AAAHHH....Monday

So it's Monday.  I'm sewing and it feels great.  I truly need this solace to recover from work.  As I have mentioned in my previous post,  I work in a children's  hospital.  I love it.  It's easy for me to work with children.  It comes naturally to nurture these kids.  But it does have a down side.  In the past two weeks that I have worked, one child came to our hospital as a full code which means they came to us receiving  CPR and  life giving care but unfortunately, this child didn't make it.  Then this weekend, another child came to us as a near drowning.  His mother was able to give CPR continuously until he had a heart beat.  I believe this child will make a full recovery but I'm not so sure that the mother will fully recovery from seeing her child face down in the pool and then giving life saving CPR.  The look on her face was of a woman who wasn't about to forgive herself  taking her eyes off her child and him being found in the pool.  It is easy for many  hospital employees to judge this family.  We see this over and over.  But I believe we shouldn't judge.  I'm a parent who knows how easy it is to be distracted (maybe even with another child) and still you believe your child is safe in your house. Then you go looking and you can't find them.  And then someone finds the child face down in the pool.  I don't think we should punish the parent with judging them; they are punished enough with what happened to their child.  I plead with parents to do all that can be done to protect children around their swimming pools.  Please teach little ones very early on how to swim.  Practice with them to make sure that they can swim even if they accidentally fall in the pool.  Some kids learn to swim but then panic when they fall in accidentally so they drown.  I know this subject is a real downer but I'm passionate about kids.  I know that we can't/don't see every thing that kids are doing.  So I want parents to protect them in different ways.  Teach kids to swim, have a pool gate, have a door alarm so if the door to the pool area opens the alarm  goes off.  Also, have a pool alarm that stays in the pool and sounds an alarm when something over 10 pounds is in the pool.  Please spread my words... I don't want to write a letter of condolence to one of my blogger friends.  

OK, enough of my soapbox .  Tomorrow, I'll share what I'm working on.  So until then, have a happy Monday.

Princess Pea Blanklet

This is the latest project I am working on that's listed on my "TO DO" sewing list:  I'm making the Moda Princess Pea Blanket.  Here's a picture from the creator of this very cute blanket, Angela Yoston:

I'll take a picture of the one I'm making later.  I couldn't find the honeybun she used so I chose something different from Moda's fabric but just as cute. Also, I used a Jelly Roll.  I'll write about it later.  Just wanted you know... I'm busy, busy, busy  working on my projects. 

Wonderful Wedding Anniversary:

Today was my 6th wedding  anniversary.  I had an absolutely wonderful day with my husband.  We got up around 7am and I made us a breakfast of omelets and fresh French baguette.  After a yummy breakfast, we packed up and went for a 3-hour, almost 4-mile hike. Now, let me explain: walking 4 miles really isn't that hard.  When we walk around our own neighborhood, it takes me a little less than an hour which is also about 4 miles.  So you can imagine what the terrain must have been like for me to take 3 hours to do the same distance.  Let me share some pictures; they will tell the story...

I had to be careful around all these prickly cacti!

It would be embarrassing getting them picked out of my butt if I fell on one!

The trail wasn't really marked well; it was very rocky plus it wound up and down that damn mountain.  I was really pooped when I got home!  The only thing to remedy this was to go straight to the tub for a good soak!

Isn't he a hottie!!!

I had to be careful  not to fall on one of these!

This is the type of wild life we have in Arizona

Luckily, we ended our day having dinner at the Roaring Fork restaurant.  They made us a wonderful meal.  When we arrived at our table, this was waiting for us:

  The service, food, and atmosphere gave us one of the best dinning experiences we've had in a long time.  It reminded me of our wonderful wedding.

Have a fabulous day!

PS:  Three things I'm grateful for:

1. Hiking Stick
2. Hiking Boots
3. My Husband

(Not necessarily in that order!)

If You LOVE Aprons, Coffee, and Granola....Check This Out

So, Susan at not quite june cleaver is having a giveaway!  Have you ever been to her blog?  If not, you're in for a treat!  She's been away from blogging for a short time but is now coming back strong as ever.  I have been popping by her site; watching  and waiting to see what she does next.  I love what she's doing.  When you visit her site, click "meet NQJC".  It's refreshing to meet someone you can relate to.  She is one of those ladies that I would love to sit down with and have a cup of coffee.  I love that I get the feeling she would be real with you. Plus, I would bet she has some interesting funny stories to share.  You would have to with having raised six kids, cooked at much as she has and run a business on the side.  I like that she shares her good times and her bad times; it makes me feel like she can relate to every other woman on this planet.  Please, check out her website, enter her giveaway and support her new upcoming shoppe.


http://www.notquitejunecleaver.com/2010/03/notquitejunecleavers-spring-fling-giveaway-and-so-much-more/

Apron Memories Blog: a Mommyhood In Shades Apron Giveaway!

