When life gives you lemons.........

My whole world has been turned upside down.......

Now I could let this get me down, and I did......for a short while, but now it is time to put on my big girl panties and tackle my life.

So that is what I am going to do.

I have started a new chapter in my life, not one I was ready for, but one I have to do.  My husband and I have separated.  Painful as it is, he and I are trying to remain strong and work on problems.  It takes two and as I remain optimistic and I also must be ready for the worst.  The worst being that he and I can at least remain friends.  No one can ever have to many friends, and I don't have time to waste hating anyone.

So, with time on my hands I expect to be sewing more, blogging more and returning to a quieter time.  I have found that I have let go of alot of important things in my life and I want them back.  First and foremost, my faith.......(not husband fault) but I need to have it back in my life.  I believe very strongly that everything happens for a reason.  I found myself a new church and return last Sunday, I walked out feeling very hopeful.  Second, my friends, this too was no one fault but my own.....tonight dinner with Joyce.  Last (for now, but definitely not least) tomorrow Shayne and her husband Richard are helping me set up my sewing room and its back to what I love to do most......SEW!!!!!  Yes it is going to a very hard and long road to recovery, but I am strong and I believe in myself.  Yes, I can, and yes I will.

So, wish me luck and stick around to see me make some awesome lemonade out of all these lemons!!!

Where did August go?

     Well, August is half over, and although the weather is some better here in Missouri.......it is still HOT!  Our poor horses have the pasture eatin to the dirt, and bails of hay are so hard to come by right now and the cost and arm, leg and your first born!!!!!  But, I love my babies so, in the words of my husband "it is what it is"! So, the hay search continues!!!!!



Amigo

Whiskers

Some nights we put thier leads on and "walk" them like puppies, lol!!

    Tomorrow is my beautiful (and I am a very lucky mom I have 3 beautiful daughters) daughter Sami's 24th birthday!  She has given me a wonderful son in law whom I love to pieces (mostly because he puts up with me, lol!!) and an amazingly beautiful grand daughter Belle.

Sami about 6 months old

Sami always has a smile on her face, she has made me so proud.  I am blessed to have been choosen to be her mom!!

Belle, Joey and Sami

This is one of my favorite pictures of the three of them (the secret is, even though it is barely there Joey has a smile on his face, a very hard thing to capture with Joey).

     Have been sewing a little more, and that makes me happy.  My sewing room is my escape, when things get rough I take a trip upstairs, turn on my music and pretend its only me!!!!

     This was made for my July partner Doll Quilters Monthly!  This was a hard on to give up!  Most people know that red, white and blue is my favorite color, lol.......ok colors!!!!
     So, while I am sitting here trying to up date, we are getting rain......it is about time!  I hope it last awhile, but the bad things is.......my horses are in the pasture, but I really dont think they mind, it's been so dry so long I do even they beleive it is a welcome restbit!

     So with that said I will leave you with............

Has it really been THAT long?

Wow, I didn't realize that it has been that long since I have up dated my blog.  But then again I didn't expect my world to turn up side down either!!

Not to say it has gotten much better, but at least I have a few minutes a day to myself.

So, lets try to catch up.  When I have me time I have been sewing, both my quilt blocks and quilts.  Also, I have been making doll clothes.  I have to say all my Flickr groups have been so darn kind, some of my blocks have been alittle late in receiving.  I promise it is getting better.  In fact I am so darn proud of myself I have already mailed out one that is due in August.......(patting myself on my back)

Here is a couple of blocks and quilts I have made and sent out.......I won't bore you with all of them! (not just yet, that is for another day!!)

There is alot more and some really awesome ones, but I am thinking if I don't give them all to you at once I will keep more active here!  Hey I can only hope.....lol!!

Now, the grandbabies, they are getting so big so fast!  Love them so much and they bring so much joy to my life I just can't imagine one day without them.

Bryce, it's hard to believe he will be starting 2 grade in just a couple of weeks!!

Jake is just about as big as Bryce......he is just so darn cute!!!

Belle......my little devil, err my princess!  You cant help but love her, just look at that sweet face!

My sweet Hayden, but don't let that little angel face fool you, he rules the roost at his house, and them older brother do NOT mess with him!!!

Ok, got ya all just a little caught up, I am going to leave you with:

LIFE!

Wow.......don't you just hate it when life gets in the way!  I have always been that person that if something goes wrong, it REALLY goes wrong!!  It took a month for me to get back on track!  But hey its better than the alternative! =}

My flickr group Orange You Glad has felt the "wrongness" of my "life".  First, Marta's block was returned to me, I need to pay more attention (plus I got my eyes checked and needed glasses!!) I put the wrong zip....but thankfully it has be remailed to her and hopefully this time it makes it!

I really love this block.....I am making my husband a postage stamp quilt, only I am doing it all by hand.  I started it last January.  I know you would think it would be done by now, and so does my husband but it is 1-1/2" squares and 18 rows!  Plus it has to fit a king size bed.......yes, crazy!

