiting!  Those two girls were so polite and well-behaved that it made our trip all that more enjoyable.

The girls wanted me to paint a picture of them like I did when we took two of the girls to the beach three years ago.  I like this shot below for the colors, the waves and the sky.  They made sure I took a bunch of pictures to use as a guide for my painting. 

The girls also enjoyed early morning walks on the beach where they gathered sea shells and sand crabs (Eew!) so they could examine their pinchers and blue eyes and then let them go again.

On the way home from the beach we stopped off to visit Son #1 and family, and then went on to visit Son #4 and family.  The cousins all had a grand time seeing each other.

And now we move into August--ALREADY!

A GIFT

When I was all caught up in the activities surrounding Mother's illness and death my husband said, "When this is all over I will take you off to the beach." Well, true to his word, on Thursday he told me to pack my bag for a few days' trip. He was taking me to the beach. He had made all the arrangements and we were off! We had reservations at the Lighthouse Inn--a favorite place where they have lots of big white rocking chairs, beautiful flowers, rooms with balconies practically over the water, and several wonderful seafood restaurants within walking distance. We had three lovely days in this special place and the weather was beautiful each day.

We sat in the large white rockers on our third-floor balcony and watched boats come and go, listened to the water lapping on the boat dock nearby, saw the huge pelicans swoop in for a landing on the water below our room, and gazed up at the filmy white clouds in the unbelievably blue sky (wondering just how one might paint such a cloud).

I took pictures of the hibiscus, the waning full moon rising over the water, the glorious sunrise, and a few pictures in a lovely art gallery in town--just for inspiration.

We had a great evening with Son #1 and wife--although grandchildren #1 and #2 had other "pressing activities" that evening. The next day, on the way home we stopped by to see Son #4 and family briefly at a soccer celebration for their last game of the season. I remember those days with our own boys!! Miss Ella Bella and brother were enjoying the activities at the pizza place and we had a great time watching them play.

Many, many thanks to my sweet husband for the brief respite in such a beautiful place!

TRAVELING & FAMILY

We have had family visiting, we went on a short trip and we went to help our youngest grandson celebrate his 1st birthday. Now I seem to be having trouble getting back into the routine around here.

I thought I might share some pictures of the grandchildren and our travels with you. First our daughter-in-law, Kara, brought her three girls for the weekend and we had a great time for a couple of days. We gave them a bit of introduction to the heat before she headed farther south in Texas. Here I am with the three girls:

The girls also had a nice visit with Great-Gram.

And I had time to read a story or two.

After the girls from the Panhandle left, my husband and I packed up and went to South Padre Island for several days so he could attend a conference and I could wander on the beach and watch the waves from our marvelous room overlooking the water.

I LOVED getting up each morning and walking on the beach while I watched the sunrise. It was beautiful and serene with only a few other people walking along at the same time. It was wonderful to let the water lap over my feet as I walked.

We went on a Dolphin Watch/Ecology ride one afternoon and it was most interesting as one of the crew showed us some of the many creatures from the bay and told us how they live, what they eat and even showed us a couple that were dangerous. My favorites were the starfish. I don't think I have ever been that close to a starfish!

We came home from the beach, dumped the sand out of our suitcases and drove to Son #4's home to help celebrate our #2 grandson's FIRST birthday. He found that the balloons were fun to play with as Son #2 looks on.

Son #2 and Son #4 visited in the shade while the cousins enjoyed some pool time. I believe the thermometer behind Son #2 was registering 104 in the shade!!

And then it was time for cake. The individual cake for the birthday boy was a small fire truck and the rest of the guests got cupcakes with dog prints, fire hoses or fire ladders on top.

The guests and cousins helped test out the new toys as they were unwrapped.

Finally, before everyone headed home that evening, Miss Ella Bella insisted that she and her cousins take a ride in her little pink jeep. It was a wild ride with Miss Ella Bella at the wheel, but Little One was having a wonderful time--watch out for the tree!!

What a wild and wonderful clan we have!

FRUGAL FRIDAY

We just spent two days at a conference at the beach. Whee! I love the beach and took sunrise walks on the edge of the water both days. We had a wonderful balcony overlooking the beach and I sat out there in the afternoons and into the night. It was wonderful--especially since they fed us and kept us entertained much of the time. Our cost was minimal considering the wonderful time that we had--a great way to have a mini-vacation!

The only problem was that the hotel wireless system was down most of the time I was there so my clunky old computer did not work at all. Their business office had two computers and only one worked and did not get the Internet except on a sporadic basis. I have decided that I really need to buy a new laptop that is portable (that is, weighs less than the 20 pounds mine seems to weigh when carrying it through the airport!) and is capable of picking up wireless signals in areas where the hotel is not cooperating. It was comical to see many businessmen at the hotel sitting out in the grass with their computers turned on, or in the lobby or front sidewalk of the hotel in the heat, trying to pick up signals. Of course, my battery does not hold a charge anymore so I would need a LONG orange cord to go outside with my computer to see if I could pick up a signal.

Being a frugal person, I have been considering my purchase of a new laptop for quite some time. I only plan to use it when I travel, so I want it to be truly portable, but adequate for acquiring e-mail and adding to my blog while I am gone from home. I would also like to look at pictures I have taken while traveling. Any suggestions would be mighty welcome!

Pictures will come later--I promise!

HOME AGAIN

It feels like I have been gone from home a month. First, I went to New Mexico and had a great time there with my brother and sister-in-law as she regains strength following her kidney transplant. The time flew by and I was back home again for a few days before we left again to go to South Texas for a school dedication.

Our good friend is a superintendent for a wonderful school district and the school dedication was lovely. The highlight for me was the kilted bagpipe player who stood out there against the clear blue sky and piped the most beautiful songs before, during and after the ceremony. We also had a nice visit with our friends while there and a brief time to walk along the beach, get some sun and pick up a few shells. Ahhh! That felt good.

We briefly saw both of our sons and caught up with Miss Ella Bella and Grandson #2, but missed seeing the other members of the families due to our crazy schedules. What a shame! Now we are home again and I have a mountain of laundry to do and preparations for visitors to arrive Sunday. Never a dull moment around here!

A Great Family Gathering!

Over the weekend about 25 of our family members gathered at the beach for Little One's first birthday celebration! Everyone had a marvelous time, the weather was fabulous, and the time together was way too short. Here are a few pictures of the fun and festivities.

Little One enjoying her first birthday cupcake--to the fullest!

My sister's granddaughter also enjoyed her cupcake!

Little One grinning at her cousin as they check one another out. El is not too sure...

Mom and Soph help Little One with lots of presents. Son #2 and Son #1 and "friend" and Hubby with "friend."

Sister-in-law with her son visit with Kara, her parents and two of her children.More cousins, posing and playing with each other.

What fun we had!