I miss my Grandkids

Annie, Mattie & Charlie
have been gone a week now...

it's been a very long week

  Every day we miss those kids

  After 3 weeks we were exhausted

we thought it would be good

 to get our quiet life back...

we were wrong

Everyday when I water my plants

I  (Oma) miss my helper

Every morning when I come out in my pj's to make the coffee

there is no Charlie Man needing his morning bottle

it's lonely around here

I loved giving them their baths everyday

I know Matthew misses her too..tee hee

she was such a little mother to him

She loved watching the dogs play

And having tea parties with Oma

And getting read to often

She will miss playing with Oma's

I-phone as much as she wants

She will miss her Great Grandma & Great Grandpa

She will surely miss her cousin Matthew

and his Daddy the crazy Uncle "Bear"

(Everyone says Charlie looks like Aaron)

and his mommy Aunt Melanie

and for sure she will miss

Opa

The babies consider Opa the best seat in the house

and the baking and laundry....

Of course she'll miss Starbucks

And the parks and the Zoo....

It is amazing all the work it takes to get

on an airplane with 2 kids...

Annie is amazing

doing it with ease..

I will miss these 3 more than

anyone knows

This is how I loved getting my rest

 

For those of you who have your grandbabies close

don't forgot how lucky you are

I am a sucker for a giveaway

My Sweet Savannah
is having a giveaway 

Haleys Cottage
is giving her a marvelous candle to one lucky winner,
I have never won anything but I keep trying...maybe one of these days.
This store looks fabulous and it is right where my Matthew man lives, so I shall be going over there soon I hope.
I have to have one of these night lights

Wash, Dry, Fold, Dance.....

Layla at The Lettered Cottage
is having an end of the year party for
favorite re-do's
Ok...so here is my project from last fall


The laundry room make over

 I needed an office......
So I got to thinking that maybe that storage room
attached to the laundry room could work, hummmm....
I don't mind listening to clothes being washed while I work

and while I'm at it.......

The sink was pink

There was a window where there shouldn't be

So down came the wall to the storage room

Out came the window so more cabinets could be added

gone with the sink

up with the office cabinets 

&

Viola

A beautiful place to

Wash, Dry, Fold,  Dance
oh yeah...*work*

Welcome to my *dated* laundry room

Only 1 cabinet on this wall is such a waste...

This window has to go to make room for more cabinets...

This pink sink and laminate are just not right.....

The wall to the storage room is down

 but this beam has to be recessed into the wall

finally the window gets moved

The window will  now go here over my desk

The contractor & The Hubs

My new window

A fresh coat of paint

The black granite sink

My pride & joy... a piece of  Sonoma Tile

The cabinets go up around my newly moved window......

Here's why I did it, really....

so Matthew could bathe in luxury!!!

Click

 here

to see the finished product

The fourth

This year in the Puget Sound Area we had probably the worst weather for the 4th of July

that I can remember

Windy, Very Windy & Cold

We rented a $450 tent that wasn't needed

because it was so cold we were all inside!

Every year for decades my Dad has had a party at his place

It is great fun

great food with good friends, neighbors & family

&

always great fireworks....

Some of these pictures are from last year so.....

 if you don't see clouds in the sky you will know why

this year there were no boat rides to the Tall ships...too choppy and

COLD.....

But the weather did not stop the fun....

This looks like a cake.......

But cupcakes...so much better for a party

Costco

My Dad's house on Dash Point

The perfect location to see Tacoma, Olympia, & the Pennisula's

displays

And from this side all of coastline up to Seattle

This is also where Annie got married

it was a spectacular venue

The Tall Ships from all over the country come to Tacoma for this celebration

just a short boat ride over

but not this year

But back at the Party

My Dad, Daughter & Grandaughter

Dianna the neighbor and best helper ever

Every year she is there with the food and energy to help out

Definately the Dash Point Martha Stewart

Annie & Mattie made these marshmellows on a stick

so darn cute

We all wait for the sun to set....again this was last year

Then the fireworks start

Madeline's first *sparkler* with Mommy

With the wind howling it took 3 men to light this...

But my favorite part was holding the baby,

this year...I got out of all the usual KP duties

I sat upstairs in the dark and had the best and quietest spot in the house

Downstairs Madeline wouldn't come in no matter how cold it got so

Opa sat with her and watched until the end

This was my favorite fourth of July that I can recall

I did miss my sister who is usually here...

Love you 

Aunt B

And by the way she took some of these awesomes shots

from years past

Happy Fourth & a giveaway to mention

I have been enjoying Kristin's blog

My Uncommon slice of Suburbia 

http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.blogspot.com/

Check it out and see what I mean

Her taste is exactly what I would love to have

She is also having a give a way over there

Still busy with my babies from before sunup to after sundown

Headed to Great Grandpa's big bash

for the 4th

Happy 4th Everyone!