WooHoo--I can finally start quilting again!

Every year I tell myself, I must finish our farm taxes before I may continue with quilting projects.  Like many family farms, I am the bill payer, book keeper, and tax preparer. (That includes going through the pickup glove box,  coat pockets, and John Deere bags looking for receipts.)  This year I switched from Quicken Books to iBank.  I like it---it would be better if I kept up with the accounting all year...  I take all my numbers and place them on a spread sheet which I take to the tax preparer.  He takes my numbers and places them on the correct lines.  I wouldn't begin to know how to calculate depreciation of machinery or all the various tax forms needed for our return. 

So--I am anxious to pullout my machine and projects that need to be finished.   I have learned that my quilting plays a huge part in my relaxing at night....Life is so complicated right now that I need that time to take my mind off of everything else.

Also--finally I will be able to spend more time reading your blogs!!!

Cole's Basketball Practice!

Cole has been going to watch his daddy play basketball when Todd's  team plays the early game in city league.  He loves playing "baketball hoop."  I couldn't resist posting this short video that Todd sent.  Cole will be 2 the end of April.

A First for Our Family

Our family went on our very first vacation.  We headed to the Kalahari Waterpark Resort at Wisconsin Dells last Friday.  It was the first time we have EVER been gone overnight with DH and both sons.  Everyone went--so we had 6 adults and 5 grandkids.  We all had a fantastic time.  I even went on some of the waterslides!  I helped Katie a lot of the time with Jessica and Tatum. 

 

Todd and Cole had a great time making baskets.

 

 Tatum and Chad were able to make some baskets also while Todd and Cole waited their turn.

                                               None of the kids had any fear of the water!

What else do you eat after filling up on pancakes other than Cheetos and licorice!  Our suite had three bedrooms, a complete kitchen with dining area, living room with a fireplace.  We took groceries to prepare all of our meals.

 

 

 Five tired grandkids slept most of the four hour trip home on Sunday afternoon.  It was expensive, but we all made memories that will last for years.

"What if it had been you? "

Hello My Friends, 

This was written by the young mom who I requested you pray for following the tragic accident on January 11 that claimed the life of her young son, Fane.  She sent this out today on her Facebook page and to all the addresses in her email address list. 

Please continue to hold them in your prayers.

Thank you,

Linda

What if it had been you?

by Haylee Hall Hershey on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 9:51am ·

Over the past four weeks I've had lots of thoughts and emotions coursing through my mind and body.  And rightfully so.  That's what happens when your 3 & 1/2 year-old son dies in a car accident.  A car accident in which he wasn't buckled in and you were driving.  So as is likely, there have been many, many, many thoughts and questions about heaven.  God is a being I've always believed in and heaven is a place I've always planned on going after this earthly life.  And that hasn't changed.  What has changed, however, is the urgency I feel to spread the gospel.  I never felt pressed to pass The Word along before.  I was always very timid about it, fearing I'd upset someone or people would think ill of me.  But the death of a close loved one (especially one that in your mind wasn't supposed to die yet) forces you to think more pressingly about eternity.  Of course we all know these tragedies can and do happen everyday.  But we never really expect it to happen to us.  And we are not called to sit by timidly and let others perish in the flames.  We are called to boldly proclaim the good news of salvation.  God wants all of us to be saved.  But He gave us free will.  That means the choice to accept or reject Him is ours.  So I ask: What if it had been you?  If you were the one who died where would you be now?  My beautiful Fane is in heaven with our Maker and Savior.  But where would you be?  Now more than ever I believe there is a heaven and hell.  And now more than ever I believe that Jesus is the way to salvation. Simply being "a good person" and leading "a decent life" is not enough.  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  I know there are many people who believe in heaven and hell and God and Satan.  But merely believing is not enough.  Even Satan fears and trembles.  The way to heaven is through Jesus.  We need to know Him and love Him and serve Him.  We need to ask Him to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  We need to invite Him into our hearts and into our lives.

