Barb's Blog

Baby quilt

2011-11-18T22:40:00.001-06:00

There is a baby girl named Lily coming in December. I just so happened to find this sweet fabric online--perfect for a girlie quilt!

The back is girlie too.

And....

2011-11-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

5 1/2 months old now and she's a keeper. We took her for a walk to the woods. I had her in the stroller, but John thot it'd be easier to carry her. On the way back, he was anxious to get back to the stroller.

And this makes me chuckle because this is how he carried around our 4 kids all the time if they weren't strapped to his chest in a carrier. A good daddy and now a good grandpa!

Mylah's first hotel stay when we were at the wedding. Never heard her all night---that girl can sleep!

How did we ever get along without this little joy before?

Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Fahrendholz

2011-11-04T22:17:00.000-05:00

On October 15 Tyler and Jami were married at the St. James Hotel in Red Wing. It was a beautiful place for a wedding and was a grand time!

My boy loves that girl! We are happy she is now officially in the family!

Brother and sister. It's one of those pictures I look at and think, "Wow, those are my kids and they seem to be adults. How did that happen?"

Jami changed into her fun dancing dress.

OHHHHHHH!!!!!

Tators

2011-11-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

Phil has a garden out here every year and shares his produce with us. This week he dug up potatoes and spent hours washing them and then lined them up on the porch to dry. They were separated according to kind and lined up according to size. OH MY!! I am a slob and would never work that hard for potatoes. He handed me the very smallest red potato---about the size of my little fingernail---and said it was for Mylah. The next day it started to rain and John chucked them all in boxes--the slob way. It was a shame to destroy such order.

Sad Day

2011-11-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

Today all the cattle except Blind Boy were loaded up and shipped out. I dislike it every time it happens. When they were babies, I fed them twice a day and got them thru bouts of scours. It leaves a quiet, desolate feeling about the farm and I've had to cry a few times. And poor Henry the horse is traumatized each time when his companions go rumbling out of the yard. He starts running around whinning mournfully. Now he has no one to boss and lead because Blind Boy is a loner who is whacky. Come spring perhaps we can get another batch.....

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Boy Quilt

2011-11-03T10:10:00.000-05:00

A friend is having a baby boy around January 1st, so a quilt was in order. The back is rather dizzy-making for my eyes, but babies like all that stimulation. I hope he spends happy times cuddled in and laying under it.

Back. My assistant who holds the quilts seems to have been tipped to one side ;)

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2 weeks......

2011-10-01T18:33:00.000-05:00

In exactly 2 weeks Tyler will be married to the lovely Miss Jami! Today we had a shower for her.

She's a lovely person inside and out and we are happy she is part of our family--it seems she's always been a part of us.

Now the girls are off for the bachelorette party. Jami will be seen in LaCrosse tonite in this get-up.

1 of 7 or 8

2011-09-21T09:13:00.000-05:00

John's mom passed away last year and when cleaning out the closets and touching all her clothes, I thot I'd like to use them to make quilts for each of the 6 grandchildren and John's sister. Hopefully I'll have it in me to make one for us too. Jane was always stylishly dressed and bought new clothes to keep up with the fashions. The perfect way to use the clothing for so many quilts is the ticker tape quilt which uses small, different sized pieces sewn on 12 inch squares of white fabric.

I included some collar points (see the one above) and tags and button placards.

This is John's sister's quilt. She's coming for Tyler and Jami's wedding next month, so I'm saving postage. Now I'm working on her son's quilt so she can take that one too. They'll all have different backs.
It's been warming my heart to see and touch Jane's fabrics. I can see her wearing each thing and how she looked. I miss her!!

94

2011-09-19T23:41:00.000-05:00

My sweet daddy turned 94 on the 11th. He is a patient, kind, and wonderful man!

4 Months

2011-09-19T23:37:00.000-05:00

Our Sweet Thang is 4 months old already. She is a happy and content baby and it seems her face has been imprinted on my brain forever==a familiar thing that is hard to explain. She is a thumb sucker and holds a blanket that my mom made for Tessa when she was little. Love this little girl!

Last Fair

2011-09-19T23:20:00.000-05:00

The last fair in the area is the Vernon County Fair in Viroqua. I really like this fair! It has a different feeling than the ones around here--bigger, cleaner, and has lots of horses.

We didn't go to the state fair this year and the only thing that made me sad about that was the fact that I had been wanting to try a deep fried Snickers. Imagine my delight when I saw a stand selling just that! OH IT WAS GOOD! I found a recipe on the internet, but will refrain from even going there since I know it would become an addiction.

Love the big draft horses.

I stepped out of my comfort zone and rode the ferris wheel--heights make me a bit squeamish. I am trying to be more brave and doing things that make me uncomfortable. I can check that one off.

32 Years!

2011-09-19T23:04:00.000-05:00

On September 8th we celebrated 32 years of wedded bliss and other stuff. It was a beautiful day for paddling on the lake in Winona. Then we had Chinese take-out in the park. We dated for about 9 years before getting married so we have been doing the relationship thing for....a long time. It's nice to know someone that long, to have trust in each other, to love each other, to have children together, to share a history, and to enjoy each others company!

Camping

2011-09-02T22:30:00.000-05:00

We went camping for 3 day at Penninsula State Park in Door Co. with Becky and Tim. We had perfect weather and wanted just one more day when we left.

Becky cooked a lot. I've gotten lazy when camping and want easy. We ate out a few times.

My new bicycle. It was a pretty place to ride.

