Sunday Fun with The Girl!

I had plans for tonight.  Do the dishes, watch a movie, get some sewing done, do a new blog post with fancy pictures, etc.  All of those plans were thrown down the drain.  Why?  I itch from head to toe.  What was interesting is that the rash didn't come until about 2 hours in.  Strange.  Now here I sit, 2 showers and 1 major dose of Bendaryl later and I'm finally feeling a bit better.  I think I'll take another dose in about an hour and go pass out for the night. 

Anyway, I wanted to post these great pictures from our fun yesterday.  Saturday was a leaf walk with the boys.  Sunday was 'Trunk or Treat' with Miss Kay.  She is the most beautiful cheerleader I've ever seen.  (And that has nothing to do with the fact that I'm her Aunt and love her more than anything!)  Enjoy the photos and Happy Halloween!!!!

She is so photogenic!  No coaching, just POSE!  Really, isn't she beautiful?

I love this picture.  She kept hiding behind the tall grasses in the garden, then running out.  Its so nice to see her so silly and carefree.  They grow up so fast and can be so serious sometimes.

Digging in the hay.  There were trinkets hidden in the hay.  Kayla found a plastic jumping frog!

Pumpkin bottle bowling.  This was a really cute game.  They used mini pumpkins for their bowling ball.

What is that you feel?  Could it be a bowl of eyeballs?  Ick!

Smithie S face paint.  Perfect for a cheerleader.

Decorating a pumpkin.  Just watching her is enough entertainment for me.  Why is it that at times just looking at a picture of the kids is enough to make you cry?  I never understood how much you could really love someone until Kayla was born.  Now we have three and another on the way.  How blessed we are!

Posing with Red.  Her other grandma loves M&Ms, so we had to get a picture!

Flowers in the front garden at my parents.

This is one of my favorite trees.  I love the shade of yellow it turns in the fall.  Also, on a side note, I walked around the yard with Miss Kay and she was able to correctly identify almost all the trees.  I am so proud!!!!

Some cool fungus.  Kay and I agreed it looked like the entrance to a fairy house.  What do you think?

A fun (and exhausting) Saturday!

Yesterday I had a wonderful day.  A bit tiring, pain causing and at time frustrating; but wonderful none-the-less.  I made my way to my hometown on Friday and spent the evening with my parents.  On Saturday morning, my brother and sister-in-law dropped off the boys before they went to an OSU football game. 

So, my folks and I got to spend a great day with the boys.  We had lunch; went to an estate sale (my aunt's mother in law's things-I got a TOTALLY AWESOME antique book of Tennyson's Poetry!); the boys and I went on a leaf walk at the Park; then home to see my niece Kayla and spend some time with my other brother and his wife!  We went to dinner and then Kayla and Nick did some leaf rubbings while Paul went to bed.  We had a great time and it was so worth the exhaustion and pain, and I am learning more and more to take the pills when I need then to try to keep living my life as normal as possible.  I love my kids and my family on the whole!  They are great!

Here's a few pictures from our day together.  Hope you enjoy them!

Nicholas & Paul on the end of the Caboose in Smithville.  They both love trains and were excited to get up on this for a photo!

The creek at the Park in Smithville.

The boys on the bridge.  We were starting to get a bit chilly at this point!

The pavilion at the Upper Park.  So many pretty leaves.

The boys!  It was Paul's idea to 'sit' on the trees.  They are so cute!

We thought this curvy tree was cool.

A view of the creek from the Upper Park.  Such pretty foliage.

The sun beginning to set while we were walking back home.

We stopped for a quick playtime on the playground equipment.  Of course we had to shoot a couple photos.  Nick on the slide and...

yes, that's Paul on the other slide.  Though you can't see his face, that's my baby!

Paul riding the 'pretend' tractor at the Barn Restaurant.  We had a lot of fun playing while we waited for a table.

Kayla crushing Grandma in checkers at the barn.  She's pretty good (with a little help!)

Kayla and Nicholas doing their leaf rubbings.  We found some awesome leaves at the park!

Fill in the Blanks Friday

1.   When I was a kid I wanted to be      a lawyer, teacher, a librarian and/or mom   when I grew up.

2.   As an adult, my dream job would be   a full time Mom and a volunteer event planner for a non-profit.  (I need a Sugar Daddy to be my support!)      .

3.  W hen I was younger I wanted to be just like Barbie!!!

4. The childhood Halloween costume that I remember most was when I was  a bride.  I honestly don't remember a lot of my Halloween costumes.

5.  My favorite childhood toy was   my barbies!  They still are my favorite toys.

6.  The time I got into the biggest amount of trouble when I was a kid was when I     my older brother and I had a HUGE fight and we made a terrible ruckus.  We both ended up grounded (which NEVER happened before or after in our household.) We were both banned from going to major school events and were mad at each other for months!

7.  I get daily inspiration from    usually my kidos at work, my Guideposts Devotional, my family and nature!

And so...

And so the days pass.  Nothing new here.  I'm 'enjoying' my time off and trying to settle myself.  News from the doctor's office brings more speculation and, at present, no real new information.  Both of the surgeon's who work on my 'case' (as I guess I'm now being called, ick!) are out of town!  I have to wait until Thursday or Friday to get any real information, and I am very afraid I may go insane by then.  Ugh!  But, we must keep plugging away and let the days go...

At least I have my 'crafting' and the awesome series I've started watching on Netflix, Being Human.  Not the new, copied American version, but the original BBC version.  I love it and am already part way through Series 2.  Lord, I have to get out of this house...

