It's Not Easy

being green...

But green's the color of Spring.
And green can be cool and friendly-like.
And green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.

When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder? Why Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be.

~ Kermit the Frog

Thank you, Josh for the beautiful plant!! It is just like the ones I appreciate when I go to The Daily Grind!!

And

Thank you neighbors for the delicious cucumbers!!

It did not take us long to eat them all up!!


Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

I'm Still Here

I have not been very blog motivated the past few weeks.

A little busy.

A little tired.

A little blue.

A little stressed.

Very much looking forward to warmer days.

The few photo snap shots I managed to take.

Not many.

But here they are.

A much needed bagel treat from Jeff and Grant.

YUMMY!!!!!

Now, aren't you three little cutie pies!!!

Chocolate chip, strawberry, and roast beef with cheese.

See Cutie Pies!!!!

Thanks to Elena and Josh for their creative help!

Making pie crust is not super fun but the end results were worth it!!!

My spring boy ties.

These next two have matching dresses.

The little ones wearing these will be official cutie pies!!!!

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Vintage Valentine's Trip to Paris

Lily is just a little spunky model!

We had fun taking pictures of the two dresses I finished this evening.

Grant's Ghana hat and Nolan's old cowboy boots are a must as our shoot props.

Here is one I will call A Trip to Paris.

This one is Vintage Valentine It turned out very pretty.

I added some vintage looking buttons to the front as well as a last minute impulse I added the ecru cotton lace over the red hem band. It is so pretty. Too bad I missed Valentine's this year! I put it in my Etsy shop anyway.

Jeff and Elena went to a Love Out Loud concert in Minneapolis tonight and look what they brought home for me!!! So kind!!! Yummy almond bark. It is one of my all time favorite treats! They bought this at the Minneapolis store but I grew up in Stillwater and remember a candy store in downtown Stillwater. I wonder if it is was called Candyland store back then.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Something I Overheard Yesterday

"Joel, when you are not busy do you think you can get a needle and thread to sew up the hole in my pants."

"Sure, Lily. I don't mind. I can do that."

A few thoughts crossed my mind...

How sweet that a nine year old can do (and is willing to do) such awesome big kid tasks in the eyes of a six year old.

How sweet that in the mind of a nine year old, he can handle such big kid tasks with awesome confidence.

How less than sweet to realise your six year old needs to ask her nine year old brother to sew up a hole in her pants because the mom, this mom, moi, is 'too busy' sewing other things for pretty much imaginary people. Haha.

Anyway, the humbling sting was quickly pushed away by this sight.

I just could not get over the huge blue hat on Joel's head.

Don't let him know just how precious it looks.

Please.

He would then take it off and never put it back on again.

And then he will, all of the sudden, be 'closer to ten' than 'just turned nine'.

And more proof that I am loved.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Another Kitty Distraction

and this time the distraction is Grizzly.

But I did finish binding these two quilts this evening.

Top Drawer's Calipso group of fabrics

Top Drawer's Secret Garden group of fabric

I am loved and that feels nice!

From Jeff. He spoils me.

From Joel

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

A Little Bit of My Day

A plate of blessings from Christ the King Church here in Waseca who gave us the buns and the apple dessert. Christ the King also gave us hot dish, mixed veggies,and a very yummy pink cherry dessert. The venison summer sausage is from our long time friends the Grays. The salad and not pictured but equally appreciated, cartons of eggnog and green onions are from the Ring family. What we could not eat or dring right away went into our freezer for next week. Nothing will be going to waste!

Thank you!!

I tried editing another a-line dress I will be listing on Etsy. I was not as careful with erasing the background around the dress but I will get better. I hope I will. At least it did not take quite as long this time. There just has to be an easier way but in the mean time I enjoy learning something new.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

A Little Treat

Elena made these very fun cookies this evening!

A closer look.

Cookie dough ( chocolate chip without the chocolate chips) baked in tiny muffin tins with a mini Reece's peanut butter cup placed in the middle after the cookie dough crust was cooked. Kind of like a thumb print cookie.

They are SO good!

Jeff brought me home some flowers this evening. Very sweet guy!

P.S. Missing Grant very much. He is in Ghana now safe and sound and doing well.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

More Coffee, Apples, and a Creation!

If there is one thing you might have observed about me is I really enjoy coffee. Iced mocha in particular. I love coffee shops!

I also enjoy my kids.

It is a good day when I can combine both the coffee at the coffee shop and my kids.

Today I got both!!!

Elena, Grant, and I went to Out to Lunch coffee shop here in Waseca.

Now, these three pictures that followed our coffee time did take a little begging on my part but I got them so I am happy!!!

For those who do not know, these are my two eldest, one year and two days apart. They are two that warmed my heart for so many years!

Grant (18) and Elena (19)

Grant is playing it cool. He has about two minutes to get to work but he is being very patient with me.

By this picture Elena realized I was taking more than one in my sneaky mom way.

Thank you Jeannie and the rest of the Hadley crew!!

I finished the jacket that I was wanting to make that matches the green wool blend skirt.

Ignore Lily's heavily lipsticked lips and the fancy dressed dress form in the background. I did not make the dress on the dress form. It is Elena's Purity Ball dress from about five years ago. Elena thought the dress form needed something pretty to wear.

The pattern I made the jacket from only goes up to size four (bummer) so I made the size four. I think Lily would need a larger size if she was to wear this for more than modeling. She has a tee-shirt under the jacket but I picture the outfit with a turtleneck and tights.

I love how it turned out!!! It had been SO long since I made something like this. I really like the space at the neck where the buttons are instead of the collar meeting. I thought it called for chunky big buttons.

I did not line the jacket so it does not add much outdoor warmth. Maybe I will try one lined sometime.

Anyway, what do you think? Isn't it a classy outfit?!!

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

YUM!!!

Angela, they did not last long after you dropped them off!!!

Thanks SO much!!

I think Odell (in the sunglasses) is making a quick eyeball count to see how many each person gets...

Ha ha, the girls are all waiting for Odell's go ahead.

Joel even abandoned his matchbox car playing for a bit.

What is not pictured: the big kids (almost all of them) standing around the kitchen counter eating their plate.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

You Both Know Me Well

Thank you Jeannie!!

Iced coffee the Pioneer Woman way.

I had mine straight up black.

I enjoyed this VERY, VERY much!!!!

and Jeff...what can I say...yum!!!!!

Thank you both SO much!!!


Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

M is For Monday

Josh (12) made Elena (18) this wonderful pillow.

It is very pretty.



He even included a zipper.

Josh is amazingly talented and Elena is very deserving of such a thoughtful, wonderful gift.



Fun news. I added my five quilts to my Etsy quilt shop and within 5 hours of them being listed I sold one!!!



I think that is a record for me.



Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy