Remember when.....

As I was dashing from the grocery store on Sunday I noticed a lovely little family heading in. I'm assuming it was Mom, Dad and two little boys. And the Mom was expecting a third. Just enough to go ahead and wear that maternity top. It kind of stopped me in my tracks. Here is was, Father's Day and I had gone to the store to pick up a few things for the dinner I was preparing for my husband and two of my three boys, with two of my three grandkids. And suddenly I remembered EXACTLY how I felt when I was expecting my third. I don't know about any of you, but my pregnancies were very simple, easy. Conceiving AND carrying. The birthing part became enough a part of me that I went on to become a labor and delivery nurse. My third pregnancy was with Todd, my Reno baby. He knows this story so I don't worry about sharing it with you all. We had two little boys under 3 at home and my Mother consented to watch them so that Lynn and I could get away with a couple friends for a weekend in Reno. My Mom didn't offer to do this very often, so we jumped at the chance. It was our first time away from both boys, AND our first time to Reno. I have since gone many, many, many times with my sisters, but Lynn ONLY goes if he has to, like for a conference. Anyway.....we had a wonderful time! And you know....in Reno, night is day and day is night and did I take my birth control pill? I don't remember, but whatever, we are having a grand time. Then when we packed to come home, our instructions were to leave our luggage in our room and the travel agency (Doug Fox, are they still around??) would pick them up and get them to the plane. Well.....NOT! They didn't pick it up in time so my luggage didn't find me for another two days, and yes my package of pills was in my luggage. Nine months later (well actually 9 1/2 months, but that's another story) here came Todd. So he will always be my Reno baby. He is also the baby who provided my freezer, but that's another story too!
I really loved being pregnant. The hope, the dreams, the goals, the future. Sigh.........

FINALLY!

After many years, and many attempts I have mastered - grilled baby back ribs!!! LOL! Since I have tried many methods and never had this success I thought I'd share. Here is what I did. I used baby back ribs from Costco.
Small amount olive oil smeared over both sides
Liberally season with salt, pepper, garlic
Place as ONE LAYER in pan
Slice one large onion and spread over top
COVER with foil
Into HOT oven - 425 and bake for 45 minutes
Turn oven off and leave them in the oven for another hour
Heat your grill and place the ribs on using indirect heat
Brush on your favorite sauce and grill about 30 minutes

I'm telling you these were fall off the bone tender and just delicious.
I tried really hard to get a photo of some ribs to add here, but I have yet to figure out that feature of using web images. Anyone have a clue about this???

A Sunny , Fun Monday

Today was Jillian's first day of summer day camp, so Ethan and I got to have another long day together. One of our most fun things was to water the pots and then check the veggie garden. While there I peered into the weedy strawberry patch and was surprised to find TONS of lovely red ripe strawberries hiding in there!
So we did some weeding and some picking and then some yummy snacking!!
We'll do some more each day this week, so that will be fun. The sunny weather is really helping my lettuce and tomatoes and it looks like a banner year for zucchini, but then, when isn't it??
Anyone paying any attention to the Letterman/Palin "drama"? I wish that she would just go away. Go home, take care of your family, your constituents Sarah. He made a bad joke, he apologized and she is running with it, because it keeps the camera on her. Her poor kids.
I admit to being a Bachelorette follower. It feels like she is a neighbor since she lives just across the border from me, and I am only 4 miles from the Canadian border. Right now I'm rooting for Ed, Kiptyn (what kind of name is that?) and Reid, the guy who looks like Chandler Bing. And Ed looks like Denny Ducaine!!! I never thought I would be a reality TV fan, but I am! Lynn and I watch Survivor together. I LOVE So You Think You Can Dance, Amazing Race and right now Next Food Network Star. Again, happy happy happy with my DVR. I would give up many other conveniences around here before I would give that up!

What's on my design wall Monday June 15th

This was an easy and fun project. I had taken a big stack of 10" squares that I had cut from a bunch of different fabrics to my last retreat. While there I pulled them out and decided to make these cool, rather old fashioned blocks. This is my latest passion with quilting, working with old block styles but with new vibrant types of fabric. I'm auditioning the black along the top for a stopper border. Not sure what might happen after that! It's not terribly big, I find myself more likely to make what I call "lap" quilts rather than bed quilts. For one thing they are more affordable to have quilted! And I think this size is nice to use as gifts for special friends. It doesn't presume to live on someones bed, but can be used by everyone and anyone while watching TV, reading and actually a great size to have in the car during the colder months of the year. I don't know about the rest of you, but like many other things with my husband, we like to be in the car with totally different environments. He likes the window open, I like the air conditioning. If I am hot, he is cold. So by carrying a small quilt in the car, it makes it nicer for the one who is cold!! It has been nice since I got him an XM radio as we can always find something compatible to listen to....and when he wants no music, I pop my iPod on and use my headset! Compromise.....

