Fran's Felicities

DIET

2012-01-06T10:06:00.000-06:00

There is a reason why the word 'die' is the major part of the word diet. It's a killer! After losing 4 pounds since the first of the year I had a total break down last night. John walked in the door after work yesterday and I said, "You are going to take me out for pizza tonight!!!"

Yes, it was a demand. NOT a request. I had given up all the good tasting food since New Year's Eve and couldn't take it any longer. Drinking water is so tasteless! I don't know why it is so dang hard to control eating - or should I say change eating habits.

I felt much better after sharing a small pizza with John. Yes, there was a twang of guilt, but I got over it. Perhaps eating a salad with the pizza helped me justify my consumption of the pizza.

Today looks much brighter. Cross your fingers that I can be successful in this journey. I would like to be much lighter before anyone has to try and carry me to my grave. Dead weight is the worst!

Sewing Goals

2011-12-21T00:33:00.001-06:00

I've created my list of what I would like to accomplish in 2012 regarding my sewing projects. It seems if I keep focused the projects get done quicker. Who'd a thunk it?!? Anywho, even though it's not new year's eve yet, I got a jump-start on setting some resolutions. My plan is to keep track on the sidebar of my blog the projects I've chosen to complete this year. I will update the list as the projects are completed. Kinda my checkoff list. Since I send my quilts out to be quilted, I will consider them DONE when the top is finished and they are ready to be sent to the quilter. Yes, I realize that means the binding is still left to do, but it will be more satisfying to me to record them done when the piecing work is done. This may be slightly cheating, but it's my plan so I make the rules!!

Pictures will be posted whenever - as you know, I'm not real good about providing pictures, or blogging for that matter. Let's see how long it takes to break this resolution!!

WANTED: Baby Girl

2011-10-30T22:44:00.000-05:00

I'm looking for a baby girl that would enjoy wearing these bibs.

Aren't they simply adorable? The picture doesn't do them justice.
I found the pattern in a quilt shop in Utah last summer. Then I found the material in another Utah quilt shop. The rest is history.... came home and let the fabrics sit and grow on me for a while. Then cut and sewed until my fingers hurt. I like the results so much!

Found out my niece is having a baby, and quess what? It's a GIRL... now she will know what her present will be!

Virginia Is Calling

2011-10-06T00:24:00.000-05:00

Ever have the urge to move? Usually I don't, because there is just too much to pack. Of course we all know the good strong boxes are at the local liquor store, but I can't afford to have my Brothers or Sisters see me coming out of those establishments!

However, I am very tempted to move. I found a wonderful home in Virginia last month. Seeing it from afar was quite breathtaking - to plagiarize my favorite movie "I don't know when I've seen a house more happily situated!"

The closer we got, the more excited I became...

Isn't it beautiful?

The horse and buggy (I mean car) can swing right up to the front entrance.

I think this staircase just screams "WELCOME".

I love a house with pillars.

Wouldn't you love to ring the doorbell and have my butler see you in?

This was actually an old southern mansion - yes, there were slaves here at one time. I could be a slave in that house and live quite nicely!

The views from the inside were absolutely stunning! We couldn't take any pictures of the house inside, but it sure had a lot of character - fireplaces galore and lots of detailed wood trim.

I imagined Mr. Darcy in each and every room!!

Maybe the yard needs a little TLC. But I love the white fence.

Well, all good things must come to an end.

There was one drawback - the house was not on a lake.

In fact, I didn't see water anywhere (except for my drool)!

Guess I won't be making a run to the liquor store any time soon.

Small Packages

2011-09-23T11:53:00.000-05:00

They say "Good things come in small packages". After yesterday I'm a firm believer of that. My dear son, Travis presented me with this lovely little package after his graduation last night.

I should have been giving him a gift for all his accomplishments, but to my surprise he gave me one. And what may you ask was inside????

This gorgeous little morsel....

It was absolutely delicious!! Chocolate red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Thought I had died and gone to heaven. Happy graduation to me!! Thank you Travis for thinking of me - you will remain in our will forever!

Virginia

2011-09-22T11:37:00.002-05:00

Just returned from a trip to Virginia & DC with my favorite travel companion - John! He keeps me calm, safe, and headed in the right direction. Even though I tease him about his maps with dots and circles all over it, he plans a good trip and we see a lot of things. If I travel alone, I'm more apt to sit in my hotel room and hope I don't get lost or abducted.

This time we went to Harper's Ferry... it is a quaint little town with lots of history. The scenery was gorgeous with green everywhere. I'm sure the fall colors will be amazing (but that would mean another trip)! This is wine country, so there were rows and rows of grape vines.

We ate lunch at a little cafe in an old house. The cafe only had 7 tables of 4 so it was very small. The food was delicious and homemade.

John is a walking history book, so he fills me in on all the historical details of the area - I didn't like history in school, but I love my personal history tour guide! The old train station was unique and we enjoyed looking at it from many angles.

The church of course was an old ornate building with a tall steeple. Set on the highest hill, it overlooked the village below. Very picturesque.

Of course I loved all the buildings with their many colors. Reminded me of a patchwork quilt!

The laundry hanging on the back porch was fun too... or are these ghosts?!

The town was unique because two rivers came together here. It worked well for the early settlers to move their wares.

Of course the big history of this town was the abolitionist John Brown and the events that took place just prior to the civil war. He did what he thought was right and gave his life doing it. Gotta love a guy with that much determination and love for others.

These steps were well worn and warped from so much use by people long ago.

I'm glad we were able to visit such a historic place and enjoy the remains there. It was time well spent to see this area. That's it for now, but I will share some other pictures of our trip later.

Garden Party

2011-08-19T16:03:00.001-05:00

I took some time to have fun just for me today. It turned out to be quite a lot of fun once I found the address on how to get to the location. A month ago, I bought a $5 ticket to a garden party. Wasn't sure what that was all about, but I knew it included lunch. If food is involved, and I don't have to cook it, I'm all over it! Turns out, the lady hosting the garden party is a master gardener and lives on a small lake. Her yard is filled with gardens she has created.

We (about 20 in all) arrived at the appointed hour. Most people just sat on her deck and chatted. There were 5 of us who roamed through her yard and marveled at all the plants and beautiful gardens. I was really impressed with how she added little pots, ceramic figures and water baths for interest. She also added height to her gardens using trellis's or climbing vines.

The lunch was served buffet style and we sat outside - most folks stayed on the deck, but the same fabulous 5 sat on the back lawn surrounded by the gardens.

I bought a new hat to wear for the party - sorry I didn't get a picture of that;) All in all, it turned out to be a lot of fun for only $5 (plus the cost of the hat)!

Another Finished BOM

2011-07-19T11:28:00.001-05:00

I love it when a big project gets finished. This is my BOM - Block of the Month from June 2010 to May 2011. Our group met at Fish Lake Lutheran Church in Harris and had breakfast, followed by speakers, then show and tell. It was a great time and I really enjoyed it. The ladies are terrific, especially my dear friend Barb Sauer who organizes all this!

A sample of our delicious breakfasts!

Eggbake, banana bread and a beautiful orange flower.

The name of this finishing pattern is called Butterflies in the Garden.... can you see the butterflies? The 12 blocks in the center of the quilt were completed one per month, then the sashing (butterflies) and border were all added in June & July of 2011.

I love the colors and think it really does look like butterflies surrounded by the floral fabric borders.

Well, on to my next project that needs to be finished... I have several to choose from!

Hello Again

2011-06-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

Hello it's me and I'm still alive! I know it has been forever since my last posting but that's okay. Not much has changed, just life goes on. Our house is being shared with Shawna and family while they purchase a new home. It's fun to get lots of hugs & kisses from the grandchildren each day. And Jenna walks into the house and calls out "Grandma" - that warms my heart!

I continue to sew, but at a slower pace. Here are a few things that have been completed.

Two quilts:

An Easter table topper:

A colorful table runner:

A pillow for Jessica because her closet is full of shoes (my mom did the embroidery work):

And finally, I can share this quilt now because it was a gift and I've presented it. This quilt was made for Karrine because she loves music and performs so well on the piano. She graduated from high school last week and had her open house on Saturday. John and I have enjoyed watching her grow up and become such a super young lady with many talents and a kind heart. She will be a delight at college.

