Fall Harvest & Working on Christmas Gifts

I arrived home in time to snap these pictures on Tuesday afternoon when DS -1 was combining the small field of soybeans across from the house.  We have been dry the past couple of weeks.  The beans have dried down so they are combining well.  They are so dry that there  is a huge cloud of dust behind the combine.  The yield is good for our area.

 After the hopper on the combine is full it is unloaded into the grain cart.  Combines are now equipped with computers that measure the moisture content of the beans and the yield per acre.  It shows what areas of the fields have higher yields,  what the moisture level is and weight.

The past week the guys have been combining until 10:30 one, night 11:30 another, and last night they came home around 11:00.  DS-1 is able to take time off from the John Deere dealership where he is the AMS consultant for NW Wisconsin.   

I was able to find the fabric I needed to finish this top.  It is ready to be sandwiched and quilted.  Tatum took a look at it and wanted it immediately.  I am not sure of what she said--but she jabbered away pointing to the puppies. 

This is the sixth time I have used this pattern.  I am not sure of the gold--it went with the collection--but is a little bold. 

This runner and table topper are from the "Northern Botanical" book.  This first is called "Sweetly Simple".  It was definitely simple.  I think once I applique on the holly leaves and do the quilting. It will be simple-but nice.  It will be my first attempt at applique. The second on is called  "Table Grace."    I have one more  runner cut out and started from this book called, "Star Light, Star Bright."

 

I will work on them at night this week.  

I just received the call telling me the guys will be combining late again tonight and they need supper.

Have a great day!!

 

Happy Birthday To ME!

  I decided to celebrate my birthday by having a giveaway for my blogging friends!!! 

Since eight friends entered--You are all winners!
How about that--eight friends entered for my birthday on the 8th!

I don't know how to do the High Tech way of drawing numbers,  I just used the 

- "print out the comments--put them in a hat and draw out the winner" method.

 

And the First Winner is...

 Janet- She likes the idea of "Let's Do Lunch."  I just may travel to South Dakota next summer to take her up on the idea!  Enjoy your Chai Chocolate.




Cindy won the "Dealer's Choice" book.  She also likes the Atkinson Designs.

I have other books  or charm packs that I am sending to everyone else! I would pick up an item, reach in the hat and draw a name! The perfect way to spend my birthday--sharing with friends.


One blogging person emailed directly  rather than leaving a comment to say that my blogs were too depressing and personal.  They are supposed to be fun and exciting.  Maybe that's why only eight people responded.  Oh Well! Life is both--If we didn't have valleys we wouldn't appreciate the mountains!!

I do greatly appreciate all eight of you!!!!!!

The Mystery Object is:

The mystery object is Tigger's Tail.  Conner was so excited when we finished sewing it.  He stuffed one end in his back pocket and started bouncing around the room.  Then he stopped.  Twisted the tail, stood one one foot and took off!  It didn't matter the it didn't "really" work like Tigger's.  His imagination took over! Almost 4 years old is a great age.

I will be back tomorrow with the winners of the giveaway!

I am the real winner with my great blogging friends!

Let's Do Lunch with a Giveaway

 

To my blogging friends,

You  have become such great long distance friends and I do appreciate your support and encouragement.  So  to thank you I am having my first  "giveaway."    I will draw from your comments on Friday , October 8.  Nothing complicated.  No hoops to jump through,  just comment on which book you would prefer.  They are both by Atkinson Designs. 

One is "Let's Do Lunch" --It is described as "Tote Bags and Table Runners for every occasion. 

The other is "Dealer's Choice." Described as "Winning strategies for choosing color....." 

While you are looking through your new pattern book, you may enjoy a cup of "Chocolate Chai"!! It is delicious.  I will send  you a 12 oz bag with your pattern book.  The description on the bag reads, "Refresh your body and soul.  Enjoy a creamy blend of honey, Dutch Chocolate, black tea and exotic spices."  It is SOOOOOO good.  It will be like we are sitting have a cup of chai together.

If you send your friends to join in,  please ask them to let me know that you sent them.  You will have an extra chance to win the pattern book of your choice! There will be something for you if your friend is the winner!

