Christmas Time

I love this picture. Wyatt had me laughing for hours with that thing on. He has put a stash on everything he has made in the last few weeks just to make me laugh. I love this boy!

I love Christmas time! But this year it has been hard. I am guessing that it is because I am pregnant and have nothing left in me after taking care of my kids. I am sleepy and grumpy. But today is Christmas Eve. Now I am sad that it is almost over. I am happy I was able to get everything done. The one big thing that has been hanging over my head was Madelyn's quilt. Last night I finished the binding and got it tossed into the washer. today it is all dry and wrinkly. Happy Happy me to have it finished. i do think it is my favorite quilt yet. I love how it looks.

Birthday

I have decided that technology hates me. in the last 2 weeks I have had to set my iphone back to factory settings and then my computer went on the fritz. So after 3 days of trying to get the stupid thing going I have the joy of packing it up and sending it back to HP to get fixed. Everything that could have gone wrong on it seems to have. So here I am using my hubbys computer. Mine should be back in 2 weeks or so. Ack 2 weeks without my computer, I may go insane. Or I may get a ton of work done. My sewing gift list seems to be huge. My main focused is Madelyn's quilt. After that I am tying to finish a patchwork duvet cover for my grandma. I have other things on my list but at this point they my not get done in time and I am not going to kill myself trying.

So yesterday was my 31st birthday. I would still like to know if I am suppose to act like a grown up now that I am in my 30's. Do grown ups get vulture dolls and think they are the greatest thing ever? Well I did. And when I have my computer back I will get a picture of him. He needs a name. What is a good vulture name? I also got some new quilting supplies. And a quarter from my brother. We have had a silly birthday thing going on for the last 10 years or so. It started with a quarter to him on his birthday and then he upped it for mine and I got 2 quarters. It has gone up and up through the years. He will never be able to beat last years gift. We were still in Texas and he was here in Cali. So instead of sending me a bunch of quarters he took 30 pictures of a quarter in different places and text ed them to me all day long. The quarter on the back of a toy horse making it a quarter horse and the french guy holding the quarter making it the french quarter were my favorites. So this year we are back down to one quarter. Too fun.

Two Finished Quilts In A Week

That's not bad. I got 2 quilts finished in a week. One I have been working on for a long time. The other was started and finished in 2 days.

This one was made for my brother. I started it maybe 2 years ago. The poor thing has sat in my ufo pile for so long. I pulled it out and tried to get it finished for his birthday. But that came and went. I finished the quilt up and gave it to him the other day. I think he liked it. But non of us are very good at showing our excitement.
This quilt was made for a friend who had a little baby girl this week. It is nice to know that some things don't take me forever to complete. This was made in 2 days. I even tried my hand at free motion quilting. It went ok. Some stitches are a bit spaced out. But I have never done one this size. Just doll size. I am not ready for a twin yet but maybe one day soon I will take that leap.

Birthday, Disneyland and a funny thing

We spent Wyatt's 6th birthday in Disneyland. Halloween also, being that Wyatt was born on the 29th and Halloween is the 31st. So we made a good trip out of it and spent 6 days in Disneyland. Yes I made it even though I am 6 months pregnant and have a huge belly. Everyone had a great time. Wyatts birthday was spent eating breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. Super fun place for the kids to eat. The characters come visit you at your table and take pictures and sign cards for the birthday kid. Lucas spent most of his time under the table hiding from all those scary Disney characters. Silly boy. Then we were off to California Adventure. Wyatt loves Bug Land and the new Pixar Toy Story ride. Then we went over to Disneyland park.

Halloween was spent at Disneyland with the kids all dresses up. Madelyn was Minnie Mouse, Wyatt was Jack Skellington and Lucas was Spiderman. They all looked too cute. Because there was no Trick-or-Treating we took them to the candy store on Main Street and let them pick a few sugar filled treats.

The crowds were low and the weather was nice. What more can you ask for?