Until next time - don't hold your breath!

Cupcake Creations

2011-04-29T23:09:00.000-05:00

I found a new cookie pan with shapes of a daisy, tulip, lady bug, watering can, lamb, chick, basket with eggs, Easter egg, and butterfly. Decided it would be fun to make some for Easter. John really got into coloring the cookies. I just did one color on each cookie, but John used many colors. He found it to be very relaxing.

The colored cookies are then put on top of a cupcake frosted green (representing grass). Here are some of the final cookies & cupcakes. YUM!!

Success!

2011-04-13T08:59:00.000-05:00

I love my work as Director on the Connexus Board and MREA Board, but there is one big downside. These are elected positions. My stomach churns when I have to "sell" myself and beg others to vote for me. I guess it goes against my beliefs of being independent.

My three year term was coming to a close so I needed to apply, be interviewed, and then campaign over the last three months. Many sleepless nights and stress filled days later, the winners were announced at our annual meeting yesterday. I was so nervous, but had to appear calm and give my two reports in front of the attending audience. When the announcement came, I just wanted to crawl in a hole and not hear the results. I mean, most people (all politicians) have the pleasure of being alone when the results are announced. This gives them time to "compose" themselves before appearing before the media, supporters, etc.

My fear is that if I lost the election I'm not sure how I would react. Would I remain calm? Would I go into denial? Would I be gracious? Maybe my emotions would take over and I would cry or something... in front of all those people!

I'm just not sure how it would all go down, and since I'm a control freak that causes a lot of stress for me.

Thankfully, the results yesterday were quite the opposite. When all was said and done, I received the most votes and a four-year term was the reward. I'm so excited! Not only do I get to continue to do the work I enjoy, but my stress level regarding elections can remain low for four years! What a blessing!!!

Final March Creation

2011-04-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

I finished out March completing a project that has been a year in the making.... yes, that is pathetic! I'm happy to have this done and off my "to do" list. It is cute & functional, so that is a plus. Now whenever I carry a casserole or other dish somewhere I can put it in my new carrier:

Sweet & simple!

Girls Night Out

2011-03-29T23:26:00.000-05:00

About once a month we have a movie night for girls only. Our wonderful hostess is Margo...

She chooses a theme and we bring food/snacks to munch on. Last Friday night we had a "dip" night. Food included anything we could dip. Fruit in white chocolate, layered taco dip, spinach dip, sun dried tomato dip, bruschetta, etc. It was all so yummy!

My daughters weren't too happy with me for snapping this picture without notice.....

so I gave them a chance to pose...

The movie on the big screen was my favorite "Pride and Prejudice" (the second half of the long version),

Margo makes the best popcorn in her fancy open kettle popper. This time we were too full to have any, but I'm sure we will pop some next time!

Thinking Spring

2011-03-28T21:55:00.000-05:00

My mom was sick earlier this month and received some flowers to cheer her up. The colors matched the quilt blocks I had been sewing, so I took a picture of the flowers displayed on the blocks.

Now the quilt is finished and looks lovely without the vase of flowers sitting on them! Doesn't this make you think of spring?!

Another reminder of spring is the start of baseball. I bought a new bag pattern and wanted to try it out. Shawna said she needed a bag to carry stuff to baseball games this summer, so I used leftover baseball fabric from Michael's quilt and made this bag. Notice the buttons up close!

I've had enough of the cold and snow... bring on the sunshine and heat!

Going Bananas

2011-03-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

I attend a block-of-the-month (BOM) quilting group at the Fish Lake Lutheran Church in Harris. It's a fun time to meet with friends, have breakfast, and learn a little about quilting. Our leader (Barb Sauer) gave us a small piece of monkey fabric to create one block. She got back 48 blocks total. It was decided to create 4 quilts to be given to children hospitals. Lynn Wyatt and I took 12 blocks and created the following quilt. Isn't it awesome?!? Who knew monkeys could look so good. A couple of the blocks actually has banana fabric in it. Turned out to be a very fun project.

It's Official

2011-02-22T21:45:00.000-06:00

So I'm not sure when Christmas is "Officially" over. Is it when the tree comes down? If yes, that would be the end of January for me.... I like to keep the lighted tree up to help me get through the gray long days of January.

Or is Christmas officially over when you use up the last of the Christmas napkins? If yes, I'm almost to the end of those napkins I thought were so darling and just had to buy last December.

Maybe Christmas is never "officially over" - it stays in my heart year 'round!

Quilt Retreat

2011-02-19T13:25:00.000-06:00

Being inside during cold Minnesota winters isn't all bad. Last Friday I went with some girlfriends and we sewed all day at Millie P's quilt shop in Anoka. They brought our lunch to us, so we didn't have to go outside for that. The next day we went to Princeton for an even longer day of quilting - 8am to 10pm... yes, a long day, but very productive. Here again they brought food to us so we didn't have to go outside again. We each brought a snack to share, so the food was never ending. Lots of chocolate for creativity. It was great fun to sew, eat, visit, eat, sew... you get the idea! Here is my friend Barb showing her many squares sewn together. My sister-in-law Lynn is standing behind her (just to the right) visiting with other quilters.

I was very pleased with what I was able to accomplish on my projects during these two days of non-stop sewing.

This quilt top of Christmas trees and squares was all put together - just needed to add the final white border (which has been done). I love this pattern because the trees are actually dimensional and not sewn down all the way around. After it's quilted, I will add buttons for ornaments to the trees.

The blocks for the border of this cute baby quilt was my next project. Isn't it sweet? Some baby will really sleep well wrapped up in this!

I'm well on my way to reaching my goal of finishing 3 projects each month this year. Stay tuned!

New Tool

2011-02-16T16:17:00.002-06:00

Today was an exciting day... Max (from the cooperative) came and installed my new desktop computer. It runs like a charm - no more waiting 15 minutes to boot up. And it's so fast! I have to get a seatbelt on my office chair to keep from falling off while surfing the internet. I love the wide screen, and the power switch is on the top of the tower instead of down by the floor. No more bending over to turn it on and clunking my head on the desk!

When the monitor goes into sleep mode it has multi-colored bubbles floating across the screen.

Life is good!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-27T18:53:00.001-06:00

Yes, I know January is almost over... but I'm running late so Happy New Year to 2011. I've been very busy and that makes me happy. John and I joined the YMCA on new year's day and we have been extremely dedicated to our workouts. Mine takes place in the pool... water aerobics! It's a lot of fun, but hard work. As my friend said, "Fran has exchanged her favorite perfume for "ode de chlorine". The exercise is doing wonders for me - I'm tired (who knew a body has so many muscles) and I'm hungry all the time!!

I've also been sewing up a storm working on projects I've purchased throughout the years. You know how I love math - my calculations indicate that if I finish 3 projects per month, I will have 2 1/2 years of sewing projects. Not bad!! I must discipline myself not to buy more projects during that time (hahaha).

I'm happy to announce my 3 projects for January are completed. Don't they look nice?!

These three projects are now ready to be quilted, and my unfinished pile is a tad smaller! Time to get back to my sewing and aching muscles.

More Purses

2010-11-29T13:02:00.000-06:00

Three posts in one day... must be a new record for me. Tawnya scolded me, so I had to make all these postings!!

Here is a picture of my latest creations - two new handbags for two lucky gals (it's a secret yet)! Each one looks so cute, but they take a lot of time to sew. I'm pleased with them when they are done though, so it's worth the time spent sewing.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-29T12:55:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time with friends and family this Thanksgiving. Joining us was mom & Curt, Shawna & family, Cassie & family, Travis & family, Ed & KC Brown, Clarice Loseth, and the Manning family (minus Mallory). It was great to have the house full! I didn't take many pics, but captured a few highlights...

Miranda Manning loves to make cupcakes. She shared some of her masterpieces with us:

Aren't they adorable?!

Tawnya was with us in spirit and sent this beautiful fresh floral arrangement to remind us of her:

How thankful I am of all the many blessings in my life.

