CINDY----->PROGRESS REPORT

This is the quilt at rox 15 or 16, I don't remember which. I am liking it!

















and what would a picture post be without double trouble?

Another day

I am enjoying another school day. I love school. silence, me time. Oh joy of joys. I am now up to 9 rows done on the quilt. I am really happy with how it is shaping up though. Whimpy called and I now have a deadline (I work better that way as evidenced by the stocking that still isn't done).
Mikey finally got his own myspace page. He was complaining because classmates.com keeps sending him notices that old friends were looking for him but you have to pay to see who (which I think is a crock) so I suggested setting up a myspace. It's free and you'd be surprised who will look you up. Especially for him, having been in the military for 10 years and met so many different people.
The kids got to spend the afternoon with my mom yesterday. They had a ball, looted through an old camper she has on her property. They found a lot of "treasures" and were just sure that they were from my childhood. 411 did find some snapshots of my high school graduation that showed all the graduates. Of course, it was taken from the football stadium bleachers in order to get everyone in but it was kinda neat to see it. I obviously didn't get to see it from that perspective.

I am procastinating

sorta. I have gotten four rows of the quilt sewn together. Each of these rows takes about 45-60 minutes to assemble. There will be twenty-three of them total. So I am taking a break and kind of taking my time to go back to it. I always drag till I get to the half way point and then it is like a switch and I burn through it.
We went to the kids' open house last night for school. Mr had to show us EVERYTHING, including the music room, gym and cafeteria. He doesn't seem to grasp that all three of his siblings have gone to this school for years, and even he has gone to it for 2 years, we've pretty much seen everything the school has to offer. He is so excited to be a kindergartner, it is a hoot. He gets to see Riles every day now and on Wednesdays, she comes over to play.
Chick is liking 9th grade, her art class is all older kids. She was kinda freaked out a little by that, new things scare her terribly. I think she is starting to get they are just kids like her.
Bubba had his first homework assignment of the year. I was really hoping to delay the battle a little longer. Hopefully he doesn't have as much as last year. I had to laugh because it took the teacher less then 2 days to realize that him and his friend needed to be separated. I think she has his number already and am excited to see where he goes this year.
411 loves her new class. She has made a couple of new friends that I am struggling with liking. There is one that is just a bad influence and we told 411 that she isn't allowed to play with her anymore. I feel for the kid, I do, but I want my child to enjoy her last coupla years of just being a kid. And not have peer pressure of seriously bad choices (stealing, lying, playing with fire, running all over town getting into mischief at 11 oclock at night, supposedly smoking). This is a kid I can totally see getting a placement call over. At least then she would have to follow my rules.
Supposedly Snatch will be coming back for mid-tour soon. He will be coming to visit for a few days, so the party will be on. It is really hard to pin down an exact time frame though because it is the government, he probably won't know for sure till he is on the plane. You guys know, hurry up and wait.
Mikey has officially been a shop manager for a year now. It sure doesn't seem like it has been that long.

Quilt update

So here is what I start with, a gathering of materials and a crayola-erized sketch. Things change as I changed the sizing and the shades but basically, this is it.
















Then I cut all the solid blocks (about 700 of 6", 100 or so 6 1/2")















Then I make my 1/2 blocks with the 61/2" blocks. Sew, cut, press, repeat. And repeat. And repeat.















I have to separate them to make sure somewhere I didn't miscount or anything and that I have all the the different ones I need.















I start lining them up according to pattern placement. This part alone took almost 5 solid hours. It is so much harder when I use multi-colors on the back because I am a little OCD and don't want 2 of the same together. It happens every time despite my best efforts. I think it is my guardian angels way of totally messing with me.















So here is a peek at the finished layout, if you use your imagination, you can almost see the pattern in life like color.



















So next I tackled the batting. Remember that fabulous sister in law of mine mentioning that she had some extra batting? This thing is over 5' across, and started out almost 3' diameter. My arms hurt.















So that became 437 of these, 4" blocks. Now I get to sew like the wind, bullseye!

Celebrate good times!!

Notice Mr is going the opposite way! I had to run over and walk him up to the bus, but he got on like an old pro!!

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

I must say, my birthday dinner was much better then Mister's choice. For their birthdays, whoever gets to pick the dinner that we all eat. He chose mac and cheese and bologna sandwiches. Mikey took me out so I didn't have to cook. Even if it had been bologna, at least I didn't have to make it.
I am really pissy right now. We went to get the kids their school shoes last week and I told everyone to put them up. I let them wear them to the wedding but after that, they had to be saved for school. Not really a big deal cuz they would rather wear flip flops anyway so they listened. Well, I should say, 411 and Bubba listened. Mr took his to the park across the street and left them there. I am pissy because it took me 3 days to notice they were missing so, not so happy. Just when I thought I had it all under control. AARRGGGHHH
Update: 411 helped me look this morning before the bus came and we found them. I was AMAZED.

Mike's twin had her wedding anniversary yesterday. They were celebrating 15 years, I was impressed. Then I realized, Mike and I will celebrate 11 years in October. Where in the hell did the time go? I know that there are a couple of Mike's sisters that have been married 20+ years. That is just amazing as far as I am concerned.

all right, here is double trouble. Miss Riles got to come visit Mr for the day last week and they had a ball together, as usual. They are both soo excited that they get to go to Kindergarten together.



















Me looking my age, which is changing tomorrow. EGADS!














Mr and his new bike that he got for his birthday, he is so proud. He wanted to ride it around Walmart. He had to wait till after the doctors office where he had to get his kindergarten shots. Poor thing.














And Chick, we went and got her last Friday, this is what she does now. She picked out this outfit when her, Michelle, Megs, Kenzie and I went shopping Saturday. Sunday she got to get her hair re-colored. This time she got her purple that she wanted with the blonde, it is actually more subtle then the pink she had before.

8 days and counting!

I can finally show ya'll what I was working on. I made this pattern to bring the initials out. I don't think I like the little squares, I should have opted for the larger ones but I turned out ok. Emilee loved it and that was what I was looking for. It was funny because I heard her tell someone that they couldn't steal it because it had her family's initials on it. What a charactor.












And here is the start to the next one, the quilt for grandma. I wish I could have gotten to it while she was still in the hospital. I am sure she will love it when I finally get it together. Hopefully sometime before Christmas. Just kidding, it shouldn't take too long, I just have to get some more batting and then sew like the wind. My sissors and rotary cutter both broke within days of each other, that slowed things down considerably. I have replaced both and am ready to roll. Soon. I promise.















I thought I had the kids all ready for school, I keep finding more. Arrgh I will be glad to see them go. I think I will probably spend the first day just listening to the silence. LOL
Bubba is going to have a hard time adjusting, he has taken to staying up all night (till like 6 am) and then sleeping till noon. Yeah, not happening anymore. I am meaner mom today. I made him get up at 9 and stay up all day. I don't think he will be up much later then 8 tonight.