Top Ten Reasons I felt like the Grinch this Christmas

This isn't really like me, but this year, I have really NOT been a Christmassy type person. Here are my top ten reasons I felt like the Grinch:

10. I just wanted to hang out in my cave, (or sewing room!) and not get around people at all.

9. I have tried to get my ducks in a row over the whole school thing. Do I go? Is this what I want, or what God wants? Am I going to be able to keep up with classes, work, home, and church? I have been officially accepted, now I just have to get my classes in January. They are making me wait because I am considered a transfer student. So, it looks like I'm going.

8. Our family has been going through some major changes, basically, the cast of characters. Hollywood is set on moving in with his dad down in Tennessee, (AGAIN!) but he wanted to do it mid-year instead of waiting until the school year ends in later May. I've not received any input from He Who Will Not Be Named, (ex-husband), except to wonder why it isn't easy getting things changed around. He's not offering to make phone calls (gee, he lives down there, how hard could it be?) or getting any information. Ultimately, if it doesn't work out, I will be the one to blame as far as Hollywood is concerned.

7. Hunnybunny was up and down the road for a large bid and it did finally close just before Christmas. As a result, he was pretty exhausted.

6. We did, finally, get brave enough to put up a tree. Fiona only toppled the tree once, and ate several ornaments off of it. They were stuffed ornaments, less you report me to the A.S.P.C.A.

5. We had to drive south to drop off Hollywood for Christmas with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. I hate it when my whole family isn't together for Christmas, but I can't be selfish either as much as I'd like.

4. I tried to make my mother's Christmas candy recipe and it majorly flopped. It tasted like it was supposed to, but it sure was ugly. She's not with us anymore to ask what I did wrong.

3. The economy. It reeks when you have to watch EVERY penny, even at the most giving time of the year. I'm one of those people who feels guilty if they don't put something in the Salvation Army kettle every time you see one. The Dyl Pickle believes I'm supposed to put something in as well, and reminded me right in front of the guy or girl.

2. I had two quilt projects that I was trying to get done for presents. I did finish the purse, but not the Beatles quilt.

1. I didn't actually start shopping until the 21st.

Welcome, Snuggles!

Time flies, here's the new baby I keep, who is celebrating 3 months of life this week. I think I've decided on an internet name for him: "Snuggles". Corny, I know, but that's what he is. He's probably the first baby I've ever seen who enjoys snuggling this young. And he is a doll. Eats good, laughs, sleeps pretty well, and is thinking about rolling over. Idgy (his 2 year old big brother) loves him, and Snuggles watches every moves he makes. It's been hard on Idgy after having Dyl Pickle, Jo-Jo, and Diva all summer to just having me and the baby. We aren't near as much fun, apparently.

Speaking of The Pickle, he's doing rather well in first grade. We just finished a round of the flu in this house. Poor Pickle just couldn't seem to get better, but he did recover. He's been reading alot, and I'm liking that very much. Halloween will be spent with Jo-Jo, Diva, Idgy and cousins going around trick or treating. It will be hilarious watching Idgy knock on doors for the first time. Pictures to come later.
Grandma Hunnybunny and Great Aunt Hunnybunny may be making their way north for Thanksgiving. So that means I got make with the bird this year. No worries: Diva's mama gave me her Martha Stewart turkey recipe from last year! It literally melted in our mouths.
I'm still working on the "Lucy in the Sky" quilt for the Legal Adult. What you see to your left are the piano key borders I'm making out of the scraps. I was going to slap some border on it and call it done. But, too much left over fabric made me feel guilty, so I decided to piece one.
Still have so much to do on this. One block at a time.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I got accepted into school this week in the Allied Health division! I can't declare the whole Nursing major until I complete my CNA and retake the ACT. My scores in math, back in the day, were pretty bad. I'm hoping the almost 30 years that have passed since I took it will play in my favor this time. However, I am getting a study guide and a math tutor!

Okay, I admit that I'm ready for them to go back....

(*Editor's Note* I apologize for writing this post in such a way as to leave the reader wondering about me being pregnant. This factory was shut down in 2003 after the birth of the Dyl Pickle. I've made the changes below. Thanks for reading!
Beth)

but to be fair, I'll tell you that this summer has been an absolute BLUR! Lots of packing, unpacking, painting, sewing, cooking, playing, etc. have gone on. I've seen more (preschool) drama than daytime soaps. I've learned more about garment sewing than I ever thought possible. I missed my kid so much more than I can say.