Walk or Ride, It's All Good

2010-11-29T12:44:00.001-06:00

My babysitting of Ethan is getting to be more challenging. He wants to walk but only if I hold his hands. It gets a little sore in the back after a while. Ethan loves anything with wheels, so he is combining his two favorites - walking and wheels. I have a walker/chair I use in the kitchen, and this is quite the attraction to baby E as you can see.

He loves to walk behind and push the walker, but gets a little upset when he runs into something and can't turn it free.

Another discovery we made, is his love of riding - that's when the really big smiles come out!

Oh, how we love this little guy!!

She's Here!

2010-11-08T07:47:00.000-06:00

Grandchild number nine arrived last Friday, November 5th. She is a beautiful healthy perfect little princess! She weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces, and measured 21 1/4 inches long. Mother Cassie is doing well also. Congratulations to the Brown family! After much deliberation, parents decided on a lovely name - Jocelyn Rae Brown.

Not Too Sick

2010-08-23T16:55:00.000-05:00

For over a month, I was sick with a sinus infection. No fun! Even though I couldn't be out in my flower gardens (it hurt to have my head hanging down), I wasn't too sick to work on something. I was able to find indoor stuff to do. Of course I chose to sew a lot, and do a little scrapbooking. Here are some of the projects I worked on.

Purse for mother (I made 4 more for myself using different colors of course):

Christmas Snowman quilt - the center embroidery work was done by my mom. Then I made all the blocks - 24 total- for the borders.

A darling baby quilt with Newton:

And finally a quilt called Fire Escape:

It was fun to sew these projects because they were all so different. It was a good use of my time while recuperating. So three big boxes of Puffs tissue later, I'm happy to say the worst is over!

Puffs

2010-07-24T23:01:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a disaster.... beautiful weather outside, but not too sunny inside. What is it about noses.... as soon as I start sniffling, sneezing, and blowing, my nose turns red. I'm not fond of looking like a sister to Rudolph, so my only answer is PUFFS. They truly work miracles for me. Soft and gentle on the nose, but strong and efficient to do the work required. No more Rudolph in my family tree!

Long Time Coming

2010-06-20T18:32:00.000-05:00

It took over a year, but here it is... the top is all done and ready to go to the quilters. Heading to Duluth on Tuesday with my quilting buddies and will take this Double Wedding Ring quilt to be quilted.

It was started over a year ago, and took a long time to complete... several steps in the process, and I lost interest half way through. Wasn't sure about the brown center squares but now that I see it done, I really like it!

Another UFO (unfinished objects) that can be crossed off my list!!

Two Month Silence

2010-06-15T08:43:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it has been two months since my last post. What could possibly be the reason?

Perhaps you are thinking the rain washed me away!

We have certainly had enough rain - if we didn't live on this sand plain, we would need Noah's blueprints!

The garden is doing great, but it could use some sunshine (more than one hour a week) to ripen the strawberries and such. I have been very busy sewing since me outdoor time is limited between rain showers... made another quilt, and a new purse.

Did I mention it has been raining? I'm getting a little irritated - not really. I'm getting a LOT irritated because I need sun too!

My real reason for not posting in two months - (drum roll please) is because I can't get my pictures out of my camera and onto my computer. And I'm too busy and irritated to figure out why!

Hitting the Wall

2010-04-20T09:06:00.000-05:00

John & I spent the weekend in Duluth and it was good to see that my typical interests there fared well through the winter. Walking along the Superior shores I enjoyed the water still splashing on the rocks...

seagulls still fly friendly missions over the heads of visitors...

mass numbers of people still enjoy walking the pier to the lighthouse...

George Washington still keeps a close watch on the liftbridge...

and, way off on the horizon a large ship could be seen hauling unknown cargo...

It was a beautiful day to enjoy a return to Duluth!

Progressing on Projects

2010-04-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

Another month has flown by and I was able to make some more progress on my sewing projects. Last Friday Barb, Sandy, and I spent the day sewing at Millie P's - what a fun time! They pamper us with chocolate and lunch. We provide the chatter and laughter.

So, what did I get done? Well, I put all the borders around all 30 blocks in my Simply Sweet quilt.... now I just have to sew them all together.

Then, I started and almost completed a St. Patrick's Day tablerunner. Only needs the borders added on each end. Will be ready to use next year!

Over the last month I also completed all 24 blocks of stars for my Christmas quilt borders. My mom is embroidering the center panels and almost has them done. Hopefully next month I can show you the finished project!

Awe, such a great feeling to see progress being made!!

Freshly Painted

2010-04-01T11:21:00.001-05:00

I'm giddy with joy - my office and half-bath have a new paint job! It wasn't without sacrifice, but then what good things in life are?! I purchased a gallon of paint a year ago with the lovely name of Koala - was suppose to be a creamy brown color. When I removed the lid to paint, to my surprise it was the same peachy color as the scrapbook room. What happened I will never know:( Anyhow, I went to the hardware store and brought home all of their paint samples for brown paint.

After deciding on a color, I went back for the paint. Come to find out, the one I chose was displayed on one of their walls. I didn't like the looks of it, so chose a lighter color named Macadamia. Then I came home and started painting, and painting, and painting.

A couple days later, with sore back and muscles, I was very happy with the results. Gone was the Pistachio green color, replaced by the new Macadamia brown color. NOTE: I must love colors that have food names.

And now, to make Tawnya (Miss Osha) happy - here is a picture of the kid-friendly, no sharp corners, soft top foot stool/coffee table for our living room. If kids run into it, they should just bounce right off - no bleeding or stitches required!

Doesn't it look comfy with the conversational couches around it?! I enjoy resting my weary bones in this spot. Come sit a spell with me when you can!

Twofer

2010-03-28T15:15:00.000-05:00

Several years ago I purchased a fabric kit and pattern to make a Springtime wreath. The fabric is very playful with bunnies, carrots, and tulips.

Since I'm working on completing projects left undone years ago.... this one certainly qualified. After sewing the first wreath...

I realized there was enough fabric left to make a second wreath. What a delight! Two for the price of one.

I still have to add an orange bow, but then they will be ready for quilting. Won't that be cute hanging on my wall? Plus there will be an extra one to give away!

Lucky Me!

2010-03-26T09:08:00.002-05:00

Let it roll! When it comes to winning, I'm not usually successful. A sister of mine seems to have all the luck - she wins at bingo, drawings, etc. Well the tides have turned. This last month I won twice - yes, that's two times in one month!

First, I won a $25 gift card at the restaurant where my quilting friends have breakfast once a month. Second, my name was drawn last night for the door prize at a health fair my friend and I attended. The fabulous prize was a one hour body massage. I'm not too fond of massages, but John loves them.

I am really excited about this winning streak. And I'm wondering if I should quick head to Vegas, or Hinckley (and not just for the buffet). Perhaps we could retire early, or travel around the world, or buy some diamonds or a new house... sounds like I'm addicted already to the possabilities of winning. I better just stay home and enjoy the breakfasts and massage!

Sew Therapy

2010-03-22T22:00:00.001-05:00

I'm having trouble with my sinus, soooo that means sewwwwwing! It's Monday, which means time to clean bathrooms and do laundry. In between all that, I spent a lot of time at my sewing machine.

Last Friday at Princeton's BOM (Block of the month) we found out the quilt shop is changing hands and may close. We have one more month of BOM to complete our blocks. Then comes the task of assembling the quilt. I decided to change the pattern a little and replace some blank blocks with quilted blocks. So today I made the extra 6 blocks.

Next I will need to buy fabric for sashings, borders, etc. and figure out how all that should look. I'm looking forward to seeing the end result!

Alexis' First Birthday

2010-03-18T23:49:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday was party time to honor Alexis. She is 1 year old already- where did the time fly? I made her a card with the new stamp set I got from Jen.

A slightly dirt face after eating her first birthday cake - marble cake with chocolate frosting. Yum, Yum!

Grandpa Bator played piggys with Alexis, while she brought a new meaning to stocking cap!

Do you need any help opening those presents? Don't be shy, we are all here to help you!

Grandma Bator balancing her youngest two girls on her knees!

Jenna & Alexis

It doesn't get any better than this!!

