Rewind the Blessings

Whew!  I've been back in the US for just for 3 weeks and it has been busy--with even a spur-of-the-moment trip to WA state to catch 2 Munchkin Birthdays.  

But as of today, the house is clean, 5 months of mail sorted/shredded (grr), patio plants potted, maintenance appointments for the house (and me!) made, friends & family catching up, etc., etc.

So, I have some Blessings to Blog about!

Elijah's 9th Birthday:

 And a tooth self-removed on my watch!:

Hannah's 12th Birthday (unbelievable)

Being the Organizational Specialist of the family, she records her gifts for thank you purposes!

My Grand Dog, Stella & Abby (the pretty one):

This is a train.  Too cute.

Mothers Day!

A tea caddy!

What a feast!

More gifts!

Time with the Colorado Munchkins

Awana graduation night

Spring

It's good to be home.

Work It!

Two areas of my wardrobe are in a Just-Too-Sad state:  my sleepwear & my workout wear.  The first is sad--but not from a lack of trying.  Another post for another time.

The workout wear came to a head when I rejoined my Palates class here in UB.  What passed for doing my collections of DVDs at home just wasn't going to cut it in public.

So.  I download the Laura Lounge Trousers by Maria Denmark of Onion Patterns (my 2nd pattern from Onion--amazing) and stopped by my favorite fabric shop here in UB which I liken to Mood Fabrics in that it is floor-to-ceiling rolls of fabric.  But only 1 storey and 2 rooms and shoulder-to-shoulder.  

I am SO behind on my pattern reviews and really owe Onion Patterns a huge round of applause.  Soon.  Promise.

Anyway, the results!  These were made in a great knit I found here in UB--not quite as stretchy as sweatshirt fleece, but still fleece-y and some stretch.  Great return.  I had enough of the gray to make another Magic Pencil Skirt and another workout top from the Kirsten Kimono Tee pattern.

Notice how I spared you a view of my belly :)  You're welcome

Here's another Kirsten Kimono Tee in another great knit found here in UB.  I had enough to bind the gray top--no picture :( and use for the band on these pants and the band on another pair of Lounge Trousers out of hot pink sweatshirt fleece--again, no pic.  So, I have been style'n at the gym.

Kirsten Kimono tee

 And look!  I made a yoga-mat bag!  Too cute. 

OK, now for a Personal Challenge.  Because of some lower back issues, I've crossed to the dark side of travel:  I am planning on wearing yoga pants on the 11-hour leg of my trip back to the US.  I know, I know, a bit obsessive.  I have friends who even take their bra off!  They will remain anonymous.  But this is huge for me.  I'm so not a wearing-yoga-pants in public person.  But that place where all our jeans have where the yoke meets the rest results in a knot that results in back ache for me.  Even in my favorite stretch jeans.  So.  I'm blessed enough to be flying business this time (using miles) on an Air Bus 380 with a--are you ready?  An entire upper deck for business class with it's own lounge and crazy big bathrooms!!!  So...I can change in the bathroom on the airplane!  Whew.

 Here are my 3rd pair of Lounge Trousers this time in a stretch velour.  Alas, not cotton (guessing here, but they didn't shrink a bit in the prewash, so thinking not.).  The top in the picture is yet another Kirsten Kimono Tee--love these things!  

So, tonight I begin my journey of 3 planes &amp 32 hours or so to get home.  Plus a 15-hour time difference.  

To quote my oldest daughter Jana:  "airline passengers need to create their own happiness these days."  How true!  My Lounge Trousers are just the ticket :)

Muy, Muy Bien!!

Randy had Caterpillar meetings in...Malaga, Spain!  I hemmed and hawed about going along--I know, I know; how could I not go?  It's the travel that's getting to me.  All travel to & from UB is crazy and this was the usual humdinger:  9 hours to Istanbul (with a not-so-charming fuel stop in Bishkek--I dare you to look this place up on Trip Advisor), and overnight in Istanbul and then a 5-hour flight into Malaga.  That's the downside of travel.  But Travel is a drug of sorts.  The addiction to seeing/smelling/hearing someplace new and foreign is just much bigger than me.  I went.

Oh man.  The food the sunshine the flowers the Med the language the museums the history.  Crazy.  Randy & I shared one whole day together happily wandering around and then he was in meetings and I was free to roam.

I give you Malaga through my lens (OK, a Sony Cybershot :):
Note:  all the exclamation marks are totally intentional

The view out our window!  A bit crooked because I was leaning out over the windowsill.  

The streets were tiled and so clean that auto tires and even our shoes squeaked.  No lie. 

Hmm.   Progress?

Malaga is Picasso's birthplace & where he grew up!

Tapas!!!!  In love.  Walk Eat Tapas.  Repeat.

Costa del Sol

 

Alcazabar fortress--Moors built upon the Roman's work who built on top of the Phoenicians!

Why don't our sidewalks look like this?

!

The bullfighting ring!

Roman amphitheater ruins!

Adios, Malaga