Homeward Bound

California has been hot but wonderful. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Dan. He's such an easier traveller and has such a super sense of humor that it keeps me on my toes!! LOL

We're going to hang out at the pool today and relax until we have to pack and head to the airport. We arrive in KC at 11pm.

I'll post pics later tomorrow.

Hugs
Laurie

Going to...CALIFORNIA...CALIFORNIA here I come

My son and I are going to CA for a few days. DH and I had a week at our resort that we had to use and ds and I were the only ones who could go. DD was going to but she decided she needed to work and that means dd and i are alone!!! I am excited to spend time with the youngest...he's a great traveller!

Have a safe and happy labor day weekend!
hugs
laurie

I've been bad! AND...is it too much????

This is a 2 part post!
The first part is titled: I HAVE BEEN BAD!!!

WHY OH WHY do I shop online????? LOL...don't answer that...CUZ I LOVE IT and I CAN!!! That's WHY!!! OK...I have 3 favorite online places, one is www.equilter.com one is www.bighornquilts.com and the last one is www.fatquartershop.com . WELL...it was FQS that got me into trouble here! I just couldn't resist!!! Who knows what I will do with them. Aren't they C U T E???!!!

I am a sucker for pink roses, it was my mom's favorite flower. So that is why this bunch of fabrics landed in the online shopping cart!!! ;O)

This is a panel to the Sweet Baby Jane line! I just LOVED the colors...the panel can make a quick quilt if needed too!

Here are the coordinating FQS!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors!!!


NOW...for PART 2:
IS IT TOO MUCH????

You might remember this quilt..."Funky Town". I made this out of all polka dot fabrics. It was such a fun and happy quilt. My sisters suggested that I make it for the curved wall in our family room. This first pic is taken from the kitchen area...what one would see if they came in thru the garage.

This is just a closer shot of the quilt from the same angle!!!

This picture is taken from the view of what one would see when they come downstairs. The quilt would greet everyone in the morning! Kind of a bright greeting huh?????


So, there ya have it...is it too MUCH????? The quilt on the wall I mean...NOT my shopping addiction!!! LOL
Hugs
Laurie

Casting Crowns...

This is the NEATEST performance of "Who Am I". It was done with hands and I believe glow in the dark gloves. TOO COOL!!!

Not a good week in KS

Let's hope it's DONE here in KS. It has been a deadly 5 days around here. Within a radius of about 30 miles from us the following has happened:

1. Last Saturday afternoon a 22yo male crossed a grassy median in a 70mph zone and hit head on into a mini van. That mini van flew in the air and landed on another mini van and went up in flames. 3 people died

2. Monday afternoon, a 16yo girl was driving in a 70mph zone and hit an SUV head on. SUV burnt to a shell. SUV driver dead, girl in mini van in critical condition

3. Today a 17yo male lost control of his vehicle and hit a semi. They both went off the overpass and the semi ignited...40yo truck driver, dead, teen and his passenger, minor injuries

OH DEAR...I forgot...also Saturday night, only about 2 miles from here, 2 cars parked at a 4way stop with a friend standing in between them. The 2 were going to drag race. From behind, a SUV is really moving and the "race starter" runs from the scene, one of the drag cars fleas the scene, while the SUV rear ends the camaro that was going to drag race. Camaro kid is on a respirator and in critical condition. No one died...

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE???????? I feel like staying home...it's safer. Keep all of these people and their families in your prayers.

I LOVE MY DH!!

On Thursday, right before I was going to head out the door for the rest of the day and night, the doorbell rang. I said, hmmmm...haven't ordered any fabric that should arrive today, wonder what it could be!!! So I answer the door and one of my favorite packages arrives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take a look!!!!!




Isn't he the BEST!!!!! I even knew whey he sent them...I have started on my diet again to lose the 25 lbs that I have gained and he wanted to let me know how proud of me he is!

These minature roses are GORGEOUS!!!!! They are opening up so beautifully, all 36 of them!!!!!! I arranged them myself, not bad for a non-florist (LOL, is that even a REAL WORD????)

I'm happy today!!! I hope to buy some furniture for one of the empty bedrooms left from our DD moving out last May!!! We are going to make it into a video room with a wide flat screen tv! YES!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Hugs
Laurie

HEAT, CRAZINESS, EXHAUSTION

That title about sums up my week this week! I have just had one of those weeks that makes a gal say , "Calgon...take me away!" A couple of beers tonight with DH and a good night's sleep will help!!!

Tomorrow...maybe a little quilting!!!
Laurie

On a HAPPIER note...

