bubble time

Sophie has been trying to learn how to blow a bubble..look what she accomplished today?

 

Way to go girl..I told you just keep trying.

National Night Out 2011

Our little historic district had National Night Out on Tuesday.  It was so hot but it went well.  Kudos to Ashley Jewell for the AWESOME job she did planning and executing it.  Only one thing needs to change- we need to have ours in October like Texas does- it is too dang hot to have this kind of thing in August.

There was a food tent for all.

Of course my daughter who hates hot dogs informed me that she hates our hot dogs that Mr. Paul does them great.

Ashley made things for kids and the theme was Pirates - arrrghhh.

Can't go wrong with this now can you?

Two of my favorite guys just talking..dad and son.

And nothing would happen in this neighborhood without the ever giving couple:

Mike

and his better half- Nancy

Thanks to all those who helped and came out.  Yes it could have been cooler but it was fun all the same..here's to next year - hopefully in October.

till the next get together - tammy

Summers over...for us anyway.

Well we did it. With only 5 weeks of summer vacation due to kids being on a year round school calendar we did our vacations with a week to spare.  

We left for Texas the day after school got out - June 11 for 2 weeks to visit with hubby's family.

His parents live on Lake Belton so the kids had a field day - kinda made it hard to come back to living on land without a lake:( 

We did a bit of this:

 and this:

and got to hang with the cousins:

yeah those Texans are a bit out there but we love them anyway.

I hit lots of stores while shopping with my bestie - Liz.

We hit up Winnie and Tahlulas, Binky LaFayes, Martas shop, Spice in Waco, Bloom-n-Bee, The Fredericksburg trade days, Austin City wide garage sale and more.

I'd love to say I got lots of photos like I promised but it was hotter than a witches patootie and lugging around that camera just didn't happen. Sorry.

After our 3 day drive back from Texas we had 2 days to unpack, repack and then hit the road for the beach trip over the 4th of July..

lots of time for bikinis and boogie boards: 

time for brother and sisterly fun if not love :

time for craziness and just plain old fun:

time for sparklers:

and more:

even those that are too cool to hang with family at the beach never outgrow sparklers:

After the beach we got home and had 10 days till school started.  We had a house to clean after being gone so long, a yard to mow, and unfortunately an infestation of fruit flies to conquer and kill.  We did it all and still managed to have some pool time, just laying around the house doing nothing time and of course school supply shopping.

Today school started up and who would have thought it was merely two weeks ago they were living in bathing suits ?

My new first grader all in pink - her choice- Sophie

And my third grader - funny little man- Jack.

I am back to crafting and will be sharing as I go along..

Only 74 days till my October 1 show..

Glad to be back.

jammed up?

This is a bit of what we did over the weekend?  

Freezer strawberry jam...it is yummy.

What fun things did you do?

So proud of my kids

Thank you so much to all of my blogging friends who are sending out tons of prayers our way.  It is wonderful how you are there when we need you.

My community is blowing my mind right now. 

There are three groups that have started face book groups to serve all these tornado victims and it is amazing the out pour of support. 

I said to a friend that communities usually come back stronger from events like this and that it is times like this that put 

"neighbor" back in "neighborhood".

All of this hasn't been lost on my two youngest either.  They heard that yesterday a pocket of people were found and the children had not eaten since Saturday.  That really made them sad.  They said we need to do something. And we did.  We went through all our closets and made a huge pile to donate so these kids would have clothing.  

They went through their toys to give these children some hope.  

And today we went to the town north of us and we bought diapers, wipes, food, water, personal hygiene items and we bought items for Easter Baskets.  There is a group that decided these kids have lost everything and their innocence and childhood should not be one of them. 

So, we are making baskets for all these children so they are happy on Easter. My kids were so worried that the Easter Bunny wouldn't know where to find the children so we made 10 baskets..

Getting that assembly line ready to go:

 Next comes the grass:

 Now lets start loading them up:

 Here are our finished baskets:

Gotta say it again- 

I am so proud of these two..

Tornado aftermath.

It is time to start the long cleanup now.

Yesterday this was my town:

Yes we were one of the worst hit towns in the terrible massive storm that sent over 70 tornadoes through North Carolina.  This storm just kept coming and coming.  It didn't lose power and it didn't back down one bit.  She had a vengeance and tore down anything in her path. 

She took down our Lowe's hardware as if it were a barbie house:

She hit our static control plant:

She took out Big Lots and Tractor Supply:

Even 100 year old trees or older could not match her power:

Homes were lost.  

Lives were lost.

But the spirit of a community can not be taken.  

Sanford will take care of it's neighborhoods. 

We will take care of our residents and businesses.

But if you can spare some prayers we sure could use them about now. And to think a mere storm can turn into something this deadly and powerful.

Remember a tornado happens so fast and you don't have much time to take cover..be careful when there are storms.  Be aware.

We were moving my sister yesterday. We had the trailer packed and were heading north on US 1 when the warning came out.  We had no where to go so we headed for the closest overpass and we stayed there in fear for about an hour.  I can say we were truly blessed and lucky.  We had been wondering if we should put a tarp on that trailer in case it started raining again.  But we said no - what the heck lets just go. Had we taken the time to put that tarp on we would have been hit.  The tornado crossed right where we were exactly 10 minutes after we left the spot.

God was watching my family and friends. 

My children were scared to death, cold, muddy but safe.

It was a terrible day - but then mother nature decided to give us some sunshine.  

I don't get that.  

I guess it is her way of saying it is over - all is not lost.

Now we need to take care of our town.

Whew....

I know.  I know.  It has been forever hasn't it?  I had a busy spring break with the little ones - we did lots of fun stuff and not so fun stuff.  And then big stuff happening.

We have decided to sell my sisters house in Cameron.

Yes it is a wonderful old 1878 Queen Anne Cottage but those old homes have maintenance issues that a single girl is just not up to doing. She also feels secluded out there and always wanted to be closer to us so she could see the kiddos.  

So, we have been doing all those "I'll do them later" projects so we can list it for sale on Cameron Day- May 7.

But along the way I have managed to do a bit of Cameron work for the booth, a lot of gardening.  And figured I'd jump back in this blogging world with a picture I took with the phone today walking from the driveway to my back door. 

Aren't the lady banks roses beautiful?  

They finally have covered my arbor.  I love them so much.

I LOVE SPRING.