So on to my funny thing-

We live in a small neighborhood that has only two ways in and out. One is over the scary rickety bridge and the other is a gated fire exit. This is there for big trucks that go over the weight limit of the bridge. When the gate is open a lot of people take that way out. My Hubby drives a huge work truck and takes that way whenever he can. He even has a way to make the gate look locked so the big people in charge of the gate don't really lock it. (normally you would have to call and arrange for them to unlock it, big pain) So I guess the county doesn't want people using this exit and are talking about pulling people over and big fines for using this way out.

Last night Hubby's boss called and asked if Hubby could bring the truck back to the shop. So last night at 11 I get into my car to follow him in to pick him up. I guess I could have let him sleep at work but I am nicer then that. So off we go. I followed him out of the fire exit thinking *I hope there are no cops out there*. I turned a little hard and bumped the curb on my way out. That is when I saw the flashing lights out the back window. I say something bad and look out the back window again. Flashing lights but no cars. What the heck? So I keep going. Look back again and no lights, and still no other cars. Confused I keep following Hubby in spending more time looking out the back window then I should. So by the time I got to Hubby's work I was a little spooked. I got out of the car and walked over and opened the back. Then I saw it. A bouncy ball that flashed red and blue lights when bounced. I guess the curb was enough to set the stinkin thing off. I laughed all the way home. So no cops and no ticket, just an over active bouncy ball and a good laugh.

Pumpkin Patch a Birthday and a Trip

We spent Saturday driving up the California coast from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay to go pumpkin hunting. We have been going to this pumpkin patch for years. Well not the years we spent in San Antonio. But years anyway. But I guess in our few years off they decided to go all nuts and up the prices for all the fun things to do. And there was all kinds of ways to spend your cash. We had lots of fun anyway. We ran, well everyone but me ran around trying to find the perfect pumpkin. Wyatt took no time at all, Lucas was next but had a hard time focusing at the task at hand. Way to many things to climb on, hang on or crawl under. But finally he found the pumpkin that would come home with him. Then we had Madelyn. She picked up and looked over a hundred pumpkins before picking hers. I guess she gets that from me. I drive everyone nuts at the Christmas Tree Farm. It takes a long time to find the perfect tree. So after Madelyn hunted and hunted she finally found a worthy pumpkin. So then it was off to the hay maze and bounce house. Madelyn, her cousin Allie, my brother and my hubby ran off to do the hay maze and I took the boyz to bounce. It would have been nice of them to put in a few places for the grown ups to sit. It was kinda funny watching all the moms and dads looking impatient while the kids were happily bouncing away.

This little boy will be 6 on Thursday. So off to Disneyland we go to have the best birthday/Halloween ever. We are taking 6 days off to go play like crazy people, eat yummy food ride on rides and dress up for Halloween and run around Disneyland. Even 6 months prego I will be living it up in the Happiest Place on Earth. I may even be more excited then the kids. And they are so excited I don't think there will be much sleeping tonight.

So off I go to finish packing.

Have a wonderful Halloween everyone!

Stormy

Today is our first big storm of the season. I love stormy weather. But as the winds pick up and the small branches continue to hit the roof of the house I may begin to reconsider. We have a huge tree in our yard with its huge branches. Like the size of a small tree branches. We have had a few come down over the years that I grew up in this house. Nothing big happened but still.

So we are all home today. School is closed. Not that I was going to hop in my car with all the people who don't know how to drive in the rain. But here we are and it is just a mater of time before the weather or some really bad driver takes out power out. Then I get to figure out how to cook the chicken i had out for dinner. Camp stove it may be.

But for now I think a few cups of hot chocolate and a movie will do just fine.

Crazy Life

Life is crazy. I don't know if it is because i am pregnant and everything seems to take so much out of me, or if it is just plain crazy. I am leaning toward just plain crazy.



I am behind on all my swaps, so sorry everyone things will be in the mail soon. I was able to get most of a quilt done for my brothers birthday. I made the top long ago but had never gotten around to quilting it. So I am happy to be down to sewing on the binding. His birthday is the 14th so I have a few more days. this one was made out of the super popular gnome fabric by heather Ross. When I saw that fabric a few years back I knew it had to be a quilt for my brother. I will get a pic before I give it to him.



