An update: life, stitching and a milestone birthday

Well, the boys have offically moved on from their respective school's track & field back to hockey full-time. Last weekend was tryouts for the 2012-13 AAA year already - and I am very proud of my boys as each made the team that they were trying out for. My older son will be on the San Jose Jr. Sharks 16AAA team...and Matthew, my younger son, will be on the 13AAA team...and both will have the same coaches they had last year, so it is kind of a continuation of last year. However, both boys lost a few very good teammates and picked up some new ones. We are sad that we lost some good families and hope that we will continue to keep in contact.

Aside from tryouts, the boys have started their summer hockey camp which meets 4 times a week in the evenings (both boys are still in school for another 2 weeks) and will go on for 6 weeks. It definitely is a major committment for all involved as the drive down to San Jose from where we live is about 40-45 minutes...one way :) Anyway, I have found the time down at the rink perfect for stitching and have picked up Family Sampler and put some X's in it. It has been a long time since I posted a photo...so without further ado, here is the status of my Family Sampler:

I do apologize for the wrinkles and hoop imprints. I wanted to get photos posted this morning and it was just too darn early to get out the iron (it is only 4:45am). Since the last posting I have finished up the family...from left to right: one of my sons, Me, dog Bruno, cat Chester, DH and other son. Since the boys, who are three years apart, are the same height as of right now I decided to make them the same. I also didn't want to decide which child was standing with which parent. This way, I thought I could enjoy looking at it after it was totally finished and framed and feel like both were standing with me or both were standing with my DH. Just a shame that there is a tree right between DH and I ;)

Here is the section a little closer. I have another basket of flowers to finish on the left hand side...then all that is really left is to stitch our last name in that empty section under the family. It's looking like I just might finish this in the next month...or so! At least I will finish it soon!

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HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!

13 years ago @ 6:30am - Matthew entered into my life.

I was all set up to be induced on Tuesday, May 25;

 however I guess Matthew felt that Monday, May 24th.

My DH drove me to the hospital at 4am that Monday morning, as my contractions were coming fast and furious. Within a couple of hours he was looking up at me almost right into me and smiling.

Matthew sitting on the hockey bench; he was a 1st year PeeWee AA and played for the Santa Clara Blackhawks

It is fun watching Matthew grow and mature,

to witness the differences and similarities between him and his older brother.

I enjoy his stories...our conversations...his take on life.

Me, Robert (my oldest-16 year old) and Matthew (my now 13 year old)

Matthew...I am so proud of you!

You are a caring and loving son;

A great role model at school and on your hockey team.

 You are becoming a wonderful young man!

I love you!

Happy 13th Birthday!

Well, that will do it for you today. Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful Thursday! Remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

Remember me?

I know, it has been a very long time since my last post. The last month and a half have been very busy (more than usual). So I am going to try and update you...

As per my last posting, I lost my grandmother on April 4th so my boys and I travelled to St. Louis, Missouri the following weekend for the funeral. It really was a bitter-sweet weekend...probably more sweet than bitter though. It was so good to get together with my immediate family as well as uncles, aunts and cousins.

Left-to-Right: Matthew my (son), Debbie (my sister), ME, Jamie (my sister), Diane (my mother), Robert (my son)...and the front 2 cuties - Lizzie and Sammie who are Jamie's

My boys with my parents (their grandparents)

My mom and I



My sisters and I...by the way, I am the oldest :)
From Left to Right: Debbie is the middle child, Me the oldest and Jamie the youngest

Mom and her 3 daughters

The memorial service was basically scripted by Grandma before she past away. Each one of us were required to read a specific poem or reading. Mine was Hector the Collector a poem by Shel Silverstein that talked about a little boy who collected everything. He loved old and broken things that no one else would give a second look. While many people would call these things Junk, they were a Treasure to Hector. Like Hector, Grandma loved "things" - antiquing was one of her favorite things to do. She has so many collections of "things" in her house - her treasures.

The weekend went very well and, as mentioned by Robert who attended Grandpa's funeral, it just didn't seem as sad as Grandpa's. And I really agreed with him. While I am sad to have lost my grandmother, there was some peace and comfort know that my grandparents were reunited April 14 in Heaven; and that she didn't have to live in the state that the stroke left her in on Feb. 7. Being unable to speak clearly or at all just wasn't for grandma, so I am glad that she didn't have to endure that too long.

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After returning home from the funeral weekend, it was time to really bear down and plan for the up coming Mother's Day for our 2 stores. Mother's Day business is just as crazy as Valentine's Day for us. And with Mexican Mother's Day on May 10 - Mother's Day business seem to last 6 days. I probably got about 8 hours of sleep in a 5-6 day period. Between early and long hours in the store(s) I also had a couple of overnight/graveyard shifts where I dipped strawberries and apples in chocolate for Chocolate covered Strawberry boxes and arrangments. Things that we don't ask our employees to do.

But now with Mother's Day behind us and having a couple of days to recoup, I am feeling a little more like myself. We are still somewhat short handed in our main store and I am having to fill in on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as well as closing on Wednesday evenings. Hopefully when our college kids change schedules or get out of school for the summer they can pick up some of these house and DH & I can rotate presence in the store...giving each of us time away from the store. The life of business owners...

I have found a few minutes here and there to put in some X's in Family Sampler, which I will try and get a status photo up soon!

Hope all is going well with you all. I am so sorry that I have been absent and I thank those of you who haven't left :)

Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa