Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Birthdays, Christmas Trees and Quilts

Well, I am back... Oh, I know a week late and a dollar short.  I have no idea what is going on, but for some reason my writing abilities seem overwhelmed right now.  We have had a lot going on, but I don't think that is the problem - I think my thoughts are on vacation right now... so until they return, I will just try to wing it. 

With all the company we had for Thanksgiving we had a blast.  Steph and punkin stayed after the rest of the crew left to celebrate my birthday with me.  Punkin, with mom's help, made a cake for me:



We decorated our tree:
 



One of the biggest reasons I haven't been posting (besides my lack of thoughts) is that I have been diligently working on my quilt:
 


It is not finished, but well on the road.  If I had actual thoughts on what I am supposed to be doing, it would be done:
 


It is super special to me because it has all the blocks that my friends made for me in Singapore:
 


I got the finishing colors for the borders, but I can't decide on how they are supposed to be placed... navy, cream, and rust, or rust, cream and navy, or cream, rust and navy... you get the idea.  I need someone to help me out there - so I will wait on my friends Rhonda and Sharon to advise me... lol...  I plan on having it finished by the end of this week.  Can I do it? 


My friends Rhonda, Sharon and I went on a quilt hop this weekend and saw some beautiful quilts:




I would have loved to have bought the kit for this one and made it, but I have to be sure this is going to be my hobby before spending a ton of money on it:
 


This one reminded me of one my grandmother had:



And finally, I got all the pieces to make this pillow topper - we got one part at each of our stops on the quilt hop:


Megan is living with us again!  She came in with all her loot on Sunday night.  Well, all the loot she could get on the plane anyway - she left a lot there in California.  I think she wants Steve to head out there and get it at some point... we shall see how that goes.  She wants to concentrate on working and finishing college, so we are going to explore the colleges around here and she will decide her best options and where to live.  

For now, she is stuck in our upstairs bedroom and has me to keep her company.  I am thinking she will figure a way out of all this really soon!  Lol... but for now, we are enjoying having one of the kids back with us.


I nearly forgot!  Steph, Todd and Punkin gave me a game cam for my birthday.  We LOVE getting the pictures out of it!  Look at what we got yesterday morning:


Pretty darned cool, huh?  Steph?  AWESOME gift!  We are enjoying all the critters - and we had NO idea we had that many deer coming at once!  Wow, wow, WOW!

That is all for now.  Be back soon - though I am not saying tomorrow - I see how that went.  Sorry... will try to pull up the boot straps and write.... until then... enjoy the COLD!  

And send snow!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Thanksgiving Week Was a Riot!

This week has been a huge ball of fun!  We have had tons of people in and out - on Thanksgiving, we had a houseful - and the best part was that my sister from Mobile came up and my aunt Connie and Uncle Danny came up from Alabama as well!  Oh my gosh, was the visit great!  We had a ball of laughs, fireside (did I really say that?) chats and ooodles of fun outside on the 4 wheelers.  So here is the Thanksgiving day gang:



We got a super picture of Shari and John with the kids - it was such a beautiful day, maybe a bit bright but we still love the pics:


Those rug rats sure have grown up!  We had a blast with them here.  Thanks Shari for making the trip!


Steve bought another 4-wheeler after everyone got here - it sure did come in handy.  We all rode the toys the entire time we had people coming and going.  His is the "red" one (are you surprised?):



This is some of the mud and muck they got into:



They went through that ditch so many times that Steve had to take some cement blocks out there to fill in the ruts... but his little tractor couldn't handle it.  Look what happened:


That picture is courteousy of my daughter Stephenie.  I was no where around until it actually got out of the creek... lol...


We had to get our neighbor, doc, to come pull him out with a BIG tractor - it actually made Steve's look like a Match Box tractor, doesn't it?



Thank God for wonderful neighbors with big toys and lots of patience - or was it for the giggles?


He got it out, but it sure is a mess:


He said the rain will wash it off, but I don't believe him.  Here are a few pics of others riding.