Two weeks of USE IT UP!

Those of us in the quilting world know all about UFO's. Well I have another kind. Unknown frozen objects. It seems I fill my freezers (yes, two. I have one in the garage as well) with freezer bags and bowls. Now I declare a two week USE IT UP process. So the only groceries I am allowed to purchase are fresh dairy and maybe produce. Or a staple item, like this morning we used the last of the maple syrup on the french toast I made with the last of a loaf of french bread we had with dinner a few nights ago. so I will get another bottle, if I find one on sale. It is a nice challenge. For dinner I am using a pound of hamburger which was the first thing my hand grabbed in the freezer last night. Going to make the infamous tater tot casserole! And some cooked carrots, probably with some dill. And have the last of the cottage cheese and some fruit. With a rhubarb crisp for dessert. I have about two more pickings of rhubarb out there. I think I will be harvesting some lettuce next week so that is cool! This rhubarb is very special because it was sent to me by a dear friend. She posted online one day that she was being overwhelmed with rhubard and did anyone want some. I raised my hand and a few days later here came a box in the mail with two rhubarb plants! Love it!
The house next door to me has been vacant and for sale for over two years. The couple who owned it became quite elderly and had some developing health issues which required them to move into assisted living. They had a lovely rhubarb patch in the back yard that they would always share with the neighborhood. Last year I went over and helped myself to some, since no one was harvesting it. A few weeks later the son in law (who really is an SOB) came and dug up the whole clump and dumped it!!! Luckily he missed a root, so I moved it over so it could join my little family of rhubarb.
I'm "on call" today from 3-7 and it is almost 2 :30 with no call, so I am probably safe to get my weeding clothes on and head out to do some more of that. Plus fill the bird feeders and miracle gro the pots and hanging baskets. Tonight I hope to spend some time in the sewing studio.
Tomorrow is the beginning of my Women's Health 30 day running program, so wish me well.
I figure if I put it out there it will help me to be accountable. Plus I have no where I have to travel to in the next 30 days so I ought to be able to accomplish it, if I don't kill myself in the process!!

Saturday Wrap Up

The ballet recital was precious as always last night. They don't allow photos during the performance but I got a couple nice photos of Jillian in her make up afterwards holding the flowers I gave her. Krista got some nice ones of her in her costume so I'll post those once she is able to load them in my system. Her class performed first so we then enjoyed other classes performing. Besides Darling Jillian, I love the little bitty girls. They look like they are about 3 or 4 and are adorable following their teacher around the stage in their costumes.
Brother Ethan struggles a bit during the performance but overall did pretty good. I was able to get a shot of the two of them afterwards actually sitting quietly! I still can hardly believe how quickly they are growing up.
Ethan was actually born here 4 1/2 years ago at my house with the aid of a lovely midwife. She nearly didn't make it! We had 10 minutes to spare was all. She reminded me that "you know what to do", and I said I know, but that was not the plan!!!
My husband was seriously freaked out about the placenta being in a tupperware bowl on the kitchen counter! Jeff and Krista are talking about another baby next year, and Lynn says "Not Here!" But I'm pretty sure he'll come around as it approaches. Krista labors so quickly and pretty easily (the filipino culture seems to do that) so as long as the pregnancy goes well, there is no reason to NOT birth at home. And my house is closer to emergency care than theres. Anyway...
I was able to do a fair amount of weeding today which felt really good. I'm planning to call and order up a few yards of compost/mulch to fill the beds next week, so I need to get them all weeded. My veggies are coming along nicely too. Not much sewing was done, other than my mandatory project. I plan to do some sewing tomorrow and at least one evening next week. I'm currently watching season two of "30 Rock" in my sewing room. Hilarious! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

No more pencils, no more books!!!

Today was Jillian's last day of first grade....how is it that the time is going by so darned fast! Her Geepa is so proud that she won the "cleanest desk of the year" award..... I went to the school so I could get a photo of her with her first grade teacher so we can have it for a journal for her. Her teacher does a fabulous job. If you click on the photo it will blow up and you can see the cute pink stripes in Jillian's hair. It was "crazy hair, crazy hat day". I guess these are little clips so no real color in there, which is good since she has her ballet recital tonight! Next year Ethan will be in preschool and Jillian into the second grade. OH and her exciting news was that her pesky second bottom baby tooth finally came out! Her new permanent tooth was already up behind it so it was kinda funny looking. After school we went over to dear friend Junes' house and had some strawberry cake to celebrate the end of the school year. June and her husband did not have children so it can be a challenge to have these two energetic youngsters in their beautiful home. She is always so gracious and they truly do love her. Thanks again June.
Tonight is the spring ballet recital so I'll have another photo to share. In the meantime, it is out to the yard for me, so spend some time with the miracle grow feeder and some weeding.
Hope you are all planning a nice and relaxing weekend.

