Water damage...

Well, this is one time I'm glad this happened in a condo and not in a single family home! Our homeowner's association will pay for the damage...which started with dripping water last night...a slow drip but dripping nonetheless! This morning the adventure of where it was coming from began! It started out with this small hole cut into our soffit...this told the men that a plumber needed to be called. Later in the afternoon, the plumber shows up and decides he needs to make the original hole bigger in order to see better. That didn't work so well so he had to make a HUGE hole above the microwave. (this is an interior wall) He's still not 100% sure about where the source of this water is...

He has made a big mess so far though...

He decides to make a smaller hole over to the left and now he's convinced that the drip is between hole #2 (in this picture) and hole #3. Hopefully, tomorrow he comes and replaces a large portion of the pipe and puts in a new one. More demolition to follow!!!

Our temps here in MN were sub-zero to barely above zero so I stayed inside and quilted!! I bought this fabric the last time I was in CA to visit my friend Laurie. I appliqued the hearts and finally put it together! I figured it was perfect for Valentine's Day! Here's a close-up of some of the hearts and the border fabric. I think I like it!!! Tomorrow...a backing for it!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Big City girl

I am a big city girl. I grew up in Rochester, Mn which was a medium sized town. Since then...St. Paul, Apple Valley MN, Burnsville MN, Overland Park KS and now Minneapolis MN. I love love love big cities! Chicago is a place near and dear to my heart as well...did I say I love love love big cities???!!!!!!!

There is always so much to do. Concerts, great restaurants, shopping, public transportation, and so much more. Plus...in a large city you always have the suburbs to explore. You can also find peace and tranquility as well!

For example...when I left MN for KS, I missed the great quilt stores. BUT...I did find a couple that I liked a lot. One of them was in Lawrence, KS called Sarah's. She had fabric along with a lot of other stuff. Lawrence is home to the KU Jayhawks which we became fans of. I miss KS!!!

I love Mpls though too! We have great restaurants nearby and walk everywhere. Steve walks to work and we got rid of a car! Rush hour traffic doesn't exist for us anymore! YEP...it's a BONUS!!! What I do miss about urban living: a house, a deck, a yard, and not sharing walls with people. Nothing in life is perfect...but my life is!!!

Special Quilt...

Our favorite bartender at Old Chicago in Roseville, MN is moving to Atlanta to be near her sister and her sister's family. Jess has such a warm and welcoming heart and we are truly going to miss her. When we got the news I told Steve, I'm going to make her a quilt! Jess LOVES Spiderman so I ordered some Spiderman fabric for the backing! Here is the backing with a large WoW fabric for signatures! That is Jess!
I used Old Chicago World Beer Tour tshirts from Steve's and my supply to make the top...the border fabric is beer mugs/steins on black background...PERFECT!!!
Jess and I with her quilt!
This is Jess opening her quilt...stupid blogger uploads the pics in the reverse order of choosing them! SO...you saw the gifting in reverse order!
Jess is gonna miss us and the feeling is mutual! GOOD LUCK JESS!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year to anyone and everyone who reads this blog! I hope that 2011 brings your family good health and happines!

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!!!