Mary, Did you know?

This is the 28th year I have set out this Nativity Set. I purchased it the year our four year old son was killed in a farming accident on our farm. It is one way we have for Travis to be a part of our Christmas. It makes the season a little easier. As Christmas gets closer I will share other things we do in his memory.

I have been listening to Christmas Music as I set up my Nativity Scene. This is one of my very favorite Christmas songs. The title link is sung by Clay Aiken with scenes from The Passion. The second link is Mark Lowry singing. His version always sends chills while I listen to it. How thankful I am that Christ was sent at Christmas for each of us!

Mary did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God

Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am

Oh Mary did you know?

Linda

"Sew Hearts Gramma"

Two year old Kasey spent Friday with me instead of going to daycare. I had put all my sewing things away when preparing for everyone coming for Thanksgiving. (My dining room table doubles has my sewing table). Last summer she watched as I sewed the baby quilt for her new cousin, Tatum. I posted pictures in July of her climbing onto the chair and "sewing". Each time she comes she wants to sew hearts, stars, and now we added bells. She pushes my hands away to place her two fingers on the fabric to guide it along. I tried to have her look at me to take a picture to use on our Christmas letter. Her response was, "No Cheese Gramma!" In Kasey talk that means she won't smile or look at you! When she is finished she looks at her sewing and says, "I did it!"


Another picture from Kasey's birthday celebration last Saturday night. Her gift from her mommy and daddy was a trike. Of course, it came in a box. So Kasey and her cousin, Conner, were right there giving plenty of help and direction to her daddy, our son Todd, on how to put it together and what parts came next!

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart
Give Thanks To the Holy One
Give Thanks for He's Given
Jesus Christ His Son.

And now let the weak say I am strong
Let the poor say I am rich
Because of what
The Lord has done for us

Give Thanks.

Have Blessed Thanksgiving--Giving Thanks.

I finally finished something!

My projects are extremely small compared to quilt tops that most of you are doing--However, I am pleased to keep plugging along!

I have finished the Christmas Table runner that I started in a Community Ed. class the first of November. Due to combining, feeding the guys in the field and helping to move equipment from one field to another I missed the second week. I had wanted to learn new methods of quilting the finished product. Each class I take--I learn more and find out there is so much more I need learn.

We celebrated Granddaughter Kasey's second birthday Saturday evening. In attendance were 3 great grandma's and 1 great grandpa in addition to the grandmas, papas, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I was disappointed that I hadn't been able to finish Kasey's Fuzzy Flowers in time for her birthday. I was short fabric to finish the sashing strips so I had do some ripping and changing of the plan.
I am changing from having strips with setting posts around the outside to have a smaller border and a larger border. I started clipping some of the flowers this afternoon. That is going to take time.

I had allowed a sales clerk talk me into greens instead of blues when I purchased the fabric. After sewing the green on to the yellow squares I wasn't happy with it. So I took 16 squares apart and replaced them with the blues I found at Busy Bobbin. I really like it now!

We are heading down to our son, Chad's home tonight to cut up the two bucks that he and DH shot yesterday and today. I would rather stay here and work on Kasey's Fuzzy Flowers!

Take Care!

Linda

Thank you!

Lee Greenwood's Song still says it all!

"If tomorrow all the things were gone
I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
from sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston
and New York to L.A.,
well There's pride in every American heart
and it's time we stand and say:

that I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

And I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A."

AMEN!

Halloween Greettings

Halloween Greetings to all my Blogger Friends!

Check out Canton Village Quilt Works

Happy Friday!
When reading The Quilting Cat's blog tonight, she told about the most awesome give away at Canton Village Quilt Works . Jackie just returned from Quilt Market and has 5 awesome give aways! There are jelly rolls, layer cakes, and charm packs! Check her out.

More Later!

Linda

(Could anyone direct me how to find a fancy signature?)

Working on Kasey's Quilt

This afternoon I worked on Kasey's quilt. I finished the 48 8 inch appliqued squares. Then quartered and laid out the purple blocks. I hope to sew the purple blocks together tomorrow night. It is a type of raggy quilt only the seam allowance are all turned in; only the applique edges are left raw for clipping. My accomplishments and the amount of time it takes are small compared to what experienced quilters are able to complete in a few hours--I am constantly amazed at how much I am learning and enjoying what I am doing!

This week we start the WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination). It is very unfair to my students to be required to take the test. The majority of students are working significantly below grade level. Yet, they take the same test as their general education peers. My students become frustrated-those with EBD (Emotional Behavioral Disability) issues may become agitated and act out, those with SLD (specific learning disability) or CD (cognitive disability) feel they are failures and "dumb", the ADD/ADHD kids will be extremely hyper. It will be a long three weeks as we work on the test a couple of hours a day .
Have a great week!
Linda

More Than Frost of the Pumpkin!