Wyatt went on his first school field trip Friday. they went to Johnson's farm to pick pumpkins. We had so much fun. I was a brave mommy and let my boy go on the bus with his friends and I followed behind in my car with Lucas. I could have gone on the bus with the class but I had a feeling that all the bumping around on a bus seat would cause my prego tummy to bounce and also the fear of it making me wet my pants. And as funny as that would be, it is not what i want Wyatt to remember about his first field trip.

We fed goats and chickens, went on a hay ride and the kids were able to pick pumpkins off the vine. The kids were all too cute and had so much fun.


My picture are not loading. So sad.

ITS A GIRL

Funny Night at The Movies

So my hubby and I ditched the kids with their Mamaw and Papa on Saturday night and went out to see a movie. I am not really a huge fan of chick flicks. Give me blood and guts any day. So off we went to see Inglorious Bastards. If you want blood and guts, nobody does that better then Quentin Tarantino. Great movie. I, like always was the only one to find most of the move laugh out loud funny. I know shame on me for finding the many ways they found to kill the Nazis funny, but it was freaking hilarious.

So we get to the movie a bit early and get some snacks and went in and sat down. It was a slow night and not many people were there. I still have a bit of a cold. But the funny thing was when the guy a few seats down from us sneezed. This woman about half way down the theater hopped up out of her seat, said something like *I can't believe this* and stormed back to the back row where the sneezing guy, his girl person and my hubby and I were sitting. She looks at sneezing guy and asked him if he had the flu. He answered with a slightly confused *no I do not, do you?* Nasty lady said no and sneezing guy answers with a *well I glad we got that cleared up.* Then you have me laughing like a hyena. WoW! really if you are that worried about something like getting a flu bug, why would you voluntarily put yourself into a room full of other people? So nasty lady turns with a jerk and halls rear a little further up towards the front of the theater. So nasty lady like to go to movies where peoples heads explode with the help of a guy wielding a baseball bat but if simply terrified of the flu. Go figure.

Now I need to get my rear in gear and get some of my swaps done and get to the Post Office to mail the growing stack of swaps ready to go out. I am only a few months behind.

What A Week

This week has been so much fun. Sick me and now sick kids. Poor Wyatt was still thinking he was going to school. He was really not a happy boy when I told him that they didn't let sick kids go to school. This will make for a fun day. He is extra grumpy now. I just want to go back to bed.

But I was able to get most of Lucas' quilt top finished. Now I am waiting for my fabric to come so I can finish the borders. It is a little bright for my taste. But Lucas loves it and that is what it as all about.

Then with my cute bright space fabric scraps was made a baby quilt. I really love how it turned out. The dark gray really toned down the bright colors in the space fabric. Then I had at a lot of fun quilting it in stars. Too fun!

Now it is back to taking care of sick grumpy kids. Thank goodness for the long weekend.

I'm Back (I hope)

I have been out of it for a bit. Feeling to bad to sew. Well really feeling to bad to do anything but lay around. This is the reason why...

Baby or aka- The Blob

This scan was done at 9 weeks. I am almost at 14 weeks. We will find out if the Blob is a girl or a boy in October. Then this little one will arrive in February. I am a self proclaimed baby junky. I love love love newborns. And really it has been so long, by the time this little one comes along Lucas will be almost 5. I needed a new one before he started school next year. As it is Wyatt starts Kinder on Tuesday. Sniffle. He is so super excited about it. I hope my shy guy does well.

Our summer wasn't as fun as I would have liked. Being sick, we were not able to do as many things as we had planed. We did go to Disneyland at the end of July for Maddie's birthday. We spent 5 days down in Disneyland. We had a great time. I love Disneyland. The weather was great and the crowd's were low for summer. It is a great place for a birthday. I'll add some pics later.

July? So soon?

I wish I had a list of grand and wonderful things that I have been up to, but nope. I have been loving the sleeping in thing. Summer is so good for that. I love Santa Cruz summer weather especially when I compair it to the temps in San Antonio. It is good to be home. But as far as getting things done I have been one lazy girl. I need to make myself catch up an a few things. Things that should have been sent out last month.

