Just one little block please...

It's funny but here we are crazy in the middle of packing for our big adventure...and I'm in my sewing room!  Ha, just one little block...I just wanted to sew for a few minutes.  After all I'm gonna be on a quilting fast from my sweet machine for almost two whole weeks!!  My husband asked me the other day if I could make it for that long with out quilting?  So, I'm getting my fix...just one little block!  From the family room I hear him asking what's for lunch.  Times up....but Ha, I feel great!!

This is one of the blocks from the block of the month at Georgia Sewing & Quilting...pretty!

Our BIG adventure!

This has been one wacky few weeks preparing for our BIG adventure!  My sweet hubby of 28 years and I have been so busy all these years raising 5 kids that taking trips just the two of us was just not on the radar.

We took "family" vacations camping, to the beach, and mini trips to water parks and zoo's, etc.  When it was just two kids we always went to Florida for a week every summer, those were easy car trips.  When we went camping it was fun packing the back of a full sized truck...lot's of room there!  

Then came baby daughter #2 ... and our first used mini van.  Not so hard packing for two pre-teens and one tiny baby in an 8 seat van.  Sweet baby #4 came along with another car seat and two real teenagers with all their stuff!  At this point it was getting a little more challenging getting all our stuff in, around, and under the seats and two car seats of our old gray van.  We still went to Florida for a week that year...and one or two camping trips!  Shoot, we were getting the hang of this traveling with 4 kids thing so we took the ultimate family trip...we went to Washington DC for a whole week!!  We rode the Metro...saw the sights...and never lost a one of them!

Along came baby #5 with two fully loaded teenagers and two very busy toddlers!  We went on one tent camping trip from H--L!  It rained the entire time and packing back up the now double cab truck with all the soaking wet gear, clothes, sleeping bags, and kids...all the while keeping up with two toddlers...it was a challenge my sweet hubby has not forgotten and still refuses to plan a camping trip now because of.

Well, many many years later the little kiddies are all grown and it's quiet here at home most of the time...I say most of the time because we still have one failure-to-launch son at home.  

Recently sweet hubby and I ...sitting on the front porch swing watching the cars drive way too fast down our street....decided we were going to take the trip of a life time!  I went online and learned all about booking flights and bought our tickets...took me hours!  My fingers were shaking when I clicked the purchase button.   I have never put that much money on a credit card at one time in all my life!  We emptied the money jar we have been saving for over 26 years...we rolled every quarter, nickel, dime, and most of the pennies.  For two weeks we sorted, counted, and rolled coins...till our fingers were black!  Yes, money is very dirty!!!  We found several wheat pennies and one Indian head nickel in all that money not one rare coin.  This is a picture of the jar when we were half way through and the count was at $875.  I have no idea why this section is highlighted...looks like I know what I am doing huh?

We shopped for luggage...two trips to Ross to purchase and two to return the bags ....we ended up buying online finally...hopefully we have found bags that will fit the 22" x 14" x 9" flight restrictions thanks to
eBags.com.

Then began my struggle...I wasn't packing a van or a truck...I was packing for 11 days in one tiny bag and all my lotions and potions have to fit in one quart zip lock bag!!!  Please...I am over the 50 hill and slip sliding to 60 and I need my lotions!!!   

We spent this week getting our Last Will and Testaments made...another one of hubby's ideas!  I think he wanted to cover all the bases and finally get me to accomplish this dreaded task once and for all.  For years he has wanted to have a will made up, but when it came to the part of who to leave the kids with we always came to a screeching halt because who did we know that was as crazy as we were to want 5 kids anyway!

So what the heck is a "testator"???  

For two weeks now I have been trying on clothes to see if they still fit and packing and unpacking my bags trying to get it down to just the bare necessities of life.  By the time we actually climb into that limo...yes, I said "limo"...it was hubby's idea to ride to the airport in a limo sedan...only at 6:00 am who will notice!  Neither one of us wanted to drive to the airport, nor did either one of us want to leave our vehicle there for that long a period of time.  Haaaaa.....anyway, I am proud to say I think I have actually accomplished getting my bags packed and ready.

