Project 365: Week 52

I somehow feel cheated.  The project is supposed to be 52 weeks long, but there is still almost another full week! :)  I don't mind.  I picked up my camera quite a bit this week.  With the break from school, we have a lot of projects going on!  This week had several challenges and many joys.  This post is for Dec. 20 - 26.


Sunday: Keira fell at school on Thursday.  From Friday morning, she refused to walk on it!  We weren't sure what to do because though it looked a little swollen, nothing looked "wrong".  We iced it on and off through Friday, took her to our chiropractor on Saturday, and to church on Sunday.  At church, one friend told us about her knee dislocating on it's own, and another friend, a PT, looked at Keira's knee and said that nothing appeared broken or torn.  Another friend at church let us borrow her wheelchair.  And yet another friend tried to get their child's size wheelchair working for Keira to borrow, too!  I am so thankful to God for putting us in such a loving church that was so caring to Keira during her distress.
This is Keira trying out "her" new wheelchair Sunday evening.  I caught her making one of her faces!  I love it! :)

Monday: I started cutting the fabric for Mercy's bed quilt!  I am thankful for new starts and new ideas.  It is fun and fresh and exciting.
To continue Keira's story, she went back to the chiropractor on Monday and was given a good bill of health!  Later on Monday, I took her to an orthopedist who said nothing was broken or out of place and said that Keira probably had a patella subluxation.  That just means that her knee cap comes out of place, but then pops back into place on it's own.  The doctor said that is excruciating, but that she should be able to be up and walking again soon.  She also gave Keira a knee immobilizer to help her walk without hurting her knee.  Keira got up and moved around well Monday night with this brace on!

Tuesday: This is an Amaryllis Red Lion.  I bought the bulb at walmart, and just love how quickly and beautifully they grow!  I am thankful for quickly growing beautiful flowers!  We could almost watch this flower open throughout the day, and the kids and I enjoyed looking at it open as the day went on.
On Tuesday Keira was resting in a chair after walking around for a bit, when she suddenly started crying inconsolably!  She had just been sitting there!  Keira was holding her foot at a really odd angle, and we concluded that she most have dislocated her knee again.  It took a bit of time and prayer before Keira was good enough that I could leave her to run some errands.  Fortunately, she was back up walking with some effort and her knee immobilizer brace.

Wednesday: More of my flowers opened!  I am thankful for quiet days at home!  I thought the break would be more restful, but that hasn't been the case.  So I am savoring every day at home.

Thursday: I am thankful for helpers!  It is so much easier to make a huge pot of chili with help.  My helpers cut most of the veggies and open all the cans.  I should let them work on cooking the meat or measuring out the spices, but I haven't gotten them to that point yet.  What a blessing to have help in our work!

 Friday: CHRISTMAS!!!  I was not eagerly awaiting Christmas like my children.  I got up early to make a nice breakfast.  The kids got up and opened their stockings, ate breakfast, and opened their presents.  They were very excited and I think they were all satisfied with what they received.  I am thankful for see joy in our children!  Our kids' great Aunts bought them a telescope for Christmas since they are studying astronomy in school.  Mercy helped Adrian assemble it.
By Friday, Keira was moving much better, so we had her walking around more and more with the knee immobilizer.

Saturday: My Christmas gift!  I don't know what is worse, that Adrian bought me an iron for Christmas, or that I was so excited about it!  :)  It is designed to always sit on it's press plate.  It has feet guards that retract when you touch the handle so that it will iron.  Then when you let go, the feet pop out to lift the plate off the surface and wait to be used again.  It is a great gadget for quilters.  I am thankful to my husband for such a fun tool that will help make quilting go more smoothly.

On Saturday, we gave Keira a different knee brace that helps to support her knee, but doesn't immobilize it.  She likes having it on, and now has more confidence to walk on her own.
In the way of record keeping, the white van, affectionately named Moby Dick, had to go to the shop to have an engine tune up, so we are down to the regular van for the Lord's day.  After finding out about the van, Saturday evening, our washing machine broke catastrophically!  It tore itself apart and the tub that holds the drum in place has been torn off of it's mounts.  So we will be finding a replacement very quickly!  Oh well, who wanted to spend Christmas money on fun things anyway. :)  (I am grateful for the timing as we do have money to make the repair on the van and to replace the washing machine.)

Patrick's First Food

With the sickness that went around in November, we didn't get start feeding Patrick solid food until just before Thanksgiving.  He started out like a champ, but has had some trouble since then.

I think he is such a cutie!

Project 365: Week 51

We are approaching the end of this project.  I want to finish well, so hopefully I will remember to take a picture each day!  Right now we are working on tasks around the house and trying to get organized again.  This post is for Dec. 13 - 19.

Sunday: I have thought and read a lot about Love recently.  Love is much harder than we think.  It takes a lot of effort and a constant trying.  It doesn't just happen.  I am thankful for God's love and that no matter how badly I fail at loving, God still loves me.
I bought this bag from Union 28 on Black Friday.  It has been a nice bag and reminder of God's love and how we are to love each other.

