Brrrrrrr ... where has our summer gone!

WOW ... high today of 69 degrees and tomorrow of 67 ... are we heading into fall already!  It sure feels like it when you see all of the fall/halloween stuff in the stores!

This morning our little group of the Nine Patchers met for breakfast and chatter.  A lovely way to start the day - we are a lively bunch indeed! ;-)

After breakfast, I went and picked up Emmy and Lauryn and we ran a couple of errands and then went out for lunch and then to Chuck E. Cheese for a couple of hours.  They had a lot of fun!

When we got back home, I put a baron of beef on the bbq spit and roasted it ... I can't believe how much dinner these little ones ate!  After dinner we headed to the park with the kiddies and flew a kite ... they squealed with delight and were able to keep the kite in the air for so long.

What a wonderful day it has been!  The kiddies are coming back tomorrow for more fun ... I wonder what mischief we will find to get into!

Gerry and I are heading out in the rv again for the weekend and because Mommy has to work all weekend, Emmy and Lauryn are going to come with us.

I can't believe all these kiddies go back to school in less than a week!!!!!!!!  I need a rest!!! LOL

Thought for today - and always!

Life is short, Break the rules,  Forgive quickly, Love truly,  Laugh uncontrollably...  Never regret anything that made you smile!

Quilting-we-will-go!

Would you believe I was able to play in my quilt studio ALL DAY yesterday?

It was "sew" fabulous, I was enjoying myself so much, I didn't even want to put on the television and watch/listen to a movie!  Rather, I played soft music in the background and found that I was able to think more effectively while designing my next quilt.

Today is going to be another beautiful day ... I confess I do feel a little guilty playing in my studio while those prolific horrible weeds are on a rampage in the garden but the studio is where I am going to hide out again today ... I am on a roll, as they say! ;-)

Tomorrow our little Emmy and Lauryn are coming home after being with their Daddy for a final week's holiday before school starts and we have missed them very much.  Emma asked me the other day how many more rv trips did we have planned for the summer.  I replied one but why did she ask that.  She replied "because we miss you and Poppa so much when you go away!"  My eyes welled up with tears - the girls just know what a softie their Nana is and both put their arms around my waist and gave me the biggest and best bear hug ever!!!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love being a Nana???????? LOL

Pretty flowers from Nana's garden for a couple of pretty girls!

A Lovely Bright Weekend

What a lovely sunny weekend this is.

Yesterday Gerry and I went downtown Langley to enjoy the town's Arts Alive celebration.  It was so lovely and colourful and just bubbling with activity - both sides of the one way quaint street was blocked off and full of vendors.  Our quilter's guild had a tent there too.  It was great to have so many people stop by to show appreciation for the lovely work our members do on the quilts and, of course, to promote our wonderful guild itself.

The rest of the day was spent puttering around the house.   I even managed to get in a little reading time sitting out on the deck and enjoying the delightful aroma of our chicken roasting on the bbq rotissiere.

Today is another wonderful and relaxing day and I might even get a chance to go into my quilt studio and play for a little while.  We have our guild meeting coming up again on Wednesday and I have to get a couple of things ready for that.

From left to right Vivienne, Carol and Peggy

There's a First for Everything!

 And this day it was horseback riding for Emma and Lauryn!  

Off we went to Auntie Pam's to learn all about horses and what a lesson the girls had.  All the way home they were chatting about how much fun it was and couldn't wait to tell their Mommy about their adventures.

I have tried to capture all of the wonderful moments of this very special afternoon that Emmy and Lauryn had at Auntie Pam's lovely farm  ...

First the rules .... many rules about safety!

Let's get to know Q.  Feel how velvety his nose is!!

Two of the horses poking their heads into the barn wondering who these little people are!

Time for brushing - horses like to roll in the dirt!

"Here Q, I brought some apple and carrot treats  for you!"

Lauryn was a little timid at first but Auntie Pam showed her how!

Time to walk down to the riding ring ... the excitement at this point was over the top!

That is one big horse!  What a brave girl you are, Lauryn!

Wow ... this is a looooong way up!

Emmy sure is a happy little girl !

Now ... I have to try and get off !

Lauryn's turn to ride "Q"

Ok ... this is not too scary!

Almost finished - gotta sweep up first though!

Preparing supper for the horses.

Lauryn with Helo (dog) and Milo (kitty)

Looking for Harry and his mate Harriett the Herons in the pond!

More treats for being such a good horse!

More grooming after our rides

Time to put away the saddle

Auntie Pam even has her own blackberries to pick!

Emma and Lauryn spotted a deer on the way home.  Ahhhhh, life in the country!!!!

THANK YOU AUNTIE PAM FOR A WONDERFUL DAY!!!!

The Fertilizer Works!

When I planted the baskets and flower pots a couple of months ago, the lady in the nursery recommended the fertilizer they used for all the plants so I bought some ... whoa Nelly ... it works and then some!  Lookee here and that's just a couple of areas ...

Having Fun Doesn't Have to Cost Anything!

Emma and Lauryn came to spend a day with Nana yesterday and it was another day of laughs and fun together.  The girls helped me out in the garden (hence, the beaten look) and then we took a much-needed break for lunch and some games.

Emma who has just turned 8 made the lunch for us completely by herself .... what a great job she did!

We decided to eat our lunch on the front lawn and little Lauryn set it all up with blankets and even pillows for our picnic.

After we finished lunch, it was time for some more fun as you can see.  Look at Emma's face in the first photo here!!! LOL

 ... cherry pit spitting fun!  Lauryn won and managed to spit her pit about 9' from where we were sitting!  Next came seeing who could roll down the hill the fastest.  We spread out all the blankets down the hill and put the pillows at the bottom in case they really did pick up speed!  They insisted that Nana get in on the act too!

Days spent with all of my grandkiddies are simply THE BEST!!  Even the neighbours stopped by and had a chuckle at our antics on the front lawn! LOL