Back On Track

Ok, so I repented and now I feel better. Forgive my previous rant post. Kyle's family doctor's office called back and will continue to find him a specialist. They will continue to see him even though he is 100% medical card. Oh how horrible for our disabled, what they must endure.

Onto other things. It is 1 am. Kyle wakes up EVERY NIGHT at 12:30 to go potty. I did not know this, but for the last several nights he has slept in my room, like clockwork he gets up at 12:30. So therefore I get up at 12:30. Tonight I could not go back to sleep, so here I am. Joni and the Farmer made the kids day today!! They received this wonderful game. Zach can read now. Did I mention that? When the package came, he met the mailman at the door, tipped him 11 cents, and read the package. He knew it was from Joni and it was addressed to our last name, so he opened it. Charlotte came in on it too. It was ok...it gave them HOURS of fun! Thanks Joni. She received my package today too. Remember those cute girls? They were for Joni. Here is Rachel, modeling Joni's apron.

Joni does not raise this kind of cow, but Zach insisted right in the middle of the fabric store that "Joni loves ALL cows!" He seemed horrified that I would even question it. I do believe she does love all cows.

I spent yesterday morning making Cinnamon rolls for Sweet Hubby to take to work. These are a long drawn out process, but so worth it. Not a healthy snack...they contain 2 pounds of butter...8 sticks!! (2 are in the icing) I filled 3 disposable cake pans for Sweet Hubby to take to work in the morning. The above picture is taken just before the final rise. They turned out beautiful and the cream cheese frosting is the BEST EVER!

Wednesday, I received a beautiful fabric post card from Linda. My first ever! It is gorgeous Linda! Thank you! I also wanted to share Charlotte's new quilt design. She did it herself. She also drew a laptop on a piece of paper and asked me if I would help her think of her new blog name!!! Boy, they really watch us don't they!? Her quilt design has a Spring/Winter theme...I think applique will be her thing! She started with the butterfly theme, but like her mother, needed to "move on" and added snowmen. She was very proud of it, and she should be! I was honored with an award from Angelina and wanted to share it. This award was created by Kelley and you can read more about it here.

She says:

When the girls and I want to express our mutual admiration in public we say ‘Less than Three’ . The symbol forms a sideways heart, representing love.

I pass this award on to the blogs I read. I trust you will grab this award and post it. I am so thrilled with all the quilter's that took the "treasure" award. Keep passing it to other quilt related blogs. They are all such a treasure!

Oh, and last but not least, my apron swap partner got her apron, so I can share it with you. And a scrunchi to match!!

Update on Kyle

Thank you all so much for your prayers for Kyle. This kid is about the sweetest guy you could ever meet! The link is to my favorite post concerning Kyle. It is looking more and more like Kyle had a seizure. Kyle seizured for 12 years about 100 seizures a day. He had petit mal seizures. He would not fall, though he was "not there" for about 60 seconds. Cut 60 seconds out of your day over 100 times and you miss ALOT! At age 11 Kyle had a grand mal. He has never had another one, unless the episode yesterday was a seizure. He has a sore tongue, and Zach said his legs were shaking when he saw him. Both signs of a seizure. He is not on any medication for grand mals and I think that will change. God's healings are complete and are not revoked! I believe that Kyle was healed almost 10 years ago and I continue to stand in that. I am also not a fool and know that God uses medications. I claim the scripture I used all those years ago while Kyle seizured 100+ times a day. I spoke the Word of God everytime he had a seizure for 2 full years. My faith was built...Kyle seizured one day and the next he did not. We were told he would never be seizure free for more than 3 months and it was a puberty thing. 10 years later, he continues to be seizure free. What happened yesterday? I do not know, but I stand firm in Kyle's healing. He is lounging today. In his favorite jams, with his favorite pillow and blanket (John Cena) watching Walker Texas Ranger, eating cereal out of a Jethro bowl and drinking his beloved Mountain Dew. The remote and telephone are close at hand.He slept at the foot of my bed on a blow up mattress last night. He slept well. I slept unless he moved and then I could hear the sheets rustle and I would peek over to check. I love that kid! We have a call into the doctor and are expecting a referral to a neurologist. Kyle's previous neurologist moved and since he was seizure free, our family doctor prescribed Kyle's petit mal meds. He is on such a low dose, it is not really even at a therapeutic level in his blood. His last EEG was normal, though he "showed a slight risk with strobe lights". Therefore NO video games, and continued meds. I am controlling my flesh, which wants to go to the depths of despair. How much more, Lord? As much as He sees fit. He has given me the tools to deal with this and I will dig them out and use them again. My focus is on my kids today and on my God.

