Back to Quilting

I am so thankful to be back at my quilting table and sewing machine. It was a long week not having the energy to do so. I am also thankful that sometimes I go over and beyond the expectations of my customers. I wish I could always do so, but sometimes time or money prevent that desire. This time I had a customer who I had already made a quilt for a couple years back. She thought she might venture out and make her own but it never came to be, so she sought out my services again. I saw all these track shirts and it must have been the right timing for her because I wanted to really save these memories for her. I turned her idea of a 12 shirt quilt into 18, it houses so much more memory than what she ever bargained for. I am thankful she gave me some creative license too.

I love that she added this every day shirt to the mix of her track shirts, it really personalized the quilt

I am thankful she gave me creative license. I used this wonderful charcoal flannel backing with a scroll print to make a comfy quilt.

Sometimes including some shirt backs really do make the quilt more special, esp if they hold the name of the person the quilt will belong too.

Another creative license is the black and red printed binding. It tied in all the red of the quilt and also tied in the darker flannel backing of the quilt. It measures approx 50 by 88. It will be a nice long lap quilt.

Wordless Wednesday

This little Red Bird has her nest outside my son's window. How beautiful!

Sickness took Over

Life has been very crazy around our house. Spring Break was wonderful and we enjoyed being able to relax at home. I missed the idea of taking a trip or doing something but we just didn't have the funds to manage that this year. We did go see the Lorax since the movie theater is still 2.50 per person. I love that there are a few cheap things to do once in a while. 

Our daughter came down with a virus Monday. Tuesday of last week we took her to the dr to discover it was not just a virus but mono, and that she was developing scoliosis. Wednesday led to X rays and blood work and shopping for pants and bras since I discovered both of what she was wearing were too small. Thursday she went back to school and I was left exhausted and starting to not feel well. Friday I worked up at the school and by the end of the day I was left to rest in bed. I had picked up something for sure. All weekend I stayed in bed, I did get to go sit out in a chair and enjoy some of the sunshine for a little bit, but even that was exhausting.

This Monday we had another dr appointment. Xray results show a 5% curvature in her back/spine so we are now being referred to a main children's hospital downtown. Her mono has become an old infection in her body and she is gradually feeling better. Yesterday was the first day she has not come home and slept from 4-8. I am super thankful for that. I think going to church helped a little in that she had to just come home and finish a school project and had no time to rest. 

Tuesday I finished a cute little bag for her.  She has been using it all week for school. It was supposed to be mine, but somehow the size got away from me. It is more of a book bag as her binders and things fit perfectly. I bet when we were picking out the fabric she was praying it would become hers. 

By Wednesday I was starting to feel better. It was the first day I was out of bed for a good share of it. I am thankful since we had a choir project to work on for both kids. I was able to work on a quilt and I am about half way done. I am so glad I am starting to really feel better. I still have a horrible head cold and am extremely exhausted but wow nothing compares to how I felt this past week. I am very thankful that my husband has been great during all this. He got us foods that we wanted and cooked and made sure everything went as planned.

So look forward to a giveaway from a great company called PhotoTrax

I will be trying to wrap up my review this weekend and get the giveaway posted. I also will have some pictures of quilts and some progress we have been making with the quail, new fences and other events in our life.

What I am Learning Friday

Scheduling is important to exercise. We did not make it on our walk yesterday. I got home about six thirty and my husband was mowing part of the lawn. I had been going through a few boxes in our den to try and organize the items and well we noticed it was 8:30 at one point. I am finding that staying on a schedule and good planning is going to be necessary if we are going to be successful. While going through all those boxes was very physically demanding it is not walking, so already into Day 3 I failed. We do plan to walk today though so we will have to be aware of the time and not get too busy doing yard work, or with me quilting. I already see success since my legs look worse today then they did a week ago. I think that is the most interesting thing about exercising is that the first month you really do look worse as your body moves fat and other things around. Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursday

I love Spring Break. I love it not because we ever go do anything at all but because we get more time together. I have enjoyed the couple of days of working out because we spend time together. It is nice that yesterday Paul and I walked around the track together most of the hour we were out there. We can talk and just enjoy one another when that is the case. I love that I made time with the boys and took them to a movie, even if we all had wished something like Hunger Games was playing this week instead. I love that we have made some very simple dinners and enjoyed a movie together each night. We are movie people for sure. Most of all I am so thankful that Paul has off tomorrow and we will have a three day weekend with one another. I am really looking forward to that. It starts bright and early with running a load of scrap metal, then lots of yard work to get the garden ready. Hope you are having a great Thursday.