The following are headed for kindergarten: Jo-Jo and the Diva. It doesn't seem possible, but they are leaving me. However, Baby Idgy (Jo-Jo's baby brother), isn't quite the baby anymore and turned 2 already. I started keeping Jo-Jo so Pickle could have a friend, and we could have a little extra breathing room financially. Jo-Jo and Idgy are about to welcome another addition to their family coming sometime eminently. I am excited to be caring for such a tiny one again! It's been at least six years! :) The Pickle starts first grade while Hollywood starts HIGH SCHOOL! She Who Must Be Obeyed is being cared for by her 15 year old sister now, so itll just be me, Idgy, and the baby to be nicknamed later.

That's probably the hardest part of being involved with kids: you certainly get attached. And I believe they do, too. It'll be hard letting them go, but I can't wait to see how they turn out.

Surprise, Valentine!

I haven't figured out if I'm a softie, or just plain insane. You be my jury:
Hunnybunny and I had been watching the dog show on the USA network last week when I finally said the words,
"If you were going to have a dog, what breed would you pick?"
"Retriever, like a Labrador or a Golden Retriever. They're really good with kids."

I offhandedly told this to my buddy, Jane, (who has the most wonderful Golden Retriever). The woman has the most incredible memory of anyone I've ever met. She and her son were at the store when she heard that someone had a 10-week-old, black Labrador retriever pup that they wanted to give to a good home. And she, of course, thought of me.

My first thought: "Oh, no. Now I have to back this up. I told him we could get a dog."
So, Jane, and her family went with me to meet this family that had this puppy. It was a small, two room house, and the owners knew this arrangement wasn't going to work out logistically. The dog wouldn't have room, they didn't have a back yard, and a new baby was coming on the scene. With two cats already in the house, I was wondering what exactly they were thinking!
I watched the little 7 year old girl as she held on to that big puppy. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. This was the last thing she wanted to do. Thankfully, Hollywood, The Pickle and The Diva had come along. So maybe seeing I had kids made it a little better for her. The family had named her "B.B.". That stood for "Butterball". And she definitely had roly-poly tummy.
"I will at least leave her middle name B.B. Is that okay?" And she shook her sad little head.
The ride from their house to mine was somewhat comical as this puppy had obviously never been in a moving car before. She managed to pry away from Hollywood and get herself in the back window.
Hunnybunny was coming in from Indy from his usual monthly business trip and Jane's family waited with us to surprise him. I wasn't sure he'd love her immediately. But he did, as you can see from these photos. That's what made it worthwhile....that sweet look on his face. Here was something, besides his family, that he's always dreamed of having.
Oh, you know what happens next, right? Carpet cleaner, walking her, and apparently I'm her new chew toy. She has been sleeping with Hollywood, and he just loves her to death.
And no, we didn't leave her first name as "B.B.". After exhausting the laundry list of acceptable names, Hunnybunny settled on yet another Irish name: Fiona.
Named after that beautiful brunette on Burn Notice. We call her "Fi" for short. And she seems to like it, and us.

Pink Panther 2 addicts another generation

Okay, let me be as clear as I can about this: I utterly HATE slapstick. My sweet Hunnybunny adores it, as most men do. The ads for Pink Panther 2 were popping up on Nickledeon and therefore, seen by the under 6 crowd at my house. When your five year old can do the whole "hamburger" shtick from a movie that isn't even out yet, you know you've lost. You're going to yet another movie that you didn't pick out. But you think you can stall. "We don't have to go on opening night. Surely to goodness we can wait until the reviews are out." But then you don't' know my husband. He had it all planned out and used two little co-conspirators. Hunnybunny briefly mentions that we MIGHT be going this evening, that is, provided MOM is on board with it. Oh, yeah, let's just make MOM the bad guy. You have to give the guy kudos, he knew how to work the room.
Of course I said yes. Two sets of big blue eyes looking at me, hopeful, I didn't stand a chance.
And it is funny, in that warped, man-joke kind of way. I'm sure this movie will be on the top of the weekend ratings as next week the men will (or should!) fork over the choice of the movie to their sweethearts for Valentine's Day. Diva and Pickle were mesmerized by the antics of Steve Martin. It's nice to know that in this age of worrying about what are kids watch, Steve is always around to do what he does best. Make us laugh without being crass or inappropriate. Well, at least the last couple of years it's been that way. (Cheaper By the Dozen,The Pink Panther)
I was thrown a bone....there was some eye candy for me, Andy Garcia. He just ages with fine wine. I wouldn't give it a major thumbs up from me, as I'm not a slapstick kinda gal, but according to my family, it's THUMBS UP!

