Crockpot Blog

This is a wonderful blog. If you haven't visited Stephanie's blog, RUN over there now! She has it set up to be very user friendly and her search engine is fabulous. Her 2nd book is out now and I just received it yesterday via UPS. I also was given her first book for Christmas as well.

If you are a working person and want hot, healthy, and delicious meals waiting for you when you get home from work...these cookbooks and/or the blog are for you! I even bought 2 of my kids crockpots and the first book for Christmas. I sure hope they use them!

Here is our family pic from Christmas this year. We had a great time and were able to see both sides of our family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Some pictures from St. Louis weekend

We managed to get through PJ's mom's funeral. Sarah and PJ were exhausted but we salvaged the weekend and had fun at the St. Louis Blues hockey game on Saturday night! Here are Steve and I in the box.
3 of the kids...Dan, Joe, and Sarah...Kevin had to work and didn't make it. ;-(
Post game spirits...I hate whiskey and these 3 made me go "ICK"! LOL
Dan and PJ being silly with the menu!
Love this pic of Sarah and PJ!!!
Now it's time to finish up loose ends for Christmas. I hope the weather holds out so my kids can make it to MN!!!

Please keep my daughter Sarah's boyfriend PJ and his family in your prayers. His mom passed away yesterday morning of advanced colon cancer. It was found only about 4 weeks ago and she was hospitalized the day before thanksgiving for severe dehydration. On Friday night this past week, Sarah called and said that the cancer was everywhere and there was nothing they could do and that she had maybe 6 weeks to life. Diane (PJ's mom) went home on Saturday. Sunday morning she was unresponsive and taken back to the hospital. She died around 11:30 am yesterday.

We had plans for the 2 families to meet this weekend in St. Louis at the Blues hockey game. PJ still wants those plans to take place, as he said to me this morning, "I want to keep life normal and it'll be a good distraction.". I changed my flight to Wed. so I am there for the wake and funeral (Wed/Thurs). This was a shock and went very quickly. We know what it's like to lose our mom and my heart is heavy for the Hubert family right now.

Please keep them in your prayers

Miracles happen...

The miracle that is unfolding in Chile is amazing. It's God at his finest!! I just loved it when this man came out and handed out rocks from the mine and hugged/high 5'd other miners who were there watching. The emotions of the loved ones being reunited does not get old either!!!



The hope for future mine collapses has made huge strides with this experience!!! Also, a huge kudos to the men/women who are involved in the rescue...5 people had to go down there in that small tube to help the rescue effort.

Portland, ME

Steve had a more "pleasure than business" meeting in Kennebunkport, ME so we went early. We spent a couple of days in Portland, ME. Here we are at Sebago Brewpub. YUMMY beer! We also took a trolley tour and ended up at Portland Headlight...the most photographed lighthouse on the east coast! GORGEOUS!!!

We went to Kennebunkport where our hotel was only a mile from the George HW Bush family compound. WOW...if the flags are flying, they are home...they were home!

Can't go to Main and NOT have lobster...this is Louie the Lobster...my dinner on Sunday night!

We also sailed one afternoon...it was awesome!!!

If you can go to Maine...do it...you won't regret it!

Kindle Holder

It was supposed to be a sunny day but it clouded up this afternoon. I wanted to touch fabric and reacquaint myself with my sewing machine...yet I didn't want a huge project. I decided to make another kindle holder for myself. I wasn't sure what colors I wanted to use but as soon as I opened up one of my drawers...I saw my focus fabric. The main fabric was a bandana that I received when I did the Susan G Komen race for the cure on Mother's Day this year...which also happened to be my 50th birthday. It is also the first time that I RAN a 5K!!! It was a huge day! Anyway...since October is breast cancer awareness month...it just jumped out at me! Here's a closeup of the strip that runs along the bottom of the front and the side of the back. It says survivor, hope, cure, strong...

On the inside I used one of my pink breast cancer ribbon fabrics.

And finally...here's the back! Didn't it turn out cute? And it's perfect for our trip to Portland, ME this weekend and early next week!

Did you do anything quilty today?

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day here in Minneapolis. Steve and I literally dusted off our bikes and went for a ride! We rode to Uptown and had lunch at Old Chicago. We also started our Oktoberfest mini beer tour! Needless to say, we ate lunch out on the patio...perfect!!!

We headed back home and enjoyed the Minneapolis skyline as our motivation!!!

We worked up a thirst so we decided to stop at Town Hall Brewery and have a beer on their pation...this is the mural on the wall outside.

Here we are...well, the pic shouldn't be upside down but blogger is making me nuts today...flip your monitor and look at how cute we are! LOL

It was a great day!!! I hope you are enjoying your fall weather wherever you are!

I'm here!

I have been busy traveling, taking care of the house in KS that just won't sell, and I managed to do some quilting too!!!

Here my girlfriends and I are on our snorkeling trip!
dinner out
a cold drink after a hot day at the pool!

And here's the tshirt quilt I made for niece's high school graduation! I finished the binding yesterday and hope to deliver it soon!!!

Say a prayer that our house in KS sells quickly! It goes back on the market after spending another $5k on the exterior. People want perfection and it's difficult!! We'll be on the market for one year in about 5 weeks...this is NOT a good time to have to sell a house but it's where we are.

ALOHA!!!

