Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Remember when you were a kid

and there would be an afternoon summer shower? I know what I did...I'd put on my shinny yellow boots and stomp in the water puddles! I need to make a list of things like this to do with my grandsons.

I had a delightful childhood as I think I have mentioned. I spent almost every summer with my grandmother in a small town in Iowa. I was summer friends with Sally and Susan Willison at the end of the block, played with Susan Loo who lived on the corner and had a good friend one block over (if I cut through the Butterfields' yard!).

During the day, I would ride my bike to the library or take the bus and meet my aunt who worked for the newspaper who then would bring me home in her little snazzy English Ford (oh how Aunt Momie did love to drive stick shift).

After dinner, the neighborhood kids would all gather on the boulevard that ran down the middle of Home Park Blvd. and we'd play badminton, kick the can and tag til our parents (or in my case, Nana) called us home.

I want my grand children to have this type of summer. I think it was easier then as I will have to compete with WII, computer games, DVDs, and who knows what by the time they are old enough to chase lizards and butterflies with me (no fireflies in Fl.)and make sand castles on the beach.

E and figured the other day that when the boys graduate from high school, we will be in our 80s...but the good news is that we are doing everything in our power to make sure we are the healthiest and most loving grandparents we can be.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Lunch on Lake Tarpon

Jo met both Gloria and Sandy when she was 'wintering' here last January and we all had such fun together with Marsha too. Marsha has returned up East but the four of us had lunch yesterday at Tarpon Turtle. While it was too hot to eat outside when we arrived, by the time we left, a nice breeze had picked up. The food, as always, was delightful. And the company...ooh la la! We've made some tentative plans for next Jan/Feb when Jo and Bill are back here in Tarpon Springs. I am going to miss Book Club this month as we will be a the beach so this was a chance to chat with Glo and Sandy before we go.






Speaking of the beach, we need to get our house sitter over for dinner so we can walk him through the pets' idiosyncrasies and those of the pool so he has a pleasant stay and is willing to come back for our Med. cruise as well.

I am trying to book friends in Ft. Myers for lunches to get caught up with them while we are down before all our friends from St. Louis arrive. I want to do Demo Day at Owl and Pussycat (or perhaps even a Sat. class?), meet up with some gal pals, have Ed and Deb out for supper and meet Dewey and Karen at our favorite restaurant in Bonita, Vencenzos. I also want to get down to Bonita Springs to visit with Janet D. I have not seen her store since they moved, Scrapooks, Etc.

Lots of friends are leaving this week...Jo heads back to St. Louis, Janet and Cynthia are returning to Penn. and my friend, Diane, is off on a cruise the end of this week. But it won't be long before we head out ourselves and two days after we return from the beach, I wing my way to Pam's in Wisc. and then we head to CHA for a wonderful reunion with our Cherry Gal Pals from A Cherry on Top online store. And meet up with Elizabeth, owner of Simply Scrappin' Boutique (my other "boss")! And sweet Michele, new owner of Posh Scraps here in Palm Harbor will be there too...yeah!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Monday, June 28, 2010

Sunshine and good friends

We had a delightfully busy day yesterday. Jo and I started the day with coffee and a variety of fresh fruits on the lanai with the Sunday paper. By ten am we were on our way to the Craft Fair in Dunedin, the little Scottish town just south of where I live. While we did not find the earrings we are both looking for, we did find...a hat lady! And nothing would do but for one of us to try on a few. I found this one particularly fetching...what do you think...is it me? lol




The sky was gorgeous...a splendid blue with white puffy clouds and we did have a bit of a breeze but the temps here have been horrifically high and yesterday was not exception. By the time we had walked the two blocks of the Craft Fair we felt like wilted lettuce!.


The car had cooled by the time we made our way down to the Pier in St.Pete and the Columbia restaurant where we met up with Janet and her enchanting grand daughter, Cynthia. Janet and Cynthia are down in Anna Maria preparing three condos that Janet and Bob have recently purchased for rentals. And yesterday they took a break from their cleaning and shopping and decorating to have lunch with us.

Here we are toasting to all those who could not join us (you know who you are!). The sangria, which is hand made at the table, is so yummy! We shared a flat bread and then had the 1905 famous house salad and the black bean soup. And Miss Cynthia has a decadent chocolate cake slice with chocolate mousse for her after lunch treat.'



I'll try to put up some of the pictures from our trolley ride through downtown St. Pete later. Our driver was a tour guide extraordinaire.