Enough whining! We got more snow in the past couple days, though not as much as some places. I picked out my project for the Winter installment of the 4 Seasons Swap. I found it in this 2003 issue of "Quilting for Christmas". My quilt will not be a Christmas quilt, as the person I am making it for wants it to be usable for the whole winter. It will have a winter feel to it, but could be used year round. I will share it with you as I work on it. As I walked through my entry way, I noticed dust! I will spend some time cleaning today. Dusting is on the list! If you get a chance, stop by Joni's blog and meet Cooper. He is such a cutie! Zach loves him and even wanted his picture taken with Cooper. Notice he is wearing his "farmers hat!" It says "John Deere" on it.Again, thanks for your prayers concerning Kyle. Please continue to lift him up whenever God brings him to your thoughts.

4 Seasons Progress

It is coming along...slower than I would like but still progressing. It has went from this

To this...

And now to this, in less than a week.

Now the original plan was to use this beautiful floral for the border....I think not.

I think this one will be better...what do you think?

It is hard to see in the pic, but it is little fall leaves. Darlene, you know what it looks like, it is on your bag. What is your opinion? It will just be a 3 inch border. Now for the quilting, my favorite part. I am seeing some really beautiful 4 seasons swap pieces out there. If you are not in the swap and want to see some of the finished projects or those like mine that are still in progress, just click on the 4 seasons swap badge on my sidebar. This will take you to a page with a list of names of quilters in the swap. Just click on the names to visit their blogs and see their projects. I know Linda finished hers and Anne showed hers all finished today. Libby is done and Nadine is ahead of me for sure. There are many more and they are all incredible. So I will be quilting tomorrow and maybe have it finished by the beginning of the week. TJ is being baptized on Sunday so I will be gone most of the day. My Godson, Steve is back from his second tour of duty in Iraq and we have not seen him in 2 years. It will be very exciting to see him. He will be TJ's Godfather. Tomorrow is a big laundry day so I will have lots of time to hand quilt between loads.

We were unable to do the co-op today as will occasionally happen, but we are not waiting, and will make butter on our own on Monday. The kids watched The Wilderness Family movies today and just loved them. What great movies!!! In case you haven't heard, Joni bought a new calf and named her Charlotte. There is a picture on today's post. She is so cute and is very little for a calf. She will be adopted by Violet the cow and raised as her own. How ironic, huh? My own Charlotte was very small for her age when she came to us. Charlotte was very excited to hear that the new calf was given her name. She knows how much Joni loves her calves and she was touched. It amazes me how many people who have never even met us have reached out and touched me and my children just since I started blogging in June. Speaking of which, I am approaching my 100th post, being the blabbermouth I am, it will be here before I know it. I am already thinking of a giveaway, so stay tuned....

You Sew Girl!

I have not sewn a stitch since Sunday night!!!! This has got to change! School is taking over and my routines are completely out of whack! No ones fault but my own. Now I just need to make time, right?! I think I will finish this blog post and get out some stitching.

Now, on a non quilt related topic, I want to share about a package we received from Joni and the Farmer today. It was incredible, and you can go to the home school blog to see what it was. I was so touched. It actually could be partly sewing related, as she included a package of stitchery patterns for me.Something else I would like to share. A new website that I have been looking forward to. Right now, it has an introduction and then a section on how to build a Heritage Library. This is valuable for any parent or grandparent. She will soon add a section on homemaking and other topics to follow. This woman is extremely wise. I am in awe of her talents as a woman. Yes, I believe there is a talent in being a woman. Check it out!

Old Treasures Become New

I spent a good part of Wednesday at my mom's house helping to re-organize her living space. My sister and her 2 grandchildren are moving back to town and will be staying with my parents until they can get settled in their own place. This meant that the little bedroom that had been converted into a dining room would now need to become a 3 year old's bedroom, the guest bedroom would no longer be for guests and the finished basement would now be a toy/tv room for my sister to take her kids and "escape" or be "banished" depending on the day. In making room, my mom needed to relinquish certain treasures. Now they may not be treasures to anyone else, but to me they are priceless. I only brought a couple of things home but will share them with you. These pictures of me and my sister have hung in our home since we were each 2 years old. They measure 24" x 28" so you can't just throw them on any wall. I ended up hanging them in my formal dining room. They are done in oil and the top one is me, the bottom one my sister. I am 2 1/2 years older than her. I had cleavage back then!!! My strap had accidentally fallen and for my sister's pose, 3 years later, they pulled hers off her shoulder so it would match.

When my sister moves out, I will more than likely return these to my mother's house. My dad was none to pleased that they were leaving, but conceded that there was no wall to hang them and they would be better protected on my walls than in storage. He made the comment.."You can borrow them until I die and then you may have them."

