Now I know why...

...my pot of lettuce didn't grow.

This week has been another fairly busy week. We had baseball on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. 4-H on Wednesday night, walking and general stuff around the house. Yesterday we put up two loads of hay. Its been busy. Plus Rich's cousin came up and spent the night Thursday and Friday. They took the kids to an Indians game, their first Major League game. But it was great to spend more time with Keith, Antoinette, Trevor, Sean and KayMarie.

T and Trevor

Sean and Oscar

I did get to spend some time sewing yesterday, still working on my surprises. I have also been reading, when I can. I am currently reading the Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell. Its okay, I haven't really decided if I like it and I am half way through it. Our library does a summer reading program and I am half way through the adult program. And tomorrow I plan to weed my garden but it is supposed to rain! Hopefully it won't till Tuesday!

And I cannot believe that Michael Jackson is dead. I can remember in 4th grade when Thriller came out. It was all the rage! All the girls had pins and necklaces of the glove! It is sad that such an icon has died, while I did not necessarily listen to his later music I can still remember all the songs of my youth...

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Quilt Qua

Quilt Qua is having an awesome giveaway so check it out!!!

What a weekend!

I know I have posted in about a week. I meant to yesterday but we were busy cleaning up and unpacking/washing from the weekend. Plus we all slept late! Beware this post is long and has lots of pictures!

On Friday night we went to see a Lake Erie Crushers game. They are an independant team (not affiliated with any ML team). I had picked up Rich's nieces earlier and his brother and his brothers girlfriend also went. We had a fun time at the game. There were no bad seats, the stadium only holds about 5000 so its pretty small. We had 4 & 5th row seats on the third base line.

Eat more fowl!

Then Saturday we got up and headed south. We thought it was going to be a bad day when it rained the whole way down, but it cleared up and warmed up! It was so much fun! We got to see Rich's cousins that the kids and I have never met, and some new cousins that joined the family and some aunts that live in WV that we don't get to see often!

Rich, Keith, and beautiful KayMarie

Tom, Payton and Trevor

All the Great-Grandchildren of Lynn and Ruby Metheney

We spent a lot of the day eating and talking and having fun. The kids wanted to of course go tubing and boating. We had a fishing competition and I went with my FIL and took the kids tubing. There were over 20 kids (including myself) that went tubing. We rotated them on and off the pontoon boat in to dad's boat to tube. I was in charge of pulling them in and getting them on the tube and off the tube. My arms are so soar, we took them out twice!

Trevor

Kaysen

Joe

Then we went back to dad's and all crashed! On Sunday morning, those that came from New Mexico and Arkansas came over and the wives and kids spent the day at Dad's while the guys and the oldest two boys went golfing. We had a scavenger hunt, played about 15 games of hide-n-seek, took the 4-wheeler out twice, and played croquet. We actually also got to meet and play with my in=laws amish neighbors. The kids wanted to ask them if their kids could play hide-n-seek, so we let them and they all came over! The little girls played and the parents talked with our adults that were not playing.

They even invited our kids over to see them milk their cow! It was great! most of the kids were from the city and had never seen a cow be milked and were completely amazed! The amish were so nice and were more than happy to answer all our questions. They get about 6 gallons of milk a day from one cow. They have a spring that runs in their root cellar to help keep it cold and they make cheese, butter and cottage cheese just to name a few from that milk. They speak Dutch until they go to school where they learn English. So sometimes it seems like they are "slow" but they are translating in their heads! It was great and I am so glad they got to experience it! Emily, our niece, is the same age as Amanda, the amish girl, and they quickly got over the language barrier and had a wonderful time together!

We had such a fun time and can't wait to see everyone again! Lisa and I are constantly texting each other and already planning another visit! Probably not for a few years, but sometime sooner than 8 years! And seeing Keith with his new family and baby girl was wonderful! A great time was had by all and we can't wait to see each other again!

KayMarie and I

Sean (my shadow) & I (Love you seany!)

Lisa & I

I did actually get some sewing done last week, but not much! Here is a sneak peek, its a surprise!

This week, sewing, reading, baseball, a horse show, and whatever else!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Sorry this is so LONG!

Hippology

Monday we spent the day in Columbus for Hippology. For those who don't know, Hippology is the study of horses or Hippo Campus. It was a really long day and the kids did well considering we were on the road by 6:00 am and we got home at 8:45 pm! The adults spent the day sitting outside the barn in the sun/shade while reading or talking and walking around the barns. The kids went back and forth between the barns and the cars during the competition.

Don't I look excited?

My Junior team

While we were there we almost ran over a killdeer nest. There were 3 eggs that she was standing over in this picture. I have never seen killdeer eggs up close and I was amazed how much they look like rocks. The poor thing was completely freaked out all day long. I felt really bad for her.

In other news, I am working on my PIF's so those who joined mine need to shoot me and email with your addresses. The neighbor and I are also still walking 4-6 miles a night. Otherwise, life is normal!

Mail Surprise!

Yesterday we went to a basketball shoot-out with T. It took all day long and it wasn't very exciting. I have to admit I know very little about basketball.

But when we came home I had this waiting for me! It is from Terry! Its my PIF gift from her!

I wonder what it is!

This absolutely beautiful lap quilt! The colors are SO much better in person!

and some thread and a great needle case!

Thanks so much Terry! I love, love, love it!!!!

I haven't done any sewing lately, since I last posted. Just too much going on and tomorrow I take 9 kids to Columbus for Hippology competition! Hopefully I will get back to sewing on Tuesday! Tomorrow Rich and I also celebrate 7 wonderful years as husband and wife! Too bad we won't really get to spend it together!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Today, J turns 13. My baby, a teenager. I can't believe it! While I have only known him 9 years it seems like forever and he is growing up so fast! We have such a close relationship and even our own language. I can't wait to see what the next 13+ years have in store for him!

In other news:

I did get two more batik/black blocks done this week. I have 5 finished so far. I want to get this quilt done and enter it in the fair in August, but we shall see if time permits. I would also like to have it professionally quilted (on a long arm) but that may not happen soon enough for fair. This blocks are a Thangles BOM that our LQS did last year and the outer part of the stars is the finishing. Its going to be really cool when its done and king size too!

These are the two blocks I finished this week:

These four blocks I have no idea what I am going to do with them. All the rest of the blocks I had fat quarters of the inner star material to complete the outside. These 4 I don't...

So I don't know if I should use something that matches them colorwise or if I should redo them completely to something I have enough of and then use these as backing or what...I just don't know! Any suggestions are welcome!

It has been a bit busy around here this week. We (the boys and I) cleaned out the basement and their bookshelves. We donated 6 garbage bags of clothes, 4 brown bags of books and a bunch of toys to the local community action that gives to the needy. Then we cleaned out the garage. Yesterday I did sew and today I went to get my blood work and pick up prescriptions. We have had something for the kids every night this week. I also have to replant most of my garden, it didn't come up at all! I have 3 or 4 pumpkins and that is it!

CC has also been not feeling well. He got bit by something and it swelled up pretty bad. He lost all his fur but it finally broke open last night and drained. He is doing 100% better today. No fever, eating, playing! I'm so glad, we were really getting worried! The same thing happened to the neighbor's cat so we have no idea what it was!!!

Tonight is baseball, basketball and hippology. We go to Columbus on Monday!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Blackie, Brownie, and Oscar

Brownie and Blackie, our new cows

Oscar, found along the road...boy is he annoyingly loud!

And this is what I have been doing all day today! Scrapping paint!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and enjoying the sunshine!!