A Thank You Quilt

I have a very good friend that gets to start over after a divorce. This happens to be the same friend that taught me to quilt in the first place. Her life is so busy that she does not have time to sew. I am going to make her a new quilt for her new bed. I am excited to start a new project and excited to give a great big thank you to a friend that took a semi willing participant to a quilt store and changed her life.This is the focus fabric. I got it at the last quilt show I went to but they only had one yard. I searched high and low at the 4 quilt shops mere in our area but no go. I found it here at the www.oldcountrystorefabrics.com I ordered on Thursday and received it on Monday! Way faster than I expected. I will shop there again. I am going to make this pattern that is in the Moda Bake Shop. Designed by Vicky at spun sugar quilts.

I took the girls to the Ben Franklin to shop for the coordinating fabrics (not the novelty blue).

In the mean time I opened up my Bali Pop and started sewing. I saw a great pattern that I thought I could replicate pretty easily. We will see how it turns out.
With the weather being so nice I can't justify keeping the kids at home while I sew my little heart out. I know that I can't let these days pass by and not absorb all the vitamin D I can.

Columbia Field Trip

I was lucky enough to accompany the 4th grade class to Columbia State Park.
It is a gold mining town that is authentic to the gold rush to California in 1849. These are the kids I chaperoned. What a great bunch. I am glad to know that my child has the ability to listen and is actually the one of the better ones in the class! The kids learned about the fires that destroyed the town and got to participate in a bucket brigade race. Signs of spring, but I was freezing all day.

Best of the Valley

After the triathlon on Sunday my mom and I went to a quilt show in Lindsey. Here are some of my favorites

Weekend Wonders

This weekend was opening day for softball. Here are my stars. Nicole is playing a team called the Crush and is pretty competitive. Thankfully the coach is really good with the girls but the classic line came from my lips. "There is no crying in baseball".Alea you may recognize from opening day of baseball a couple of weeks ago. Now is her debut in softball. Good thing she is young and has lots of energy!
Speaking of young and lots of energy, I competed in a triathlon this weekend. Just to let you know I am old and I used up all my energy by the time I got to the run. Run a little, walk a little, run a little. I realized that if I walked too much it would take way longer. I am going to have to train a little better for the next one. Maybe next month. I don't know though. It is a 1000 yard swim in a lake. I don't have a wet suit. A 12 mile bike on hills and a 4 mile run. Excuse, excuse. Maybe I will just get over it and get out there.
It sure does feel good to finish.

Ponytailable?

Today was a busy day. It started after school with a hair cut. My DD has the most tender head I have ever seen. A ponytail is standard equipment for Nicole. Every few years I can talk her into a cut (or insist on one).
She wasn't sure, but is pleased with it because it is still ponytailable.Then there was a baseball game. Go A's

Boys at the skate park.

And softball practice.

I took this book and drafted my own pattern for a skirt.Over the weekend I thrifted the fabric ($.75 for 2 yards) and made this skirt. As I now look at the ensemble It looks like a spring skirt with heavy winter boots. It kind of reflects the weather but I will wait until a cute pair of flats will be appropriate.

Spring Snow

Woke up this morning to a beautiful white landscape, so pretty in fact that I had to pull over and take this picture to share with you. This is an apple orchard (with an Oak tree) that I get to drive past every day. It was exceptionally beautiful today.My blocks of the month for guild are all made and waiting for Monday. I have not participated in BOM for a while. The first year in the guild I made one or some every month, I never won. Maybe this time will be different. Maybe I will take my darling daughter Nicole with me. She is the luckiest girl ever. I always let her but the tickets of any thin we do any raffle ticket buying.

Happy Easter!

Nicole participated in a children's production at church last night and today. We attended church on Saturday night and the kids were confused this am. This pm we had an Easter egg hunt. Here are the remnants of laundry and candy eating on this relaxing Easter day.
This picture shows me just how much these two look alike. Kevin 9, Alea 8. But boy, how different they are!My Mom and her sister, my Aunt Sherry. Sometimes they look alike and sometimes not at all. They too are very different from one another.
My Dear Sweet Loving Mother kept my kids for the whole week. My husband made dinner.....yummm... Bacon Wrapped Fillet Mignon and a salad. He really loves me.

My Dad's visit concluded this week, I already miss him.

The boys got new skateboards this week. Fortunately they have a skate park near by. I know I should make them wear helmets. No one else does here but when we travel they are mandatory.
I have been a negligent blogger in days of late. I will try and post a little something everyday for a while.