Monday...again...already?

Yikes, it was just Wednesday, the day of my last post when I was going to finish the Family Sampler DMC #420 border. Oh, well...that didn't happen because DH was kind enough to take Robert down to practice and I got to stay home where I got an opportunity to do a little spin on my bike and nap the rest of the evening until he got home :)

The rest of the weekend, starting with Friday because that is my day off from my job, seems to be a blur filled with a nice long run of 14.8 miles on Friday morning, working up at Store #2 on Saturday, and a long Sunday. Sunday started out with a 4:15am wake up call that I had to meet (lately my 4:15am exercise "wake up" alarms get shut off) because Matthew had to get up & eat breakfast before DH took him to his 6:30am hockey practice. Once they left, I plopped on the couch and watched the 9/11 Memorial services until 7:15am, when I left for Store #1 to help our employee make 13 arrangements for the driver to get out the door by 11am. Once the store's kitchen was cleaned up, I said "good-bye" to our employee who was scheduled to close the store that evening and drove down to the hockey rink for Robert's game (yes, while I was working in the store, DH had come home with Matthew from his practice and then got Robert, who had an afternoon game down at the rink). After the game, I made a quick run to the grocery store before coming home and grilling some burgers and hot links for the kids...DH and I snacked ourselves silly and didn't have much room for dinner. Crazy weekend, huh?

However, among all the running around and craziness, I do have time for R&R...time to hang out with my boys and the dog...

Matthew and Bruno

Let me tell you a little story about Bruno. Above you see Matthew and Bruno in our little backyard, enjoying a nice petting session in the grass. However, Bruno, until recently, was not allowed to run freely in our backyard. We have a little indoor-outdoor on the side of our house where Bruno "lived". This has been the set up since we moved to California 8 years ago...when Bruno was in his "teenage" years and loved to chew and destroy everything: trees, walls, fences, flowers, lawn chairs, etc. However, due to some young kids across the street who loved to come over and knock on his gate (more of a pounding, along with some ear piercing screaming), Bruno was feeling vulnerable and started jumping over the gate that separated him from the backyard. Long-story-short...after several weeks of his jumping over the game, while trying to set up ways to stop him, we finally gave up and opened the gate for him to have roaming rights to the backyard. He still finds comfort and shelter in his indoor/outdoor area, but we always know when the kids are outside playing for he is curled up on the patio near the backyard door.

I don't think that they or their babysitters did anything to harm Bruno, I just think that the high pitched kid yelling as well as their little motorized cars finally got the best of him and he needed to get away...far away from them. So now, in the back yard he finds comfort when they are out. And we are all enjoying the ability to go out in the back yard and sit & pet him.

Well, it is that time when I need to sign off and get the day started. Hope all is well with you! Until next time...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

So, here we are - the weekend

The weekend officially started for me yesterday as I took off my normal "Friday-day-off"...from work that is, for I used it to catch up on my house work. And boy did it need it - for I really didn't get everything done. But I did focus on the main parts - bathrooms, kitchen and dusting/straightening up the boys' rooms (lots of dust bunnies hanging out and multiplying on their trophy shelves...and they weren't playing hockey...lol).

This morning Robert's team practice has been made into an exhibition game versus the Chinese National Hockey Team who has been in town for several weeks. The Sharks Club has some sort of relationship with this team and has invited them here for a while. I don't know a whole lot about this team, but looking forward to watching the game...well, I will try to watch the game as I will also be attending the club's Hockey Council Meeting (aka board meeting).

Well, today is Sept. 11 and as many of you, thoughts will turn to the tragedy that happened 9 years ago today.

Take care my friends and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Monday Morning...need to recoup from the weekend

Well I am up and going on this (dark...sun isn't even up yet) Monday morning. It is funny how we all use to look forward to the weekends to rest, recoup and maybe even get some things done around the house. The weekends were a time to "take it easy" and rest up for the work/school week - to rejuvenate our energy in preparation for the next week. However, now a days it is just 2 more days in the week, were we need to run the kids from one activity to the next, to make sure that they get their weekend homework done before Monday. I feel that we run around more on the weekend and almost use some of the week days to rest up. Oh, well. No use in complaining - for that is the lifestyle that we have chose - keeps us all going!

