Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Well, maybe not Carmen Sandiego ... more like Tracy and Torrey?! Florida. Wahoo! It so seemed like the responsible thing to do since I have to be back to work on Tuesday morning at o'dark thirty.

Actually, it really seemed like a good idea to head out with the chickens this morning ... especially seeing how Torrey had been up all night at a youth group thing at church. She was asleep before we hit the highway this morning ... and then fell asleep while we waited to board the plane and fell asleep again for the entire flight. And, that would be the last sleep her little body saw for the rest of the day. Do I really need to say she was exhausted by the time she got in bed?

I will head home on Monday morning and Torrey will stay with my parents until the following week. She is looking forward to some Grammy and Papoo fun, a visit with Gretchen, swimming with Ben and Carly, and I think she is mostly looking forward to 10 days of tormenting Uncle Steve. He doesn't stand a chance ... she has the reflexes of a cat, you know!

I'm sure there will be lots of pictures of Torrey's adventures to come. And, with that summer will officially be over. Where did it go?!

Hundreds Have Been Wondering ...

Ok, well, perhaps not hundreds. More like two. Which could be why I didn't get back to this. At least that is my excuse.

To tell the back story for what those things became ... I was tooling around on etsy and saw so my cutesy patootsy things ... but the prices ... oh my word! So, I somehow got it in my head that perhaps I could pull some of them off for much cheaper than I could get them on etsy.

That being said, I set off to complete a few projects. I was really happy with the way they came out ... and, then I got out the sewing machine to zig-zag around the applique to make sure it didn't fray in the wash. Let's just say my zig didn't always zag. I will have to practice before I earn a spot on the zig-zag Olympic team!

So, here is what I made ... and for much cheaper than I could have bought on etsy. Which would have been $40. All together now ... Oh My Word!Tada! Evidently someone is turning one soon ... as in the end of this month. And, I don't want to say anything, but these are still in Houston ... and I am in Florida!
Can you guess yet who they are for? Someone who's name begins with an "L" ... and, here's a hint. It is not Laverne. Which is a good thing ... because if I had to zig-zag around a fancy "L", I would have really gone over the edge!
Here's your last hint ... it's for a little pumpkin who is now a Southern Belle ... which means she needed something that is totally Southern. I have one more thing I am going to whip up and then send these off this week ... just in time for a certain someone's birthday!

Kowabunga!

We trekked up to Pinehurst after church today because Paul Andrew was in town and he didn't come alone. He brought along these cuties ...
Lane (age 8)

Brendan (age 6)

Andrew (age 3)

Brendan instantly became Dean's favorite when he announced "Uncle Dean tells the funniest jokes." Oh, Brendan, you don't know what you've done!

We had a nice time visiting. The kiddos spent almost the entire time in the pool ... they didn't even come out to eat! All of the kids enjoyed sharing with us their swimming and jumping in skills.

When Andrew jumped, he would yell "Kowabunga!". The first time he did it, he made me a little nervous ... but, he soon proved to have mad swimming skills.
Lanie was a bit more tentative and graceful. She just took a step off the bridge and went into the water.
Dean enjoyed swimming with the kids ... although, it must be told that he is holding a squirt gun, so maybe I should say he enjoyed squirting the kids!
Torrey and Andrew became instant buds. He floated around the pool with her for quite awhile. Actually, Torrey was getting him closer to his targets ... along with his swimming skills he has a pretty good aim! Torrey has said repeatedly tonight how cute Andrew is ... I must agree.
Torrey and her "posse" ... on the way to get their next target. There was no staying dry around them ... everyone was fair game. It didn't matter if you weren't wearing a bathing suit!
And, the biggest kid of all? Paul. Linda claims to get the squirt guns for the kids. I am not fooled.

And, if one picture sums up the day, this is it. Almost makes you want to give it a try ... maybe I would if I were a little younger! Kowabunga!

Can You Guess?

Can you guess what I did with these two items? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

Peachy Keen

Tonight, I fully planned to begin the official grieving period for summer. Because, I only have one week left. One week. And, I totally wasted this week. Wasted. With a capital W.

But, next week is just that, next week. And, it is a new week. However, it is also a full week. As in full of workshops, eye doctor appointments and hair appointments. Oh, and a last trip to Florida over the weekend ... Torrey will be spending 10 days with the grandparentals.

