Tommy's Crib Quilt

The end of February I uploaded a bunch of pictures to my blog of quilts I've made in the last several months. I'm finally getting around to writing about them and posting.

Today's quilt is the crib quilt I made for my grandson. I was told the color scheme of the nursery and gave my daughter-in-law and son some choices of a pattern. I found this pattern on Pinterest. I modified it a bit by making it smaller and leaving off the borders.

I had it quilted with a meandering star pattern.

Whenever I make a quilt for my grandchildren I like to put a label on the back that has a Bible verse. My intention is to pray the verse for the grandchild.

And of course, there has to be a label with the child's name and date of birth.

I was so excited when I found this backing fabric. The theme for the nursery is "I love you to the moon and back". Isn't this just the cutest?

I didn't get the quilt finished until after Tommy was born, so I mailed it to him.  When they received it I got this the picture from my son.

He's a goof.

This feels like an awkwardly worded post. I struggle with how to write more than 'Look! I made a quilt for my grandbaby!' and somehow make it sound interesting.

A Two Year Old

Then there was this beautiful two year old little girl I get to call my granddaughter.  It's the best, I tell ya, the best!

Lydia's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and Hubby and I made a quick trip back to Iowa to help celebrate. She and her baby sister are so much fun to be around! I just can't get enough.

Hubby and I picked 'Grammy' and 'Pops' for our names as grandparents. Currently this two year old calls us 'Dammy' and 'Pots' and it's the most adorable-heart-melting thing I have ever heard. 

 Sometimes when Lydia is sitting on my lap she will turn to look at me, put her hand on my arm and say, "Oh, Dammy!" Melts me into a puddle very time.

Then there's this sweet Annabelle who looks so much like her mommy. Melts my heart. Yes, I am a hot mess around these two sweeties!

My daughter planned an adorable Winnie-the-Pooh themed party. That little two year old loves 'Winna-na-Pooh'! Just look at all the fun food....

I loved the cupcakes! So cute! Megan did such a wonderful job with these!

Cupcakes on your birthday are the best!

The balloons were by far the biggest hit of the birthday party. Lydia played with them for days. It was a little sad when the red balloon floated to the ceiling. She thought Daddy could help her reach it. A L M O S T  T H E R E..... She is a determined little girl.

To give her parents a little break and to spend some Grammy and Pops and Lydia time, we took her down stairs to our room and snuggled on our bed to watch (what else?) Winnie-the-Pooh on my tablet.

This post needs just one more picture of sweet Annabelle. Love that sweetie so much! Pops had the magic touch this time.

Wednesay Hodgepodge

 

1. Setting aside the real March Madness (NCAA Basketball) describe something happening at your house this month that might earn the title 'March Madness'?
Aside from a quick weekend trip to Iowa to celebrate our granddaughter's second birthday, I can't think of anything going on this month that would qualify as 'March Madness'. I guess we have had a pretty calm month. 

2. What's a favorite made up word from your childhood or a favorite from your children's childhood? Does your family still use the word today? If there's a story behind the origin please share.
When our son was little he called Canadian Bacon, Comedian Bacon. We still call it that from time to time.
When I was little I used to call my fingers "simmer". When someone would ask me where my "simmer" was, I would look at them confused. When I was asked where my finger was I would hold up one and say, "Here's my simmer!" My family brings up that story once in a while to tease me.

3. Will you be doing any spring cleaning now that the season is upon us? I read here a list of 15 quick (under one hour) spring cleaning tasks. They were-

clean out a drawer, vacuum furniture, whiten tile grout, dust the nooks and crannies you don't get to year round, degrease kitchen cabinets, wipe down walls, go behind furniture, wipe down ceiling fans, vacuum the mattress, clean the range hood, wash baseboards, shine the stainless steel, clean out vents, tackle the windows, and wipe down gadgets

Of the fifteen 'quick' tasks listed which two most need doing at your house? Will you do them?

Let's see...windows and maybe clean out the vents. I did the vents when we moved here two years ago. The windows really need it, but I really don't want to do it. Maybe I should hire someone???

4. A favorite movie set in Paris or New York?
I've always enjoyed "You've Got Mail". It's one I have watched over and over.
For a movie set in Paris, "Les Miserables" is a favorite.

5. What's put a spring in your step this month?
I had a really good visit with my cardiologist. Some lifestyle changes I have been making are helping an arrhythmia I have. The doctor was very pleased. I did a happy dance in the hallway of the doctor's office and bought myself two dozen roses.

6. Did you ever want to be a teacher? Why or why not?
My first answer to this was No, and then I laughed after I remembered what I got a degree in. It was Child Development to teach preschool/kindergarten. When I did student teaching I realized that I didn't want to teach in part because it's a job you don't leave at work. The degree did help with raising my two kids though.

7.  What's your favorite floral scent? Do you have this somewhere in your home or maybe in a perfume?

I love the smell of roses. A number of years ago I discovered Freesia at Bath & Body Works. I bought of bouquet of freesia flowers when we lived in Singapore and they filled up the house with an amazing smell!

