4.29.2012

It's Been A Busy Month...

Well, April 2012 is coming to a close tomorrow...we have been rather busy. Baseball (t-ball) season started for the little guy, still ice skating, still swimming, and still in school. Baseball is over June 2nd, then summer swim starts...trading one for the other. He loves everything he is doing though, and so do we. If we were not enjoying it, we wouldn't be doing it.

We do have a decent amount of down time at home, and that is usually spent creating...artwork, writing, or reading...plenty of time outdoors too. The house work does suffer a bit. I learned with our older son there will always be a long to do list, but babes do not stay at the ages and stages they're at for very long. The growing up happens way too fast, and we would rather be in the midst of all the fun, learning, and growing, not missing one thing! Here are a few highlights from this month...

Almost had to climb that tree for one of the eggs...that Easter bunny, what a sense of humor...
An easy find...no climbing...
Counting his eggs...they're boiled so no hatching here...
Our little family...I don't enjoy being in photos...but you need a family portrait for memories...
Easter was spent at my parents...good weather, good food, good company, and most of all lots of love, and remembering why we celebrate Easter.

Baseball season got off to a great start...opening day was held at the minor league baseball stadium, home to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. There was a parade of all the little league teams carrying their team banners...he looks so proud to be participating...
Our high school ROTC colorguard presented the flag for the singing of the natioal anthem...you can see his team just to the right, it's the blue banner with all the baseballs dotting it...
Team pictures were taken that day in the outfield...
The Blue Crab players were there to sign t-shirts for the kids...so excited was he!
Even Pinch the team mascot for the Blue Crabs was a ham for the camera...
A jumping good time was had in the moonbounce at the stadiums Kids Fun Zone...
The excitement of playing his first game ever had been building all day...
Getting his face painted before the game...
You need a good flame face to keep your endurance burning during the game, right? He thought so.
Dad waiting for the game to start after a long day already...we got there 8am...left 4:30pm...
Finally, time to play the first game of the season...there were three fields measured off and set up in the outfield of the stadium field. What a cool way to start playing baseball...it's a beautiful stadium and field...
Warming up with the coach before the game...
Taking a little break in the outfield while waiting for the next batter...
Running his heart out to get to 2nd base after hitting a double...first hit of his first game, ever...woo hoo!
The flame face must have worked...he hit two doubles and fielded two balls that game...the coach presented him with the game ball for being the MVP of the game...not bad for a newbie at baseball...needless to say that is all he talked about for the rest of the day. A great day was had by all...Whew!!!!


4.07.2012

Easter Break...Ending Better Than It Started...

Although we had planned a relaxing do what we want when we want Easter break from work and school, it didn't quite turn out that way. I have been sick the whole entire time! Ugh!!! Still am...the week ended a little better than it started. Yesterday we left the house for a little road trip about an hour away, and today was a fun day with lots of creating. I don't know what's going on health-wise...pretty much slept most of the days away. Just not me! EVER! My husband said he knew it wasn't good when I came home from work Friday a week ago and went straight to bed.

After I got up yesterday I took a long hot shower, and decided it was time to escape this house ill or not...we left around three o'clock heading south to Fredericksburg, Virginia. About 50 minutes later we were at The Melting Pot for a fondue dinner with dessert. It was fun, delicious, and relaxing (even not feeling well it was a relief to be out). Steak, chicken, shrimp, vegies, and side salads were the meal...s'mores chocolate fondue with fruit, pound cake, marshmallows, brownie, and cheesecake for dipping was dessert. About an hour and a half later we were on our way. Who knew sticking food on the end of a long fork and putting it in a pot of boiling broth could be so entertaining!

We ventured into a Hobby Lobby store around the corner...walked around for a bit...purchased some brown printed craft paper for scrapbooking and a couple packs of flesh colored Sculpey clay. From there we went to take a little tour of a fairly new Wegman's grocery store (exciting stuff...it doesn't take a lot to make us happy). It was huge. We came home with some yummy treats...a crusty french baguette, a soft creamy wedge of blue cheese, and a couple rounds of naan.

Today I was deliberate in what I planned for the day...housework needed to be done, but play was very necessary too. I started with a quick session of picking up the living room, dining room and kitchen. Then moved on to a little clay play with the little guy and dyeing Easter Eggs. The day was a success!

Photos from yesterday...

A little bungalow doll house at Hobby Lobby...love this style of architecture...there are a couple of houses just like this where we live. One of them is white with a red door and I have always loved that house...


My little guy strolling into Wegman's...past a beautiful display of spring flowers...


This was the view as we were exiting the store...beautiful sunset in the west...


Photos from today...

Doing a bit of clay play...polymer clay gets our imaginations flowing with never ending ideas for little creations...he has played with clay all week...


I played today...a wee camera for capturing wee memories...


Pretty teacups for dyeing Easter eggs...doesn't everyone do it this way? Hmmm...


The perfect cup for the egg dyeing...a Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit cup of my older son's passed on to his little brother...


The finished eggs...we boiled 6 but one cracked...odd numbers are more visually appealing anyway, right...


My most prized set of books...the complete Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit series. As a young child (in first grade) I would check out these books from my elementary school library...one or two every week until I had checked all 23 out, then I would start over again. My teacher realized what I was doing and told me I had to check out something new. That lasted about 2 trips to the library and I was back to these. I loved the stories, but I loved the illustrations as much if not more. Several years ago for my birthday my husband surprised me with this special complete set in a beautiful box in which they live when not being read to my little Peter Rabbit loving boy. They are the perfect thing to accompany our Easter celebration in addition to our Bibles of course.


Thank you Jesus...we are so fortunate to have you for our Lord and Savior. Happy Easter everyone...have a wonderful celebration of God's love and remember the sacrifice He made for us all. Being the momma to two boys I cannot even imagine thinking of sacrificing either one of them...

4.01.2012

Quilting Class Sample...

A few posts ago I mentioned I would be teaching at my local quilt shop. This is what I am teaching this go 'round. Class starts tomorrow evening and goes for 5 weeks. I am so excited to be teaching again! My mind has been whirling with so many new class ideas that I had to start a list to keep track of them all. I am writing all my ideas in a little notebook and making all kinds of notes. I think I have enough ideas to fill a whole year of classes already. So fun just seeing what pops up in my imagination.

This is one area I know I can create whatever I dream up...other areas of creativity not so much. I am sure playing with fabric is just in my blood. My mom and both grandmother's sewed all the time. They sewed clothes, curtains, quilts (my grandmother's quilted), you name it they could sew it.

My mom didn't have the quilting bug though, well not until she saw an appliqued quilt she wanted me to make her. I told her if she wanted that quilt I would teach her to make it herself (I had made her quilts and other quilted items, and wanted her to learn quilting so we could do it together). She took me up on the challenge and so her applique quilt got made and she was hooked...tee hee. She joined the quilt guild I was a member of and by passed me in quilting! That's okay though. I was working full time and she was retired by then. It has been so fun sharing quilting with her and my mother-in-law (who asked me to teach her how to make quilts about 6 months later) for the last 20 years.

The first block includes two applique technique's...freezer paper on back side of fabric (sugar bowl), and freezer paper on top (creamer).


The applique technique for the second block is reverse applique.


Cut and stitch is the method for block number three.


Last block is done with needle turn applique.


Each block is framed with the same fabric used in the applique. This shows where they intersect in the center of the quilt top.


And here is the whole view of the finished top...haven't decided on how it will be quilted yet.


So I am set to teach once again. I just hope I haven't gotten too rusty talking in front of a group of people. Have always been kind of an observer...

Have a wonderful week...living. loving. learning...in the moment