Embroidered Caravan Pillow and ... Our First Camping Trip of 2013

Lots of pictures today  - FAIR WARNING!! : )

I bought this embroidery iron-on pattern while visiting my sister in Ottawa last month.  

I couldn't wait to get started on stitching the cute little caravan!!

I picked the threads to match this caravan fabric I picked up last year.

I hadn't stitched in ages - but I quickly remembered that I REALLY enjoyed it!!

And in one evening I completed this:

All said and done, the embroidered picture finished about 6"x6"-- perfect for the centre of a pillow sham.

I bordered the stitched piece with a sashing of the caravan fabric, then trimmed the centre with a ruffle made using this ruffle tutorial.

Now it's all nestled in on the family room couch along with a few other home made pillows.

Speaking of caravans. . . 

We just returned from our first camping expedition of 2013.  

The weather was warmish and the rain stayed (mostly) away.  

We rented a site at a family "resort" about and hour from our home.  

Hubby and I had purchased our first travel trailer back in the fall and we were looking forward to using it as soon as the weather came around.

Our children were VERY excited about the weekend away.  We had read in the brochures about the petting zoo, the mini-golf, the tractor-pulled hay rides and the heated swimming pool.  

They wondered . . .

Where would we start?

Would we have time to do it all?

Will we meet any friends there?

We wondered . . .

Would the "new-to-us" camper leak?

Would the kids get enough rest, or would they be grumpy and over-tired?

Would our 4-year-old feel like he was just following his big brother and sister around all day?

Would our daughter find other little girls to play with?

I have recently read an article about one man's finding that the best years of child-rearing are the years that fall between the 10th and 25th wedding anniversary.  

The couple is well-established and financially secure and the children are usually at an age where their lives are not governed by diaper changes or nap times.  

Because of this, the family has far more freedom to explore, more time to go on vacation, more opportunity to take pictures and more time for memory-making.  

 Hubby and I just celebrated our 11th anniversary and our three children are 4,7 and 8.  We are JUST finding that they, 9 times out of 10, can handle any situation we can throw at them. 

 Because of this we are doing more things, seeing more things and living in the moment. 

 Don't get me wrong - - the baby-making years were very exciting and I'll cherish those times forever.  But now - - we are REALLY enjoying these "maintenance" years.  The family is made and done, and the adventures are just beginning.  

During the past weekend, all three of our children proved to us that they are growing and maturing.

They CAN stay up late to make s'mores and fluff-covered strawberries.

They CAN walk to bathroom as a threesome and return back to the camp site safely.

They CAN make connections with other children at the playground and solve little social problems without adult intervention.

My husband and I are so proud of our little people. They are just so pleasant.  And helpful. And happy.

And because of that, we'll take them anywhere.  

We're pleased to share them with the world . . . 

. . . whether it's in our new camper caravan. . .

. . . or in a Parisian hotel.

We are really excited for what the next 15 years bring.  

Oh, the places we'll go . . .

Oh, the memories we'll make. . . 

Hugs to you and yours,

Bronwyn