So, I sat down to blog and to write what was sure to be a post about feeling sorry for myself ... yada yada yada. And, then I brewed myself a cup of this ...Green Mountain's summer special edition ... The Perfect Peach. And, it truly is just that ... PERFECT! It is yummy. It is delicious. Right up there with Wild Mountain Blueberry. Or, even, dare I say, Spiced Pumpkin? And, smiles to Mom and Jen ... I will share with you when I come next weekend.

Which reminds me ... Jen, I'm sure Caroline forgot to tell you, but she promised to bring me back something from your trip to Alaska. She said something about a towel buddy. I told her what I really wanted was a diamond necklace. And, she agreed ... we are swapping ... one webkinz for a diamond necklace. Seemed fair to the both of us ... especially me!

And, because summer is really almost over ... Torrey and I are working to finish her summer reading. We are reading this ...
we started it together. It has some grown up themes (I read it in 10th grade ... she is going in 8th ... she really loves to tell people that!), and some grown up words. We are working really hard to read it so that we can watch the movie before we leave to go to Florida. Yes ... the movie.

And, after we watch the movie we will drink us some peach coffee and read the cliff notes.

Keep on Praying

Tonight my heart is full as I think of kiddos that I know and love who are at a crossroads with their health. My heart is full, too, for stranger kiddos here and here who I will never know but am praying tonight live a full and God pleasing life.

Tonight, Gracyn is back at Shand's fighting a virus. Please pray that it is only a virus. This little girl prayed that God would be glorified with her life ... the road certainly has been twisty and turny, but God certainly has been glorified.

And, then tonight I got a message from a friend in Orlando. Her son, S. is having an MRI tomorrow. When S. was born (as one of 3 itty bitty triplets) he contracted an infection that went to his brain. He had 8 abscesses in his brain, one the size of a golfball. He was not expected to live ... but, God has bigger plans for him.

And, if you think this sweet boy doesn't know that God holds him in His hands, please think again ... he stood in front of my Kindergarten class on his first day and not only shared his story with his new friends, but also gave the gospel message. His idol is Billy Graham. Oh, yes, God has big plans for him.

And, just to make you giggle ... I taught S. in Kindergarten, his brother L. in 1st (oh yes, we all "promoted" together ... although it felt like a demotion to me!) and then moved back to Kindergarten and picked up the littlest brother, B. Heading into 1st grade, L. crowed over and over again how he got me. Finally, S. could take it no more and said, "We all know you got her. But, she loved me first."

Yes, indeedy. And loving him didn't stop with the end of that sweet Kindergarten year. So, tonight I find my heart a thousand miles away, praying for a boy. Praying that his brain will be fine. Praying for peace and comfort for a family I adore. Praying that in the midst of the noise of the machinery he will "be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

Because It's Been Awhile

So, what have we been up to? NOTHING! Ah, the glory days of summer! Torrey just asked if we were doing anything special tomorrow ... and was thrilled when I said, "No." We spend a lot of time away from our house during the school year ... which is hard for homebodies ... so we enjoy us some good ole' home staying during the summer.

But, that's not to say we haven't been doing a lot of this ...swimming in Linda & Paul's pool. Which lead to my worst sunburn of the year. Sunscreen is a good thing. Forgetting sunscreen is not.

We are heading back to Linda & Paul's on Sunday to swim and see these cuties ...
or should I say cutie? Paul Andrew is coming to town with the kids. I am sure I will be terribly saddened when I see how big they are ... which is a sure sign I am getting old. Sigh.
I have also been drinking a lot of this ... which is probably why I am suffering from a case of insomnia lately. I heart my keurig machine. So much I have talked many other people into getting one. You are welcome Mom & Dad (and Jen who drinks more than her share of coffee when she is at their house). And Ronnie & Debby. And Linda & Paul. Let me see ... anyone else?

However, I can't take credit for the discovery of the keurig machine. In the summer of 2006, Robin told me about the keurig while we were at the beach house. I kept asking her about it. And asking her about it. And, still I was surprised when I arrived in Houston in July and Dean had ordered me my very own keurig machine. Sweet.

I think he was hoping to stop a mental breakdown from the move from Florida before it happened. A keurig can cure most anything ... but, ya'll, the move was hard ... it really isn't a miracle machine!
And, finally, the duck problem. I am afraid to type this, but I think our last duck has flown away from our house. I really didn't think those BB's hurt ... until Dean showed me the watering can. Nice work, hon. For the record, there are several holes in the watering can ... Dean used it for target practice. He still enjoys shooting off the gun ... much to the annoyance of our neighbors.

And, now you know when I say we have been up to nothing, I mean it. Happy Wednesday! Wait ... I forgot this is supposed to be "Wordless Wednesday". Dern.