Rewards for a job well done...

When a 19yo has $7000 in a money market fund, caused very little if any trouble growing up, followed his dream to be a firefighter even though there were bumps in the road, and saved his parents THOUSANDS of $$$$$ in college tuition...a new toy is a small reward for a job well done!

Our youngest just turned 19yo and we gave him a few options for helping him start a life of his own. He is VERY financially responsible as well as just responsible all around. He asked for help with a vehicle...you see, ALL firefighters (well not ALL, but the way he talks you'd THINK it was ALL firefighters) drive a pickup truck. Gotta have a place to put all the "stuff and gear". Strange how for the past 18 months a car was fine! LOL...anyway, we told DS how much we would contribute and anything over that was his responsibility...this new beauty cost him about $4000.
I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited for him...he drove it home and I asked him how it drove, he turned red and got a cute smile on his face and said "Like a MIRACLE"! I laughed and asked how exactly does a miracle drives? he said, "Like my truck"! LOL He's still a boy...a boy who deserved and earned his new toy!

I love you Dan!!! Stay safe as a firefighter and thank you for rushing into burning buildings when others are rushing out. May God keep you and your co-workers safe

It's beginning to look a lot like Spring time...

Well...here's a sneak peak of the king size, spring time quilt I am working on! This is one quadrant of the quilt, minus the focus fabric border. I wanted to keep it simple and showcase the focus fabric while bringing out all of the vibrant colors that the focus fabric contains. I think I am going to like this one!!! At least flowers are blooming in my sewing room!!! :oD Stay tuned for more updates...

FIRST UPDATE: Here is the top half of the quilt...do you see my pattern here? LOL
(edited: 3:30 CDT)

On Your Mark...Get Set...GO!!

Spring just does NOT seem to want to arrive so I am MAKING it arrive in my sewing room! LOL...Everything's cut...now to assemble...stay tuned!!!

A Quilter's Heartbreak...

As a quilter, I pour my heart and soul into EVERY project that I do. Whether that quilt is for charity, a wedding gift, baby gift, or just cuz someone asked me to make them a quilt...every quilt I make and quilt has a lot of my heart and soul in it. So, as much as I have let my sadness get over the following story, when I saw these 2 pictures tonight, a bit of me hurt. Here is the story:

My oldest son has always given my husband and myself headaches, many of them MAJOR headaches. He got himself involved in smoking pot in college and was kicked out after his freshman year. After cleaning up that act, he got addicted to the casinos in MN. He kicked that habit and moved in with us here in KS. He worked hard to get his feet on the ground and moved out. Life was GOOD!!! He had found the 4 panels in this quilt on ebay and asked if I would make him a quilt for his bed. I said I would when he was independent and lived that way for 6 months. He accomplished that and I was true to my word. Here are 2 pics of that quilt.

Fast forward to about 4 months later, a HUGE problem with alcohol, loss of a job (due to the alcohol keeping him in bed), and an EVICTION! *sigh* The problem with the eviction was that I didn't know about it right away. Instead of our son coming to us for help, he kept it to himself, was living in his car, and obviously not making ends meet, and becoming more depressed. After finding out about his eviction I called the apartment complex and asked if his posessions were still in the apartment. NOPE...it had been cleaned out 3 days before. I asked if they could find 2 quilts for me and they said all possessions were THROWN out! OMG...someone would NOT throw out the quilts I poured my heart and soul into would they????? Yes, supposedly they would...but I truly believe someone has this quilt along with my oldest's tshirt quilt that I made him for his HS graduation. That quilt being gone bothers me the most because I can't reproduce it. Those tshirts can't be found again...a tough lesson learned for him. (I can't find a pic of that quilt either)

I asked him why he didn't grab those quilts and he said he was awakened by the sheriff and told he had 15 mins to get out. He was in a drunken stupor and thought he'd be let back in to get his possessions. I have never told him how I feel about the quilts...I don't have to...he knows how much I love this craft and he also loves what I have done for him.

IF I ever make him another quilt, he'll have to be self sufficient for 30 years. I pray that the day will come and he gets that quilt. He's a great kid, just made a lot of stupid choices. BTW...he's been alcohol free for 10 months now! I guess there is hope! If you are of the praying kind, ask God to watch over that one please! :oD

Life in the City...