A Mystery Object!    Do you have any idea what this may be?  It was something Conner wanted me to make for him after watching a movie yesterday afternoon.  We went upstairs and found a scrap , added some batting, and  sewed it up.  He was thrilled. If you would like to make  a good guess it will count as a bonus entry!!  It has something to do with the phrase, "Whoopty-Dooper Loopty-Looper Ally-Ooper."  I will disclose the  answer to the mystery object  on Friday night!!!

Once again,  thank you for being here for me!

In Memory

 

 Saturday, October 3, 1981

Todd 19 months and Travis 4 years 2 months

Five hours later our world stopped and 

changed our lives forever.

Pasta Sauce!

With a huge thanks to neighbors for providing me with the tomatoes and green peppers.    My mom and I canned 48 pints and 4 quarts of pasta sauce.  My mom stayed long enough to help blanch the tomatoes and put them through the blender.  That was enough for a day for her.  After boiling  the puree,  adding the paste, oil, and spices  and boiling again. I filled the jars.

I think I have enough tomatoes for one more batch tomorrow afternoon.  When the "boys" were still home I would can 100 quarts each year.  I would add different ingredients to use it for sloppy joes,  spaghetti sauce,  hot dishes, and more.

Next Saturday will be applesauce day!

Tonight I plan to work on another table runner for a Christmas/ Birthday gift ,

Sometimes Simple is Relaxing!

 

Sometimes it is easier to do something simple when I just need to take my mind off of everything else.  Last weekend I had picked up  a "Pieced Tree"pattern card.    I saw a finished runner thinking it looked quick and easy. It IS!!

Last night I cut one--put it together and finished it all except sewing the binding handwork.  Then I still had the energy to  keep going, so I cut out the other one.  Tonight I finished it.  I still have the handsewing to finish on the binding. 

It did the trick.  I have regrouped and ready to face a new school day in the morning.   My principal is still looking for options to find additional aide assistance in my classroom.  I have one full time aide and need at least a half time additional aide time. 

It is really helping that I have "good" kids.  No major behavior problem at this time.  In some ways it makes it more difficult because I want to be able to work with all of them and give them what each needs. 

This posting came across my facebook tonight-- I thought I would share it with you:  " Children with special  needs do not have an illness. It's not contagious. They only want what we all want: to be accepted.  It is Special Education Week, and this is in honor...for...all...children...who need a little extra help ♥... ♥ ♥."  

That is why I do what I do.  I advocate for my students and try to teach, guide, encourage, and help them to know they are important!!

I am feeling like a duck!

 

The past couple  of weeks I have felt like this little duck! 

Looking like I am smoothly sailing across the pond.

  While in reality I am padding like crazy just to stay afloat!

With no immediate relief in sight!!!!

I am hoping to spend some time at my sewing machine tonight-

maybe that will help !!

A Pat on the Back!!

I really did it!  After a LONG day at school today I went home-changed into my clothes for Curves and drove 6 miles to workout!!!!  I knew I had to start and couldn't not go just because I forgot to take my clothes with me this morning!!!   (Oh--by no stretch is this me!! Only in my dreams!!!!-) 

Joining Curves was one of my Charming Girls Club July/ August Self-Care goals.  I am continuing that goal.  I need to exercise to lose weight,  become healthier, and feel better about myself.

Tomorrow morning I am going to meet with my Sp.Ed. director and hopefully with my principal to explain my caseload, daily schedule and the need for an additional 1/2  time para in my classroom. It isn't fair to the students or to myself and my current para.   I usually just tell them that I will "make it work".  This year I am letting them know immediately the situation.  I told a few of the gen. ed teachers this afternoon that if I am not able to have additional help I will need to reconvene all 17 IEP meetings to reduce the number of minutes the students will be pullout out.  The teachers don't like that idea because then the students will be in the gen. ed classrooms.   WOW!! I am actually planning to be assertive!!!

Now to relax I am going to go find some fabric that I will cut to make a table topper for a friend's birthday later this month!

The Seasons Are Changing

The view from my kitchen window shows the seasons are changing.  There is a hint of red, yellow, and orange to the leaves of the trees across the field.

The soybeans are starting to turn from green to yellow to brown.  The leaves will dry up and fall off leaving the bean pods to finish drying before they are combined.

I have finished the wedding gift for Travis and Becky.  The wedding is about three hours away next Saturday.  DS-2 is a groomsman for the couple.  DS-2 is considered another son to Travis' family-and we feel the same way about him. 

