Last Weekend at MacDill Fam Camp in Tampa

We had a change of our plans made in jello and decided to depart Tampa early Tuesday morning after the Memorial Day traffic dies down.  It will take us two days to drive to Elijah Clark State Park in North GA so we should arrive there some time on Wednesday.  I have been rushing around this morning to complete "Baby Peach's" little bubble suit and sun hat before we leave to go over to spend the night with Marianne, Kevin and Jackson.  The litle bubble is The Old Fashioned Baby - Baby's Summer Clothes pattern (http://www.oldfashionedbaby.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=49).  And the sun bonnet pattern comes from Karen Bosch's Summertime Baby book  (https://store.marthapullen.com/p-7160-summertime-baby-book-my-lil-friends-book-cd-set.aspx).  Both patterns were fun to complete, and I can't wait to construct another little bubble suit.

Attached is a photo of the little bubble and as always "Life is Good Today."
You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

Last Weekend With Jackson for a Bit

As promised I am able to post to the blog while we are spending the weekend with Marianne, Kevin and Jackson.  Billy and I are starting to make plans to drive to GA next Friday.  Myself, I am not looking forward to towing the boat while following Billy in the motor home in the Memorial Day traffic.  Hopefully the weather man here in Tampa will gift us one more windless day so that we can go fishing next week.  Just a few more photos of Jackson and Maggie.  I have never seen a toddler love a dog as much as he loves Maggie.  They like to go into Jackson's bedroom and play.  "Life is Good Today!"

Computer "Time Out"

I want to put a quick post up to update everyone before Verizon enforces our "Time Out" until May 25th.  Thanks to my computing errors we used too much of our download time this month.  Okay, that is not proper computer language but you get the picture.  It has been windy all week so fishing is out of the question.  I have busied myself making a little white bubble suit and floppy hat while Billy is planning on meeting a friend for lunch today.  Yesterday we discovered a leak under our shower and had a small water issue to clean up and repair in the bathroom.  Still nothing as bad as the water problems we had last year while towing the travel trailer out west.  I had to walk over to the laundromat to wash the wet towels from the clean up and found four other campers in the laundromat chatting away.  They were each saying that they began full-timing like we did when they realized that after retirement all they were doing was sitting around the house waiting to die and hoping for the kids and grand kids to come see them. It was a lively and fun conversation that made doing laundry fun.   We will be leaving Tampa on May 27th after our dentist appointments on the 26th.  We are looking forward to beginning our first work camp experience at Elijah Clark State Park in north GA and meeting our new grand daughter.  Mom and "bun in the oven" are experiencing some difficulty so my mind will be be more peaceful when we can be closer.  This weekend I will be able to update once again since we are spending the weekend at Marianne and Kevin's so we can enjoy and babysit Jackson.  Thanks for stopping by and as always "Life Is Good Today."

Delicate Heirloom Sewn Infant Slip

We have had a slow few days, and sometimes that is good.  I was able to complete the slip for "Baby Peach," read some in my book, take long walks, and finish the laundry.   The whole time I was sewing the slip for Peach I could picture Caroline toddling around the house in Hawaii in her little homemade slips.  They were soft, light and just perfect for the Hawaiian weather. Yesterday and last night Tampa received some much needed rain.  The birds are trilling away with the freshness outside after the rainfall.  I had a wonderful time yesterday shopping at the Outlet Mall with Marianne.  We walked the entire mall area, and I picked up and put back many little short sets for the grandsons, and probably twice that many for "Baby Peach."  The clothing for baby girls is just too cute, but I resisted.  Afterward we met Billy, Kevin and Jackson at their house and they all took me out to dinner at Red Lobster for Mother's Day.  Yum!  Everything was wonderful and Jackson had lots of fun, too.  He really enjoyed those cheese biscuits.  Following is a photo of Jackson wearing the sun glasses that we purchased for him at the mall.  He really enjoyed wearing them and probably slept in them last night.  Life is Still Good Today.

Returned to a Very Empty MacDill Air Force Base

Returned home (where we are parked) on Monday to discover that the Fam Camp has emptied out even more. Unbelievable.  Just a month ago the RV's were packed in here like sardines in a can.  We lingered around the motor home yesterday and I was able to finish "Little Peach's" day gown and swaddling blanket with bonnet attached.  Now I am working on the slip to go under the day gown or a soft something to wear when just lounging around the house.........

Today we went over to Marianne and Kevin's early so that we could sit with Jackson while Kevin went in to work for a while.  We had great fun playing in the back yard with Maggie and playing in his sand box.  We blew bubbles and then went in for lunch, watch Barney, and then a good nap.  He is such a sweet baby and enjoys everything - especially spaghetti.  Hoping the weather cooperates tomorrow so that we can go fishing.  I know that when we get up in North Georgia that we are going to miss our saltwater fishing.  Thanks for stopping by and yes...."Life is Good Today!"

You can click on a photo to make it larger.

Happy Mother's Day

Billy and I drove to Dothan, AL on Thursday to spend Mother's Day with his Mom and see Bradley play Little League Baseball.  Bradley's team didn't win, but we enjoyed seeing the game nevertheless.  Billy missed the game in order to stay behind to supervise the plumbers who were at his mom's house.  Of course, I visited The Smock Shoppe (http://thesmockshoppe.com/) and fingered everything in the store while I visited with Mary.  Yesterday was Mike's (Billy's brother) birthday and we had a nice visit and homemade vegetable dinner with Mike and Sandra on Thursday night.  Billy's mother cooked up some butter peas, meat loaf, fried okra, steamed cabbage and fried cornbread.  We ate until we were almost sick!  Amber, Morgan, Jackson, and Lillian visited us, and Mel, Ish, Bradley, Lauren, Abbie and Ella stopped in for a visit last night.  They are all growing way too fast.

Morgan and Amber

Lillian and Jackson

Bradley

Sue, Lauren, Mel, Ella, Abbie

Abbie

Missing my mom today and know that the empty hole in my heart will never heal.  However, I have been blessed with my two children and they are my greatest pride.  Then my blessings multiplied after Billy and I married and his children loved me, too.  I couldn't ask for more out of life until these precious children gave us Grandchildren.  It just doesn't get any better.  YES!  "Life is Good Today,"

Bin Laden Shot - A Proud Day To Be at MacDill Air Force Base

What a proud day to be an American.  Mark Twain once said "I've never wished a man dead, but have read some obituaries with great pleasure."  Amen! Enough of our precious time wasted on Bin Laden.  


Billy and I plan to visit Dothan, AL and his mom next weekend for Mother's Day Weekend.  Can hardly wait to see her and we get to watch nephew Bradley play in a baseball game on Friday night.  I have already called Mary at The Smock Shoppe (http://thesmockshoppe.blogspot.com/) with the wonderful news of a new Granddaughter, and plan a visit with her on Saturday.  I finished the little diaper shirt and bloomers for "Little Peach" and have started a baby day gown and bunting.

Marianne, Kevin and Jackson surprised us and stopped in for a fun visit Saturday afternoon.  Jackson is just the sweetest!  We all went to the mess hall for dinner, and a good time was had by all.  I must remember to carry my camera with me every time we are around Jackson because he gives us so many "Kodak Moments."

It goes without saying but "Life is Good Today."