How do you feel about florals in food?
I had something recently that had lavender in it and I liked it. For the life of me I cannot remember what it was. Isn't that funny?
How about wines with floral notes-yay or nay?
I don't like wine.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
This sweet little granddaughter of mine is TWO years old! She had such a fun birthday party!

 The mittens Lydia has on were mine when I was a little girl. Makes me smile to see her wear them.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's been a loooong time (July!) since I participated in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Glad to be back today! Click on the button below and go over to Joyce's blog to read other people's answers or participate yourself.

1. What do/did you call your grandparents? If it's something unusual tell us the story behind the name. If you're a grandparent what do your grands call you? Who chose your moniker?
When I was a kid I called my grandparents just plain old 'Grandma' and 'Grandpa'. To differentiate between the maternal and paternal I would add their surname. When I was a teenager I started calling one of my grandfathers 'Gramps'. No story behind that other than it I adored my Gramps.
Before we knew we were going to be grandparents, Hubby and I decided we wanted to be called 'Grammy' and 'Pops'. Our sweet granddaughter is almost 2 and has said something like 'Pop' for several months. 'Grammy' has been a little tougher for her to say, but the last time we video chatted I heard her say something pretty close! I am super excited about that! Hearing that sweet little voice say 'Grammy' is like nothing else and melts my heart more than I expected.

2. Ever taken a road trip along the California Coast? If so what was the highlight of your trek? If not, any desire to do so? If you were to take a trip along the California Coast what's one attraction you'd have on your must-see list?
The only parts of California I have been to are Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Someday I would love to drive down Highway 1 along the coast.


3. What are three things you don't know how to do?
I don't know how to do English Paper Piecing. (It's a quilting thing.) I would like to learn.
I don't know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning one side of it.
I don't know how to knit. I would like to learn someday.

4. Tom Peters is quoted as saying, 'Celebrate what you want to see more of.' If that's true what will you celebrate and more importantly, how will you celebrate?
I think celebrating something a person wants to see more of is probably a positive way to give positive feedback/reinforcement and the makes or allows for that something to happen more. I wish I had a specific example, but I don't.

5. Thursday (February 16) is National Almond Day. Do you like almonds? Which would you prefer-an Almond Joy or a macaron? What's something you make that calls for almonds?
Yes, I like almonds. I would prefer an Almond Joy (because, chocolate) to a macaron, but to be fair, I've never had a macaron. (I had to look it up.) I make Spritz cookies which have almond extract in them. I have also made something called Almond Filled Cookie Cake only a few times. My mom loved it so much she started making it and she and other family members have made it way more than I ever did.

6. What does Saturday morning look like at your house?
Saturday morning doesn't look much different other than Hubby is here. He usually is up early and out for a run before I wake up. Breakfast is fend for yourselves 99% of the time.

7. Share with us a favorite book you've read this winter.
 The Aviator's Wife, by Melanie Benjamin. It's about Charles Lindbergh's wife. I found it fascinating. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
A goal I have for myself this year is to memorize two Bible verses a month. This month's verses are from Pslam 103:11-12: For as High as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far He has removed our transgressions from us. 
It is good to be reminded of God's love for me. I will think about this verse the next time I am on an airplane. The vastness of the heavens and the earth are so much more apparent from an airplane.

Bullet Points

"Okay, today I will sit down and write a blog post..."

...said me about a dozen times over the last two plus months since I last wrote. I have barely started about four posts and none seemed to get flowing, so none got published. I think that bullet points with brief, un-jointed thoughts with a brief summary of the last two months will work best. Here I go!!!

•  We took a two week trip the end of December to the Midwest to see our kids. Oh, who am I kidding? It was really to see our grandkids! Our newest granddaughter was born eleven days before Christmas Day. She looks a lot like her mommy and that just melt's my heart. We spent a week at our daughter's house and then a week at our son's house. And now I feel obligated to insert some pictures of those sweet babies:

 

Annabelle Rose

Lydia Mae

Thomas Isaac

• I miss those grandbabies so much it hurts. I am thankful for video chatting and being able to see and hear them through the computer. Whenever I see a baby at church or out and about I have a desire to grab that baby and love on it. I haven't done that, though. Probably a good thing. 

• We finished off our long trip with celebrating my mom's 85th birthday. We flew back to North Carolina where they live now. We arrived there a day before the rest of the family. (Most of them were at the beach celebrating New Year's.) As we waited for the rest of the family, on New Year's Day Hubby arranged to have lunch with his uncle who lives in the area and I had lunch with a childhood friend. (She and I met in the 6th grade. We have been out of touch for 30ish years and just recently discovered each other again. Imagine my surprise to learn she lives near my parents! It's been so good to get reacquainted!)

• I really do like the weather here in South Carolina. When the weather turns from a nice 70s to a "cold" 50s? Eh, not so bad! We had ONE weekend of snow and ice. I can deal with that! It was -6 when we landed in Iowa in December! Brrrr!  

