Coming of Age

Creepy McCrawly

 Micrathena Sagittata

(Arrowhead Micrathena)

I have a confession...

I am not a big fan of spiders!

However I couldn't resist getting a close up of this creepy fella... 

or gal?

I've never seen anything like this before.

And there it was...

right out my front door.

Eeek!

This summer feels like it has just blown by.

I didn't get much of anything

"Creative"

done at all.

However, I did manage to make several dozen Sparkleicious Headbands

Any money made from these guys go straight towards all things Softball.

Equipment, Pitching Lessons, Travel Expenses, Apparel  etc.

This was one of Mary's brilliant ideas.

And she hasn't done to badly, 

at $5 a pop.

We have a few different color combinations to make and then I will be adding them to my 

Etsy shop.

Family Time

Even thought it was a quick drive by...

it was great to see my little brother and my 

Beautiful Niece.

I hate that we only get to see her a few days out of the year now that she lives over there on the left coast.  
I had such high hopes that these girls would have spent weeks together this summer.
Unfortunately life doesn't always work out the way you want it to.
It has many unexpected twists and turns.

 These girls are growing up so fast.
I can't believe that they are 
TEENAGERS

I have been having some of my own growing pains with this new coming of age.
Mary went to her first
"Teen-Nite"
while her cousin was here.
And I have allowed her to go twice more since then.

Ugh...
I know that talking and giggling about boys is all par for the course at this age.
I just don't know that I am ready for what comes along with all this.

"Oh my gosh, he's looking at me..."
"He is coming this way!"
"Is he going to talk to me or ask me to dance?"

It hasn't been so long...
that I don't remember all that excitement.

Unfortunately that's not the part that sends chills up my spine.
It's the part that comes after the innocent boy crazy phase.
It is when these young ladies start interpreting what they think boys "like"
and start to explore 
"how to get a boy interested"
and 
what BEAUTY is.

I worry about the time when they start looking more to their peers for input than that of their parents.
And the time when I have to let go and pray that I have done enough to keep her steering in the right direction. 

My beautiful 
Pomegranate Tree...

This summer is the first time that it has produced any blossoms or fruit.

The first fruit dried up and fell off.
But now it has 3 more fruits and one GIANT bloom.

I have never grown a pomegranate before... 
this is a first for me
and I have no idea what to expect.
But I am ready to find out!

With all the buzz about 
Back to School
I found myself getting a little more inspired to 
CREATE.

A New Top for Mary!

Some ties for my
Dapper Young Nephews!

And I am also getting back to some of my old tricks...
This is the closest I got to cleaning my house yesterday.
I made a new wash rag for the kitchen and
some new cotton swiffer pads.

 This seemed so much more enjoyable than scrubbing the floors.

Yesterday was supposed to be a field trip to the Norfolk Zoo.
Unfortunately the folks that Mary was going to go with had to cancel.
But a friend called and we changed plans. 
A day at the beach with her...

Gal Pals


squeezing in those last bits of Summer!
One of the perks to homeschooling is...
OUR summer days 
can be stretched out just a little bit longer with a lot less crowded beaches.

While all the local kids and parents are pulling their hair out next week trying to get back into a new school routine.
I will be spending time on the beach with my soul sister in Salvo.

I can't wait
to see ya Robin!

I'm ready for a lot of laughter, a few tears and drowning some bait.