Millie P's

2010-03-13T22:50:00.000-06:00

A new quilt shop opened in Anoka called Mille P's. It has a wonderful sewing room upstairs and the shop offers open sewing the 2nd Friday of each month. My dear friend Barb and I decided this would be a good time to work on UFO's from our stash. Barb picked me up at 9:15am and we arrived at the shop at 10am. The shop provided lunch and snacks, so we could use all our time sewing, cutting, or whatever. Met some other wonderful quilting ladies and saw the projects they were working on. It was a great day out and I accomplished so much. Barb had to leave at 2:00pm, but I stayed until 5pm when John picked me up.

These are the UFO's I worked on:

A Thanksgiving quilt - These are hand embroidered quilts blocks sewn by my mom. I joined them all together, then I will add a decorative stitch between each block.

Here is my favorite block - I can only imagine the discussion this child is having with the turkey!

Next will be the job of putting on the borders using this fabric:

Then I worked on sewing some of the star blocks for a Christmas quilt.

And finally, a new quilt that starts with sewing strip pieces. Then cutting them into 3 1/2 inch blocks.

Don't the colors look like spring has arrived? I can hardly wait for the 2nd Friday of April when we can gather again at Millie P's!

St.Paul Nights

2010-03-09T16:59:00.000-06:00

Last week was my annual meeting in St. Paul, MN for the Minnesota Rural Electric Association. I enjoyed being in St. Paul, but it was difficult staying at a hotel. Even though it is a very nice hotel - Crowne Plaza- I didn't sleep. The bed was very comfortable - a sleep number bed that should have taken me to dreamland. Instead, I was wide awake listening to all the little noises!

Tuesday we piled into a van and drove to Fabulous Ferns for a fabulous lunch. Then we visited the state capital to lobby our legislators. Went to an energy committee hearing and found that to be semi-interesting.

The view from my room on the 21st floor was beautiful. Had a room that overlooked the river. Didn't get any daytime pictures, but snapped a few shots to capture the night view. The water and lights were gorgeous!

Had a great meeting and met the artist Kaziah Hancock of Project Compassion. She, and four other artists, paint portraits of fallen soldiers and send them to their families free of charge. It's their way of saying thank you for their ultimate sacrifice for our country. She is a remarkable woman from Manti, UT and I was so pleased to meet her.

Now I'm home, getting caught up on my sleep! There's no place like home, there's no place like home...

Lullaby Daddy

2010-03-07T21:49:00.000-06:00

There's nothing cuter than a daddy napping with his son! Unless it's waking up from a nap with Daddy. John use to do this with our babies and it melted my heart every time!

Quilt run to Duluth

2010-03-07T00:02:00.000-06:00

I'm really behind on my posts. No excuse just haven't been very diligent. I've certainly had plenty of interesting happenings to write about. I will start with a fun quilt trip to Duluth. My dear friend Barb and dear sister-in-law Lynn went with me to Duluth. We left Tuesday, February 16th and returned Wednesday. With John's Garmin (GPS) in hand, we took a little side trip to Floodwood and visited a quilt shop there. It was a very large shop and we had so much fun looking through all the kits and baby ideas. After that we had a delicious lunch, and then on to the Quilters Coop to pick up Barb and Lynn's completed quilts. This was my first trip there, so I didn't have any quilts to pick up, but I had plenty to drop off. Thirteen to be exact. This is what 13 quilts looks like all stacked up and ready to go! That pile represents many hours of joy for me. Work, yes, but great therapy and fun to see how each quilt develops piece by piece.

Next we searched for our hotel and checked in. It's an old hotel in canal park. We had a suite with two bedrooms and two baths, a kitchen and living room area. We had a beautiful view of Lake Superior from our bedroom windows. The hallway was lined with large pillars and looked somewhat stately!

We took the opportunity after all our driving and riding to just relax and visit for a while. When we couldn't control our hunger pains any longer, we went in search of a restaurant. A Timberlodge was attached to our hotel, so we decided to stay inside and eat there. The food was wonderful and we took our time eating and visiting. Then Lynn and I were brave to put on swimsuits and head for the whirlpool. Lynn's skirt on her swimsuit lost its elasticity and grew into a flowing gown! We laughed a long time about that. After showers, we sat in our PJ's and just visited, ate chocolate, and drank hot cocoa. I tried to sleep, but had a terrible tooth ache (which was pulled the day after we got back).

Had a very nice breakfast at the hotel before plugging in Lucy Lou (Barb and Lynn's name for the Garmin). Then we were off to Superior, WI to find a quilt shop there. It was small but delightful. The owner invented the Twister ruler and showed us how to use it. She has written a pattern book on different ways to use the ruler, which will be ready in mid-March. Then we decided it was time to head home. We had such a great time together, and the weather was nice too. Can't wait to see my quilts done - some will be ready in April and the rest in June. Sounds like another Duluth quilt trip is brewing!

Gold, Silver, or Bronze

2010-02-28T21:57:00.004-06:00

It has been such an enjoyable few weeks of watching the Olympic athletes compete. I'm not sure any one athlete can claim to be the best when a mere difference of 12 hundredths of a second may have separated gold from silver. But the athletes have trained long and hard to put on a spectacular show. I must say it was all very entertaining, and I enjoyed watching the drama. Emotions ran high, and I laughed and cried along with each of them.

As enjoyable as it was, I'm also glad it's over. The reason being - I sat in front of the TV wayyyyyy toooooo much. Now I can get back to my sewing, reading, scrapbooking, housework, etc., and just life in general... if I remember what that was?!? Give me a month and I'm sure I will be dreaming of the next winter Olympics. Maybe I will take up speed skating, or cross country skiing. No, I better get realistic. How about curling? See you in Russia!

Medicine

2010-02-20T10:28:00.005-06:00

I'm not feeling well, so I wish we lived close to a medicine shop.....

After having a wisdom tooth extracted, the Jamba Juice would be just what the doctor (dentist) ordered!

Divine

2010-02-02T10:36:00.004-06:00

I'm feeling free and easy in Arizona. Must be the warm weather. Today I found a quilt shop, huge mall, and walked around snoping in some neighborhoods. Had breakfast, lunch, and dinner (only one meal though) at Olive Garden and realized how relaxing it was to eat all alone and not feel guilty about not sharing a dessert! Usually I don't have dessert at OG, but today I had a lot of time so I ate slowly and enjoyed the moment.

It's called "Torta di Chocolate", and they describe it as having "no sugar added". It's hard to believe, because it tastes sweet and oh so delicious!! Maybe that was a typo on the menu.

On my walk, I saw a fat rabbit and geraniums in bloom. What a treat to know that while we live in a frozen, no life state of Minnesota, there is actually someplace enjoying living plants and non-hibernated animals.

Oh, and then there are the oranges and lemons ripe on the trees. I don't think I've ever seen this before. I thought all fruit came from the grocery store! It really is a beautiful sight to see the yellow & orange against the green leaves.

Can hardly wait to see what today has in store for me. My plans are to visit a botanical garden... my friend Barb said it is a must see. I hope she's right!

See, See, What do you see?

2010-01-31T18:30:00.003-06:00

Two posts in one day... a record for me.
(I know that rhymes with the title - it was a fluke!)

I had another opportunity to play with Ethan last Friday night. After laying him on the green bug mat, it occurred to me that his view was quite different than mine. But we were both smiling and laughing!

Here was my view...

Here was Ethan's view...

What joy!!

Know Your Limitations

2010-01-31T18:15:00.005-06:00

I'm willing to try just about anything, but I'm certainly not very good at all things. For example... grandson Samuel asked me to make a birthday cake. No problem, he just wanted white cake with white frosting. A few days later he decided it should be a Darth Vader cake. Oh dear, now what to do? Thinking it wouldn't be too difficult to copy, I asked grandson Michael(the artist in our family) to draw me a simple picture of Darth. His picture was great!

However, my limitations were soon discovered when I tried to copy the image using frosting onto the cake.

It looks more like "mad cow" don't you think? The only redeeming quality was that it was delicious! I think grandma's cake decorating days are done.

Grandma, Let's Play!

2010-01-08T14:31:00.001-06:00

This little piggy went wee, wee, wee, all the way home!

Thursday was my lucky day... Ethan came over to play! What fun for me to play, take a nap, and snap a few pictures!

Isn't he adorable?! I love being a grandma!!!

