Catching up with Fall activities...

Kasey started 4K ( 4 year old  Kindergarten) this last week.  She rides the big bus to school in the morning. At noon the bus takes her to day care for the afternoon.  When fall field work is complete she will be spending her afternoons with Papa.

 We were blessed with rain early in the growing season even though we have been without adequate rainfall the last half of the summer. We will have ripe corn. Thankfully it is already drying down so we won't have to purchase as much gas to dry it.

I usually try to can enough applesauce for us and my two daughters-in-law.  It is difficult for them to can with the the kids.  I have a system that works well.  Especially with the use of my 38 year old Kitchen-Aid mixer and the attachments.  I only wash and quarter the apples before cooking.  When they are soft they are put into the funnel.  The applesauce goes through the strainer with the peelings, core, and seeds out the end.  So far I have 45 pints done. (And four pies)

In the middle of processing a batch this afternoon, DS-1 called asking if I could  bring Cole something to snack on and his blanket.  He is combining beans with his daddy while Kasey and her mom went shopping. 

 I packed a snack for DH, DS=1 and Cole.  Cole was happy to see Papa caring his John Deere blankie.  (I couldn't find his "Farming With Daddy" hat. There is a small passenger seat with a seat belt for Cole.

Cole was happy just to have his blankie!

The beans are dumped into the grain cart, then emptied into the truck that DH drives to the grain bins where the soybeans are stored until hauled by semi truck/trailer to the plant.

 My school year is as challenging as I expected it to be.  I am still working on my daily schedule.  If I don't need to stop to eat or use the bathroom I should be able to make it.  However, that also means there is no prep time in the day either.  They have sent a fourth aide into my room for  an hour a day.

 I  hung my motto above the bulletin board where I keep the daily schedules of the ten classrooms that my students leave to receive pullout instruction in my room. 

Also, put up a shelf with blocks to help me remember why I do what I do.

When I learned that September is National Sewing Month a blogging friend encourage me to find even 5 minutes a day to sew or quilt.  So some nights-no matter how tired I have taken time to clear my mind with sewing/quilting.

Here is the result, the flimsy is finished and needs to be sandwiched and quilted.  I need to finish it soon.  Cora Elizabeth is the granddaughter of a friend and is due in October!

Remembering..1963...1986...2001

There are three events that have occurred in our country that I will always remember where I was when they happened. The first was the assassination of President Kennedy and the events.  

Remember when John John stood to salute his father's casket as it left the church, the riderless horse during the procession?

The second was the Challenger Explosion.

And...what we will never forget, and changed our lives forever.

9/11/2001

If you have a family member who has ever served in our country's military, please thank them.

In Prayer for Our Nation,

A Blue Moon Winner...

 Eleven of my blogging friends wrote about their activities during the Blue Moon.

 It was more fun to draw one name rather than the computerized number generator!

AND...The winner is Pokey!

She wrote:
"Hi, Linda! Let's see, we stood and looked up at the bright moon in the sky, said, hmmm, and went to bed! Long days around here, isn't that romantic of us?!? We did talk about Neil Armstrong passing though, how sad ....
School starts for us on Wednesday, so I'm glad to get to enjoy the holiday with my Larry. Hope you enjoy the Labor Day, too ~
:-}pokey"

I am almost finished putting your gift together.
 If you would please email your address I will send your gift box.
So far...a Fall mug rug  that I have almost finished, a  Christmas Notepad cube, and
a package of Chai  Chocolate.

I had Kasey & Cole for the last Friday of the summer.  Then Jessica came on Saturday morning to spend the night.  DS2 and DIL-2 went camping for the weekend with their bus.  This was her second time away from mom over night.  The two of us spent most of the night rocking in the recliner.  She wasn't crying hard..just wanted to be held and reassured.  They picked her up this afternoon.  She ran to her daddy and held on. 

She is a "button pusher." 