Kids, Colds, Quilts, and the Winds of Change

Did you miss me? Well, I stayed away from the keyboard to avoid transferring any cold germs. I keep getting the hacking back, but no fever. Sorry I'm whining. I just don't have time for this.

Halloween was fun as the Pickle and his pals went trick or treating together. The Diva was a different princess this year, Sleeping Beauty, and it was my first time doing little girl hair. The Pickle turned into Batman this year, even though his whole room is Spiderman.

Another reason you've not seen me around is that I'm running out of time on "Stars Fell on Alabama" if I intend to get it quilted before we go to Florida for the holidays. Unfortunately, "Stars" has a ton of white on white. Ever tried to stitch in the ditch when the quilt is white on white? I was/am completely "snow blind". Don't laugh too hard at my solution. Blue painter's tape. Yep. I needed to see where the edge was, so that's what I've been doing. I'm sure there was an easier way, but you know me. A friend told me to use the tailor's chalk, but I still couldn't see it.

I found out that I really should be wearing glasses. It reeks to get old, doesn't it? But I already knew that I should be wearing them. It was 2000 when I got my Rx changed last. I've been getting by with readers from Walmart. But I'm cheap when it comes to anything but fabric. So paying through the nose for frames just didn't appeal to me. I found this site. This guy had enough of paying allot for specs so he created this site to deal with it. My eye doctor is young. When I told her that I intended to fill my Rx online, she actually told me what numbers to put in! Some of the sites actually talk you through your Rx so you can make heads or tales of it. I got a single vision Rx, lens included, for $25! I'll let you know how it works out. There is a 2 week waiting period.

In the meantime, the world theater has changed allot, hasn't it? We have a new President and he seems eager to hit the ground running. This is not a political blog, nor has it ever been. But I will say that I have committed to praying for the President-Elect and his cabinet everyday. Especially in light of the fact he hasn't even had time to grieve for his grandmother yet. That has to be hard.
Hope you all are doing well. I'll be around to see you!

In search of the Great Pumpkin

I spent many an hour waiting for this to come on CBS when I was young. "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" was probably the coolest thing I had ever seen. Linus always did march to the beat of a different drummer, and maybe that's where I relate.
In all the years that followed, I never made it to a pumpkin patch. The Diva's mother invited The Pickle and I to go and it made for a great outing! Of course, we picked the worst possible weekend to go as the infamous Court Days were going on in the middle of town. But with the help of a local judge, (Diva's mother had interviewed him) we found our way to Two Sisters Pumpkin Patch in Mt. Sterling, KY. (Sorry the link is so pitiful. You actually have to scroll down and search for Two Sisters just to find the address and phone number. I told the owners it would be easier if they had a web page!)
They just made it through the corn maze. I barely did, by the way.

The hayride was a big hit! It had been years for me, and a first for the kids.

And there was pumpkin painting. Diva loved this part.
A pickle in a cornfield! He loved trying to hide from us.
And the old married couple themselves. The way they quibble, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they ended up together. There was also a petting zoo of sorts and they got to pet goats and mules.
More pictures to the right on flickr.com.

Two Generations Share the Space

Here you have Exhibit A of my Friday: The Pickle, The Diva, and Easter all playing dress up. The Diva is Sleeping Beauty, Easter is getting married, but not to the Pickle. He was really hurt, but I tried explaining that he didn't need to pick a bride at 5.

