Just Some Photos

My daughter, Cindy, ready for her first dance recital at age 4. Way back in 1983.

Twenty seven years later, the costume now fits her daughter, Sophia, who is almost 4.


Cindy and her daughter, Sophia, just having fun. Sophia is a mixture of both Cindy and her husband, Brad.


But her son, Jesse, looks just like her.

My Summer Vacations

My grandchildren and my son-in-law during our 'after the 4th of july' picnic at the park.


My husband and my granddaughter, Sophia, the day before we left to come home.


Sophia, playing model in the window of a store in the mall.

I haven't been home much since the end of May. The last few years, my husband and I have spent my birthday in Alabama so I can be with the grandchildren. And even though we returned home to Florida during the first week in June, I was on my way back to Alabama two and a half weeks later with my sister and niece. We enjoyed a short visit and returned home six days later, joined by my daughter and my two grandchildren. My son-in-law couldn't get off from work so they came to visit family and friends without him. Because of the 4th of July weekend, their visit was a short one. After only 3 days they returned home just in time for the celebrations going on in their hometown and my husband and I decided to join them again. I had barely unpacked and I was packing again. Because somewhere along the way I had hurt the heal of my left foot and found it difficult to walk a lot, I stayed behind when everyone attended the 'First Friday' celebration and again the next night when everyone went to the fireworks display over the Coosa River. But I did manage to make it to the BBQ at my daughter's house on the 4th.
This stay was only six days, and we returned home to Florida this past Wednesday. Before we left my daughter told us that if we wanted, we could take our ten year old grandson with us if we promised to get him back in a week or so. Needless to say, we agreed and Jesse returned to Florida with us. He and my husband have been enjoying swimming in the pool for the past few days and Jesse will be going to Busch Gardens tomorrow with his other grandparents. The following day we will be taking him to Fort Myers to Thomas Edison's summer home and museum, which he is excited about. He loves museums and anything educational. Though my husband can't take off from work again so soon, I will be leaving again this Thursday to bring my grandson back to Alabama, with my mom (his great grandma) along for the ride. This will be another 5 or 6 day trip. I will be returning in time to celebrate my sister's 50th birthday with her. I am thrilled that I am getting to spend so much time with my grandchildren this summer, but I know that it is only going to make me miss them all the more when the trips come to an end. I just can't wait until we can finally sell our home in Florida and make the permanent move to be near them.

Weeki Wachee

My daughter and grandchildren are visiting from Alabama and we decided to take them to Weeki Wachee so they can enjoy the mermaids. Jesse has been there before but Sophia hasn't and the show was 'the Little Mermaid'. It was the same show that Jesse saw two years ago, but he still enjoyed it. We also took my niece, Brooke along to enjoy the afternoon. After the show, we walked around the park a little bit and came across this beautiful peacock.



This bird was definitely putting on a show for all the tourists, she turned and struted her stuff, walking back and forth for at least 5 minutes, blocking the entire walkway. It was as if she was posing for the cameras that kept flashing in her face.



Once her show was over we headed over for a photo shoot with the kids becoming part of the mermaid exhibit.




After leaving the park we went to Panera's for lunch and hit a store before returning home. The day proved to be a slightly exhausting for little Sophia.

Flashback Friday: My Dollhouse

I recently read a post by Fallon at Sweetfancy (http://xxsweetfancyxx.blogspot.com/2010/06/welcome-to-dollhouse.html)about always wanting a dollhouse and deciding to put a vintage kit together. The picture of her dollhouse immediately brought back memories of one I had years ago. I remember when I started to put the kit together I couldn't stop. I was so anxious to see the completed building that I worked through the night into the morning to assemble it. I took pictures when I finished it and put the few pieces of dollhouse furniture in it that I had purchased. These pictures are old and taken that first day. I had done quite a bit more to the house over the years, a little at a time. I shingled the roof and even wired the house for lights, painted and wallpapered some walls and carpeted a room or two. When we bought our first home and moved from New York to Florida the dollhouse came with us, and I remember searching out a minitature dollhouse store and finally found one about a 45 minute drive from us. I would take a trip there at least once a month at first, but eventually decorating our real house, and raising my family took priority and the dollhouse fell by the wayside. I finally sold it at a garage sale, but I had it for several years and enjoyed working on it. I know I have more pictures of it once I had completed it, if I find them I will post them.

On the Road Again

I am about to leave for a 6 day vacation with my sister. We aren't going any place exotic, we are just going to Alabama to visit with my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids. Though my husband and I go there every couple of months, my sister doesn't get to see them that often so we decided to take a road trip together and visit. This time my husband is staying behind but when I return, he and I will be heading out a few days later for our planned visit to Alabama. We like to spend as much time as we can with the grandkids. Our grandson is getting so big, he will be 11 in December, and our granddaughter will be 4 in September. I want to be around them as much as possible, I don't want to miss them growing up. Okay, so now I am going to be one of those grandparents that people avoid because...."let me show you some pictures of my grandchildren."

Wordless Wednesday-Kitten Stormy

Going Lighter for Summer

Changing from the heavy floor length floral curtains to



shorter, smaller, floral pattern curtains and changing up the table a little too.
Originally, I made these curtains for my other house in Alabama, but I didn't have enough material, I came up a window short. So until I can get more of the same fabric I thought I'd put them up in the Florida house. I am working on other curtains for the bedrooms in Alabama. Everything that I have there right now is very plain and generic. They serve their purpose but that is all they do, no visual interest at all. For 3 years I didn't really care much, but I am hoping to be moving into that house soon so I want to start really decorating it.

Plumbing problems

It's not a good thing when you run the dishwasher and it backs up into your bathtub. My husband was snaking, and plunging for hours to no avail. Looks like we will have to call a plumber in the morning. We already know that we need a new drainfield for our septic, but he says that this problem has nothing to do with that. He insists there is a blockage in the pipes within the house. In a few days I am leaving for a short vacation with my sister, but my husband will be home to deal with the problem, though I hope it will be fixed before then.