I have never known life in the country. I was born and raised in Rochester, Mn, home of the Mayo Clinic. I took EXCELLENT health care for granted as a kid, but as an adult I appreciate those roots a LOT more. I went to Catholic schools from 1st-12th grade...another perk that I didn't appreciate until later years in life. I had small class size, religion taught on a daily basis, mass offered to me every day, and a lot of super friendships made there. I also grew up with a man-made, heated lake called Silver Lake. It became a place that Canadien Geese spent the winters instead of migrating south. It was quite the site in the winter and a lot of people went there to feed them.

So you can see why I found this picture HILARIOUS when there were 2 Canadien Geese hanging out in a puddle in a shopping center parking lot! LOL

Laurie

FUN FUN FUN in Chicago...

I'm back...TIRED but BLESSED!!!!! We had such an AMAZING time with Kevin!!! We picked him up at his apartment and drove to our hotel downtown Chicago. Then we watched some NCAA basketball before going to eat. We ate at Rock Bottom Brewery because I get a 40% discount on food and savings on beer as well! Great food AND great beer AND great service there...we eat/drink there every day! After dinner, Steve and Kevin went to their concert, Little Feat, and I visited with a gal at the hotel bar before heading up to the room to relax and watch MORE basketball!!!

Friday Kev joined us for shopping and dinner and relaxing. His roommate joined us for dinner as well. Again, an enjoyable evening...even if it was SNOWING like mad!

Saturday Kevin had to work and he joined us at Rock Bottom for "Rockfest". Basically, for $20/person (all proceeds going to MDA) you got to taste 56 different beers (we didn't taste ALL of them) from Rock Bottoms brewers around the area and the vote for your favorite one! It was a lot of fun and i think several people DID drink ALL of them! LOL

Here are a few pics to share...
This one is Steve, myself, and Kev sharing his first legal beer that we bought him!

Here we are with his birthday shot! YUMMY!!!!!

The three of us at the beer tasting!

Like father like son!!! Just being silly boys!!!

Nothing like making new friends! LOL...we have no clue who these guys are but Kev wanted his picture taken with them!

Here is DH and I at the tasting! We are happy! :oD

Now we are home and I'll have to work EXTRA hard to take the pounds that I gained off! But it was well worth it!

Life is *B*U*S*Y*

WOW...life sure has been hectic! Last weekend I was in MN to do some wedding stuff with my sister and her DD for the wedding on April 5th! It was a BLAST!!! And my niece asked me to be her personal attendant! I was THRILLED!!! Of course I said yes!

Tomorrow Dh and I leave and will drive to Des Moines. Then Thursday we will finish our trip to Chicago. We will spend the weekend there celebrating our son's 21st bday.

Kevin is 21 today! 21 years ago I gave birth to him and he has been a true blessing in my life. He is such a joy in my life. He treats me like gold. Kev calls me to rejoice in his accomplishments, he calls me with heartache (girlfriend troubles) and needs a mom hug, he calls me to just say "hi", and he calls to say "I love you mom!". What could be better!?!?!??!!!! He is going to make a great girl a SUPER HUSBAND!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Buddy! See you in Chicago and I am excited to have dinner and a legal beer with you!!! Love ya buddy!

Do they EVER grow up? LOL

I just have to shake my head and wonder: "Do they every grow up?" The first picture shows my 22yo DD and 19yo DS messing with my DD's dog! LOL...poor Autumn was wondering what the heck was going on and looking for me to help...so of course I grabbed the camera! LOL

THEN...tonight at dinner I looked over to where the 19yo DS was sitting and was not exactly happy to see him playing with his food...he was very intent on what he was doing...the next Picasso! LOL

After several minutes and trading one tator tot for another...here is his creation...so once again I ask: "Do they EVER GROW UP???!!!!!" I just LOVE my kids!!!

Quilty Weekend!

I had a lot of fun this weekend! I got 3 quilts done on the longarm...one for a gift from my son and I to his orthopedic surgeon, and 2 for a friend! It felt good to be "buzzing" along! LOL I have to make a postcard cataloging the KU quilt yet. Maybe tomorrow...
These are the pics of the KU Quilt for Dr. Snyder!

