Ethan

This is Ethan. I got to watch him the other day while his mom went to school with his older brother.

He is such a little pill but SOOOO fun!

It was a beautiful day in Anchorage....almost in the 60's!!! (I know, right?!)

So today it is 62 and these are the only pictures I have of the sun.

In the past two days, the grass behind him has turned green.

Once the snow is gone, it only take a few days for the grass to grow. Our sun is up for 16 hours now. We gain about 5 minutes of sunlight a day. That's lots of growing time for seeds, and grass.

This is Shawn and Ethan. "We went fast!!!!" said Ethan.

FYI: They did not go fast, otherwise they would have had helmets on!!

Tammy R's baby shower

This is the quilt I made for the little Eli. Just a quick little thing but it turned out nicely.

(The pictures are bad cuz I didn't realize it was on Manual!)


We had it in the gym of our church so the munchkins could run around with their bikes and scooters. It wasn't cozy but it was still good.

I didn't think to get pictures until people were packing up to leave.

Bobbi and the girlies, Bethany M., Andrea K. and munchkins, Taron D., Anna, Lindsay J and Mrs. R were all there. Oh and of course, big sister Elora and mommy!



I love me some Costco cake!! (It was Mommy-to-be's only request!)

We had the baby shower just in time. Mr Eli was born just a few days after!

This was my first baby shower that I helped plan. I didn't have a baby shower with Bee, and I'd only been to one before so it was really fun!!

And instead of gifts, Tammy wanted frozen meals. I thought that was a great idea for a second child baby shower.

I have mixed views on baby showers for second/third babies.

Sometimes I think you get one baby shower and that's it.

Other times I think that if you are having the other gender, you can have another shower.

And some more times I think that baby showers are suppose to be about celebrating the little baby's life...not presents...so why not have one. If you have friends that wanna give you a gift, they are going to whether or not you have a baby shower.

What are your guys' thoughts?

Journal Jar

Have you been affected by a war somewhere, somehow, sometime?

I have been affected by war, in some huge ways.

The first was watching Desert Storm on the TV. I remember watching the TV in the den with my family and my parents both just in shock that it was on TV. I don't know any of the politics behind it cuz I was so little. I just remember my parent's reactions.

They were both in Air Force. That is actually where they met.

The second time I was affect by war was 9/11. I thought that the world would awesome. I was a senior in high school. I had a steady boyfriend of 2.5 years. We had talked of getting married after high school and going to college together.

9/11 happened and my boyfriend changed. He was mad. He wanted to buy a gun. He wanted to hurt people that didn't look like him. He wanted to join the Army just to have permission to kill.

Then the recruiters showed up at the high school in flocks. He talked to them. They couldn't take him because of some "medical issues." He got even more mad.

Anyway we broke up for a few more reasons but that was a huge one.

Third reason I'm affected by a war is I'm married to a military man. One that puts the bombs on the planes. One that is going to be very much needed if drama happens over here in the US again.

My hubby was in Fairbanks for almost 3 weeks. He came home on a Tuesday night at 8pm, to tell us that he was leaving the next morning at 6am. If it had been any other day, Bee would have been in bed. He would not have seen him. It just so happens that I was quilting and last track of time so Bee was awake.

From that I learned a lot. I had never had that happen as a military wife before. Usually if they are going to leave, it takes a lot of planning and organizing so we have notice. Not this time. Yes, it was only 500 miles away. And Bee and I did go visit BUT it could have been Iraq. Or anywhere for that matter.

It made me grateful for the time I do spend with Chris. And for family time. Grateful that my hubby is brave enough to go fight the bad guys so that we can be safe here. So that I can be a mom. And so my friends and family can do what they do. He doesn't get paid well. He works long hours but I'm so grateful that he is mine.

So there. That made me all patriot today!!

PS. Sorry about yesterdays picture.....it said, "Don't pray the Book of Mormon, it's how they get you." on a Baptist church sign. LOL I thought it was sooo funny!

Happy Sunday

I'm just saying....

Have a great Sunday!

Quilting update

Pictures to come later-

I have finished Baby Rampton's baby quilt.

