Is it true that long-distance relationships can work out?

Because I'm about to find out. My 22 year old baby is moving to Arizona.Sorry I've not been a good blogger since we've come back from vacation. We ended up going from Kentucky, to Nashville, down to Tallahassee, across the state to Jacksonville, and then up to Nashville, and finally back to Kentucky. Total mileage on this trip was 1808 miles!

In between recuping from the trip, I've heard from the Legal Adult. He's leaving. He went to Phoenix about 4 years ago and now he's going back. It's just hard to let them go sometimes. I'm driving him to the Louisville Airport tomorrow, and he connects in Philly. Then, straight through to Phoenix.

I know it's time. He kinda followed me up here from Tennessee and always loved it out west. Think of me tomorrow....I'll most likely be sad.

Just a little of this and that

Well, to appease the mother-in-law in my life, Here are a few kiddo shots from her favorite little man:
He played so hard that day with the Diva that they just gave out!
This is a self-portrait...stole Mommy's camera and took a bunch of "interesting" pictures.

What can I say about this one? He looks so perfect...and thankfully, peaceful!

We are headed for the panhandle for the first time since.....well, I deleted the old blog, so I can't remember. But, it's been over a year. We're driving outside of Nashville first, spend the night and drop off the Rock Star to see his daddy-o for the holiday. Then, we'll head toward Tallahassee from there. It's a lot easier breaking up the trip.In sewing and quilting news, I think my obsession has driven my Hunnybunny nuts. With two kids, (and at times during the school year, 7 kids, and only 1100 square feet, some of my stuff is getting to be, well, messy. With that in mind, I made a crucial decision: one of my machines had to go. I have 4 and can't possibly use them the way someone with only one could. So, I'm parting with the first of my collection: my Singer 201. This was the one I found at Goodwill that started it all. I bought a power cord for it and a cheap cabinet to house it in. I think my friend, Lake, could use a little sunshine that only a sewing machine can give. She has an old Kenmore, but really wanted one of these old Singer's. I still have my 15-91, and 99K. The only thing I'm really going to miss about this machine is that huge space between the needle and base. Lots of room for rolling up your quilt there.

She's a dear friend, and we worked on that very LOUD quilt, "Proud Mama", that you see here.

I'm sort of in a sewing "slump". It's not that I don't have anything to work on, it's simply that I don't find myself motivated to finish anything. Ever get like that?

So,I submit to you my new project: a hobo bag!

Remember that cool Jacobean Rhapsody fabric I bought at Paducah over a year ago? Well, this is it. I was pretty nervous cutting it.
You have to click on this and really blow it up, but I'm trying to embellish it before I sew it together. So, now you can see why I'm trying to give Hunnybunny less to complain about. The beading stuff will certainly drive him the rest of the way nuts!

And last, but certainly not least, my buddy Jane Ann, over at The Jettstream, inspired me to create a cutting table out of a former micro-wave table!I noticed this old, rickety micro-wave table in the garage of one of the kids I keep so I asked what they wanted for it. 0! Gotta love 'em!
A few dry board wood screws later....TA-DA! It's sturdy! Thanks for the inspiration, Jane Ann! Go and visit...she's chalked full of great ideas!

Getting Tagged by Quilt Mommy Quilts

What a nice lady Valerie is over at Quilt Mommy Quilts! She tagged me for a meme...so here you go, Valerie!
1. When did you start to create and make crafts? Okay, don't laugh, but I actually didn't start until I moved away from Tennessee. Not having friends, family or a life will do that to you. I had been trying to learn quilting from my friend Martha before I left..like for 10 years! But never got adventurous enough to purchase my own machine. Simply Quilts changed all that as I watched it everyday and here was Jinny Beyer, hand piecing! So to truly answer that question, 2004.
2. Why did you start creating? I had seen what others could do and wanted to be in their club, so to speak. I've always loved fabric, it was just time to do something with it.
3. Why do you create? It's who I am, I think. My sons are artistic, but that's from their dad. I kind of paint with fabric.

4. What do you create? Mostly lap quilts.

5. Has this changed since you began crafting? Yeah, the whole artistic quilt thing has really changed.

I'm thinking a 12 step group might help with my current obsession.

Maybe a group like, "Antique Sewing Machine Collectors Anonymous. First step: We admitted we were powerless over buying antique sewing machines, that our lives had become unmanageable.