I have decide that the borders would be an ecru color and I am quilting as I go.  I have 5 more blocks to make......then the quilting and joining.  I wanted to get it done by his birthday in October but that just ain't going to happen......maybe Christmas.

Then Shawn's squishy got lost coming to me!  To my surprise to showed up today.  It is a pretty awesome block too. 

Thankfully it arrived unharmed......well the good stuff anyway!  I have starting working on it right away.  I am trying in vein to get this out by the end of the month so that I am not late!!  Should work, as long as I do, lol!

My poor husband STILL has his nights and days mixed up, poor guy!  I am not sure what we are going to do about this.  It has affected my sleep and for the past month I would lay down with him in the afternoon for a cat nap, that turned in to a couple of hours!  Needless to say I didn't get much done.  I finally told him I had to put a stop to that.  Beside falling behind on dusting, laundry and other household chores that I hate, I was falling behind in my sewing.  Yes he is more important than the house work, and my theory is "if you don't like my mess, don't visit!" (and really it's not that bad, my girls always help me out when they are here).  But, sleep can not come between me and my machines!!!

And yes, the swing set is finished!

Bryce, Shayne, Belle and Hayden.  We forget to get a baby swing!  See, once again, life.  I am really glad we got it and its together, the kids love it!

So with my life a little more on track I hope to keep all of you more updated.
With that said, I leave you with..............

Rain or Shine

What a busy day yesterday.......and it is really all about the grandbabies!

My husband and I decided to get the kids a jungle gym type of swing set for the back yard.  Unassembled.......undelivered.......why you ask? (Like are you losing you every lovin mind!!!)  Well, because we have plenty of "studs" around here and they can build it, and  where I am located the cost of assembly and delivery is so high it would make you eyeballs pop right out of you head!!!

besides with the money I saved by having the boys build it I can spend on more goodies for the babies.

the "studs" Jonathan, Roger, Jay and Joey

Okay, let the fun begin.   The instructions say allow 10 hours for assembly?  So that mean if you have 4 guys you can divide that by half right.............NO!  It came in 3 boxes......3 BIG boxes.  At least the "hardware" where individually bagged and marked.  Ok, me I say let me go inside and get ziploc bags and after you open the bags put them inside of the zippy, zip and mark it!  (Thank goodness I can NOT live without my zippies!!!)  We started this project about noon on Sunday.  Weather forecast in Missouri overcast with a good, no make that a VERY good chance of rain.  No problem........so let the work begin.....we need part A50, GD, TB, and TC....what?

So now you see how the day is going......it didn't stop the kids from enjoy the swing set

Belle, climbs right in one of the boxes and "plays".  Kids have all the fun!

Bryce decided he going to help to make things go faster.  Uncle Jay trying to explain this is what we need next.......(I enlarged this so you could see the look on Bryce's face....now that's priceless!)  Believe it or not he stuck it out for about 30 minutes and decided feeding the chickens was alot more fun!  (and less stressful!)

Needless to say......they will all be back next weekend to finish (I hope!)

Memories

Well, what a weekend........and lots of memories have been forged!!!

It started on Friday when my oldest daughter Shayne came to spend the weekend. (she does that every now and then, and who can blame her.......she has 3 BOYS!!!)

Bryce, Jaycob and Hayden

Sitting around planning on what we had to get done on Saturday, laughing and giggle like little kids made me think about how lucky I was.  I was a single parent for part of my kids lives and if I say so myself all 4 of them turned out to be wonderful adults.  Now don't get me wrong dare I say they where angels, but I just can't picture my life without any of them.

This is my son Jay, I would say he was about 3 in this picture........today he is 31.  Yes he is a momma's boy (but don't tell him I said that), he is my pride and joy and so darn proud of him.  Went into the Army right out of high school, 82nd Airborne, now he is in the National Guard and works for the Highway Patrol.  Handsome, oh yes, darn handsome.

This is my oldest daughter Shayne 28, about 4 in this picture, now she was a handful.......hard to believe with a smile like that!  So beautiful and so full of mischief.  Now I always told her one day she would have a kid just like her......and so far my prediction has come true......and Hayden isn't old enough to give any trouble but Jake has made up for that!  She is a wonderful daughter and has helped me in so many ways, a great mom and wife (right Richard?).  At times I think she was so trying because my mom cursed the same thing on me, lol!

This is my middle daughter Sami 24, about 2 in this picture.  Now she was an angel........she was the easiest kid, and never gave me any problems.  Shayne would try to get her to do something just to get yell at, but Sami would have none of it.  Again, like my oldest beautiful then and beautiful now.  She is married to Joey with one daughter Belle.

