Magical Summer

This has been a magical summer. 

YES it has!

Not too hot for the most part

(always awesome for those of us who are heat intolerant), 

but still filled with many beautiful days.

Garden pickings have been plentiful enough for us to be able to stop buying fruit at the grocery store. 

Figs, lots of berries, apples and Asian pears with more fruit on the way. 

Hubby and I have been eating MUCH healthier and losing weight (yippee!)

and I am right on schedule to be my ideal, healthy weight in early autumn:)

Now that my DH is retired, 

we've also been hiking more in varied locations

(although I am sidelined today by a blister--boo!). 

And hopefully, hopefully we'll be able to do some camping soon too. 

It has indeed been a summer full of blessings

and I will be telling you more about them in the next few weeks

(we upped our data plan and have figured out part of the tech trouble we were having)

And now for blessing #1: 

Do you remember way back in May when I said I had some news?

Well between tech problems -- which included phone issues on both of my smartphones--

I just couldn't find a good pix of someone special who I wanted to introduce you to. 

And I definitely wanted a good pic because this little somebody is indeed VERY special...

then early one morning, about 0100 (1:00 AM for those who don't speak hospital or military time), I got the strangest text from my DD and it turned out she was bringing this special little someone, 

and four other very special people to see us. Oh--and she expected to be here in about 6 hours.

And, a bit later then the appointed time, 

after a marathon 6 -8 hour all night cleaning session, 

my house and we were ready to meet our guests:)

So, without further delay, 

our newest special one. 

Yes, we are totally in love with her--and with ALL of our special guests!

SO adorable!

Just like her adorable daddy and mommy:)

This special little someone is our very FIRST great-granddaughter

and it goes without saying that she is cute, charming, totally well behaved 

and very, VERY special!

And, though our family had been on the road for hours and hours...

I knew where they'd want to go...

I told my hubby before they ever arrived.

And, yep, I was right...

they wanted to see our lovely sand and ocean right then. 

So down to the sand we did go. 

BTW, THREE of our very special guests had never, 

and I do mean NEVER, 

been to a ocean beach before.  

So, over the next 

--all too short days--

we beach hopped. 

And had an AMAZING time!!

And I remembered, what I had seemingly forgotten, 

that EARLY mornings are BEST spent on the sand...

(oh yea, one of my special visitors is on one of those boats out there)

Though you can't really see, 

the lighting is more magical in the morning, 

the beaches and roads a LOT less crowded. 

The atmosphere even feels different. 

And when a minus tide and those early AM hours coincide?

Aimee is in heaven. 

And that's the SAME way our special visitors felt as we walked the sands 

and explored the AMAZING life to be found in the tide pools.

God definitely blessed us this summer

and there were more blessings to come. 

I hope this has been a summer of blessings for you as well. 

Blessings, 

Aimee

Photos: 

Lincoln City, Oregon