What's a Girl to Do?

Okay, I've got an event coming up. Needed something to wear. UUhhhgggg....that means shopping. Unless it's fabric, I want no part of it!! Sights like this...

and this....

Kind of make my head spin, and my stomach queasy.  BUT!  I must find something to wear. :(  AND don't even let me think I might have to try on something in a store!  Hate it with a passion.  I know, definitely not typical.  So called up my Kansas...wanna see her...hehehe...she's gonna kill me...

Thanks to Bobby D for the photo!



And we set up a time to "get er done."  When we met that morning, she told me what she thought of my explanation of wanting to go early in the day and "get it over with." How she had thought to herself..."this is jan..."   Lol!  

We met in the parking lot at 9:15, it was cold, and she laughed when she saw I had worn my flip flops.  I told her I had worn flips, low rise jeans and a shirt that would slip over my head, for easy access...  I knew she would have me trying on more than I even wanted to think about. :p 

Here she is arranging things in order for me to try on....a friend, indeed

The dress in front...lol, can you say, "Austin Powers"

Obviously, there was something I liked, because I ended up with TWO pictures of it!  Yeah, if you're looking to buy a jacket, make it leather, if you can. ;))

Do you see this RACK of clothes?!?  I tried on the WHOLE thing!  My mother would never believe it!

Did love the red ruffles, by the way... ;)  Might have to go back and get that AND the leather! :-D

Look at these two!  Where does she think I'm going???  And, yes, I tried them on...yeah, I'm laughing, even now. hehehehe

And the winner is....

Grey skirt, black velvet jacket, and that blouse...I don't even know what to call it, BUT I do know that I don't have to worry about jewelry!  *bonus*

Whew....after all that...we headed to Panara's for hot chocolate(K), coffee(me) and scones...  AND can I just say.... I was home in time to feed my kids lunch!

Thanks, K! oxoxoxo

New Meaning to An Old Phrase

How many times have you said, "What did you do last night?"  Or, how many times have you been asked?  Well, two weeks ago I was running on empty, downing that eggnog shake, because I had been up literally the entire night before!  Well, I take that back....I did go to bed at 5....in the MORNING!  What was I doing?  Well, sewing and playing Words, of course! 

Remember those Christmas dresses mentioned in an earlier post? Well you know about those promises. ;)

Here they are...


And here they are on....

Merry Christmas!

I had thought I was further along, than I was with these dresses.  Then a major distraction hit me head on, and THEN, Tall Guy had to make a trip to the ER for staples.  Get this...at basketball practice, he and a friend go up at the same time, and his friends tooth hits his arm.  No harm, no foul?  Not this time.  The tooth broke off in Tall Guys arm, to be found on the floor later, and, needless to say, sliced his arm like a knife.  Poor boys!  Tall Guy was in the ER that night, and Friend was in the dentist chair first thing the next morning.

AND  we were all at a basketball tournament by that afternoon. :p  I'm thinking a nap on the couch would have been oh, soooooo nice. :) 



Friday Funny :-D

So, Friday Funnies have become a semi-regular thing with a few friends.  Usually including something my 10 or 6 year olds have said or done(they are a wealth of material!).  In honor of the weekend arriving...PTL!!! I thought this might brighten your day. :) 

Enjoy!

Treasure

*disclaimer*disclosure*warning* ;)  The following post is highly personal and emotional.  I'm mainly posting if for a few close friends who read, but if you need a good cry, and promise not to tell me to get my big girl panties on, and get over it....feel free to read on.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Tonight we got in after dark to my Dad's deer camp.  Always before he'd had a TV in his 5th wheel, well, he took it out...  So, after we got unpacked and the girls and I were settled in, we thought we could watch a movie on the laptop.  I started looking around, thinking he surely had a DVD stashed somewhere... Well, no DVD, but I did find something, that for me is a treasure.... 

Let me back up, just a bit.

My brother was married in October of 2006.  There were several people taking pictures, besides the photographer.  So, for a while afterwards, we would receive pictures from one family member or another.  ALL very welcome. ;)  In the late summer of 2007, Sweet Memory gave me a Ziploc bag of pictures.  Did you know she was a Kindergarten teacher?  She kept EVERYTHING in Ziploc baggies. Lol! 