But, I know me and about half way to the airport I will remember what I forgot to pack... as if it would fit anyway....

"IT" happens...

Blogging has taken a back seat to the many things going on in my world here of late.  Not that I don't think about it...but with my parents (both in their 80's) living next door, a retired husband, college age daughter coming and going this summer, a teenage son struggling to find his way into manhood, and me deep in the grasp of middle age...well, I just get side tracked too easy these days.  So, I decided to look in on my blog and as I was skipping about I discovered I had unfinished drafts.  Now, it is possible that I did finish it....but since I didn't see it in my list...I'm finishing it now before I get interrupted again.

Yes, the "IT" of life happens to me all the time! 

Yesterday I was in one of my super creative energy spurts.  The house was quiet and all mine for a few precious hours...just me and the girls (dogs) Layla and Gracie.  I made me some hot chocolate spiked with instant coffee which could have been my motivation, ya think!  With the cold rain it was more of a curl up with a good book day.  But, with the caffene pumping in my veins I went straight to my sewing room, turned on all the floresent lights and put my foot to the pedal.  First I finished my fourth purse!  Yes, fourth purse in two weeks...I was so afraid to cut into my South African fabric that came with the kit that it took me 3 bags to gain the confidence to tackle this beautiful fabric.

  The "It" happened in my purse passion to finish the last bag.  I was feeling a little too confident in the process that I wasn't looking at the instructions anymore.  As I was pinning my outer edges I realized something was missing...the strap...turned to look for it and discovered my iron laying on it's face!  Yikes...dang..."It" happens!!  I am the only person I know that can blow up a Pyrex dish, stumble UP stairs, and nearly slice off a finger with a dull knife, and wreck her own car in the carport!  But, the truth is I have done all these things and more!  I am not known for my graceful movies or ability to eat fine pastries with a small plate and cup balanced in my lap.

Oh, well...I did try to fix up the pressing mat with various hair brained ideas I could come up with and in the end just put a new cover tacked down around the edge.  Life is Good again in my sewing room!

Today was a great day!

Had tea in bed.
Got my work out in.
Fixed Moms lunch while Dad was out for the day.
Had a great lunch with my hubby.
Quilted much on a project that begain way back in 1995.
Had an afternoon smoothie with hubby.
Roasted hot dogs out side at Dad's fire ring and talked till darkness fell.
Sitting on sofa with hubbie blogging while he watches baseball....

String Quilt Fun!

     The retreat was sew much fun! I sewed for a total of about 40 hours!  Meals were provided and no house work to do.  We could stay up as late as we wanted and sew...the last night I crawled into bed at 3:30am. 

     I went through two full spools of 500 m Guterman thread, and emptied 7 completely filled bobbins.  I got an email from our host that I won the bobbin contest!  Yipeeee!
      
   We had a Jelly Roll quilt race contest, weee... me an my tiny cheap Brother machine...came in third clocked at 39 minutes and a few seconds!  Ya, a complete quilt top done in less than 40 minutes!!!

  I also completed two Just For You quilt tops, my blue n white block of the month, and  34 blocks on my string quilt.  The totes of scraps kept getting tossed in my searching the strings which made the totes look even more full when I packed up to go home!  Yikes!  I think they are still reproducing in the dark!

    We visited two fun quilt shops and I bought fabric I don't really need but I had that strong urge of "regret fear" if I didn't get that 30 piece fat quarter pack and pattern.  I know me and if I didn't get it right then and there I would spend twice that amount trying to find it again! 

  So, all in all I would say it was a wonderful quilt retreat weekend to remember!  But, I still have two full buckets of string scraps!!!

Home Sweet Home...

Sitting on the back porch with my hubby talking! :)

Blue Ridge Quilt Retreat!