There's an apron give away!! Go here: Apron Memories Blog: a Mommyhood In Shades Apron Giveaway!to see what it's all about....I'm hopin it's mine; I love wearing aprons around my house. I have very fond memories of my grandma wearing aprons. My grandma's name was Audra and if there was a lady I would most like to be like, it would be her. She dressed nice, looked nice and I never heard her say anything bad about anyone. She didn't gossip and I loved her spirit.

What a Great Day

Well, I LOVE progress... today I finished Karin's pajamas.   Sometimes I procrastinate, but not today!  I even mailed them!  Don't they look cute?

My honey is home so I wanted to do something nice for him.  He's always doing such nice things for me like making coffee every morning when he is home.  Well, today, not only did he make delicious coffee, he went and had my tires rotated!  I'm a very lucky woman.  I want him to feel just as lucky so today I got the bread machine out....

... and after the lovely bread machine did it's magic, this is what came out.....

My husband is from the Czech Republic.  I have been lucky enough to visit his country twice.  While there, I got to eat many pastries.  The one above is  called Kolace.  Fortunately, I was able to find a recipe close to what they make in Czech.  Mine turn out more like a bread than a pastry but he's happy with my results!  Kolache have a sweet surprise in the middle.  Mine are I filled with poppy seed filling but you can use jams too.

Treating us to some good old fashion pumpkin bread....YUM!

Today, I made something yummy!  My husband requested my pumpkin bread....so this is how it started...

I love to cook...especially when I get to use this much sugar....

and this much oil.....

in this beautiful kitchen my husband made for me...

And the end results.....

I am sure that the good in pumpkin cancels out the bad in sugar and oil????  Plus, the smile on my husband's face when he sees the bread is worth the extra pounds I'll gain eating a slice (or a few slices)! 

My Progress

Well, I'm working it!  I had a goal to complete many unfinished projects by the end of February.  I didn't get them all done but I"m happy with my progress.  If I look back at the posts about completing them, I still have some to do.  However, I have the following projects finished: 

1.  Bedroom curtains hemmed and rehung.
2.  Tote bag for Cindy, my sister.
3.  Tote bag for baby shower gift.
4.  Muslin made, mailed, and returned for niece's pajama bottoms.
5.  Skirt for niece, Karin.

Baby tote bag







So, I need to stay committed for the following:

1. Bedspread needs 2 seams sewn.
2.  2 pairs of PJs.
3.  Tablecloth for living room.

I would like to add four more projects:

1.  A cloth doll for niece, Laura.
2.  Baby blanket for friend's daughter.
3.  Blanket for son, Mathew.
4.  PJs for me.

Of course, I need to get this done in between ALL the rest of the things women do!!!  Piece of cake!!!!

What Mondays Mean to Me (Even though today is Wednesday..)

I work every weekend.  Even though I feel lucky that I like what I do (I work at a great hospital) and have it easy compared to the people who work full time during the week, I'm tuckered out by the end of Sunday night. Come Monday, I make the day about what I like.  Sometimes, I don't even make it out of my PJs!  Other Mondays (like today) I feel the need to look and feel like a woman!  I'm so lucky that I'm at that stage of my life where I am able to  indulge myself.  My kids are grown and my husband travels during the week so he's not here.  So Mondays are totally mine without any guilt.  I feel that women give to everyone else but hardly take the time for themselves.  Most of the time, even when we are dressing, we think: Will my husband like this, will he notice?  Today, I dress for myself.  It's not to get noticed for what I'm wearing, it's to look good in MY eyes.  I don't know what happened that I stopped dressing.  I think that's because in four years, I have gained 20 pounds.  Although I would like to lose about 10 of them, that shouldn't stop me from dressing like a woman.  I think that I have gotten used to wearing medical uniforms and when I come home, it's into the shower and then into sweet PJs.  So today, I decided I needed to feel like a woman: no sweat pants, no jogging outfit, no lounge wear.  It's a dress and my hair curled and my toenails painted.  I’m not the perfection you would find in a magazine picture. Here’s just me, flaws and all... Feeling like a woman!

My First Sew Along

I'm excited!!!

I am going to participate in my first sew along.   Here's where to go if you want to be a part of the fun.  You don't have a know how to sew, pick any project...please join the fun