Inside that bag I found pictures, that were good, and soon would become my favorites.  I wanted so much to take them to have some editing done, after we lost her, but only had the copies I had and was afraid to let them out of my sight. By now, you know where this is going.  The treasure found was the  CD with photos I had, and more...of a time past, when all seemed right in the world.

Wanna see?

                                 Oh, happy day!  My family...love.  Dad, Brother, and my Mom. 



Hehehe... This picture caught us unaware, and for that I love it.  Kind of like life. ;)

My Grandma.  She called me "my girl."  She went on Home, December 1, of last year.  Yes, exactly one year ago, I was sitting by her bed, holding her hand, and even though she couldn't speak, she gave me the same look you see in this photo.  Loved her, love her....still.  Home was just as much her house, as my own.  The "Sew Sow" in the title of this blog?  She's the reason... How else would I know that strawberries grow great in the asparagus patch?

My favorite.

This photo of us...makes my heart swell and eyes water... So wish I knew what was so funny.  This was not an uncommon sight or occurrence.  Laughter came easy in our home and family.   Scott and David are sweethearts, but I'm having this one edited(now that I've got the file).  There the three of us are laughing, with my Dad standing in the background.  Always, like our Northern Star, our rock, the one who made it so easy to believe in a Heavenly Father, because he was a living, breathing reflection of Him.  Mom said she knew I needed something, when I would call from school and ask for Dad.  Sorry, Dad, should have called just to say, "hello." 

And finally,

My parents, together, smiling...just as it should be.  What would I have changed if I had known, that just 369 days later we would be gathered in a cool room in disbelief.  Holding her hand as the breath left her body for the last time and her heart slowly...stopped...beating.

Post Script.... It's taken me a couple of days to work up the nerve to post this...still not sure...I will say that God is faithful, and most days I'm in a really good place. :)

Tour(still playing catch-up ;) )

So, I promised you a tour...  Don't let it be said that I don't keep my promises. ;)

What does a momma who loves some fresh venison, appreciates a good shot, but has no desire to sit in a deer stand do in the "deer woods"?  She quilts!  I made a crazy quilt the first two years we went, and the last two years, I've worked on my "Green Quilt."  Why green? Well it's my favorite color, of course! ;)

Aaannnddd...where else can you have army trucks and flowers right next to each other?

In the morning, you've got to have a little comfort. So, remember my eggnog milkshake?  Well, how about eggnog coffee?

I had my Daddy try it.  Lol! His response was, "That's TERRIBLE!"  Well, I like it!  Yummy :))

You saw what we did when we drove up in the night, here's what it looks like in the light of day.

And where the momma and girls stay....Thank you, Daddy!! (complete with working plumbing!!)

And a few more sights....

Know what this is for?  Don't worry, by the time they get here, they don't feel a thing...hehehehe...

Yeah, if you're a bambi lovin' tree hugger.... you might want to stop reading this....NOW  ;)

You gotta appreciate a good group of men with a great sense of humor....

For the "harvest", and just in case you can't read the sign...

Lol!!!  Is that not hilarious?  Love it!  LOVE a man with a sense of humor!!!!

What do you do if it's drizzling and you're bored in the camp house?  You talk your Grandpa into going outside and letting you shoot the BB gun...


Okay, you've been warned once, but I'm telling you, DO NOT read further if you are opposed to blood, guts, or dead deer...

My Little Guy got his first deer!  Well, he might have had some help, but please don't tell him!  He and his Grandpa had a very productive morning!

Okay, there was one more pic I wanted to share, but even with my warnings, I'm afraid it's just too graphic for some of my readers.  It is of a 13 year old girl getting a lesson in cleaning and dressing out a deer.  Why would I want to share that?  Because 30 years ago, that was me.  No, I'm not 40....yet!  But, I got an earlier start. Hehehe...

The take was great!  Archer got two, Daddy got one, Brother took two, and, of course, Little Guy got his first!!  Way to go Guys!!  Lot's to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Ha! Ha!  Yeah, I know Thanksgiving has come and gone, BUT I've been without internet, since last week.  :-/  So you're getting my posts from last week...this week. ;)  Sooooooo this is what I wrote last Wednesday night.