Another One Bites the Dust

2010-01-06T08:50:00.003-06:00

John and I closed out the year with health issues. H1N1 with pneumonia for me, and gall bladder surgery for John. Is this what aging does? We have been so fortunate in regards to health, so I'm hoping this was just a fluke for 2009.

I'm looking forward to 2010 and have many plans (I won't say resolutions)! First is to find someplace warm to visit for a week in February - this would break up the cold winter. Second is to eat healthier - can't start that until I finish eating the chocolate candy left over from Christmas. Third plan is to enjoy life and not fret the small stuff - and it's all small stuff! And last, I plan to rent a lake cabin for a week with the intent of just sitting by the lake, reading, sipping Dr. Pepper (oops, not in compliance with plan #2), and watching for beautiful sunsets.

Not too heavy a plan, so I think it's all doable. Wish me luck!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-27T22:45:00.003-06:00

It was a great day with a large gathering of family & friends. The food was delicious, as usual, and I ate way tooooo much! I will count this as training for Christmas when I will eat just as much, if not more.

A highlight of the day was the following three-generation picture of John, Travis & Ethan.

After all the hoopla, I treated myself to a piece of pumpkin pie served up on my new plate. Looks almost too good to eat... I said almost!!

Now to search for those pants with the stretchy waistband. So much to be thankful for, and I am!

Pumpkin Patch Pics

2009-10-08T22:40:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Patch Pleasures

2009-10-08T20:00:00.002-05:00

It was my first visit to the Lendt Pumpkin Patch, but it will now be an annual event! Yesterday, Shawna & children kidnapped me, along with Jen Beckman & children, and we had a marvelous time. The sun was shining and the day was a perfect 64 degrees. There were tons of pumpkins to choose from and much to see. I had such fun watching and listening to the little ones decide on which pumpkin to get... Too big, too small, not orange enough, flat on one side, no stem (Jen did you break another one off)!?!

There were awesome painted wood cutouts to look at and play with too. Next year I'm going to bring a picnic lunch and stay all afternoon!!

Unique

2009-09-06T21:55:00.004-05:00

Wow, it has almost been a month since my last post! I think Facebook was a distraction to me... perhaps that should be avoided by me.

Anyhow, I continue to learn from my garden. This photo tells a lot. How can one pepper grow so big and another one grow so small?! They started as seeds from the same packet, were planted in the same soil, were watered and cared for the same, had the same sun shining down on them, but... turned out very different.

So I can't help but relate this to children from the same family(parents). Even though they have many similarities, they end up being quite unique. They are raised in the same environment, have the same basic family rules and values, are loved and nurtured the same, but... they turn out very different. I love the uniqueness of all my children! It's makes them very special.

Abandoned Homestead

2009-08-13T13:21:00.003-05:00

We call it "Early Mormon Architecture" - it's definitely a fixer-up-er! Whenever John & I travel west, we look for old abandoned places such as shown in this picture. Then we imagine the family that use to live there... what they did, how they survived, why they left, etc. It's great entertainment to pass the time away, and it leads us to other very interesting discussions about our past, present, and future.

Out For a Walk

2009-07-30T23:12:00.004-05:00

Just for kicks, John & I decided to tour the very small western town of Malad, Idaho. We weren't expecting anything super, but we saw a treasure! On the sidewalk a boy (about the age of 9) was riding his bike. Walking along side him was his sister (about age 5). She was holding a leash to a sheep! It was the cutest sight to behold. We stopped the car and asked if we could take their picture. They were happy to pose... the boy got off his bike and the little girl just beamed! They told us they were taking the sheep to a fair in a couple weeks, and they walked it twice a day - morning and night. I sure hope they get a purple ribbon for their dedication!!

Road Trip Memories

2009-07-28T14:18:00.007-05:00

I wish I could say our last road trip was uneventful, but that would be a lie. Our family trips usually bring about memories that last a lifetime, or more! This trip was no exception, for it provided the making of the "Venison Vaporizer". While very disheartening at the time (we didn't know if our car was repairable and we had a difficult time securing a rental car to proceed with our vacation), we now have quite a few laughs over the whole incident.

So how was the Venison Vaporizer born?

1) Ignore certain road signs.

2) Find a victim and introduce it to your car, up close and personal!

3) After all the hysteria, take the next exit that named their town after you.

There is no picture of the deer, because according to a nice young man who stopped to see if we were alright... he said, "Hey dude, you totally vaporized it"!

So there you have it, the making of a Venison Vaporizer.... And memories to last us forever!

Rocks & Water Together

2009-07-20T01:28:00.004-05:00

I love the look of rugged rocks...

but add water to rugged rocks and (for me) it is breathtaking!!

The sounds of water rushing over rocks, or slowly rippling over stones, brings me great peace and calmness. Lewis & Clark were excited to hear the sound of water rushing over rock too. Not only did this confirm they were on the correct river, they found joy in the picturesque view. Lewis' journal called the great falls a "truly magnificent and sublimely grand object which has from the commencement of time been concealed from the view of civilized man." I can only imagine what it must have been like to see the falls for the first time, without the power dams in place. I will have to settle for reading about these experiences, because I would not have made a good explorer!!

Great Falls

2009-07-20T01:02:00.004-05:00

Great Falls, Montana... The Lewis & Clark Expedition spent a month here because they had to portage around 5 waterfalls. These falls are awesome (except one is now underwater). Tawnya, John and I had a great time exploring these falls and looking at the rugged terrain in this area. It's beautiful and impressive. Sure nice to see some different landscape for a change. We walked across a suspension bridge to see the largest falls... that made my stomach churn a little as the swaying in the center was rather pronounced!

Peonys at Braham Cemetery

2009-06-18T19:48:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday John and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Rice Lake Cemetery in Braham, MN. This cemetery has hundreds of peony bushes planted throughout. It is absolutely gorgeous when they are in full bloom! Here is what I captured with my camera eye...

Summer Sights & Smells

2009-06-13T12:11:00.004-05:00

Lately, I have thought a lot about the sights and smells of summer. Sights are easy to blog about with pictures telling most of the story. For example, the yellow finches eating their thistle. They are nervous little birds, so I took the picture from inside the house, through the screen! But they are beautiful birds to observe during the summer.

Although smells are hard to "capture" on camera, I thought a picture might be a reminder of a great smell. Soooo, here is a picture of our freshly cut hay field.

If you didn't grow up on a farm, or have never visited a farm, during haying season (summer) you may not enjoy this post. But, I love the smell of freshly cut alfalfa. Cut grass is good too, but hay is sweeter and more fragrant. John loves this smell too. And much like a dog with its head out the window, when we are out for a drive John rolls the window down if he happens to see a cut hay field. Has anyone ever heard of air freshener with this fragrance? Maybe this could be my million dollar discovery!!!

Swingin' Duo

2009-06-06T10:26:00.003-05:00

It was the best weather on Friday! Shawna and Jenna came over and we had a great time. Worked in the gardens, did a little swingin' then went out for lunch to Tasty Pizza. Life is full of wonder, even for oldies like me! Isn't Jenna just the cutest ever? She sits in the swing like she's driving a car and tanning her arm out the window!!

I made John his favorite pie of the summer. This could be made year round, but the flavors are so much better with fresh-from-the-garden strawberries. The secret ingredient is 7-UP.

Summer Treats

2009-06-01T21:14:00.004-05:00

We have been eating from our garden for two weeks - the early perennial plants of rhubarb and asparagus. They are so tasty when fresh.

My favorite this time of year are the fresh June strawberries. I picked our first bowl full today. Don't they look delicious?

After cleaning the strawberries, the next big decision was how to eat them... pie, shortcake, with cream & sugar? Tonight I decided to mix a few strawberries with ice cream and a little milk. Hit the blender power button, and walla... a delicious strawberry shake! Yum, yum, yum. Fit for a king (or queen).

Mother Nature's Helper

2009-05-30T08:42:00.003-05:00

It's a sure sign of summer when the irrigation starts; and it's a sure sign of dryness when the farm irrigator is started this early! My children use to love running under the irrigator on very hot summer days. It was a break from weeding the garden. Even though it was a shock to the human system, because the water is sooooo coooold, they enjoyed running under the water spray!