Isaac camped with us Friday night. Remember eating Playdough? EEEWWWWW!

We drove up to the tip of the penninsula and stopped at Sister Bay to watch the sunset. Smellin' the roses!

Kayaks

2011-09-02T22:18:00.000-05:00

We bought 2 kayaks and took them on Lake Winona for a maiden voyage.

John is making fun of me for texting and Facebooking while I was floating about so he got his phone out.

So you don't forget

2011-09-02T22:14:00.000-05:00

I have a very precious granddaughter! She is a thumb sucker. This week she laughed. She's very long --so is her dad. She sleeps very well--12 hours at night. Today she watched a cartoon and smiled at the screen and then talked to it. She's very advanced!

#2 son is 23

2011-09-02T22:04:00.000-05:00

Trevor John turned 23 on July 16th. He was born during a very hot summer. Before we had air......

Duluth

2011-09-02T21:38:00.000-05:00

The first 3 days of August were spent in Duluth with my sisters. We stayed on Canal Park and this was the view in the back patio area of the hotel. We had 3 days of perfect weather.

We watched a huge Canadian freighter go thru the lift bridge. Also an excellent people watching area!

Toured the Glensheen mansion. John and I had gone there when Tessa was a few months old. She did not appreciate touring an old house so our attention was diverted and I didn't remember a lot of things--or perhaps that is an old lady thing????

Split Rock Lighthouse...that's all I can say.

Took a picnic lunch to a rock beach and spent nice hours sitting by the water. We were having a skipping stones contest--Becky won. The next day I couldn't figure out why I had a strange pain in my wrist....duh

Mr. and Mrs.

2011-09-02T21:21:00.000-05:00

In July my youngest son got married. It was a lovely wedding and that boy never stopped smiling from ear to ear the whole day and night. Now I need to get my hands on some decent pictures from someone else because I was busy taking it all in and not photographing much.

Generations

2011-09-02T21:05:00.000-05:00

My dad baptized me as a baby and John as an adult and he baptized all my children and now he has baptized his great granddaughter. What a heritage! He will be 94 this month.

4 generations. God has been so good and so faithful to theses generations and those before. Psalm 103:15-18 "As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear Him and His righteousness with their children's children--with those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts."

Ride

2011-06-22T13:18:00.000-05:00

We took a ride this morning. I always think of it as an old person thing to do, but we took rides even when we were young. We checked out a little campground near Rushford that is owned by a guy John works with. Wasn't impressed. This old schoolhouse was nearby. It's sad to think that in a few more years they will have all fallen apart and a generation won't know about them. I only attended a school like this for half a year, but it's a good memory. In the afternoon we'd get leftover milk and dry peanut butter sandwiches and then would put our heads down for a rest. And this was 5th grade. This looks like a two story school which I didn't think existed; probably because I'm not very observant. John said it was for the lower and upper grades ;) He actually went to a two story schoolhouse.

And there's my John picking me roadside flowers which he's been doing for years. Way better than expensive roses!!

This is a pretty valley road near us. It was nicely graded. We notice these things since John's been grading the township roads for years. Tanner has now taken over the grading and snowplowing so I texted him to tell him what a good job he'd done. I got a text back saying, "I love you!" Melt a mama's heart.

First Camping Trip

2011-06-21T22:49:00.000-05:00

Mylah came with for her first camping trip at 5 weeks old. Her mom and dad are going to raise a go-with-the-flow girl. She camped well!

And she came with beautiful nails!

Most of the time she slept in the bed with Matt and Tessa, but one night we tried her in the clothes basket.

25 Years

2011-06-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we attended a surprise anniversary party for Jon and Jody Speckeen. 25years of wedded bliss, 5 kids, and 2 (soon to be 3) grandkids. They cried--it was cute. Jon's sister, MaryKaye, made the cake to look like their original wedding cake. Jon, being sentimental, recognized that fact. Now, I ask you, what man remembers what his wedding cake looked like 25 years ago? They love each other well! I love being around the Speckeen families and am a "Speckeen Wanna-Be". Here's to many more years of bliss!

Sweetness

2011-06-08T22:16:00.000-05:00

Words are not necessary......

Florida

2011-06-07T12:06:00.000-05:00

The sisters have begun a new tradition--a week long stay by the ocean in April. After winter in MN, it's so nice to go where it's green and warm. We've stayed at the same place near Melbourne and love it. Lazy days were spent sitting on the beach, walking the beach, reading 2 1/2 books on my Kindle, hand sewing pieces for a quilt, a few movies, fairly healthy eating, and enjoying being together. There is such a wonderful bond between sisters that can't be found anywhere else. Being together is such an easy flow and joyful.

It was warmer this year than last and we noticed there were different birds, different shells, and different little bugs. The bugs loved Becky so she was bitten and itchy, but I can't think of one bad thing to say about a great week! We're booked for next year and I can't wait!

Showers of Blessings

2011-06-07T11:38:00.001-05:00

Matt and Tessa had a baby shower in Northfield with Matt's family. I have a not-so-secret wish to be a Brage because they are such fun, nice people. They received lots of great gifts, we played fun games, ate delicious food, and generally had a blast!

Matt's mom and aunties.

The Day of Mylah

2011-06-07T07:37:00.000-05:00

Mylah was breech so a c-section was planned. Here they are right before walking to the operating room. Matt was pleasantly surprised when he took his white paper suit out and it was long enough for his 6' 4" frame. Matt's mom, Kristie, and I waited in the room. Matt took lots of pictures of the whole procedure since he was tall enough to see clearly over the drape.