I am having sew much fun creating a scrap string quilt!  This is my play station!  My friend Tania is sitting across from me!  Life is good!! :)

Tea Party at the Quilt Guild...

     I am not a lace, hats, and gloves kind of girl so I was hesitant about going to Quilt Guild this morning.  This month was a the big tea party and I was thinking wearing jeans and sneakers might be a problem.

     So, I sat in the parking lot and waited to see how some were dressed.  I was filled with joy and jubulation as I saw Debbie, a who's who in our area, walk in wearing jeans!!  "Yes," I said to myself, "this is where I belong."

     We had a great speaker from Qnntv.com, shared fine teas, and many beautiful show n tell quilts.  I bought several dollars worth of raffle tickets and won two bags of goodies!  I showed my Atlantic Flyaway quilt and received a pretty little red ribbon!  It was a good morning!!! 

Fabric scraps reproducing!

It seems as though my scraps are breading in the night like a bunch of mice!  I can't seem to get ahead of them!  Ugh, but I will find the guilty male in my bunch this coming week at the retreat and sew him into a quilt!  Ahhaaahaaa!  :)

Spring is on it's way!

Dear hubby and I just got back from a long walk.  The air has that sweet spring smell.  The warmth of the sun on our backs. Life is good!

Crazy Love

     All the kids came home for the holidays and we loved every minute of time we could spend with them!  Then in January the sweet local quilt store job I had ended with the closing of the shop.  It was a down time for me for a few weeks.  So, as usual I got busy in my sewing room...should have been cleaning house but since the dust waits on me so sweetly I decided to play first...I so enjoy sewing!

     But, just as I was getting into the hang of not working and having a lot of free time...my Mom had to have cancer surgery on her face...poor thing.  She is still here in body and laugh but her mind has slipped away over time this last few years.  Dad had his hands full caring for Mom and, since I live next door, I was called upon to lend a helping hand quite a lot.  Not a problem for me since I had all this free time.  :)

   About the time we got Mom on the road to her normal life again, Dad gets a cyst that had to be removed on his back and finds out he also has a navel hernia!  So, here we go again and Dad goes to the hospital.  Another week or two of trotting next door morning, noon, and night.  LOL  But, it's ok since it was what I signed up for when we encouraged them to buy the house next door.  I am so very thankful that I am not having to make the long drive to help care for them where they used to live.  Dad just called and said his visit to the doctor went well and he is on the road to wellness again!  Yeah!!  Not a day goes buy that I don't grow a little closer to my Mom and Dad...they are 82 and 83 and still very much in love!  Recently Dad showed me some old pictures he found cleaning Mom's closet.  Inside the envelope was a love letter Dad wrote to Mom before they were married...such a sweet treasure!  He still has that twinkle in his eye as he looks at Mom now after being married for almost 60 years.

    Our oldest son is a wonderful young man with so much love to give.  No he is not perfect but almost in my eyes.  I want him to be happy and find someone to love with all his heart that returns that crazy love.  When he was growing up somewhere in his late teen years I would walk out into the drive way as he worked on his cars and often the song Crazy Love would be playing on his radio.  So, today as I was on the way back home from the dentist I heard Ray Charles singing his song Crazy Love and once again my heart and prayers go out to my son.....

Crazy Love
I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles
And the heavens open every time she smiles
And when I come to her that's where I belong
Yet I'm running to her like a river's song
[Chorus:]
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love
She's got a fine sense of humor when I'm feeling low down
And when I come to her when the sun goes down
Take away my trouble, take away my grief
Take away my heartache, in the night like a thief
[Chorus]
Yes I need her in the daytime
Yes I need her in the night
Yes I want to throw my arms around her
Kiss her hug her kiss her hug her tight
And when I'm returning from so far away
She gives me some sweet lovin' brighten up my day
Yes it makes me righteous, yes it makes me feel whole
Yes it makes me mellow down in to my soul