Today we are meeting Glo and Sandy (book club pals) for lunch and catch up at the Tarpon Turtle and finalizing the side trips we decided on last night for our cruise. We are only doing one tour through the cruise liner and have elected to do tours of several of our other stops with private drivers and vans and some we will do ourselves such as our day visit to Capri. It is so nice to be going with Jo and Bill whose expertise has proven invaluable...and besides, we have such fun with them.

Have a great day.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Nana's Boys







Spent the day helping Kristen with the twins as it was Chris' first day back at work. They have the boys on a flexible schedule that seems to work for them all. I got in major cuddle time.

Jo and I tag teamed and Kristen was able to get some things done around the house that she had been wanting to do (like brush her teeth? lol) and even take a short nap. Jo did some shopping for the cruise and brought us cobb salads for our lunch.

Last night we finalized our dinning plans for the cruise in Sept. and got some of our side trips decided. The guys shocked us both and have decided to rent tuxes for the two formal nights and I can't wait to see how amazing they are both going to look.

It is off to meet Janet M and her granddaughter, Cynthia in St. Pete for some shopping and lunch today and later decide on more of our side trips. We looked at a couple of houses for Jo over the last couple of days and will try for a couple more later this afternoon. We are having such fun...it will be hard to see her leave!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Jo is here, Jo is here.

She and I hit the road running after I picked her up from the airport. We stopped on the way home for a visit with the grandbabies and (alas)no pictures. We were both so busy hugging and cuddling with them, there were no arms free for a camera. I promise more when I help out on Sat., Chris's first day back at work. I am missing Ginni's crop this weekend which is my one regret!

E took us all our to eat at our favorite Greek restaurant here in town, Mykanos. Jo and I brought half of each our dinners home for lunch today. After supper, I addicted Jo to the Real Housewives. Last night was a rerun of the reunion of the New York gals and I have told Jo the New Jersey ones are much more entertaining. While we watched my 'guilty pleasure', we had a couple of scoops of Talenti Sorbetto (fresh raspberry) another of my 'guilty pleasures'.

Today we are shopping and looking at houses and rentals for Jo and Bill for this coming winter. Jo wants to get some things for our cruise and try to nail down the rental before she leaves.

Sat. is the baby day for me and more of today for Jo. E is fixing us the salad from the Columbia for lunch and will deliver it to K's...now that is what I call service!

Sunday we are meeting Janet M in St. Pete at the scrap store there and then having lunch to catch up. She is in Anna Maria refurbishing the condos she and Bob own. The three of us had such fun when Jo was down last.

Monday, Glo, Sandy, Jo and I are doing lunch at the Tarpon Turtle and getting caught up. And then some more running around for us.

If I don't get to blog for a day or two, watch this spot and I'll get caught up soon! Have a great weekend.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Cropping the day away

Jackie and Jean came over around ten this morning and we cropped and talked and solved the world's problems...ok with the exception of the oil spill but we are working on that one, okay? E fixed us the Central Grocery muffaletta sandwich for lunch which was, as always, divine We chatted about our various trips to New Orleans and discovered that Jean and her husband stayed in our favorite home away from hone in N.O, Place d' Arms and loved it as much as we do!

I got 2.5 layouts done. This one of Kristen at the baby shower thrown by her second grade team at her school last May and the title page for Landon's First Year album. I am doing one album of the boys together and doing a First Year album for each of them as well.





Cathy stopped by with my Mary Kay order (love these lotions)and she, Jean and I had a nice catch up talk. Cathy has a nice bunch of ladies she scraps with and I was delighted to scrap with them at her house not too long ago. What fun for all of us to do the Friday night crops at Posh Scraps to continue the tradition we started with Ruban Rouge! Becky and Diane, you were missed today!

Jo arrives tomorrow afternoon! More fun!

It's summer time and the living is

BUSY! I met Glo and Sandy for lunch at Rodies yesterday and we had such a nice time getting caught up with each other. When they heard Jo is coming to town, nothing would do but we all have lunch together while she is here. Jo arrives tomorrow and will be here house and rental hunting, visiting with us and the babies until the following Tues...not nearly long enough for me! We have picked Monday for our get together and will go to either Tarpon Turtle or SeaSea Riders.

