Monday, September 30, 2013

Menu Plan Monday - October? Already?


It's Menu Plan Monday and I'm a little stunned to see October on the calendar.  Where has this year gone?  There are 86 days until Christmas, but only 28 days until my mother-in-law's 70th birthday and 34 days until her big party.  There are 9 days until my second interview for a job that - if I get it - will be a help for my family but which is also freaking me out the tiniest bit because, hello, I have not worked a permanent, full time job in almost 20 years. 

Also, I may be spending too much time on this website.

I did manage to drag my butt onto the elliptical one time this week when I had a little panic attack about Pretty Muddy being only 19 days away, and then immediately received an email saying, sorry, the event is cancelled.  Paging my motivation.  Has anyone seen it?

My user name on My Fitness Pal is QJ2013 if you want to be friends.


MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

What's on your menu?

*This is my freezer meal for the week.



Sunday, September 29, 2013

Holiday Grand Plan - Week 5 - All Dogs Go To Heaven


Holiday Grand Plan

It's Week 5 of the Holiday Grand Plan!  How's it going?  So far I am staying on top of my cooking tasks, actually purchased a few gifts this week, and am about 50/50 on the cleaning part.  I didn't make a dent in my bedroom last week, mostly because of our weekend out of town and the recovery process afterwards.  I'm hoping to get back on track and double down this week on the master bedroom and bath.  My bathroom is in pretty good shape since we just remodeled last year, and so much got thrown out or organized in that process.  We'll see!

A tip for saving money and supporting friends with their own small businesses:  I went to the open house of a Lia Sophia rep I know.  With the special deals, I ended up with four great gifts at a deeply discounted price.  I'm also happy to support my friend who is working to bring home some extra income.  Other great home based business that make my holiday shopping easy include Pampered Chef (though I don't know a rep anymore, so have to keep an eye out for a party), and Thirty-One.

My freezer meal for the week is going to be meatballs in homemade marinara sauce.  I will make a giant batch - this is great to have stashed away for a last minute spaghetti dinner, meatball subs on a busy night, or a meal to bring to a friend.  Also, I think it tastes better after a night in the fridge or after being frozen than it does on the day I make it. 


This week, in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi this Friday, we're stocking the freezer with all kinds of homemade dog treats so that George and Daisy don't suffer a critical shortage during the holidays.

Have a great week!



Thursday, September 26, 2013

#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Happy Birthday Reinbear!

Quiltin Jenny

It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's entry is not a quilt.  In honor of the Bear's 17th birthday today, I thought I'd share one of my few forays into garment sewing.

When the Bear was three we took him to visit Santa; he asked for a reindeer costume.  He didn't want to be a reindeer for Halloween, and he didn't want a stuffed reindeer.  He wanted to be a reindeer.  On Christmas.

You try finding a reindeer costume.  Keep in mind, this was fourteen years ago before you could shop online for anything you could dream of.  We had dial up internet, people.  Do you understand what I was up against?

Out of sheer maternal love and determination, I actually found a pattern.  (It could have even been this one.  Vintage?  Really?  I'm not that old!)  It wasn't that hard to make; not even the headband antlers.  I was so proud of myself and couldn't wait to see the look on his face.

Anyone who has children can see where this is going.  He took one look at it and moved on to the next gift.  He didn't even seem to remember asking for it, looking at me with those chubby cheeks and an expression that said, "Dude. What the heck?"  He cried when we suggested that he put it on.

I was crushed, but tried not to show it.  I'm sure it helped a lot that I was about ten weeks pregnant with Grace and probably not emotional all.  

Finally, after most of the chaos of the day had died down, his daddy talked him into putting on the costume so we could take a picture.  He consented for about five minutes, and even wore the antlers and nose for this one snapshot.


He never wore it again.  I kept it for a long time thinking Grace might wear it or that it could be repurposed.  I finally gave it away to a friend whose much more agreeable child was delighted to wear it for Halloween.

I don't tell you this story as a failure; even though the Bear didn't love this the way I had hoped, it was an accomplishment for me just to take on a project that made me so uncomfortable and finish it during the craziness of the holidays.

