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!