Janet Miller is back on Anna Maria Island doing some redecorating in their rental condos this week and she, Jo and I are hoping to get together for lunch also. This may call for a road trip....hmmmmmmm! Look out AMI

I exchanged my Pandora bracelet that the kids gave me for my birthday for a slightly larger one and this one is much better for adding more beads and charms.

Jackie and Jean are heading to my house for cropping and lunch today. We will be shifting our cropping back to the store as soon as Michele is set up in the back room. Right now, she has all the sale things there at 75% off and card stock 3/1.00. I stocked up the day I was there. E is fixing up New Orlean's muffalatas with the Central Grocery recipe, of course. Cathy will be stopping by after 1 with my Mary Kay order and a visit too.

E is busy packing up his cooking things for our two weeks at the beach. I scrap for a hobby and he cooks. I take papers and cutters and supplies to the beach to scrap during the afternoon rain and he cooks and reads recipe books...lol To each his own. We are having our house sitter over for supper next week to fill him in on the cats and the pool.

We are planning all our side trips with Jo while she is here for our 12 day cruise and the days before and after in Barcelona. Bill will be our tour guide for that city as he speaks fluent Spanish and has visited there numerous times. Jo says it is one of their very favorite cities and the people are so friendly.

My sister and her boyfriend are coming up for the 4th. and we're working on plans to celebrate with some local friends. We met up with Suzie and Justin at a (new to us) place yesterday for an early supper. It was nice to visit with them.

Off and running! Hope you have a great day!

Monday, June 21, 2010

A Fantastic Day in Paradise

This morning, the Crew headed up to the 'soft' opening of Michele's lss, Posh Scraps and it is lovely. We met her mother, Mary and our dear Francesca was there working as well. Michele's husband Loui, is a delight and the store looks great. I showed some restraint but now have to live to be 125 to scrap all the wonderful things I want to scrap. And the good news is that Lisa will be teaching at least one class a month and will be doing the Sunday Crafters get togethers.






Today also, my friend Deb White, introduced me to one of her crafty friends via facebook and we have been chatting all afternoon. She is an amazing designer for Graphic 45 papers and her name is Laura De La Rosaa


I was inspired by her to do this layout of the boys for their mom's Twins album.

Happy Summer Solstice everyone

Happy First Day of Summer!

First, Happy Birthday to my good friend, Pam Bennett,with wishes for many many more...love ya!


My Reveal and article for A Cherry on Top goes live this morning. I selected My Mind's Eye So Sophia for a variety of reasons. I love the fact that not only are the papers double sided but many of the die cut papers are a swell. I love the thickness and texture of the papers and how the colors are so soft and pretty yet versatile. They were perfect for my first layout of the Twins.





This layout is of the Crew on our first road trip together. We were minus Natalie and Diane but the rest of us bravely carried on. Our destination was She Scraps in the Villages. Linda from Hilltop had mentioned the store on her blog and I suggested it to the girls. Off we went!

As typical of a Becky drives/Jules navigates adventure, we got lost, made a great find (farmer's market) and eventually got to our destination with tears of laughter...oh, and did I mention the rain? It always rains when we hit the road. Anyway, I have three or four layouts planned of our outing and this is the first.
We think we are all going back for the T. Collins classes later in the summer!




I also did a friends mini album with the Melissa Frances Large Envelope and Tag book about Friends! I love how it turned out but am blessed in that I ran out of pockets/tags and envelopes before I ran out of friends. Good thing Kristin, the owner of ACOT, has plenty of these book kits in stock. You can view my Friends book at my altered art blog, A Toast to Altered Art.

Thanks for looking. I'm off to meet the Crew this morning for a sneak peak into the lss here in North Pinellas, Posh Scraps (formerly Ruban Rouge). I know that Michele got lots of new stuff in with more to come. She was hoping a few more orders would make it in before the unveiling today but they will be in soon I am sure. Her sale room has previous products at 75% off with selected cardstock at 3/1.00. Knowing how warn out we will be after playing shop til we drop, we'll probably have to have brunch somewhere to recover. lol

You can reach Michele and Posh Scraps at 727-784-2928 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              727-784-2928      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              727-784-2928      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (3454 Tampa Road
Palm Harbor, Florida, 34684 ).

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day to all

We had a great time today hanging out with the kids and the grand kids. We got to fill up our hearts with baby love. E fixed us chicken, corn and baked potatoes and we played with the babies. There is nothing sweeter than a sleeping little one and we have two. The boys did stay awake a bit an humored us with smiles (probably gas) and rolling eyes. What a lovely day!