In a short time Matt brought Mylah back to the room for weighing and clean-up

May 17th we finally meet the girl we've been waiting for! She was 8 lbs. 8 oz. and 21 inches. PERFECT!!

And now there are three. Life as they know it will be changed forever--in a good way! They will be good parents.

In LOve

2011-06-06T23:48:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am!!

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The sendoff

2011-06-06T23:39:00.000-05:00

We had a sendoff for Grandma Jane a year after she died. There is a high point that overlooks our valley which was where we spread John's dad's ashes and Jane thot that would be a good place for hers too. She would have shaken her head and chuckled. We caravaned out there with 4 vehicles and 2 dogs were romping along. Jami brought glitter which we mixed in with the ashes, but the sun wasn't shining, so they didn't glitter. It was a good family thing to do. For the rest of the evening I was flooded with Jane memories that made me smile and tear up. I'm happy I will see her again in Heaven!

Namesake

2011-06-06T23:21:00.000-05:00

John's mom, Jane, died last May 26th. In less than a year a new life has entered our family. Grandma Jane would have loved Mylah Jane. She was a great example to me of an involved grandma. I hope I can be a grandma like her.

Grandparents

2011-06-06T23:10:00.000-05:00

Grandma Kristie

Grandma me

Grandpa John

Grandpa Jerry

It's a very strange and wonderful thing--your child having a child. And the child has a bit of all the generations that have come before within her. I've seen glimpses of many people in her face already--amazing!

Belly Cast

2011-06-06T22:25:00.000-05:00

I wish I had known of such a thing when I was having babies. Tessa wanted to have a belly cast made before Mylah arrived. She bought pkgs. of gauze with plaster of paris in at Hobby Lobby. She greased herself with vaseline and Jami and Raychel plastered her.

A little help from the hair dryer. Raychel said it seemed lopsided and then we realized that it was because Mylah was living in that area that stuck out more.

This was a basement job.

Puka enjoyed having all the company, but probably thot we were all crazy.

Jami's Birthday

2011-06-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

The beautiful, sparkly, vivacious, sweet, and kind Jami---who will soon be my daughter (in-law)!!

And there's that handsome, wonderful son of mine!

Flea market or something like it

2011-06-06T18:55:00.000-05:00

John heard about this event and wanted to check it out. We were somewhere near LeSueur. I was disappointed we did not see the Green Giant--wherever he was. This was a good place to people watch! The majority of the stuff was old farm things with odd other things mixed in. People come with their golf carts and riding lawn mowers to go up and down the rows so they don't have to walk.

John didn't buy anything--luckily we went with a car which could not hold any BIG purchases. The day started out sunny and nice and turned cloudy, windy, and cold so we didn't stay very long.

These two chaps were having fun riding in this contraption that they couldn't steer very well.

Yep.....lots of potties. John and I went in the spacious handicap one together.

It's a date!

2011-03-31T14:00:00.001-05:00

Sometimes date night includes a stop at Kwik Trip to sit and people watch. Don't underestimate the entertainment value! The best one in Winona is on Huff St. by the university. There is usually a constant stream of people. I've always enjoyed people watching. When I was a kid and we were visiting my grandma in Bemidji, we would go downtown on a Friday night and watch people. Grandma was a hoot and her commentary would bring great laughs. We do usually buy something so we aren't just loitering. After this I had a MacDonalds hamburger--I am a cheap date! Where do you like to people watch?

Projects

2011-03-25T15:16:00.000-05:00

I've had this cute owl fabric for quite awhile and Tessa and I thot it would be perfect for Mylah's cradle--I think so! John told me I was using my engineering brain when I was figuring out how to make everything. I might have a headache but it worked.

I finished up some distressed canvases yesterday. The white on my shirt is sposed to be there, but part of my face was distressed. I love doing these.

Grown up, engaged, and a quilt

2011-03-21T17:57:00.000-05:00

The baby of the family is now 21 !

And Trevor and Jessee are now engaged! No date set yet. If it's during this year, we will have 3 weddings and a baby!

The latest finished quilt. Top is the front and bottom is the back. I made it for my niece's mother-in-law, Barb who is going thru chemo.

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Forewarning

2011-03-21T17:47:00.002-05:00

What a mess. I tried to do the trip in order, but it's backwards. So go to the Trip To Texas post and work your way up. Irritating.

San Antonio

2011-03-21T17:38:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed a day and night in San Antonio before flying back to winter. The Alamo, a trolley ride, a boat ride along the Riverwalk, and fancy dining at Landry's.

The Ship

2011-03-21T16:58:00.000-05:00

Two fighter planes that amused me.

Tim is a mailman and we had a photo op in the bowels of the ship.

And there is the name I couldn't remember--it was the Lexington.

Corpus Christi

2011-03-21T16:52:00.000-05:00

We visited an aquarium and toured an aircraft carrier. My old brain can't remember the name of either.

