Sigh .. I'm back ...

We had a great long weekend at the beach and I sooo didn't want to come home but until I can retire these long weekends will have to do! lol .. Lisa, Yvonne and I left on Friday and had a nice 3 hour drive to the coast. Traffic was great and the weather cooperated too. Potty stop at a Starbucks of course .. iced teas for everyone, green for me and black for the girls and back on the road. Once we got to Ocean Shores, we stopped for lunch before checking into our room. We stay at a condo group that rents out their rooms when not using them. We had a ground floor room, right by the pool and a nice walk to the beach. We loved our home away from home ... very comfy ...





We walked on the beach at least once every day we were there ...

On one of our walks we saw this silly seagull that seemed to be playing in the surf. Usually the seagulls are just flying around or walking around looking for food .. this one seemed to be actually playing .. he was really fun to watch ...

I guess I was taken by all the birds around this weekend .. here's another picture of assorted sea birds enjoying a feeding frenzy ...

On one of our walks we encountered something I really had never seen on the beach, a sea star (aka starfish). It was sooo cool to see one just there on the beach. Pretty isn't it ...

We did get concerned that it was going to die, it was pretty far from the water .. low tide .. so Lisa found a stick and returned it to the sea. Hope it

survived ...

Here's Yvonne and Lisa hamming it up for the camera ...

Of course we had to write our names in the sand ... and what would a picture of our names in the sand we without our flipflops! lol .. we thought it was a fun touch ...

and what's a day at the beach with kites?

I just love this picture of the ocean ... so much power!

We collected some fun things during our beach walks ...

When we weren't walking on the beach, we were talking, shopping, eating, drinking, laughing, swimming, hot tubbing, laughing, watching a movie and laughing some more .. We spent Saturday night at the casino .. we had a blast on the penny slots and we were all up about $100 each when we stopped and went to dinner .. never should have stopped .. we came back cold cold cold .. but we had a great time anyway.

Before I forget, Edgar is having his 2nd year Blogiversary this week and is celebrating by having a drawing this Saturday. So go leave Edgar a comment and put a little something on your blog and maybe you'll be the lucky winner .. I'd love to have something stitched by Edgar, wouldn't you?

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my most recent BBD finish. I'm excited to start the one for my mom this Mother's Day .. I thought it would be a nice piece to start on such a bittersweet day.

I hope you find your joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for sand, the ocean, shopping and dear friends ...

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