I have about 8 inches left of binding to hand sew on Chris' quilt. (It'll be done in the next hour.)

I have pieced together my friend, Taron's, little baby quilt.

I have all the fabric cut out for my M's quilt. (This quilt is going to take forever!)

I have sew the Log cabin sewn into stripes...just sewing four more together.

I have the Bee Inspired blocks done, ready to be mailed Monday.

I have fabric for Sis Bankhead's quilt.


And that's about it. I hope today is productive!

(Chris and Bee are going to help little Airman Zack, find a car.)

So come back....I'll put pictures up soon!

Pay back

This is post rated PG-13. Munchkins shouldn't read it cuz of some great ideas!
So I went to college at Eastern Washington University my freshman year of college. I lived on a all girls floor in one of the towers on campus. There was about 20 rooms on the outside of the circle. The center, which all the rooms opened out to, was the bathroom, kitchen, laundry, elevators and study 'closets.' So if you walked around from room to room, it was a circle.
In this bathroom, we had four showers. They had their own walls but you could look over them to talk to other people, if you wanted.
Got it?
K so being on sports teams growing up, I know how to pull a prank or two. We, as girls do, formed tight groups on the floor. Well in my group we had some party'ers. So every Friday and Saturday night they would be getting ready in the bathroom. It was the place to hang out until they left.
(I had a boyfriend and he drove almost every weekend from Seattle, to see me. So I stuck around the dorm. And being Mormon, I don't drink. So there's not a lot to do in a college town. Especially since I H.A.T.E. taking care of drunk people. Hate it!)
So one evening my roommate, Amy was giving me some grief for being lazy. (I slept ALOT.) Well she really started getting at me. I told her to stop and I would try and be better. She did. I told her I would get her back. She didn't believe me.
So while she took a shower, I went and got our popcorn bowl (AKA the Biggest bowl ever) and filled it with cold water.
I snuck around the bathroom, to the showers and poured it over her head. (He he HE!)
She screamed like a girl but knew it was deserved.
So this started the cold water wars.
I knew better than to take a shower while they were around so I would wait until they left to go party and I would get my music, clothes, soaps and go have a relax hot shower for a few.
Well one evening they left and I did my thing. I guess they all met in the lobby. And they came back up to our floor. They snuck around the bathroom and got me with water!
Ha ha ha ha All in good fun! I knew it was coming one day. And yes, I screamed like a girl too!
Well that wasn't the worst of it. They took my clothes, robe and anything else that I could cover up with. So I stood in the shower thinking if I should walk out there naked just to spite them, or wait for pitty.
I'm not one for pitty.
But I'm also not one to flash my hoo hoos in front of my floormates and their boy toys!
So I took the shower curtain off the hooks, like anyone else in my situation would do!
I go strutting out of the bathroom while everyone is laughing their heads off. They thought I was soooo creative.
So after chatting for a bit with everyone, I realize I'm still in a shower curtain. (I was on the swim team for 6 years, modesty is not a high priority.)
So I go into my room, Amy, my best friend Natalie was in there and a few others.
I said, "You better get out of here so I can dress or you are going to get a REAL show."
They ran out. As Amy rans by me, she pulls the curtain out of my hand and off my body!!
Hahaha so now the whole floor and their cousins, boyfriends, neighbors and brothers get to see my hoo hoos and everything else!
HAHAHA good times!
No harm done.
I'm getting dressed and hear Amy scream at the top of her lungs.
I think, "Great what now?"
I go to see what's going on, after I put on a robe.
Someone is puking in the trash can and Amy is standing there, shocked and grossed out.
I look at what she is so groosed out about.
I guess the cleaning ladies of our floor, don't clean the shower curtains...EVER!!
The curtain on the floor had my body, MY BODY, marks in the mildew!!!
Just my body marks. You could see my outline!!
"OH SOOOOO GROSS!!"
I ran into the bathroom, throw my robe off and jump in the shower again!
I needed to scrub, scrub and scrub some more. My skin just needed to come off!
I had people bringing in all different kinds of soaps, anti-bacterial, even bleach.
I finally felt clean about a week later and 2 showers a day!
Needless to say, this was one of our best moments on the floor!

