Exchanges & Summer plans

I'm participating in a color exchange in one of my yahoo groups. Each person was supposed to choose a color and the person sending to them was to send goodies and a stitched piece in that color. This is the third time we've done this and it's always lots of fun. This time I chose brown and I've just received a wonderful package from my stitching friend, Ming in Canada. She sent me a pretty brown purse that'll definitely come in handy...I love purses and bags. She also sent a headband, a pretty glittery coin purse, 2 spools of ribbon,
2 skeins of Needle Necessities thread, 3 skeins of DMC color variations thread, some pins for finishing, 4 really great cuts of fabric for finishing (LOVE the Halloween fabric!), and for my stitched piece she stitched a wonderful piece from Blackbird Designs for me called Autumn Song and made it in to a really great pillow. Thanks so much for the great package, Ming! I love everything that you sent :). I'll be looking forward to posting pictures of what I'm sending my partner when she receives her package. Of course, I have to mail it first :).





Both Patti and Juli have received the PIF gifts that I sent to them so I can post pictures now. I stitched a freebie from the Prairie Schooler called Spring and made it in to a pretty pinkeep for Patti. I thought it turned out really well.





For Juli, I stitched the frog from the Prairie Schooler's Garden Beasties chart and made it in to an ornament. Isn't he cute?














I've been thinking about what we're going to be doing this summer and have come up with a tentative plan. The kids don't get out of school here until the 12th. This came as a bit of a shock to them since their friends in Texas got out last week. They have a lot more 3 day weekends here which extends the school year a tad. That works out really well for us if we want to go see my parents. As far as I can see all they're going to do for the next 8 days is play. It looks like there's a themed day every day until school's out. I was waiting for school to break for the Summer before we went back to Busch Gardens but I think I'm going to change that plan. Jack Hanna will be there this weekend putting on shows and I think we really need to go. Other than that, here's my plan:

Last week of June- The kids are going to my parents house to stay for a week or a little longer. I was going to have my parents pick them up here and then I was going to go back after them before the 4th of July. I think we might reverse that though because there seems to be some interest in spending the 4th of July with me. Why ya ask? Why do ya think?!

4th of July- I'm so spending the 4th of July in D.C.! Nuts I know but ya couldn't pick a better place to be.I plan on having my backside perched on the steps of the National Archives to watch them. And why the National Archives you ask? Well, just cause I love it there and I've heard they do a reading of the Declaration of Independence. If I survived Veteran's Day weekend in D.C. and the opening day of the Cherry Blossom Festival I think I can handle this one.

July 11th- Mike's mom's coming to visit for a while so we're picking her up at the airport in D.C.

July 12th- We're going to Virginia Beach. Cassie wants to take her crabs to the Mid-Atlantic Hermit Crab Challenge. I suspect I'll be staring at the ocean all day so if you need me, don't call. I'll be busy.

Beginning of August- I don't have a calendar right in front of me but my family is having a family reunion in West Virginia and if I don't go they'll kill me. It should be interesting. I would say I can't wait but I don't want to lie.

Those are the big things I know of. This of course excludes all the other times I talk Mike in to taking us back to Virginia Beach. I'm sure we'll make a few visits over the Summer to Busch Gardens since we have the passes. We still haven't made it to the National Zoo yet so hope to do that. I'm also hoping that one day this Summer Laura and I can spend the day out. There's a needlework exhibit on display until the end of August at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum that I really want to see.