Too busy for words!

Where has the time gone? I can't believe it is the fourth of July already! Someone said the other day...once the fourth is here, Christmas is right around the corner. I sure hope that's not true! I'm no where near ready!!!

I can't seem to catch up. I have some pictures to share but they are not updated either. I hope next week things will slow down a little bit and I might be able to show you what I've accomplished lately. In the meanwhile, let me share a few pics that I do have.

The picture above is one that I worked on during the retreat the weekend before mother's day.The picture above is the gift I finished during the retreat to give to my Mother for Mother's day. She used to sing this song to me when I was growing up.DH and I had a few days to ourselves while DS was away on a missions trip so we decided to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary early. We spent 3 heavenly nights in this Bed and Breakfast called the Southern Mansion in Cape May, NJ. We stayed in the main house, Room 4 (pictured below). Quite a difference from our honeymoon 25 years ago! Interestingly enough, many people asked us if we were honeymooners during this visit to Cape May. I know we were both relaxed and having fun and it's flattering to think that strangers seeing us for the first time thought we were so in love.Last but not least, is our adventure at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. Ben was chosen to "steal 2nd base" and so during the game he was given 1 minute to run from the farthest point in the outfield to 2nd base, pick it up and run back. He ran the fastest I've ever seen him run, got to 2nd base and couldn't get it out of the ground! He struggled there but finally pulled it up and ran back with 12 seconds to spare! Afterward you would have thought he was a celebrity, people stopped and said they had seen him on the ballfield, one guy reached over the railing after his run to shake his hand, the people behind me (because of course I was cheering!!) asked me if I knew that guy on the field and when he returned to his seat complimented him on his run. Even after the game on the train ride home a person recognized him from the game. What fun we had that night! Along with the 4 free tickets to the game, he was given a free jersey (which he wore during his run), a baseball cap, a limited edition bobblehead, and $75.00 of gift certificates he could use anywhere in the park. It truly is fitting that DS won this honor, as he is a die-hard Orioles fan (no matter how low in the standings the Orioles go).Today I'm waiting for my cousin to arrive. She and her daughter and her 3 grandchildren are coming to visit for the night. Unfortunately they have to leave for home tomorrow. If all goes well, we will head for Washington DC to see the fireworks on the National Mall! I've done this once before, spent the whole day there, back when DS was only 4. It was worth it to do it once and since neither my cousin nor her daughter have been to DC, it's worth it to do it again (I think). Sometimes it's a hastle with the stepped up security and the mobs of people. I hope the rain stays away and they have a fun time. I wish we could leave ealier though, I heard Neil Diamond is entertaining the crowds for a while this year, he's one of my favorite entertainers. It will be nice to see my cousin again.

Well I will try to be more consistant with updates from now on. I've finished my first full week of work (and what a week that was!!) and have survived. Hopefully it will be easier from now on, we'll see! I'm sure my stitching time will be limited now as I'm working full time, but I always have interesting stories to tell from my job. I meet the most fascinating people there (yesterday I framed a picture of the Jackson 5 that had been autographed by all the brothers but was never framed for 40 years...Michael Jackson must have been about 10 in the picture!). I have met several members of the secret service who have pictures of themselves guarding the various presidents. We've framed license plates and flags that have been on the presidential limos during inaugurations, lots of people who have attended Christmas events at the White House come to have their photos with the President and their families, we even have some of our frames hanging in the halls of the National Archives! I really love this job and I'm so glad to be back working there!

Ok, off to celebrate our independence day. Hope you have a safe and memorable holiday. *Hugs*