Monday: Keira and I made Zebra corn for Christmas gifts for her therapists and teachers.  I am thankful for Keira's love of cooking.  I am thankful for kind, caring people who work with Keira to help her develop more and more.

 Tuesday: I am thankful for this happy smile to encourage me!

Wednesday: I am thankful for Kyle's love of music.  He needed to put straws in his violin to help guide his bow and help him learn where to keep it.

Thursday: I am thankful for a break from school!  Thursday was the last day of school for a couple of weeks.  I am hopeful that I will get a lot done, but we will have to see about that!
I missed this day for pictures.  This picture is from our movie and hot chocolate bar.  The kids look  forward to all the chocolates and candies they get to add to their hot chocolate.

Friday: I am thankful for friends.  Avalyn was invited to decorate cookies with her friends.  She and her friends had a wonderful time and made all sorts of delicious cookies.

Saturday: Again, I am thankful for friends and a hard working husband.  Adrian and one of his friends started working on a built in window seat in our family room.  I am so excited about the extra seating!

Project 365: Week 50

Oh my goodness!  Do you see that title?!  Week 50.  That means only two more weeks of the year!  I can not believe that we are so close to the end of the year.  Well, this week's photos are for dates Dec. 6 - Dec. 12.
This week, I didn't pick up my camera until Tuesday!  I am looking forward to the end of this project, but I am trying to remember to finish well (something I'm not good at).

Sunday: This Christmas ornament is a bell from our wedding!  I am thankful for this little reminder of such special occasion.  I am thankful for my parents for indulging me and buying these for our wedding favors.  Bells have a special place in my heart because of these.  The bells for our wedding came in 6 or 8 different shapes, all about the same height as this one.  Each shape made a unique sound and all of the sounds are beautiful!

Monday: Another miss, but made up for later in the week.  This pretty little flowers are growing outside the new reptile house in Zoo Atlanta.  I am thankful for such delicate and intricate pictures of God's handiwork.  Can you imagine trying to make something so small and fragile, but strong enough to hold up to the conditions of the outdoors?  While I was trying to take a picture of these little flowers, the wind kept blowing them around, and I was just amazed again at God's creativity.

Tuesday: Sophia and her twirling ribbon.  I am thankful for this bundle of energy!

Wednesday: At the zoo, Patrick started to notice more of the animals.  Here is a picture of a turtle floating from the top of the tank down to the ground.  Patrick watched it descend right in front of him.  I am thankful for these small pleasures as seen through the eyes of my children.

Thursday: This picture day was also a miss.  (I did really poorly this week!)  This picture is from Saturday.  I left the house early and ended up driving in dense fog!  I am thankful for God's protection on the roads.  If you have never driven in Atlanta, traffic is terrible, and Atlantan's like to drive fast.  I am also thankful for a diversity of weather.  As much as I do not like cold weather, I love the change of seasons and the opportunity for different types of precipitation.  I haven't quite gone as far as my children in praying for snow, but I would love to see more than a dusting this year!

Friday: I am thankful for small chances to sew.  I really like putting fabric together and matching colors and patterns to make something pretty and useful.

Saturday:  I thankful for the chance to learn more about self-defense.   I was out early to take a class on guns: how they work and how best to use them.  Much of the information I already knew, but it was good to find out what I didn't know and what I need to work on and think about.

Warm Memories

Now that my mystery project has been received by the recipient, my grandma, I can share it's story!
When my Gpa died several years ago, I asked my grandma to give me some of his shirts so that I could make a quilt for her.  She sent me some of Gpa's (her second husband) shirts and a couple of shirts from Grandpa Horton (her first husband).  I cut the shirts up and made up a plan/design for the quilt, then I got pregnant.  Time past and I didn't get back to it until this fall. 
I really worked hard on the quilt as I wanted to get it to my grandma so she would get the chance to use it!  The plan changed several times.  A couple of times just for the sake of time and a couple times because the quilt didn't like what I had planned for it!

Here is the quilt top and back folded up together.

The back laid out on the floor.  The gold fabric is from a sheet, and had a beautiful drape and felt like satin.  It was beautiful to work with!

The basted quilt!

All finished with a label!  I had originally intended to sew a lot of pockets from the shirts all over the back of the quilt and to name the quilt pocket full of memories.  But as I laid the pockets out on the back, it just looked awful!  I asked Adrian's his opinion.  He usually just goes with whatever I say, but he agreed that the pockets all over didn't work.  I chose one pocket that was light in color and matched the back and used just the one pocket for my quilt label.  I sewed it on so that it can still be used as a pocket!

Folded haphazardly, showing the blue binding.   The blue was used for a second border on the back of the quilt.

