Prego Hannah!

I'm looking forward to being a Great-Auntie again! Here's beautiful Miss Hannah. And that baby bump? That's a growing baby BOY - Aiden.

F is for Fabulous Fabric

I love Fabric!

When I am Feeling stressed, my Favorite thing to do is to go to JoAnn's and run my hands over all the Fabric.

I call it JoAnn's Therapy.

I also love buying Fabric via etsy - because there are no Fabulous little Fabric stores near where I live.

Though, on etsy, I can't touch the Fabric.

And - I like to TOUCH Fabric.

Etsy benefit - lots of options AND I can buy it right from my desk at work!

WOOT!

Some recent Fabulous Fabric I purchased from etsy:

Ahhh...FABULOUS!

Practicing Free Motion Quilting

Things are improving, but I'm still not quite brave enough to try it out on my quilt!! ☺

My American Picker Experience

The Woods' household loves the show American Pickers. And if you read my post - E is for Entrepreneur - you saw that my son Stephen has taken their philosophy to heart!

Today I'm linking up with Jenny Matlock to show my American Picker Experience.

You see, I love thrift stores and antique stores. Not the fancy, dolled up stores either. No, the trashier looking, the better. Because it's in those places that I can actually find things I ♥ and not pay much moola!

Back in January Virgil, Stephen and I along with Virgil's parents spent the weekend in Oklahoma looking for bald eagles and loons. We didn't find any - but outside of Muskogee, OK we did find an "antique" store. We passed it by and I screeched at my dear Hubs, "Go back, go back!" So he turned around. Stephen and I were so excited we were panting like a couple of puppy dogs about to get a treat.

I can't remember the name of the place. I was too excited to notice something like a name! At first I thought, man this IS a bunch of junk, but slowly I began to notice little treasures here and there. Nothing I was interested in buying, but little treasures all the same. Then I noticed another huge room at the back of the store. As I entered the room, I saw them! A 4-piece set of vintage Crazy Daisy pyrex cinderella-style mixing bowls!!! I grabbed them to check the price tag fully expecting to see $65 to $115 which is what I had seen them sell for in the past. But that was at those dolled up antique stores. This set was $20!!!! I wrapped my arms around them like a long lost lover!

I passed an older lady who gave me a side-long look and said, "I guess you know you got a good deal on those." I said, "Yes ma'am!!"
I was pretty much done at that point. My excito-meter was leveled at a nice hum and I was feeling pretty good. And then I saw this:

Please ignore everything in the above photo except for the lovely metal typewriter stand. The last time I saw one of these lovlies the price tag read $75. This one? $7!!! So I bought it too. And my hubs still thinks I'm crazy as it is sitting in our garage piled up with a ceramic pie holder and two tackle boxes. BUT, this spring I'm going to paint that baby a lovely shade of green, yellow or aqua and it will make a darling plant stand for our entryway!
☺

I finished my quilt top!

I finished my quilt top last night.


It's not perfect, however; I am happy with my first attempt at piecing.


Now to make the quilt sandwich, quilt and bind. I'm nervous and excited too!

Click here to see a baby quilt top I made using just strips of fabric. (I still haven't quilted it!)

E is for Entrepreneur

{It's time for Alphabe-Thursday again!}

This is my son, Stephen.

He's twelve and he's a MESS.

He's also an entrepreneur.

He has pinned this to the wall in his bedroom above his desk.

The caption reads "How to Get Rich Slowly"

He has decided to buy used instruments (i.e. trumpets, flutes, clarinets, etc.), revive them, and re-sell them for a profit.

Armed with birthday money, he found this violin on ebay and bought it for a good deal and no shipping.

Then he sold it. On ebay. He netted $40!

His next endeavor? Breeding Leopard Geckos and selling the babies. {hmmm}

Two weekends ago Stephen's cousin, Cole, spent the night. On Sunday, after church, we let the boys ride their bikes to the square in town and have lunch. They had been gone for about an hour when I got a phone call.

