Top

I'm getting a bit ahead of the group. I went to the 1st day-time class (as well as the 1st night-class), where I cut strips, started stitching them together, and got instructions on making the blocks. This next step is one I did without instruction. I'm just too excited to do it to put it away for a couple more weeks--I love seeing it come together. I have to put it aside now, though, because I don't know how wide to make the borders. I might finish Buddy's, but I'm thinking I'll probably save that for the next class. Of course, Kaden keeps asking when he'll get his. Patience, my dear!

October Snow

This is what we woke up to this morning:

Lemur playing in the snow--yes, in his church clothes. I drilled him about not stepping into it and getting his pant-legs wet. He listened pretty well, I think.

Mister wondering if he should make a snow-angel. (He didn't...he was pretty good about staying dry, too.)

My poor Japanese maple. Buddy tried to shake as much snow off as he could. Of course, none of the trees had lost any leaves, so I hope there's not any damage to them.

My weeping river birch trees.

I'm not ready for winter to start so soon. We had such a long, snowy winter last year that I am NOT looking forward to shoveling snow again. Ben's promised me a snow-blower this year--a real one, not me.

Blocks

I started cutting and sewing yesterday, and today I finished all of Buddy's rail fence blocks. It's exciting to see progress like this: 12 blocks.

Today I was on such a roll that I cut out Missy's, too, and got all of her blocks pieced together. I ignored my messy house for the day, but, hey, look at all the sewing I got done!

Quilts

There are some very talented quilters in my ward. One of them has been kind enough to start a quilting group through Relief Society for anyone interested. I've always aspired to be a quilter, so it was exciting to go to our first class and then go shopping. We are going to make a throw, and see it through to completion--which means it won't just be a quilt top when we're done. It will be a real, quilted, binded quilt.

I thought I'd start with a quilt for Buddy, since he's technically my first born (by 4 minutes). So, off to the fabric store to be overwhelmed! I went to a little quilt shop, which is (unfortunately) going out of business and had all their stuff 40% off. There wasn't a huge selection, but I found this beautiful fabric (on the left in the picture). So, I got stuff for this quilt, which will (obviously) be for Missy. I left my "specs" home, so I wasn't sure how much to buy, but made some pretty good guesses.

Still wanting to get some fabric for Buddy (he had chosen reds and blues), I went to a different store--which wasn't having a sale, by the way. There was tons of really cute fabric there, though, and this is what I came away with. I can't wait to get started and I'll be sure to post my progress.

DYK...

DYK (did you know) that Stride gum can be chewed with the wrapper on and the wrapper dissolves?

My kids informed me of this interesting bit of information. I've not popped a piece of unwrapped gum in my mouth before, but I've watched them do it. I did try to suck on the wrapper, without chewing it into the gum with no results. Apparently you have to chew it into the gum for it to work. Weird, huh?

(If you have your own bit of unimportant DYK info, share it with everyone in the comments. ;)

Technical problems

Do you ever think that you have a cursed touch--that everything you touch breaks or malfunctions in some way? Well, I have this problem with computers. I've never owned a computer that has worked right.

It started when Ben was in school, we bought a computer, and right out of the box it wouldn't work. Something about the motherboard not interfacing with the something or other.

Next, we bought another one that broke down so the disc drive didn't work.

Then, we thought we'd go with a laptop--a Gateway. Nothing we downloaded to it worked--games and instant messengers, for instance. And, it will turn off at any given time with no warning.

So, we decided we'd get a new laptop (a Dell with Windows Vista--grrr), and that computer freezes up. It stays on, but it freezes, so you have to turn it off and re-boot it.

Well, on Monday, as I was downloading a recommended update (sound familiar, Kristin?) the dumb thing froze. Now it won't start at all. It attempts a repair, but never goes anywhere.

Needless to say, I know that when it comes to computers, I am cursed. It is not possible for me to own a computer that works right.

Which leads me to put in a plug for shutterfly.com. This is a website where you can upload all your pictures. You can share them with others. You can order prints. You can make all sorts of neat things--like Christmas cards. And it's free--except for the print ordering. But they give you 50 free prints for signing up. It's awesome. I'm not so worried that my computer is crashed now, because I had already put all (or nearly all) my pictures from that computer onto my shutterfly account. Now, whenever I put my memory card from my camera into my computer, I always upload my pictures, so they're stored somewhere besides my computer(s) which are bound to break down sooner or later. Sooner, if you're me.

Halloween . . . 2002

I've been going through old digital photos of the kids. Here are some of Halloween, 2002. Missy was a witch, Buddy was a ghost, and Bug was the cutest bat you've ever seen.

It's pictures like this that make me realize how fast time goes. They all have such baby faces.

This bat costume is my favorite costume I've ever found, or made, for my kids. The ears on the hood are so cute.

Here, Missy is in Buddy's ghost costume, and Buddy is in Missy's witch costume. The date on this picture is Oct. 26. They played dress-up in their costumes for days before Halloween.