Ohhh SCARY!!!

Okay! Okay! Soooo my Halloween wasn't in the least bit scary. Here are all the creepy, crawly, nasty, and disturbing details...

I got to see all my kids in their Halloween costumes. Little Bit came over and I put her in the Bumblebee costume I bought for her. My sister, The Glamazon, got her a Ladybug outfit (shudder) but ever since I was bitten by one (a ladybug) they give me the creeps ( I am not lying - the welt it left was huge). I couldn't stand seeing her as one.

Like Auntia Like Niece

Pieces and Dallas came over Halloween evening. Pieces is as captivated by Bumblebee (the Transformer) as much as I am. Isn't she just adorable?! Dallas was Spiderman and was very convincing about it.

NoJo was a Swamp Doctor. He is just too darn cute to look scary. Jyliebean was a pink horse. With her recently lost front tooth she looks just as sweet as sweet can be.

I donned on my Star Trek outfit and had some fun handing out candy. The cutest little kitty cat came to my door wearing cat ears over a pink and black striped beanie. I couldn't convince mom to wear her Star Trek shirt. Hers is the Science officers' and mine is the Command officers'.

"We came in one piece and we expect to leave in one ... piece." Jack O'Neill Stargate SG-1

My BroBro

Today is BroBro's 27th birthday and, though he may never read this, I still want to wish him a very happy birthday.

I will be taking a birthday cake to him later this week. He asked me several months ago to bake him a checkerboard cake. I have the pans, I just need the will to bake. I keep asking myself do I really like him that much?

Of course I do!!!

Oh Goodies!!!

This is a picture of the fat quarters, charm, and pattern that I got on the Rocky Mountain Fever Quilt Shop Hop 2009. There were 4 mountain patterns, fall, spring. summer, and winter. Mom and I decided on fall. It was just to pretty to leave behind. My next favorite was the winter mountain pattern.

This is the fabric that I bought for my Snowman quilt that I have started. You can see that the batiks are the perfect color not only for the snowflake flannel but for the colors I chose for my Snowman quilt. I started Winter Wonderland the last week of June. I have finished 2 blocks, one I finished twice because I wanted to change a color. I decide to learn how to embroider on this pattern and work on it while my mom works on her Hocuspocusville.

"I like that guy. He says 'Okey-dokey.'"
"Looks like mister Okey-dokey is okey-dokey." Dean Winchester Supernatural

Quilt Shop Hop Day 2

Day 2 of the Rocky Mountain Fever Quilt Shop Hop started out at The Quilter's Studio. They weren't a part of the shop hop, but we were there at the crack of dawn for our Saturday Sampler meeting. Boxy and Mingo became fast friends and were extremely hard to separate when we had to leave.

Yes, that is me holding Boxy. He isn't too steady on his feet that early in the morning.

The first real shop we visited on Day 2 was Fabric Expressions. Boxy is as much of a ham as his owner, NoJo. The shop was not nearly as stressful inside as it was to find. I was, unfortunately, the navigator on the trip. I can't follow a map to save my life. We ended up on a road out of no where. I still don't know how it happened. We made it, eventually, safe and sound. I bought a charm pack and a blue batik to go with my Snowman embroidery quilt that I am stitching.

It was someone's birthday and there was cake there. It looked quite good.

The next stop was The Creative Needle. This was not nearly as hard to find as Fabric Expressions. Their shop hop quilt was by far the best. It was also the most cramped shop. I bought a purple batik to go with my Snowman embroidery quilt. Mom got a fat quarter of the specialty fabric.

You can imagine the looks I got carrying Boxy through the shop, but neither one of us really cared.

The next stop was Holly's Quilt Cabin. This is a shop that both my mom and I were looking forward to visiting. The fabric here is the exact replica of our personalities and tastes. I got three Christmas fat quarters and a Halloween fat quarter.

Now, the next stop was one we planned to do on Day 3. But since it wasn't yet noon we decided to just suck it up and visit the last two shops, get done, and stitch on Day 3 instead. I hadn't gotten directions to The Great American Quilt Factory from Holly's Quilt Cabin. So we sat in the parking lot and figured it out. We spent a lot of money last year so we went in very wary. We made it out with out spending a dime and we were really proud.

Our last stop of the Rocky Mountain Quilt Fever Shop Hop was High Prairie Quilts. Here again my very lacking skills of following a map or reading street signs failed me. We had to turn around at least twice because I missed the street or read the directions wrong. Here mom found several things to buy. I was excited to receive my pin for finishing the journey.

We were back in our home town by 4 so we decided to go back up to The Patch Works to buy the flannel that I wanted. Boxy had other ideas in mind when he laid his beady eyes on the flannel I was going to buy. He clearly said to mom and I, "It's Mine!!!"

