The Quilt

The top of the quilt is finally done!!!

Now comes the fun part--filling the entire thing with tiny stitches through 3 layers.

Our stake donates a homemade quilt every year to support an organization that helps others who are down on their luck. This organization runs a food bank, meals on wheels, career help, language help, health clinic, womens shelter, etc. There are many churches that support and run this organization --our stake is one of them.

Every fall, they hold a huge gala fundraiser. There is a wonderful fancy dinner, a band, and an auction. Some of the items auctioned off are airline tickets, fur coats, jewelry, outdoor kitchens, furniture, and a king-sized homemade, hand-quilted quilt.

This is the second one I've made for the auction in the last 3 years. I make the top and then there are many women in the stake that help quilt it. The auction is in October and so far we are on schedule.

This first picture is the first block completely done. There are 16 blocks total and they are 16" square. Each block contains 64 -2" squares, many of them triangle squares. It took forever to cut out all of the tiny pieces.

Here's the first four blocks done.

Here's all 16 blocks done and laid-out. They aren't sewn together yet.
The border fabric is next to them.


Here's the entire quilt--102"square. This is the first time I have ever done a mitered border. I like the look of it and would do it again --now I know that you need a LOT of extra fabric in the corners to get it to lay flat. It's too bad I had to learn on this one. It was a lot of fabric to handle at once in every corner. The border is made up of 3 different fabrics and is 20" wide.

What Works for Me

A few years ago I had a great antiquing day. I went with two friends for the whole day. We traveled far and wide in a large, white pick up truck trying to find the perfect piece of furniture. I can't remember where we eventually ended up, but the when we got home the back of the truck was still empty. We had spent a great day together but had not found what we set out to get.

There was one item we had found, however, that made the trip worth it. A fantastic wood polish called "The Natchez Solution." http://www.natchezsolution.com/index.html
The guy in the antique shop had just received a shipment of old trunks from the Czech Republic or somewhere far away and they were old, the wood was all dried up, and the paint on them was faded. He brushed the solution on them, let them sit overnight and then rubbed them with a rag. They were gorgeous. He had a few he was working on so we could see the difference. We left his shop with a prize--the phone number off the back of the bottle.

Before they set up a web site, you could just call the number and they would send the product to you. When you received the product, you sent them a check for payment. They are a mom-and-pop type business that clearly uses handshakes and trust as opposed to contracts. The times that I have called, I feel I'm talking to the guy that actually makes the polish, not a call center. That is very appealing to me.

This is a product that I love and have used ever since and I think my antiquing buddies would agree with me. I use it on all the wood in the house, the tables, banister, desks, TV cabinet, etc. I don't use it every time I dust, just maybe every month or so.

I have a table in the family room that one of the kids left a glass of water on. There was that lovely faded circle that I thought would be a part of the table forever. I couldn't believe that this stuff fixed it so easily.

We recently removed the storm doors from our front doors. I love our front doors but you couldn't really see them with the storm doors over them. Now, about once a month, I rub the solution all over the doors with a rag and they stay protected. Rain and water from the sprinklers just beads up and runs off.

I wish I had wood floors so I could use it on that. Actually there are a lot of reasons why I would love wood floors but we'll save that for another day.

If you're looking for a good wood polish, check it out!

Sometimes it Works Out

Last week in RS our lesson was about temples, based on Elder Scott's last conference talk. The discussion turned to how it's sometimes difficult to get to the temple when it's so close (for those of you who aren't aware, the temple is very close, in our neighborhood, in our ward).

I told a story about a temple trip we took to the Dallas temple back in the day. We had been wanting to get to the temple for months. Every time we set a date, something would come up. Finally we set a date and said that no matter what happened, we would stick to that date and go!

We were to go up on a Friday evening and sleep on Steve and Marnie's floor, leave the kids to play with their cousins Saturday morning while Chris and I attended a session and then drive home. So Friday afternoon Caitlin broke her arm. We wrapped it up, iced it, gave her some tylenol and hit the road. I can't remember if we had an x-ray before we left or not, but we've had enough broken arms to know that we couldn't cast it until the swelling went down anyway. We were careful--it's not like the bone was sticking out or anything! So we went to the temple as planned.

