Well, with a flurry of getting caught up we are now heading out for a week to get our wood cutting accomplished! After the possibility of having to burn my bird feeder and mailbox stand we decided it would be wise to get a good head start this year!

The area we go to is in the forest of Williams, such a beautiful area and one of our favorite places to go, our plan is to take the boys fishing early in the morning and load the trailer during the time the fish aren't biting, bring the load home and return to the campsite. We let the quads do the bulk of the work and I will have fun getting pictures of our process!

Whats even nicer is the fact that I get to shower each time we bring a load in! A washcloth bath only goes so far! ~smile~

Mini Challenges

First I really need to remember to replace the battery in that wall clock, it was actually 11:30pm and I was trying to get one more quilt loaded so it would be ready to go when I got up in the morning.

When I get stuck on trying to find the right design or thread color I call in the troops for a random poll, they all come in and give their opinion and why they chose what they did, it was Chad's turn and I liked all the points he made on color and design so I went with it!

Here we are at six am, the boys had to be up to head to Lake Havasu to help move our Pastor's Son and his family back to Kingman, they just bought a house and are super excited to have a permanent location! They were actually thrilled~ the boys that is~ because originally the pick up time was four am but the moving van company didn't open until eight. Bunny trail......................

Before starting on any quilt I always like to do a little doodling to make sure everything is groovy, well it wasn't, underneath was just horrid! Changed the needle, no change, re-threaded, no change, turned the tension dial both ways and still nothing. Finally had the thought to change out the bobbin and eureka! all is well once again. Just did the first pass and will get 'er done.

I need to make a note and post it on the Beast to always check the bobbin first before messing with the dials because this machine is just awesome in the way it's stitch is always right on for me no matter what thread I am using!

I remember the day when there was always a toddler at my feet at every turn every day for a good 18 years of my life and I dreamed of what it would be like when the day came I good turn freely this-a-way or that-a-way and not be hindered. When it finally became a reality it was a blessed time, then we got Mandi, I am trying to work and I keep jamming my toes up her nose but she won't budge. Gotta love her!

Here is my score for the week, a gal at Guild who takes care of the library has been going through preparing for the annual sale in September, any book that hasn't been checked out for two years goes into the pile. Went back to talk to her and noticed this one, hadn't before and was wanting to "check" it out but she goes give me 2 bucks for it and it's outta here! Didn't have to tell me twice! I did take a moment to do a quick looksy in the pile and there will be some nice books for just a buck or two, will definately be there early that morning!

And for the grande final, these are just some of the blocks I have been trying to get back to, it is the half log cabin block and we were suppose to have distinct dark and light colors but found my stash is lacking in that department so I had to go through and reevaluate my colors to make it work, haven't taken an updated photo of those yet, I did break down and buy a few lights to be able to hopefully do the fool the eye thing. Overall I love the colors anyway so will be happy with it however it comes out.

The fabrics I chose from were from a couple years worth of Jan Patek's fat quarter fabric club, wanted to use what I had for it. Actually I now recall that there were some lights in the packs I could have used but didn't like them, I am a tried and true medium and dark gal! They did end up being used...............

The Sticker Monster!

Blake in all his glory!

176 Minutes & 52 Seconds

We sometimes watch shows that Veoh have available and Saturday night we chose House, well midway during the show a black screen with the words you have been attacked appeared, needless to say that poor CPU unit was out in the desert being shot up with a shotgun. Any excuse to go shooting.................

I was confident that our Itunes was safely backed up through Frontier's Peace of Mind program that I signed up for last summer. So when I went to retrieve that and the pictures that were on that system I had problems and it being a holiday weekend it had to wait until Tuesday but I had no opportunity until Wednesday afternoon.

Sadly they could not find our file, we have paid for it but it wasn't properly set up so all is lost, the kids are bummed because 4 years of music is gone.

But during that 176 minutes I couldn't just sit still so pieced 3 backings, pinned in one of them onto the Beast, of course they were on the small side but still a major accomplishment for that time.

Then I seen this quilt sitting off to the side, two borders were already on it and a third was ready to go while the fourth just required 3 or so seams, so I did that next, but as I was putting on that fourth border something just wasn't feeling right!