Oh, my, this connection is incredibly slow! Let's see how far we get, okay? ;)
Our Thanksgiving is a little different, as I said last week.  First, all the cooking is done before hand, at home, because on Wednesday morning, we pack it all up and head for the deer woods.  Yes, the deer woods.  Now for all you city slickers out there, *read "Kansas"*. Hehehehe.... That just means where you go to hunt.  For us it happens to be a lease in Sheridan, Arkansas.  There deer don't grow huge, but they are plentiful.  When we drove up tonight, this is what we saw....

And this is where we have our Thanksgiving...

Where the boys sleep...

Where the momma sleeps...Yes, I know, I do have the better end of the deal. ;)

This is Mr. D with BettySmiles and Little Guy, showing them pictures from is trail cam...

 Earlier in the day Dad had called to say that D had cleaned the floor for us (me) to come.  Yeah, I'm not exactly laughing, just a slight giggle...I mean, have you seen the floor?  BUT...how incredibly sweet.  Although some may call him a bear, I think I'll just call him, "Teddy." ;) 

Tomorrow you'll get a tour in the "daylight." 

The "No Man Bashing" Zone

I love men.  I've been blessed to know and love some of the most precious men the Good Lord ever created.  I have loved my Daddy since the day I was born, I have been blessed with three, yes, THREE of the most wonderful Grandfathers...EVER.  On November 2, many years ago, God and my parents gave me a gift, that I call Brother...love him, beyond words.  Growing up, I had friends who happened to be boys, Men of God who taught me well(sometimes I listened, sometimes...ummmm...not so much).  Heck, I even had a high school sweetheart, that I can still think of as sweet(even if his FB profile pic, this summer, looked like a stinking Corona ad, not nice, P).  When the time came I found a man to marry who adores me...still have not figured out why.  Together we have had two beautiful boys(I'm their momma, I can call them beautiful. ;)  ).  I tell you all this so you will not think I am horrible for what I am about to share with you.

So last Thursday, I get this in my email from Archer.  It came with a note of apology...that now he understands...and will not ask to go to the grocery store with me...ever...again...

I laughed so hard that my kiddos all came to check on me and ask if I were alright.  ;)  Enjoy.....

Seasons....

The seasons are changing...this is what it looks like on our lane right now...

Nice, huh?  Just down the hill and to the right, is where we make our home, and wait for you to come on over, and sit on the porch.  :)  Your feet are welcome under our table anytime!

With the change of seasons comes.......SPECIALTY Shakes!!!  LOL!!!

And I had my first of the holiday season flavors Friday night(after a Patriot victory, of course) at Steak and Shake.  Wanna see?

What could be better than Eggnog ice cream?  Seriously, I'm glad I had laced up the running shoes earlier in the day, because I downed the whole thing!  YUMMY!! :0)

Sunday Archer brought in the Christmas trees.  Yes, I know it's not even Thanksgiving, yet, and yes, I said "trees"-plural.  Just wait.... there is a method to my madness. ;)  You see we will go away for Thanksgiving, and will not be home until the Sunday after.  I'll be exhausted and overrun with laundry, so, I like to have the trees up before we leave.  I plan to blog all through Thanksgiving, let's just say our T-day plans are a little different. Yes, I'm getting to the "trees"-plural.  I don't think it's that uncommon for people to have more than one tree, anymore.  I know a lot of people who have two, or three.... Me? Well, I have....dare I say it?  Five....

OK, I do not go overboard on any other holiday, just Christmas.  AND I used to have one tree, then we started having children, and we really NEEDED a "kid" tree. Then, we moved into this house and it has a huge entry, and two windows in the living room, and it just looked better to have a tree in each window.... Don't you think?  Hehehe....