Plus, this picture just cracks me up every time I look at it.  It is so him.  The kid has been marching to his own drummer since before he could walk, and I love the way his mind works.  He is smart and funny and quick with words.  He acts so tough but is the most loving and sensitive guy.

He's also not crazy about it when he makes it onto the blog, so I try to respect that most of the time.  For today, though, he'll have to get over it.

Happy birthday, Bear!  We love you so much!

Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!







Tuesday, September 24, 2013

A Visit With My Boy or Top 10 Tips for Parents Weekend

Totally non-quilty news today, but I wanted to thank everyone who wished us a great visit with my boy for Parents Weekend.

It was so great to see him looking healthy and happy and right at home in his disaster area dorm room.


He showed us the science and technology buildings where he is spending a lot of his time.


We got the whole college experience, including the Elephant Stomp pep rally on the steps of the library...

 ...and the football game with 100,000 of our closest friends.

A few tips if you are going to Parents Weekend (this was our first one, but I think these would apply anywhere):
  1. Check your student's schedule before booking.  We pulled the Bear and Gracie out of school early in our rush to get to Tuscaloosa.  I knew Deuce had an afternoon class, and he warned me that he had some lab time due in the evening, but everything ended up taking longer than we thought.  We didn't even get to see him Friday.  In hindsight, we all probably would have been happier, more rested, and less stressed if we had just driven over on Saturday morning and skipped Friday's festivities.
  2. Check everyone else's calendar.  We ended up buying a ticket that went unused because we didn't look at a calendar for one person.  It wasn't a big deal, but would have save some money and allowed someone else to buy that ticket.
  3. Think about your guest list.  We brought EVERYONE - siblings, grandparents...my brother even considered flying in.  (That's what happens with the first grandchild!)  In retrospect, the advice I gave my brother was advice I'd give everyone.  It might just be more fun to visit on a different weekend when the crowds will be slightly less and the days will be less scheduled.  If you don't care about the game, consider visiting on a non-football weekend and enjoy a couple of days with your college student's undivided attention.  The Pit Boss and I agree that we could have gone ourselves for this "event" and brought the rest of the crew at a less hectic time.
  4. Prepare for a LOT of walking - and standing.  We had warned everyone ahead of time, but not everyone believed us when we said there was going to be miles and miles of walking.  It's just too crowded for anything else. Gracie used an app on her phone that said we went over 4 miles on Saturday...and she didn't even turn it on until after she had complained about how far it was!
  5. Prepare for any kind of weather.  It was warm and humid on Friday, and then started raining.  Saturday cleared up and turned into a gorgeous night, but was much cooler.  Sunday I almost needed a jacket.
  6. Read the instructions.  The university sent a LOT of information, and it all turned out to be very important.  Where to park, schedules, maps, and how to get the shuttle back to your car - none of this is information you want to be searching for on your phone in the dark.  Yes, there will probably be signs and people directing traffic, but be prepared for that one time when there aren't.
  7. Pack your patience.  It is going to be crowded, there are going to be lines, and everything is going to take longer than you think.  You will have a lot more fun if you set realistic expectations than if you are disappointed and/or frustrated the whole time.  Everyone around you will have more fun, too.
  8. Make a list.  Ask everyone in the family if there is something they specifically want to see or do - including your student.  Deuce really wanted to show us the quad (above) where he spends so much of his day.  Luckily we got to squeeze that in on Sunday,  because on Saturday we were just too walked out to backtrack over there.  
  9. Take pictures.  I wish I had taken more, especially a few of the five of us.  Even if they were just cell phone pics, that would be better than the three I have.
  10. Enjoy your visit!  In some ways, this trip was better than Deuce coming home.  I loved seeing the places he's been telling us about, and it eased my anxious heart to see him so at home in his surroundings.  As my father-in-law said as we boarded the shuttle to the parking lot and Deuce loped off to his dorm, "He looks like a grown man now." 
~*~sniff~*~



Monday, September 23, 2013

Menu Plan Monday - 9/23 - Hooray for Auto Posting!


It's Menu Plan Monday and I'm recovering from Family Weekend right now.  Luckily I have a plan!  Yes, I'm auto posting so that I don't even have to think about dinner on our ride home.  Do you do that?  I never used to.  Busy weekends or vacations were the biggest culprits when it came to getting off track for the meal planning, and we'd be kicking ourselves for grabbing fast food or eating out again after an already not-so-healthy weekend.