Looks can be deceiving

2011-03-21T16:37:00.001-05:00

While in South Padres, I looked online to find a hotel on the way to San Antonio. On North Padres Island near Corpus Cristi I found a Holiday Inn that looked great on the website. Oh MY!!! As soon as I got near the door, I figured there was false advertising going on. The first thing we see inside is the 2 elevators and one is blocked off with yellow caution tape. The place is old and worn and the elevator were scary--working one minute, not working the next and smelly. Becky jokingly said we'd maybe get stuck in one. Well, she did. It stopped and the door opened just enough for her to yell out to a maid who heard her and suddenly it worked again. We used the staff elevators after that. The room had nice looking pillows and damp, gross feeling carpet. After a walk on the beach, I came into the bathroom to find John with his foot in the toilet washing the sand off and he informs me the water is really warm--in the toilet??? It was a hot water toilet!! At one point I couldn't get any hot water in the sink or shower so I called the desk to inform them and tell them the toilet water was hot tho. The next morning Tim saw the maintenance guy in the hall and called him in to show him the hot water toilet and whisked his hand in there as proof. It still cracks me up--Tim is not one to put his hand in the crapper! The restraunt was extremely slow--one guy waited so long for his breakfast and coffee, he jsut up and walked out in disgust. After letting Priceline know, Becky got $40 towards another stay--we'll use that in Melbourne on the sister trip next month. The best and worst hotels are the memorable ones!

I just realized that this is where there were no shells, not South Padres. Figures ;)

Vroom Vroom

2011-03-21T16:15:00.000-05:00

One day we went 4 wheeling on sand dunes which was good fun. I was the inexperienced one so one of my first moves was to turn into a hill and get stuck. After that I did pretty well. It was out of my comfort zone so I was proud of myself.

The last day on the island the guys went jet skiing and saw dolphins. It was cool and windy so the waves were big, but they enjoyed it.

The Birds

2011-03-21T16:03:00.001-05:00

A bag of Cheetos on the beach will draw a huge flock of fans. They were eating right out of his hands. Some were more mannerly and sat on the ground hoping to have one thrown their way.

See that spot on Tim's shirt? He got crapped on! Then he washed it off and was left with an unsightly wet spot for photos. I was trying to get a jumping shot.

Once the crapping on people began, John moved away and watched from a distance. The pipe was part of a 5 mile pipeline they were pumping sand and water thru to dredge and build up the beaches.

Sea Turtles

2011-03-21T15:54:00.000-05:00

Just a short way from the hotel was a sea turtle rescue place that we went thru. They had big tanks with turtles who had been injured--some missing limbs. They also watch nesting spots and protect the eggs when it gets cold.

Beach

2011-03-21T15:43:00.000-05:00

Becky and Tim were our fellow travelers.

We drove down to almost the end of the island. This is sand drifting which is way more pleasant than snow drifting. All along here there were public beaches. It was beautiful, but hardly any shells to be found.

We heard they use snowplows to plow the sand.

Trip to Texas

2011-03-21T15:33:00.000-05:00

A big snowstorm was predicted for the morning our flight was leaving so we stayed in Mpls. the night before to make sure we'd make it to the airport. This was our room at the LaQuinta Inn (I love hotel rooms!) We left the vehicle there and they shuttled us to the airport and picked us up--all for the price of about $100! When we got up there was no snow but on the way to the airport we were riding with pilots and flight attendants who were hearing Chicago was shut down. Our flight at 9 am was one of the last ones to leave Mpls. because the snow began--we heard it was awful.

We flew in to San Antonio and drove down to South Padres Island. It seemed like a lonnnng drive and was pretty desolate country--flat field and depressing little towns. We stayed at a new hotel--the Hilton Garden Inn and it was beautiful. The staff was great and food was too. These were our digs for 4 nights. I hated to leave!

We had an ocean and pool view. There were big man machines working 24 hours a day moving sand to make the beach wider. We couldn't hear them in the room which was good.

Day view.

Fabric De-Stash

2011-03-21T15:19:00.000-05:00

I have been working my way thru bins of fabric and picking out the ones I really don't like and will probably never use. This quilt went to White Cross--the ladies at church send quilts to other countries or sell them to raise funds for mailing costs. Pink bin--done!!

Happy Birthday

2011-01-27T10:44:00.000-06:00

Jessee and I celebrated our birthdays last Sunday. A great meal was topped off with a Tessa cheesecake. The kids gave me a fancy Mah Jongg set and a book so I can teach myself how to play. I've only played once so it will stretch my brain cells. Then I will have to find some people who play the game--who knows where this could lead! Jessee's 23 and I am beginning my last year in the 50's. Then it's on to the Fabulous 60's!

Growing

2011-01-16T22:57:00.000-06:00

From this

to this .....and soon another generation will begin with Mylah Jane's birth in May. Children are a blessing from the Lord!

It's a Girl!!!

2011-01-02T16:17:00.000-06:00

Last Friday I went with Matt and Tessa to the ultrasound appointment. At first they were not going to find out the sex of baby, but Tessa's curiosity got the best of her. Enter Jami (above right). She's the glitter in the family and loves celebrations. She had heard of a fun way for people to find out what the baby was so at the point in the ultrasound when the technician was looking at the "down there" part, she had us close our eyes while she took a picture. She put the pictures in an envelope and sealed them up. Later that night Tessa gave the envelope to Jami. She was the only one who knew and she made a cake-pink or blue- to be cut the next night when we all gathered. She went to Rochester after making the cake and didn't trust Tyler not to peek, so she took the cake with her :)

Everything was so pretty. The cake said, "10 lil fingers 10 lil toes Boy or girl soon we will know." Family and friends gathered around as they cut into the cake. Those guessing boy stood on one side and girl on the other. I thot boy even tho wishing girl. Boy would have been fine but I look forward to sewing girlie stuff and doing girly things. I even wore pink undies in hope!

And it was pink!! I think both Tessa and I had decided it was a boy, so it was pretty shocking. Her name will be Mila Jane. Many years ago Tessa wanted a girl named Mila and Jane is for her Grandma who died last year. Can't wait to watch her come into the world. Sewing to begin very soon.....

