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July 29, 2006

etsy shop

these fun, clutch bags are now for sale on my etsy shop. made with double thickness wool yarn, these bags measure approximately 10"wide by 6".

Posted by cooleys at 10:51 AM | TrackBack

July 22, 2006

idealistic us

spending all day saturday in preparation for our trip, we left chattanooga sunday morning anticipating the sound of the waves and sand in our toes. the trip to grayton beach, florida was expected to take around eight hours, and we were surprised to find ourselves there ahead of schedule. traveling with three small children in a crowded van for several hours is quite a lofty endeavor. we did make it, however, and i somehow managed to hold onto my sanity.

upon arrival, we faced the task of setting up camp (yes, the plan was to camp out for three nights in this beautiful yet hot, mosquito infested spot). the boys soon discovered a water faucet that turned the ashy rock surrounding our campsite into small flowing rivers. they began constructing dams and attempted to avoid the pesky two-year-old that was set on destroying their creations. fighting ensued, but mark and i were somehow able to set up camp.

next, we headed out to the beach that lay right beyond the beautifully preserved sand dunes. evenings on the beach seem serene to me. the threat of those piercing rays de-intensifies, the shore empties of sun bathers, and eventually the sky blazes with the amazing colors of the sunset. we played, we rested, we searched for hermit crabs, we played soccer, and laughed at our littlest guy intent on stripping off his sandy duds to run freely in the buff. we have one shot of him grabbing a bag of chips and running off into the sunset without anything on.

that night was a bit of a disaster with whining children fighting in a sweltering hot tent and mosquitoes on the prowl as mark and i attempted to relax and enjoy the evening...

after purchasing a body board for aidan to try out, we spent several hours of the next day enjoying the ocean. it amazed me how fearless my five-year-old can be. intent on learning how to use his flame covered board correctly, he ran into the water. i saw him knocked on his backside several times with a mouth full of salt water. he would then collect himself and face the next wave with determination. mark enjoyed time helping aidan and carrying ollie into the water. abel preferred to stay on shore running and jumping over waves that rushed in.

we opted to spend the next night in a nicely air conditioned hotel room in destin and took a few more trips to the beach before returning home. overall, it was nice to see the boys enjoying the water, and we will be sure to plan another trip to the beach next year. the tent, however, will not be coming with us...

Posted by cooleys at 02:38 PM | TrackBack

July 06, 2006

the purse

i received a book on knitting last year and doubted my ability to pick up something new while i am still in this phase of little sleep and very full days. a neighbor, and organizer of the local "knit wits," eased my fears and taught me the stitches needed to make these bags. i thoroughly enjoyed making the first and could not help but continue on to complete twelve. friends offered their secret stashes of beads from necklaces once loved and antique buttons collected. i also used several pieces from my own keepsakes: a bracelet bought on an outing with my parents, a necklace carefully chosen after being invited out with an older cousin...i am currently working on setting up a little online shop at etsy.com under mereornament. hopefully, these purses will be up for sale on that site within the next week.....

...and my attempt at the art of freezer paper stencils. mark and i enjoyed an evening working on these shirts for our little guys. gotta love a guy who would give up time with the scooter club for cutting out bird images with his wife.

...and aidan works on a piece of his own:

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