New Beginnings

Here we are again, wondering just where my time has gone. Many of us are involved in many things that take us different places and we become so involved in them that we spread ourselves to thin and forget what is most important.Well yes you guessed  correctly, I did just that! Between taking care of my husband, being very active in my Eastern Star Chapter as secretary(that's like a full time job).I thought just going to the meetings and maybe the minutes was it but oh no more and more! I am not a complainer  just  think I didn't see it clearly at the time. Well rolling right along comes lots of meetings to get our  52nd Class Reunion going, now that has been fun and it will be wonderful to see them again. I chaired the 50th and they didn't want to wait till the 55th so we decided to have a 52nd. We have a lot coming. Our class was very large and we several hundred in it. The reunion will be next week-end .Along  with all this we decided to paint the inside of our house and you all know how that goes, one thing leads to another and  so on, new front door and of course I had to have it painted Cherokee Red  ,I  love the  look!! With all this going on, I fell and took a big tumble, broke a couple of ribs, some cuts and some bruises to my arms and my face too. We also decided it was time to let go of the big quilt machine and bind all since it had not worked in a long time. They were very old and worn out so I had very big withdrawals as they left and for some time afterwards. With all the goings on, our grandson from Ca. came to stay with us for a few weeks, we enjoyed it very much but you all know what it is to have an 18 year old that is very active and loves to eat(oh that requires me to cook).Ray and Cody spent some time going to the beach and they both enjoyed that a lot. Cody got to see the places his mother had lived and where she had grown up . He got to know his East Coast family as well as a trip to Ohio for him to have some quality time with his family there. Fast forward to May. Faith went to Spain and competed in World for ice skating with her team, they finished 10th,so proud of them. Our other granddaughter Katie came in 3rd in nationals in gymnastics. Very  proud of my girls. Alex has finished his first year of college at Auburn .And  so happy that my son is home again from the Zone and I so hope he doesn't have to go back again. He has had to spend a lot of time there and that was his second time in two and half years .Here  it is the middle of June and I haven't done much creating but that will start right after we get home from the reunion---- I just got the new Husqvarna Viking Designer Diamond Deluxe and I also got the  Quilters Design 5 D. I loved my SE but this one has so many bells and whistles and Peg has told me she will be at my front door if I don't come to class and really learn this machine. YES I AM EXCITED about this new toy and it WILL be used. I told  Ray he has to get himself a real comfy chair if he wants to visit me as I am going to be in my studio a lot. He can come in there with me and visit and watch his old Westerns too. Well my sweet friends I have taken  up your coffee time, so glad you came to visit and please come back soon. Many hugs

Is this The Year?

Hello my sweet blogging friends,it has been a long time between posts.Seems like there is not enough hours in our days to do much of anything.Ray is still undergoing alot of problems but I wish I had his great attitude.Friday he will have another test to see about the cancer.Our grandson from Ca. is coming to live with us until he leaves for the Marines this summer. We look forward to having him.My son is deployed again and that is always a worry but I have learned to lean on God and He will see me through.My big quilt machine is no longer with us and I  am not sure if we will be getting another one.It was really worn out and would have cost way to much to fix and was so outdated. I do know what I want but not sure it is practical at this time. Even my Bind-all has hit the dust. We had some company and one of their kids decided to play with the settings ,they thought it was so neat that things turned on it---YIKES!! I will take a day soon and try agin to undo the dammage and see if I can get it to work again.I have been working with a comm. for our 50+2 High School Reunion. It is so wonderful to catch up with some of the kids we ran around with.I did make a baby quilt for the Starlight Childrens Foundation and I am crocheting a varigated blue afghan which I will give to them too. The quilts for my son and granson are still works in progress.This fall brought me a wonderful honor as I was appointed Grand Representive of Nebraska in Florida. This is a two year appointment  through Easter Star. I belonged to Rainbow girls while growing up then went into Eastern Star at 18. I love the work we do and I am proud tohave my daughter as a member too. Well I am going to leave you with a couple of pictures of what I did and what i am working  on. Hope youallhave a beautiful day filled with love and sunshine. Many hugs, Marie

A New Beginning

It has been many weeks since I have been blogging or sewing. We have done a little traveling but mostly spending time with my precious hubby.I am hosting a Baby Shower tomorrow for one of my special friends granddaughter, been along time since I have had a party but this has been fun. Made a fleece blanket and then did three burp cloths. Now I am in the mood. I have the fabric for my grandson's quilt for graduation. He is going to Auburn! The special Civil War fabric and the designs are a quilt for my son. He just spent a long year in Iraq and is home but being deployed again to the Zone right after his son's graduation.WE ask a special prayer for him and all the men and women in harms way ,May God hold each of you in the palm of His hand.Now that pretty much brings you up to date on whats happening here in my life with two exceptions. Ray and I traveled to California to visit our wonderful grandson Cody who turned 17 on our mutual birthday which was March 16th, first birthday I have spent with him since his birth, then on March 25th our special granddaughter Faith turned 13th oh my now a teenager!Will close for now, so long God Bless.