I'll get the camera out later and get a better pic later. ;)  Oh, the other two, yes, almost forgot.  We lost Sweet Memory in October of 2007.  That first year my Dad got nothing out or down from the attic for Christmas.  The next year, I wanted a few things, so, he lovingly brought everything down for me.  Well, she had two trees, and a lifetime of decorations.... She loved Christmas... I loved her then and love her still, how could I leave these things she treasured in the boxes?  So....What did I do, but load every single thing up and bring it home with me.  Oh, my...When it's ALL out...it looks like Christmas just threw up all over my house!  BUT...it's great and the kids love it, and I love it, and when you come to visit, you will love it, too!

Today, as part of their chores, my Guys brought the decorations to the porch for me...and ...here...they... are...

Now to just get it all out... I better go, I've got some work to do! ;)

Brown Baggin' It....(almost done;) )

Here we go.....one...more...time.   Hate to tell you, but it won't be the last.  ;)  The back of my Brown Bag quilt is done!  But......I don't have a picture of it, completed.  I will show you what I do have pictures of. :)

I saved this as blue and green make neutral. ;)  See I found some black with leaves(the pic refused to upload :-/ ), and saved it as "closebutno", you understand. So to make my back the size it needed to be, I simply added this allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the way around.  It's not too bad, if I do say  so myself.

 This is what  it looked like before I added the "blueandgreenmakeneutral." 

 And....if it's not lying perfectly flat, *ahem-clears throat*, it must be because my youngest, decided it was a great spot to take a rest. ;)  She would be the reason I HAVE to use a cutting table.  Like her momma, she loves fabric, in fact, it must call to her, as it does me, because if a piece is spread out or put down, she is gonna be on it! :0)  Her name is Ella, and she is my cuddle buddy, nap partner and co-fabric hound.  Hehehe

My First Quilt

I started quilting in the summer of 1999, the quilting bug bit me good.  At that time I was VERY into rubberstamping.  I have a dear sister friend, Ms. Sarah Kate, who at the time was interested in my hobby.  So, one afternoon, she and her two littles, at the time, came on over and we set to stamping!  It was fun on overdrive.  When it was time for her to go home and get supper started, she invited me over for a quilting lesson the next week.  Well, I thought I'd never be able to figure it out, but we'd had such a good time that afternoon, what could it hurt?  Hehehe.... little did I know!!!  Seriously, stop and laugh here!  The next week I took my two littles, at the time(the one in the oven, too ;)  ), and headed on over not knowing what to expect.  I was in wonder at her quilts, and at that time she was even selling to a gallery in Chicago.  HOW would I ever learn to DO that?  Weirdest thing happened...she pulled out a piece of paper.  Then she told me I was going to sew the fabric to the paper, and that would make a quilt block? Really?  I had seen my grandmothers and great-grandmothers quilt, and that was NOT how they did it.  But since I knew nothing, and it looked like she did, I decided to trust her. :)  Ever so glad I did.

Paper piecing was a perfect way for a young mom to learn to quilt.  It required no math, even though I thoroughly enjoy that aspect of the process now, when your about brain dead from pregnancy and preschoolers, it's kind of nice to just enjoy the creative process, without too much critical thinking. ;)

She kindly sent me home with patterns and fabric.  Sarah Kate, have I ever said, "Thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart."? 

Well, it wasn't long(read *within the next two days) before I was out buying fabric, and I haven't stopped yet!  Hehehehe.....

And, so, within a couple of weeks, I had made my first quilt... and it is entirely paper pieced, borders included. Lol  This quilt has been loved, washed, dried, thrown up on and I don't even want to know what else...  So, the colors are a little faded, and my color choices certainly have changed, but here it is...

And the girl I made it for "then"...

And "now"....

My sweet Bonnie Love!  Who just happened to turn 13 last week.  Oh, how time goes by...

And the Winner is.....

Well I went to random.org, and got the winner!  The winner is 2!  That would be Mary Lou!!!
AND......it's her BiRtHdAy!!!  How ironic is that?!?!   Happy Birthday, Mary Lou, and I hope you're feeling better!  Everybody hop on over to Cheaper Than Therapy Quilting, and tell her congrats, Happy Birthday, and Get Well Soon!  If you're not a follower of her blog, you should be! ;)  She is delightful.

Mary Lou, let me know if you want your name or initials...

For the rest of you, thanks for taking time to comment. ;)  AND....don't worry, we'll do it again, real soon!