I put it on up side down! So I removed it and did it right!

Even took the photos while holding the phone to my ear, and as the
software was downloading they transferred me over to customer service to see about getting a refund for the almost year of paying for the backup that I should have been getting, I was working my way towards that but the Manager the gal was working with had already submitted paperwork on my behalf so was very pleased with that!

Still not done so was getting a little snack, and meant to take a shot before the sticker peeling monster aka Blake got ahold of it because these little goodies are absolutely delicious!! Danna's Husband is Hawaiian and his brother sends them things from home that aren't found here, and especially not found here in Kingman!!

Now back to Blake, I found the jar label less, as I was setting it up to take a shot, Blake showed up at just that moment and the look on my face must have been a clue to him because out of his grubby little hand he unrolled the label and stuck it on as best as he could!

Priceless, I have no idea what the fascination is with sticky stuff, but we go to get something particular from the pantry only to find the label gone, and guessing as to which can could be what were looking for! When he was 3 or 4 when vhs was still popular he took off every sticker that identified what movie it was! Scottie went through and put on each one to relabel and there was a good 75+ movies in the collection, threatened those blue eyes and before the year was out they were off again!

I was very thankful when dvd's came along!! ~smile~I have a picture of the bugger but blogger won't let me upload it!

And just for some show and tell here is another QOV.

The End~

While working on this quilt it required a whole lot of inspiration~

That's where these fit in! Found the simplest recipe for chocolate syrup that is just too good!

1/3rd cup heavy whipping cream

1bag semi sweet choco chips

1tablespoon coffee

1 tablespoon honey

Melt the chips in the cream then add coffee and honey. Absolutely divine!!

So here is the finished quilt, taken off the frame about twenty minutes ago, I had plenty of doubting going on but now that I can see it all I am just tickled with the results.

I am not sure of the full story but the cruxt is a great grandma was making it for her first great grand child and died before it could be completed, I don't know any of the time frame but will find out tomorrow at Guild when I take it to deliver!

Just little stuff~

This guy just doesn't want to stay where he belongs! He has found every weak spot on his tank, we have tried to find a lid that would snap down but the size of the tank isn't a standard one apparently, it was gifted to us and we now know why! ~smile~ hmmm, I know that worn spot is from the chair rubbing but it also looks like this shot was taken before the spring cleaning event we held not long ago!

And these two shots are just of our local woodpecker, I get a kick out of watching him gather the seeds and fly next door to store it.

These are a couple more for Project Linus, I love this panto! I practiced it on this one before trying it on a twin size basket quilt, the pictures for that is on the other computer and I need to figure out how to make that transaction.

I am currently working on a quilt that is custom and it just is not my thing! I look forward to the challenge but boy it is a stresser until I unpin it! My friend Danna is just one amazing Longarm Quilter and I would love to have just a pinkies worth of her talent!!

In the mean time I will go dip some strawberries in chocolate to work away the tension!

Family Fun

Our local Game and Fish had a shooting event that we took the boys too, here they are having the rules outlined and it I just got a kick out of seeing them lined up! They provided all the 22's and they had an unlimited bullets for each station.

This was a fun one! Dad Levia and I challenged the boys and we won!!

Even though these were for beginners they had fun and each won a hat! Don't know where the shots are of them shooting the shotguns at the clay pigeons, needless to go on about them being signed up for the club that starts up again in September! Watching William shooting was just to cute!

The following are just some fun shots of a Project Linus Quilt that I was asked to do, there are some more but need to find them!

I did find the thingy to be able to download the photos, usb cable I guess it would be called. Daughter downloaded onto the other computer and failed to put it back where it belongs. Thankfully she was still home to be able to ask!

Wow!

Is about all I can say! This year is just going by way so fast, a lot has been happening regularly and hopefully with some time and patience I will get all caught up.

I definately need to find my doo-daddy to be able to download the zillion and one pictures I have taken!

And a special thank you to the gals who have sent private messages asking about me, it amazes me how a note can touch the soul and they did just that! Now for the hunt!