Family Updates

I thought I need to do a general update of this W family.

Bee can now sign sentences like "More food" and "Drink more." He is saying words like please, thank you, love you.

He has taken a new love for Hooch, our Beagle. Anytime he sees them, after a nap or when we come home, Bee says, "Hi Hoooo." It's really cute.

Chris is now home from Fairbanks. He is loving being home with us. Even if he has to go to work. Work seems a little better when you get to come home to your wife and kid.

Chris already has like fifty hunting/fishing trips planned.

We still don't have orders for our next base. We are (not) patiently waiting.

I have been working, working on quilts. I have quite a few almost finished. I hope to finish a few more before the end of the month for that challenge.

I'm counting down the days until we get our orders. I really am just excited to know where we are going. A few of my friends are moving too so that just makes it even more exciting.

I am going to start working on the Magic Quilt after the first of May. If you want to send fabric, email me.

We got the Wii Fit last weekend. Hopefully I will be able to sneek some pictures of Chris really soon. It really kicks my tushie! I've already lost about 4 lbs! LOVE IT!!

Bee is slowly starting to show his Two side coming out. In the store today, we had to walk out because he threw a fit over a pencil. We'll try again tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow, an exciting story of my past!

Journal Jar - 4/19/09

What do you think about movies?

I love movies! I love cuddling up on the couch with some snacks, with my hubby and just realxing for two hours. I especially love that they have commercial free movies on most channels now. OR there is always the fast forward button...love that!!

Going to the movies is a different story. I have a really hard time paying $20 for two people to go watch a movie that will be on my TV in three months or in the bargain bin at Wal-Mart in four. $20 could buy us part of a dinner at Chili's and great conversation. And the chairs aren't nearly as comfortable as my couch with a quilt.

When I was a teenager, I thought the movies were the best thing ever! Two hours, unsupervised by my parents to hang out with my friends, or even boyfriends. Most of the time I just went to the movies to go, not caring what was playing. I had many dates at the movies. Some good, some really bad.

What is your favorite movie and why?

This is a hard question cause there are sooo many great ones. So I'm going to do top 10 greatest movies ever, by Kritta22.

1. Nacho Libre (Doesn't matter what mood you are in, you WILL laugh at this movie)

2. American President (It has Michael Douglas in it. It's just a great romantic movie)

3. The Holiday (I hadn't heard of this until last Christmas...you NEED to rent this. It has Jett Black in it that you have never seen him this way before.)

4. Single's Ward (It's a church movie. SO stinking funny.)

5. Double Jeopardy (My fave dramatic movie...great story and started close to my hometown)

6. Shrek 1-3 (How could you not love that big guy!!?? And all the little things that are thrown in there...do you think he is compensating for something?? hehe)

7. 23 Dresses (just a cute chick flick)

8. Meet Joe Black (another chick flick, long but totally worth it cuz you have to see when she knows!! Oh and I ALWAYS fast forward through the hot and heavy scene that they totally could have been without! (I hate that!))

9. Monster -in-law (oh so fun!)

10. Mulan (Gotta love a chica that can kick some tushie!)

Honorable mentions: Finding Nemo, Men in Black, Harry Potter's, Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman, the Italian Job, and Talledanga Nights.
What are your favorite movies?

Fairbanks

These pictures are in reverse order cuz I forgot how blogger works!


Anyway this is a pretty mountain that I took a picture of while driving...shh!
There were like a gazillion picture opps BUT I had to drive so this was the only one I got.
This little bear was so cute. He was at the Knotty Shop! (hehehe) It's a place that is all wood and mostly made from knots in trees! (Chris thought it was dirty too and wanted to know what we were going to do with Bee. He was a little disappointed...okay maybe, A LOT!)

This is outside the Knotty Shop. It's a Hippo.

Did you know that hippos have an antibody on their skin that helps heal their ouchies!?? How cool is that?

This is Bee on a swing! He loved it. We don't have many swings that are usable in Anchorage during the winter. They are usually too low and covered with snow. I never thought about that until I had Bee!

More fun with Dad and a swing. Life couldn't be better!!