Design Wall Monday

Ok, here we are.  It's Monday, and if you need  a good laugh, I've got one for ya. ;)  So, I've been updating you on my Brown Bag Quilt, if you haven't seen it it's here.   Well, the thing needs a back, and since I am determined to use ALL the fabric sent in the swap, and I had already cut it up.... This is what I've got so far...

I actually saved it under "laugh", cause I know that's what you're doing. Hehehe..... me, too. ;)


And I'm working on a pieced bias binding, wondering if all the work is going to be worth it, since the three fabrics all read black....

AND.... praying I have enough of these three to finish out this back!

Hoping this thing is done soon!  I've got to get back to my Stashbuster quilt, and a Farmer's Wife Sampler that I am on the edge of my seat to start! ;)   (not to mention Christmas dresses to make, but that's another post  ;)  )

If you haven't entered the giveaway, yet, you've still got time.  Just go here.  Giveaway time is 7 p.m., CST.  :)

Giveaway.....Yay!

So some of you know I have a little side business.  While monogramming a bag for my sweet Jewel last night, I was thinking of how much I enjoy all of you!  Then I realized it was time to share the love!  So many have been so kind to me, maybe I could "pay it forward." So, here it goes.....

My first Giveaway...

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post.  That's it. I'd be thrilled if you decided to follow, but it's not required. ;)  Just make sure I can contact you.

A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, November 1. 

Oh.... you want to know what you'll win?  Yeah, I can understand that. :)

Winner will win a monogrammed bag, name or initials, and color of your choice, just like this one

This font is Comic Sans, but I've got lots, so we can do something different. ;)   BUT...that's not all... I'll also send you a travel cup to match!

Good Luck!  Remember, only comments left on this post will be entered. :0) 

See you, Monday!

*post script*  Feel free to share the love and link back on your blog!  The more, the merrier!

I love that!!!

All I can tell you is that I love this song.  I heard it first on Tuesday, October 12.  I know cause it was kind of a stinky day. :-/  I know it's been out for a while, but I never heard or never noticed it before, and that day I heard it twice!  Somebody trying to tell me something? ;)  Can't tell you the times I've listened to it since.  Hope it makes you smile...

What Homeschooling Looks Like.....on a good day

I get lots of questions about homeschooling. While it's becoming more popular and socially acceptable, many are still baffled by the whole concept. We home school for many reasons, too many to get into on what is supposed to be a "light-hearted" blog. I will share a verse, though, that completely corresponds to the title of this blog.

"Trust in the Lord and do good;

Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness."

Psalm 37:3

(emphasis mine)

As a homeschooling mom, that's what I'm working toward, hoping and trusting God for. I fail so many times, but He is faithful to take my mistakes and turn them for His good. Really if you've got time today, and your wondering what God has for you, I'd encourage you to read all of Psalm 37. In my Bible, I have written at the top of the chapter "God's job description for me."  Here's a picture of my Psalm 37.

Obviously, by the underlining and markings, this speaks to me. If you let it, it will speak to you, too.

 

Oh, yes! Homeschooling....chased a rabbit there, didn't I?  Well, I do come from a long line of hunters. ;)

 

One thing I love about homeschooling is that I get experience most, if not all, of my children's first.  Especially sweet is the light in their eyes as the decoding of letters and sounds evolves into reading.  Just this morning Little Guy was having his reading lesson, and missed a word, he gets frustrated when he is not successful on the first try sometimes.

 

  This is the face of the child who rubbed his head and said, "I think I've just had too much sugar, this morning." Lol!  Wonder where he's heard that before?!

 

And this is the moment I get to encourage him, that we all make mistakes, and you just gotta keep trying.

He said some more funny things, but I think I'll save those for a later post, as I will need permission to quote from another blog, for you to get the joke. ;)

Hope you have the best day!  I'm off to enjoy my VERY blessed life. :)  Thank You, Jesus!!!



*If you've been following the blog, this week, you are probably thinking, "Boy, this chick is all over the place!"  You would be right.  Welcome to my life.  It's a roller coaster around here, might as well hang on and enjoy the ride. ;))