I'm loving these bright colors....

The start of a stash......

I need to get a grip............

Vintage apple fabric.

I found this fabric at the thrift store......anyone have any ideas what I should do with it? A dress maybe?

My 1st applique flower....so cute!

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other. ~Carol Saline

Thank God for sisters.....I heart mine alot.

Our very own Sarah Palin.

Again, you are so in trouble....

......but I sure am having fun! I'm going to have to work extra to support this new habit....wah. OMG....loving these bright colors. I want to make a quilt like the one in the last pic. The picture doesn't do it justice as the colors are so vibrant.

So far....

ATC's from October swap

Our theme was fabric.

Dear Aunt Kathleen......

.....you are in really big trouble for starting me on quilting. Do I really need another craft?!? I found a quilt store in Elmhurst today. I almost just left without buying anything because it was so overwhelming. But then I got ahold of myself and picked out the fabric that is atop the liabrary books. I also purchased a $6.99 quilt magazine that was screaming, "buy me, buy me!!!!" Again, YOU ARE SO IN TROUBLE! (BTW...there's a quilt show in Shaumburg next month....wanna go?)

Happy Birthday #1 son!

Happy Birthday, cousin Cooper!

This sweet boy shares a birthday with my sweet boy!

Happy Birthday Jerry....may the force be with you.

Sorry, brother....I forgot to post your pic on the 17th. Happy Birthday....I'll see you at Amy's today.

Basement Update

Last Wednesday I checked the Fema site to see if our area had been declared a disaster area by the federal government. As it turns out it was. On Oct 3rd (happy birthday to me???). So on Thursday I filled out the application for funds and was approved for an inspection. Believe it or not a woman named Natalie called on Saturday and set up an appointment to come over today, Sunday, between 1-3p. Who knew our goverment worked so fast?! I certainly didn't. I thought for sure it would be awhile before I heard from them. It would be nice to get a few bucks to work on the basement...its still a little stinky and some floorboards and lower walls need to be replaced. Our insurance has covered none of our lost items or flood damage. I'll add an update later today or tomorrow on what Natalie's assessment was.

Update......she came, she looked, she took pictures. That was about the extent of it. She said we would hear from someone within 10-14 days.

Beautiful Kristyn and her sweet baby.

Fingers and toes.

Manny's on Monday

Quilting Day @ Decorative Industries.

Auntie was very specific.....only cut the fabric....don't jump the ruler and cut your hand.Ironing....who irons anymore...quilters do, thats who.

Tools above, my first block below.

Thats how much I got done yesterday...every other patch will be a nine-block and then the tulip pattern. Below, aunt works on an adorable butterfly quilt.

So, yesterday I learned to quilt.....had I known there was math involved I may not have been so eager to learn. Fortunately, Aunt Kathleen just eased the math part in there and she made it easy for a dolt like me to understand. We had a great time. We laughed, we cried, we talked and talked and talked. What a wonderful person you are, my auntie, but then I always knew that you were. I'm hoping to spend more time with you on the 4th of November. Here are some pics of our time together.

7023 W. 115th Street

I had to drive to Oak Forest yesterday and decided to go by the house I grew up in. Boy, does it look different...and so little! There used to be 3 big trees in the front yard but now their gone. Whoever lives there now has really made it look nice. Again, its amazing how small it looks to me. Growing up, I felt like we lived in the biggest house in town what with the addition and all!

Buca's

Chuck took me to Bucca di beppo's last night for my birthday...it was very, very, yummy. I love how the place is decorated with all the kitchy stuff.

Rachel, Baby Julia and me.

8 years ago, I attended Rachel's first birth. Since then, I've attended her other 3 home births as well. It has been such a blessing to be with this awesome family for all of their deliveries.Mom and baby were doing well...so is Jim, the daddy! Also, about 5 months ago, I caught Rachel's sisters baby, Noah. See all the kids in the last pic.

Me and sweet Julia.

This kid really gave her mom a rough go. Weeks of contractions on and off, 10 days overdue, 2 days with a broken water bag then weighing in at 10 lbs!!! Rachel, you are my hero!

Julia and Dr Zumhagen....Home birth.

10 lbs, 23 inches.....look at that foot! It's huge!!!!

Mandy and Julia

This is Mandy holding Julia. I work with Mandy at the twins house. She's in her last year of nursing school and trying to figure out if she wants to go to midwifery school. I've been trying to get her to a birth with me other the last several months (to show her how babies are supposed to be born!) and she was finally able to attend Rachel with me. Needless to say, Mandy LOVED it! I'm hoping to get her out to more births this fall. Mandy is doing her OB rotation starting next week so I'm glad I got to her first so she could see a natural birth before they torture her at the hospital! (BTW: Fact:C-secs are around 50% at some hospitals in our area....just thought I'd throw that in) We need more enthusiastic people like Mandy to keep natural birth and home birth alive. Special thanks to Rachel and Jim for allowing Rachel to come to your home.

Little kids.

Would you believe I attended all of these kiddos births?!?! I'm holding the last one who was born last Thursday. Four of the kids are sibs and the other bigger baby is their cousin. Boy, was I verklemp getting my pic taken with all of them.

Getting ready for quilt day with auntie Kath...

We're going to meet up at Decorative early tomorrow morning. Aunt Kathleen is going to teach me to quilt....looking forward to it. Not thrilled with the fabric I picked so i may run out today for something else......altho auntie said she was bringing some for me to maybe use.

Our house.

Chuck's mom painted this for us as a wedding gift. She took all the pics from my blog and then put together this painting...isn't it awesome? We love it. She is quite talented....and crafty! No wonder Chuck picked me!....crafty, just like dear 'ole mom.

Cats

The cats got a big new bed since both of theirs were lost in the flood. Now they can sleep together......(they got married too.) As you can tell, Bubba (the husband) is hogging the bed. Spooky (the wife) is thinking, "don't worry about me, I'll just curl up in this tiny spot in the corner...." ...............MEOW..............

Piano Players

The girls are learning to play piano.......one of the first things Grace learned to play was the wedding march which she surprised me with before I got married. Their piano teacher is really sweet.

Update: WWWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:( GO SOX GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't really follow baseball too much....but its exciting to have the Sox in the playoffs.....I love how excited Eric gets...I'll never forget when the Sox won the World Series. Eric was living with me in Carol Stream. The game/series was just about to end and Eric got me out of bed to watch the celebration with him. He was so happy, the kid was crying!!! So sweet. My boy. I love you!