The majority of the weekend was hockey for the boys. Robert (older son) had early morning practices on Saturday and Sunday; which DH takes care of - I only choose to wake up when they do and make sure that Robert has a healthy breakfast, his water bottle and recovery food for after practice (typically banana, applesauce and some kind of granola bar or, this weekend: homemade banana bread). While they are at practice I typically get my exercise out of the way, while doing my Facebook stuff and/or reading & comment on blogs. On both. Saturday and Sunday afternoon, Matthew (younger son)'s hockey team had preseason games. They won both. The preseason games help determine whether a team will be going "A" (a 2nd year team in that particular age group and typically one that plays pretty well) or "B" (typically a 1st year team in that particular age group and is still developing).

Over the weekend I was able to work on the CindyMae Designs models (got one of the ornaments stitched). So, now I will put that down today and work on the Carolyn's Friendship RR in order to get the RRs I have here in the mail as soon as possible.

Well...that is all for now. I wish you all a happy Monday.
Take care and remember...Live, Laugh, Love and Stitch Often! Lisa

Sunday...Sunday...

Last day of the weekend and we find ourselves with the typical Sunday Routine for our household...early morning hockey practice, followed by a mid-morning hockey practice...followed by last minute homework and then the afternoon nap before prepping for the upcoming week.

Yesterday, we woke up to a rarity in these parts of California - a thunderstorm. And it was one with a huge display of lightning.While Robert (old son) was eating breakfast in preparation for a Saturday hockey practice, I was at the kitchen table getting ready to put my finishing touches on the CindyMae models I finished. I just got out my sewing machine and arranged all the fabric...when out of the sky came a bolt of lightning and it struck the satellite dish across the street. Around the corner from our development there is a army base which has a satellite station on the hill across from our house. There are three satellite dishes, and the one that was pointing up must have attracted that huge bolt of lightning because it came right down and hit that dish, spraying sparks all over. Thank goodness that the ground was a little wet because it probably would have caused a little fire (as the grassy area that station is located is very brown & normally dry). The small storm stayed around for a little, only dropping a few sprinkles. 

When Robert and DH got back from the rink, we drove down to our local farmers market (the storm was done by 9am). This time of the year at the market is so beautiful, with all the colors of the peppers (green, red, orange, yellow, and combination) and the tomatoes, too. We purchased some fresh tomatoes (eating the cherry tomatoes while we walked up and down the street), green beans, English Peas (which the boys love to open and eat raw)and a loaf of fresh French Bread (also to munch on while walking). The farmers market can be like a huge buffet of fresh foods, because by the time you walk up and down the street, visiting all the booths, you can leave full. 

The rest of Saturday - we didn't do a thing. Robert worked on some of his homework and Matthew read. DH napped and I stitched. I finished up the "finishing touches" to the CindyMae models, which I photographed and emailed to her. And then I sat down to work on "Trick or Treat"...which I will post a photo of my progress later.

Hope the weekend is going well for you! Until later...remember to live, love, laugh and stitch often! 

Lisa

Father's Day - a tribute to all the men in my life!

Happy Summer...Happy Father's Day....Happy "me" day?

Father's day in our household is all about the father - but the father goes to take the boys to their hockey scrimmages/practices on Sundays - so I have the house to my self (Ya-hoo...I am just luv'n these Sundays!). However, because we knew the weekend schedule we did do a Father's Day family meal yesterday - drove to the local farmer's market again and purchased some fresh green beans, corn on the cob, beefsteak tomatoes and fresh French Bread. Once home, I threw some chicken breasts and fresh Halibut on the grill, steamed the beans & corn, sliced the bread and tomatoes. And we all sat down for a family "gratitude" meal. (side story: after the 911 incident, we started having a special meal where we all would sit down together and say what we were thankful for and then enjoy the food together. We enjoyed this meal every Friday or Saturday night for several years, but due to work/school/hockey it becomes hard to make time for - so when we do have these meals that truely are special and something to be thankful for)....the photo above is dated back to May 24, 1999.