Blue Moon Giveaway

 

"

Where were you when you heard these words,"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."?   How very unique that this time it appears on the day of Neil Armstrong's funeral.

In honor of the Blue Moon how about a giveaway?   

A Surprise BLUE Moon gift package will be selected by the random generator on Sunday night for a special blogging friend.

 Just write about something you will be doing or did during the Blue Moon!

  I think I will pull out some projects that were stuck away waiting for that "Blue Moon.

http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/2012/08/random-notes-from-this-quirky-quilter.html

While you are blog reading be sure to check out  Lily Pad Quilting. She is having an awesome Give Away of Christmas Fabric.  She is a talented quilter and blogger! 

What is wrong with this picture?

My dining room table is missing my cutting mat, sewing machine, and the current one or two projects I have been working on.  I sew at this table at night while DH is watching baseball or whatever sport maybe happening at the time in the adjoining living room.  When I first started quilting I was going to work upstairs in an empty bedroom.  He said, "You will be up there and I will be watching TV down here, we won't even see each other."  So,  I set my machine up in the dining room.

I have  one baby quilt that needs to be finished in September, three in November, and one in January.    Three quilts are started and packed away for now. At least this time I packed the pattern with the partial sewn projects.

I spent part of everyday last week at school working on setting up my room, working on scheduling, and curriculum for students.  This week we have "official" inservice and open house one evening.

Last week I still was needed for Grandma duty.  Friday after  I had a telephone conference at school, Kasey and Cole had one more day of the Slip 'n Slide.  Grandpa had them helping him while I was at school.

 Saturday morning Conner, Tatum and Jessica were with me. 

Uncle Todd left a Gator here for a few hours.  Jessica thought she should take it for a spin!

The Things We Do For Our Kids!

DS -2 called the other day asking if I could sew the edge of an awning for him.  Now you have to understand DS.  He builds trucks, trailers, etc. as a hobby.  He has turned an old school bus into a family camper.  He "found" an awning that had been on a camper that had been totaled in an accident.  It has never been used.   He cut it to fit the  bus.

The following is a text discussion between DS-2 and myself  the past couple of days.

D.S. "Mom when can you sew the awning for me?"

Me.  "I have school this week, probably on Saturday."

D.S. " Oh, not until then?"

Me. "When do you need it?"

DS. "Soon as you can."

Me. "I will work on it after school Tuesday.

 I purchased heavy needles for my machine. 

Next discussion.

Me. " Do you want the edge turned over and sewn."

D.S. "Yep, about an inch."

D.S. "How about 1/2 inch?"

D.S. "Oh, there is a hole on the end.  Can you patch that too?  If not I will use duct tape."

When I arrived home today the canvas was on the picnic table. I tried my old machine--didn't work.  So my Janome sewed right through it!

Me. "All finished."

D.S. " Have you hung it on the bus?"

Me. "Don't push your luck!"

 Since this picture he has painted the bus, changed the door and a few other things.  He built the ramp carrier on the back of the bus.  They are able to drive their car or 4 wheelers onto the back to take them along with them camping.

Introducing...

The newest member of our family. 

Pepper is an eight week old 1/2 Border Collie and 1/2 Blue Heeler. 

   She is a lovable rascal.

       She will be DH's dog.  Our previous Border Collie had been DH's constant companion. He went in the truck, tractor and combine with him always.  He wasn't sure about replacing him, but the rest of us knew that he needed a dog.

Did it ever feel good last night to pull out fabric and cut pieces for a baby quilt.

 Yesterday was a:

So many changes are going to be taking place at school in two weeks.  Today was the first day of a two day "Tech Institute."  I was provided with three ipads for my classroom last spring.  However, no training how to use them.   So today I heard 4 hours of speakers attempting to show me.  They could be great educational tools if I had the time to download the apps and to explore to find what is out there for my students. 

Also,  there will be two new aides along with a great aide who was new last year.  That will make considerable more work for me.  I am sure glad I have my classroom motto:

 

How do I become selfish?