However, being in the menu planning habit has really helped start Monday after vacation on the right foot.  I'll come back from Tuscaloosa with a simple dinner planned for Sunday and the ingredients already on hand.  My grocery list will be made so that I can just grab it and go Monday morning - no excuses for putting it off.  I even did some extra laundry last week so that we could just enjoy our trip and not have any stress about re-entry.  Also, I pre-wrote this blog post.  Score!

My user name on My Fitness Pal is QJ2013 if you want to be friends.


MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

  • Sunday -Breakfast for dinner - french toast, fruit salad, bacon strips
  • Monday - Beef Stroganoff, tossed green salad
  • Tuesday - Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup* and grilled cheese sandwiches
  • Wednesday - Pollo Sabroso, yellow rice, oven roasted green beans
  • Thursday - Leftover buffet
  • Friday - Football Friday!  Eat at the game.
  • Saturday -  Whatever looks good at Kathleen's Catch, quinoa, grilled mixed vegetables
What's on your menu?

 *This is my freezer meal for the week.


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Holiday Grand Plan - Week 4

Holiday Grand Plan

It's Week 4 of the Holiday Grand Plan! How's it going?

It's another week that presents a real challenge for me - the Master Bedroom. This room tends to be the dumping ground in my house because no one goes in there.  It's where clothes that need to be mended or donated or ironed pile up; it's where toys and books and furniture that the kids don't want in their rooms anymore get stacked; it's where my sewing space is.  I think that about sums it up right there. 

This is a little bit like my office; it never gets to that immaculate Better Homes and Gardens look that I keep in my mind, but it does get a little better every year when I hit this week.  Right now, the bed is made, the ironing and mending is in a giant basket, and the donations have been donated.  My sewing area is far from perfect, but there is a clean work table with just my Star Surround quilt on it. 

I have a friend who cleans her bedroom first because she believes firmly that the whole rest of the house and her family's attitude stems from her having a serene and restful night's sleep.  Isn't that amazing?  I want to be her when I grow up. 

This week we are continuing with the freezer meals and goodies to share.  I'll be making a double batch of Gina's Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup on Tuesday, along with the Russian Tea Cakes that are required in our house over the holidays. 

We're adding gift shopping this week.  Remember that list you made?  We're trying to get 1/8 of it bought, wrapped, and ready for shipping.  I will be trying to get my list for shipping to my brother's family taken care of, since they are the only out of towners.  Luckily they are easy because we only shop for the kids, and what could be more fun than shopping for my only niece and nephew...and Batman! 

This is also the week to check your linens and see if anything needs to be replaced.  Guest sheets and towels?  Tablecloths and napkins?  Do you have enough dish towels? 

Have a great week!  I think I've shared these before, but here's Mom's Russian Tea Cake recipe in case you're looking for something to bake.  These freeze beautifully.


Holiday Treat of the Week - Russian Tea Cakes
  • 1 C butter
  • 1/2 C powdered sugar, plus some for dusting
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 C flour
  • 3/4 C finely chopped nuts
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Stir in flour, nuts, and salt.  Shape into 1" balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8-9 minutes.  Immediately roll in more powdered sugar.  Cool and roll again.




Saturday, September 21, 2013

Joke of the Day

In honor of Family Weekend and the imminent shutdown of the government:

Alabama beat Arkansas
and they fired the coach.

Alabama beat Tennessee
and they fired the coach.

Alabama beat Auburn
and they fired the coach.

Then Alabama beat Notre Dame and the Pope resigned...



How do we get the government to play Alabama?



Roll Tide, Y'all!




Friday, September 20, 2013

TGIFF and Whoop Whoop! For a Visit With My Boy

No FMQ Friday for me today, but you can still check out all the other FMQ goodness at Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project.



I am, however, giving a Whoop Whoop! and doing the happy dance over some finishes today. 


I'm also linking up today with Finish It Up Friday with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.


Yes, it's done!  My Social Tote is complete.  It is not the most square thing I've ever made, but I think it will work itself into a slightly better shape as I carry things in it by the handles.  Right now it is home to my hexies, and just in time for a car ride to Tuscaloosa!


