Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt

I got this quilt back from the quilter a few days ago.  I started this quilt in the first part of April and I have spent quite a bit of time appliqueing all the flowers and leaves on and finishing this sweet thing up.  It is for my mother in law.  I wanted to make her a quilt, and this came to mind.  It is called Grandma's Flower Garden.  Each flower on the quilt represents one of her granddaughters, there are 15 of them.  There are only 4 grandsons, so there are 4 blue birds on the quilt for the boys.  Initially I meant to embroider a name on each flower and bird, but as the quilt started to complete itself, I decided not to.  I just wanted it to remain nice and fresh and not graffiti-ed!

It turned out pretty big, 96" by 115".  I didn't plan on it getting that big, but those borders were just so cute - I had to add them!  I wanted to make it scrappy, since I love scrappy, and the only fabric I actually purchased for the quilt was the two blue borders and the backing.  The rest of the fabric I had in my stash - I love a good stash!  Oh, I also had to buy all the green rick rack that makes up the stems.

Since I am so smitten with my little Kenna, the prettiest flower of June, here she is next to her flower.

Grandma's Flower Garden is complete for now.  I am not sure if anyone is adding anymore grandchildren to the crew, but I have heard from my sister in laws that Kenna is that last one.  We will see!

Cindy the quilter did a wonderful job on the quilting.  I told her she had artistic license and to do whatever she liked.  I think it turned out beautiful!

 All the flowers and leaves are quilted differently, and I ADORE how she quilted the sun!

My mother in law is a lucky lady to have so many beautiful grandchildren, and they are lucky to have a sweet woman as their grandmother.  She is in Missouri until September, so I can procrastinate the binding of the quilt, as usual.  I DESPISE binding!

My June Flowerbud - Kenna

Well, sweet baby girl arrived on Monday morning at 1:30 am.  I was really trying for June 24th, but midnight came just a little too early!  She weighed 8 pounds and 11 ounces, and the nurses all thought she looked like a 9 and 1/2 pounder.

I am too tired and sore to write anything too amazing, plus, if I think about how truly sweet she is and how truly blessed I am, I might start crying! lol

Her sisters and brother were so very excited to come see her and meet their new baby sister.  They completely love her and her little tiny fingers and toes!

Matt and I were talking and then I heard a sweet little voice on the other side of my bed.  Emmitt had climbed up on a stool and was singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to his baby Agnes.  (that is what we have been calling her for 4 or 5 months)  He is so happy to be a big brother and will tell you all about it!

Getting ready to head home, with our little Kenna Holland.  Matt and I are horrible at the naming thing - we don't even discuss it really until the last 2 weeks of pregnancy.  Matt was really certain he wanted to stick with the letter K, so Kenna is what we came up with.  She is a Kenna I think.

At home in her bed at a day old.  This sleeping position makes me realize why why why my tummy stuck out so far!

My parents came up today to meet Kenna and to take my other sweet children away for a few days.  Here is Kendal, my dad, and Kenna.  The kids are going to have a fantastic time with Grandpa and Grandma and give me and sweet Kenna some time to get back in the groove of things.  Thanks so much mom and dad!

I am so happy to be a mother to this sweet little girl - a precious gift.  I love you Kenna, and I can not wait to see who it is you turn out to be.  I hope I can help you become the person God intends for you to be, and to help you along the path He has planned for you, as well as the path you plan for yourself.  Thank you for making my life a little bit more joyful and sweet.  Please be patient with me, and grow slowly, so I can enjoy you even more!

rocks, weeds, and sand

It has been a busy week around here.  Kendal started summer school, has swimming lessons, and Kelsey had a 3 day sewing camp with 4H.  I have felt like a chauffeur all week!  But, these things had to get done before the baby gets here, and that is next week!  Kelsey's rock tumbler needed to be checked - it tumbled for one week.  So, we got the rocks out of the barrels, and she cleaned them off to see the miracle of erosion! 

They all loved looking at how pretty the rocks were becoming.  It is funny, but I am pretty sure Kelsey knew each and every rock and what is USED to look like!  So now, the tumbler is tumbling again.  This time with fine grit and water for 5 days.  (before it was course grit)

We can't wait to see what miracles come out of the barrels this time.

It was a warm day today, but boy oh boy is summer wonderful.  We love the evenings!  This evening while I sprayed weeds, the kids made a volcano in the sandbox.  Emmit was so cute, he said "Mom, Dad, we are making a volcano of sand and Kelsey said the water is like hot lava!"