I have to get one more pink tree's block done for Miss Pink Tree herself for our ten make two quilting group.

I also need to make some basket blocks for the little red hen for our 8two8 group.

After that I get to start on my July stuff. I hope by the end of the week.

I am also working on my strung out deer quilt. One for me, can you believe it? It would be quilt number two that I made for myself.

The kids have spent their days out in the back yard or running around with me doing all the things that need doing. But at the end of this month we will be celebrating Madelyn's 8th birthday in Disneyland. Can a birthday get any better then that?

My Weekend

So my weekend plans had been a trip to Costco and working on my deer quilt. What my weekend turned into was a trip to a small town in Nevada to pick up my little brother and his friend after crashing his car and rendering it completely useless as a car. But I guess it could have made a nice planter box if he could have gotten it home.

We found out about his crash Friday evening and by 8 pm Hubby, Lucas and I were in the car heading their way. My Mom and Dad watched the other 2 kids. Friday night we made it as far as Hubby's family's house in Sacramento, then Saturday morning we drove out to Battle Mountain Nevada were they spent the night. We loaded the battered and bruised car crash victims into our car and drove to Reno for the night. Hubby took off to play the slots for a bit and Lucas and I played games at Circus Circus's midway. After hubby won a whopping $15 we went up to our room to get some sleep. Then Sunday morning after a big cup of coffee we were off for the drive home.

So all in all they are fine but little bro doesn't have a working car and we got to have a unexpected road trip.

My Wee One Is 4 Years Old Today

school is almost out

I love summer brake. I really love having all my kids home with me. This is not to say that they don't drive me a little crazy sometimes. But I really like them around.

Today was Madelyn's end of the year party. Lucky, lucky me, it was at a park. I really hate parks. To many kids Lucas can hit, push or kick. I tell you that boy is one of a kind. We talked all the way there about being a nice boy and keeping his hands and feet to himself. We got to the park a little after 10am and didn't leave till almost 2. That is a lot of time to make sure the boy was being good. i will have to say he did well. No reports of Lucas in flicked injury. Madelyn had a good time. I think I only saw her when she needed a drink or a tissue. They all three have nasty noses. Wyatt played alone mostly. He is a shy one and kinda keeps to himself.

No sewing today. I was so sleepy by the time we got home that a nap was much better sounding then anything else.

Tomorrow is the last day of school. Half a day too. Happy me!

Let the summer fun start.

The Allie Quilt

This is another quilt I have been working on for far to long. This one I started in December and I finished it yesterday. It spent a long time folded up on a shelf. I pulled it out last week and worked in what little times bunches I had. I think it turned out nice, but I am sure sick of looking at it.

Next big quilt projects are Madelyn's woodland creatures and Lucas' space quilts. I am waiting on one more package of fabric for Madelyn's and I can't make up my mind on Lucas'. I have 4 different lines of space fabric to choose from and I am having trouble picking.

What do you think?

It only took me 6 months

Yup that's right, 6 months. Not that I worked on it all that time. But I am so happy it is finished. Wyatt asked me to make him a pirate quilt. So I spent some time collecting fabrics. Then I spent some time cutting. And some time sewing blocks, then sashing. Pinning and quilting. Then last night I finished up the binding, tossed it in the wash and then dried it. After it was nice and dry, I snuck into Wyatt's room and put it over him. He was so excited this morning when he woke up. He has been dragging it all over the house with him today. I think he has thanked me 250 time. It is always good to know that the time you spent was well worth the happy day he got from his new quilt. Now it is on to the other two kiddos.

Just For Fun

And because Katy asked....