Cat in the Hat

2011-01-02T15:55:00.000-06:00

I saw this fabric on a blog I follow and loved the bright colors. Then she had kits available for this small quilt. I snatched up the last one. It was fast and fun because all the pices were cut. I just had to sew them together and do the quilting. This was the first time I tried quilting in straight lines which was perfect for this quilt. I gave it to the parents-to-be with a Cat in the Hat book.

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O Christmas Tree

2010-12-28T23:50:00.000-06:00

Jami saw a tree like this somewhere and decided Tyler could make one rather than spending big bucks for one. He made 2 and I was the fortunate recipient of one of them. I love it and wonder why it couldn't stay up all year.

December Birthdays

2010-12-28T23:26:00.000-06:00

Katie's birthday is on the 19th and Matt's is the 21st so we celebrated them together. I have now made quilts for all my girls. Perhaps I'll make man quilts next.

Happy Birthday to John!

2010-11-30T18:22:00.000-06:00

For John's 62nd birthday we had a get-away at the new Holiday Inn Express in Winona and dinner at the Green Mill. The best part was that the hotel was free. Back in August I had booked a hotel in Mpls. for Tanner when he was going to the state fair. Expedia messed up and when he got to the hotel, he wasn't registered and there were no rooms so I had to get on the phone(with someone in India) and try to get it straightened out. After the whole process, I was so frustrated so they finally hooked me up with someone in the USA and he found a room and only charged $25 AND gave me a $100 credit. Just the right price for this hotel!!

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Ticker Tape quilt

2010-11-30T18:11:00.000-06:00

This is Tessa's birthday quilt from June. For some reason I had a hard time just finishing it, but it is now done and ready for winter cuddling. The back is flannel, so perfect for winter. The pieces on the front are antique fabrics I've been collecting--mostly from old aprons. There will probably be more in the future, but now I have to get on a birthday quilt to be made by Dec. 19th. That might be an insane goal!

2 down.2 to go

2010-11-16T17:09:00.000-06:00

I finished binding 2 quilts that will go overseas. This last year I've been going to White Cross at church once a month. Some very dedicated ladies have been sewing quilts, cutting bandages, and making numerous things to send to the missionfield for many years. I love hanging out with them! They are so wise, love the Lord, and they have great senses of humor. And since I love to sew, it's perfect!

And now I have Tessa's birthday(June20) quilt to finish quilting. Maybe I can do that for her 27 and a half birthday. I also have another one to put together and need to make one for a birthday coming up. If only I could sew 12 hours a day. The house sort of falls apart when I do that. When I was in high school I often sat up all night sewing so I could finish something I wanted to wear the next day. I remember one particular red dress I stayed up to sew. It was made of wool. Don't know what I was thinking! All day long I was sweating in that thing and couldn't wait to get home and rip the itchy, hot thing off. My last wool dress.

Around here

2010-11-10T14:21:00.000-06:00

Tyler is moving into Grandma Jane's house so he's been fixing things up and throwing things away. John hates to see things thrown away and usually can't resist looking over what someone threw out and invariably rescuing things. He went off to the dump(shhhh! we're not sposed to have one) and came back with a birdhouse his dad had built. I'm glad he rescued this. He didn't tell me what else he rescued since I am in de-junking mode.

I think the dogs miss the carpet. I laid down on the couch and instantly all 4 dogs tried to fit on the rug in the sun. They love to be near me. The one in the middle is Tessa's dog Oliver who comes to visit when they milk twice a day so he can get exercise.

Giggle Giggle! It's hunting season and John got irritated with a few shirttail relatives of other hunters who slipped in. Those hunters throw sticks for Grafton. He has an obsession with sticks and tree limbs and always greets everyone carrying one in hopes they will throw them. His mind will not shut off and he's crazed so we do not throw things for him anymore. If a stick gets caught up in a tree, he will sit for hours looking up and panting. Other than that, he's a perfect dog ;)

And as I'm taking a picture, there he was hoping against hope that I would throw that stick. Poor guy!

Door County

2010-10-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

Door County

2010-10-29T09:49:00.000-05:00

On Monday we drove up to Door County for the day. I love it there in the fall when most tourists have left. The shops were still open but most were closing up this week for the season. Saw this beautiful Catholic church all made of stone with St. Francis standing out front--reminded me of Tami and her St. Francis in the backyard.

Drove thru Peninsula State Park since we bought a year sticker when camping this summer--maybe got our money's worth now. This was an island that a wealthy man bought for almost nothing in the 20's. He had a huge yacht and it was a social place to be. Then the depression hit and he sold it for $5000

This sign says a lot about John. He's a curious sort. If a sign says "Do Not Enter" or "This Road Closed" or "Stay Behind the Rail"---we have to see WHY the sign says that and what wonders are being kept from us :)

We were going to take the ferry to Washington Island--a beautiful island to drive around on--but the ferries don't run very late in the day this time of year so we didn't get to go. We stayed in Oshkosh for the night. On the way up and back we came upon 2 accidents that had happened minutes before. The one was very bad and heard later that a young girl was killed. Made us pay extra attention to our driving.

Green Bay

2010-10-29T09:29:00.000-05:00

Last weekend John and I went to Green Bay to visit my niece, Tara and her husband, Lee and their 2 boys--Isaac is almost 3 and Andrew was just born last month. When I woke up on Sunday I heard the laughter and chatter of of a little boy and was flooded with the remembrance of hearing little children in the house and what a wonderful sound that is. Then the dog came and put his head on the bed and I thot I was home because our dogs do that every morning to get me to get up.