This is a 1956 Singer 99K. It was made in the Singer factory in Scotland. So, I guess between the other machines, my Singer 15-91 is from Canada, my (new)Pfaff Hobby (I think they are discontinued now) was made in Germany, and my Singer 201, (made in the good ole US of A), you could say I'm an international quilter. Nah....I'm just a sucker for beautiful, old machines. You should have seen Hunnybunny's face when the postman rang the bell with this huge package. This is my answer to getting a portable machine.!

I was really too cheap to get the 221 Featherweight. They start at about $250. See, I won this on Ebay. I was one of two bidders. Guess what the winning bid was? $30
It came complete with case.

I don't ever think I've been this tired....

have you?? Poor baby, too tired to finish his icecream. He had quite a day!

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.

Top Ten Things You Wish My Pastor Would Tell Our Husbands

M.I.A. (Mother in Agony). Actually, it means "missing in action", but that doesn't fit either. Regardless, I have to keep things going around here. Oh, it's just a head cold, but I hate taking antihistamine for it. I'll live, but it doesn't feel that way. Anyway, that's not why I've gathered you all together.


My pastor, Jon Weece, has opened the floor for ladies to tell him what they wish Jon would relate to our husbands. And vice versa. So, I give you

My top ten list of things I wish he would address from the pulpit:

10. Playing the old, "I'm a guy" routine will not make brownie points. You are far too intelligent to use that one.

9. Expecting a parade whenever you clean the kitchen isn't cool, either. Women do that all the time and we usually don't get recognized for it. Oh, wait, we set it up, didn't we? In potty training, you make a big deal out of every effort, so maybe that's where they get it.

8. Ice cream is not a food group. It falls into one, but seriously, we could live without it.

7. Neither is BBQ.

6. Doing taxes ON THE 15Th online is probably a bad idea. Getting mad at the computer won't help, it's most likely bottle-necked from the rest of America trying to file.
5. A Porshe is NOT a family car.

4. Politics is not a taboo subject, but don't think I'm crazy when I have opinions of my own about YOUR chosen party.

3. I honestly don't feel the need to consult Web MD every time our kids get the sniffles. But I'm happy you are so attentive to our kids.

2. Buying my Christmas, birthday or Valentine's Day present the DAY OF is not showing me you thought about me, (especially when you know the date of each Sci-Fi premiere) and the dates in question are locked in.

1. I will never get excited over Halo, paintball, or car shows, but I love you, anyway.

Feel free to leave comments on what you like Pastor Jon to say and I'll pass it on.

Laurel Burch - December 31, 1945 - September 13, 2007

Laurel Burch passed away from
osteopetrosis. I never knew you could actually DIE from it, I just thought it made your bones brittle.

I honestly can't believe it...my first quilt was done in her fabrics.

She is going to be missed.
I don't usually post anything from You tube, but here's a link for a video from a recent interview.

Enter the Matrix

Ever since that crazy movie came out, I've been entertaining a thought: wouldn't a Matrix quilt be cool? But I had trouble finding text material. So, I put my design on the back burner.

Well, good ole Bear Paw Quilt Company is carrying this computer fabric. So, I guess after my Quilt of Valor is in the mail, I'll start planning that again.


In case you were wondering how that's going, here's a preview:



I still have to sew the blocks together, but at least they're all finished. I was hoping to have this in the mail this week, but family obligations and disasters have been going on.

Why Animals Eat Their Young

Dateline: Friday night.

With Hunnybunny attending a going away party, the boys and I headed out for dinner. After sticker-shock from Ryan's, we settled on the cheap for Cici's Pizza. As usual, the Legal Adult was checking out the ladies, especially a girl sitting just in front of him with her date.

" There's only two reasons why that hot lookin' chick is with THAT guy!" He surmised.

I, of course, am always intrigued with his logic. "I'll bite...why?"

"She's either on a blind date or was hurt by a really hot guy so she's settling for second best."

Exhibit B (A.K.A. The Rock Star) pipes up,

"Oh, you mean like Dad did?"

Swish......

Dateline: Saturday Evening. Hunnybunny grills out steak for supper. The Legal Adult is in attendance with his ten loads of laundry that he's doing. We are about to say the blessing when the Rock Star makes his random comment:

"So, Mom, have you called Jenny yet?"
The actual funny part? I took his family to task when they were telling him he had gained weight....and I've had a weight problem most of my adult life. But I guess now he's getting embarrassed by it. It hurt, but did inspire me to continue losing.

How clean is your house? Couldn't help my studio...

