Shhh...Don't Tell Joel

Today Joel turns four!It is very hard to believe he is that old and yet that young at the same time.

I made Joel this real big and soft fleece blanket as one of his gifts.What do you think?I make a lot of things but in honesty most things I make are not for my own family so that makes this a very special blanket.Although it took all of 20 minutes to make Joel will have years of warmth being cozy under it!

More Joel birthday highlights tonight.






Here are a few other things I accomplished this weekend.

These quilts are just waiting for me to bind them.




I found this cute purple Suzie's Zoo panel a while back and finally started quilting it.You can see I quilted it with horizontal lines 3 inches apart. I am not sure if I should go ahead and quilt vertically as well.I think it actually looks good the way it is but I will put it aside until this next weekend and see what I think then.

Now Our Party in Video

WARNING!!!

THESE VIDEOS ARE NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART!!!

But worth watching!

The Mummy Game



The Mummy Game Aftermath...







The Chicken Dance




Ok,Now Let's Just Dance!!!



Just in case you were wondering...no we did not have guests...No This was not a Waseca block party...yes,there were a few fights and tears (mostly by Jeff...the tears at least)

I Went To A...

I went to a Frye party to have fun with my old friends
A chance to play the mummy game and dance the chicken again...
When I got to the Frye party they all knew my name
And everyone recognized me I didn't even look the same

Yes it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see you can't hear yourself think
And you got to claim your food

THE WINNER IS....

I would like to congratulate Trudy for being my winner this month!!

CONGRATULATIONS Trudy !!!!


My next quilt drawing will start December 1st so don't forget and spread the word!!!

I am not sure what I will make for my December giveaway but I will think of something fun.

See you then!

Warmly,
Tina

Quite Day

What a quite afternoon...too quiet...only nine kids are home! Sounds pretty funny to think it is too quite with only nine children home. We won 6 free tickets to a Minnesota Orchestra performance The Tin Forest for this afternoon's performance.Jeff and the kids had a busy morning trying to get the paper routes finished as well as an archery class Jeff and five of the boys are taking so that he could take some of the kids to the performance.They did get all but three of the routes done.I think Jeff will get those done by himself later tonight.I am glad they could go.It is not often the kids can go up to 'the cities'.Meanwhile I am beside myself with what to do...no fires to put out or fights to settle.I am sure something will come up.In the mean time I will do the dishes.I am sure Odell would not mind having a dish meal off to go play.

Things are Normal

I should have taken a picture of the snow on our trees this morning.I was cold but VERY pretty.Winter is not my absolute favorite season.You would think spending my whole life in Minnesota I would absolutely love winter!No,my favorite season is fall.It smells so pretty and well...it is just beautiful!But I really like Minnesota...winter and all.

I was kind of in a thoughtful mood today.I was thinking that it has been 9 months with all 16 of us under one roof and you know what...life is normal...normal is a very good thing with having 14 children seven of which came within a 14 month window...it is not real wild crazy or dreadful.There are just normal issues,normal days...normal is nice!Very nice!!!Of course as soon as I write this non-normal is waiting to happen!You know how that goes!!!

Things Change

Pretty neat picture of a few of the Minneapolis Lakers isn't it. I believe it was taken in the late 1940's. I included this neat picture in honor of Grant.Monday afternoon he starts his first practice playing in Waseca Jr. High school basketball program.He is very exited.It is nice that he can play in school sports but still be home schooled.I really think he will enjoy it.

This year has been a big year for me in learning how to loosen my grip on a few of the older kids some and let them be a little more independent.They have been with me from waking until sleeping almost their whole lives.I knew these years would eventually come.In truth, I anticipated it being a little harder than it actually is.Although, I REALLY truly enjoy the big kids around all day it is fun to see them growing up.I will tell you what absolutely warms my heart is after Elena comes back from the High school church group on Wednesday nights and she makes a b-line straight to my room without talking to Jeff or the kids so she can tell me all about her night.How very special is that.She does not know that I sit on my bed and wait for her.How can she already be 14!Gee,and Grant...I am pretty sure his voice is getting deeper.Does that happen at 13?It has all happened in a blink of an eye.

I Voted!

It did it.I voted.Ten of the children walked with and played at the park while I waited in line.The wait was very short.It was very stress less.The picture postcard on the left of the women voting had a little quote on the bottom that said "voting is as easy as shopping" Today I have to say voting was WAY easier than shopping.

The kids are out now making a HUGE leaf pile.Elena took pictures that I will add tonight.The kids are having so much fun with the leaf pile a little girl unknown to us just stood on the sidewalk watching and waiting for the kids to invite her in on the fun.I am pretty sure my kids did not think to extend an invitation to her so she just finally joined the fun.Who would notice one more in a group like ours!

Enjoy the nice evening!

Here are the pictures of the leaf pile!

A Few of My Newest Projects

Here is a glimpse of a few of the projects I worked on this weekend.I finished 2 fleece baby blankets,a bigger Pooh blanket as well as three cute flannel receiving blankets.I was trying a few new fleece techniques which turned out pretty cute.My ultimate favorite is the Mother Goose flannel receiving blanket.






Here is something pretty neat...a lady who also has an Etsy shop asked if we could do an Etsy shop trade.She had an eye on one of my quilts and I chose a REAL cute Denim All Day Bag from her shop. Her shop is called Marcie Marie Purses, clutches,Totes and More. She has very cute things!

I did not want Jeff to take vacation time from work just so I could vote.I think I will be able to walk over with the kids sometime during the day.It will be fun and in the past the line has been pretty short.I remember waiting more than an hour up in Bloomington to vote one time but down here in Waseca the wait should not be bad at all.

Jeff works both his regular job and pizza delivery job tomorrow and I promised the kids we could watch the new Tinkerbell movie in the evening.It was supposed to be a surprise but the word got out already!The only hard thing about the kids watching a movie is I will have to give up my laptop for a few hours.I suppose I could force myself to do a little sewing! Oh,the sacrifices a mother has to make!I am teasing...any excuse to sew I grab onto very quickly!

Here It Is!!!

You have waited all month and now here it is!!!

My November Dragonfrye Quilts Quilt Giveaway!!

Official Rules

If you are interested in entering my quilt drawing all you need to do it either leave a comment below or email me at waseca9@yahoo.com requesting to be entered.Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you are the winner. That is it!

I will leave the drawing entry open until midnight Saturday, November 8, 2008. I will draw a winner Sunday and post the winner on this blog Sunday evening or Monday.I will also email the winner to get a mailing address.

As with all my quilt drawings past winners,extended family,and all ages can enter.

Now on to the quilt...

Everyone has to just love Vicki Schreiner's

My BaZoople Friends...

There is Gertrude the Giraffe, Zack the Zebra,just to mention a few.

I found some real cute My Bazoople Friends patchwork fabric that I thought would make a very cute fluffy quilt.

Actually, it is more like a little baby comforter and less like a quilt because I did not do any piecing but that's ok.I will still call it a quilt.

I added a light blue flannel backing and use polyester batting to make the quilt nice and fluffy soft.

I quilted the quilt with a straight stitch which created 7 x 11 inch rectangles throughout the quilt.

The quilt measurements about 36 x 38 inches.

Now I was so very delighted because I found a My BaZoople Friends matching soft fabric book that I made to go along with the quilt.So the winner will get the quilt and book set!


I hope you like this months quilt and good luck!