Man, does that turtle have a mean streak.

"General, without meaning, this time, to sound like a smartass, are you cracked?" Jack O'Neill Stargate SG-1

Quilt Shop Hop Day 1

Every year my mom and I try to go on the Rocky Mountain Fever Quilt Shop Hop. This year we did go. We got in the car to start and I found a stowaway. Boxy is my nephew NoJo's stuffed pet turtle. Well alright we said there is always room for one more on the road. Especially since Boxy doesn't talk or eat ... so he was excellent company.

We made our way through the north shops on Friday. We started at the shop where I first learned how to quilt, Tomorrow's Heirlooms. Boxy was more than excited to join us on our little trip. I could almost hear my nephee-poo on the road with us. "Are we there yet?" "Two more shops?" "Can we get something to eat?" "Do I get to buy anything?" "Do we have to go in there?" Yes he is like all kids. I love him in spite of that.

Next stop was The Patch Works. Boxy enjoyed the scenery out side more than the shop itself. I did find some flannel that I thought might work for my Snowman embroidery quilt that I have started. So I bought a fat quarter to bring home to see. And it's perfect. As it turns out it happens to be at the shop that has the dark green batik that is one of the fabrics specially made for this shop hop. I know where we will be heading up to in a couple weeks.

Our last stop on Day 1 was Harriet's Treadle Arts. Boxy was overwhelmed by the traffic and had to sit down to get his photo taken. I love this shop. It was a bit crowded for my taste but still fun. I bought my grandma a birthday card there. Her birthday is Sunday and I wanted to get her an exceptional card found on our annual journey.

"I think I cracked a rib, too." Jack O'Neill
"Why didn't you say something?" Samantha Carter
"I was afraid you'd try to put a splint on it." Jack O'Neill Stargate SG-1

Half Birthday!!!

Most of the blogging world knows that my family celebrates half birthdays and today is my mom's half birthday. SO...

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY DEAR DIANNE!

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!

Chirp!!!

As most of you will know my mom went nuts buying cereal a couple months ago. Well by the time we got down to the bottom of a box the cereal would be stale. So she would spread them in the grass for the birds to munch on.

For some unknown reason birds don't like me at all. When I go out side they dive bomb my head and are down right mean. I have no shame in admitting that I have no love loss for Woodpeckers. Those godawful birds make all my neighbors stand and laugh as I go running out of the house, arms flailing, trying to scare them away from my precious trees.

One day I was walking past the open front door and I heard a racket going on right outside the door. I looked out to see what all the hullabaloo was about. A teeny tiny finch was fleetingly bouncing and pecking at the mat in front of the door. As I stared stupidly at it, it decided to tell me what I was to do.

"Chirp, Chirp" it said sweetly.

My momma didn't raise no dummy. I knew what it wanted and I wasn't going to be fooled. "No! I am not going to give you any food." This bird wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"Chirp, Chirp" it said sweetly again.

"No! I said I'm not going to feed you!" Realizing I wouldn't budge, it pulled off a remarkable hop-turn, giving me a clear view of its butt and giving me a piece of its mind.

"CHIRP!!!"

At that moment I realized that I had just been cussed out by a teeny tiny bird. When mom heard of the altercation she had to sit down she was laughing so hard saying that the birds like her.

This is really a sparrow who was looking for food the other day, whicht reminded me of the finch. Mom took this picture because they fly away or ram the door when they see me.

"The Bird Man took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips. 'I give up. We have been trying all day, and it is the same as when we started. Richard With The Temper,' he announced. 'you are the worst bird caller I have ever seen. A child could learn it in three tries, but there is not enough breath in you for the rest of your life to learn it. It is hopeless. The only thing your whistle says is, 'Come, there is food here.'" Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

Ain't He Grand!

I got a wonderful surprise today when The Great One came over to visit. I haven't seen him in over a year and I missed him fiercely. I love hearing his stories. Being my favorite Uncle I have an image of him being very civil. I always have to bite my cheek from laughing every time he says something that I don't expect him to say.

He was talking about taking his daughter's dogs to the groomer and said that all the groomer needs to do is "trim Mac's pooper and she's good." I am no stranger to the word "pooper" but not from The Great One. He let out at least one more mention of Mac's poop and I was giggling.

He made it clear that he was here to see his favorite niece not just his sister.

This is The Great One giving me one of many hugs at my sister's (the Glamazon) wedding last year. He is not a hugger in the least but I am special in that way. He even gave me a nickname , Mill.

"It's called a lance, hello!!!" Wat A Knight's Tale

Quilts Quilts Quilts!!!

I have waited to write my first quilt post until I knew exactly what I wanted to say.

these are my BOM's that I have finished. They are no where near as good as my mom's but she has been sewing for Plenty-Sum years. This quilt is going to go to my brother as a house warming present when it is finally finished (who knows when that will be).