Today DIL-1 had to work.  She works as an assistant director/ caseworker supervisor at a residential treatment center for male teenagers/ young adults who have been court ordered or placed by parents.  She doesn't mind working today because county social workers across the state don't work today so she is able to do a great deal of paperwork.  She didn't have day care so Cole and Kasey spent the day with me. 

Cole usually is smiling and had been just before I took the picture. He is 4 1/2 months and recognizes us when they come over.  The apple and chime ball are left overs from when my boys were babies.

When Kasey came in she said she had two holes in her blankie that needed more patches.  We found my squares and she selected a purple with white flowers and bright pink polka dots.  She still likes to "help" me sew.   She often becomes very involved and intense in what she is doing.

School is in full gear ahead tomorrow.  The students started last Wednesday.  I am still working on the schedule and trying to work out how I will teach four levels of reading to four third graders at the same time at 8:30 tomorrow morning.  My para will have three students for math at two grade levels.  That leaves four more students I need to have independent work to do during the first hour.  Anybody have an idea how I could clone myself during the school day???

 

Charming Girls August Christmas Sewing Party & Self Care Goal Report

 

This afternoon I was home alone!  I have "almost" finished my August Christmas Sew In Project. All that is left is to hand sew the binding and the label.  As far as I know now there are no more wedding in the near future that will require a  special wedding gift.  

I had run out of the multi color thread I was using for the machine quilting.  After searching Walmart and the internet,  I found it on Hancock Fabric's website.  I ordered it hoping it would arrive soon!!!!  This afternoon  I stopped at a local little variety store where they carry some thread, some fabric, and some craft items.  Thereit was--I bought both spools they had in stock.  Came home and finished the quilting and sewing on the binding.  Both daughters in law have been looking at the tree skirts to decide what color scheme and pattern they would like.

The reason I'm home alone is the DH had the chance to go the the BIG Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa.  DS-1 needed to go as part of his job at Tractor Central-the large John Deere dealerships in Northern & West Central Wisconsin. 

 So after attending a funeral this morning and looking for the thread. I also stopped at the local Curves and rejoined.  I belonged a couple of years ago--I like the work out.  When we were still milking cows I would come home from school and head to the barn.    As much as I enjoy having the dairy cows gone.  I did lose the two hours of physical work/ exercise that I had each night.  So starting Thursday night--I will go up at least three times a week.  Hopefully, I will lose weight, lose inches, and feel better!!

 

 Charming Girls Goal Report!

1.  Take time for myself.   I didn't do real well on this--but I am making progress.  I have continued my reading and studying of Beth Moore's "Breaking Free."  You could follow that journey on my Faith and Friends blog.

2.  Walk or other exercise at least three times a week-   I didn't do very well with this goal.  My joining Curves will take care of this!!

3.  Eat more nutritiously and not let my frustrations or stress control my eating habits.This I have worked on!  It must be working--my clothes are fitting better.  My Beth Moore study is helping with my frustrations and stress. 

Needs to be accomplished: 

1. Complete the wedding gifts for Dawn & Jason, and Becky & Travis.  Dawn & Jason's was given to them.  Today I have finished all the machine work on Becky & Travis'.

2.  Spend time preparing my stories/ object lessons for VBS.  It was a great week.  Lots of hours of prep--but was good!

3.   Work on cleaning out cupboards upstairs to use for my sewing/quilting  I didn't get to do this--I had the grandkids more than I expected--but I did love the time the kids were with me!

School starts for the Students in the morning!  I guess I am ready.

Family Day

Today was devoted to family!  This morning was Cole's dedication.  In our church we dedicate babies.  It is the same principal as baptism.  The parents are presenting the child to the Lord and promising to bring them up in knowledge of the Lord. The pastor's message to them was based on Proverbs 22:6  "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." 

After church DS & DIL-1 hosted a brunch for family and close friends.  We have a great group of friends that meet for brunch  most Sundays after church  at a local grocery store deli.  Most of them were able to join us today.  This picture shows Cole's 5 great grandparents. One more great grandmother is in a nursing home.  My mom is on the far right.

 

 This is DIL-1's immediate family. Her parents, DB & SIL, her grandparents, an uncle, aunt and 4 cousins drove from the Albert Lea, MN area. Her sister was unable to be here.  She has accepted a teaching position and is the volleyball coach in Laurens, IA.  

 

Our family!  We are so blessed and thankful!

Have a great week.