The quilt top!  I used a large fence rail pattern.  I had never worked with clothing like this, and I learned a lot of what not to do.  I still think this quilt turned out lovely.
I had originally planned to make this a lap quilt.  When all the blocks were finished and I was laying it out, I realized that I just needed two (I think) extra blocks to make a twin, so I scrounged together two more and went with a twin size.  I usually like to make oversized twins, but I didn't have enough for that.  I was happy to get a standard twin so that my grandma can use it on her bed or the bed in the spare room.

As is fairly common, I really LOVE the back of this quilt!  (I almost always like the back as much, if not more than the front of my quilts.  You think I would learn to make the backs first!)  Thought you can't see it in this picture, there is a small inner border of green, between the shirts and the blue border. 

I packaged the quilt in the only box that I could find that was big enough, a diaper box.  When my grandma opened the package, she got a good laugh thinking that I had sent her diapers!  Then she immediately started crying when she saw the quilt!
I really enjoyed working on this quilt.  I thought about the people who wore the clothes, I thanked God for them in my life and in the life of my grandma.  I prayed for my grandma.  I prayed that this quilt would bring her good memories and that it would keep her warm and happy!

I am linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish It Up Friday post on Monday Dec 28.

Project 365: Week 49

I do not foresee life slowing down any time soon!  This is for the week of November 29 - December 5.

Sunday: (I missed this day)  I made up the picture later in the week.  I am thankful to my God for dying on a cross to take the punishment for my sin so that I can live to glorify him.  I am also thankful for my church and our pastor who faithfully preaches God's word.

Monday: I am thankful for a nice glass of wine at the end of a busy day!  (I know that nice is relative as I enjoy cheap wine, and others would not enjoy it as much :) )

December 1!  Where did the year go!  I think I am going to continue the thankfulness theme, as I think it is a good reminder of the many blessings that God has given us.  I need that reminder as much now as ever with life being so busy. 

 Tuesday: I only took a quick series of pictures of Patrick climbing!  Not many of the pictures turned out.  I think this one is mostly in focus, but even if it is a little off, I love Patrick's expression.  I am thankful for this little boy.  I LOVE his smile and his bright eyes!  He is such a joy to our house.

Wednesday: If this doesn't say love, I don't know what does! :)  In an attempt to help me drink more water, my dear husband measured out water and designated at what times that amount should be drunk.  I am thankful for the husband that God has given me and the life that we share.  

Thursday: I am struggling to take pictures every day, but Kyle insisted that I take a couple of pictures of his car line.  I am thankful for my meticulous boy, who loves to line up his cars.  He starts out with them in a tight line or spiral, and slowly stretches them out into a single file line throughout the whole house!

 Friday: I am thankful for beautiful music.  We had the opportunity to go to a handbell concert.  The conductor of Golden Bells of Atlanta said that it was as much a visual art as a auditory.  I must agree completely.  It was so beautiful to watch!  The children and adults were enchanted.  If you ever get the opportunity to see handbell, I highly recommend it.

Saturday: (I forgot to take a picture because I was busy preparing for Sophia's birthday and potluck at church the next day.)  (I am thankful for Sophia.  She is crazy and full of spunk and needs a lot of correction, but she is a joy and light, too.)  Look at this amazing color!  God is such an artist!  I am thankful for a beautiful sunset.

Project 365: Week 48

November was an interesting month!  Unfortunately, Kyle struggled with asthma throughout the whole month.  Adrian and I slept like we do with a newborn, very little!  But despite the struggles and concerns for Kyle, the month as a whole was very good.  I enjoyed the calmer pace that having sick ones required.
Now December is in full swing and we are eagerly awaiting our Christmas break.
This post will bring us almost to the end of November and is from Nov. 22 - 28.

Sunday: I am thankful for medication to help when us heal when we are sick.  I am especially thankful for breathing medication as we have had several kids with breathing troubles over the years.

Monday: I am thankful for friends who brought us meals while the kids were sick so that I could focus my time on the kids.  (We had several friends bring us meals, but I only took pictures of one of the meals.)

 Tuesday: Though it is hard to see, there is a rainbow in this picture.  I am thankful for God's promises and especially the beautiful reminders of them.

Wednesday: I am thankful for so many hands willing to help!  Just before Thanksgiving, Avalyn and Mercy made a pecan pie, Kyle made fudge, and Keira and Sophia were picking out pumpkin seeds to roast.

Thursday: Thanksgiving day!  I didn't take any pictures.  Adrian took a couple of pictures of the food.  We had most of my family at our house and had a really nice time!  I am thankful for family, especially extended family that we can enjoy and spend time with.  (This picture of Mercy is over exposed and slightly out of focus, but I love her sparkling eyes and her radiant smile anyway!)

Friday: I am thankful for my kids love of learning.  Mercy was working on learning how to read, though she may have been more interested in the fun noise the pen made.

Saturday: I am thankful for bikes, gorgeous days to ride, and a beautiful neighborhood to ride in.