These are the blocks that I am making with Celestial fabric for me. I have had a lot of fun picking the different fabrics for the different blocks. I think I am doing pretty good at coming up with numerous color matches for the blocks.

I am very excited to start the new BOM in July because all the blocks will look so diverse that there will be no bad combination.

"So it's a teenage thing? Pimples, rebellion, life sucking?" Lt. Colonel John Sheppard Stargate Atlantis

I dinna ken!

Most people don't know what my URL stands for. Weel... My mom (of course - who else?) started talking about some books that she reads. This was a loooong time ago and memories fade over time. I finally picked up the almost 900 page book and read it. I fell in love. Outlander became my favorite book. That is ... until I read Dragonfly in Amber. I was captivated by the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. If you care my favorite is Drums of Autumn. I took a picture of the books that I could find in my room and there are only two missing. Mom gave me her copy of Drums of Autumn and bought me my own copy of A Breath of Snow and Ashes. She doesn't like sharing books with me ... she is very protective of all her books... sheesh ... she acts like they are her babies or something. I am the same way about my copies. I don't loan them to anyone!

When I was very small... Ok Ok so I am still very small... When I was let's say much younger my mom took me and BroBro with her to a book store, along with my very own Auntia (whom I call Ant Nicci) and my cousin. I got to meet the author very briefly, but I was a kid and thought that she was as cool as any celebrity (at the time I couldn't have told you her name to save my own soul).

My mom knew that I was hooked on the books, so for my 21st birthday she bought me the coolest ring I have ever seen. It is the ring that Jamie gives Claire after they are married. You can't really tell but it has thistles woven in a highland interlace pattern.

What is even cooler about it is that on the inside it has the message Jamie had inscribed on Claire's ring. "DA MI BASIA MILLE" I love my ring and rarely ever take it off.

I bring all this up for two reasons really. One - the new book in the series, Echo in the Bone, comes out this September and mom has already ordered both of our copies. Two - I decided to write my second informative speech (which I will be giving on Thursday) on the Outlander Series. I recomend this series to anyone who likes adventures and have a great sence of humor.

"You ended that sentence with a preposition. B*st*rd." Colonel Jack O'Neill Stargate SG-1

Adrian!!!

The other night I was up late on the computer. I share the computer with my mom. She had already gone to bed and I thought that I would give her a special treat when she woke up in the morning.

My mom thinks that Adrian Paul is hot hot hot. We usually have the debate about who is cuter, Adrian Paul or my first love Lorenzo Lamas. Adrian plays the ever so lovable Duncan McLeod on Highlander. Lorenzo plays the extremely good looking Reno Raines on Renegade.

I usually change the desktop wallpaper about once a month, to add variety to our lives (like we really need that right). So I decided I would find a really good picture of Adrian Paul online and make it the wallpaper. I knew she would like just about anything I put on there as long as it wasn't a wrestler. She has been stuck looking at wrestlers for at least a year. ( I have not shown her how to change the wallpaper yet.)

I saw a lot of good photos but I hadn't quite found what I was looking for. I was about to give up. Then I saw this picture and knew it was the one.

Good picture, right? Well, when I got up the next morning I was expecting a grin and a thank you. But what I got was the same reaction I get every other morning. "Good morning Melissa/Auntia (can't remember clearly most likely Auntia)." So I waited about an hour and still nothing. So I decided to ask if she noticed the new wallpaper on the computer. "Oh yeah. Who is that? He doesn't look right." I started laughing. When I started clutching my side she finally asked, "What is so darn funny?" Through gasps for air I told her who it was and she was dismayed. So my treat for her turned into a great treat for me and I had to share it.

Mom, I love you so very much and as long as you are around there will never be a dull moment. So this post is for you with tons of love and sharing.

"I'm Connor McLeod. Same clan different vintage." Connor McLeod Highlander

Oh Boy!

I have the unfortunate task of giving my first public speech in front of the speech class on Thursday. I had a heck of a time figuring out a topic. So there I am surfing the web trying to find a topic that I can relate to me or localize to the city I live in. Easier said than done let me tell you. All of a sudden a topic literally jumped out at me. "The Day the Music Died." I said to my self, "Self, that is your favorite song and you have a personal tie to that day." Sweet my search was over.

In High school my favorite teacher, Mr. US History (mom you know him as Mr. Albino Raven), told my class about the day he went for a bike ride with his buddies. Their riding along, chillin', and then they see all this hoopla going on at one of their neighbor's fields. There had been a plane crash and they saw four bodies being carried away on stretchers. They found out later that day who it was they saw. They were devastated not only for the loss to the music industry but, my teacher informed me, had they known then they would have braced the cops and taken part of the plane as a souvenir.

