Summer Vacation

On the way back home

Lots of hay, corn and soybeans in our nation's mid section...

The cabin where we stayed

All the lush vegetation - such a contrast to the drought this year in Colorado! (Silver lining: drought conditions= no mosquitoes.)

Below: video of Brian (wiping out) on the water slide.

Pictures of the Wedding!

The happy couple after the ceremony.

Brian played the role of "backup photographer" and took many (over 1,000) pictures of the weekend. He enjoyed putting the concepts he's been reading about into practice.

The bride and groom had several unique elements to their wedding day. In the morning, the families of the couple met to witness the "transfer of authority" of the bride's parents to the groom. This was the time that the bride was "given" to the groom. Before the wedding, the groom, his father and his groomsmen walked to the house where the bride was waiting and they walked together to the church and down the aisle to be married.

Leaving the house

Walking to the church

Good thing the church was just down the road!

Exchanging vows

Jacob and the groom- his new uncle! Don't they look alike?

The couple and the bride's family

Goofing around

It was a lovely day.

Taking a Blogging Break- Have a Great July!

Projects this week:

 This is the cross-stitch that Abby is working on for a wedding gift. This is her first counted cross stitch and I think she's doing a lovely job.

I' m starting to work on my "memory quilt", which has been stepped on numerous times as it lays on the entry way floor! But that is the biggest space for laying it out... Guess I'd better sew faster...


Summer Days and Daddy playing with his camera, getting ready for the wedding:

She's getting better and more daring all the time!

In other news, Hannah had her wisdom teeth removed yesterday. She's been sipping shakes made with frozen bananas, cautiously eating cottage cheese and applesauce, and watching stacks of Shakespeare movies. I don't think Shakespeare would be MY choice while holding ice packs to my cheeks, but I don't think the first thing I would do after arriving home from surgery would be posting to an online costume forum, either!

See you in August!

In The Sewing Room -or lately- In The Dining Room That Is Currently Being Used As A Sewing Room

This past weekend I sewed some new curtains for the hallway from some fabric I've had for years. Yes, the curtain rod is bent - not sure why- so the curtains are hanging funny. But since we never pay attention to the curtains as we zip down the hall, that might be o.k.

The fabric reminds me of a late 1980's sofa or a Laura Ashley dress (also 1980's).

I also sewed new curtains for Hannah's room. We found this fabric during our trip last week.

I didn't have enough lace for the sides and bottoms of the curtains, so just the sides got the lace.

Hannah likes her new curtains a lot and they go nicely with the quilt she made for her bed a few years ago.

I had extra fabric from the Heather Bailey quilt top so I made up a little doll quilt for Hope's birthday. Since the bigger quilt needs to have a border added to make it the right size, I wanted to play with the little quilt to see how my ideas for the border would look.

On the little quilt the ruffle looks huge, but on the big quilt I hope it will look more proportional.

While I doubt this quilt will get finished before fall as I had originally planned, hope springs eternal and perhaps next week while Hannah is laid up in bed from wisdom teeth surgery, the sewing machine might be free long enough for me to work...

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

Psalm 91: 1-2

Hiking in the Park (rated PG-13)

At the park where we like to hike, there are ruins of a dam that was built during the Great Depression.

The dam burst in the 1930's, leading to the second worst flood in Denver history.

Although the ruins have been stabilized, they are mostly as they were after the flood many years ago.



This speaks loudly of my apparently juvenile sense of humor in that I never fail to giggle over all the "dam" signs all over the park. It's not just a trail- it's the "dam trail". They couldn't write "ruins"- it has to be "dam ruins".

By the end of the hike you feel like you've been in the company of a few salty sailors!

Hiking all over those "dam trails".

We now return to our regular family friendly blogging.

Third Time's a Charm?

This weekend we discovered...my credit card number had been stolen AGAIN. Someone had fun at Circuit City and completely drained our bank account.

For someone who doesn't shop all that much and shreds all receipts and mail, I am beyond puzzled.

I feel like there is a big red "Go Ahead and Steal All My Money" sign on my forehead.

Grrr.

The butterflies are enjoying the lilacs blooming just outside the kitchen window. So are we!

Cute Jackson Pictures

I'm really enjoying reading this book. I'm only on chapter 3, but I have a feeling a couple of late night reading sessions are on the horizon.

While browsing at the antique store in a nearby town yesterday, I found these two vintage aprons. We all have our areas of "weakness" and vintage textiles are definitely mine. I love wondering about the people who fashioned these aprons and when they might have used them. When Brian saw the white one he knew why I had to buy it- pintucks AND insertion lace. What's not to love about that?

My fabric arrived from Japan this week. I love how through places like etsy one can buy things directly from people in other countries. I don't know when I'll be able to sew anything, though. The girls are designing and sewing Barbie clothes and the wait for the sewing machine is a long one.

(Almost) Summertime

"Daily Life" Reality

My silk plants tend to get a little furry with all the dust here on the windswept plains. I wash them about twice a year and believe you me, they need it.

A quick bath in the kitchen sink...

And the kitchen looks much better. If only I could get away with sweeping and mopping twice a year.