Stitching

This is my latest excuse for staying up late. Started a project last year during Woman's Conference and have done several more recently. With the tax season in full swing I can finally afford to frame them!
Unfortunately so much cuter in person, but the pics will have to do.

My humanitarian day

We had my favorite Relief Society activity this Saturday--Springville Stake Humanitarian Day! This is an interfaith activity so there are women from different churches around the community and tons of projects going on. I'm sure there were over 200 women there.

For 4 1/2 hrs. I sewed like a mad woman on my gloriously fast Juki on cute stuff like these t-shirt dresses. (Take t-shirt. Sew material onto bottom. Done! Who knew I could sew clothes?)

After we sewed the dresses other people took them and painted decals on the t-shirts.
It was so funny to hear this one woman yell, "Heh! I just learned to decal a shirt!"
The little decoration added just the right touch and will make some little girl in Haiti or Chile feel very pretty.

Which brings me to the very best part of Humanitarian Day, when a random older woman, whom I've never seen before in my life, glances down at my name tag as she passes by and whispers, "A pretty name for a pretty girl."

Let's discuss this shall we?
First of all, she thinks my name is pretty.
Don't get me wrong, I like my name. But still.
Second, she thinks I am pretty.
Isn't that the greatest thing to hear?
It has been way too long for me I think.
Third, she called me "girl."
Which is awesome. Because this year I turned 35.
My son is 14 and I'll be married 16 yrs. in June.
(Not to mention that my memory must already be going because I thought we had been married 16 years last year. Peter is constantly reminding me that my medication affects my memory.)

But to someone, somewhere, I looked like a girl.

And then she just smiled and walked away. It happened so fast I'd probably never be able to recognize her again.

Good food for thought, says I.
What a difference something so small can make!
That will keep me going at least a week or more.

I think good things about people all the time! Why don't I tell them?
No time like the present, I guess.

Quilts of late

This one Amber and I have made before. Sarah made it for her teacher who was having twin boys. They were born this week about 10 wks. premature, but so far they seem healthy.
Oliver and Owen? Can't recall exactly.

Not quilted yet, but soon to be. The teacher wouldn't give them her address to keep in touch (probably because she isn't supposed to) but I told Sarah we have an in because we do their taxes and have their address on file.
:)

I love cowboy fabric for little boys.
So cute.

Nice crease right down the middle--it had been folded before I took the pic.

This one is for a baby in our ward named, can you guess? His dad is a major marathon runner. Now, when I say major I am not exaggerating. The man runs 20 miles a day. In the snow.
So he ran the Boston marathon last year, which is a pretty big deal because you have to have run a certain time in another marathon just to qualify to run in the Boston.

They have three boys, Brandon, Brad, and Britton.
After an 8 year gap they up and decided to have another one.
Boston!
Seems fitting to me.

I made this quilt for Penny after my friend gave me this Valentine print fabric.
She told me when she saw it it reminded her so much of me she just had to get it.
Then she got all teary-eyed when she gave it to me.
Awwww...

I rarely make seasonal quilts, but with this kind of Valentine fabric I had to create something fit for the season.
Found the perfect green to go with it too!--adorable.

So this is my latest project in the making. This one is a big-un too.
I am in love with it already. Check out these colors!!

These are a couple of the blocks. The pattern below was used by our quilt shop here in Springville, but instead of the red base fabric she used this black tulip fabric. I just love it.
Big Twilight fan, the designer called it, "Meet me in the Meadow."
I went ahead and took the class on this one and was glad I did.
Being a non-fan myself, I didn't wear my Twilight attire.
The instructor pulled me into their back room
where on the wall there was a giant picture of Edward.

I was polite and made sure to say goodbye to him when I left.

Turn your head because I couldn't figure out how to turn it.
Now picture black instead of the red background.
LOVE.
IT.

My new friends

During the tax season it seems like unintentional tradition for me to do something to the house. Peter is gone and I am free to create chaos without supervision. Last year it was the kid's rooms. This year a much less ambitious project of plants.

Very sad story: When I moved here I brought two plants that lived very happy lives until last year when things got rough and they were neglected. It was especially sad because one was given to me by Penny for Easter years ago, and the other one was from a basket given to us for my Mom's funeral from all our friends back in the Cupertino Ward.

Alas, by the time I got to them they could not be saved. So after envying the beautiful plants around my friend's houses I decided I was ready to commit again.

Except sometimes I don't do something in a small way (my teen is here rolling his eyes). For the past few days I've been buying plants and pots. The garage is covered in potting soil but my house looks lots more homey now.