Now that my search for a topic was over and done with the real work began. I looked up all I could find on Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. Didn't take me long to get the info I needed on any of them. Man I love this topic. The easiest work I have ever had to do.

All I have left to do now is stand up in front of people I don't know and share what I have learned. I have my fingers crossed I don't run out of the room crying and dry heaving. Just kidding I will stand up there and fumble my way through it. There are no wimps in my family. Tee Hee.

I Love...

My Jyliebean's birthday is coming up. I can't believe she is turning 6 years old it seems only last month she was graduating from kindergarten. Oh wait she was. I was taking pictures and the kids started to sing and sign a song. After the first picture I realized the camera I was using can also take videos. This is what I was able to capture.

She is the one in the middle row wearing a green shirt. You notice her because she is the bestest looking one of the whole bunch. I am so proud of my little girl. Way to go.

Side note Dallas' birthday was on Wednesday. He turned the big 3. Man they grow up so fast.

"I'm Batman!" Dean Winchester Supernatural

4th Meal

I came down stairs to get a drink this afternoon and I smelled something so good and very familiar. It was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't figure it out. I went out to get the mail and came back in and smelled it again. It hit me. What I was smelling was Taco Bell's chicken fiesta bowl. I love those things. They are so good.
But I knew it couldn't be that, so I investigated the smell with my ever so clever nose. Under a bread cloth on the counter was a small crock-pot. I opened it and had a peek inside. Low and behold - it was my mom's famous homemade meatballs cooking in her even more famous homemade spaghetti sauce. Now, this meal will taste nothing like Taco Bell, it will taste even better!

It may look ugly, but in my family we always say the uglier it looks the better it is going to taste when dinner comes.

Although I am stuck with a very large craving for Taco Bell's chicken fiesta bowl. Meh - what can you do?

"I'm your Huckleberry." Doc Holiday Tombstone

Three little birds

I love my BroBro. He's one of my favorite people on Earth. I was at the store looking through a crochet hat book and saw a hat pattern that (to me) looked like dreadlocks. I tease my BroBro all the time about his hair. He is so nit picky about his hair. I had to make it for him. Easier said than done. I got so frustrated following the instructions I had to have my mom finish the hat so that I could put the dreadlocks on.

I couldn't be sure if it would look right so I brought in an expert test subject to try it on... I think it worked a little too well...

Alas, it was time to give it to him. I didn't want him to think I only make gag gifts for no reason at all... so I made him a cerulean blue scarf to soften the blow. Cerulean blue is his favorite color. I know him way too well.

You can see he liked the scarf...(hint: he is actually wearing it indoors). He laughed at the hat at first. Then he broke it to that if he put it on someone might hurt him. So he stuffed it back in the gift bag. He did promise me that if he ever puts it on he will take a picture for me.

"Bumblebee stop lubricating on the human!" Optimus Prime Transformers

Ah... Nuts!!!

I got these seed ballz from Lakeside Collection. I figured that if they get half the flowers their picture showed it would be a great deal for their price. When they arrived I picked a place and followed the instructions on how to plant them. I came in side and started reading the inside of the package they came in. It had a disclaimer saying that since the seed ballz looked like nuts they are prone to squirrel theft. I read this to my mom and she started laughing since we have a squirrel that wont leave our yard. So every time I come in from watering my seed ballz I tell my mom "no squirrel theft yet."

Last year I ordered some plants from Brecks. I got the Lion King Dutch Iris, which only one out of ten has decided to live. I got the World Expression Tulip, I have at most four of them out of nine. I got the Superba Butterfly Tulip which out of the eight bulbs that I planted none have come up. I also got the Candycane Sorrel, none of it has come up yet. I am hopeful though that since it is still early in spring that the rest of my bulbs will grow. I may have to channel my inner Merlin and say "Grow... Grow... Grow..." and hope it has the same effect as it does in the movie.

The World Expression Tulips start out with butter colored petals and as the blossom ages it gets whiter.

I also got a bunch of purple tulip bulbs from Breck's. I planted them out side the window where the quilting frame is so that my mom and I would have some pretty flowers to look at as we quilt our quilts. Out of the 20 bulbs I have 12 that have decided to live so far. That is more than I thought I would get since I planted them in the barren waste land in the backyard.

"Life forms. You tiny little life forms. You precious little life forms. Where are you? Do do do do do do do." Data Star Trek Generations.

In a nut shell

I am a big Eagles fan and I had to title my blog after one of their songs. I picked a song that always brings a smile to my face when I hear it. (Life's been good) I love their new CD as much as their original songs. I had to stop playing the CD because my mom was hearing it in her dreams. My life is a nonstop Eagles concert.