I'm not sure how many pounds of pressure is used, but the water comes out with a great deal of force - enough to clean like a good carwash. One summer when the irrigation was started for the first time, an animal had a ride of its life. Thinking that the water pipes would be a good place to rest, a skunk had taken up residence inside the dormant pipes. When the water was turned on, the force of it caused the skunk to shoot out the end of the irrigator like a man shot out of a cannon. We aren't sure if that skunk had time to spray in it's own defense! I like to watch the water spray and think about all the tiny plant roots that are getting a much needed drink. It's a great help when mother nature takes a break.

Final Decision

2009-05-12T22:01:00.004-05:00

It wasn't easy, and the furniture was heavy to move, but we finally decided on the new layout of our living room (at least for now). It feels right, so it will probably stay this way for a while anywho! I've made a lot of progress on the inside of our house since the first of the year... now it's time to move outside and see what I can re-arrange there. Between wind gusts and rain, I should be able to accomplish something!

Berry Bowl Perhaps

2009-05-11T22:57:00.003-05:00

I love strawberries. It won't be long before the "fresh from the garden" ones will be ripe! Not being able to wait any longer to use my new bowl, I sliced some "store bought" strawberries and put them in the bowl. Don't they look delicious? Perhaps next time I will see how many peanut M&M's this bowl can hold! Anyone want to wager a guess?

OSHA anyone?!

2009-05-11T22:47:00.002-05:00

I believe less government is better, but I can understand why some government agencies were created. For instance, Travis and John were doing a little repair work on our trailer. They needed to raise the trailer higher so they could work underneath it. Being very ingenius, they got the job done. The picture says it all... but I'm not sure it would pass OSHA inspections!

Springtime in Utah

2009-05-07T20:55:00.007-05:00

Springtime in Utah was terrific! I had a wonderful time visiting Tawnya, Jessica and Lauri. Those gals kept me plenty busy and laughing a lot. There was much walking and hiking involved, so that was a challenge for this old girl, but what I saw was worth it.

First stop was the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. The flowers were at 85% bloom, so they were gorgeous. I'm envious of their gardens, but Tawnya reminded me they have several full-time gardeners. We were even surprised by a "secret garden" - hidden away just like the movie!

Of course we spent some time in scrapbook stores, quilt shops, book stores, clothes shops, and several restaurants! The weekend was spent in St. George and we climbed and hiked the red rocks and Zions National Park. This was beautiful, but very hard to capture on camera.

I laughed until my sides hurt watching Tawnya and Jessica during their belly-dancing class (I was not allowed to bring the camera)! Actually, they are mastering the art. I think if they continue with the next class to learn the veil work, they could dance for King David or Potiphar!

Latest Creativity

2009-04-11T15:58:00.003-05:00

The last room to get painted while mother was away this winter was the sewing/scrapbook room. Mother wanted it done in peach, much to Tawnya's dismay! But I think it looks swell, and the color keeps us alert while we are in the room! Mother had pictures of all her great-grand children hanging on the walls. This was a lot of nail holes to fill before painting. Sooo, I decided to minimize the holes by purchasing frames to hold many pictures. Names were put in the extra frame spaces next to their picture, and they will be adjusted as more great-grand children come along. I think the results are lovely and there won't be so many holes to fill and sand (3 instead of 12 or more) when it's time to paint again!

In Full Bloom

2009-04-04T22:04:00.004-05:00

About this time each year, my hibiscus blooms and reminds me that spring is on the way. The flowers are smaller than those produced in the summer when the plant sits outside, but they are beautiful in color. More important though is the signal this gives to me... spring is not far off and warmer weather is coming our way!

Adorable and Innocent

2009-03-21T21:11:00.004-05:00

Have I said how great it is to have grandchildren? I'm becoming very good at spoiling! Our latest arrived last Monday, March 16th. She is a keeper - beautiful, strong, alert, with lots of dark hair. It's such a relief to look upon a new little baby and see that they are physically fine - 10 little fingers, 10 little toes, small cupped ears, and tiny nose. I can't help but wonder what will her life be like - Where will her feet carry her? What service will her hands perform? Will she have lots of smiles? What will be her dreams and aspirations? All these questions will be answered over time, but for now we will just enjoy her beauty and innocence... and give her all our love!

The Quilt's in the Mail

2009-03-12T23:01:00.005-05:00

I get so excited when a large box arrives in the mail and I know it's the quilts I've been waiting for! After I piece together the quilt top, I send it to a dear lady in North Dakota who does the quilting together of top, batting and backing. It's exciting because each quilt is done differently, depending on the pattern used for the top. Of course, once the box arrives, I still have more work to do... but it's the final step of putting the binding on the edge. It's the "light at the end of the tunnel" feeling, and it motivates me to complete the project. Finally, after many hours of choosing fabric, measuring, cutting, sewing and ironing, I can step back and admire all the work. Aaahhh, very satisfying!

Kiss Me, I'm Irish

2009-03-05T13:11:00.004-06:00

Everyone claims to be Irish for St. Patrick's Day, but I really am Irish all year long!!
My great great grandpa James Cooper came to Amerika in 1834 from Belfast, Ireland. He first went to Pennsylvania and then came to Bethel, Minnesota. He settled Coopers Corner because the hunting was good. History stories say he chose the name of Bethel from the bible because it means "House of God". I have a copy of his diary for the years 1869-1871. He ended most entries with "thank God for all blessings". This was his ending even on days that weren't so good; days when people were sick, hurt or dieing. I think he had a strong belief in his Heavenly Father. Family stories say his Irish accent was so thick, it was difficult to understand him. He re-married after each of his first two wives died. His third wife was my great great grandmother - Rebecca Milligan. She was 25 years younger than James, and 38 years old when they married. James was 65 years old when my great grandmother Laura was born; she was the last born of his 14 children. James lived to see her grow to adulthood. He died in 1893 at the age of 87. He was laid to rest next to our house in the Old Bethel Cemetery. I'm thankful for his life and the legacy he has left.
So in his remembrance, please join me in wearing green on March 17th!

Wall Hangings Part 2

2009-02-28T21:25:00.004-06:00

Since we had the hammer and nails out, we decided to finish putting things up in the living room today. I just had to share this picture because Tawnya is totally against this arrangement. This is located in the corner between my piano and pump organ. But I'm kind of sentimental - the trumpet was played by John and the clarinet was mine from high school (just a few short years ago)! Why should these instruments sit around collecting dust in a case, unseen, when they can collect dust displayed as my wall art?! Although you can't see it, each of the notes has a saying etched on them. Like, "Sing like no one is listening", or "Dance like no one is watching". I just think this is a fun light-hearted wall arrangement! It inspires me to go watch Mama Mia again, and maybe dance a little!!

Wall Hangings

2009-02-27T16:55:00.002-06:00

The painting of our living room walls was completed in November. I absolutely love it because, besides enjoying the new color, they look so fresh and clean. I enjoyed that look through Christmas and Valentines Day. However, our walls were very bare. I couldn't bring myself to put any nail holes in the walls... it was too much work to calk and sand the old holes away! When Tawnya was home we decided on some cute layouts. Soooo, with hammer in hand, we banged out a few nails and hung up some items. I like the look very much, so perhaps it will give me courage to continue with some other wall hangings.

Make it Do, or Do Without!

2009-02-15T16:42:00.003-06:00

I took full advantage of having Tawnya home for 3 weeks and did a lot of painting. Well, three rooms is a lot of painting in my book! I'm somewhat of a meticulous painter (no Leonardo however). It seems I can't paint without a rag in my hand to wipe up any oops that happen along the way. So, it happened one day, that I was looking for a rag. At the same time, sweat was running down my face, getting in my eyes, and generally causing a problem. To my surprise, the rag I found was an old pair of Travis' briefs. That's when ingenuity hit me - not only had I found a rag, but the waistband worked very nicely for a headband! Although not as fashionable as the Adida namebrand, it could be the start of something new - "Fran's Forehead Fashions". Please let me know how many you would like to order after seeing the picture below. I felt like Michael Jordan was with me every paint stroke of the way!!