More of my John

Our favorite John quotes lately:
(Speaking of the dog)"I feel bad for Charlie." ("Oh? Why is that John?") "Cause he is gonna die."

"I like milk from soy cows!"

" I don't want to watch this! I want to watch 'James and the Gina Peach!'"


What was John doing as I was blissfully dozing off around 11pm the other night? Cutting our cat Caramel's hair. Again. I was rudely awakened by a noise which let me know he was up lurking around.
He is awake late most nights because my poor little OCD kid can't get to sleep. So he plays until late in the night. Building things, arranging things, eating things.
Don't get me wrong, he makes plenty of messes, but he can also be very orderly.

Pool table at my grandpa's house.
Dinner anyone?

This is typical of what I wake up to in the morning as John sleeps until 10am.
No one is allowed to touch the creations, including but not limited to, moving the rice pack.

I went back to bed after the kids left this morning, something I haven't done in a while. I left the TV on PBS and a granola bar on the counter.
Did he eat that? Heck no! Instead he set himself up with this:

Note the apple juice in the giant cup, (kinda looks like pee, doesn't it? Caught me off guard for a second) the remote control, and the phone. He gave me my messages when I got up.
"Mom. Someone called from Tehachapi. I think it was Cameron's mom. Then this guy called and I told him you were sleeping." Thanks John!!

Then he told me he wanted strawberry oatmeal on the double.
"Strawberry mom! Remember I want only strawberry every morning."
Got that one loud and clear John.
We all got that, don't we?

Ode to my hairdresser (again)

Got my hair done on Friday and Sarah took this picture for me today.
Lacey was patient with me and recut my hair twice until I was satisfied.
(shorter! shorter!)
I can easily get ready in 20 min. from the time I hit the shower in the morning.
25 min. if I'm having an off day.
So great.
And I went darker red. I like it.

Hallelujah!!

Just thought I'd share the news that I HAVE FINALLY BEEN RELEASED FROM PRIMARY!!

I had never taught in primary before. I had been a secretary in our primary in CA before we moved, but that was the first time in my life I had ever served in there. I guess I should have known I couldn't evade it forever.

The first year here in Utah I was called into Sunbeams and I tell you it was baptism by fire. I don't do small kids so well, and so of course put me in with the 3, 4, and 5 yr. olds. Never in my life have I dealt with a more difficult child than in that first class. She would bust out the door and run down the hall so fast I could hardly catch her, and then when I'd catch her just before she took off out the door she would start screaming, "You're hurting me!! You're hurting me!!" Could I just die? Pretty much. I would frequently go home and cry.

I know 3 yrs. doesn't seem like a long time to those who have spent a lifetime in primary, but for me it has been forever. This last year was the breaker for me. The Sunbeam teachers didn't show up most of the time and so they would just randomly end up in our CTR 5 class. After a couple of months or more of this I finally called to let them know that even though my exceedingly sweet co-teacher said it was fine, it was not fine by me. I needed to be asked beforehand. There were subs the next Sunday.

By the middle of the year I knew I had had enough. It was such a hard year and I felt like my cup was not just empty, but bone dry and beginning to crack. I found myself crying in Sharing Time. Finally I told one of the counselors they were welcome to call me in next year but I wouldn't be coming.
I know. Think what you want. Just know I don't feel guilty one bit.

So guess what? My name showed up on the teacher roll again the this year for the CTR 5's. At first I panicked, but then I remembered that no one could force me to do something I didn't want to do. It was certainly no secret I was done. Later that day I was told they were aware of my feelings and were "working on it."

I thought I had an out because Peter is Sunday School President and had talked about calling me in to teach the 12 yr. olds. When I pressed him he told me it wasn't going to work out because they had told Peter someone"had other plans" for me. So last Saturday we finally had a member of the Bishopric call at 9:30 at night wanting to come over. Was it too late? Should we do it another time? Heck no. Get over here now, I said.

He asked me to be a Cubscout den leader. Do I know anything about doing this? Not really. It has been a while since I even had a son in Cubscouts, but that doesn't matter. I don't care what they are calling me into so long as I'M BEING CALLED OUT OF PRIMARY.

The next day I was sustained in Scouts, but not released from primary. What gives??! So today was the last day. They released me. Officially. When a primary counselor came to thank me for all my work and to tell me how much they would miss having me in there I told her thanks, I wish I could say the same, but really not so much.
Was I supposed to lie?
I am wanting to split up the wolves and the bears so I can do my own thing with the my wolves and that has already generated objection.
All I have to say is if you don't want waves don't call me into your auxiliary.
Seriously.
Don't.