I'm Through...

it's official...this is no longer on my 'favorite show' list.

i can't even tell you how disappointed i am.

goodbye jon & kate, sorry you don't love your children enough to work through your apparent problems and selfishness and give them what every child deserves...

an intact family!

It's My Life (edited)

(this post has been edited to include pictures. when i first posted this i was under the weather and just didn't have the energy to gather all the photos. enjoy...)

have you ever read 'To Our Children's Children'? it's a great book designed to help you preserve your life story for generations to come. i have been wanting to do this and thought it would be fun to do it together. the idea is to one day make a book from our posts for our children.

I hope you'll join me in this endeavor,here's how we'll do it.

each tuesday you will have several questions to answer. each month there will be a 'theme' for the month. for example, we will start with your family and ancestry, then we'll move on into the house of your growing up, your childhood, holidays & celebrations, romance, parenthood, etc. sometimes the questions will be simple, sometimes they may not even apply and other times, you might find it hard to answer. there's never a right or wrong answer.

if you have blog, sign up with mr.linky, which will be at the end of each post. you'll then make your own post by copying and pasting the questions and answering them. if you don't have a blog, i encourage you to play along with a journal.

please link back to my blog in your posts and encourage your readers to play along.

the important thing is to never underestimate just how grateful your children and your children's children will be that you are doing this for them. it will be cherished for generations to come.

Here are this week's questions:

1. What was your mother's name? Cathy Anne (i don't have a copy of mom's senior picture...)

Your Father's name? Charles Anthony

Your grandmother's names? Frances Elizabeth (maternal) & Faye (paternal)

Your grandfather's names? Ralph William aka Chris (maternal) & Charles (paternal)

What did you call them? Mom, Dad, Grandma & Grandpa.

we spent a lot of time with my mom's parents. 'grandma & grandpa'. the summer's and the many camping, fishing trips were always the most fun.

I only remember meeting my father's parents once. They were divorced and we didn't have a relationship with either.

2. Do you have brother's and sisters? one younger sister. What are their names? Suzanne How old were you when they were born? I was three.Do you remember the first time you saw them? No

(this is one of my favorite photos of her with her daughter in 2008)

3. What about your aunts and uncles? Janice, Chris & Andy.

(janice)

(andy)

i've got to find a picture of chris

Did they play an important part in your growing up? Very, very much! My parents got divorced when I was young and Chris watched us often. I remember one night throwing up and his way of cleaning it up was to vaccuum it. As a younger girl, I spent a lot of time with my Aunt Jan. Did your family get together much casualy or did you have to travel to spend time together? We did, we were a very close family that did a lot together. Those were good times...

that's it, not too hard? sign up with mr. linky and play along!

A 4th of July Giveaway

you'll surely not want to miss!

yep, you can win all this!!! go on over and see cindy at our primitive heart to enter!

good luck!!!

Today was our

monthly quilt class and

with the 4th of july right around the corner, i decided to go with it for the theme.

i made these 'sparklers' that were on the country living website.

and i baked the lemon poppyseed mini bundt cakes for everyone.

we're working on the bunny hill blocks, but i think my favorite part is by far making all the goodies. and you can't beat being with friends!

here is a collage of my blocks. i've taken some inspiration from here and there. i LOVED the carrot idea from the happy zombie, and i decided the yo-yo's would be fun. actually, i didn't have time to applique the flowers, so that was a quicker alternative and i think they turned out pretty cute. the quilt will eventually go to my sister, i think she'll like it.

i hope you had a great day!

tell your hubby's, dad's, loved one's, happy father's day!!!

To My Son,

i found this while i was cleaning up today and i thought i'd post it here so that when i get around to making a book from some of these posts, this will not be forgotten...

last year one of your teachers, asked me to describe you in a thousand words or less.

this is what i wrote.

"When 'bub' turned two, he decided to ride his bike without training wheels. His dad took them off and that day he learned to ride a two wheeler. When he was 4 years old, he decided he wanted a motorcycle. He was told that he had to earn half of the money and by his 5th birthday he had and he got his first motorcycle. At the age of 11, he continues to be driven by the desire to achieve. His achievements vary and are often self-fulfilled. He is competitive and stubborn. When he wants something, very little will stop him from getting it. At times his relentlessness is more than a parent can bear. As an adult, it will bring him great success.

He is also very sensitive. He wants to please. He will work very hard if he is verbally praised and appreciated. He takes pride in his effort to do well. At the same time, if he feels like you don't care, he won't either. He is crushed if scolded and will shut down. The best way to get him to do what you want is to take him aside, rather than embarrassing him in front of others. The bottom line is, he wants to see you smile and he wants to know you like him.