I thought that this sign was cool. Fairbanks is definitely far away from MOST places!

Bee with the elves at the North Pole!!

Santa's House at the North Pole. It was closed but we took pictures anyway!

These are Santa's reindeer...AKA caribou. That big one, farthest away...he charged us. Dancer had an attitude problem.

Bee had enough about 6 hours into the trip up there so we stopped on the side of the road and threw the ball around for a few minutes.


Chris was totally surprised that we drove up there.

Funny story to share. Chris had Tuesday off. So that means he had to get up at 7am, drive to the hotel and go back to bed. So he usually calls me about 10am when he wakes up.

Well, I was in the middle of the butt crack of Alaska...seriously, mountains on both sides. (Hehe) So he was getting upset that I didn't answer my phone. I would text him and it would go through a few minutes later or even like 30 minutes. Really there was little service. Which made him even more mad because I would text him sometimes and not others!!

So anyway at about 1pm, I was in Fairbanks with service. I told him I was driving to a friends house and that's why I don't have service. He wanted to know which friend and where I didn't have service in Anchorage. I told him it was none of his business!

Can you just hear him screaming at the phone at my text message??? Yeah me too!

He texted me back, "Well thanks for talking to me." Hear the guilt trip?

I texted him back and said I would call him in twenty minutes, on my way home.

"Fine." he says! Hehehe

He texted me 25 minutes later..."Well I guess I'm not important right now. Call me when you want to talk to your husband."

I busted a gut laughing at that!!

I took a picture of the sign that says Eilison AFB and sent it to him.

Bee and I walk into the hotel lobby ten minutes later. Ask to call Chris. He didn't answer his phone.

So I called his cell. I asked for his room number so I could send him Easter candy. He walks into the lobby with all his friends behind him, saying his number.

Then he sees Bee and stops. Bee hears his voice and runs to him. It was seriously wonderful!!!

(I guess that Chris and his friends were just leaving to go into town! Talk about perfect timing!)

So there is our trip in a nutshell. It was totally awesome. The drive was beautiful. Bee was really good. Chris was so grateful that we went up there.

AND I get to cross off one of my list thingies... <---- over there! Score!!!

Virtual Quilt Festival

I am back, safe and sound! (Thank you for all your well wishes!)

I have some pictures to show you tomorrow.

Today is a Virtual Quilt Festival!!

Go check out Amy's site to view more beautiful quilts.









This one was done by my Grandma Carlson and Great Grandma A.
(GG is what we call her. She is Grandma's mom)

It is all the fifty states' birds, flower and date they joined the USA. They are in the order they joined.
They are hand embroidered.
If you look at the different color threads on the state names, between these two blocks....
The bright red one is my Grandma Carlson. The darker brick red is GG.

GG was soooo mad when she saw that they were different colors she was going to rip all hers out to have them match. Thank goodness Grandma talked her out of it (I haven't heard the story how!) but now I know which block is Grandma's and GG's. We would not have known otherwise.
This whole quilt is HAND quilted! I know, WOW!! I don't know how long it took but I do know it was made in Custer, South Dakota.
These are the center five.

I whole heartedly LOVE this quilt. It is quite a large quilt though so I have to wait to put it on a bed or wall.

This is one of my possesions that IF (knock on wood) there was ever a fire in my house, I would try and grab this. This is a huge part of our family history.

Go check out more awesome quilts here... OOOOOOO

Thanks for visiting!

Shhhh...

This is where I'm headed....to Fairbanks.

TO surprise my hubby.

Bee and I are going to visit him.

It's about 400 miles. 7 plus hours of driving.

But we are going!! Yeehaw!

I'll write about here on Thursday.

Until then....be safe!

Hand quilt

I light of the fact that I am busying with finishing up any and all projects....

I thought I would share one that was done!

This is my first paper pieced quilt. That means it was pieced together by hand.

Yup...no machine pushing those babies together.

I took about a year or so.

The fabric is mostly 1920's reprints. I added in a few others for color. I now know why my mom was a little upset. (You just don't do that in the quilting world!!)