We went to church and Happy Joe's Pizza. Watched the Viking/Packer game(must confess I watched my computer more since I'm not too into football), and took Isaac and the dog for a walk. Packerland was happy that night!

Deal of the day

2010-10-22T21:03:00.000-05:00

We just happened to be browsing around Menards and I saw rugs hanging so I thot I'd look. I've been looking for a new rug for a long time. I spotted this which is about as close to perfect as I could get. And then I saw the red tag that said the display model was on sale for $59. I'm happy!

My Favorite Auntie

2010-10-22T15:56:00.000-05:00

This is my mom's sister Margaret who has always been my very favorite auntie. I see her alot when I look in the mirror. I think I look more like her than my mom. I have similar taste in clothes and perfume. When I'm with my sisters they often call me Margaret. Margaret and her husband ran a Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Bagley, MN. I would sometimes go and stay with them and one summer I stayed most of the summer stocking shelves and taking care of their youngest daughter. The kids were real cut-ups and fun to be around. Many fond memories! :)

25

2010-10-22T15:46:00.000-05:00

My eldest son, Tyler, turned 25 this month. It was our first family get-together at Grandma's house since she died. I brought her smiling picture with so she was present with us. Tyler and Jami are buying her house so we can keep celebrating there.

I was sitting on the floor in the living room and I looked up at the chair and this is what I saw(altho more clearly)--a straight pin. For years I have kept pins in the sides of chairs and sofas because I like to dig around in my ears with them and some of my kids followed suit. I am happy that I'll be able to find a pin when I visit Tyler! I even put them at other people's houses so when I'm there I have a pin. Mary, Becky, and my mom have a few. I don't know how people can follow the rule about nothing smaller than your elbow in your ear. Have you ever heard of anything so ridiculous?!!

Washington

2010-10-21T21:58:00.000-05:00

My friend Jody and I took a trip to Washington to visit her sister. It was such a fun 8 days. Tami lives in DuPont with her husband and 3 kids. Her husband is in the Air Force and is overseas right now. The siteseeing was great, but the most fun was getting to know Tami and her kids. I enjoyed being around young kids again since mine grew up. And Jody is the Brown family history/story teller and I loved hearing all the tales.

Tami's neighborhood--that's a kind of pine they called the Gumbi tree.

Air Force base. And there's Mt. Rainier. We'd be driving around and all of a sudden we'd see it and exclaim, "There it is again!"

The back yard.

Ferry

2010-10-21T21:40:00.000-05:00

We took the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle.

Seattle skyline

Jody has an injured back so this is her version of the girl on the front of the Titanic--with a purse, of course.

To Market, to Market

2010-10-21T21:33:00.000-05:00

In Seattle we went to the big market.

Watched the guys throw fish and yell. There were musicians scattered around. When we parked and got out, I could hear a guy singing and playing guitar and loved his voice. I was so excited to see he was selling cd's for $5. I love it and listen to it almost every day--John's tired of it ;)

The lucky golden pig. Oh--I miss those guys!

Across the street from the market is the very first Starbucks. I had a carmel mocha--just like candy.

Farmers Market

2010-10-21T20:58:00.000-05:00

We went to a fun farmers market in Olympia. There was a big selection of fun things, a band playing, stands for eating, and good people watching.

Pets were not allowed ;)

Bubby looks a bit unhappy--probably hungry.

Low Tide

2010-10-21T20:48:00.000-05:00

A stop for Olympia coffee. I had already had my Diet Dew so I did not imbibe. Jody and Tami got a real jolt.

There was low and high tide in the Sound. Low tide is kid fun--picking up rocks and watching the little crabs scurry about.

A few handstands.

FULL!

2010-10-21T20:40:00.000-05:00

After being here I felt so happy and FULL. The beauty was almost too much. And to think that nothing here can even compare with what Heaven will be like---OH MY!!!

My fellow travelers. The Princess, The General, Bubby, Tami, and Jody.

We did a little hike to see this waterfall.

Mt. Rainier

2010-10-21T20:31:00.000-05:00

Many huge, beautiful pines in Washington. Heading towards the mountain with great anticipation. As we flew near Seattle above the clouds, we could see the snow-capped mountain sticking above the clouds.

Gorgeous site all along the way. It reminded me of summer vacations with my parents and sisters. My dad would see sites like this and say, "That is so majestic!"

And there it was! I've gotta tell ya---IT IS MAJESTIC!!!!

Olympia

2010-10-21T20:20:00.000-05:00

Jody was great fun to travel with. She was like an excited kid with even small things like putting quarters in a parking meter.

It's always fun to visit state capitols. This one was beautiful and the best part was it wasn't crawling with tourists--just a few.

All the lighting was from Tiffanys before they became really famous. I don't remember the exact stats on this one but the chain weighed a ton and a VW Beetle could fit inside the light.

Bubby was a great tourist and so patient getting dragged around with us.

Steilacoom

2010-10-21T20:10:00.000-05:00

We visited a pretty town called Steilacoom. Many strange names for towns. I had a delicious crab cake burger(I think--Too many meals to remember).

And there's Puget Sound.

We had dessert at a little place that used to be a hardware store/post office/maybe pharmacy too.

Going to a wedding

2010-10-21T19:55:00.000-05:00

My nephew Matt was married a few weeks ago in Roberts, WI so we all got to dress up and hang out together for the big event. I just realized I didn't get a picture of the bride and groom all day and night. Take it from me--they were lovely and handsome.