The next set of pics are a friend of mine's who made this large quilt for her brother/dsil and the smaller one is for donation. I used a very pale yellow thread and did the baptist fan from Circle Lord on the large one...I just have a close up of my all over patterned meandering for the small one. My friend had enough blocks left over from the large quilt to make the small one! WOOHOO!!
blogger was a stinker...tried to upload 5 at a time last night and this morning and it would NOT take...had to do them one at a time! *SIGH*

I busted 11 yards for the KU quilt...YTD fabric busted: 47 yards
Fabric purchased YTD: 75.75 yds
Net purchased YTD: 28.75 yds

Time with DD and DH

Last night DH, DD, and myself went to the Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban concert. We had a great dinner before the concert and had AWESOME tickets!




Carrie Underwood won Americon Idol 2 years ago and has made it big in country music...but she really needs some coaching on how to be an entertainer and not use her big voice so BIG! I like her, but she's not ready to be on her own when it comes to concerts!

Now, Keith Urban...WOW WOW WOW! That man can entertain! It was AMAZING!!! We had a great time but got home late...12:15. Poor DH had to get up early to go to work.

Did I mention that Keith Urban is ADORABLE??? :oD

Happy Birthday Dan!!!

I sure feel old...my "baby" is 19yo today! Where does time go??? I remember almost 20 years ago telling my DH that I didn't want a 4th child. I had lost a ton of weight and didn't want to deal with it again. DH said that I could lose it again! LOL...talking like a TRUE SKINNY MAN!!! I told him he had 3 months to impregnate me and guess what????? I got pregnant THAT night! I guess God really wanted this child born. Thank you God for such a WONDERFUL gift!!!
I am so thankful for that. Dan is such a gentle soul. He is kind and loving and has such a super sense of humor! He is so easy to be around as well. Dan would do anything for his family and friends.

Dan always wanted to be a firefighter. He accomplished that goal at the ripe old age of 18!!! How may people can say that at his age? He loves what he is doing and couldn't be happier.
Currently, he is a part-time fireman for Johnson County Fire District #2. He is with our DD's dog here!

DAN...I love you buddy and am sooooooooooooo proud of you!!! Keep up the great work!!!
Love, Mom!!!
(this is me with my dog DGD!!! LOL)

Charlie Bit My Finger!!!

This video makes me giggle! Be sure to have your volume up and watch the faces of BOTH boys! It's a hoot!

picture test

this is a test! and only a test! should your hard drive die while you are reading this...it is NOT my fault! LOL

EDITED: OK, Leah had mentioned in my previous post that if she had none clicked instead of "left" "center" or "right" for the picture justification that the picture enlargement worked for her. I tested it here and VOILA! Thanks Leah!

Spring Fever?

Well...it must be the fact that the past 2 days it's been near 70 degrees here and the wind was too darn gusty to accomplish anything outside...so I decided to clean! My laundry room was a mess and I wanted to see if a missing pair of shoes were in there...here is the clean room but no shoes...I did find them in a bag in my closet though!!! I was happy about that!

THEN...the pantry...does anyone else's pantry look like this????? Can't find a spot for something, just CRAM it in the pantry! GOOD GRIEF!!! So I tackled the pantry next!It's amazing how many cans of chicken I have, soups, tomato sauce, bottles of salad dressings, dry soup mixes, LARGE bottles of peanut oil, and the list could go on and on! But it looks much better now doesn't it? :oD Or can ya even tell the difference? LOLAnd this is all I took out of there that is still usable. I'll let Dan take it to the firestation tomorrow. Maybe they will have a use for it all. I did throw some stuff out that was expired or just shouldn't have been in there!So, other than reading a bit and cleaning I haven't done a lot today! We'll go to dinner in about an hour or so. Tomorrow I hope to quilt since the temp is supposed to be about 30 degrees colder. YIKES!!! This weather is weird!

PS...does anyone have a clue as to why some of my pictures enlarge when clicked on but most of them have stopped doing this? I don't have trouble with any other blogs but mine. I even tried uploading a pic of my DD's dog as a test and it enlarged just FINE! The pics are coming from the same spot on the computer...*SIGH*