~Turning Eight~

 

 My sweet granddaughter, Ella, turned eight yesterday. She's in the third grade. Her daddy commented last nite on FB that he couldn't believe it. And that he felt SO old. My comment back to him: "You think YOU feel old? I remember just yesterday that YOU were eight!".

She lives in the world of princesses. Of soccer games. Of best friends. She loves her siblings...although sometimes it may be hard to believe. She loves  swimming...the ocean....her parents. She loves art, and sleepovers, and soccer. When  asked what she wanted this year for her birthday, she said she is saving money for an ipod touch. sigh. I'm hoping she won't outgrow the princesses and Barbie dolls anytime soon.

And so, we celebrate sweet Ella. All girly-girl, all sweet and innocent. My dear dear Ella....may you stay this way for a very long time~

I love you.

Grandma xoxoxoxox

~Wednesday Blessings~

So many blessings....so much to be thankful for. These are my latest ones:

~a visit from my friend, Susie, from Arizona. We met at Browning Elementary School long ago. Susie taught 6th grade....I taught 3rd. We've been friends now for over 40 years. I love her dearly~

~looking forward to a day with my sweet cousin, Diane. There are never enough hours in the day for all we talk about: family, jobs, spirituality, religion.......never enough time...but her visits always makes me look SO forward to the next one~

~walking with Rosie again. Those walks stopped when they were unsure whether my aneurysm could rupture. I was afraid. Not anymore~

~one more "Play Date" with my sister and Poppy before she starts teaching again. sigh. There will still be dinners....but oh how I'll miss the 'girl talk' with her...the giggling, the silliness.....the memories of  Mom and Dad....and Dan...that make us smile....and remember~

~cooler temperatures and less need for watering the perennials. YAY~

~adding even more days in the studio with help from Katie and Fannie,  as the orders have started mounting more quickly this year even before Fall sets in~

~feeling SO blessed. Thank you, God!

Those are my blessings this Wednesday. What are yours???

Shifting Gears~

I had been ‘shifting’ through life in the same gear for a long time. Ten years to be exact. Those ‘shift’ of gears revolved around my Mom. I was shifting in the same gear day-after-day, year-after-year. It was comfortable. But now I find I can’t rely on that same gear any longer. The landscape flew by way too quickly during those years. The busyness of my business, raising my sons, and caring for mom took all my time.The gear was 'stuck'.

Shifting gears in my life these days has been difficult. Mom’s death was a HUGE bump in the road for me. The days that no longer involve that mid-day visit to go see her is causing sadness and much ‘guilt’ as I’m realizing that in addition to missing it….I’m easily filling those time slots with  other ‘things’. Not that those ‘things’ are bad. I can more easily fit in work time and even some casual ‘friend’ time into my days that I couldn’t…or didn’t….fit into them before.  I can easily fit in exercise time, and even READING time….. on the deck, curled up in my cushy floral chair,  or in the hammock with Rosie. Shifting gears may not be so bad after all. Would I like to ‘shift’ back into the old gears with my Mom? Absolutely. But I no longer have that choice. So….shifting forward…and at times slower….is a good thing!

Wishing you a beautiful Monday of  “shifting gears”, and slowing down along the way to admire the landscape~ 

Carol and Rosie xoxoxo

~August Blessings~

Each year, August brings so many blessings to my life...

~Sweet grandchildren who are "Instant Sunshine".....always~

~Hearing from 'old' friends again (debbie s.....love you!)

~Tanned toes.

~Flip-flops.

~Freshly squeezed lemonade.

~Iced coffee.

~LOTS of zucchini: breads, fritters, casseroles....yum!

~Sweet corn and juicy tomatoes straight from Katie's garden.

~Perennial gardens filled with beautiful blossoms, in spite of this summer's dry heat! Watering morning and nite soothes the soul and lets the mind wander to long-ago childhood memories.

~Missing Mom, but finally at peace with knowing she is in a better place....waiting for us.

~Having time to entertain again....and spending hot summer days with friends.

~Afternoon puppy 'Play Dates' with Rosie, my sister and Poppy. LOVE them...xoxxoxoox~

~Icy cold, seedless watermelon.

~Time in the hammock with Rosie and my stack of summer books

~Fields of sunflowers blooming all over the midwest echoing God's great Glory~

~Just 'being here'....healthy, happy, blessed.

Have a glorious August Day wherever you are in the world......Carol and Rosie~