“Let’s Play”Let’s Play rules: IT’S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS! COPY, ERASE MY ANSWERS, ENTER YOURS, POST IT ON YOUR BLOG, FACEBOOK, ETC. USE THE 1ST LETTER OF YOUR LAST NAME TO ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. THEY HAVE TO BE REAL PLACES, NAMES, AND THINGS. NOTHING MADE UP! TRY TO USE DIFFERENT ANSWERS IF THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU HAD THE SAME 1ST INITIAL.Have Fun!!
1. What is your last name? Casey
2. A 4 Letter Word? Crap
3. A Boy’s Name? chris
4. A Girl’s name? Cath
5. An Occupation? cop
6. A Color? Charcoal
7. Something you wear? coat
8. A Beverage? Coke
9. A Food? cake
10. Something found in the bathroom? crap
11. A place? China
12. A Reason for being late? car crash
13. something you shout? CRAP (i say crap way toooo much)

*THE VOODOO THAT YOU CAN DO*

I took Maddie out to an art supply store to stock up on some fun things. Pastels and artist pencils, watercolors and some good paper. Her grandma gave her a table top art easel to work on and she wanted some real art stuff. So off we went down town to get some stuff. She had a great time looking at all the art supplies. She would like to be an artist when she grows up.

Then when we were finished spending a small fortune on her we went down the street to Urban Outfitters It has got to be one of my favorite stores. Just so much fun. I found some great windup owls on sale. Had to get me one and one for a buddy. They are mystery colored. All closed up in their box. I was lucky enough to get the super awesome green one. I don't have any idea what color miss buddy's owl is. I will have to wait till she gets it. I was tempted to peek but I am being a good girl and I will wait. I also found the great and wonderful Paper Voodoo. So great, how can you go wrong. How many times have you felt the need to put a hex on somebody but you had no idea how. Welcome the paper voodoo doll. Happy me!

I am so stiff and sore from a bunch of work that hubby and I did yesterday. We took out an old sliding glass door and put a wall up in its place. So our day started out great. We went to Home Depot to get the stuff we needed. Well hubby dropped me off at Starbucks and I walked from Starbucks over to the fabric store then I wandered over to Home Depot. We got the stuff we needed and went out to my dads truck that we had borrowed for hauling supplies and some wonderful person had sent something through one of the truck windows. Thankfully he left a note so hopefully it will be fixed. After that we went back home and got to play with more glass. There was no safe way to get the doors out of the house without breaking them so I had a little fun with a lot of tape and a hammer. But by the end of the day we had a almost complete project. Hubby is finishing it up right now. He is kinds scary with a nail gun.

What did you do over your weekend?

i love santa cruz

I really do. It is such a great place to just be. Down Town Santa Cruz has got to be one of my most favorite places to just wander.

After a crazy trip to Office Max to get a new sewing/computer chair, I thought we all needed a cookie from the Pacific Cookie Company. Yummy. And the grownup's got some coffee from The Bad Ass Coffee Company. It was nice to just sit and people watch. It is a great place to people watch. Santa Cruz is known for its many types of people. There is a bit of everything you can imagine.

I am wanting to get a few mothers day gifts done today. I figure if I put it down here it may give me the push I need to get something done. A little virtual kick in my Bad Ass Coffee drinking bottom.

Mommy's Day Off

I get to go play with my cousin tomorrow. No kids, just me and my cuz. I don't get much me time, so I am super excited about our adventure. We are headed to the Jan Jose Flea Market. I have never been to this one but I here it is huge and lots of fun. I will ave my eye out for buttons and other fun sewing stuff.

I have been busy working on a kids art quilt for Maddie's teacher back in Texas. There are not a lot of things I miss about Texas but her teacher is one of them. She is such a wonderful person and we miss her terribly. Before we left I had the class draw me some pictures. I used printable fabric and copied all of their art onto the fabric. It really was a lot of fun working with their art work. Each drawing reminded me so much of the kid who drew it. All in all the quilt turned out great. A few puckers in the quilting but nothing I couldn't live with. Kinda nice not being a perfectionist. I am going to have Maddie work on the label and I hope to get it sent out next week sometime. I want the kids to be able to see their art in the quilt.

Last Wednesday Maddie had a field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Because I don't know any of the moms from this new school I drove her over myself and The boys and I wondered apart from the class. Maddie was given the choice to go around with one of the groups or stay with me. She picked me, go figure. So I got to have a fun day with my kiddo's. Not a great place to be when you are scared of fish, but we still had a great time. We met the class for lunch, something I soon regretted. I don't know what it is about me that makes people run away in fear, but some people seem to run. Maddie ate with the class and I took the boys to another table. We ate happily all alone. I will have to say that I may not put off the best effort to be friendly, but man I got the cold shoulder from the bunch. I even think I did my hair normal and all tattoo's were covered.

