Slow Sunday Stitching

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted, and for good reason.  I went with my older daughter Kristen and her family, and granddaughter Kyleigh's fiance to Hawaii.  My son-in-law Jeff's 50th birthday was on July 1st and we told him we were taking him to Hawaii for a week and he had 1 day to get ready.   He kept asking if it was a joke, which it wasn't.  Granddaughter Kyleigh came up with the idea late last year, and it has been really hard to keep the surprise.  I almost blew it the week  before we were supposed to go, but luckily it didn't click with him .

My header picture is from the last sunset off our deck.  We rented a house in Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu.  It was a wonderful week.  The temperatures varied from 75-82, thus we escaped our Northern California weather of 104-109.  It was tough coming back!   My camellia bushes are getting pretty crispy.

This was the living room, looking out to the ocean.  I sat in that chair by the window when the sun was hitting the deck and too much for me to sit outside.  I did some stitching, but not much while I was gone.  

One day we went to Dole Plantation, and visited their maze, gardens and took a tour.

We went to Waimea Falls.  My family went and swam below the falls.  

When my husband was a teenager his father was stationed in Hawaii, and John jumped off the second tier of the falls.  They no longer allow any jumping off the rocks.  

My family went on a tour of the Kualoa Ranch-Jurassic Park Tour also.   This was where Jurassic Park and also the series Lost were filmed.   I bowed out that day, as my stomach was having issues.  

On the 4th of July was the highlight of my trip.  I have nieces and nephews in Hawaii that I haven't seen since my girls were in their teens, and they are in their 40's now.    This is my niece Sarah and it was the highlight of my trip to meet up with her again.  This is also one of the dresses I made before I left.  

Sarah brought along her son, and his family.  

Sarah's father, who is Hawaii, made carved a walking stick for Jeff for his birthday.

The 4th of July, we also met up with a nephew and his family, but unfortunately did not get any pictures.  

One day we went to Pearl Harbor, and we able to visit a sister-in-law who is currently undergoing rehab after a stroke. 

A funny thing happened at the airport as our bags were being examined to come home.  When we arrived in Hawaii, we immediately went to Costco and got groceries for the week.  Kyleigh's fiance Drew bought a big jar of garlic salt, and wanted to bring the rest home with him.  At the airport he was pulled aside and the garlic salt was drug tested and passed the test!

After an idyllic week spent with family it is sort of hard being by myself again and getting into my usual routine.  Of course it is in the 100's and if you want to get anything done you need to get out at the crack of dawn.  I did get the lawn mowed on Saturday though.  

I have two things to work on for Slow Sunday Stitching.  My Kathy Schmitz stichery

And a redwork block.  Our theme of our quilt show is red and white quilts.   At our last miniquilt meeting last month, one of our members gave this to me.  She doesn't care for embroidery and won it at one of our guild giveaways.  I happily took it.    I did visit one fabric store in Pearl Harbor and got a piece of red and white fabric.  

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  

Thanks for stopping by!