Tomorrow gets nuts around here! My 2 youngest boys and a girlfriend are arriving LATE. We are going to the Twins game Friday night and just hanging out together for the weekend. Also, one of my BFFs from KS arrives with her fam tomorrow (a wedding) and I get to see her...

Then on Saturday my other BFF from KS arrives and Sunday...LOOK OUT OAHU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The island will never be the same after my 2 BFFs and I spend the week there! WOOHOO!!!

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.........

SHHHHHHHHHHH...it's WORLD CUP 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The games have begun...but prayers for Nelson Mendela and his family as they mourn the death of his 13yo great-granddaughter who was killed by a drunk driver last night. Nelson wasn't able to enjoy the fruits of his labor and be at opening ceremonies and the opening game, South Africa vs. Mexico. Such a sad time for South Africa.

Commissioned T-shirt quilt

I was asked to make a tshirt quilt for a HS graduation gift. I just LOVE making my unique tshirt quilts...much less one from my former HS!!! It was a joy to make and the recipient LOVED it! I'm still waiting for pics of her with the quilt but the email I received said it was amazing!!!

It was fun! One more to go...for my niece's HS graduation!!!

Susan G Komen, Mother's Day, and turning the big 5-0!!!

YEP...all of my blog title happened TODAY!!! I ran my first 5K for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer run, I talked to all of my 4 amazing kids, AND turned the big 5-0!!! It's been a super fun day even though I'm super duper tired!!! And, I'm super duper happy!!!

Here Steve and I are before the race at the Mall of America! It was almost 12 years of survival for me!

Ya gotta stretch out ya know! Avoid pulled muscles and all!! I DID IT!!!!!! I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!! I DID IT!!!!!!!!!! I ran the WHOLE way without walking!!!
Post race: I ran in celebration of me...Steve in celebration of his wife Laurie!! A victory kiss was in order! Steve was sooooo very proud of me and I was proud of myself as well! Bring on next year!!!
Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

Happy Mother's Day

If PINK roses grow in heaven, Lord please pick a bunch for me. Place them in my Mothers arms and tell her they're from me. Tell her I Love her and when she turns to smile,place a kiss upon her cheek, and hold her for awhile. Remembering her is easy, I do it everyday, but there is an ache within my heart that will never go
away. Happy Mother's day MOM, miss ya a whole lot!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO EVERYONE!!!
(I did not write the above tribute either)

Twins Quilt Top

Our MN Twins opened a new outdoor baseball stadium this year and it's been an exciting time! Steve and I bought a 20 season ticket package and being outside has been great so far...but Thursday night might be a bit chilly. SOOOO...I made a quilt top. I hope to have it quilted/bound by Thursday night!!! I couldn't find Twins fabric so I made a tshirt quilt to keep us warm on a chilly outdoor evening at the park!!!

It's been awhile...

Nothing quilty to report! The baby quilt from January is bound and ready for delivery. Hopefully on Saturday we'll make the delivery and see our new great nephew!

Tomorrow is my son Kevin's 23 bday. He wanted a pouch for his cell phone so I googled "drawstring bags" and made him one! This is the finished product with the drawstrings tightened up.
I lined it with soccer ball fabric...sure hope he likes it!

The outside fabric is black with tone-on-tone black stars.

Also, 2 weeks ago our youngest, Fireman Dan, celebrated his 21st bday! Steve and I went to KS to celebrate with him, his bro and his sister! It was a lot of fun!
This was his first legal beer...12:01 a.m. on March 4th!!! After 2 sips he told the bartender, Jon, this just feels WRONG...give me a mountain dew! LOL...we were at our stomping ground, Old Chicago and of course Jon refused Dan's request! We missed Joe though!!!

Long time...........

It's been awhile since I posted! My youngest, Dan, turned 21 on March 4th. DH and I went to KC and celebrated with him, his bro and sis. We missed Joe, who's in NJ!!! It was a fun time though and I'm glad we made the trek!

I need to finish a baby quilt for my nephew and his wife's new baby that was born on March 8th. And a couple of other quilty things are in the works.

Other than that...not a lot going on...I'm still alive though!

VACATION...

Headed to West Palm Beach, FL tomorrow! Some relaxation in the sun is going to be a welcomed blessing!

Baby Quilt

This quilt top is for my nephew and his wife who are expecting their first child in March. The body pieces of the 'pillar were supposed to be made out of strip sets using different colors but similiar to the face (i did the strip set for that). I didn't want to go to all that hassle so I just used a "stripe" fabric from my stash! I just think this is adorable...OH SHOOT...I just realized I forgot to put the antenna on there! TOMORROW!
It's hard to tell from the pic, but the background of the 9P's is a light minty green. The whiter fabric has primary color dots on it. I just fell in LOVE with this pattern! Now for a backing and get it quilted! It felt good to sew!!!

Haiti Update

James contacted Sarah yesterday. His WHOLE family except for one cousin is SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, I don't know about injuries or their outlook, but what a miracle that only one cousin perished. That of course is very sad, but it could've been much worse. Thanks for your prayers!

Haiti...

Prayers for the victims of the horrible earthquake in Haiti. My daughter's co-worker's whole family lives in Port-au-Prince and he cannot get ahold of them. Last I heard he was on his way to Miami and hoping to get to Haiti.

Keep everyone in your prayers but if you can say a special prayer for James and his family it would be greatly appreciated.

I think I'll quilt!!!