Charlotte's Day

She is Oh-fficially a teenager! Charlotte spent the day with me and my mother going to lunch and shopping. Let me say it was a blast! This girl has so much excitement and enthusiasm....and she knows EVERY word to EVERY Justin Bieber song EVER recorded! We heard them ALL. She can sing!! I am not kidding.

We took her to Chilis for lunch. She had a Caribbean Salad and a cup of cheesy broccoli soup. They brought her a hot fudge brownie sundae....I had a few bites and let me tell you....that was the BEST Brownie I ever had in my life!

We went shopping and she was able to get some things....clothes, yarn, roller blades, (new bras....I was not suppose to tell), shoes that you decorate yourself with jewels, and hair stuff. Grandma had given her a gorgeous necklace and ring, Bud bought her a book and a Justin Bieber poster, and her friends down the street bought her earrings and a journal.
Don't let the different clothes fool you....Charlotte is wearing 3 different outfits in these pics, but this is all the same day. One thing Charlotte wanted desperately was to have her eyebrows done. I had told her when she was 13.....she remembered. We headed to Foxy Nails and Crystal, who does my feet, was glad to help out. Poor Charlotte looks about to jump out of that chair!Here is a before..........and an after.....She is growing up so fast. I am so very proud of the young woman she is becoming. Days like this show me how far we have come!
I love you Charlotte! (you too Sass!)

You Float My Boat

That is what I am calling TJ's quilt. He does float my boat, so it is fitting. Today Sweetheart headed to the country to work at his mom's house. I set up shop in the eating area so I could watch kids and sew all day. My goal: 12 sailboat blocks. I had some pieces cut, but still needed all the background cut and had all the piecing to do. I got busy!

There was the marking of the sails (1/2 square triangles).

The trimming of the sails.
Hey quilters! What do you call these little corners you have to snip off???I call them tits. Am I the only one?? I am sure I did not come up with that term on my own....did I?? Please someone, tell me that you call them that too!!!
Sails are done and flying in the sky.

Next I made the boats. Such a simple and fun process, these blocks.Now to float my boat.....This water fabric is wonderful!! I just love it!! I had planned to use a different blue in each block, but fell so in love with this fabric I bought it for all the blocks plus the cream for the sky....looks like wind in the cream color, and waves in the blue.The boats kept multiplying.Soon....ok, not so soon, but by nightfall I had all 12 boats floating!!Now to find a perfect sashing and border!!
The postman brought a package today. I had forgot I was a runner up on Linda's blog giveaway. The runner up gets just as good a prize as the winner over there!!!It is just gorgeous!! Inside were a notepad and matching wallet....I forgot to take pics of those. I am bad like that! Thank you Linda. It is beautiful!!! I plan to take it on my trip to Galena next week!
Sassy was all worn out from protecting us from houseflies. She ate at least 3....Zach lets them in on purpose for her.Would you all say a little prayer for Joanne? Her sweet husband passed away after a short battle with cancer on Sunday night. I can not imagine the grief of that, but I know many of you can. Maybe let her know you are thinking of her.

A Busy Weekend

I had planned to post yesterday, but I was part of the "isolated areas" that blogger was having issue with. Today it is all good again. I will not complain. I rarely have problems with blogger.

Our weekend was full. Saturday I did a deep clean of the main floor of our home. It needed it! Doing housework with Sassy is a chore in it's self. She walks on my wet floors........she digs at the rugs.........and she chases Hazel's cord (until I turn it on)I washed all the throw rugs and runners, and because it was so wet outside I had to toss them in the dryer. Have I ever mentioned how much Sass loves the dryer? Anytime I am throwing clothes in, she wants to follow. We have to be VERY careful and watchful of that. We have a dryer rule here....do not press "start" unless you SEE Sassy outside the dryer! She will sneak in there before you can notice.

Charlotte helped with some cleaning....vacuuming the stairs and cleaning the upstairs bathroom. She worked on her bed cover.....It is really beautiful. She has worked very hard on it.

Sweetheart replaced 3 screens....one in Kyle's room where Zach sliced it with a rotary cutter years ago (when it was my sewing room). One where Sassy dug a hole....no not the kitchen one. He replaced that one a while back. And the sliding screen door needed to be replaced. My oldest slammed it shut and it fell off the track and hit a corner of the patio chair putting a large hole in it. 28 years old and I still have to tell him to NOT slam the door.