•  Hubby and I celebrated my birthday in early January with a couple day stay at a downtown hotel. It was kinda fun to pretend we were somewhere else, but not be far from home.  We discovered a yummy taco place that serves THE best lime gelato I have ever had! Hubby was sweet and spoiled me with lots of presents and dinner out and I thoroughly enjoyed video chat sessions with both kids.

• The end of January we had a wonderful reunion with some friends from college days. We all arranged to meet at my sister's beach house in North Carolina. It was such a fun weekend of reconnecting, memories and sharing about our lives in the years since college.  Two of us girls were bridesmaids in the other girl's wedding. I roomed with one of the girls for two years, the other two girls roomed together for a year. Hubby and one of the guys shared an apartment. I met one of the guys when he followed my roommate back to our dorm room. Did you follow all that? We all met in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

 

• I have subscribed to Shipt and order my groceries through an app on my phone and have them delivered TO MY HOUSE. Amazing! Grocery shopping has grown to be one of my least favorite jobs over the years and I have enjoyed handing it off to someone else. The $49 subscription fee has been more than worth it.

• I am finishing up Annabelle's quilt this weekend. I have loved making quilts for my grandbabies over the last two plus years, but I am excited to make some quilts just for me. I'm working on plans for a really bright one.

Well, I think that's all I can come up with for now. Hopefully posts will be more frequent from now on...

Friday? What?

How in the world did it get to be Friday already? Last night I had to remind myself over and over that it was Thursday and the week was almost over. What the heck did I do all week that made it fly by so fast? Not sure I really know. I do know that I actually wrote to-do lists for myself. When I do that I know that I have a lot on my mind and a lot I want to do, even if some of those things are to shop for new pair of jeans and get a pedicure. Hey, these things are important! After all, look how cute my pedicure is....

Snowflakes!

 

 

(Yes, I have short, stubby toes. They are exactly like my parents'. My mom always said I never had much of a chance for long fingers and toes.)

Earlier this week we got a lot of rain here in the Upstate of South Carolina. It hadn't rained since early August. (Except a bit of a sprinkle here and there.) The rain helped the wildfires in the mountains. With the rain came a tornado in our town. Yep. I was out (getting that cute pedicure) when it went through. The next day I went out to run some errands and saw this about a mile from our house:

My impression is that those trees were covering the road the night before. Reports are that the tornado touched down a mile to a mile and a half from our house. Yikes! When I saw these downed trees, I got tears in my eyes and thanked God for protecting us and our property. (Hubby had to take shelter at the plant. I stayed at the nail salon while the worst seemed to pass by and stayed away from the glass store front.)

A couple of things I have on my to-do list for today is to mail some letters and drag out a few Christmas decorations. Oh, and there's the load of laundry in the dryer. I think it's done and I should probably fold it before it's a wrinkled mess. Probably.

We video chatted with our daughter last night. She's 39 weeks pregnant and ready to meet her baby girl. Baby Girl doesn't seem in any hurry. The rest of us are anxious to meet her! I've said it before and I will keep saying it, I love the invention of video chatting! We got to see Lydia putting her Pooh Bear night-night.(Putting a blanket on his back and patting him a smidge hard. Grin.)

Let's see....what else....?......

Nothing's coming to mind, so I'll hit Publish and get to that to-do list.

Thanksgiving Week Wrap Up

Oh boy did Hubby and I had a wonderfully relaxing week away! It had been a very long time since we went away, just the two of us.

Let's see...where did I leave off? Thanksgiving Day. We fixed a yummy little feast for ourselves. We were able to find two turkey thighs and half of a turkey breast to roast. Just right for the two of us. I even found some raisins to add to my helping of stuffing. (My mom's recipe for stuffing had raisins -- I love it, Hubby does not.)

After we ate our meal, we grabbed a couple of beach towels and we out to sit on the beach to watch the sun go down. We had to walk a couple of houses down to get to the beach since hurricane Matthew did a number on the walkway from the house to the beach.

It was a beautiful evening and I may have snapped a picture or eight of the sunset.

But I'll only post two.

See the flock of pelicans?

While we sat on the beach we talked about the things we were thankful for in the past year. We are both thankful for a good marriage and our kids and grandkids.

We finished off the week knocking out a bunch of Netflix shows. We watched The Crown and Gilmore Girls and a few movies. I have officially become a fan of Netflix.

We went back and forth about coming home on Saturday or Sunday. Saturday finally won.

Sunday we went to church. We love the preaching. So Biblical and relevant and not fluff. We are slowly becoming friends with a couple that is a lot closer to our age than the majority of the people in the church.

After lunch, actually brunch at a nice restaurant downtown, we braved the car dealership lots. We are looking to buy a new car to replace mine that has 211,000ish miles on it and is starting to have problems that cost too much to want to spend. We were just going to look to see if they had the 2017 models out thinking the dealerships were closed. Turns out they were open so we took a couple of cars for a test drive.

(Why are cars such a pain to buy? So much blah, blah, blah from the sales people.)

We did manage to decide which car we want to buy, so that's a good thing. Next up: Negotiating. Yippee.

Today I am thankful for...

...Community Bible Study tonight
...grocery delivery to my front door (!)
...our week away
...clean laundry
...my son