I am not an experienced bag maker, so I was nervous about this bag.  It really came together beautifully.  The only tricky part - which Carolyn warns you about - is getting the binding on.  She has some excellent extra pictures and help on her blog, which I just love.  My only request might be to have some of these in regards to the binding and making the corners square. 


I also finished the corn hole toss bags in time to bring them in the car instead of shipping them.  Aren't they cute?  I am becoming a real fan of houndstooth!

I hope you have a great weekend!


    Thursday, September 19, 2013

    #TBT - Throwback Thursday - Quilting With My Boy

    Quiltin Jenny

    It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

    In honor of September being National Sewing Month and my visit to my boy in Tuscaloosa TOMORROW I am sharing the quilt Deuce made when he was in third grade. 

    It's a rail fence pattern, which I think I've mentioned is my favorite beginner block.  It is so versatile and has no points to match.  The blocks can be trimmed down if they are a wonky size, and no one but the quilt police will even notice.


    He picked this lizard fabric and some scraps from my stash.  He's a pretty left brained kind of kid, so he had no trouble operating the sewing machine.  I think boys at a certain age are just ripe for exposure to this experience that is so like driving - they push the pedal and steer!  What could be more fun?


    Since I was mostly hand quilting at this point, that's what I taught him to do.  Naturally he was less interested in this part of the process, and did minimal quilting on the project.

    This was a great size quilt, especially since he was the only one of my kids with no baby quilt.  When we traveled, Gracie and the Bear used to bring their baby quilts in the car to snuggle with, and Deuce would bring this one. 

    Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!







    Wednesday, September 18, 2013

    WiP Wednesday - Crimson and Houndstooth


    WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

    I'm linking up with WiP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

    This week's WIP is brought to you by Family Weekend at the University of Alabama.



    Every time I talk with Deuce, I ask him if there's anything he needs.  Most of the time, he can't think of anything.  He's a pretty independent kid, and his dorm is walking distance from a Publix.  If he needs it, he goes and gets it.

    Plus, his grandmothers and sister have kept him pretty well stocked in cookies since he left.  What more do you really need?

    But during one phone call, he thought of something.  He asked if he could have the toss bags from our corn hole game.  Apparently a buddy there has the boards but no bags.  Only now I can't find our game - not the boards or the bags.  Someone put them away after July 4th in a very safe place.  


    So I researched a little bit about how to make the bags, ordered some crimson and houndstooth duck cloth from Fabric.com, and started stitching.  Now I'm just waiting for a friend to pick up my feed grade corn kernels so I can fill them and stitch them closed.  I'll be bringing them to him in person in TWO DAYS!

    My other WIP is my Social Tote.  My Soft and Stable arrived, so I'm hoping to get the basket assembled and finish the binding so I can bring my hexies in it on our road trip. 

    Roll Tide, y'all.



    Tuesday, September 17, 2013

    Star Surround Quilt Along Parade


    It's time for the Star Surround Quilt Along Parade, and I'm bummed that my quilts are not done. I knew Batman's quilt wouldn't be completed since Mom is hand quilting it, but I had high hopes for my big one-block quilt.  Part of me was tempted to hurry up and finish so I could join the crowd - especially after I was so good every week at keeping up with the steps - but I love the way the quilting is turning out, and that means more to me than being done on a deadline.


    Having said that, there are two dozen other people who did get their projects quilted and bound, and their quilts are just spectacular!  I am so impressed and in love with the different sizes/colorways/projects. 


    Be sure to check out the finished quilts and the 99 quilters who completed a top.

    Many thanks to Melissa at Happy Quilting for this awesome quilt along and fun design.  I had a blast and will be keeping an eye out for the next one!



    Monday, September 16, 2013

    Menu Plan Monday - 9/16 - The One Where I See My Boy!


    It's Menu Plan Monday and only four more days til we head to Tuscaloosa for Family Weekend and to visit Deuce.  I am so excited to see him in person (what did we do before FaceTime and Skype?) and give him a big squeeze!

    Meanwhile, this is a zoo of a week with at least one activity every single evening, on top of getting ready for the weekend.  Of course it is.