Anyway it makes it mine. There is material in there from a skirt I made and a few from mom's quilts.

Anyway I finished the quilt blocks. Hand sewed the yellow middle part (sashing) in and left it to dry.

My mom and Grandma Slattery took it on as a mission to finish it up. My mom machine quilted the diagonal lines across and put the purple border on with the binding. My Grandma hand sewed the binding on to the back.

So now it's a three generation quilt and I love it.

It's hanging on my wall as you walk in the door.

Spring to Finish

There's a list over there <----------- on the bottom of my goal list, with a BUNCH of quilitng projects.

My new found friend, Jacquelyn, has started this challenge to finish your projects. The more you finish, the cooler you are!! (Hehehe)

Anyway I hope to, at least, get that stupid Log Cabin finished and a baby quilt or five!

Let me know if you join!

Journal Jar

My friend and almost neighbor, Taron gave me this great jar. It's a journal jar.

It's filled with random questions that are suppose to get your writing in your journal.

Well since this is my journal....here we are!!

Today's wonderful question is:

Have you had to stay in a hospital for an illness or accident? Tell about it.

I have stayed in a hospital for an illness a few times.

When I was in second grade I was really, really sick and the doctors were unsure why. I remember being really achy in one of my major joints at a one time, then it would move to say my hip. They ran all kinds of tests. I even got to go in one of those 'tube x-rays.' And MRI's and pretty much everything else.
It was so scary for my mom and dad. I wasn't too scared that I remember. I do remember that I had a gown that was fire resistant (I think they all are but the nurse made a big deal about it) and that there were stars on my ceiling when the lights went out and that my sister and cousin were fighting at home, which makes my dad grumpy. Mom stayed at the hospital with me and had heartburn.
Anyway they found out I had salmonella poisoning in my blood. Very rare and to this day they don't know how I got it in my blood.

Later when I was 20, right before Thanksgiving, I was barfing. I HATE barfing more than anything else, physically. So I went to the doctor to get medicine. They ran blood tests because that's what doctors do.
My mom got a phone call at 11pm at night from the lab, saying that I need to get to the ER RIGHT NOW and to not get in an accident or I WILL die. (Now that's drama!)
When we got there, they told us that I had 4000 platelets and that they didn't know how I was moving around without my brain bleeding out. They wanted to draw my blood but didn't want to poke me cuz I might not stop bleeding. (Most people have 250,000 -500,000 platelets)
Anyway I freaked a lot of people out because by looking at me in a chart, they thought I was a cancer patient or close to being died. And they walk in the room and I'm punching my sister for picking on me. Or playing card games with my mom.
They put me in the hospital the morning of Thanksgiving at the University of Washington. I stayed there for the weekend. I didn't even get any leftovers. They run a gazillion tests. I was put on the Leukemia floor cuz they didn't know where to put me. When I WALKED up the stairs to the floor, the nurses were shocked. They hadn't seen a patient walk by themselves up there for a long time.

I even got a nurse in trouble, by accident. I had my own room, actually wing for that matter. My boyfriend, sister and mom had all left cuz it was Thanksgiving. I didn't mind. Anyway I got bored and wanted a snack. I asked the nurse if I could walk down to the vending machine to get some Skittles. I was the healthiest patient she had seen a months. She said sure but hurry back cuz one of the doctors was coming soon. So I ran, literally to the machine and back, but not in time. The doctor was yelling at her because my brain could spontaneously start bleeding and I didn't need to be out of bed except to pee. I tried to reason with the doctor, saying that I had been moving around with low platelets for weeks, months or maybe years. Anyway she got in trouble and I was sent to my room. BOOO!

Another time in the hospital was to remove my spleen. It is what cleans your blood. Well, my spleen was eating my platelets....bad spleen. So now it's in a jar somewhere being studied.
That time I remember feeling my intestines move back, being on good drugs and walking the halls with whales painted on them. My Grandma brought me a puzzle. And I had to miss Medical assistanting school.

Another time was when I had a miscarriage before Bee. I had to stay in there for just a day but that one was NO fun.

That's about it, I believe. I didn't even have to stay in the hospital with Bee. They released me to be with him two hours after I delivered him. Now that's quick service! :)

My PIF gifts

I got a package in the mail today!