He is a leader. He doesn't care too much about trends and the like. If others don't like what he likes, he thinks they are strange. He doesn't try to fit in, he feels that he already does.

He is very smart. He is always thinking. He needs to be challenged. The challenge may frustrate him, that's good, he'll figure it out.

He is exceptional. To sum him up, he is bright, honest, (at times) self righteous, fun, energetic, driven, sensitive, self motivated, fearless, stubborn and caring. He has a kind heart and a sweet spirit and he will do whatever he puts his mind to.

Enjoy him in your class!
Love, Julie Isa"

and as i read this, two things come to my mind. first the teacher who ask for this, turned out to be an incredible teacher with a gift for making science everyone's favorite. the other thing is that you were then and still are an awesome kid. plain and simple.
i love you!
mom

Quilter's Day Book

A Quilter's Day Book

for today, Thursday, June 18th, 2009

Outside my sewing room window...it's quiet. i LOVE quiet! the baby is sleeping, the kids are at auntie's and the dogs are lying in the sun.

ahhh, quiet summer days, i'll enjoy it while i can.

I am thinking...about a project i am going to start on my blog. it will be a fun way to preserve family history and traditions. my goal is to one day publish the posts into a book for my kids. i need to figure out mr. linky before i do it so i think i'll start it on tuesday. hope you'll stop by to join me.

I am thankful...i am able to to what i love to do and get paid for it. it allows me to stay home with my children. thank you, susan for putting me on this path, i love and appreciate you!

On the longarm...is another graduation gift (congratulations, tess!)

I am working on...the baby pinwheel quilt. after the last few weeks, the sewing machine needs a break.

One of my favorite things...is this quilt magazine. i eagerly await every shop hop publication! i am so very excited because one of my FAVORITE quilt shops, temecula quilt co., is going to featured in the next issue! yeah! i can't wait!!! congratulations sherry!

I thought I'd share...this book. it's no secret that i LOVE all things americana and this book has the most wonderful projects!

just take a look!

and i'm bummed because i can't find my 4th of july bin and it has this cute americana pillow that my mom made me years ago! ugh!

A tip from the sewing room...don't ok, so last weeks tip was really a joke. one project at a time, sounds like a great idea, but really it's so difficult to do. today's tip is serious. when you are putting on your quilt borders, take the time to measure through the center of your quilt and cut the borders that length. it makes a HUGE difference, especially to your quilter.

One last note...i love this kitten! what a curious little thing!

i hope you have a great day!!!

Goodbye Kindergarten

goodbye, best teacher EVER...

goodbye friends...

this is the end of a wonderful chapter

you had a great day! you recieved your 'diploma'

played games...

had ice cream sundaes

and you even got to play on the 'big kids' play ground!

what a wonderful, wonderful day!!!

i LOVE you punkin!!!

Join us for Tea...

kindergarten is officially over tomorrow and i wanted to start a traditional 'end of the year' tea party for the little princess.

i fell in love with carrie's teddy bear tea party and was inspired. she was so nice to let me borrow her wood pieces (thanks carrie! your so talented!!!)

we started things off with a story 'tea for ruby' it's such a cute book.

after the story, lunch was served.

and then onto the fun stuff,

decorating cookies. this is always a hit and i LOVE seeing the masterpieces.

the festivities were short and sweet and the girls LOVED it! seeing the smiles on the cute faces makes all the work well worth it!

here's to kindergarten and new traiditions!

love you, my little princess!

I am SO Grateful

to susan and her tuesday class!

because you wanted a tour, i was encouraged to finish up a lot of projects that have been put aside, organize my cupboards and clean like i haven't cleaned in way too long!

i have to admit, when i found out you all wanted to come over, i was really nervous and i felt like it wouldn't be worth your while.

you were all so sweet and i am so glad you came!

THANKS!!!

if your in the area, stop on by (you'll never see it this clean again...)

and for the rest of you,

i'll welcome you in now...

walk this way into the living room.

i've got my 'summer' decor up,

although my 4th of july bin is missing...

my favorite part of the house is the fireplace.

i love the used brick.

next, i'll take you into my sewing room.

i've been hard at work in here.

here's the project that bob was working on.

it started out as a shelving unit and it's now a cupboard.

and that blank wall behind my long arm,now it's full of my favorite photos and a design wall that bob put together for me.

here's the cute curtains that jill made. what a difference some fabric makes!

this was a beat up old window that we turned into a chalk board/message board.

and you gotta love ribbon storage!

if you come on down the hall, i'll show you another project we finished up.

and this is the boys room

i found this milk bucket at a flea market for $5. yeah!

we'll pass on the girls room, and go on in to my room.

and let's not forget the bathroom that recently got a makeover.

again, thanks so much for coming by...

come back in a little bit, the little princess and her friends are coming for tea!