The next Sunday was Fast and Testimony Meeting and Jeff Whatcott stood up and bore his testimony about going to the temple and if you really want to go it works out. He told about wanting to go and it just wasn't happening with his work schedule to get up to Dallas. Next day at work he walked by a conversation where people were deciding who to send to Dallas for a work trip. He volunteered, flew to Dallas and was in the temple by the end of the week. While he talked, my jaw just dropped. He was wrong! It was not easy! Sometimes it really doesn't all come together and work out just because you wanted it. Sometimes the desire is not enough, you have to really work and even struggle for it! I knew that lesson firsthand--Caitlin had a cast on her arm to prove it!

That was all of the story that I told in RS. Most of the sisters laughed, some threatened calls to CPS. Haha, funny story.

In January of this year I went to the temple three times. And then things started coming up again. So, May starts and my desire is great. I automatically write down in my calendar ward temple night, RS temple/lunch day, and Stake "Fill the Temple" day. Busy life is getting in the way again. Chris makes it to ward temple night, I was helping the kids get wherever they needed to be that night. On RS temple day, I got my visiting teaching done--it was the only day we could do it. This past Wednesday was the scheduled "Fill the Temple" day and also clean out my classroom at work day. It was a work day I couldn't miss. I couldn't go to the temple after work because Benj had his talent show audition and in the evening I was helping sew shorts for YW girls camp. I didn't think I was going to be able to get to the temple that day, either. Another month come and gone.

When I got to work, I was overwhelmed, the other teachers had not arrived and I saw all of the toys, cribs, high chairs that had to be packed up. All of the files and supplies-- every cabinet had to be cleaned out. The building is being renovated this summer so the bulletin board had to come down, cubbies, everything off the walls, out of the cabinets, off the floor. Some things packed in boxes for storage, some labeled to go to a different storage room. We even had to remove the electrical outlet covers. The amazing thing is--once we got started we finished in 3 1/2 hours.

I was on my way home when I passed the corner where the temple is and the thought came to me, today is "Fill the Temple" day and I somehow, miraculously, have a free afternoon. I went home, had lunch, changed and was in the temple in a half hour. I was home before the kids got home from school.

I don't know why, but sometimes it works out.

p.s. to Nan: The antique roses are still there around the fountain.

May

In May, we went from 4 kids to 6.

Erin came home the end of April.

A few weeks ago we added niece Katie, from SLC, and her car, as well.

We're juggling cars--taking Chris to work almost every morning and picking him up as well. And juggling 4 cars in the single-wide driveway. Sometimes we drive right over the grass to get around whatever car's behind us!

We're juggling piano and violin lessons. We're supposed to add trumpet to the mix somehow.

Had year end orchestra concert and band concert.

I put on an Enrichment dinner. Thank goodness for a good enrichment board!

Went to an ice cream social,

a primary activity,

and a baptism.

Had the missionaries over for dinner.

Got Erin to the dentist.

Visited someone in the hospital --ICU, doesn't look good.

Worked security for APE at the high school.

Went to 2 wedding receptions.

One merit badge clinic.

Eagle court of honor for 4 in the ward.

Pack meeting in the park, and purchased awards for the cubs.

Went to the temple.

Took Stef to the dermatologist.

Had a date with my hubbie.

Helped my girls sign up at the gym.

Babysat a kitten for a weekend.

Finished 2 books, started 3 more.

Cleaned out my classroom at work, the building's being remodeled this summer so EVERYTHING had to be packed up.

Went to a National Honor Society induction (go Cait!)

. . . and a National Junior Honor Society Induction (go Jace!)

Helped sew camp shorts for the YW.

Took dinner to a family in the ward.

Started walking and biking again finally.

Sewing and unpicking that blankety-blank J&J quilt! (almost done)

Took Benj to a talent show audition.

Finished my visiting teaching before the end of the month.

Luncheon today.

Hair tomorrow.

