It's *S*N*O*W*I*N*G*

It's GORGEOUS outside!!! Last night it was ICE which stinks. No school today and that was fine. Now, it's *S*N*O*W*I*N*G* and it's my favorite nature gift from God. Hopefully tomorrow I can post a picture of God's beauty!!!

I have done some applique today as well which was fun!

Have a great night!
Hugs
Laurie
ps(school is cancelled for tomorrow as well!)

Sarah's Orthopaedic appt

We saw the orthopaedic doctor this afternoon. Sarah's broken ankle was put in a boot and she was told to bear weight on it as she is able and ditch the crutches ASAP. That was the GOOD news...the bad news is she also tore her ACL. UGH...not having insurance...she is going to see how it goes. Some people never have the surgery to repair it. FINGERS CROSSED here...

The Dr. was GREAT!!! And because she doesn't have insurance there was a 40% discount on the Drs. visit and more than 50% on the boot. That was GREAT news for Sarah...now we wait for the ER bills and she applies for aid from the state.

She wants to work! Hopefully she can get back on her feet soon and do some hosting at the restaurant.

Hugs
Laurie

EQ6 Upgrade...Activation Issues

I just received my EQ6 upgrade today. I was THRILLED until I read the following on page 8 of the manual:

"Please note: EQ6 software provides a total of 4 activations. Each Time you replace your current computer with a new one, activating EQ6 on the new computer will use one of your activations. For example, if Betty spends part of the year at her second home, installing EQ6 on the computers in both homes would use two activatiohs. If Betty's computer hard drive needs to be replaced, installing EQ6 on the new hard drive would also use an activation."

I have 2 computers that I use EQ on...i usually design on my laptop while watching TV at night and then email it to myself, load it onto my sewing room computer for actually making the quilt. I am NOT HAPPY about limited activations for a product that I spent money on without that knowledge. I'm not sure I would've upgraded if I had know that ahead of time.

I did write to the company about this and asked what they plan to do about it. I might have to look for a different desiging software program.

Anyone else upset about this?

Hugs
Laurie

What a day!!!!!

WOW...what a day it was!!! I have to back up to last night...a little background info!

Sarah played indoor soccer last night...I chose to stay home but at the last minute decided to go if Dan would go with me. Dan didn't want to so I stayed in my jammies. She called me and said she rolled her ankle and messed up her knee. I felt badly that I didn't go. I haven't seen her yet so I have no clue as to what happened. She said it hurt like crazy when it happened and she has a very high pain tolerance. I am hoping she didn't tear her ACL because she doesn't have any insurance...we can't carry her anymore because she's not a full time student.

Now for today. She came downstairs at 10:30 or so and was in major pain with lots of tears. OUT OF CHARACTER for her. So I said, let's go, we're going to the ER. She cried more and said I can't afford it...I don't have insurance. I said, it's not about insurance, it's about finding out what is wrong with you. Off we go to the ER...xrays taken and we find out she fractured her ankle. The put a temporary splint on it and said we need to call an ortho and get an appt for her ankle and knee. She is on crutches right now and not a happy camper. She is a server and this time of year (the holidays), servers make a ton in tips.

Here she is on crutches and her resting her leg on my lap!


Here is a picture of my youngest 2 who decided to "dress for dinner"!! LOL
And lastly, a big thumbs up for turkey day dinner!!!
I hope everyone's day was less eventful than mine!!!

Hugs
Laurie

Thankfulness

My day started out great. A friend who found me on the internet for longarming e'd me yesterday and wanted to stop by to show me a snowman quilt she was donating to charity and before she donated it she knew i'd like to see it. She said her camera wasn't working properly. Well, long story short...Cindy had to stop by here at 7AM cuz it was the only time I could squeeze her in. I said to her, "WHAT CHARITY is THIS quilt for?" She said, "I fibbed! It's FOR YOU!!!!!" I will post a pic later...when someone is home to hold it up for me. She is the QUEEN of scrap quilts...I mean, she makes a quilt and then proceeds to make a scrap quilt out of the leftovers! I always told her how much I admire that in her. She on the other hand, admires my talents as well!!!

Anywho...she also gave me a cardinal painted on a sandstone type surface that I will hang in my sewing room, a mug that has snowmen on it, and some little M&M dispensers that have hats to match the snowmen!

The funny part was that I dropped quilts off to her house last Firday and the fabrics in my quilt were on her ironing board and I was admiring them! LOVED 'EM LOVED 'EM LOVED 'EM! I even asked her what she was going to do with them...her answer...A SCRAP QUILT!!! Little did I know it was for ME!!!

Here are a few pics...Cindy called the quilt "Laurie's Woozle Quilt". Woozle is the word she uses instead of utility quilt!!! She stitched it into the binding.




I'm very blessed to have Cindy in my life...she is really a neat person and a true friend. She asked if it was ok to give a quilter a quilt! I said ABSOLUTELY!!! One I didn't have to make my self! LOL

Have a happy thanksgiving tomorrow. I did all the prep work...all that is left is to set the table.