October 23 in Wisconsin! It was sleeting when I left for school this morning. The rain turned to snow around noon and this is what it looks like at 4:30. And it is still coming!!!!!! Needless to say--we are not thrilled! There are too many acres of beans to combine yet-plus we need to combine corn.


October 3, Herb and I attended the wedding
of Monica and Eric. Monica is the daughter of one of my college roommates, Peg. There were four of us who were close in college and three of us have remained good friends since we graduated from U.W. Stout a "few" years ago. We have experienced each others weddings, new babies, our children's graduations and weddings, now becoming grandparents, illnesses, death of a child, and death of parents. Always, being there for each other through it all. We are the type of friends that though we all live on opposite ends of the state--if needed, we would be in the car and on our way! I am so blessed to have them in my life!






Last weekend was Ben and Sadie's wedding. The ceremony was held outside--weather was beautiful! Ben's parents have been friends of ours for several years. Ben's mom is the paraeducator in my classroom. It was a small wedding, with only family and a few close friends--we described it as being "simple, elegant and intimate." As Pastor Chopper stated at the beginning of the ceremony, "Ben, you look very handsome and Sadie you are stunning." Where would we be without friends in our lives.

I hope to spend some time working on granddaughter Kasey's "Fuzzy Flowers" quilt this weekend. I hope to have it finished by her 2nd birthday, November 18. I will post pictures as I make more progress.

Have a wonderful weekend! It is still snowing!!!!!!!
Linda

P.S. For those who follow Amy's Passions, her volleyball team is in regional tournament play tonight!

Check out The Quilting Cat

There is a great quilter I have meet through blogging. Well, actually it is her cat Piwacket who does the blogging along with momcat. Momcat (another Linda) recently celebrated her birthday with giveaway's. Check them out at The Quilting Cat. She has one more awesome giveaway in process now!!

On her latest post she once again gave the direction to "go quilt for 15 minutes." I'm making the 15 minutes now!

Bits and Pieces

Last weekend Herb and I attended Monica and Eric's wedding in Kaukauna. It was a beautiful wedding with Monica as a gorgeous bride and Eric a handsome and proud groom. On Sunday we
drove up to Bob and Peg's home on the bay near Sturgeon Bay to spend Sunday and Monday with them as they unwound from their youngest daughter's wedding.

On Monday when the guys drove to Algoma to visit Chris's farm, Bob and Peg's son, Peg and I relaxed for a couple of hours. She had signed up to learn to quilt the same week I did last winter without the other one knowing and on opposite sides of the state. Monday she taught me how to use the Easy Dresden template to make this mini table topper. I worked on it this afternoon. The most difficult part was finding something large enough for a pattern for the backing fabric!

Peg took me to an awesome quilt shop in Sturgeon Bay Barn Door Quilts. I officially did stash collecting of fall fabrics, two of them I used for the Dresden.





This afternoon, before I allowed myself to work on the Dresden Plate topper, I made myself finish mending the nine pairs of Todd and Chad's jeans I started last night. When I called Chad to tell him that I had finished mending four pairs of jeans for him, his comment was, "Good, there is another pile at home I will bring those up to you." With one "boy" wearing 36 X 36 and the other wears 38 X 34, there is a long slim leg to work with trying to sew on the patches.

Have a great week--try to stay warm and out of the snow!
Linda

Exciting News!

I received an envelope in the mail from The Quilting Cat, Piwacket, containing three fat quarters and an awesome book. The title of the book is, "fast, fun, & easy Fabric Boxes. I am anxious to attempt to make some fabric boxes. It was Piwacket who encouraged me to get busy and work on my mystery quilt when she gave the orders to "go quilt for 15 minutes."


This is a picture of Evie and Louis taken last June (with the quilt I made for Evie). They are the precious ones who both had H1N1 a couple of weeks ago. Not only are they both recovered from the flu--the Lord also healed their hearts while He was at it. They were each born with holes in their hearts and were anticipating open heart surgery next Spring for Louis and to be schedule for Evie. Today they both had appointments with their pediatric cardiologist. After two echoes the doctor came into the room in tears. He said he isn't usually able to give good news. His words, "It is a miracle." The hole in Louie's heart has totally closed! One Evie's holes has went from 12 mm to 8mm and it feathering-so it looks as though it is healing. Another hole was two small to measure. She still has one hole that will be patched through a cardiac catheter lab rather than open heart surgery in two years! The only thing to say is, "Praise the Lord for answers to prayers."

Linda