The Wonderful World Of Disney

I love Disneyland. It really is my happiest place on my earth. I am a junky and it had been 3 years and 2 months from my last visit. We were able to get annual passes and I hope to make some good use out of them. Our trip this last weekend was not long enough for me but I think we tiered the kids out. We drove down on Saturday morning, spent the day in Disneyland, went back to the hotel at around 12am ish. We spent the next morning in California Adventure, then on to Disneyland till closing. Then we spent Monday in Disneyland till around 6pm. Then it was into the car for the long drive home. Our 6 hour drive took around 8.

Tattoo and a Trip

Lookie what I did. I spent my day yesterday doing. I love how it turned out. Mac at The Gilded Lily did a great job. I went in with my idea and he went above and beyond. The buttons make me crazy happy

Then at around 3am we are getting in the car and driving to LA. I am in need of a Disney fix. There is no place I love more. So I will be gone for a few days and come back a happy girl.

See you soon.

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER!

Sunday Stash # something

Miss. Katy over at i'm a ginger monkey had such a cute Sunday Stash/black and white fabric for our next 8two8 person Lisa. So here is what I found. Well not in my stash, I had to go out shopping. But I fell in love with the sewing machine print. So this is what I have come up with. I don't normally pay any attention to black and white fabrics, but I love this and I think it is going to be fun. I will post the finished pictures as soon as I am finished.

New Stuff

First- Wyatt's head is healing nicely. The glue is still there but it is slowly peeling off. I don't know if he will have any kind of scar but he seems to think it will be cool if he does.

Second- I love fabric stores. I have always loved then, but San Antonio really didn't have my kind of store. I called them *country bumpkin* stores. All super Little House On The Prairie kinda flowery. Not my kind of thing. I love big bold prints and lots of color. So all in all shopping in the stores there was not my kinda thing. So online I would go. Fun, but not the instant gratification that going to a shop is. I still check my favorite online shop a lot http://www.fabricworm.etsy.com/ . But I love to go into this shop now that I am back home. http://www.hartsfabric.com/ I think I could live there, or at the very least spend gobs of money. When I walked in last week they had the entire line of the super wonderful Wonderland prints. I was a good girl and I didn't get the whole thing. I wanted to, but I didn't. Now I have to decide what to do with it. Other then a decoration.

Third- I got me a few new toys. A laptop. I don't have room for my desk top out in the main parts of the house. So it has been set up back in my room. When I am back there I cannot hear what shenanigans my very mischievous boys are into. And let me tell you they can make some trouble. So I have not been spending the time I like to with my virtual buddies. Makes me sad. So I got me a new toy. It has taken me a few days and one funny trip back to the store to get it so I know kinda what I am doing. But now I am here and feeling good. But I am telling you the wireless mouse thing was a stumper. The magical Geek Squad dude was wonderful with his cool firework hair and fixed it with a touch of his magical hands. Or proved that technology is not really my thing.

I also got an ipod-iphone music dock thing. I did get that to work without any assistance. So I guess I am not totally inept. Because we all know how hard it is to plug something in. But because I have mastered that skill all went well.

then I got some strange little device that is called a thumb drive. I wanted to move all my pictures from the one computer to the new one. I wanted one shaped like a thumb. Not something they have in normal stores. So I got a boring black stick like thing. So me being me went online when I got home and found a thumb shaped thumb drive on ebay. Happy me. I won and soon I will have the wonderful contraption. What great fun that will be.

Last of all. I did a personal swap with the wonderful and super amazing LauraJ. She sent me this wonderful little quilt. I am so in love with it. Green being my new obsession. It is beautiful. She also sent that super cute dotty bowl and a calender that will remain photo less because it is of questionable content. Cracks is all I will say. Made me laugh. Some chocolate was also included and disappeared really fast as soon as Lucas saw it. Last of all some pencil cases for the kids. They were very quickly filled with various objects. Thank you Laura, your package will be flying your way tomorrow.