New Year's resolution

Today is being spent reorganizing all my quilting stuff. My MIL is bringing me an old library table (36wide x 70 long x 30 high) that she used to have in her bedroom. After trying to decide where this table could go, I figured out that with a little reorganization, it would fit in my sewing room. The sad part is that it will have to replace the table my dad built me. I am hoping that the two side pieces (which the large shoe-box size plastic boxes fit perfectly in) will fit underneath the new table. I use the shoe boxes to organize current projects and notions.

Anyway.... in the process, I am reorganizing my closet, where the majority of my fabric is stored. Then that led to reorganizing the fabric in the cabinet above the dryer and I am sure that will lead to reorganizing the bottom of the pie safe!

I tell you all this in order to announce (again!) .....
NO FABRIC BUYING FOR ME THIS YEAR!!!

Who is going to join me?

Almost a New Year!

We are home from our trip north and have enjoyed just having time to hang out and do nothing! We were here at home for Christmas morning and the kids finally woke up around 7:30. DH and I were sure that we would be awakened by them at about 5 a.m. - but instead we were awake first! We opened our gifts here and then headed north.

The trip was going great - very light traffic - until we got to the south side of Nashville. There was a accident that happened about a quarter mile in front of us and blocked all four lanes of traffic. We sat completely still for an hour. After seeing no police coming (firetrucks and ambulances arrived right away) , all the traffic decided to try to do a 180 and drive the wrong way down the shoulder. We were in the far right lane and decided to stay still. We had already seen two tow trucks driving down the shoulder with cars that had had fender benders BEHIND us. It was pretty scary to watch people in the far left lane trying to turn across four lanes of traffic. Five police cars finally showed up to direct traffic around the remnants of the wreck.

The kids barely made it through dinner before wanting to rip into the rest of their gifts. First we played a dirty Santa game - where I somehow ended up with one of my great-aunt's quilts. (I will post a picture later.) Then when we opened our regular gifts, my mom had made me a lap quilt in Christmas-y colors. (Again - pictures to come!) The picture above is of the wall hanging I made for my sister. She is the one who first introduced me to Denyse Schmidt quilts. We both fell in love with her style and fabrics. This is made from Denyse Schmidt fabric that I ordered at Susan's store! I am hoping it matches the colors in her dining room.

We had our big Christmas dinner on Tuesday afternoon. We ate a lot but there was still a ton of leftovers. Unfortunately, my mom's frig decided to die at some point during the night on Tuesday - so Wednesday morning we had to throw everything out. We were all so sad! My dad kept asking if we were sure it was spoiled. The temp was above 80 degrees in the frig - I am sure it was spoiled! DH and I were still craving leftovers so last night we cooked turkey and dressing here at home! Yummy!

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's! We are planning to hang out here at home and be in bed before midnight. Yes, we live on the wild side!

An early Christmas

Ever since my kids got sick in October, I feel like I have been running in circles. There were several weeks in November where I had one or the other of them home from school everyday. Maddie was the worst - I was afraid she was getting pneumonia again, but she didn't. We are all on the mend now.

For Thanksgiving we headed to Arkansas and then to Nashville. On our drive up to Little Rock, me and hubby came down sick. By the time we got to bed that night, I was running 101.5 fever. We survived the week of travel and made it home safely.

Then came the start of the Christmas rush. I was the PTA chairperson for the school bookfair. I tried to keep my schedule open in case anyone called in sick and I needed to fill in. Amazingly, every single person showed up to work! The librarian said that was the first time that has ever happened.

The kids are now out of school and hyper! Yesterday we concentrated on organizing and cleaning Maddie's room. And today was Ian's turn. Ian feels the need to keep every little scrap of paper he has ever drawn on (a trait he gets from his daddy, the architect).

Yesterday, Christmas came early to our house. First of all, three packages arrived. One was from my mom - stuff for our stockings. One was from Stacy's brother and SIL - gifts for the kids. And one was from Nines - for me!!! Yeah!! She made me a lovely scrapbook of our quilting retreat at my mom's house! She is spreading her talents to other things besides quilting.