I'm afraid I'm sounding preachy and that really wasn't my intent.  So I think I'll stop here.  It's just that this has all been on my heart a lot lately and I felt compelled to share it.  I know there are a lot of people who don't believe in God at all.  And that's their prerogative.  Like I said, free will...But I also know there are a lot of people who think you get to heaven by being nice.  That's simply not the case.  None of us are perfect, but we can be through the sacrificial lamb Jesus Christ.  We are nothing without Him.  So please, please, please at least consider what I've said.  And do it now.  You may not have until tomorrow to get it figured out.  What do you have to lose?  If I'm wrong...nothing.  You die and that's it.  But if I'm right...well, the stakes are much higher.  If I'm right, you have heaven to lose and salvation to gain.  If you've already been saved and have your ticket to heaven, awesome!  I'll see you there if not before.  And really, you gotta get to heaven so you can meet Jesus face to face.  He's an amazing guy, quite indescribable in fact.  And then you gotta meet my Fane...'cuz he's pretty cool too. 

Birthday Treat for Brenda

At school we draw names to bring Birthday treats to the lounge for each other.  I drew my great friend Brenda's name.  She is a chocolate lover.  I just put this together to take in for her birthday on Thursday.  I (of course) used what I had--so I used a choc. brownie mix instead of cake mix and instead of toffee bits. I used walnuts.  I was surprised to find the brownie mix!

 

Chocolate Carmel Trifle

Mine isn't quite as pretty as the Taste Of Home's photo.

Ingredients

• 1 package (9 ounces) devil's food cake mix
• 2 packages (3.9 ounces each) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 jar (12-1/4 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
• 1 package (7-1/2 or 8 ounces) English toffee bits or almond brickle chips

Directions

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions for an 8-in. square baking pan. Cool on a wire rack. Prepare 
• pudding according to package directions.
• Cut cake into 1-1/2-in. cubes; place half of the cubes in a 3-qt. trifle bowl or large glass serving bowl; lightly press down to fill in gaps. Top with half of the whipped topping, pudding, caramel topping and toffee bits; repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 16 servings. 

(Amy, stop over and have some!)

Must be Nervous Energy

 Even though they are easy--I still like this pattern for little boys.  The John Deere teddy bear quilt is for Hawke.  Fane's three month old little brother.  When we were at Haylee and Jerry's for pancakes on Saturday morning I asked Haylee if Hawke needed his own quilt.  I had made a cowboy quilt for Fane, and fun girly quilts for Aria and Saphira.   She did want Hawke to have his own.  So I put this one together Saturday night.  It needs to be sandwiched and quilted.

 The son and daughter-in-law of our friend, Nancy,  are expecting their first baby in April.  Nancy was the friend who in September lost her 2 1/2 year battle with cancer.  I had promised her I would make baby quilts for her grandbabies.  Since they own and operate an excavating- construction business--I thought this fabric would be great if it is a boy!  So after I finished the top for Hawke, I put together this top.  It is also ready to be sandwiched and quilted.

But, if she is a girl!  I have started this pinwheel and prairie points quilt.  I am still working on pinning on the prairie points.  I love this fabric.  It is Moda "Puttin' On the Ritz" pink.

I can't decide if it is better to come down with the wicked flu unexpectedly or to have your DH sick with it and know that you will be next!  DH was really sick last night and into this morning with the stomach and intestinal flu.  He has slept most of the day.   So I am waiting........YUCK!

Word Up 2012-"Value"

The first time I saw Kelly's picture for "Word Up 2012", I thought of the poem, "Footprints."  A friend gave us a copy of the poem the day that Travis was killed.  We asked our pastor to read it following the service at the cemetery.  A month later another friend gave me the counted cross stitch I have posted on my header.  It has hung on our wall for thirty years. 

As I thought about my word for 2012,  I kept thinking about what was important to me or what did I need to concentrate on for this year.  I kept thinking about what I value.  My list grew and grew as I thought about friends, family, things around me, my relationships and me.  So my word is "Value."  

I looked up to find an exact definition.  WHOA!  I selected these five definitions to focus on this year.

Definition: Value

noun

1.   relative worth, merit, or importance:

9.  liking or affection; favorable regard 

13. degree of lightness or darkness in a color.

                                                                              verb

17.  to consider with respect to worth, excellence, usefulness, or importance.

