Spring has sprung!

I do believe that Winter has finally let go here! The days are getting warmer, although the nights are still in the 30’s and high 20’s. The grass is turning green, plants are being sold at the local stores, and people are getting outside again. It feels so good to have the sunshine on my face and have it actually be warm!

We topped two trees in out front yard this week (and when I say “we” I mean Adam ). The were both spruce, being about 100 years old. One of them was about 40′ and the other was about 60′. There was no way I was getting up into that boom, pregnant or not! A step ladder is about as far up off the ground as I am comfortable going. We are still in the process of cleaning up the yard, but we have done quite a bit already. It looks really strange not having those trees there, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

This is the boom trailer that we rented …

and here is Adam almost done liming the 2nd, and tallest, of the 2 trees before he started cutting it down (you can see the “stump” of the 1st tree, which is about 12’ high, in the right hand corner). Yes, he was way up there!

I am getting really addicted to making quilts! Which in itself is not a bad thing, for there are worse hobbies. It’s just not a cheap one. I am totally in love with Moda fabrics, which is a premiere quilting fabric distributor that has many designers under it’s name. The colors and combinations are fabulous! And they have various things called “layer cakes”, “charm packs”, “jelly rolls”, “turnovers”, “fat quarters”, and “the scrap bag”. These are packages that give you a sample of each fabric in a particular line. They are precut for you (for example: a charm pack has 38 – 42 5”x5” squares and a layer cake has about 40 10”x10” squares with both of them having duplicates of the same print, which a line can easily have 20 different patterns or colors in it. Very nice and easy for quilting!). I went through all my fabric stash and organized it better. That feels really good to do. It’s been a project that really needed to be done and now I can find whatever it is I’m looking for. I have picked out quit patterns that I’m going to do for my family (both intimate and extended) and the fabrics for each person. Now I just need to wait for the money. I could use a lot of my stash, and I will. But it is such a hodge-podge collection that I’d rather find a line that has the majority of what a particular person would like and them substitute the sashing, border, and/or back with what I already have. It’s probably about 2 -3 years worth of work, but I’m looking forward to it. I love creating!

This is the front 2nd baby quilt that I’ve finished …

and here is the back. I wasn’t planning on it, but the back ended up being nice enough that the quilt can be used on either side. Nice, huh?

Dumb-dumb here forgot to take a picture of the 1st one before sending it off! I’m already starting on the 3rd baby quilt. I can’t seem to get enough!

This baby is so active! I’m sure my other children were as well, but you seem to forget from one pregnancy to the next the little details such as movement. It’s at that point where I need to go to the bathroom quite often only to find it’s for a little bit! So frustrating. You feel like you’re ready to explode for 3 Tbs!! Tums are becoming a night-time ritual for me and sleep is getting more and more elusive. It’s partly because of the night- time potty runs, but it’s also because I just don’t sleep well. I tell myself that I’m just being conditioned for when the baby is born (even though I’ve been “conditioned” for years!). This is the reason that I actually sleep more once I’ve had the baby!

I know that many women are talking about getting the nursery fixed up, organized, and getting all the baby stuff together or bought. And many are talking about having a baby shower. But after 6 children, I don’t really need anything and I can’t imagine anyone thinking I need a baby shower. We have never had a nursery, for the child sleeps right by my side of the bed until 3-4 months old and then they go into the appropriate room (girls room or boys room) in their own crib. Even when it was just Maacah, her room was also the guest room. I do need to get out the baby boys clothes, wash them, and organizer them into the dresser. But with Nathaniel being only 3, it hasn’t been that long since they saw the light of day, so it’s not something that needs to be done right now. The only thing that we need for sure is a car seat. Due to federal law, an infant car seat can’t be used if it’s older than 5 years. Which is why we have 2 perfectly good, never been in an accident car seats in the garage. What do I do with them? They are too good for the trash heap, yet not “young” enough to use. Its not the cost of one that bothers me, it’s not being able to use what’s perfectly fine! Grrr! Does any one know if they recycle infant car seats? I would also like to get a small, travel size swing (for the regular sized ones take up too much room!). Other than those things, we’re pretty much set.

I enjoy making things for people and perhaps due to my example, the children also like to make things for people. So I thought you might like to see a picture of what my children made me for Mother’s Day. They were all tickled pink that I hung it up in the hallway upstairs!

Happy Mother’s Day to you all!

Jennifer