It's so fun to go from 4 kids to 8! And in May Tessa and Matt will add the 9th--a grandbaby!

The 4-some

2010-09-13T21:35:00.000-05:00

Tessa is teaching me how to link. She has a great blog and has done better
at posting lately than I have. Tomorrow maybe I'll do some filling in.

Tanner and Katie Engaged

2010-08-10T18:12:00.000-05:00

This is the ring.

This is Katie who will marry Tanner.

Isn't it fun to have a family and then they get married and you get
to have even more family?! Katie is a sweet girl who will be a great
addition to our family! Congratulations!

2010-07-27T15:18:00.000-05:00

Jami, Nicki, Joe, and Megan (twins- Megan and Nicki)

Hiking. Tyler and Jami.

Lee and Isaac and the tent that got very wet Friday night when it stormed.

The beach left a lot to be desired--the ducks owned it.

2010-07-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

Matt and Tessa

Trevor and Jessee. We hadn't had a birthday for Trevor yet so it happened here.

Isaac who may become a professional ball player someday.

Tanner and Katie.

Cousins Camping

2010-07-27T14:58:00.000-05:00

When the kids were growing up, my sister, John, and I would take all 8 kids camping a couple times a year. Lots of great memories made! Last weekend we did it again with the 8 kids and spouses and significant others, and one grandchild and one on the way. About 18 people in all. It was fun to all be together in the great outdoors!

Tanner in his saggy suit trying to get in.

Some of the group around the campfire. One night Jami had an ice breaker game we played and the other night we played Catch Phrase.
Kids are now enjoyable adults to be with!

Tyler brought his boat for skiing and tubing. We were at Lake Wissota State Park near Chippewa Falls. More memories made ;)

My kids

2010-07-18T16:40:00.000-05:00

Oh My! What a good looking bunch of kids I have!! They all showed up at Grandma's memorial service color coordinated.
Tessa 27 Tyler 24 Trevor 22 Tanner 20

Kayak Therapy

2010-07-18T16:33:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday evening Sheryl took me kayaking. It was so pretty out and just the therapy I needed--a good friend and nature!!!
We stayed til after sunset. Thanks Sheryl!

2010-07-18T16:28:00.000-05:00

Date night was Chinese food and a full rainbow for dessert.

We drove up to Garvin Heights to see the view of Winona. This surely is a beautiful part of the country!

Tessa's Birthday No. 27

2010-07-18T16:21:00.000-05:00

My first child is now 27--4 years younger than I was when I had her. Isaac helped with the candles and gift opening.

My garage sale high chair came in handy. It hasn't been painted yet but I'll get to it. It's only been a year and I am one of the great procrastinators.

The Pail Swim

2010-07-18T16:12:00.000-05:00

My niece, Tara, was here and my sister decided Isaac should cool off in a pail. It does not take much to thrill a kid! My kids all loved sitting in pails. Below is Trevor all bunched down. Watching Isaac brought back good memories ;)

New floor

2010-07-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

While we were off camping in June, Tyler and Tanner put a laminate floor in the living room. I love it--no more grungy carpet. And it was so nice to have no part in the muss and fuss--just return home and it's there and everything put back in order!

Camping

2010-07-18T15:45:00.000-05:00

Our first camping trip was by Lake Wissota near Chippewa Falls. Matt and Tessa and Oliver came with. Oliver is a great camper! He brings his dog bed with and doesn't seem to think it's strange that we are sleeping in this moveable house and sitting outside a lot. On the last camp trip, I woke up to loud snoring in the morning and thot it was Tessa. Come to find out it was Oliver who snores like a human ;)

My sister and her husband camped with us too and brought Sophie for her first camping adventure. She did very well, but I think she thot the whole thing was really wierd. This campground even had wireless internet!

Teacher Jane

2010-06-03T15:13:00.000-05:00

John's mom was a teacher for 31 years. Most of those years were in rural schools around here. This was the '56-'57 school year. Jane knew when she was 5 or 6 that she wanted to be a teacher. Her mother and grandmother had both been teachers. One particular teacher she had in grade school (her favorite) made her fully convinced that what she wanted to be. She remembered her as being fair and treating all the kids alike and she was a good teacher. One of her biggest challenges in the winter at one school was to clear a path to the girls' outhouse after a snowstorm. It was at the top of a hill and she would wear overshoes and push a path with her feet.
I know a huge amount of her students liked her. She was constantly running into former students who would recognize her and tell her how much they liked her. If a kid can remember what grade they were in when they had you as a teacher, that's a sign to me that she made an impression. I only remember 2 from my past and what grade I was in. Mrs. Snodgrass--2nd grade (she was BEAUTIFUL) and Mrs. Foss-6th grade. Last month when I took Jane to the clinic for her blood test, she was chatting with a gal at the desk who told me Jane had been her teacher. As we were walking away, Jane said(much too loudly), "She was pretty naughty".

Love it!

2010-06-03T14:40:00.000-05:00

Look what I got in the mail today for Mother's Day from my kids! Oh I love it! It's another Lisa Leonard Design. I had been wishing I could get another necklace from her and here it is! Thank you kids! Your mama loves you!