This next treasure I am thrilled with. It is the cabinet stereo that my parents bought when I was in 1st grade. I remember playing all my records on it while I was a teenager, and through out my childhood my parents would have friends over and play Patsy Cline (which I listened to last night), Lorretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette and I know every Johnny Cash album ever made is in there. I have a collection of Credence Clearwater, Donny Osmond, Bobby Sherman, and some no names that had 1 hit songs...remember "The Streak"? I have a huge collection of 45's and 78's along with the massive collection of 33's. Charlotte asked if those were "giant cd's". Hold on while I grab my cane!

Not great pictures as the sun is not shining here and that room is rather dark.

As I was leaving, my mother told me to go grab a shoe box from the closet. It was full of weird little things I saved as a child. You know that sentimental side of me....this was in the box.

It may be hard to see, but there IS a sewing badge on there. Also, a childcare badge, one for cooking (what a joke!), first aide, and good citizenship. I can't remember the others. I think one is for hiking. Meeeeemories, like the corners of my mind....no I do not have that record, and it is good you can't hear me sing, because I know there is not a singing badge on that little sash!

I also got mail!! On Saturday, I received a book from Joni on stitching. I LOVE this book!!

"An Encyclopedia of 101 Embroidery Stitches" by Jane Cannon Meyers. I have enjoyed looking at it everyday since it arrived! Thank you Joni!!

I also received a partial order from Amazon on Wednesday. I was frustrated with this order as it has taken a couple of months and it is still not complete. This one did come though.

It is a collection of inspirational quilt stories. Great to pick up and set down again. Maybe a great one to read aloud with Charlotte. The author, Kathy Lamancusa, also compiled another book called "Flowers are Forever" for gardeners.

Well today I sew. I want to finish piecing a top..only about an hour to go, and finish my latest stitchery. It is hot and humid and rainy here and my sinus headache is going to require some Advil I think. Thank you all for your kind words regarding my Grandmother. Today is a better day for me. Oh, and by the way, the glass enclosed quilt shrine has been moved to the living room where, it is said, that the quilts will be more likely to be used, and that large spiky weed was gone from the root when I went to my mother's on Wednesday!!! Mom has evidently started reading my blog!

Flowers For Joni

While I was at my Mom's house yesterday, she asked me to take this picture of her Rose of Sharon variation. She wanted to share it with Joni. You see, my mom reads Joni's blog My Piece of Heaven-The Diary of a Farmwife every day. She loves all of the pictures Joni shares (as do my children and I). She especially likes the prairie pictures. I think it reminds her of home, as Kansas must be alot like Southern Illinois was when she was a child. Anyway, my mom was sure Joni would enjoy her flowers. They really are beautiful. If you look closely you can see that the trunk is braided. Very cool. So, even though my photography skills are no where near as expert as Joni's, here it is mom. Your city version of "prairie pictures".

Now I am really thrilled that mom enjoys Joni's blog, but I think she skips mine alot. So just incase, on my way out her door, I snapped another "prairie picture". A HUGE spikey weed growing out of her peonies! I could hear her from inside the house yelling "DON'T YOU DARE! STOP THAT...YOU BETTER NOT!" HA! You better read my blog everytime you read Joni's!!!

Wonderful People

This is my second post today. I don't think I have ever done that, but this one could not wait til tomorrow. I have met some really wonderful people since I started this little blog. I have made a friend with someone who I consider a sister even. I really can't count the blogs I read on a regular basis as I can't skim them out...they are all so good. Almost daily I add another one to my long list. My sweet hubby is starting to feel like a blog widower. I will have to do something about that. There is one blog that if I ever dreamed of taking off my daily list, my 2 little kids (I have to separate them into catagories..little kids, big kids) would have a fit!!! Everyday we read My Piece of Heaven where Joni talks about farm life with "The Farmer". My kids LOVE that she calls him that. Zach will even ask about The Farmer if he is not mentioned on the blog that day. Anyway, Joni wrote about a rattlesnake encounter and then posted a picture of some rattles her and The Farmer had collected from rattlesnakes. She taught how they get their "buttons" and how you can actually tell the age of a rattlesnake. My kids must have said cool after every sentence. Well today the mail came and there was a package for the kids from Joni and the farmer. They were very suprised and thrilled!

Inside were 4 rattles from "real live rattlesnakes". When Charlotte said that phrase Zach decided he would look very closely, but not touch. Charlotte was very careful when she took them out.

It really made their day, and without any coaxing from me, both of them mentioned how nice Joni and The Farmer are. Zach wants to know when they are coming over! So Joni (and The Farmer), thank you from the bottom of my heart for reaching out, not to a quilter, but to a quilter's kids!