My youngest Madi 21, it was nearly impossible to keep clothes on her.  So bad it came to a point we would have to use electrical tape to keep her diaper on.  She was about 18 months old in this picture.  Miss Independence.....she needed no help from anyone, at all.  I remember on time her 3rd grade teacher called me at work and asked if I know she had two different shoes on when she came to school.  I told her you are lucky she has any on at all!  She was stubborn  then and still is.  Speaks her mind, if you like it or not.  She has grown more beautiful with each passing day.  She is engaged to Tim and planning on getting married next year.

Times weren't always easy for us, but I would not trade one second for anything in the whole world.  My kid have made me the proudest mom on this earth.  I love all of you for the people you have become, and the gifts you have given me so far. 

Belle, Sami and Joey's daughter

with that said I leave you with............

I am still alive!!!

It seems I have been gone so long from my blog........guess I have, but I have been pretty busy!  I have been making doll clothes, quilt blocks for internet guilds, working on my Doll quilt, and trying to finish a quilt for my grandson Hayden for his birthday next month!

And........since my doctor gave the ok to start riding Amigo again I have been working with him before I put my butt back in that saddle!  I broke my arm about 21 months ago, and my husband has rode him twice (he calls him Deablo the devil horse.....he is so mean) and we only had him about 6 months before I broke my arm.  The lady we got him from didn't ride him for 3 years.  So, you can see why I want to work with him some.  I just love him he is so beautiful and for being 19 years old he has alot of spunk left in him.

So, I may have been away but I have not been idle.
Today I had so much company I did not get a chance to sew, but the company was so much better.  My granddaughter Belle was trying to give her cousin, my youngest grandson Hayden hugs and kisses.......

Hayden wasn't to happy, but Belle was just showing the love.
So, for all of you who thought I was lost, thanks for thinking of me and I promise not to stay away so long!

and with that said I am leaving you with........

my son in law Joey caught this 8 pounder in our lake!

And the winner is.........

Connie......you are the winner of the fat quarters!!  So excited for you.  You can visit Connie at http://conniekresin.blogspot.com/ Quilting by the River.  She is also a new follower and I hope she will visit often and enjoy my blog.

I had such a good time with the give-away and tutorial, and thanks for all the input.  I might try that again.  But for now I really need to learn more about blogging, because if you notice I did not blog for almost a month because I wasn't sure if I blogged after that anyone would know about the give-away!  Plus it looks like pages can be added to my blog which will help to steer my followers to the give-away or tutorial......and yes I did buy "Blogging for dummies"  I guess I better sit down and start reading......or maybe I will just do some playing!

Well, the weather here in Missouri is wonderful........all my babies have loved being out side! 

Amigo and Whisker's help by "mowing the lawn and Duke and Daisy are laying in the cool grass watching to make sure they do a good job!

So, with that said I leave you with....

Ok...here we go

March is my month (OYG Hive B) for sending out instructions and fabric for my block.  Sounds easy enough..............but, one catch I am going to try to do a "tutorial".  This is my first ever attempt at this, so whom ever reads this please be patient with me.  I don't think the pictures are so great.....not sure why but we can't have everything now can we!

Ok, here we go...............

This is the end product.  Pretty cool don't ya think!  Yea me too.  First off this block is from EQ7.

Fabric enclosed in each squishy (white is not in picture, forgot to add it to the stack!)

The blue piece is 4" x 44" and the others are 4" x 22".  I think they go together quite well, don't you?

Pieces cut....I find it is easier to use the template than using the rotary instructions.  Can't tell you why, it just seems all the parts fits better that way.

Using 1/4" seam, attach "D" to opposite sides of "F".  Attach "G" to opposite side of "D", (both pieces).

It should look like this.  Easy so far and oh so pretty.  Now attach "E" to opposite sides of block.

Attach "C" to the opposite sides of "E"

Ok, here is where it gets a little tricky......but just alittle!  You will be making 4 of these pieces.  Attach "B" to each end of "E".

Make 4 attach "B" to opposite ends of "D"

In the above photo you can see a small mark on the orange, I wanted to make sure my seams would be lined up so I used my ruler and held it against the seam and placed a small mark on the orange so that I could line up the next row.

And finally, attach "A" to each corner and you are done!

For all my bee friends.......cut one of the pieces of fabric that you have left over into a 4" square, cut in half to make 2 triangles and the 2" white strip, square up.  Please, in permanent fabric ink add your name, city and state and your flickr name.  I am adding this to the back behind your block.

Now, to make all this a little more interesting I will be giving away a fat quarter of each of these fabrics. (except white)  All you have to do is start following me and add a comment.  A winner will be picked randomly on March 15th! If you already are a follower, just leave a comment.  If you can help make this a better or more informative "tutorial" please by all mean let me know.  I am still learning...........

and with that said.........

Duke on the pillows and Daisy at the end of the bed, and this is every night.  DH and I just have to squeeze ourselves in!  (Wouldn't have it any other way! Love my puppies!!)