Summertime... at least for today

A reprieve from the cold, wet weather we've had nearly my entire vacation, today was hot and sunny. A perfect day to enjoy the pool. Oh the pool water is pretty cold still (noooooo sun will do that!) but we spent 5 hours in there anyway :)

Then, when dusk fell, a bonfire and s'mores.

Can you imagine a more perfect day?

Scrapbooker, the next generation

I can't tell you how happy this makes me :)

Yes, the A/R in me wants to straighten the photos, but she's preserving memories - HER memories. What a treasure her little scrapbook is, our story, her story, her perspective.

Strawberries

It's an annual tradition, our trip to the strawberry farm to pick our own strawberries. I was really worried we wouldn't get to go this year, a late frost delayed the crop and more than a week of heavy rain has threatened to rot the ripe berries on the plant. Today the sun peeked out and away we went...

They were certainly smaller than in past years, but sweet and yummy and there were lots. The kids had their fill and we brought two baskets home :)

Don King hair

We had a bonfire tonight, just C and I, after the bits were in bed :)

After the marshmallows were gone I amused myself taking long exposure shots of the sparks rising from the top of the fire and the effect on 'film' of looking like the hair on a treasure troll. Or on Don King

Another step closer to adulthood

My last baby lost his first baby tooth today (and really lost, we think he probably swallowed it though he swears the cat stole it!) His new smile is SO CUTE! I keep chasing him with the camera, asking him to smile :)

Happy Canada Day

Turned out to be a pretty great day. Happy Canada Day everyone!

Fairy Tales, they come true, it could happen to you....

Today my dad drove 4 hours to bring me a piano. Tomorrow he'll drive 4 hours back again.

I have the best dad in the world :)

I have wanted a piano for a really long time. My dad found this beauty on Freecycle, and today drove it to me in the back of his truck. It's an oldie, from 1934, but with great sound. A good tuning and a little TLC and this old girl will be loved and enjoyed for many more years to come.

Katie has already taught herself to play 'Old McDonald' on it. I do believe we'll be taking lessons together.

Dreams do come true.

Mother Nature strikes again

I'm watching the rain pouring down outside.



Chose a heck of a week for vacation...

How I spent my summer vacation

I'm on vacation this week. We're enjoying a 'staycation', which is hardly a hardship given our great yard and pool. Today, day 1, we've played in the park, gone for a walk and swam in the pool, and I've worked on a placemat mini quilt.. Alas, the weather promises to be ookie most of the week...

The shower

The baby shower was today. In totally modern fashion it was co-ed, though neither C nor my father attended. The co-ed part wasn't as weird as I was expecting, though the men looked mostly uncomfortable when the party games began :)

But they liked the quilt :)

finished

I finished the quilt.

I finished sewing the binding on late last night. This evening I tossed it in the washing machine, on delicate, with woolite and a cup of salt (supposed to prevent colour bleed) and held my breath. It didn't disintegrate, which, I admit, I was really afraid of :)
Went through the washer and dryer beautifully, crinkled just
enough for a lovely effect and not so much that it became barbie sized. And despite every measuring error possible it came out a perfect square. Can't figure that out! Plus washing softened the cotton so now it's quite snuggly. It's machine pieced and quilted and hand bound. 40 inches square. Front is Moda's Oh Cherry Oh, back is a pale pink quilting cotton with a subtle white flower pattern, binding a solid bright pink.

I know I've blathered about this endlessly, but I am just so pleased
with it. It was a challenge, and I love the finished product so much!

Teacher gifts

End of year gifts for Princess and Wookie's teachers. Coffee cozies made using tutorial found here and simple matching fabric coasters. Inside the Starbucks cups are, naturally, Starbucks gift cards. 'cause that's what teachers really want isn't it?

My aching shoulders!

So I have the little baby quilt top sandwiched, basted and on my machine. It's the first time I've tried to stipple anything bigger than a doll quilt and holy guacamole is it hard on the arms and shoulders! I'm going to have some serious 'guns' when I finish! 1.5 hours and I've only finished about 10%, I'm starting to worry that I won't have it done by the 26th...

the days drift by

I can't believe I haven't blogged in two weeks. I'm here, but the weather has been pretty, and there are gardens to weed, garage sales to peruse, games of flatball to be played, baby quilts to be made, life to be lived.

School is almost over for the year and the bits are anxious to be done. I'll be taking a couple of weeks of precious holiday time at the beginning of July and I, too, am anxious for days of enjoying the sun and the pool and summer.

Rainbow cupcakes

Rainbow cupcakes to celebrate Jonah's official birthday today. 6 years old. I used the tutorial here and while it was time consuming I think it was worth it. Jonah was pleased.

Life in the capital

Around 1:00 today my office mates and I could hear a terrible ruckus coming from the street (bear in mind we're on the 5th floor and have thick office type unopenable windows). Between 3,000 and 4,000 forestry workers were marching up Metcalfe St towards Parliament Hill, chanting "Wake up Harper, Harper reveille" (which was quite catchy, I was chanting in my head half the afternoon). The 'parade' went on a loooooong time too, but was peaceful. Fun times downtown!