Lacey Ice

2009-01-22T11:26:00.004-06:00

Isn't it beautiful today? I love waking up to see each branch, twig and leaf covered with lacey ice. It's hard to capture on camera, but each year I try... so why should 2009 be any different?! My turkeys(NO, I'm not talking about family members here) are looking hard for food. They scratch in the snow under the bird feeder. A few brave ones have even taken to the air and found a perch in my mountain ash tree. They peck at the orange berries and nearly fall. These are such big birds to be performing such dangerous antics. I guess I would do the same in search of chocolate!

Caring, Sharing, Repairing

2009-01-02T21:04:00.003-06:00

As much as I love having the family home for Christmas (and other times), it's great to have them come, but hard to see them go. I did a good job of holding back the flood of tears this time, but a few of them slipped out! Jessica decided to go back to SLC, so it wasn't very joyful to see the loaded pickup head out the driveway. As always, it's difficult to say goodbye to Tawnya... she has such a tender heart and loves to be home. Her students would miss her though if she didn't return!! Lauri is forever positive and I miss her smiling dimpled face! I need to catch up on my rest, but as soon as possible I'm heading west to see those girls. They are a terrific three-some and I miss their energy.

With the new year upon me, I've decided to focus on me... my health and well-being. I know that sounds self-centered, but I figure it will be for the best in the long run. Caring and sharing while repairing.... doesn't that have a "ring" to it?!
I wish for you all to have a wonderful 2009 in all that you choose to do.

Goodies All Gone

2009-01-02T20:50:00.003-06:00

Those beautiful cookies have all been consumed, so I guess it's time to make a new post! The final week of 2008 was wonderful... the house was full on several occasions. Tawnya & Lauri arrived home Christmas eve day (about noon) and surprised us all. They kept me in suspense when I called them to see how they were doing. Last I heard, they were in a ditch in Iowa (Tawnya's favorite state!). Then the next thing I knew, they were ringing the doorbell. Such a lovely surprise, and relief to me. We had a lovely candlelight dinner on Christmas eve with just John, Tawnya, Jess and me. Christmas day the house was filled to overflowing as everyone was home for the day. We had great fun and wonderful food. Travis gave us a scare (read Nicole's report on her blog), but other than that, it was a fun day and the boys were able to snowmobile a little.
New Year's Eve was party time and we sure did. It included The Bator Family Talent Show, which would be more accurately called the UN-talent show. But we all had a lot of laughs!! The Rose parade was as beautiful as ever, and I love watching it on HGTV without commercials. Someday I'm going to take a trip and see it in person!

Christmas Is Very Close

2008-12-22T20:20:00.004-06:00

I know it's close to Christmas when my dining room table is covered with cookies. Today, with the help of Mom, Jessica & John, we made several kinds of cookies. Most of these cookies are only made at Christmas time. It's a tradition that goes a long ways back. The recipes are from parents & grand-parents. And they probably got them from their parents & grand-parents. Just think, I could be using the same recipe that Eve used for Christmas! Did Adam & Eve celebrate Christmas?!? I'm sure they knew about it. But I digress... Everyone seems to have their favorite cookie, so I can't just make one or two. Uncle Dan loved the nutmeg logs; Travis loves the peanut butter blossoms; Tawnya loves the galaxy cookies (with the hidden surprise inside); Jessica just had to make Gingerbread cookies this year (she talked to them the whole time as if they were real). Personally, I love them all! Isn't it wonderful that Christmas is almost here!?! Of course the real greatness of Christmas isn't about cookies at all. It's all about the sweet baby Jesus coming to earth and starting his glorious mission to save all humanity. Oh, how I love Christmas!!

Babysitting Grandchildren

2008-12-03T11:41:00.005-06:00

As a grandma, it's important that I treat grandchildren equally. So... I consented to babysit me darling grand-daughter Ruby! Now maybe I lost the touch; or perhaps I never had it with this grandchild. But, this week has been a learning experience for both of us!! Ruby loves to play with her puppy toys, but sometimes grandma tosses the toy and it gets hung up "out of reach" for little Ruby. That causes a few growls and barks (not from Grandma)!

And then there are new monsters that Ruby isn't familiar with. Such as the vacuum. She refused to go near it, even to walk past it. This caused Ruby to crouch in her "attack position". We tried to coax her next to the vacuum by laying her toy next to it, but she was very cautious! She grabbed/rescued her toy and ran far away from the monster. We finally decided it was the cord, not the vacuum that was so intimidating.

I love babysitting! Sure hope Ruby survives this week!!

Freshly Painted Walls

2008-12-03T08:28:00.003-06:00

It seems to me that freshly painted walls are an invitation to be creative. I just want to grab a crayon and start drawing. We finished painting the living room walls last week and they look so good. Just like a brand new tablet for the first day of school! Jessica informed me that I can't hang anything up on the walls unless she approves of it first. Honestly, I can't decide what will inspire me enough to want to drive a nail into my new smooth walls. Needless to say, my walls are still bare! Thankfully, it's time to put up the Christmas tree. Maybe that will distract me from drawing on the walls!

Thank You Veterans!

2008-11-11T22:23:00.002-06:00

Today is a day to honor and remember the veterans of our country. I'm so grateful for their service and sacrifice on my behalf and for this whole nation. I hope other countries are grateful too for the service they have provided on their behalf. My dad was a WWII veteran. Although he didn't speak about it much, I know he had 4 1/2 years that took him away from his beloved family farm. This was a time of extreme danger and difficult conflicts in the Pacific arena. I'm fortunate to have copies of letters he wrote home during this time. He was always concerned about his family at home and his other brothers also serving in the military. Perhaps that is the responsibility of being the oldest son! From my dad I learned to respect the American flag and what it represents. To this day, I get choked up when saying the Pledge of Allegiance, or see the colors presented.

I couldn't make this posting without also saying how grateful I am for my son. His service was a nail biter for me, but thankfully he has returned home safe and sound. He is one of the very fortunate. I wasn't happy when he enlisted in the Marines, but he is a man of self-determination. He chose to serve his country and I'm very proud of him for that. I also look at his wife, Nicole, as a veteran. She kept the home fires burning while Travis was off in the big sandbox. Her service was also commendable and gracious. So thank you to all the service men and women, and their families, who have given of themselves to benefit us all!

Blessings from Heaven

2008-11-07T22:02:00.009-06:00

What a blessing... I just held our newest granddaughter in my arms!!!! Jenna Noel Thomas was born at 2:18pm this afternoon and mother and baby are doing great. Jenna weighed in at 10 pounds 3 ounces and measured 22 inches long; no wonder Shawna had trouble sleeping this last month! She is a doll (much like her grandma), and has dark thick hair (unlike her grandma)! Her brothers and sister took several turns holding her at the hospital tonight. They will be her eternal older guardians as she makes her way through this life. What a thrill to have this newest addition in our lives and feel such happiness from her arrival already. Auntie Tawnya missed her by one day, but I promise to put a picture of her in Jenna's crib until December when Tawnya can meet and greet her in person!!
Welcome Jenna - WE LOVE YOU!

Election/Wallet Woes

2008-11-07T08:07:00.003-06:00

My friend Sarah is headed back to Alaska, all her "expensive" clothes have been donated to the needy, and I'm still numb about the election results. Although this election was "history in the making", I'm not pleased with this page of history that is being written. Yeah, I've heard it is now time for all U.S. citizens to unite... but frankly, I think that's a crock! When have all our opinions been united?! We thrive on diversity and difference of opinion. I will continue to speak with a conservative voice and oppose government regulation and controls. I have a wallet, but no control over the spending of any funds within it. My only hope, as a member of the middle class, is for all my money to be redistributed. Then, as a member of the poor class, I will have access to the redistributed wealth! Working as an election judge in East Bethel Precinct 1, it was very satisfying to see the results of the voters in our area overwhelmingly support the republican candidates. So all I can say is that I'm surrounded with a majority of politically like-minded neighbors. That brings a smile to my face!!

Run Away Girl

2008-10-27T19:44:00.008-05:00

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I ran away from home and went to SLC, UT! It was a good run and I've had a few others since then. Ran to Fredericksburg, VA, then to Rapid City, SD. The last two were business meetings so all I saw were airports, hotels, and convention centers! My trip to SLC was the first and most enjoyable. At Tawnya's school in West Jordan, I transformed myself into Betsy Ross. It turned out to be a lot of fun as I visited four different 5th Grade classrooms. The kids in Tawnya's class informed their parents that Ms. Bator's mother was Betsy Ross! That must have raised a few eyebrows at home.