Here is what I have been working my butt off doing the past 3 days!!!!! The pattern is from Terry Atkinson's new book called "Happy Hour". The pattern is "Between Friends Junior", obviously a modified rail fence pattern. I am making this for my daughter's boyfriend's bday which is TOMORROW! LOL...he LOVES superman so I found the fabric on ebay, not the BEST fabric and I had some struggles with it, but he will LOVE it just the same! The last pic is of my DD's dog (she's a yellow lab and terrier mix) with the back of the quilt. Tomorrow I will trim, make a label, and bind. We'll give it to him tomorrow. My DD doesn't know it yet, but I am putting her name on the label as part of the gift givers. She said, "Kevin will like your present better than mine!" I don't want her to be disappointed!
Hugs
Laurie

DH has a missing former co-worker in MN Tragedy..NOW IDENTIFIED AS DEAD

The Awful Wait for News

My dh worked with a gal while we lived in MN and she is missing. If you click the link above and then click on a video further down labeled "The Awful Wait for News" you will see the family of Sherry Engebrettson. My dh said she was a great gal. It is so sad.

2 of DH's former employees in MN should've been on the bridge but one left work early while the other took a different route home due to traffic. I was hoping this tragedy wouldn't touch us personally, but it seems it might.

Keep the prayers going for all of the families.
Hugs
Laurie

EDITED: Sherry was id'd as one of the 4 bodies that were recovered last night. Steve watched the video above and said her family has her nailed. An amazing, outgoing, caring, loving human being that you wanted to be around and call your friend. I am saddened about this tragedy and am sad this touched our house in such a way.

MINNESOTA NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS...

OMG...I was out with my DH when 3 of my 4 kids texted or called me about this catastrophe in Minneapolis. I lived all of my life in MN until moving here to KS about 6 yrs ago. This is a sad, catastrophic day for the state.

Please keep the families of the victims and injured in your prayers. Here is a link to the local paper. The photo gallery speaks volumes.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1338294.html

Hugs
Laurie

What a fun weekend!

My BIL/SIL were here with their 2 boys. We had a BLAST! They are such neat kids and we spent hours in the pool! We played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders! I got my son's emergency toy vehicles out for them to play with. There are sirens and all kinds of stuff on those. The boys just LOVED it!

I also spent time playing with the funny camera on my Mac. GOSH the boys giggled so much while we did that.

We also took them to see the fire station that my son is getting his training at. While we were there a call came in so we saw the guys go out on the ambulance to help a diabetic.

It was very relaxing and fun!!! Today though...reality hits and the DIET starts! I'm easing into it though. Tomorrow I will be going full force since I couldn't get into the diet center til almost lunch time. 2/3 of a day being good is better than nothing!

Here are some pics of our weekend!
Hugs
Laurie
Here I am with one of my nephews.

This is me being silly! LOL The boys liked this one!

Here was my nephew driving his noodle! LOL

My nephews and son at the fire station.

The 2 nephews being silly with the MAC camera!

What a fun weekend!

My BIL/SIL were here with their 2 boys. We had a BLAST! They are such neat kids and we spent hours in the pool! We played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders! I got my son's emergency toy vehicles out for them to play with. There are sirens and all kinds of stuff on those. The boys just LOVED it!

I also spent time playing with the funny camera on my Mac. GOSH the boys giggled so much while we did that.

We also took them to see the fire station that my son is getting his training at. While we were there a call came in so we saw the guys go out on the ambulance to help a diabetic.

It was very relaxing and fun!!! Today though...reality hits and the DIET starts! I'm easing into it though. Tomorrow I will be going full force since I couldn't get into the diet center til almost lunch time. 2/3 of a day being good is better than nothing!

Here are some pics of our weekend!
Hugs
Laurie

Great news!!!

My dh is on a business trip to FL today. He sent me an email this afternoon and said we are going to SWITZERLAND for the sales trip that rewards top sales people for the company! OMG...I can hardly wait to talk to him! SURE WISH HE'D CALL!!!!!!!!! I don't know when it is but I think it's in October. (nope...dh called and it's in May, around our bdays and we'll be in Montreux, Switzerland.)

Then, while I was eating dinner, my oldest (the one driving me nuts) called me and said, "Guess who is the first act opening the new Sprint Center in KC?" I guessed a couple of people and he said, "MOM...someone who could actually SELL it out!" AHA...I said, "ELTON JOHN!!!!!!!!!" YEPPERS. DH and I saw him in Vegas and it was AMAZING!!!!! I hope we can go to that as well!!!

