*GASP*--coming up for air!!!

Shy lil' wave going out to everyone!
Life
Has
Been
FULL!
CRAZY!
PACKED!
You NAME IT!

Once "school-mode" and "coach-mode" started, there was absolutely no turning back. My fingers haven't touched fabric OR my machine in well over a month!!! (***and I actually AM okay with that!***)

Through thick-n-thin, my DH loves me and will stand by me in everything I do (although he's also CONCERNED about me and wants to be sure I'm not burning from both ends of the candle all the time!) This past week has HANDS-DOWN been the craziest and I don't know who's more wacked-out --- myself or my husband!!


Volleyball has been going well---2 weeks into the season now. We had some "difficulty" on the first day of practice and called in the "Big Guy" (our Athletic Director). Our pole was "stuck" in the down position----so ....*chuckle*....he waddles out of the gym and comes back carrying TOOLS! I guess you just have to know our AD to find the humor in all of this....the man is wonderful, funny, and the kids love him! My assistant snapped this pic of he and I attempting (and SUCCESSFULLY!) fixing the pole!

Last night was the first competition for the team, and the girls played very well! The night was a success and they are starting the season 2-0! So far, so good. The first Saturday tournament is tomorrow, and I actually have a goal of getting to bed by 9:00 tonight. (I HAVE been burning both ends lately....and it's time to take care of me) ***nod, nod---yes dear, I'm listening to you!!!*** :0)

On Friday, Aug 14th, I asked DH to take the day off of work. It was my ONLY day "off" in the entire month of August (recall----our school doesn't start until NEXT Tuesday 9/1, but that hasn't kept me away from the school building for one thing or another.).....so I wanted to spend some special family time together before summer was kinda-sorta-officiallly over. We headed up to the Superior Zoo in Duluth, MN. GLORIOUS DAY! It is sad to admit, but we don't do many family "outings," so it was such a lovely, fun, special day for all of us! And, as most of you can imagine, after a full day of sun, walking, and play, we had two lil' tuckered out angels! This snapshot was too irresistable to pass up---it's not all the time that these two "get along" so well. :0) Cute as a bug in a rug!!!

The other "news"----Cassie finally doesn't have to sit 2 INCHES from the television any more! The glasses-fairy visited. When we were shopping around for frames, she was bound and determined to get the "pinky-pink" frames, and.....well....after trying 20 or so frames, I couldn't disagree with her. They are "HER."



I can't foresee any quilting in the near future---really. My plate is quite full (and, again, I REALLY am okay with it!----duh! Otherwise I'd push some things OFF the plate!) :0) However, due to the fullness, quilting simply will need to take a back-burner location for the time-being. Until when??? Probably until Vball is over----????? October/November.

To my PIF'ers: You can expect your "gifts" at a wonderfully appropriate time---CHRISTMAS! :0) One little part of all my PIF'ers gifts are completed, but more is in my mind for each of my wonderful three receivers :0)

I know this goes without saying, but....I will check in when I can. And ACTUALLY, maybe it MIGHT be more than what my mind actually is thinking. I just ordered a new MacBookPro (with the FREE iPod touch Back-to-School deal!) I should have it in a week or so. Yeah :0)

Okay all----Happy Back-to-School to everyone!
Happy Friday

It's been a long time...

Life has really kept me away from blogging, mainly because I haven't had much of anything to blog about. I haven't touched my sewing machine in over 2 weeks (this weekend will be the 3rd weekend of no sewing.) Amazingly, I am not going through any withdrawal symptoms.

School has not started, nor will it for another 2 weeks, but my life turned "school-mode" a few weeks ago. It's okay; I've dived right back in full-swing; prepping for the vball season (starting on Monday), transferring over all of our school's website content to the new management system, attending 3 weeks worth of Math workshops. Any free time I've had at home, I've pretty much spent working on the new website or doing some surfing for vball drills. I really haven't felt a "NEED" to get on the sewing machine. Maybe it's the break I needed, since I don't have any deadlines on the forefront.

The family is well. I will be doing some surfing shortly to see if I can find something "special" to do with the girls tomorrow around the area. Tomorrow is my last official "no-school-work-to-do" day; after that I will not have another full day off until the first school vacation day (in November??). We are a very rural community, so I may find I'll be traveling an hour or so in order to make the day "special".....**shrug** I dunno. The girls have been with G'parents so much lately, I've really missed them!!! (Ditto from DH).

Happy Wednesday

???? It's Friday already????

Just a few words....

A) new web-design software needs to be learned----has been my life the past few days; working with Superintendent.
B) new volleyball uniforms are in---with mistakes---spending time on the phone/emails with uni rep
C) assnt' vball coach resigned in June; had all summer to find replacement; season starts in two weeks---PANIC!

However.............
I am sitting calm and EXTREMELY EXCITED at the moment. So many things have come into place today and LIFE IS GOOD!

A) Signed web-contract yesterday and new content can be added starting next week. Whew----I have some time before vball starts and school!