Jessica and Tawnya planned some very interesting activities and we dined at some great places too. It's fun to go and let them wait on me!! Gardner Village was decorated for Halloween with witches flying everywhere. (Tawnya hasn't shared those pictures with me yet).

A drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Park City was absolutely gorgeous. The aspen trees were ablaze and looked like they were on fire! The picture just doesn't do them justice.

I'm a sucker for water and rocks. I love the way the sun makes the water shimmer and puts a glint on the rocks.

Dinner at the Mayan was a treat with some very buff guys diving from the high rocks above our table. Ou-la-la! Tawnya & Jess tried to show their Michael Phelps form!

I'm glad to be able to run away every once in a while, but it's great to be home too. After two weeks of travel, my house is in dire need of cleaning. I don't know why my house gets so dirty when I'm gone, you would think it would stay clean with less people running in and out. It makes me wonder what goes on at home when I'm gone!?!

Up, Up, and Away

2008-09-19T22:40:00.003-05:00

I've decided to run away from home... but I'm only running to Utah! Jessica & Tawnya talked me into a visit. I got a good price on a ticket, so it's all set. The plane flys west on October 1st and doesn't come back until the 7th (Travis's birthday)! The girls pamper me when I visit, so I'm really looking forward to the time away. Tawnya is getting a good deal though, because I promised her I would come to her school as a mystery guest. So who knows anything about Betsy Ross? I've been looking on the internet for costume ideas... guess I better get busy sewing... Where's Betsy when I need her?! I'm anxious to see how the "mop hat" Betsy wore will look on me. Wish me luck.

Lasting Impressions

2008-09-14T15:28:00.002-05:00

With so many writing about their memories of 9-11, it brought to my mind other times when tragedies have created lasting impressions. It seems to me those thoughts and impressions are very real and unforgettable. 1963 - Who can forget where they were and what they were doing when JFK was assassinated? 1966- I will never forget coming home from school and learning of the death of my 19 year old sister. 1985- The death of Pres. Spencer W Kimball; although this wasn't a tragic event, it was very memorable to me because he was "my" first prophet to whom I could relate. 2001- The 9-11 attacks on the USA.
And so it is, life is full of ups and downs. Some events shape our lives forever. I'm so very grateful for the knowledge the gospel of Jesus Christ brings. Although I don't often know "why" some things may happen, I do know through eternity all will be just fine. And for now, I'm okay with that!

Meet My New Friend!

2008-09-03T23:25:00.003-05:00

What a breath of fresh air! As I listened to her talk tonight at the RNC, I was impressed with her composer, her directness, her commonness, and the fact that she is a woman!!! GO SARAH PALIN! I'm so glad McCain chose her as his running mate. She will make the next 2 months of campaign rhetoric sooooo exciting. I can hardly wait for the debates to begin. She inspires me to be a politician. But then every time I watch the American beauty pagents I wish I was Miss(Mrs) Minnesota... if only I could come up with a talent!!

Taking It Easy

2008-08-30T21:14:00.004-05:00

The surgery is over and I look like a freak! Seriously, I look like the loser in a bar-room fight. The bandage covers my whole upper lip and then some! The pain is tolerable, of course Darvocet is helping. Nicole came over last night and we played Dominoes. Today I slept in, but when I woke up to such a beautiful Minnesota day I just knew we couldn't sit inside the house recuperating. John suggested a drive to Duluth and we all thought that was great. We (John, Nicole, Ruby, and me)drove along the north shore all the way to Two Harbors, then had lunch there. After that we drove back to Duluth and walked along the board walk of Canal Park. The pier and drawbridge were beautiful against the Lake Superior backdrop. There were so many sail boats on the lake, but my camera couldn't do justice to the scene. I thought of Travis since he is my little (now big) sailor! One summer our family rented a cabin in Wisconsin. It came with a sailboat, and we hardly heard from Travis the whole week. He was in his glory out on the lake sailing! After walking the boardwalk, we drove up along the Skyline Drive and stopped at Enger Tower. They have absolutely beautiful shade perennial gardens there. We strolled through the gardens and walked up to the tower. I love to look at the water with it's many movements. The scenery of water and rocks was just what I needed. It was a wonderful day and a great diversion while I'm taking it easy!

Prepare Ye

2008-08-26T22:58:00.002-05:00

It's the night before my little surgery and I have worked myself into a tizzy! What am I to do with myself? Even though I know it won't help one bit to worry, I'm very good at just that very thing. To relax and prepare myself for the big day, I'm currently sitting in front of the TV with a lemonade in one hand and a bag of M&M's in the other! What do you suppose I am watching?... Pride and Prejudice, of course!! I shall not be vexed any longer! Mr. Darcy is easy on the eye and Mr. Collins provides great laughter. I love the way Mrs. Collins handles her "dear" husband and she admits she is "quite content". Although I find the British of this era very annoying, it would give me "great pleasure" to visit some of the castles in England or Ireland.

Three of my dearest friends gave me a great boost last night. They made a surprise visit and came bearing very thoughtful gifts. The only problem was I had gone out for the evening and wasn't home to recieve them. They had a wonderful visit with my mother and then bid goodbye. When I arrived home, to my surprise their best wishes for a successful surgery was there. I have beverages, chocolate and hats with wide brims to see me through! True friends are such a blessing and not to be taken lightly. It is my hope to be such a friend to others.

St. Cloud Visit

2008-08-15T15:44:00.002-05:00

I arrived home yesterday afternoon after spending 3 days in St. Cloud for a business conference. Was able to listen to some really good speakers about the energy business. We also had two motivational/humorist speakers. They were awesome and kept me awake and laughing! The final day turned political as we had a visit from senate hopeful Al Franken. He had a warm (but reserved) welcome from our group.

However, it wasn't all work! I had time to visit the Gruber's Quilt Shop... it's an awesome place with an unending supply of fabric and ideas. My favorite pasttime was spending about 1 1/2 hours walking through the Clemens and Munsinger Flower Gardens. The water fountains are very refreshing. It was a perfect time to be there because most everything was in full bloom. The gardens were beautiful and the stroll along the river made a perfect backdrop. Each time I attend, I'm impressed with the additions of more gardens. Just when I think they couldn't possibly add more, another one is planted. This is a perfect spot for a family to visit and take a picnic. If you get the time, enjoy!!

Garden Show

2008-07-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

Going, Going, Gone...

2008-07-16T19:15:00.003-05:00

As parents, we work hard to teach our children so they will grow up into well adjusted, testimony rich, productive adults. So why is it so hard to let them go? Children leaving home is suppose to be a positive thing right? So why do I feel so bad? Taking children to the airport, or seeing them leave on their own, is not easy - anytime. I should be use to it by now; we have experienced many comings and goings, many moistened by tears. But taking a line from the Sound of Music - "Why don't I feel better?" I've been owly the last few days, knowing Tawnya is heading back to Utah. Today was the departure. Although Dr. Pepper helps, it doesn't cure the heartache.

So what positive spin can I put on this? I've been blessed with wonderful children that I enjoy being with, and they enjoy being with John and me. They brighten our lives in so many ways. I'm grateful they have the desire to return home to visit after they move out. That is a wonderful gift for the many years of parenting. It is so true that we hold our children in our arms for a short time, but we hold them in our hearts forever! Enjoy the holding.

Can You Teach An Old Dog New Tricks?

2008-07-13T17:23:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure I can learn how to blog, but Tawnya says "for sure"! I'm definitely an old dog panting through life. Maturity however, does help to identify likes and dislikes. Experience quickly narrows the choices. I plan to write about, and show pictures of, things that bring me happiness - in other words, felicity. At this stage in my life, I may as well focus on the joy and forget the rest! Perhaps my musings will be uplifting to someone. If not, with a click of the mouse I will disappear! So what are the felicities in my life? Future writings will focus on flowers, fabric, food (which includes fudge), family and faith... not necessarily in that order.