This is Deyne, a friend from Singapore:




Steph, Raelee, John, Nicole and Amanda:
 


Carey braved it up and let Raelee take her out - she never even showed her fear:
 

Well, maybe she showed a little...  Thankfully she made it back, but she had Adam take her around the next time:
 


The dogs spent a lot of time pouting because they couldn't join the fun:




Punkin' made pie for us!  She is actually quite good at making pumpkin pies too!




Doesn't it look yummy?


It was delicious!

Well I have to get off and go do my favorite thing - shop... I will be back tomorrow with a bit more news.  Have a great week!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Quick Update

I am not sick and I am not depressed.  I am just super busy!

Well, that is not entirely true.  I have been sick, but I am better now.  I had diverticulitis again  :-(  However, thanks to antibiotics I am better.  Thank God.  Nuff said about that.

The busy hasn't stopped!  Guess that is what happens when you have nearly 20 acres, right?  Steve and I have been working on the barn/soon to be shop.  We got all the plywood up on the walls;  48' x 30' long and wide x 12 foot high.  LOTS of plywood and lots of work - but we did it.  And yes, I said Steve and I.  

Steve got the shop wired.  He has worked evenings and weekends to get it done, but we finished it 2 days ago - right before he left to go to Houston.  I did help him a bit by cutting wires and twirling them.  Yes, I said twirling... what else would you call it?  He bought the paint for the walls, the sprayer, and has the stain for the floor.  He wants it all done by this weekend.  I am not thinking that is possible, but we're gonna try!  Lol...  

In the meantime, my brother had another heart attack.  He is 42 ; he was born in '69, so that makes him 42, right?  He goes in for some kind of heart surgery Friday.  He doesn't know what is being done;  he got a note from the VA to check into a hotel the day before, get some blood work done and then check into the VA hospital for heart surgery on Friday morning.  No more explanation than that.  Socialized medicine here we are.  Nice.  So I will be at the hospital waiting to see how he does and I have no idea what to plan for.  Wish us luck.

Also our daughter-in-law has surgery the same day in California.  Say prayers for both of them, please?

Finally, I am still working on that quilt.  I am close to being done, but not there yet.  I call it the quilt from... Singapore.  And if you believe that - I have some ocean front property here in Oklahoma to sell you... lol...

And finally, we are having 20 people here for Thanksgiving!!  WOWSERS!  I am getting ready for the crowd - by moving out for the week!  LOL... oh you know better than that!  I am excited!  Can't wait for the fun!  I am so glad to be back home - and better yet to HAVE a home!  Thank you Jesus for that.

Off to bed, pictures to come as soon as I can get my energy back and load them.  Today I am just dropping in to say hi and I miss ya!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Happy birthday to my dear sister, Liz!  Hope you have an incredible day and spend it with someone special.  Dance the happy dance, you are getting closer to that half century mark!  *ducking*


Just a few more fall pictures to share - the decorations around Branson were beautiful:





This is a 200 pound pumpkin!



And I found a couple cool barns:



All in all the trip was wonderful; relaxing for us both, beautiful and nearly free.  Who could ask for more?


Not posting much today either as I am not feeling well.  I am just going to sit still, rest and sew the day away.  It is supposed to rain and get really cold tonight - looking forward to that.  Love the rain, love the cold.

Send snow!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Fall Foilage


Not much chatter today - just thought you would like to enjoy fall.  Most of these were taken as we drove down the highway at around, say 70-ish miles an hour - and through the truck window, so keep that in mind  ;-)























I don't think we could have hit the color show at a better time.  It was incredible!

Fall is definitely in Missouri, at around 1,200 - 1,500 ft of elevation.  Should be here any minute - but I don't think it could top the colors God shared this weekend.  The last weekend of October is a great time to go to Branson!

Is it fall where you are yet?  Are the bougainvilleas falling in Singapore? 

Happy fall wherever you are!