Friday, June 18, 2010

The Twins turned 7 (days) yesterday

And it had been a couple of days since I had gotten a Nana fix so I headed over when I got the all clear from Little Mama. Our intent was to get some shots of the boys together (and awake preferably) for the announcements but the boys had other ideas.

I did get my Nana fix and they are coming over here for Father's Day Sunday so we can try out the new play pen. And I even got a couple of pics of Cole crying (and not that Landon doesn't but he didn't much while I was there)'cause babies do that, you know.







I have a reveal coming up next week at ACOT and, if I find time to do one more layout, I will be doing a baby one for sure...

Should I rename my blog Babies in Paradise? signed, Nana Sony who is saving her pennies for a cheek lift...I never realized how saggy mine were getting. lol

Thursday, June 17, 2010

YEAH!

POSH SCRAPS (formerly Ruban Rouge)

3454 Tampa Road
Palm Harbor, Florida, 34684
Phone 727-784-2928. 727-784-2928
poshscraps@hotmail.com
Website and Blog TBA shortly....


Best of luck to Michele and Posh Scraps!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Happy WEd.

Alas, no new grandtwin pictures to post. The boys has a ped apt. today and both are doing well. Landon is gaining his weight back slowly and Cole a bit quicker and Cole is still a bit jaundiced but that too is improving. All in all...doing well.

I had a great yoga practice today and tomorrow, if we ride a bike, walk etc. to yoga rather than drive we get a class for 10.00...about 6.00 less than a single class's cost. E says he'll ride in with me so we're off...class is at 9:15 so I'll be scarce in the a.m.

And what's up with me an mornings lately. Usually I jump out of bed ready to take on the day and see what it has to offer. I am still waking up at the same time, but now have been reading in bed for a half hour or so...

E found some sales at Steinmart today on shirts and picked up another 3 really nice ones for the cruise. Then I met Jackie (thanks so much for the b'day lunch) and Jean (I love the outfits you got for the boys and need you to email me your address so Little Mama can write you a thank you note). We had such a good time catching up and organizing a crop at my house for this next week.


Hope everyone is having a great day. (oh, and going to see the babies tomorrow!)

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Babies are home...

We ran the food over to the kids' house yesterday afternoon, changed the sheets on their bed and put away some clean clothes I'd washed for the babies, fed and let the dogs out and hoped the kids would all be home in their own beds soon. We got a call around 5 asking if we could help them get the babies out of the car, into the house and settled in so, of course we did. Any excuse to see those grandbabies again.

Here are the boys in their hats knitted for them by Deb Hatter, a friend from scrapping who has a wonderful on line store. Thanks for the darling hats Deb. Please check out her store for her cute things.



This is Little Mama with baby Cole and then of his tiny feet and toes.



And this is Cole's older brother, Landon, loving his own bed!



We have some errands to run today; I have WW check in but not expecting any loss. I am weary of the plateau and the yo yoing on this weight thing. WW says if it is not working, change something so looking at that.

We have a couple of more tree guys coming with estimates on taking down the two oaks on the side of the house. The two trees we planted in the front look really good and we need to get in touch with the guy who did our walk way in the back and get an estimate on finishing the stone work on the side walk and the front porch and get this project moving. We'd like to get it all done before we head to the beach in July so the plants are established and our house sitter doesn't have to water.

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

OK...back by popular demand...The Twins



Big Daddy took this one just a bit ago and sent it to me so I would have sweet dreams tonight. I can't wait to scrap this one! Chris! Great job! and many thanks.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Bebes Day Three

On my honor as a once and always long ago Girl Scout, I won't inundate you with pictures of our grandsons after today...but I will have to sit on my hands for sure.
They will, hopefully, be going home tomorrow, and Nana and Papa will get the house ready for them: clean sheets on their bed, clean clothes for the babies, food in the fridge and then let them get settled in.

Kristen was overjoyed to have all tubes, Ivs etc. removed and she reveled in her shower. She was much more comfortable than yesterday despite Landon not being a happy camper during the night til Big Daddy took him in arms.


This is Big Daddy with Cole, Little Mama with Landon and some singles of Landon. Cole was nestling into Big Daddy and was a bit camera shy. Big Daddy said they will probably not call me Nana but rather Sony, the name on my camera that I always have in front of me...lol.



Friday, June 11, 2010

Color me besotted!