Pinwheels

I have until June 26 to finish this, a baby quilt for my niece-to-be. I was planning on having it 3 squares wide by 4 long, but now I'm thinking 4 x 4 might be better. A narrow (2-3 inch) border on all four sides, then bind it in... pink or aqua maybe? Fabric is Moda Oh Cherry Oh, I bought two charm packs, plenty for a crib quilt.

37

This is me at 37.

How can I be 37? In my head I'm still 16. Sometimes I catch sight of my reflection in a shopfront window and think 'who is that old lady?'

I had a wonderful birthday, quiet, laid back, just like a I like them. Cheesecake (of course) a nice dinner, the in-laws and a friend from the village over for dinner, along with my wonderful husband and children.

(and if you're thinking I look a wee bit tipsy in the picture you might be right, there was wine, and I like wine :) )

Par-tay!

A birthday party (a few days early) for J-man who is turning 6 (ack, how can my last baby be 6?!?!) Though it rained all morning we lucked out and by party time it was sunny (albeit really cool for late May). He was such a happy guy, all of his friends, cake, candy, games and presents.

Daredevil

Click for full size.



My little daredevil. She was barely tall enough to go on this ride at the Gloucester Fair but she was
insistent. No way in hell I was getting on that. C took her over, measured her, then she jumped on the ride, by herself (he wasn't riding any rides) and away she went. She got off with a huge grin ready to go again. 5 or 6 times in total (plus 3 on that drop zone thing that free falls many feet before slowing down).

I don't know where she gets it from...

More progress (but a different project)

I finished sewing the strips together last night but it was too late to photograph. This one will be Jonah's quilt, eventually, but because of my utter lack of math skills it's too narrow in it's current form. Another stripe of stacked coins would be the logical choice but I'm out of a couple of patterns. I'm thinking a simple 5 inch border on all 4 sides, in either orange or red (I'm really leaning towards the red lineworks rocketship print that matches the orange print in the coins). Decisions decisions...



(PS - Idol ROCKED tonight, I love both of the finalists, I'll be happy and sad tomorrow no matter who wins.... think they can just call it a tie?)

Progress

I'm the world's slowest seamstress (not to mention the world's slowest cutter and incredibly distractible), but tonight I've been sitting at the machine, listening to the rain, the hiss of the iron, and all of the Adam Lambert performances I've downloaded from itunes (laugh if you will but he's awesome, I'm totally buying his CD whenever it comes out). I'm making Katie a whirlygiggle quilt based on this tutorial (except I made my template smaller, to make use of some 4 inch fabric charms I already had). Each finished whirl is 6.5 inches square... which means I'll need lots and lot and lots and lots to make a twin size quilt!

It's a start anyway...

Around the yard

Just a few pictures from around my yard. It's our first Spring here, so these were all planted by the previous owners (or in the case of the plum blossoms and crab apple blossoms probably the owner before that).

Out of the groove

I've been in a bit of a funk lately. It's hard for me to post when I'm in a funk because I don't particularly like sharing my blahs. And even though the past month has contained many fabulous things, writing about them would doubtless be coloured by my mood.

However, the good weather is coming and while things aren't exactly settling down at work they are, at least momentarily, stable.

More updates coming soon but for now I'll leave with a picture from our annual girls' getaway in New Hampshire April 2-5.

Easter

Spent Easter at my parents' place, they always put on a grand spread and this was no exception, more food than 13 armies could eat, and more than 150 candy-filled plastic eggs for the kids (and my sister-in-law) to search for in the yard. A lovely weekend.

Today

It's been one year. One year ago today my dearest friend departed this mortal earth for places unknown.

In many ways it feels like it's been a very long year, but I feel like it was just yesterday we were chatting on the phone. Truth is I haven't stopped talking to her. Nearly every day there is something I want to tell her about, or ask for her advice, except now it's mostly in my head. I can hear her responses though, as clear as if she was across from me in the kitchen, or on the other end of the phone line, her laughter, her silliness, her sage advice (usually to 'smarten up') when I need a kick in the @$$.

Miss you...

Excuses

You know that feeling, when you try on a pair of pants, look at yourself in the mirror and think 'these pants make me look really fat'. I'm realizing (as this happens more and more frequently) that it's not the pants that are making me look fat.

I come from a slender family, my dad can (and does) eat anything, exercises never, and is skinny as a beanpole, my mom too is slender without any effort. I too was slender right up until my late 20s, at which point a switch to a sedentary desk job, two pregnancies fairly close together, and a baby who NEVER.SLEPT.EVER (with accompanying coffee addiction and exercise aversion) started the upward climb in my pants size.

The reality is I've been hiding behind these excuses for years now, while bit by bit the scales inch higher. I'll drop weight when Jonah starts sleeping, when we have more time to cook healthier fare, when I buy a treadmill, when I buy proper running shoes, when we move to a better neighbourhood, when I have more energy, when I'm not so busy, when the weather is better. So many excuses, and still the needle climbs.

I need to stop making excuses. I'm not certain where to start, it seems so overwhelming now, but I can't keep going this way. My kids don't need a mom who can't keep up with them, or who is dead before they hit highschool.