    But that's okay; that's the beauty of Menu Plan Monday.  Even if I am running around like a crazy person, I will at least be able to answer the eternal 5pm question "What's for dinner?"

    My user name on My Fitness Pal is QJ2013 if you want to be friends.


    MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

    • Sunday - leftovers from yesterday's cookout.  We made WAY too much food!
    • Monday -Gracie's favorite Easiest Past and Broccoli (I add shrimp) to get ready for her cross country meet
    • Tuesday - Crock Pot Turkey Breast with Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, oven roasted green beans
    • Wednesday - Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu*, tossed salad
    • Thursday -Musgo (Everything in the fridge musgo!)
    • Friday - FAMILY WEEKEND! 
    • Saturday- Tailgating in Tuscaloosa.  Roll Tide!
    What's on your menu?

    *This is my freezer meal for the week.  I will make double and freeze one batch.



    Sunday, September 15, 2013

    Holiday Grand Plan - Week 3 - Come on In!


    Holiday Grand Plan

    It's Week 3 of the Holiday Grand Plan and we're cleaning out our Entry/Foyer this week.  Unless that's not working for you. 

    Last week we were supposed to do the living room, which is when I usually do my office; however, once we decided to have friends over to watch Alabama beat Texas A&M, I called an audible and switched to deep cleaning the family room.

    That's what you need to remember about planning ahead.  This is not to stress you out.  This is not to start the holidays way too soon.  This is about the exact opposite - making sure that you get to enjoy and appreciate the season without being overwhelmed by the extra tasks. 

    If this week you are expecting company and need to deep clean the guest room instead of the entry, go for it.  If your child's birthday is coming up and you want to get the playroom or their bedrooms taken care of first, that's an awesome idea.  Make it work for you. 

    For example, this week's list includes buying two canned items; one to tuck away for a holiday meal and one to donate to the food pantry.  I don't do this.  I can't think of very many canned items I even use anymore, and our food pantry has a wish list of items that I buy when they are on sale. 

    This week's traditional list also reminds us to buy film, camera batteries, and blank videotapes.  Raise your hand if you use any of those things.  Yep, that's what I thought.  Just cross it off the list!

    The tasks I try never to skip, though, are the freezer meals.  They are a lifesaver even during the "normal" times of the year.  This week's freezer meal is going to be Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu

    I also enjoy this week's start to baking and freezing treats.  This is one way to ensure that my old favorites don't get lost in the chaos.  I'll be making a double batch of Peanut Butter Fingers so I can bring some to Deuce on Friday when we visit him for Family Weekend. 

    I'm doing the happy dance and counting the days!  Have a great week!



    Saturday, September 14, 2013

    Dear Mama - An Apology

    Warning: This is not about the quilts. Feel free to skip if you are looking for quilty goodness today.

    Also, this is not an apology to my own dear mama for the hell that was my teenagerhood.  There's not enough space on the internet for that.

    This is an open letter of apology to all the mamas I've almost certainly offended over the last several years by making comments like:

    "Don't blink or you'll miss it."

    "They grow up so fast."

    ...and the winner...

    "Enjoy every minute."

    (To be honest, I don't think I've ever actually said that last one.  It may have been seventeen years ago, but I remember what true colic was like.)

    I'm sorry.  Truly, truly sorry in a way that only another mom who really does remember can be.  I didn't realize how those phrases might make someone else feel - mostly because I didn't have the same reaction when they were said to me.  Which isn't to say there's anything wrong with those feelings.

    I remember when I was preparing for my wedding, and my best friend gave me valuable advice.  She said to stop a few times during the day, look around, and take a mental picture.  It's so busy and goes so fast that you might miss the whole thing.

    And I did it.  Those moments when I tried to freeze time and remember are still some of the sharpest memories in my mind, the ones I can conjure up in an instant.  I still do it on Christmas and birthdays and other occasions when I know I might let the busyness keep me from enjoying what the busyness is all about.

    So when I got unsolicited advice to enjoy every minute with my kids, I took it as a reminder to remember, and to enjoy something I had wanted for so long.