My DH also decided we each needed to open one gift. He claims he was worried he might have to exchange my present - but after opening the box, I think he just wanted me to be able to play with it! Ian was convinced it was a sewing machine because the box was so big! That would have been ok too! It was a lovely Dell laptop. It is so nice to be able to sit on the couch and surf the web!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Hope everyone gets all of their christmas quilting done in time! Tomorrow I need to get a wallhanging quilted. Nothing like waiting till the last minute!

Presents in the mail

In today's mail, I received this lovely gift from my friend Jim - the solider who I made the star quilt for. He is a blackhawk helicopter pilot and has been in Iraq numerous times.

The paper says " Operation Iraqi Freedom, This American Flag was flown aboard a MH-60K Blackhawk on a combat mission in September 2006. For Sarah Norman , Your support of the troops, those injured in combat, my family and for me will not be forgotten. Thank you! Jim Boyd" In the bottom left is a small picture of Jim in front of his helicopter. In the right hand corner is a picture of his units insignia. He also quoted Aristole, "We make war that we may live in peace."

How cool is that?

Thanks for reminding me, Nines!

I did my usual morning routine - get up, check email, check and see if Nines had posted anything new. And she had! Reading her rather hyper post (and she claims to be off caffeine!) reminded me that I had not posted the picture of my friend Jim, the sweet man who I made a QOV for. Yes, I am the floating head next to him. Jim is due to be deployed to Iraq for a month sometime next spring. Then he is getting out. He has a extremely sweet family. Me and his wife agreed that if we lived closer we could be really good friends. Not that you can't be friends long distance!

My little guy is home sick today with a fever. Of course he doesn't want me out of his sight. I will have to convince him to come sit in the sewing room!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Quilting, quilting, quilting

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive and well!

The same Saturday night that I got the binding put on the pink and brown quilt, I also got the binding put on the scrappy quilt below. I am giving it to two friends that are getting married right before Christmas. Her bridal shower is tomorrow night. Hopefully, not too many college girls will be there - so they all won't start expecting a "wedding" quilt. (The two people getting married are in their mid- 40's.) This quilt was already done except for the binding and was just sitting there waiting for a good home!

Sunday afternoon there will be a baby shower for a lady from church. This family's oldest child is Ian's age - 5.5 years old. This one will be number 4! We are all excited because this one will be a girl - after 3 boys! This quilt was made from the leftovers from the quilt me and my mom made for my cousin's new baby girl. The only thing I had to buy was the pink for the border and the backing. I love the polka dots!

Naomi - DON'T READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT. Can you be trusted?

Today I got to sit down and piece a while. A few weeks ago, Susan posted a picture of a quilt her daughter had made and it had a great polka dot fabric in it. I had to get some for me and a friend - so I emailed Susan to double check that it had come from her store. When I called to order it, I happened to think to ask the lady if they carried Denyse Schmidt's fabric line for Free Spirit. They do! So I asked the lady to send me a variety of fat quarters in blues and greens. My sister is the one who turned me onto Denyse Schmidt - so I am using the fabric to make her a wall hanging for her dining room. Yes, it will match - her dining room is a lime green color!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

It's done! It's done! It's done!!!

Can you tell that I am just a little bit excited to be done, done, done with the pink and brown pineapple quilt? I was able to calm down and get the binding done this afternoon. Nina actually called me this morning and told me to just quit getting stressed out over stuff!

In other news, I made a batch of yummy muffins last night. Actually I made a double batch. 24 yummy breakfast muffins. See, maybe some of Nina's baking talents have rubbed off on me! I promised Nina the recipe - so here you go!

Coffee Cake Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Mix dry ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I added at least twice that!)

1/2 cup sugar (could do half sugar/half splenda)

Mix Wet ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt - low fat

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix wet and dry. Makes 12 miffins - 2 WW points each. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes.