End of Summer

It seems way too soon for the kids to be heading back to school.  It also doesn't sound right to hear about Labor Day sales on the television and radio.  How can the summer be coming to an end so soon? 

The college grandchildren have started to leave for their schools.  They rest will depart throughout the week.  Some of the younger grandchildren have started back to school this week and the remainder will go back next week.  I'll miss having them around and stopping in all the time.  However, it was a great summer. 

I had some fun fall sewing to do before school started.  A friend of mine is a teacher.  To encourage creative writing with her students, she uses a book titled Letters From Felix.  She has used a pathetic looking "Felix" stuffed rabbit that gets to go home with the children.  I promised her that I would make a new one for her before classes started. 

Felix may have overeaten this summer so he may need to go on a diet this fall, but he is definitely an improvement over the one that was being used.  lol

He even has his own backpack for the start of school (and for carrying his notepad and pencil).

One of the granddaughters stopped over this past week because she wanted to "make a dress".  This was her first dressmaking attempt and I think she did a great job on it.  She loved it and can't wait to come home for Thanksgiving so she can sew some more.

I managed to get my Scrappy Radiant Star quilted.  I'm looking forward to getting the binding on it and having it finished.

It was my block choice for my month of the Gridster Bee.  Each of my beemates included an extra block so the construction of the quilt went quickly.  They were all stars in my book and I included their signature blocks in stars on the back.

Lastly, this week has seen excitement with several of our tortoise eggs hatching.  It's always a fun time to watch the progress.  

Alaska

A trip that we have always wanted to make was a summer cruise to Alaska.  We decided to do it instead of a party to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.  The best part was we also took our children and their spouses.

The weather for the entire trip was picture perfect and we were told over and over again from the locals how we "nailed" the weather.

We decided to start in Seward, AK and cruise down to Vancouver, Canada.  It was just a dream come true.

I was amazed at the sounds heard while visiting the Hubbard Glacier - the largest in North America.  The sounds of thunder as sections calved, or broke away, and the popping of the ice in the water was something that I never imagined.

We did white water rafting below the Mendenhall Glacier in 33* water.

We saw whales and "rafts" of otters.

There was the historic rail through the Klondike White Pass trail, crab fests and off roading.

There were colorful villages to be seen.

Most of all it was a trip full of laughs and memories with all of our children.  We have been so blessed.