    I've told you before about the two little souls who we never got to meet before Deuce and The Bear showed up.  I've mentioned the sweet baby who slipped away from me, wrenching my heart as I believed it was the last time...until my precious Grace arrived.  So it made me feel like a horrible person and unworthy mother, on those days that felt like they'd never end, to feel resentful or impatient.  The healthy children I'd begged God for, the cherubic, full term faces I was so sure would heal all of my pain, didn't keep me from having days when a shower or a nap was more precious than gold.

    I felt awful about those days, truly undeserving of these miracles, until another wise friend clued me in.  She said that always making me happy was a big burden to put on such a little baby, and that I needed to be a little more forgiving when I was experiencing, at long last, the normal side of parenting.  Which, of course, includes exhaustion beyond belief, disgusting smells, and a surprising amount of laundry.

    Aren't friends the best?  When you are at your most emotional and irrational, they can state the obvious in such an amazing way. I don't know what I'd do without them.

    It wasn't just the blissful, Mary Cassatt moments I had longed for.  I wanted the normal stuff, too.  I remembered being envious of mothers who complained about the bone numbing fatigue and stretch marks.  I prayed for this!  So I gave myself permission to be normal - including the part where you just want five minutes in the bathroom alone.  

    That's why, when someone with older children commented that I should enjoy it, I didn't take it as a personal accusation about my failure to appreciate the gifts I had.  I took it as a little tap on the shoulder, a nudge that reminded me to stop and look around.

    That's what I meant all those times I said it to you.  I promise I was not judging you for being tired or cranky or disheveled.  I didn't say it to make you feel bad, or to make myself feel better.
     
    In fact, as wistful as I am about the baby days being long gone, I wouldn't go back.  I miss those sweet snuggles and the smell of them after a bath, but I also cherish the conversations and the relationships with my kids now. 

    I sincerely apologize if I added to your angst in any way.  Though my actual words may have been "Enjoy every minute!", what I really meant was:

    Hang in there.

    You're doing great.

    It's going to be okay.

    I only meant to tap you on the shoulder, to nudge you to stop and look around so that one day, when your kids leave for college, you'll remember those moments and say the wrong thing to the frazzled woman just trying to get a pound of shrimp while her toddler climbs from the cart and her preschooler picks up twist ties off the grocery store floor.

    You might have to apologize later.  



    Friday, September 13, 2013

    FMQ Friday and Whoop Whoop! for Feathers!

    Free Motion Quilting Friday

    Today is Free Motion Quilting Friday over at Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project.

    The rules are simple:
    1. Link up with a post that features something about Free Motion Quilting (FMQ). 
    2. Somewhere in your post, you must link back to Leah's site, or you can just post the FMQF button in your sidebar. 
    3. Comment on at least a few of the other FMQF links. Share your love of free motion quilting and make this weekly link up a fun way to connect!  
    I'm working on my Star Surround quilt and loving these feathers.  They are going slowly, though, so I doubt I will have this finished in time for the parade on Monday.  So far I have done two sections, and haven't quite decided what to do in the other areas.


    No worries!  I am happy with how it is turning out and excited to see it finished. 


    I'm also linking up with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?  This weekend I am celebrating my feathers, Alabama football (Roll Tide! BEAT Texas A& M!) and the absolutely spectacular weather forecast. 

    What are you celebrating this Friday?


      Thursday, September 12, 2013

      #TBT - Throwback Thursday - Teaching Kids to Quilt

      Quiltin Jenny

      It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

      September is National Sewing Month, and how better to celebrate than by teaching kids to sew?

      When Grace was in half-day kindergarten back in 2006, her teacher was also a mom of a boy in the class, a boy Gracie just adored.  The teacher found out she was expecting a baby girl not long after school started, and delivered her sweet babe right around the time all of our kids moved up to the big school.

      In preparation for this blessed event, I decided to let the little class help make a quilt.  I cut strips of various fabrics in assorted widths that Grace helped me select.  I used the flip and sew method, and let each student sit in front of me, pushing the pedal and guiding the fabric through my machine. 

      Of course, since I was helping the kids sew, there isn't a single picture of this activity!  Just like at home.  ;o)


      I did manage to snap a picture of the finished quilt with some of the kids when we had a baby shower with the guest of honor.

      Now I want to see your blast from the past.  Link up and let us all see!







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