I forgot to tell ya that yesterday I did some damage at a LQS here! LOL...bought some fabric and some other stuff! I can post pics when I get home!

I leave you with a pics of a hanging hibiscus in Hawaii!


Hugs
Laurie

Chicago

I am in Chicago enjoying a LOT of time to myself! My oldest is driving me NUTS and this break is great. Plus, it got extended a day!!! I brought Kev back to his apartment and we will see a physical therapist on Friday. Then I will head back to KS. I am just planning on relaxing tomorrow...reading and watching a movie and Law and Order season 2.

It feels good to be alone. My psyche really needed this!!!
Hugs
Laurie

George Carlin's Views on Aging

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!


HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them."

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

What a FUN FUN FUN day!!!

I am EXHAUSTED...sleeping on the couch and getting up every 4 hours for Kev's narcotics has worn me out. Tonight after dinner I told dh that i wanted to go up to Old Chicago and sit on the patio and have a beer or 2. We did that. And it was AWESOME.

But, earlier in the day Kev, Dan and I went to Walmart. We had fun! Here are some pics.!!!!







I wouldn't change being a mom for anything. I wouldn't change taking care of a hurting child for anything. I wouldn't change the memories of the past 3 days for anything. I am thankful for the past few days...even if it means one of my kids has been in some pain.

Hugs
Laurie

As requested...Hawaii pics

This is a picture of DH and I on our sunset sail. The pics in the previous Hawaii post has pics of the sunset from that trip.

This is a pic of me after I finished snorkeling. That was such an awesome experience. DH and I saw some sea turtles that were in the turtle cleaning station. Fish were on their backs cleaning/eating stuff from the ocean that had attached to their shells...thus "cleaning station"...the fish were cleaning the turtles!

This is our bartender buddy, Erik. We had some great conversations with him. He was such a neat guy!

This is one of the pictures from the night of our luau. The sunset that night was just the most AWE INSPIRING sunset of our trip. Such colorful beauty and truly a gift from God.

This is a picture that I took of DH and I in Kauai. We decided to do a helicopter tour of the island. Most of Kauai is not visible from the ground...even hiking. We went on a 'copter without doors. It was an AMAZING trip!!!


SO there ya have it!

DS is doing better today. We go to PT this afternoon and I'm sure that will hurt for him. But, he's ready to go! Here's a pic of his "owie" You'll have to turn your laptop since I don't know how to rotate these with my Mac computer. Have a great day everyone!

Surgery for Kevin

Today my son had ACL repair on his right knee. He is deathly AFRAID of needles so putting in the IV was a rough time for him. But we had a SUPER nurse and she did a SUPER job handling Kevin and she said his vein was SUPER as well! But I felt so badly for him. We said a few prayers together to get thru it.

He is now home recovering and so far so good. Pain killers are a great thing! :o) We will be sure to keep on top of those. Tomorrow we can unlock his brace and he can start flexing it. He will start rehab on Wednesday. I'm sure that will not be a picnic but it's necessary.

I am playing nurse and will help him get thru this. Here he is on the couch! He is already talking about getting himself back on the soccer field next fall. He will obviously have to redshirt this year. We'll get him there eventually!

Laurie

911 CELL PHONE LOCATOR

I thought this was important to pass along. Please post it on your blog as well. This incident happened only about 5 miles from our house. It took me about a minute to find this setting and it was on E911. It is now on "location on" setting.

You may remember that a young woman was recently abducted from a
Target parking lot in Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City. Her body was
discovered many miles away in Missouri. They were able to locate her
by the sequence of cell phone towers that picked up her cell phone
location. She had not attempted to dial out, but when her family was
trying to call her the towers could sense her phone. Sadly, the
authorities were not able to reach her in time. However, they were
able to locate her body which was in an area where they never would have
searched without the cell phone tower information. The cell phone "locator" can be either set on "E911" in which case you
must dial out to be located, or it can be set to be on all the time -
"location on". There is no negative consequence (like higher batteryuse) from having it on all the time. With it on all the time you can be located by emergency services through the police if you fail to respond
(sick, injured, or worse). I think this is worth passing it on.

You can find "location" either under "Settings" then "Location" or
"Tools" then "System" then "Location" and it will give you the option
of 911 or Location on.

IN ALL FAIRNESS I FELT IT NECESSARY TO POST THIS LINK...IT'S STILL WORTH CHANGING YOUR SETTINGS:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/cellping.asp

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone has a safe and happy one. We aren't doing much around here. DH and are alone for 5 days...weird but nice. We kinda got used to it in Hawaii!!!
Hugs
Laurie