We ran errands, took care of things and then headed back to the hospital to visit with our GRANDbabies ( oh and see Little Mama and Big Daddy too, of course).

I was so busy taking pics of these two handsome lads yesterday that I didn't get any of then with Nana. And look at our Baby Cole...is he not just the perfect Beach Boy to be?





So the last diaper I changed was on Little Mama 33 years ago but today one of the boys did more than burb and since Big Daddy had gone home to pick up the car seats and take them to the fire station to be installed...um Nana went on clean up patrol. Little Mama was still hooked up to a cath and can't get out of bed. Not as bad as I remembered but not as good either. And can I just add, my grandsons have bitty butts! lol

We left K to get some rest and headed over to the kids house to pick up baby clothes to wash and get ready for the home coming, let the dogs out (and many thanks to Uncle Rob for doggy sitting) and water K's new butterfly garden ( second grade moms and grandma...you did an amazing job) and then home. Caught up with Chris doing some laundry before he headed back to the hospital.

E is cooking up a storm so the new parents have yummy meals to eat when they get home.

BTW: what color is besotted?

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Introducing our grandsons,

Remember how I said our family tends to prolong birthdays...well, today I was gifted with two beautiful baby boy grandsons. Kristen had a C section at about 1:30. Little Mama, Big Daddy and boys are all doing well.

Here is Kristen snuggling with Colvin Joseph, little brother by one minute who weighed in at 5lb.s 15oz at 18 inches.



And this is big brother Landon Kristopher weighing at 6lbs 4 oz and at 191/2 inches. Landon has some fluid in his lungs and will be out of NICU within an hour or so.

And another shot of Colvin.
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And here is proud PAPA E with Colvin. We won't be able to hug and kiss on Landon until tomorrow but you can rest assured he will be loved up on roundly.



Now, I have to say...aren't these the prettiest babies ever...did I do that in correct Nana speak?

SIGH!

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

When I woke up this morning, I was already 63!

That alone takes the edge off having a birthday! I honestly don't mind birthdays at all as I am just thrilled to be having one.

Mine actually started two days ago or more. We tend to prolong our celebrations in this family as long as we possibly can. I started getting cards in the mail last Sat (and one from my pal Janet Miller 2 wks ago so she said she wouldn't forget...lol)

On Monday, E and I hit a nursery that we know has wonderful trees and large shrubs and exchanged crepe myrtle trees for our birthdays. We are planning on putting them between the sidewalk and the street in front of our house. We are getting started on a major redo on the front of the house (hedge down, fence up and side walk and porch paved with same stones as the walk way in the back). This pic of E gives a whole new meaning to "going green"





Fast forward to yesterday: After I spent the day with Kristen's second graders making scrapbooks, I hit the library and then home. With nothing planned for supper, we decided to catch an early dinner at Peggy O'Neil's in Old Palm Harbor, one of our favorite watering holes and food places. The restaurant had sent me a free entree coupon for my birthday good any day this month so off we went.





It also turned out to be Twofer Tuesday at Peggy's so we started with beer for E and house chardonnay for me. We had a small cup each of the beer and cheddar cheese soup (oh my) and then split two appetizers: mozzarella sticks and a warm crab dip with pita slices.

Now, being a good WW gal and knowing that E was going to be cooking for me all day today (I picked out 6 different things for him to make and we are grazing all day...and his challenge was to make them as low point as he could), E and I both requested the to go boxes as everything but the soup arrived. WW has taught me to then put half of my meal in the to go box before I eat. Even though E is not strictly counting points, by cooking WW for me, he has taken off almost 25 lbs himself. We'll have our left overs tomorrow.


For supper, E had the Jamaican Jerk Shrimp over assorted greens and I had the Mediterranean salad which I love.




And I want to add a few words here about the amazing mothers and grandmother who volunteer in my daughter's class. One day they were all talking with Kristen about butterfly gardens and Kristen remarked that she could not longer get down to weed hers being so pregnant and that Chris had been so busy with his classes and rehabbing the guest bath that the garden was a mess. These incredible women rallied and, without Kristen knowing it, went over to her house while Chris was off, tackled the garden, weeded, bought new plants and yesterday revealed their plotting to her with a bird house that all her kids had signed. Thank you ladies for your kindness!

And many thanks to all the people who started my day off with a bang with the happy birthdays on face book...wow! I thank each and every one of you so very much.

And now for my first course this morning: roasted asparagus and baby artichokes with lemon-oregano aioli.