B) Uniform rep has accepted blame and is honoring my original order. Confirmed at 10:28 am today that uniforms should be ready by season start

C) Today at 1:23 pm, I received a message from the "horse's mouth" herself----I have an assistant coach! We both are EXTREMELY excited to start the season; she is a former player (one of the best hitters our school has ever had). Yeah, yeah, yeah. (doin' a lil' dance)

So......life is good.


Oh.....quilting you ask????? Psht! My hands haven't touched my machine or fabric since Sunday. I could quilt all day tomorrow if I wanted, but......believe it or not, I want to head to school and spend most of the day getting organized and ready for school, vball and the new website.

So......
Happy Thursday!

Returning to school/coach mode for the day

WIth the girls still at grandma's, I decided I'd use my free day today to head to school and get some things done. I mostly handled vball "stuff" and I'd really rather not completely go into all of that since MUCH of the morning was on the phone with the uniform rep due to the mistakes that were made with the uniform numbering! About half of the tops will simply need to be sent back (all out of THEIR pocket!!!) because the error was NOT on our/my end!.....**grufff* It wouldn't be so bad if we weren't on such a tight deadline now----practice starts in a couple of weeks!

After a lunch break and some big deep breaths, I calmed myself enough to get some things done around my room; some rearranging and unpacking of lots of things that needed to be packed up in June (when I got the new carpet!) ;0) My room definitely has the new-carpet smell. Throughout the afternoon, I was in both teacher- and coach-mode. The coach's room was (is still) a mess and it took me awhile to find the box of new knee pads! I cleaned out the locker and file-cabinet of the former coach and found some gems! Videos of drills and techniques (who cares if they are copyrighted 1992??!!)

Therefore, tonight, I have been plugging through all the videos, taking notes like a dutiful student. I even transposed the living room into a make-shift half volleyball court and stepped through many of the skills and drills. Specially hitting!!! I'm a lefty, so I did one after another after another of the right-handed approach so I can teach my girls the break-down. My legs are jello after half an hour!!!! BUT I actully feel very comfortable with the right-handed skills now (and not like a quazee-modo!) Seriously--you should have seen the first few attempts! DH even watched some of the videos with me, but he has since left to go fishy. TRUST ME---I don't think I would have acted out many of these drills if he were still around :0)

So---it's 9:30; I'm NOT tired; and DH won't be home anytime before midnight. Hmmm.......I don't know if I'm in the mood to quilt though.......
AH! I'm off to finish the Coach's Vball test that needs to be completed before the 1st competition.
Let's see what y'all know....

T or F:
The official's uniform shall consist of an all-white, short-sleeved collared polo shirt; black slacks; solid black athletic shoes; and black socks, unless modified by state association when dealing with extreme heat and humidity.

*e-gah* REALLY??? I mean, does anyone REALLLLY care?!?!?
That's a T statement, by the way

Here's another:

T or F:
A libero may complete an attack from anywhere, if at the moment of contact, the ball is entirely above the height of the net.

Sorry Charlie, but that would be F. A libero can NOT attack; which is defined as striking the ball above the height of the net. She may only be a defensive player, who is able to serve.

Oooo....that was a good one. How 'bout one final one???

T or F:
Back-row players, while positioned behind the attack line, may not contact the ball below the top of the net.

Umm.....George??? That's just doesn't make ANY sense! If they couldn't contact the ball below the top of the net, the ball would either a) have to drop to the floor every play or b) a front-row player would always have to play balls below the top of the net. That's just stupid! Therefore, I dare say this is F!

Okay----if you want more---just let me know :0) I have 100 of these babies to do!

Happy Friday

Double Rainbow

Lovely name for a quilt, but this is a genuine "nature" post.

Do you see it? Faint, above the main rainbow, but it's there....

Happy Wednesday

Mother Nature is finally giving us the precipitation we need so badly

Chunky Churndash on hold... in the meantime...

Sadly, I haven't had a chance to get to the LQS to see if I can find the perfect gray for the Chunky Churndash yet, nor can I see the trip possible until Friday. So......

In the meantime....



Bonnie Hunter's Perkiomen Daydreams has seen some more progress. If my math is correct (remember, it's the summer and my brain takes a vacation sometimes!), I have 256 (of the 400) blocks completed. Laying them out certainly wasn't all that easy, but definitely exciting. This quilt is HUGE! I will not be able to lay all 400 blocks out at any one time. The quilt is 100"x100" (when complete). My game plan is to piece it into two halves (top 10 rows and the bottom 10 rows).
HA! After publishing comment...
Just to give you an idea of the size----that is a twin size mattress resting on its side at the top of the pic. I didn't even see it until after posting live!

I have been sitting, relaxing (with WINE again!!!!), and watching the evening news. FINALLY there was a heart-warming (and tear jerking) story. I don't know if any of you watched the ABC World News (with Charles Gibson) this evening, but there was a story about some individuals who came to the need of a turned-over vehicle in Milwaukee (Wisconsin). (watch it here: Rescue ABS News video. When there are stories that involved children in the age ranges of 3-9, they usually have a bigger impact on me since those are the ages of my girls. There was a 4-year old boy strapped in his carseat in the back of the flaming vehicle; and my heart just went out to the gentlemen fighting to get him out! It is so wonderful to be reminded of the good that does exist in our world when we are bombarded FAR too much with all the violence-involved news stories.