Mission Accomplished!

It's done! My lovely small quilting group is celebrating it's birthday tomorrow. We have been meeting since June 2001 at least once monthly in each others homes. There are 12 of us so we each get a chance to be the hostess once a year. Half of us are the original 12. Our newest member has been with us for just a year now. Anyway, we decided we wanted to make a small gift for one of our "sisters" so we drew names. The task was to make a "tank topper" for the person whose name we chose. Secret drawings of course. So about the size to go on your toilet tank cover. I drew my dear friend Shirlene. She is a Thimbleberrie queen! I don't know what inspired me to do the embroidery in the center, but that is just what felt right! And of course the borders are pieced from some older Thimbleberrie fabric I had stashed away. I hope she likes it.
Right now my husband and I are watching a fabulous show on channel 9 (our PBS station). It is American Masters doing a feature on Neil Young. This is an artist that my husband introduced me to when we were in college. Well, not physically, but musically! We have seen him in concert many times and I have owned all of the albums and CD's that he did with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young as well as his solo CD's. And I've added much of it to my iPod. Amazing artist. Every song brings such emotions out for me. When we saw a reunion tour with CSN&Y at the Tacoma Dome about 10 years ago, I spent most of the concert in tears. This was the early to mid 70's for me. Out of high school, into college, getting married, starting a family. Man......
We just recently "heard" that he has a yacht that he keeps up in Roche Harbor in the San Juan islands and occasionally even comes into Bellingham. I would definitely invite him to dinner!

What's on my design wall Monday

Actually this has been on this wall for a few weeks and I need to get it finished and put together. These are "strings" I guess most people call them. Random strips, around an inch wide, that I sew together and then cut into squares. Now trying to find a way to make them into something! I figure by posting some things like this it might motivate me to get them done! This being on my wall has to be addressed as it has so many pieces, I can't just take it down to put something else up there!

Monday Madness

Monday actually isn't terribly "mad" around here today. Ethan was here bright and early and has had fun finding some older toys to play with. I got a fair amount of gardening done yesterday which was nice. Finished with 4 more hanging pots and got them up. Filled the bird feeders and did some weeding. Also some work on my sewing project that must be done by Wednesday night.
Speaking of sewing, I haven't done much since my last retreat! One of my ongoing projects is something I call "Dear Me". There is a large group of women across the country who are doing a historical project called "Dear Jane". They are 4 1/2" blocks in the style of a woman from long ago times. The colors are not my fave, and many of them are paper pieced (ICK!) and use templates (YUCK). I am a piecer first and foremost. So I decided to do a similar project. I am using the three Around The Block books by Judy Martin and making each and every 4 1/2" block offered. There are 174 of them. And I am doing them in order! Here is a photo of what I have finished so far Aren't they cute? Now remember these little guys are only 4 1/2" square!! When I'm not motivated to be working on something else, I can almost whip out a couple of these and it gets me sewing again. I need to choose one of my recently completed quilts and it will be donated to the Ferndale Boy's and Girl's Club auction that is being held at the end of the month.
Ethan wants me to play trains with him, so CHOO CHOO!!!!!

Aren't they beautiful? The wall color isn't very complimentary though is it?? Still very overcast out there. Jillian and Ethan have arrived and are patiently waiting for us to go to the park. I'll get some photos there of the kids and add them here in a bit.
We are enjoying watching an inventive bluejay at one of my suet feeders. He can't quite reach the feeder from the pole so he leaps over, grabs some suet and falls to the ground to enjoy it! I don't like what a bully he can be, chasing the smaller birds away, but he is nicer to look at then that pesky crow.
Jillian only has one more week of school and she will be onto second grade, amazing! She is signed up for several weeks of daycamp this summer and so Ethan will take swimming lessons those weeks. Off to the park we go.

Some catching up

I spent some time this morning cruising through my list of saved blogs in my bookmarked list. It was very refreshing and again encouraged me to open up a bit and let my blog address be "out there" for anyone who might like to read along. It doesn't have to be just about quilting, or kids, or work or whatever. It can just....be. Right? So I'm going to do it. Welcome to anyone who has decided to join me.
Lynn is gone in the truck to get it's oil change (he is OCD on car maintenance) and I'm hoping my camera is in there. I want to post a few photos here today, plus take one of the incredible bouquet of peonies I picked yesterday. I love it as I sit at the computer and for some reason a little breeze must come from somewhere I get the most glorious light scent from them.
Lots of things "to do" around here. Not much desire to do them unfortunately! I have a couple of MUST DO things that I ought to attack first. The first of which is to get dressed, so off I go to do that. More later.