It was from my friend Jane! I signed up on her Pay It Forward so she made me something!

Or somethingS!!!


I'm so excited to show you....
Candy!!!!! (She knows the way to my heart!)
A present for Connor! Isn't she a sweetheart! He loved it....and I love that it doesn't draw on the couch!
Here it is.....my table runner! This is the back....isn't it wonderful??

And this is the front!!!!!!! I am just amazed! I believe it is HAND stinking QUILTED!!!!

Who does that anymore??? Jane I love you!
AND potholders! So fun!
A charm pack!!
Here it is all together
These are candles with a fruit smell and Christmas fabric!!!

I also got more fabric and a bunch of ric rac!!! (The pictures won't load tonight)


So holy stinking cow! Isn't it amazing!

THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH JANE!!!!

I don't have a table right now, so it's hanging in my kitchen!

Thank you again!

Don't worry my PIF, I haven't forgot about you!

General Conference notes

Bee and I watched good portions of General Conference this weekend.

Good portions meaning about 4 hours total.

It's hard trying to pay attention when Bee has to play with every toy that makes sounds or has a button/rattle/etc. But that's okay. I wouldn't change it for the world!!

I recorded it all so this week I will watch more every night AFTER Bee is asleep!

Here are some of my favorite things about this Conference:

Elder Oaks said " Gambling is selfish." I never thought about it like that before. His thoughts were You reap what you sow. If you aren't reaping, you shouldn't be sowing anything either.
I haven't ever been a good gambler. In fact, the first time I ever went into a casino was this past trip to Seattle.

I would like to hear your thoughts on that....

Next,
"It is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. (Temples) ONLY the home can compare with the temple in sacredness!!!

WOW!!

I always thought of my house being a safe place but close to the TEMPLE!!!! You have to be a part of the club to get in there!! (Hehehe)

He said more things about it being clean and tidy and welcoming that I didn't write down because I was cleaning up a juice mess...I'll have to wait until the Ensign comes out.

But WOW, my home is close to the temple. I'm going to have to do some cleaning!! :)

I just wanted to share how grateful I am for General Conference. To be able to see and hear our modern day Prophets is just awesome. It is humbling to see them every six months. To see how many grey hairs we have put on their heads. Cuz I'm sure in all their praying and hoping for us, they turn grey!!

At least my dad blames Kassy and I for his grey hair!!


So what are you thoughts on these two things??

As I was lounging...

So as I was lounging around tonight, after using all my energy to go to the grocery store for a few things, I watched a movie.

"How to Make An American Quilt"

Now I had recorded this awhile ago. It had the word quilt in it...you know it went in my DVR!!

Anyway I finally got to watch it tonight. (One of the few joys of my hubby not being able to veto my TV choices)

I highly recommend it to any girl.

It's a chick flick. But it's nicely made to where I would watch it with my mom. They are a few parts that I grabbed the remote to fast forward but didn't need to cuz it stopped right then.

The last scene in the movie it's talking about marriage and quilts.

I liked it enough to write it down so here it is:

You have to choose your combination carefully.
The right choices will enhance your quilt; the wrong choices will dull the colors, hiding their original beauty. There are no rules you can follow, you have to go by instinct and you have to be brave.

I really like this.

Especially the brave part.

You have to be brave in marriage and quilting.

Another quick update

Here are little pieces of the past couple days:

Bee and I are both sick with fevers and coughs.

Chris got shipped up for Fairbanks for who knows how long. He can come back when the volcano settles down. (Mt Redoubts track record says she blows up for months at a time.) So I don't know when he will be back.

Bee and I have been vegging out on the couch for the past few days. My house is a mess and I haven't cooked a meal in 5 days.

(Not that we would eat it even if I did.)

My internet is being a big pain and only works about 5% of the time.

I thought about driving up to see Chris but I can't. It's about 400 miles away and it cuts right through a mountain range. Besides it would cost a fortune in gas! (maybe if he is up there still at the end of April)

That's about it.

I just wanted you people to know I didn't die and that I'll be back soon!