I don't know if I feel up to quilting tonight; at least I don't at the moment. It feels good to just veg and look around at my much neglected house. **sigh** Okay, so it doesn't feel good actually seeing the mess, clutter and unkeptness; it actually gets me stressed out a bit because of the guilt I feel! But...doing nothing does feel nice.

Happy Tuesday

Chunky Churndash progress...

61 blocks done and ready for the hour-glass blocks. Hopefully the perfect fabric will jump into my lap tomorrow!

At 4:00, I took yet another small break and decided to crack open the bottle of wine I bought last night. (Hey---it was five o'clock by Angela, so I figured I was okay!!!) :0) I took a pic of the wine glass; I have a set of 6 and they are absolutely beautiful. I am not (by NO means) a lady who is hoitsie-toitsie! Give me a sweatshirt and pair of blue jeans, and I'm happy. BUT, I insist on using these glasses everytime I have some wine (which is, like, once or twice a year!) They were a wedding present from my German host family, and are hand painted. The paint protrudes off the glass; pictures don't do it justice.



DH took his time getting home from a Sunday's day of work, so I continued enjoying myself downstairs by tackling some red/white/blue string blocks. I know I have other projects sitting idle, but it was fun to put together some mindless 5.5" blocks. I don't know exactly what I have planned for these yet, but am thinking of doing some HSTs with these and white fabric.

As much as I would love to head downstairs right now for yet a few more hours of sewing fun, I actually should make sure I'm gathered for tomorrow's math workshop.
Happy Sunday

My own personal Quilting Retreat day

As a thank you to my parents (mostly Mom) for helping out with the girls this week, I am making a quilt to go with their newly painted Guest Bedroom. Short version: in June when they were on their first "vacation" in YEARS, the weather was quite rainy, and their sub-pump decided to give out. It had rained on a Tuesday; they arrived home on Saturday, but hadn't needed to go downstairs until Sunday night----so.....by the time they finally realized the "problem?", the ENTIRE (finished) basement was ruined; carpet needed to be torn up, drywall needed to be replaced. This meant (and still means), a new basement (huge "living" area, 2 guest rooms, and one bathroom.)

I had seen the room last week when I picked Mom up before heading to my sister's house. So, I had some of my blues and grays on hand to "try them out" in the room. After perusing Quiltville.com for the perfect scrappy pattern, I (we) decided on Chunky Churndash, which I had already printed off sometime last year with hopes of making it someday.
Now---here's the extremely amazing part!...
With paint samples in hand, I headed out to Hancock Fabrics yesterday to find the perfect gray for the hour-glass blocks. Besides, Hancock was having a HUGE 50% off sale---perfect timing!
*shaking head, taking pulse, thermometer in mouth*
Nope....not sick! No temperature! Steady 60 beats per minute pulse....
so....HOW on earth could I have come home completely empty handed?!?!?! Seriously! I was on a mission, and the mission failed. I must have walked the aisles three times before throwing my hands up in the air. Not only did the perfect fabric elude me, I wasn't in the mood to find any "great deals" either! So, back in the car and off to Walmart to see if they had the perfect gray. NOPE! Then, off the the LQS (of my mom's town)--NOTHING EITHER! I simply am flabergasted! It seems that when I'm NOT looking for fabrics, it jumps into my hands and cart, but when I NEED the perfect fabric, it is simply no where to be found. That dang MURPHY!


However, I will not lose hope. I plan to head to my LQS tomorrow to see if I can find the perfect gray. Until then, I will make up the 61 "churndash" blocks that are needed for the quilt. I am childless AND husbandless today! I have been downstairs cutting and sewing since 9:00 and am taking a small lunch break at the moment; nothing fancy; just some spaghetti noodles with sauce. All the pieces have been stripped and cut for the churchdashes and should go together rather smoothly.

Hopefully your day is as enjoyable as mine is :0)

Happy Sunday

2:28 break
Needed to take a small break, so came up for a PB&J (peanut butter and jelly sandwich, for those of you non-mommies out there) :0). I'm also relaxing with a cup of tea; something I haven't had in a while. Not being an Englander, I rarely drink tea, but do like the lemon green tea varieties.

All 61 blocks are prepped, having sewn all the square segments into "rows" of the block. I now need to press the rows in order to piece the complete block together. Then, multiply that by 61.

My background noise of choice today started with Maid of Honor, then The Hulk, and I am almost finished with Aliens. Yeah, not quite the norm, relaxing background shows that I usually have playing, but I was getting tired of the same ol', same ol'. :0)

OH! AND! I almost forgot! I did have about a 10 minute break around 1:00 when I saw a MOUSE dart across the carpeted area downstairs. **Shudder** So, I grabbed my box of Freezer paper and stalked around for a bit (on my tiptoes!!) trying to fight the little bugger! Nice visual, huh????? Amidst my search, I did notice that one container of mouse/rat poisoning had been emptied! Gosh---how long has that (those?) little monster been mooching off of us??? I haven't seen any mice since winter ended. Ugh!