It is very shocking to my husband and I that I have begun a project way before it is “due”. I am not sure what has gotten in to me but I trust that there is still time to procrastinate! I have about two months left until sisters birthday so I have begun her birthday quilt. Every year for our kiddos birthdays I make them a little quilt. So far sister has chosen to sleep with all of hers (she must get so hot in the summer). I am a little concerned that on her 18th birthday she will be sleeping with 18 quilts but we shall cross that bridge when we get there; I must admit that it is precious to my mommy heart though. This years quilt has gone quite pink on me. I am not so much a girly girl and I am actually really excited to make something dark after this bubble gum project but I am excited with the way that it is turning out and I know that a certain little sister will love it…I hope! All the fabric is from Joanns Fat Quarters both new and old stuff that I have had around for awhile. For the reverse side of the quilt I am going to make larger strips of two kinds of fabrics sewing them together to create the backing (if you are already a little over the top you might as well keep going). For the binding I am thinking that I will go with the Grass Pindot from Michael Miller to bring it all totally and completely over the top. For now though I am off to procrastinate with a not quite so perky fabric project.

Yes, this is totally random but I love this album cover. Brad really enjoys Chris Thile (Punch Brothers)and I am trying hard to like him but I just really think that he belongs with Nickel Creek and I miss them but we all have to grow a little, don’t we. Anyways, this is actually the cover that came on the CD case and I instantly fell in love with it. I think that the progression is just for some reason really funny to me from the bare foot to the sock and even the cane that Chris is finally holding at the end. Not sure why I get a kick out of this but hey, I do! Real posts to come soon I promise! I am working on sisters birthday quilt (I know I have started early,impressive isn’t it).

Those are precious words to me right now that truly mean so much more than I can express. For the last few weeks we have really been trying to observe the Sabbath and figure out just what that might look like for our family. It is one of the ten commandments that often gets skipped or over looked pretty often but if you look it is there…the command to rest! Ahhhhh! We are not legalistic about it we are just trying to set it apart and truly rest a little. Two books that have been so helpful in figuring out what this might look like are The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan and Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva Dawn (we by no means do everything that these books say but it is a starting point). I am also looking forward to reading Karen Mains Making Sunday Special. Saturdays have become a little busier as I try to prepare for Sabbath and so far this has just kind of looked like cleaning the house, making sure that everything is ready for church (diaper bags etc) and I am really enjoying preparing a little nicer of a meal that evening. After dinner and after the kiddos have gone to bed I have been spending time reading the Bible and books just resting and preparing my heart for worship the next morning. Sundays are busy with church in the morning but I have really been trying to rest in the afternoon when the kids are down for nap. I am not sure what this looks like exactly but sometimes a nap, sometimes reading and I am learning to incorporate play as well. I see play as maybe the things that I really enjoy doing that I do not get to do all the time or things that just bring me joy, be it sewing or crafting in some way or another. I am really looking forward to getting out in the backyard with the kiddos when it gets a little warmer and just playing as a family which is something that I really enjoy as well. We end our Sabbath at dinner time Sunday. We have been trying to think through a meal that would be fun to have together that is different from the rest of the week. We have heard of people having popcorn and ice cream (crazy I know…what kid would not love that), pizza and other simple things. Tonight we had breakfast for dinner. This was Brad’s suggestion and I think that it is a great one that we will probably stick with. Sister was quite excited to have breakfast for dinner! This is definitely something that is evolving in our home and it is exciting to just rest so I wanted to share. There is a lot more that goes along with the rhythm and rest of the Sabbath that is exciting so if you are interested do check out the books. Happy Sabbath!

I have been reading Paper Seed for a bit now and I was so excited to find out that I won one of her wonderful little pendants in a giveaway that she had on her blog. Yippee! It arrived in the mail this weekend. How fun! Thanks again Emily!

Did you know that it was a hat? I know, crazy that I made a hat but I did it as an, “I can’t wait to see you” surprise for my sis-in-law; we are meeting at the beach in a few months. I used Amy Butler’s Blue Sky Hat pattern which was pretty easy to follow. The hat has a few quirks and it is not perfect but I was really excited that I finished it!

These chocolate covered potato chips did not last to long around our house! This was part of my Valentine’s day treat from my wonderful hubby. There was also a little Joann’s gift card that accompanied them! Yipppeee! I know where I will be later this week! Thanks Honey!

Yippee! I won a blanket from Jennifer over at Lemons and Lemonade! She let me pick for a boy or a girl and I went with the little man. Sister and I have our little fleecy blankets so it was brothers turn to have a blanket of his own. It arrived last week and we have already put it to a lot of good rolling around use (rolling being his main mode of transportation right now). Sister was a little sad but then decided that it was really cool that she and brother had blankets that were kind of alike. Thanks again Jennifer! Know that the blanket is getting much use here!

A lot of heart…

And a little dessert!

Strawberry Pie Recipe
Glaze:
1/4 cup corn starch
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 strawberry Jello package (small)

Heat in sauce pan until clear.

1 baked pie shell
1 quart strawberries washed and sliced

Place berries in in pie shell pour cooled glaze over berries. Refrigerate until congealed and serve with cool whip!

*This recipe works great with any kind of fruit just match your Jello to your fruit choice!*

I am really sad that we have not had a good snow this year…well, really we have not had snow at all. I turn into a little kid when it snows and those feelings of not having to go to school rush back over me and instantly I feel like skipping around the house. Excitable, huh! Well, no snow to report today although there was some snow in neighboring counties just not mine so I had to settle for ice. Not a very big fan of the ice but it is pretty. I caught this little icicle hanging off of the picnic table in the backyard. We will keep hoping for a good snow.

That title pretty much sums up how we are celebrating our week of Valentines! This past weekend we got to go see the Indigo Girls! Hearing their music always takes me back to a very specific time and place (isn’t it funny how music can do that). It reminds me of such fun times with friends! The concert was really a blast! My hubby is a super ticket buyer so we had front row seats! Woo Hoo! It was fun to sing at the top of my lungs and remember when! Brad was a trooper (being one of the very few males in the audience) for the concert and made a little post about it on his blog as well! This weekend we get to go see Dan Tyminski (ya know, the guy who was George Clooney’s singing voice in Oh Brother Where Art Thou…Man Of Constant Sorrows…Soggy Bottom Boys). So you see, a little something for me and a little something for Brad, quite the way to celebrate!