A Busy Two weeks

I can't believe that it has been nearly two weeks since I last posted. Life has been busy. First both of the kids got sick with a stomach virus that lasted about a week. My son was throwing up (all over my husband and thankfully not me, I don't do puke) had diarrhea and a fever, my daughter had a much milder case (thank you breast milk) with just a fever and a desire to nurse or scream. My husband was a great help in that we were able to divide and conquer. He took our son and kept him entertained and I took our daughter and just let her nurse as much as she wanted. Consequently after a couple of days my milk supply was greatly increased. They are both doing much better now. I then worked a shift (7am-7:30pm) and came home just aching all over. I chalked it up to needing new shoes, but it became apparent by the next day that I had caught whatever my kids had. I was very careful to wash my hands and try not to get infected, but it's hard when you have a two year old that constantly wants to eat off your plate and drink whatever you have. I was lucky and only was sick for a couple of days.

My friends and I have decided to have a monthly work day to get our Christmas presents done early and avoid the stress of trying to complete projects at the last minute. We had our first get together on the 14th and I started work on about 7 wall hangings that I will give out next Christmas. I hope that we can keep up the progress on these it will be so nice to have a stress free holiday.

I have decided to learn how to knit. Since I use cloth diapers you can also use wool covers, either knitted or from wool fabric. Both are expensive to buy, but I have found that they work wonders for nighttime with my daughter who is a heavy wetter. The wool lets the moisture evaporate so that her clothes are slightly damp and not totally wet like they are with other covers that I try to use at night. So, I have decided to knit her a wool soaker. With the use of the great videos on a knitting site that I found and a pattern from fern and faerie I am doing pretty well. I am actually enjoying learning a new skill, plus I have found that knitting is not as difficult as I have always thought it to be (although so far all I have done is knit and purl).

A great fun weekend

We took the kids up to ride the Polar Express this weekend. It was a blast. We actually had to make the reservations for this in May. They are so popular that every Saturday in December for next year is already booked. I think that we are going to try to go in either January or November next year since my brother's wedding is in December and the date is not set in stone yet. This is a picture of my husband and son, my son had a blast he has really been into trains lately. It is amazing to me how much enjoyment there is in watching your kids have fun.

In quilting news I am working on making up another string quilt for my sister's baby that is due next month. The shower is at the end of this month and I should have this quilt done with time to spare. I am also working on a mystery quilt for my guild and have completed the first two clues. I have never done a mystery quilt before and I think that this should be fun. I am doing it scrappy and it looks cute. I have added a picture for you to see, this is clue one and two. I have decided that I am in a scrappy phase of my quilting since any new projects that I am starting are scrappy. The frugality of using up what I have appeals to me, as well as the fact that these projects seem to be so much quicker since the cutting is already done because I use Bonnie's scrap user's system.

I am reading On the Run by Iris Johansen. I have read several of her other books and they are all good action/suspense/romance books. This one is turning out to be enjoyable also.

I feel famous!

Judi has created a page on her website for my quilt. Check it out!

Support My Fabric Habit

In order to support my fabric habit (and pay for a needed computer part at home), I have put some of my stamp sets up for sale. Please check them out here.

Batik Samlper

In 2005 I did my first block of the month at Bernina Connection in Phoenix. It sat for a while in the block phase until I could decide how to set it. I then found a great mottled black batik fabric and decided to set it topsy turvy ala Bonnie's Happy Scrappy Houses. Once I got the top completed it sat at that stage for a while until I could decide how to quilt it. Then came Judi's offer to quilt 30 quilts for $30 so that she could practice new techniques on her longarm. By this time I had decided to give it to our favorite Aunt for Christmas and Judi was kind enough to complete it before Christmas and I finished binding it and labeling it about 8pm on Christmas day. I am very pleased with how the top and quilting looks. Each block has a different quilting design. The quilt is actually more square than it looks in this picture.

Holiday pictures

We had a nice holiday this year. I got the opportunity to sew with my husband's aunt again. it was great fun, my husband took my son four wheeling that day so it was just us three girls all day. Here is a picture of her with the quilt block she made. Plus a picture of little girl in her bumbo and a picture of my son and his cousin getting a ride from their papa.

My husband has finally convinced me to get cable. We had satellite for a while and then stopped it and I have not been willing to spend the money on it. He finally convinced me that it was okay to spend money for tv and the guy is coming tomorrow to install it. I look forward to having the Scifi channel and having local channels without static.

My son had fun this Christmas also. He got a tricycle from his grandparents that he loves. He also got a play shopping cart from us that he has been playing with. My daughter's (well mine actually) favorite gift was a bumbo seat. My favorite gift I actually got yesterday. After a 12 hour shift at work I came home and my husband had taken down the decorations. This was the best gift, I was dreading having to put the stuff away. Now I just need to start putting up the Valentines decorations.

Last photo post

Top photo Pat Knochel at Nimble Thimbles in November. Second photo my son eating his first fluffernutter (peanutbutter and marshmallow cream) sandwich. I remember eating these as a kid and have to buy a jar of marshmallow cream once or twice a year to have a few of these sandwiches. Next two photos are cute ones of little girl.