Merry Christmas

I want to wish you all the very best of holidays for you and your wonderful families.WE will celebrate with Faith and her family at her other grandmothers house. Ray and I have been busy working on Christmas things for the grandchildren and kids. It has been wonderful to have him involved too. He made a beautiful wreath adding off white muslin 3" squares to a straw wreath and splashing a few squares of red in it too. He did a great job,we did so many of those years ago and he remembered . I have been doing a lot of easy fleece throws for the grandchildren,you know those you use two pieces and fringe and tie. Sure does take alot of time but they are worth it and will keep those sweet ones warm. When I did my last post I mispelled where my son was going and he will be at Pope A.F.B. and it looks like he will be on his way home in another week unless the big guy changes his mind. Can't wait to have him back in the USA and with his sweet family.Ok coffee break is over and back to business and tieing these things, you know when you get fourteen grandchildren and one great one you are busy.I have been reading your blogs and I am sorry I haven't had much time to write comments but after the first of the year hopefully things will be a little more normal here(ha ha did I say normal) and I will be on the ball again. God bless you all and see you after the first in 2012
Hugs to all,Marie

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blogging friends and families. We will beleaving shortly to go to our daughters for dinner. I have made a few contributions to take over too. I am so thankful for my family, first my hubby's cancer has not grown, prayers are so strong for him and yesterday we were on top of the world when we left the oncologist office.My cardio appointment went very well too. And to top this wonderful new, my osn is leaving Iraq and hopfully will be with his precious family intime for Christmas. He will be assigned to Polk AFB for a year. Yeah--that isn't too far a drive for us!!today I also wanted to share with you a couple of things I have been working on. First I finished the afghan for the young friend of mine who went to school with my daughter. She is a inspiration to us and is a cancer survivor.Next I took a class from the very talented Laurie Shifrin. If you ever have a chance to take a class from her please do-- you will learn and and really laugh and enjoy it. My quilt is the Mango Tango, wow bright colors too. It is still a work in progress as I wanted to finish that afghan. That afghans was so much fun I just learned to crochet while in Mn . visiting my friend Jill and she taught me. Thanks so much Jill, Love you girlfriend!!In closing i send many blessings and hugs to all, I promise to be a better bloggger, really I will!

Been to Minnesota

Hi to everyone, we have had the most wonderful week in Richmond,Mn. on Big Lake. We were the houseguests of our dear friend Jill. As most of you know I am a caregiver for my hubby who has cancer and a very severe heart problem that is not fixable. He loves to fish so up we went and oh such fun!! But of course I was spoiled too- Jill took me to Grubers Quilt Shop,and another neat little quilt shop that is located in the back of a newspaper print shoppe.We went to a WONDERFUL antique store and I could have stayed in there for hours. I bought a beautiful very old cabin quilt done out of old silks,hand stitched of course---love it!!!!!One night Jill came out with a little ball of yarn and a crochet hook and proceeded to teach me to do some stitches. Of course I could already do a chain stitch, but now look at me go--I bought some pretty baby yarn to make a much larger afghan for our great grandaughter Kennedi as she is growing so fast, will be the big one in December. I worked on it and on Thursday while I went out to play around for awhile, wandered into the Knit Shop in Cocoa Village and found some yummy pink marbled chunky yarn to do a small lap blanket for a sweet young friend of my daughter's and myself who has undergone the removal of both breasts from cancer then just had to have the ovaries out too. She went to school with MaryLisa and she is a ball of fire,so here I go on a crochet marathon.I am still working on my quilt for Ray and I too. Will post the pictures of our trip. The little red mustang convertible was a special surprise that I rented at the airport in Minn. the other pictures will be of Ray catching the first fish when we went out just after we got there. There is a picture of Jill driving her pontoon boat, it was lovely and very comfortable. A pic . of Ray fishing from the end of the dock while Jill and I took off for the stores.And of course the pics of my good treasures I bought. Hope you all enjoy, We sure did. Now back to my crocheting for a bit this Saturday afternoon.Enjoy your weekend. Hugs, Marie

Gifts and Hurrican Irene

We are lucky in Cocoa Beach Florida to have just alot of rain and wind from "Irene". We were spared, and are so thankful. Our hearts and prayers to the rest of the eastern coast that was in harms way and had so many problems.We rode out to the beach and in the midst of the storm there was a guy out there kite skying and when he came in was having alot of trouble tryin bring in the kite. The water was very rough . When we arrived home and got our mail I was so excited to see a package from my sweet friend Anne Heidi. She is so precious to our family. She sent me some beautiful fabrics and a really neat bag with the heart cut out I LOVE it.She included a neat pattern and the labels to make a sewing pouch that is on my table now to get started. Thank you thank you Anne Heidi !! Till next time Hugs, Marie