Wait. What? July 7th

Already? The last week has flown by. I'm not really sure when I slept. 

I'm kidding, of course.  There has just been so much going on. First, my very sad news is that our sweet little Cottontop, who has been my constant companion for over 17 years, went to puppy heaven last Wednesday. It's extremely sad to miss him so much, but he was getting in pretty bad shape, blindness from glaucoma, painful hips, confusion. I am happy that he is no longer suffering. Seventeen years is old and we have been expecting it for a long while now. Richard took care of burying him in our backyard. He had made a small wooden coffin a couple of years ago. 

At the time that he was dealing with my little Maltese, I was tutoring English. My student spent several days completing his assignments, testing and learning test-taking skills. I kept him pretty busy, poor kid. Today was his final and I'm anxiously awaiting the results.

Thursday I left for my modern guild quilt retreat. What fun! I had such a great time. I completed one top and almost finished another. Plus, I completed my "mow the lawn" strip for the Sugaridoo BOM. (I'll be so happy when it's complete.) And I made a couple of postcards for a sister, which I can't find at the moment.  The retreat took me all the way to Sunday. 

Monday, I went to a guild meeting and gave a presentation on thread-painting. That went badly. It also happened to be Will, our oldest son's birthday. They invited us to their home for supper and cake. Their kids and grandies were also there and we were reminded how noisy a house full of kids and teens can be. And be grateful to return to the quiet of home.

But aren't they cute?

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Watermelon

Milly turned one year old a few weeks ago and Dusti gave her a birthday party (of course) at our house since, conveniently, no one was sleeping here. All of the kids had just moved out, and we had not moved in.

Milly's party theme: You're one in a melon. Now, how cute is that? There was a watermelon-shaped cake, watermelon-shaped cookies, reds and greens and a few seeds. A precious red tutu! What more could a one-year-old want?

It finally occurred to me that if Pinterest is having an affair with watermelons, it may have a few watermelon quilts. Yes! Are you at all surprised?

One quick trip to my "heart, quilts" Pinterest board, and you can see these and almost 8,000 other quilts. Yes, I may have a Pinterest problem. 

This Guy

This one right here. He's my guy and I love him more than I can say. But he loves me more. Hands down. No competition. Here's how I know. 

He's helping me make yoyos. Who does that? Who makes yoyos for no reason except...no really, no reason. The answer is this guy. He's the one. 

Did I tell you about the Great Yoyo Race that my guild is having? Everyone makes yoyos and brings them to the meetings and someone (whomever has the most) wins half the yoyos at that meeting. 

I'd like to win. Well, it would be nice to get yoyos, not just give them away. But it turns out I'm a slow yoyo maker. Even with a yoyo maker. It's just the Mary Syndrome. I can't be regular.

So this man right here is my knight with shining needle. He can keep up with me, too. I'm only making about 8-10 in a sitting. He's making about the same. We don't have a whole lot of them, but it's not like I think I'll win the first time. 

I'll have to get more adept and much faster for that to happen. I may also have to find another family member willing to wield a needle. And then I'll need another yoyo maker. 

Chances are none of those will happen. So we'll just go with whatever the two of us can churn out. 

 No matter how many we do get made, we're having fun sewing and laughing about how crazy this whole endeavor is. Because really, isn't it crazy to turn your camper table (what there is of it after drinks, snacks and bills get their share) into a sweat shop for yoyos? 

Richard celebrated his birthday today. We had dinner then cake and ice cream at the house and enjoyed visiting with Will's family. Then came home to the camper to settle in. In no time we were in pajamas, with the TV blaring (Rich can barely hear), puppies piled all around us, and the wind howling just a few feet away. It's warm and cozy and the yoyos are multiplying at the breakneck speed of a garden slug chased by a bird. 

Celebrate!

Wide awake and looking
for a bottle from DeeDee.

Our youngest son celebrates a birthday today. He is 33 now. The middlin one will be 35 in two weeks and the oldest makes 38 in July just a few days before our 39th anniversary. And somewhere in all that celebrating I get to retire. Lots of changes for us, but by the grace of God, all good changes.

And of course, there's this little addition to the family. She came for a visit last night so I could help mommy with a little English homework. Good thing I've read Hamlet. 


 I enjoyed holding her, giving her a bottle, burping her. It's always wonderful to have a baby in my arms. Of course, in no time I had her sleeping. How sweet is this?

While there may be lots of celebrating, and with it much stress, there's also many opportunities to relax and spend time with each other. One way we're doing that is to visit with my sisters this weekend when we go camping at a nearby campground. We take turns cooking meals for whomever shows up. 

Everyone in my family is invited...my seven sisters, their children and grandchildren, and usually a few friends who show up. Sometimes those friends are significant others to a niece or nephew. Sometimes they are young friends to the preteens and younger children.

Marley hiding so I don't know
who ate my pear.

I am really looking forward to this family gathering. It's always fun and energetic and a great way to connect with the family that I don't get to see very often.  Richard and I are sharing a double campsite with our oldest, so Amelia will be right next door all weekend. I plan to set up my hammock and rock her. She loves to nap with her DeeDee. 

What are your Mother's Day plans? Are you lucky enough to be able to spend time with your family?

Family Times

I've not been getting into the studio much lately, especially last weekend. Our youngest granddaughter celebrated her 7th birthday with a party on Saturday. She's the dark haired one in these pictures. Caki and Sophie are close in age and in love. What a pair!

This sweety is a fun-loving, never serious, darling. We love her so very much and had a fun time watching her and her friends run, jump, and play for a couple of hours. To bottle that energy!

On Sunday the oldest granddaughter celebrated her baby shower. Yes. BABY. Shower. I'm not believing it, still. The baby girl, Amelia, is due in April. If the baby looks anything like her mom, she will be stunningly beautiful. My sweet little Dusti is gorgeous and wonderful. It's difficult to believe that she's graduating, having a baby, and beginning her "grownup" life.  

Her shower was perfect--gray, white, and pinks. Her friends and mom decorated; my sister, Angie, made the cake; and a cousin made pretty cookies. There was party food of every kind and some delicious coffee-flavored punch. 

If it seems that I'm bragging, I suppose that I am. I love my boy and their wives, and my grands. Now there will soon be a great-grand. More family. More to love.

But none of them are giving me time in the studio. It's attend this, do that, can you, please help, and so on. The ME time is coming, however, with retirement this spring...right after the new tyke and Dusti's graduation. Will I make it till May? What do you think? 

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: B I R T H D A Y S

Tomorrow (Monday) is my birthday. I'll be on starting the topside of my fifties, catching up to Richard's 56. I figure a birthday party is in order. 

And just a few quilts because it's my birthday and I love 'em!

Happy Birthday to me. Happy quilting to us all!