Hugs
Laurie

Sigh...

Well, we perservered thru a winter storm in Iowa and Minnesota to arrive safely at our destination. Then my son's team played their soccer game in 25 degree temps with winds out of the southeast...COLD...

Unfortunately, we outplayed the opponent and lost. GRRRRRRRRRR...We lost 2-1 and my DS scored our only goal...it was awesome in that my DS had 18 family/friends in the crowd. But he was bummed that the team lost!

Life goes on...

Road Trip

Tomorrow DH and I will leave for MN...our homeland!!!!! We haven't been there since Christmas. We will go to our nephew's football game tomorrow night before heading to our hotel. Then on Saturday, at approximately 1:30, our son Kevin and his college team will play their first game for the NCAA soccer tournament! GO NORTH PARK VIKINGS!!!

If you want to watch the game on the puter LOLOLOLOL just go to www.northpark.edu and there is a link on the left side of the page. Kevin is #21!!

I had my sister in MN make hankies in school colors to hand out to the fans...I want to get us CRANKED up!!!!! A lot of family is going to be there to watch as well...even though the temp is only supposed to be 39 degrees! BRRRRRRRRRR

Have a great weekend...GO NORTH PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugs
Laurie

BITTERSWEET turns SWEET

OMG...I am DYING HERE!!! North Park (my son Kevin's soccer team) got IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are in the NCAA tournament! We'll know more tomorrow morning as to when/where they play!

I was on the NCAA site and saw we were in, but was re-reading it over and over (making sure it was true) when Kev called! Actually, it was his friend Dan on Kev's cell...kev was too excited to talk! I said let me talk to my boy!!! Kev said it spread thru campus in about 5 mins and that NPU is nuts!

Our Dan had gone to bed and came out when he heard me scream!. (sorry Dan) I even went upstairs and woke Steve (dh) up to tell him the great news!!!!! GO NORTH PARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DESERVE THIS OPPORTUNITY!!!!!!! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for listening to me!
Hugs
Laurie
(who is looking forward to another road trip or 2)

A productive day!!!

I had the opportunity to quilt today! Even though what I would've rather been doing was driving back from Chicago...but that wasn't meant to be...this previous post explains that comment!
http://gottaquilt.blogspot.com/2006/11/bittersweet-award.html

Anywho...I got a second set of polka dot houses done today! This quilt is going to be SO HAPPY!!!

Off to dinner...have a great rest of the day!
Hugs
Laurie

Here are both sets of houses.


This is the first set of house blocks that I did...with the star block on it.

And this was today's project...the house with the heart on it!!!

AFTER PICS...

WHEW...The room feels MUCH better!!! Now to mess it up again tomorrow! LOL...Here are after pics from cleaning.

Amy, my design board is nothing fancy...just styrofoam from Home Depot that is covered in felt! I pinned it to the wall with "T" pins! Not fancy but FUNCTIONAL!!! ;-D

Hugs
Laurie

UGH...WHY OH WHY DO I DO THIS???

Here is today's MAJOR PROJECT!!! This is what happens when a quilter is a road trippin' soccer mom! LOLOL I can't concentrate here so it's time to
C-L-E-A-N!!! That way I can mess it up again tomorrow!!!

Here's my longarm...it actually got worked hard yesterday with 4 small quilts being done! WOOHOO!!! Now to clean her up and load another one!
This is the view going out of my quilting room. The pile of quilts on the chair is what I accomplished yesterday!
This is my pressing board and design wall...lots of "stuff" ended up here in the past few weeks!
Here is my sewing area...the pile of fabrics on the chair are from various projects or projects wannabes! LOL...a stack of books ready for action...garbage ready to be hauled out...

I guess I'll be busy today!!! Have a great day!
Hugs
Laurie

Bittersweet Award

My son Kevin, who plays soccer at North Park University in Chicago was named CCIW Conference Player of the Week on Tuesday. It is an AWESOME honor but it became bittersweet when his team lost 1-0 in the conference semifinal of the tournament. In order for the team to go to the National Tournament now they have to wait until Sunday and see if they get an "at large" bid. If they had won the tournament they would get the automatic bid. There were a lot of long faces after the game and some tears. The team finished the season at 19-2-2! Nothing to hang their heads about! Keep your fingers crossed that good news comes along on Sunday/Monday!!!

Here's a link to the article: http://www.cciw.org/fall_soccer_m/POW06_9.php

Here's a pic of Kevin. I can't tell you how proud I am of this young man. He is a kind, smart, gentle, handsome, and loving person. Seeing Kevin after the game Tuesday night was one of those painful moments for a mom. I didn't have any words to say to him that could take the agony of defeat away. All I could do was give him a hug and tell him I loved him.


I LOVE YOU KEVIN!!!!!
Heart
M