I don't want these chicks visiting my house. Have you seen this show,
How Clean is Your House?"? Well, Dish network lets you preview a channel for a month in hopes that you'll upgrade your TV package. This month, I've been watching the BBC. Most of it isn't my thing, but these ladies are a scream. I saw them on Lifetime for awhile, but they've not been back. I think it's the whole corporate thing because they use things around the house to clean with instead of store bought products. It does amaze me the houses they go into. Most of the time, it's houses that haven't been touched in a number of years.

I think my 'studio' of sorts embarrasses Hunnybunny. You know, the tablecloth on the wall with various and sundry blocks and borders. Then there's the whole fabric everywhere in our bedroom thing, along with my thread, needle, and now sewing machine collections. He's really been a good sport about it all. I try to keep it organized, but I still fall short.
Still working on my Quilt of Valor. It had some issues (operator error type issues)that Debra helped me with over the phone. That was kind of cool....now when I read her blog, it's like I can hear her voice. No picture of my mess today. I don't want the quilt police to make a house call.

Parenting three generations

I know, I know....I brought it on myself. Having kids every ten years or so was probably not the smartest thing I've ever done, that is, NERVE-WISE. All I can say is that God Almighty has a great sense of humor. Let's take Exhibit A, the Legal Adult. I never have to take pictures of him now that he's grown. All I have to do is download the ones he took of himself with my digital camera. There's always 3 or 4. And he does such a good job, maybe photography should've been his thing. Lately, it's been hard being on the sidelines. While most guys his age are becoming more independent, it's not the case here. So many things I wanted to teach him, and now he's a grown man. I want be close to him without appearing to be the nagging mother. So, needless to say, I'm looking for new ways to communicate that validate him. He's a smart guy, just made some bone-head choices, like we all did at that age. I wish he knew how proud I am of the things he has accomplished in spite of setbacks. Telling him doesn't seem to work, so I guess after all these years I don't know my son's love language. Looks like I'll be heading to the library.
Exhibit B- The Rock Star. Puberty, girls, growing pains, acne, "You-hate-me" conversations...this pretty much sums up middleschoolers, so I guess I'm on track with all that. Fortunately for me he has an outlet in his art and music so the angst hasn't gotten the better of him....or me. He's a good student, just trying to figure out girls, and what makes the world go 'round.




And last but not least, Exhibit C....the Dyl Pickle.

I don't know if I have any words for this except, "Lord, give me strength!" Rambunctious, tenacious, hard-headed, determined, fun-loving, and mind-boggling. He will argue about the fact the letter you showed him was "A 'K', Mommy, not an "R"!" but can read words like 'ordinary' on the computer. Pickle can slip a disc in a drive and prompt the right program to make it work. He knows how to work the dvd player to a fault. And yes, that's an X-Box (with the Spiderman game playing) that he's doing in the picture. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
All of them wonderful, and I feel like I am so inadequate to parent them sometimes. It's getting harder and harder to switch to the right generation gear at the right time. But God will get me through this.

Feeling sorta abstract...

I made this with Fractal Forge some time ago, and always thought I'd get around to making a quilt out of it. But alas, my schedule has gotten bigger, and I'm finding the creative juices dried up. This month has been pretty unusual work-wise. I've got another little girl I keep in the afternoon now and she certainly keeps The Pickle on his toes. She leads him around with an invisible ring through his nose, and he likes it. I think I'll call her Cupie Doll, because with all those strawberry blonde curls, and big baby blues, that's what she resembles.


Of course, Hunnybunny shares the sentiments of the AD. All dolls freak him out. He will put my dolls in the closet because they "are looking at him." Ooooookkkaaayyy...
if you say so, Hunnybunny.

Seriously, I spent the weekend straightening my 'studio' (part of the wall in my bedroom, and parting with some "What the heck was I thinking??" fabric. At least now I can find my sewing table.

"...every girl's crazy 'bout a SHARP DRESSED MAN!"

Lately, I've been hearing lots of Z.Z. Topp coming from his room, so I felt it was a good title.
Yes, friends and neighbors: behold, my seventh grader. This year, The Rock Star is doing his best to have good mornings. Not arguing about what to wear, working on his homework. So far, so good. It's been about 12 or 13 years since I had a seventh grader in the house. And I get to go through it one last time in 8 years. All the more reason I married a younger man....to keep me sane and take over when the mind goes.

Seriously, doesn't he look handsome?