 

18.   to regard or esteem highly: He values her friendship.

In Memory of A Special Little Boy

Fane 3 1/2 with his mom, Haylee, sister Saphia, baby brother Hawke, and sister Aria on Halloween.

A tragic accident resulted in the death of a special 3 1/2 year old little boy on Wednesday evening.  On the way home from church activities at 8:15, Haylee lost control of her van on the icy, snow covered road and rolled over a bank.   I went by immediately after it happened.  I saw the tracks in the snow on the side of the road,  but didn't see the vehicle.  It was so stormy that I didn't stop but did plan to call authorities as soon as I reached home which was about 2 miles away.   Before  I arrived home I met two sheriff cars and shortly three more rescue vehicles.  To shorten the story,  Haylee's dad called asking for the church phone number telling us it was Haylee.   We continued to be involved by helping to locate Haylee's husband, Jerry.

Haylee and her entire family have been a part of our family by being friends forever.  DH and Haylee's  dad grew up together.  Sometimes friends are as close as blood relatives.

This has brought back so many memories of when our 4 four year old son, Travis,  was killed 30 years ago.  Haylee called at 11:55 crying and saying, "Linda, I need you.  I need you to help me through this.  What do I do?"   In tears, I told her that I would walk beside her each step of the way.  It was a night without sleep as DH and I relived and remembered.  She has a long difficult road ahead.  Please hold her, Jerry, and the entire family in your prayers. The services are this afternoon at our church.

Also--give your kids or grandkids an extra hug or phone call today.  Life is precious.

A Finished Flimsy!

From my plead for HELP!  "Where did I go wrong?"

 To using the ripper to take 8 blocks apart...

I have a finished flimsy ready to sandwich and quilt.   

I am thinking of using one of the darker colors for the backing.  

The binding is made from 2 1/4" X 6 1/2" rectangle pieces like the middle border. 
The fabric I used is Amelia by Moda. 

I found this pattern on Kelly's Charming Chatter.  She calls it, " Wee Ones

Baby Quilt."  She has the complete Tutorial ready to print out.

Smile--A Quilter's Brain

I borrowed this from a friend's facebook page!  I thought it does a great job explaining to others just what is going on in my brain!


It was another long three days.  DH had a 4 1/2 hour procedure at the Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Mpls. on Thursday.  I was in the waiting room from 5:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.  There was a slight complication with his blood levels following the procedure which required a delay leaving the recovery room.  I did leave long enough to eat a light breakfast and again at lunch for a sandwich.  (Not like two years ago).  He required a cardiac catheter ablation in both upper chambers of his heart.  One chamber was in Atrial Flutter and the other in Atrial Fibrillation.  We arrived home about 6:30 last night.  I am really counting on this helping him feel better! For his sake and MINE!

Maria to the Rescue!

Thank you Maria!  I also went back to look at Kelly's tutorial.  She made the comment-"Be sure your blocks are laid out correctly or you'll have to make friends with your seam ripper."

New lessons learned:
#1--Look carefully before sewing.
#2--Don't panic at night when you are tired.
#3-Be thankful for your blogging friends who are willing to help--Hopefully not too many thought, "Duh, Linda---Take it apart!"

I took the eight blocks apart and all is well!


Linda

Help! What did I do wrong? or Maria to the Rescue!!

I am working on a baby quilt.  I used Kelly's from Charming Chatter's pattern and tutorial.
  It was supposed to look like this:

However!!  I have 16 blocks one direction  and 8 blocks with an opposite pinwheel.

I haven't pressed the squares yet in case I have to rip.  But I can't figure out how I would resew them if I did rip!  Any suggestions?   The strip on the left and the three on the top  are going the wrong direction.

 

 Thank you!

On Thursday during vacation Tatum, 2 1/2 years, spent the day with me.  Who said you can't bake Christmas cookies after Christmas?  

Thank you Maria!  I just took one apart quickly and saw my problem!  New lessons learned:
#1--Look carefully before sewing.
#2--Don't panic at night when you are tired.
#3-Be thankful for your blogging friends who are willing to help--Hopefully not too many thought, "Duh, Linda---Take it apart!"