Trick or Treating for 20 Years

You look at the title of this post and laugh...but I'm telling you, it's true! I'm sure there are plenty of others who could beat me on this. And I'm not really complaining as just not wanting to get out there with a heel spur. Don't believe me? Let's do the math:

1. Beth goes Trick or Treating at age 3 until age 12. 9 years
2. Beth has first son, The (now) Legal Adult in 1985. He goes Trick or treating (with Mom taking him) for approximately the same amount of time. Age 3 to age 12. 9 years.
3. Beth has second son (The Rock Star) in 1995. He actually started at 6 months! 11.6 years.
The Rock Star as the Grim Reaper for the second year in a row. He went out with his buds, they were ALL grim reapers!









4. Beth has third (and final!) son in 2003. He started three years ago.
3 years.
Here's the black spiderman and the island princess. Her first trick or treat, his third. He just didn't want to leave the mask on.

I was totally off the hook this year as the Rock Star went elsewhere with his buds, and Hunnybunny took the cutest little couple here.

Where I've been is probably not as important as where I am going....

Well, hello friends, neighbors, and some family that lurks occasionally. You're thinking, "Where 'ya been, Beth?" And it's true, I've not posted a blooming thing since the 5Th of October. So in keeping with my personality trait of making excuses, allow me to run down the list of what I've been up to:

1. I went to Chattanooga last weekend. Left on Friday night after the last child went home and came back Sunday afternoon. One of my oldest (literally!) friends is dying in the hospital and I went to see him, perhaps for the last time. He didn't know me, so I told him I was an old girlfriend...which was mostly true. His wife passed some years ago, and I've always doted on him. I think it's okay because he's 95. Pray for "Papa" as he is in a lot of pain.

2. Managed successfully to get sick.....AGAIN! Maybe I just never got completely well.

3. Helped the Legal Adult get situated. He got a new job and needed help with the details, like finding the place, etc. He's been coming by alot more lately, hunger will do that to you. Even force you to spend time with family. I think he's going to be okay if I can just let go.






4. Finished the Quilt of Valor quilt top, (and actually put it in the mail) but you already knew that.











5. Got to see two of my best friends on the planet last week in between visits to the hospital to see "Papa". Martha, who got me started quilting was having a major cleaning spree and look what I got!


Is it Christmas for quilters, or what??? And yes, I've not put them down. Nancy Crow's "Gradations" was really cool








6. I made a mole for Mole Day. If you have a high schooler in chemistry, you will want to read this. But if not, just know I made a stuffed rodent for a young man's science project.




7. And you'll never believe it....I joined a gym! As cheap as I am, I still don't believe it. But after weighing the pros and cons, I decided that I would less likely miss time at the gym because I paid for it. This one is really nice, too. I've been walking on the treadmill, biking, and they have swimming lanes, so that's been really cool. Part of my problem lately is not making time for myself. I babysit approximately 12 hours a day, (all staggered times, mind you) my own son included. It tends to be a little nerve-racking. But I find a walk or swim is just the ticket. Besides, as goal oriented as I am, it's cool to watch the numbers and try to improve them. And don't take this the wrong way, but it's not a meatmarket the way it was back in the late 80's when I went. Plenty of fat people, just like me, so I'm not singled out. I really like that I can be "anonymous".

Editor's Note: Of course, exactly how anonymous can you be as a fat person?

Giveaway at Lara Berch's blog!

Dubiquilts turned me on to this site: Lara Berch Tutorials. She's having a really cool giveaway, so go see her.

For Grandma Hunnybunny

I have been remiss in posting new pictures of the Pickle. My dear mother-in-law, Grandma Hunnybunny, actually GOES to the library to read my blog and see pictures of her grandson. So, I apologize, and here you go:




Here are his buds, the Diva, (in her princess outfit) The Amazing Jo-Jo, and of course, Spiderman himself.

WIP Wednesday: Quilt of Valor (top, at least) ready to mail

Hello, y'all....

I'd bore you with the crazy details of why it's taken me so long to do this quilt top, but let's just say I found a few more of my quilting weaknesses. So without further adio, I give you a Quilt of Valor quilt top.This was a quilt kit from the Quilt of Valor Foundation.


Here's a link to our friend, Quiltfrenzy's webpage for directions. It's called a Faux Log cabin, and had the piecer read her directions, I'm sure it would have turned out better.






But to quote Hunnybunny,"It is what it is...."...(How profound!)





I also won a eBay auction for some quilting software last week! I rarely EVER win, I usually just get the Buy It Now option. But I saw this Quilt Design Wizard, made by The Electric Quilt Company, so I thought I'd at least try it. I'm sure I'll go up to the EQ6, but this will tide me over.