Stephen: "Mom, will you come pick us up?"

Me: "No! Ride your bikes home!"

Stephen: "Mom, I need you to come pick us up and come in Dad's truck."

Me: "Why can't you ride your bikes home?"

Stephen: "We went to the Mercantile. (an antique/thrift store in town) And...I bought a rocking chair."

Me: "What!?" - and a bunch of other motherly stuff along the lines of don't be buying stuff without me knowing...we don't have room...and finally, "What in the world are you going to do with a rocking chair?"

Stephen: "I'm going to sell it!"

So, I go pick up the rocking chair. I never get out of the truck. I am not happy. The boys load the chair and then try to load their bikes. I said, "No way, you're riding home!"

Like how I asserted my control over the situation?

Stephen: "Don't you want to know how much I paid for it?"

Me: silence

Stephen: "Only $10! I can sell it for more!"

Me: silence

I drive home and go inside, leaving the rocker in the truck.

He and Cole arrive home, unload the rocker and bring it into the living room. I see it for the first time.

I love it.

I promptly offer him $20.

"SOLD!", He exclaims.

I am SO over Winter!

I am so. OVER. Winter!

Perhaps I will regret those words once a stifling Texas July sets in. But, honestly, I don't think so. I wouldn't survive in a true cold climate. The weather here has been crazy. I've lost count of how many times it has snowed. And true, most of them were just little snowflake spits from the clouds. But two of them - in one year - have been pretty big. The weather folks are saying we've had two 'once in a lifetime' snow events just this season! I'm done. I love the snow. But I don't love the cold. Good-bye forever cold. Until next Fall and then I don't mind a few blustery days. And when winter comes, old Mr. weather, you are allowed to provide us with one snow event. But, for now, please send Spring! I really miss her!


The snow WAS gorgeous:


And he really enjoyed it:

D is for DUMPED

D is for DUMPED. As in, "All this snow DUMPED on us in 20 minutes." Seriously, we woke up - No Snow. We got ready for school and work - No Snow. We looked out the window, "Hey, it's snowing!" And 20 minutes later - This:

We don't usually get snow, but when we do, I can count on the University closing and giving me a snow day. BUT, not today. They've decided to remain open. I tried to go in, but was sliding on the road. The last time I went to work in heavy snow it took me 4 hours to get back home when they finally decided to close down the University. So, I am home using my precious vacation time. Sigh. Wah.

Ok, I'm over it! And off to cut out some quilt pieces!

Be Blessed!

20 years ago today....

20 years ago today Virgil and I went on our very first date.

A Valentine's dance.

He held my hand as we walked to the gymnasium entrance.

I felt safe. Protected.

I think I knew, even then, that I would love him forever!

To read a little more about this day go here.

I am happy today!

I am happy today! Not that I'm not normally happy, but today I am in particularly good spirits. I feel skippy! Yep, skippy. Read Jenny's post here to see how I'm feeling.

Things feel nice. My house is pretty much in order. I'm trucking along in my college class. I'm not too far behind on my quilt along. Work is good. It might snow on Thursday. I'm losing weight. I have the best husband and son in the world. I have a lovely family and great friends and the Lord, my father in heaven, blesses me daily. Sometimes it takes me a few days to see it. But, eventually, when I finally open my eyes, I SEE it!

Amen!

C is for Caring

C is for caring.

Caring: adj., feeling or showing care or compassion

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo F. Buscaglia

Has anyone ever come to you and said, "Do you remember when..." you did this for me, or you said this to me? "Well, it really made a difference!"

Perhaps, you've never received that feedback. But, I promise you, your acts of caring do not go without notice. They have warmed hearts. They have changed perspectives. They have, quite possibly, turned a life around!

Do you know Randi over at I Have To Say?

Randi is a caring person. And it is my honor to join her in her efforts to provide skirts to little girls in Haiti.

You can learn more about the project here.

Would you like to join in on Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday? If so, just go here!