Jane

2010-05-31T14:09:00.000-05:00

My sweet mother-in-law is gone. It was fast and unexpected so it is still sinking in. She will leave a big void in my family.
I was very blessed to have her as a mother-in-law and she was the very best Grandma my kids could have had! She was 90 1/2 and still full of spunk and vinegar. She absolutely hated the idea of going to a nursing home and was still living on her own. God blessed her by taking her quickly. I find myself wondering what she is seeing and if she's met everyone yet. I KNOW she's having a great time!
I was honored to be with her as she took her last breath here on earth. And the very next breath she was taking in Heaven. How awesome is that? She loved the Lord and I know she faithfully prayed for her kids and grandkids every day. She was faithful and our God is faithful! I am comforted that I get to see her again because of Christ and am sad that so many people do not have that hope.
I miss her!

One down...4 to go

2010-05-22T17:58:00.000-05:00

I was planning to leave my colorful porch chairs without any cushions but after sitting in one the other day to read, I found that the slats were not comfy even with all my padding. I've been digging thru all my fabric and am trying some thin cushions. I still like them plain....I don't know.

In the works

2010-05-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

Wild flowers from John in the middle and leftovers from my Mother's Day bouquet.

The next quilt is ready to sandwich together. The top fabric is for the back. It's a soft, pretty green flannel.
The quilt top is small pieces of antique fabrics I've collected over the last few years sewn onto white muslin.
I have a special person in mind for this quilt.

Free Counter

An ending and new beginning

2010-05-20T16:31:00.000-05:00

I think I have been going thru a grieving process. I spent time this morning journaling thru it to put words to what I've been feeling and what I think God has taught me. Penny came to live with us when she had nowhere to go and she lived here for 9 months. I enjoyed having a female in the house again and she became part of my heart and like a daughter. She and Tanner decided to break up last month and she has moved to Arizona to live with her mom. The mother part of me feels a great loss when I walk past her empty room. I worry that she is ok and that she feels loved and that she is doing alright because she's far away. My heartfelt prayer for her is that she will know how much God loves her and that He can be her all in all. She is a sweet gentle spirit who I feel blessed to know. God had a plan when she came here and He has a plan for her in Arizona and I look forward to knowing what He does with her life. She is precious!

Jami is 22

2010-05-18T20:36:00.000-05:00

All these little chillins' are growing up so fast! The future bride of Tyler is 22 and we love having her as a family member.

I made her a quilt in her favorite colors (right now....cuz we know those always keep changing)

The back.

Florida

2010-05-18T20:25:00.001-05:00

Last month the 3 sisters took a trip to Florida. It was a wonderful week of sister time and beach time. We stayed at a quaint place called Turtle Run Inn. There were 3 apartments and right down from the backyard was the ocean. It was a pretty secluded beach. The weather was perfect. Most mornings we walked the beach and gathered shells.

One morning we got up really early so we could watch the sunrise. The ocean is such a calming and soothing place.

We stayed in the middle apartment. Bright pink it was!

The 2 girls with painted nails decided to go skinny dipping one night because it was on the bucket list of the tatooed one. At about 11 one night we got our flashlights and opened the door. It was SO dark out (clouds) and extremely windy and we got spooked and went to bed. The next night we determined it had to be done so at 8:30 we stepped out and to our relief, there was half a moon and it wasn't windy. So the tatooed one can cross that off her bucket list! I think we would love to make this a yearly escapade. Bob, the owner called to say he saved our beach chairs we bought and when were we coming back cuz April was booking up. I'm ready!

Grand Canyon

2010-03-28T09:32:00.000-05:00

Growing up we did family vacations all over the U.S. but we never saw the Grand Canyon. I think I need to make that a destination.

The name of the Lord is...

2010-03-28T09:26:00.000-05:00

Tanner and Penny went to Arizona a few weeks ago to visit her mom. They went to see the Grand Canyon
which looks pretty awe-inspiring. This picture reminded me of Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

Wisdom

2010-02-18T15:39:00.000-06:00

Proverbs 3:7&8 says, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."
I love Proverbs! It is so full of wisdom and it comes in the form of short and to the point. Some of them make me chuckle, yet they are truth. Love this one: Proverbs 21:9 "Better to live on the corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome woman."

Today

2010-02-16T19:59:00.000-06:00

Today God's Word moved me to tears....it often does. It's true that His word is alive and active and sharper than a two edged sword

I found a quilt pattern in a library book that might be one I'd like to try. Maybe it'd make a better wall hanging.....I better finish the one I started first. Sometimes there are way too many ideas running around in my head.

My Grace rug

2010-02-15T14:07:00.000-06:00

My friend, Jody, gifted me with a rug she made from her daughter Grace's skirts. I can't bear to actually let dirty feet stomp on it (and the feet around here can be pretty disgusting), so I am using it to sit upon when I do buttons. I'll think about sitting surrounded by God's grace. Thanks Jody!

First Baptist

2010-02-14T13:22:00.000-06:00

John's mom invited us to go to church with her today because they were serving a Valentine dinner afterwards. It's a very pretty church with many, many stained glass windows, a pipe organ that I've never heard, a huge chandelier, numbered pews(wonder what that's about??), and lots of nooks and crannies. The sad part is that hardly anybody goes to church anymore. Two sisters who grew up in the church gave me a tour and told me what it used to be like and that they were sad it wasn't bursting at the seams like it used to. They showed me a steep stairway where their mother had fallen down and been hauled to the hospital. And the spot where their mother got burned when a gas stove exploded. She was a dedicated saint ;)

Valentine's Dinner

2010-02-14T13:08:00.000-06:00

Last night our church had a Valentine's dinner. Decorations were pretty, food was delicious, teens served us well, dinner music was great, and entertainment games were fun. Our old Life Group sat together--always fun to be with them!