This is me at 39 weeks.  I am due in a week.  HOORAY!!  I finally got the little darling's bed out today and in place, and washed blankets and such.  Kelsey and I have been washing clothing and getting things ready.  She has been such a great help.  I am getting so very excited, and with the warmer weather, very ready for our little bundle to arrive.  Matt has a big weekend ahead of him - he is vetting the Strawberry Fields Forever Endurance Ride again.  So hopefully, baby and I won't ruin his weekend and go into labor! 

Hope your summer is as lovely and dirty as ours has been so far! 

Summer is wonderful and beautiful all by itself, but my kids make summer AMAZING!

recliner

So a week ago I noticed a big sign at the local furniture store claiming 40% off recliners for Father's Day.  I had meant to get one for Matt last year for Father's Day and just never made it happen, so he got something exciting like new work pants or something like that.  Well, last week I took advantage of that sign and sale and went and bought him a new recliner.  I left it at the store until Friday, and then I had my neighbor Derek help me get it in the house after I went and picked it up.

When Derek and I got it in the front door, he asked me how I was going to hide it until Sunday.  I said "No big deal, Matt never comes in this room.  I will just throw this quilt over it and he will never even see it."  Derek thought I was crazy and that my plan would never work.  Friday evening my cousin stopped by with his sick dog for Matt to look at for a bit.  Matt walked right past the quilted glob of chair at least 6 times coming in and out of the front door.  Never even thought about it.  SCORE!  Now I do have to give him some credit -  there is usually a small rocking chair right in the same spot and the kids make 'blanket huts' all the time.  So I knew he would think that is what was going on.

Saturday morning he left early for the farm and didn't take a peak in that room.  He came home late, like midnight, and didn't go in that room.  Sunday morning Kendal was so excited for her dad to see his new present, she woke up at 5:50 am and came in our bedroom to tell him all about the big secret!  I promptly intercepted her and told her to take the civil war quilt and go back to sleep in her dad's new present for awhile.  So this is how Kendal looked at 8:00 am - a big bundle of quilt in her dad's new chair.  I am just glad she went back to sleep!

So, Happy Father's Day to Matt, the father of my children, as well as to my dad, my father in law, and all the great fellas in my life.

Fort Douglas Day 2012

Today was Fort Douglas Day in SLC.  The great folks at Fort Douglas had a wonderful timeline of American wars represented, and of course that meant the American Civil War.  My little Emmitt and Matt headed south to take care of things at the ranch and farm, so the girls and I went to Fort Douglas.  Kelsey kept busy playing chess and walking on stilts, and Kendal kept very busy playing with a few fun little civil war friends.  It was a good day.

Caleb and Amanda played music.  It always sounds so nice.  I could just sit there and listen all day!  I wore modern clothing since I am due in less than 2 weeks, and I must admit, it was a feeling of freedom without that hoop skirt on!  I did so miss looking the part though, and felt badly that I didn't dress 1860s, but I did get a chance to go around and meet the other folks participating in the event.

Kelsey tried on her period under pinnings and dress a few days ago and much to my irritation, she has been growing!  Just kidding, I expected my sweet girl's clothing not to fit this year.  So for the past few days I have been busy sewing.  I made her a new quilted stay, a few petticoats, and a new dress.  She picked out this fabric.  I love it.  It is a purple fabric by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics in The Civil War Tribute Collection.  I turned out a bit big, because I just altered an existing pattern that was too small, but she loves it.

The WW I fellas were great (above) , as well as the WW II guys (below).  I just love history, and so does everyone else that attended the event.

Lydia, Jane, and Kendal played the day away, mostly around this 1905 hospital wagon.  Kendal was a sweetheart for the day.

Kendal loved washing clothes with Jorden and Kimberley the laundresses.  She could have played in the water all day long!

Kelsey is really good on the stilts, and could cruise around a bit.  She also did get a few grass stains!

Kendal and Lydia, finding shade under the wagon after the sun moved and the trees no longer provided good shade!

When we got home from Fort Douglas, we enjoyed the gorgeous evening outside in the shade.  Kendal and Kelsey both kept their drawers on, and just threw on a dress.  Silly girls!

I love summer evenings, sitting in the shade and watching the kids play.  It makes me so happy to enjoy the wonderful weather and all that summer gives us.

We spent the evening outside and I started quilting on a civil war baby quilt for a bit while watching the kids.  Kelsey decided to read, and Kendal took turns between reading her summer reading program material and jumping on the trampoline.  What a gorgeous evening!