Valentine's Day is not so bad

I know Valentine's day gets a bad wrap ~ but I think it's all in how you look at it. I know it's supposed to be some great day for lovers ~ but I choose to make it something different. For me, it's a day to remember all the people I love and that love me. The card here is from Mary Ann. We don't always exchange Vday cards but I'm betting she saw the Flamingos and couldn't resist! Some years I send out lots of cards ~ lately I've been a bit of a slacker so I didn't sent out cards this year... but I will be making a few calls to tell certain people that I love them. But then I do that any day ~ not just Vday. Plus I'm thinking any day that you get chocolate is okay with me.

For some it's a poke in the ribs that they need to tell someone that they are loved. And I know for others who get nothing from anyone it's a hard day to deal with. Been there and done that... which is why I am telling all of you ... that I am thinking of you this day... and while I can't honestly say I love all of you (some of you, I don't even know).. if I are reading this, I really appreciate you and I'm hoping for a good day for you today and every day.

Dinner and a Fashion show...

There are not enough hours in the day it seems. I worked most of the day in the sewing room and before I knew it, it was time to pick up Julianne... get her homework and chores done and she's off to a friends house just in time for Nate to get home... get his homework and chores done and it's dinner time. Richard is on the way home. I have nothing working for dinner but it's okay cause it's Domino's night for Nate's middle school. Domino's will kick back 15% of all orders (pick up and delivery)placed tonight to the school. Sounds like a plan to me! We got home at almost the exact same time as Richard. Domino's pizza has actually gotten better ~ so the new ads are correct.

After dinner Julianne put on a fashion show for us. My BFF MaryAnn who fortunately has two daughters older than Julianne sent us a box of dresses. Julianne has a field trip to see the Brevard Symphony and we have searched and searched for dresses but can't find anything fancier than a t-shirt dress. MaryAnn just happens to have a box of dresses since she's been going though everything in her house (big renovations in the works). The dresses came yesterday and they are BEAUTIFUL! Julianne finally had the chance to try them on tonight and I had a hard time getting her to change out of them when she was done! I think we are going to have to find some more fancy places for her to go before she outgrows these dresses. We do have two baby showers coming up so that'll help. Maybe a trip to the theatre would be in order. At least an evening at a fancy pants restaurant. Anyway...without further ado, here's our little fashionista...
I think this last one is her favorite. I couldn't pick just one as a favorite. They are all gorgeous.
Of course her big brother thinks all this fluttering around is for the birds

One of my neighbors was over yesterday and saw all the dresses and wants to know if MaryAnn will be her BFF too since she's got two younger daughters!

I got to practice being Grammy

Have I ever told you about my Alex? Alex(andra) first came into my life back in 1996 or so. I was working at the YMCA in Raleigh NC. Alex and I both worked in youth programs ~ she was a leader for middle school and high school groups and I did all the year round school paper work ~ but we were both in the same tiny office. Tiny enough to really have to get along. I thought she was nice enough ~ funny ~ and just strange enough to be entertaining.
One day while I was in the hospital (recovering from a hysterectomy) I needed someone to pick Jen up and bring her to me at the hospital. I called all my "friends" at the "Y" who were all too busy with this that or the other to help out. But Alex happened to pick up the phone when I called my office and was more than happy to bring Jen to me. She also brought "Bob the Wonder Chicken" but that's a story for another time. I really appreciated that she came through for me when no one else did and we became fast friends.

I was able to repay her not too long afterwards. She had been living in an apt with two other girls (also Y employees) but they had moved and two young boys from the "Y" took their rooms. These boys were young and it was their first time not living with Mommy and Daddy. Suffice it to say that they got a bit wild ~ partying and drinking (did I mentioned they were counselors at the YMCA?) and Alex was put in very scary situation when some very drunken guys started banging on her door in the middle of the night. She needed to get out of there immediately. Richard, Jen and I ~ armed with a box fully of 29 gallon trash bags headed to her apt and had her moved out of there and into our home in record time. She quickly became a part of our family (she still calls me mom) and lived with us off and on for the next few years. She saw us through multiple kids (she's Julianne's godmother) and I saw her through multiple relationships.
The funny part is that so many people at the "Y" really though she was my daughter and Jen's sister. It didn't hurt that all three of us have red hair and blue eyes with gold rings around them. She actually looks more like me than she did her actual mom....and she could have been mine had I given birth to her in my mid teens!

In any case, Alex is now all grown up with a husband and two boys all her own. They just recently moved from Indiana to Philly ~ but they did come for a visit a few weeks ago. Adam had a conference at one of the Disney hotels so Alex and the boys came along. I drove over to Orlando on Friday and we went over to the Magic Kingdom. Here they are with Chip and Dale I hadn't seen Alex since Jen's wedding (almost 3 yrs ago)Bryce hadn't been born yet and Tyler wasn't even a toddler. Didn't matter to those boys. They knew I was family immediately... and I was in heaven!
The next day (Saturday) Jen and Jeremy drove down to our house (to leave the pups) and then we all went back over to Orlando.
It was so amazing to be all together again and my kids just fell in love with Tyler and Bryce and visa versa. We went over to Downtown Disney ~ had some dinner at "T-Rex" which seemed like a good idea at the time. It was LOUD! The restaurant is full of life size prehistoric creatures that all make noises and move ~ not to mention the meteor shower that takes place inside every half hour. It was also a bit overpriced but the kids really did have a good time.

