Road Trip: day one

This weekend we are taking the kids on a road trip...family style. Today I got to introduce the rest of my family to sweet little Lucy (who is growing so much already!) and then we meandered around Sundial Bridge and Turtle Bay in Redding. We didn't make it up here in time to see the Shasta Caverns today, but plan on making it there tomorrow morning. The boys finished off the day with one last wrestling match in the car.








-- Post From My iPhone

Lovely Handwork

I love hand-crafted items. I love making hand-crafted items. I have a love/hate relationship with texture...it's either heavenly (quilting fabric, yarn, books & paper) or horrid (flat paint, fish eggs, super glue). Since I've been up in Tahoe, I've spent more time with fabric and yarn rather than books and paper. This is how my spare and stolen moments are being spent:

This mini-basket was made from old corduroy pants and some great quilting fabric...I'm trying out a pattern for a bigger tote/basket. It turned out great, was quick, easy and fun!

I'd purchased a case for my Kindle and was unpleased with the bulkiness of it. I decided that all I really needed was a sleeve to protect it when I put it in my purse. This was the result.
In order to use up the remaining yarn I'd purchased for dishcloths, I whipped up these little guys:
I FINALLY finished the binding on this cute little quilt...I love the reproduction vintage fabrics.
And this is what I'm working on right now...a Trip Around the World quilt for my uncle. Lovely.

Blankie Surgery

Audrey's blankie is slowly being loved to death. It has that soft muted texture and look that prove that this girl knows how to LOVE. It has needed surgery before...when all the edges were wearing out it received some extra border support, and when a corner disintegrated it got a prosthetic corner. Tonight it had two holes patched. My munchkin is thankful that her mommy knows how to fix the blankie that her MeMa made for her.

Continued Creation

We had some pretty amazing weather yesterday. I love weather. It makes me think that God is in the mood to be creative. He's up there painting or something, and stuff is flying everywhere. He's cooking up a storm with a dash of hail and a handful of rain. He's definitely got a big grin on His face. It Is Good.

I can't help but take pictures. I'm more than inspired. I feel an art quilt coming on.

Explosions of Love

I've always said that I'm not a kid person. People usually don't know how to respond to that and end up saying something like "Yeah right. That's why you have 4 kids." Depending on the time, place and person, I might expand upon my statement. Those who knew me as a teen are undoubtedly remembering that my dad was (and still is) a children's pastor. They are most likely also contemplating all the babysitting I've done.

Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike children! On the contrary, I actually think they are pretty amazing. I just always feel a little out of my element. I'm not exactly sure what they're thinking or how I should be relating to them. Toddlers especially used to scare me. They look at you with those big silent eyes and Don't Say Anything. I figured they were looking into my very soul and didn't like what they saw. Frightening thought.

It amazed me, then, when I had my own children, how much I loved them. I admit that I was a little worried. What a relief to feel the explosive awe, wonder, admiration, love and protectiveness (is that a word?) when each of my wonderful blessings were entrusted to me.

I figured that this feeling would be confined to my children. I figured that having my own children had opened up my understanding towards other children, and that was all I could expect. I figured that four incredible heart expansions and bursts of love were more than I deserved or could reasonably expect.

And then I met Lucy.

Lucy is my first biological niece (I have an adopted niece that I love very much--she's a fabulous little girl!). Lucy was born on Monday the 20th. She is amazing. Whether it is because I got to meet her when she was so new and close to heaven, or whether it is the biological factor I'm not sure...People say that being a grandparent is even more fabulous--I'll just have to take their word for it, because this auntie thing is pretty amazing.

Introducing Lucy Noel:

Church Membership

Well, it's official. Chris and I went to the Membership Class at Cottonwood Church on Saturday and became members. This is a big step for us, and something we take seriously. It's a commitment that we don't make light of! We started going to their evening service instead of the morning service, and it made a world of difference. The worship was louder, longer and more intense, there were fewer people (still way over 100) and the word was still great. The kids much prefer the night service too. All of a sudden everyone is excited to go to church!

We love how Cottonwood seems so balanced, how people are encouraged to put their practical skills to work for God's Kingdom as well as their faith a prayer power. We are excited to get involved!

The Cookie Without a Name

I am on a quest. I received this cookbook for my birthday:


And I am determined to try every recipe in it. I have made 5 so far. Out of 1001. This may take me a little while.

So far we've had one loser, three that were okay, and one amazing winner called Sunflower Bran Cookies. The problem is that I made some substitutions and it would be false advertising to say that they have bran in them.

So I am not only on the Quest of 1001 Cookie Recipes, but also the Quest of the Nameless Cookie. Here's the altered recipe (as I made them):

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; mix in oats. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with mixer on high speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until just blended. Mix in dry ingredients, then add chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. Drop tablespoons of dough onto greased cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes.

I made a triple batch of these for a pool party, and by the time I took a picture--that evening--only one was left.


Name ideas anyone?