Exhibit B: The Middle Son, (who is in the middle of this picture) had a sleep over Thursday night, so they were still all here. Mind you, I don't have very much room in this house. The Teens were watching the antics of youtube on the computer in the kitchen, while the little ones were dancing around them in costume. The funny part? Each group didn't seem to bother the other. They just went about their business. I guess that's what I love most about kids, they adapt to whatever environment they are in.
I had to show how The Diva and Easter kept switching dresses. Seeing Diva in a wedding dress might have proven to be too much for her Papa. Both are such dolls!

Here's my favorite pic of the day: Easter in the wedding dress. In 20+ years, this picture may become a reality for her folks. Isn't she a picture?

The Dark Knight

Well, you knew I was going, didn't you? I mean, the whole free world went, according to box office totals. We opted for the Saturday night show. Again, we went with Diva's parents, same babysitter, out to eat later...your basic parent's night out.

Here's the scoop I didn't know: he actually appeared in the movie without The Joker makeup. I guess I never noticed the scars under the red paint.
The story of how he got them changed every time he was about to off someone. That's about it on origins, though. I think two of the best lines were, "I'm like a dog chasing a parked car. I wouldn't know what to do with it if I had it!" and talking to Batman, "You complete me."

Heath Ledger did a great job. The story has enough subplots to keep you busy. It's a shame the guy isn't around for his kudos. He certainly deserved them.

My own personal "Bucket List"

Okay, time to fess up. It was my birthday this past Saturday, and while it's not a milestone, it's definitely a fork in the road kinda thing. Simply put, I'm considered "middle-aged" today. Okay, I know I could have started that clock ticking at 40, but I was too busy having a baby. I was lucky to have my best friend, Robin, and her girls, visiting me last week. The estrogen level reached new heights around here. Robin wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday, and of course, it was something to do with sewing.(BTW: hourglass was curtesy of Steve at Square Goldfish.



This is the book I picked. Mind you, all I have ever done is quilting. Oh, the occasional button, but not a skirt, or shirt, or even a crummy pillow. What I like about this book is that she's passionate about what she does. For me, that's everything. If you aren't passionate about quilting, or sewing, or even knitting and crocheting, WHY would you spend the time to learn??? Anyway, I've got a shirt cut out. Robin helped me pick out a pattern.

I picked up some cotton knit at the remnant part of Joann's, so we shall see how it turns out. Hunnybunny groaned when he saw the book. "Don't you have enough unfinished projects around the house now?" Apparently not.
The Diva's mom and dad gave me a gift certificate to Barnes and Nobles and one for Joann's. Way cool! So I got me some fabric, notions, and this book by Karen Combs that I've been coveting. Jericho and She Who Must Be Obeyed gave me some money, and made me a birthday cake! So much for going to Weightwatchers this week! Hunnybunny got me an Eeyore watch and Pickle got me a teddy bear. I heard from college friends, local friends, and even my exhusband on my birthday, so I think it was pretty great.

No, I've not seen the movie. But I like the concept. So, here's my own personal "Bucket List":

1. See at least one kid graduate high school, preferably college.
2. Make at least one outfit with a pattern. (Well, I'm working on that one.)
3. Enter at least 3 quilt contests. If you enter, they critique and let you know how to get better.
4. Go back to Savannah, Georgia to FINISH the honeymoon. The wedding virus hit Hunnybunny, and we couldn't stay.
5. Live in a house with a finished basement to throw children and their friends in.
6. See the Pacific Ocean.
7. Ride the Beast at King's Island.
8. Read Gone with the Wind.
9. Read through the entire Bible.
10. Lose at least 40 lbs.
11. Ride in a convertible.
12. Camping in Colorado or some mountainous range.
13. Take a walk through a rainstorm with Hunnybunny.

Well, there's a few, anyway.

I wanna soak up the sun...

or so sings Cheryl Crow. But I didn't soak it up. I let The Pickle and his pals do it for me. Please excuse the 'creative' editing. He is having the time of his life.
Here he is with the Diva and She Who Must Be Obeyed. A slip n' slide isn't a bad investment for the hot summer days.
I have enjoyed this summer so far because I know it will be my last before he starts school. Look at him, not a care in the world.
The only major drawback is that he thinks we have to do this EVERYDAY. Only one of them is tan enough that she doesn't get scorched after 20 minutes.
Many thanks to Jericho without whose help this summer, I would be lost.