I would really like to know how to change my personality to become a selfish person!   As my blogging friends know,  I spend a great deal of time taking care of my grandkids..which I love doing,  spend time counseling and supporting  young moms-definitely needed by several,  spend time with  the young mom whose son was killed last January--guiding her through the grief process. 

This week DH and I left for four days for a road trip vacation.  DH and I have taken three vacations in 38 years.  One to visit relatives and tour Glacier National Park three years ago,  a trip to Door County for two days last year to celebrate Bob and Peg's Birthdays, and this four day road trip.

We visited SEVERAL truck dealerships (looking for used truck for DH),  two trailer dealerships looking for a trailer to haul round bales, tractors, and equipment. We  stopped to look at farm equipment beside the roads with for sale signs,  (and did buy a grain auger). I did a lot of driving with DH resting with eyes closed.

 Not forgetting to  mention  stopping at Cabela's,  four gun shops, and three farm supply stores.   Lots of windshield time!

I did mange to YELL,   "STOP QUILT SHOP."  We pulled over at five unique shops we saw along the two lane highways.

First quit shop stop:  Pins 'N' Needles in St. Croix Falls.after stopping at a truck dealership.

We were driving along  the Mississippi River in Alma, Wi. when I saw a sign the read, "Quilt Shop" on the side of an old building.  I yelled, "STOP".

  "The Burlington-Hotel-Quilt Shop" 

 A couple purchased the old Burlington Hotel.  They have remodeled half of the first floor into a quilt shop.  They are working on remodeling rooms and an area to hold quilt retreats.

Burlington  Hotel & Quilt Shop

View of the Mississippi River from their front door.

Here I purchased the Quilters' Travel Companion 2012-2014!  From there on I had the road map in one hand and the Companion open to Minnesota in the other.

Two days later as we were heading across Northern Minnesota I turned a corner in the very small town of Wahkon and there I saw the Country Caboose Quilt Shop.  Another unique small building with bolts and bolts of fabric. 

After stopping at a Reed's Sporting Goods in Onamia MN at the foot of  Mille Lacs  Lake (only to find they didn't sell or stock firearms). We headed north to Walker, MN to their main store.

 On Hwy 371 near Pequot Lakes  I spotted Mother Originals Quilt Shop.

This is an awesome "little shop."  Working in the shop was a young teenager, her mom, and her grandma.  They were quilting with a HUGE Gammill longarm.  I had DH come in to look at the machine.  He was very impressed and asked many questions.  Then he started wandering around the shop and HE found fabrics he thought I should buy.  WOW!  It was an expensive stop...remember he is a grandpa who LOVES his grandkids!  We came out with Whitetail Deer fabrics and princess fabrics.  (On his farm credit card!)

At Walker, MN on Leech Lake I dropped DH off at the other Reed's Sporting Goods and headed to find Front Porch Quilts.

They were preparing for a busload of 60 Shop Hoppers who were touring with the Minneosta Shop Hop to arrive in 45 minutes.  The store was all decorated and stocked for the hop.  I bought some of my favorite Holly Taylor Christmas Spirit Fabric.

DH found the best gun shops are within 40 miles of home so we headed for home--5 hours away!

Heidi of Handmade by Heidi wrote to tell  me of great shops in the Duluth area.  We didn't make it before they were closed...Do I hear ROAD  TRIP ?  Now--How do I find selfish time to Quilt?

What a WEEK!

It was a great week at VBS!  We averaged 118 kids! 

The kids were fantastic.  Many of the students were not from our church and were  hearing the Bible stories for the very first time.  Many of them making life changing decisions!!  PTL!

Each afternoon Kasey and 2-3 other grandkids.

I now have to catch up on my blog reading and check out  the Christmas Blog Hop 

I am also a week behind reading and studying the  Bible Study For Women.  

Maybe tomorrow between cleaning and laundry I will sneak a few minutes to quilt!