After dinner we strolled around Downtown, stopping at the largest Lego store I have ever seen. Nate helped Bryce on the slide while Julianne helped Tyler play legos.
Both boys know a pretty girl when they see one ~ here they are both trying to hold Julianne's hands
And Jeremy got in some baby practice as well
Speaking of babies... Here's my two big girls Note the baby bump on Jen. She's 6 months pregnant in this pic.



And finally this... Here's the whole gang It was more than I could have asked for.

A few other things...

Like I said, I have been working on a few other things. The weekend before last was pretty darn busy. On the Friday I drove over to Tampa to meet MaryAnn's daughter, Hannah at the Tampa Airport. She had a 3 hour layover and so I went and met her for lunch. I was able to get a pass to go through the security area and hang out with her there. She's a wonderful girl and we had a great visit.

I took advantage of the fact that I was in Tampa to have a sewing gals night. I really do miss having my sewing friends around and so I drove over to Mary Catherine's, who just happens to live not far from the airport. Got to see what's new in her house. She's been renovating her house for a few years now and it's fun to see the progress she's made. These days she's sanding and refinishing all the doors in her house and then recovering her couch. I love seeing all the fabrics and colors she puts together.

Anyway... we met for dinner and then a sewing night at the quilt shop. I wasn't sure what I was going to work on so I ended up picking up the the Maggie pattern from Lazy Girl Designs. It's a cute little accessory bag that comes in two sizes. I also brought over a couple of pieces of fabric to work with. I now love making these little cases! Turns out the larger size is just perfect for my camera that I take with me everywhere. And because it went together so quickly I made a little matching wallet. We then figured out that if we took the smaller one and made it just a bit longer it fits my cell phone. I haven't done that yet though. I can tell you that everyone at the shop that night ordered a Maggie pattern. I think these will be making some cool gifts for Christmas next year!

A very cool new project

I know I'm supposed to be working on stuff for the nursery but I happen to see the coolest project here and had to try it out immediately. And here is my result..
They are merely fabric circles gathered around these They were so easy and so much fun to make. It's gonna be hard not putting these everywhere.
Here's what the back looks like And they are mounted on the wall using double sided mounting squares.
Richard put them up for me tonight. I think it took longer to plan the layout (Julianne did the final layout) then it did to make them or put them up. I think I may add another row so it'll be 4 x 4. I also need to take a better picture so it shows the placement with the furniture etc.
I know they are a hit cause Richard wants me to make some smaller ones (in different fabrics, of course) for his office.
I think it's would be a very cool way for fabric shops to show off new fabric lines that come in ~ don't you?
Here are a few close ups of the fabrics I chose...
In any case head on over to "Juicy Bits." She's got a great tutorial on these and shows a few different layouts. Don't forget to tell her I sent you!

Busy, busy, busy....

I know, I know... it's been a while (AGAIN!). I have been busy, I promise. We've got a baby coming in less than 3 months now and Grammy has been sewing my fingers to the bone. I don't have a lot to show you just yet but hopefully soon.

The snoopy quilt is finally quilted ~ not an easy task on my little old Kenmore. Now I just have to put the binding on it. I was hoping to do it tonight but I moved EVERYTHING off my sewing table so I could pin baste the quilt and now I can't find my good rotary cutter. I'll look again tomorrow when I'm not quite so tired. Here's a couple of pics of Snoopy in progress. It's almost a double bed size. That's a lot of quilt to move under that machine. While working on it, I did something I've never done before.. I sewed right through the pin. Never even broke the needle. I did change it though ~ figured it had to be pretty dull at this point.
Once I get the binding sewn on I will be making a couple of pillow cases for the bed in the nursery. Snoopy will be folded along the bottom of the bed.
Oh and speaking of Snoopy, Julianne's friend Sarah spent the night the other night and wore these pajamas. Julianne wanted to take a picture so Jen could see them.

The nursery is coming along really nicely. Jen painted one of the walls a chocolate brown and she put up framed pics of all her dogs past and present. She also did a really cool puppy print painting that is hanging on the wall. I'll have to get her to take some pics soon.

Next week I'll be finishing the quilt for the crib. Here's a preview of the blocks. I'll also be making a matching lamp shade, a pillow for the rocker/glider, some window treatments along with a few other goodies. Pictures to follow, I promise.

I have been doing a few other things that are not baby related but that post will come tomorrow. Tonight I'm off to bed! Night all.....