Today's progress

Today I got up very sore from yesterday's workout. I managed to get most of a twin size Tshirt quilt done. I need the outside borders and its finished. I hope to get up early tomorrow to get the quilt top done and the backing made so the quilt can be pinned before I have to go get our daughter from a friends and go visit a while with my cousin's wife and children. It seems so hard to make time to see them and they live within an hours drive from us.

This afternoon I made time to take the boys to see the Lorax. I think over all it was a cute kids movie. I will be honest in that I really didn't like it all that much. It might have had something to do with the fact that I was so exhausted that I had trouble staying awake during portions of it. It was still nice to just get out with them and it not even cost us $10. That will be all we do for Spring Break.

Tonight the 4 of us went to the school to work out again. I did not want to go. I was so sore. I think I pulled the muscle on the interior of my upper thigh. Regardless I did not give up. I went and I walked the 2 miles and then ran part of the last lap, walked, ran some more, walked and ran the rest so that I ran in total the 400 meters I ran yesterday. I could not believe how much harder it was today. Now my lower back is sore and the interior of both my upper thighs near the bone are sore but I plan to still try and make it home tomorrow in time to run.

We are ending the evening by watching Jack and Jill with the boys. For some reason I thought it was rated R, its not its rated PG. I do like Adam Sandler so I hope its a good movie. Hope you are having a great week!

Walking, Running and Getting Fit

Who ever would have thought exercise, loosing weight and toning up would be so difficult? Not me..

I would say I was pretty active pre-kids, early childhood to early twenties. My thirties approached and I realized more and more how out of shape I am. I would not say I am massively overweight but I am having issues with 10-15 lbs for sure. Considering how my mother's 40s and very early 50's went, her health, her mental stability etc., I went into 2012 knowing that I HAD to do something about my non physical lifestyle. I had tried a month ago. I will be honest I made it two days on the treadmill, that was it. I bought a couple workout dvds, in honesty I have looked at them but they still sit with the plastic on them.

Zekaryah has to work out for track during spring break. There is a series of routines he must do every day. Monday we went to the track, I did not have any shorts that fit and I do not own sweat pants, so since I just had my jeans I stayed in the truck to read. Yesterday, Tuesday, my husband stopped on his way home from work and bought himself a pair of work out shorts and bought me a pair of cotton pants that go to my knees and said we were working out. 

Tuesday was challenging. We walked for an hour and 15 minutes, the time it takes Zekaryah to do all his various workouts, one lap of that around the track- 400 meters, he challenged us to all run. I can tell you I fought to not run. I had every excuse in the book- I ran in the end though. I am so thankful for my husband. I got half way through and was ready to walk. He kept yelling for me to push harder, not to give up, that I was almost there. When I crossed that finish line it was pretty exciting. It was hard to believe I made it. It may seem super easy to run 400 meters, 1 lap of the track but for me it was extremely difficult. I had to walk one lap after just to recover and I was breathing harder than I ever have. 

I am thankful that my children are so active and they are taking the time to help me correct my lifestyle. I am thankful that even though I am only battling 10-15 lbs that we are doing something about it now. I pray that with the time change and the longer nights we will find a way to continue to work out as a family. What a great way to spend time together.

Week in Review

This is our week in review, it seems I have been super busy lately, which makes it hard to find time to blog during the day. Last week Jakob needed the computer every evening to finish up a huge project in two different classes. So here is a snapshot, backwards of what we have been up to.  The giveaway quilt won by a follower in February. Really made me miss CA as I saw the Dodgers Tshirt, one for LA...I hope she loves it.

A table runner made for a friend of mine, per her request spring colors, she loves green and I found this cute owl fabric on a blue background to back it with. It measures about 18 by 48.

The guys had a blast. Paul got so many beads that they got stuck around his neck. It was pretty funny!

This is how we spent our weekend- it was so yucky for a parade but the guys still wanted to go- I sat in the truck. I liked the idea of staying dry.

Choir UIL- after the compeition we took a bus to the mall and this is how I spent Thur afternoon- evening. Thur morning I volunteered in the library. Friday I spent all day teaching 3rd grade.

Choir UIL- after the competition we took a bus to the mall and split up into groups, this is how I spent Wed afternoon-evening. It was a lot of fun.

Menu Planning Monday

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for Cook'N Recipe Organizer (software)

Monday- meeting tonight

Tostadas

Tuesday 

Shake and Bake Chicken, brocolii, cauliflower and corn

Wednesday Choir UIL Field Trip- Zek

Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon

Thursday- Choir UIL field trip Kenzei

Dominoes Pizza- with card TRACK MEET- younger two

Friday

Roast, Potatoes, and Carrots- Crockpot

Saturday

Uncle Dales for dinner

Sunday 

Biscuits, gravy and sausage/bacon

Don't forget to enter my giveaway