It was not all work and no play last weekend. I was able to get some more quilting done. Though the stitches do not show up, I was right in that the texture will be there. That makes it more tolerable.

We had a sweet visitor on Sunday evening.Emerson came for a couple of hours while her Mommy and Daddy took her brother to see Shrek 4. She ate BBQ'd ribs, baked potato, and corn for dinner and then we took a nice long walk. When we got back, Charlotte and her friends kept her entertained for a while.She is showing you her foot....the girls were painting each other's toe nails. Emerson kept putting her foot over for her toes to be painted........but would scream if they actually tried! Crazy girl! Here the big girls are standing behind me making faces at Emmie.It was so good to see her, and TJ too. They will be at their Daddy's house for a whole 10 days next week. He is on vacation. Speaking of vacation.....I am going on my annual trip with my mom next week. We are returning to Galena. I can't wait!!!!

Homestead Blessings

You all know I do NOT blog giveaways. I take my chance on just entering and feel it is too much time to blog them....PLUS I really want my own readers to win my giveaways! BUT....I just HAD to blog this one cause I reeeeeally want it and this gives me an extra chance. It is a 10 DVD series called Homestead Blessings. It is being given at Raising Homemakers.

Wish me luck !!!!

An Update Post

HOMEMAKING

The house is running smoothly. We have a nice routine here. My binder routines and schedules are memorized, so I rarely have to pull it out. Meals are simpler now with summer here. Lots of grilling out and salads and sandwiches.

QUILTINGThis update will be quite boring. I am still hand quilting the Hidden Star and NOT loving it. The fabrics are so busy that the stitches do not show. Like I said before, I think in the end the texture will be incredible. I want to get TJ's top done and in the hoop so I can switch back and forth....if I make myself quilt a block on the Hidden Star then I can reward myself with some sailboat quilting!! Emerson's quilt has been put on hold. If they reunite, there is no need to make her another quilt. 1 home, 1 quilt. 2 homes, 2 quilts. I am hoping for 1.

GARDENINGThe roses in Hope's Garden are blooming like crazy. I have to believe that is because she is there and God is blessing her spot! They are just gorgeous roses!

The vegetable garden is doing wonderfully also. The lettuce and onions are sprouting up and the pepper and tomato plants have blooms on them!Oops~there is a weed in there....I better get that!

SCHOOLWe are winding down our home school year. The kids have done well. Charlotte has an extra set of books to re-do. I won't go into that here, but suffice it to say, she is going to learn more than a social studies lesson! Zach wonders why he ever thought "add and carry was a drag". (can you tell he has "old" parents?) He passed his latest set of tests with flying colors. He starts in the Summer Day Camp once a week on the 9th. He will not be attending the private school next year...a decision Sweetheart and I made together....though Zach, Charlotte, and I will be very involved in the home school co-op next year.

KIDSThe shining light in our house came to me yesterday holding a fork above his head and asked, "What am I, Mom?" I guessed "The Statue of Liberty." "Nope", he said. "I am a fork lift!!!" That kid cracks me up!!!

FAMILYA HUGE congratulations to my niece Meghan! She graduated from Law School and will be taking her State Bar Exam very soon. This girl got a complete scholarship based on her academics. She was even given housing money. Her aspiration is to be a Judge. I know she will be a good one!!

SPIRITUALI have been in 1 Peter 1 for 3 days now. I read and meditate on it and will continue to until I feel released to move on. Words that pop out at me are, Mercy, Grace, Exile, Trials, Refining, Faith, Testing, and Holy. These 2 sections of scripture are especially meaningful for me right now:

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:6-7

and

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." 1 Peter 13-19

"preparing your minds for action".....wow. Powerful stuff!

SASSYSassafras continues to grow (more wide than anything) and loves to watch out the window for bugs and birds.She plays hard and sleeps hard also! I can not imagine life with out Sass!Thanks for reading through my Update post. I love your comments, so please come out of lurkdom and let me know you are there and where you are from!

Raising Homemakers

Announcing the launch of Raising Homemakers!!!! I look forward to this new site and the many gifted contributors there. Boy, do I need it!!! Click over to give it a look-see.