So, here's some of the 'craftiness' I've been up to.  Enjoy!

Another embroidery piece.  I realized something as I was uploading this photo.  I have all these pieces I've made in the last few weeks and days, and I have no idea what I'm doing with them.  Right now they're just laying on the ironing board, waiting.  Crap, all that work has to be for something?  Must think on this...

My new purse!!!  Yeah, I know, another purse.  I swear though, this will be the last for a while that I make myself.  I've adapted and expanded my first purse attempt, which can be seen here.  I love my first version, but it is just a tad too small.  This one is a medium (to me) sized purse and is perfect.  I also re-did the handles.  Now there are two handles.  I really love it and am so insane about this fabric.  Isn't it gorgeous?!!!

The interior of the new purse.  This yellow check is fabric I've had for several years.  I used most of it up with this project and was so thrilled it went so well with my main fabric!

Interior, filled.  Can I say, I love that when I look in my purse I see a homemade wristlet, homemade tea wallet, and inside the wristlet, a homemade wallet.  I feel so talented!  Oh no, I feel a swelled head coming on!

And finally, my dinner.  Yummy!  This is a recipe I found somewhere on line and made tonight.  Baked acorn squash with apple, cinnamon, maple syrup filling.  So good!  Now, which would you rather eat: the picture above or...

this.  Same food, just pureed.  My life is so sad.  It was still really good, much easier for me to eat but, just lacking the original beauty.   *Sigh*

And by the way, I really want some pizza.  Really, really badly.  I've been craving it for about 3 weeks, and have kept myself away.  But, for how much longer?  I know, the pain isn't worth the pleasure, but oh...for one slice...

Finally, a special thanks to my friend Michele.  I've been wallowing in my own self pity and avoiding contact with the outside world.  (Just because I'm me, and I'm like that.)  She came over tonight and surprised me with a visit.  It was so nice to talk (and about subjects OTHER than me & my problems) and I felt better for it.  More human.  Anyway, thanks Michele.  I needed that, even if I didn't know it.  (Also, sorry about the house.  this will teach me to red-up a bit more and try not to live like such a slob, even if I'm sick.)

Some sewing projects

I haven't been doing much sewing lately.  For obvious reasons.  But here are some I've done and/or completed in the past week.  Hope you like and enjoy!

My new tea wallet.  Started this on Monday and finished it last night.

Interior of tea wallet.  I'm really in to putting non-coordinating fabrics together right now.  If I like them, I use them.

I started this several weeks ago.  The flower was the starting point and then the frog and fungus.  Love the colors.

Some new, varying stitches I used to make the flower.

I love mushrooms.  This was a lot of satin stitching.

A pretty pattern.  I started this 2 weeks ago, worked on it at OSU and finished it last night.

The center flower with a chain sticking around the brown center.

I started and finished this today.  I used the split stitch for most of the project.

An up close shot of the flower.  Love it.

Another project I started and finished today.

A close up of the wings.  I used a new stitch to make the circles.  It came out okay.

I'm home

Hello friends, I'm home.  Yesterday I left Ohio State Med.  I had been there since Tuesday afternoon and sadly, nothing has changed.  I had several tests, some very unpleasant and had help keeping my pain under control.  Now I'm home and waiting...none of the doctors know what the problem is and I'm lost.  I'm taking this week off of work to sort out my feelings and try to come to terms with what is happening, especially if no one can find anything to help.  I'm waiting for a few more test results, but honestly don't have much confidence that they will reveal everything.

Please be patient with me as I try to find my footing.  I'm a bit emotional right now and very confused.  Is it just me?  Am I being to sensitive?  Am I crazy?  I hope not and I pray the doctors will continue to help.  But, for now, I'll go. 

Best to all.  I'll try to take a few photos in the coming week and post something interesting for you.

April

Bible Cover

This morning I did crafts with the kids at Sunday School.  I was lucky to be asked to do crafts and love having this special time with the kids.  Since I was working with the older children this week I wanted to make sure we took a little time to read the actual Bible verses to go along with the story we are studying.  Currently we're working on some Old Testament stories, and right now our rotation is Ruth and Naomi. 

As I left the house I grabbed my Bible and put it in a little bag, so I wouldn't forget it.  Its a nice little bag (I got it at a yard sale for $1 last year and it has an embroidered cross on it) but, I realized I needed something unique.  Something just for me (and my Bible) and something homemade.  So this afternoon I started and during the course of the day I've worked on it and now I have a great new cover to keep my Bible in.  Its almost 18 years old now, my Bible, and I want to be sure it stays in relatively good condition.

Below are some pictures of my materials and the new cover in action.  Enjoy!

Materials: Interior & Exterior Fabric & Pellon Fusible Web-13 1/2" by 9"; Fabric for Flaps-7" by 9" (x2); Elastic for closure-8"; Ribbon-9" (x2); 1 Button; Fabric for Handles-10" by 3 1/2" (x2); and Pellon Fusible Web for Handles-10" by 3/4".  I purposely chose fabric that didn't coordinate.  They are all fabrics I love, and I felt that had a 'similar' color pallet, so why not.  The ribbon is just some of the Winnie the Pooh ribbon and I have and really like!  Not everything has to be matchy-matchy! 

The back of the finished cover.

The finished front with this cute button.

Interior flaps to hold my Bible in place.

Cute Pooh & Friends Ribbon marker!