The forecast for June looks the same.

The Fine Line

Our oldest four children have, for the most part, enjoyed participating in sports. They've been on countless soccer teams, volleyball teams, t-ball, track, years of gymnastics, years of swim team, basketball, and football. And then along comes number 5. He broke the mold.

He has played a few seasons of basketball and has been on swim team for a couple of years but doesn't really get excited about it. He likes the party/social aspect of it a lot more than the sport. (When I told him we weren't going to do swim team this year, he said, "Awesome!, but can I still go to the pep rallies?") I know that the social/team part of the sport is very important but I'm not going to pay so my son will volunteer to sit on the bench and pass out the treats at the end.

He gets very nervous about participating. I know that a lot of kids do. He gets physically sick before a game or meet. He trembles, gets pale, gets nausious, and cries, but still goes. Before his first-ever basketball game, he cried but tried to be brave the whole way there. When he could finally tell me why he was crying, I almost laughed. The only basketball game he remembered seeing was BYU v. U of H and he thought he'd be in a stadium that big with thousands of people watching. He probably thought the other team would be that tall, too. Poor baby.

I've been trying to talk up football and baseball, but he really doesn't want to play those. And I, trying to save a buck, don't push him. I think it comes down to his fear of getting hurt. He sees his older brother limping off of the football field after a big tackle, his older sister getting her nose broken in a basketball game and her arm broken on the hurdles--all war scars that they love and brag about! He does not like getting hurt at all! He also doesn't like exerting himself a lot--he's more of a take-it-easy kind of guy.

So lately I've been wondering how much should I push him? I know the importance of learning a sport--especially for a boy. Do I make him play in hopes that he will get over the nerves? Lots of boys get along fine without ever playing baseball or football, right? We have given him a break lately--no basketball this spring and no swim team this summer. We also passed this week when football sign-ups were held. I know I'm going to be ready to get back into something this fall--I hope he's up for it.

I want him to succeed at everything. I want him to play well and love playing. I want him to be on a winning team that's winning because of his contribution. I want him to want to get in the game.

There's that fine line about how much to push your child and how much to let it go. If I let it go too much his childhood will soon be over and he won't know how to play basketball with the deacons or flag football at the Turkey Bowl. If I push too much, he could get hurt and hate me. He could really hate the sport--forever--because of such a bad experience.

I just re-read this and I sound like a worrying mother--very fitting for this Mother's Day weekend. We really have a lot of power to shape our children into what we want them to be. I hope I shape him into what he should be.

Kawaski Tribe Revisited

Here's a short overview of Benj's presentation on the Kawaski Tribe. He doesn't like it when I post anything about him. So, if you happen to read this post, don't tell him you saw it. :) Of course I'm going to continue posting stories about him--some of my best stuff comes right out of his mouth!

Benj showing us a torture device. Two dowels with a wire between them. He explained that it was for putting around someone's neck to hold them. Stef said, "That could just cut their head right off!"

Benj replied, "Uh, OK."

The Kawaski Tribe alphabet. They also had wampum for money.

The little tiny head on the left is the preserved head of the chief. It is not a shrunken head--all of their heads were that small, even though they stood well over 6 feet tall. The orange feather coming out of the top meant he was the chief. There's also weapons--styrofoam balls with feathers and wires coming out of them, and rocks and things on the black fun foam. I hope no one needs a styrofoam ball for a school project before I resupply.

He had fun making it and we all enjoy living with his imagination.

Text Message

Not all of our kids have cell phones. It's a luxury that is quickly becoming a necessity in today's world. Our 14 year-old Stef would love to have one--all of her friends have them and she feels a little left out. When she needs to have a cell phone with her, I loan her mine. This week she's been at Corpus with the orchestra so she has my phone with her.

The good news is we can call her whenever we want. The bad news is she's getting all my calls and texts.

Yesterday Erin came home! Yeah! She's home for the summer--it's about time! She's getting more used to flying, but texted me while waiting to board. "I'm a little scared to fly."

Stef texted her back, "It'll be OK. I love you."

What a sweet sister.