After lunch was over and the kitchen cleaned up, we went to see the movie UP. It was very good - funny, tear-jearking, sweet movie. I did cry several times...the old man in the movie reminded me of my grandfather who past away on Christmas Eve 2008 and the love the he and my grandmother have/had (she is still with us and is as spunky as ever). It also made tears come to my eyes because I feel that this is the love that my DH and I have...and as I looked over at my 2 wonderful sons (age 13 and 10), who are growing up way to fast, I gave a little "thanks" for being blessed with a wonderful husband...who is a wonderful father...I feel truely blessed that I can share this life with my best friend and soul mate.

Anyway...enough of that sappy stuff...we had a nice Father's Day Saturday; but the celebrating continued this morning. With the first hockey time scheduled at 8:15, we were all up early and treated to a cinnammon roll breakfast and Father's Day presents. DH received a book (from his in-laws), a new sweatshirt with Minneosta Wild logo (not pictured, but on him right now while at hockey rink) and a wonderful picture Matthew painted for him the last week of school. They all left here around 7am this morning and I am here, enjoying the quiet house...getting my exercising in...updating my blog and will probably get around to doing some of the house hold things before they get back home at 2pm.

However, before I leave end the Father's Day post...I just wanted to say Happy Father's Day to all the other men in my life:

To my father...to Grandpa Dolginow,
Happy Father's Day to a man who taught me so much, but I didn't realize it until now. Your constant support and love is always appreciated but now always acknowledge...I hope you know, that while we haven't been in the same city to celebrate, I love you very much!


To my father-in-law...to Grandpa Durst,
Happy Father's Day to a man who has always supported us...from the day Steve and I met and began to date to the present. You are truely loved!

To my grandfather...Papa Dan,
Happy Father's Day to a man who was so caring, giving and loving. I know that you are looking down on all of us up there in Heaven, supporting and guiding. You are truly missed! I love you! (random photos from my scrapbook...top: grandma & me, middle: grandpa & me, bottom: grandma&grandpa and me)

Happy Father's Day to all those father's out there...Happy Summer to everyone!

Lisa

Beginning the week - the last week of school and other updates

Good day everyone. This Monday post finds me at the last week of school for the boys. As they keep mentioning, after this week I will find myself with an 8th grader and a 5th grader...a year from now I will be attending the "promotion" ceremonies for both (they don't call them graduation for these age groups)...but that is next year, so we will not discuss this any further until then :)
But it is the last week of school and they are excited - as I am for it will be good to have a change.

The weekend was nice and relaxing, starting with Friday, which is normally a day off for me from work. So, since I did put in about 20 hours Mon-Thurs, I definitely took it off and spent the day catching up on "me" time (exercise and xstitching) and then got the yard work done and a trip to the grocery store to stock up for the weekend at home. It was nice to have a weekend without stressing over any school projects (they are done for the year). In fact, Robert (old son, 7th grader) commented that this was the first weekend since the end of April where he didn't have to do any projects or homework and he could relax with the family...but then he said, after playing on the computer for awhile, he didn't know what to do with himself. My other son, Matthew (younger, 4th grade) could sit infront of the computer playing games all day long. Sitting in front of the computer is what these boys did including DH on Saturday. There is this on-line civilization game they play, which includes other from all over the world. They were set to battle a city and take it over, trying to accomplish that in the morning until the computer system lost connection (due to over excited Robert, who kicked the cord out of the wall). Saturday afternoon, followed by more relaxing and napping before watching the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 5th game of the Stanley Cup (hockey). Sunday...the DH and boys were at hockey practice from 7-2:30 - so I had the house to myself...

What did I do during the computer marathon on Saturday and the quiet Sunday morning. I stitched! There is a free pattern I printed from the DMC website (they have the best free patterns - unfortunately I can't find the one I have been working on at this time). The DMC project uses light variation & varigated floss and is a picture of flowers in a vase. Just as I was about to finish it off, thinking that it might be a year end gift for one of Robert's teachers who has been very supportive of his hockey travels all year - I didn't think that the pattern captured who she is very well (she just isn't a flowery type of person - more into sci fi and histroy) so I pulled out the Lizzie Kate "Teaching is a work of heart" and worked on that for most of Sunday. Almost done and will have a photo of that later in the week as well.

Anyway...that was my weekend. Sorry I don't have any pictures to show, only the stories to tell right now. I hope this week brings much happiness and promise to all out there. Thank you for reading my blog and I promise to have some photos by mid-week.

Remember - live, love, laugh and stitch often! Lisa