A quilting update...

I thought I'd give everyone an update on the quilt. I stayed up very late last night and I managed to get all the binding pinned on. It was harder than I thought it would be. I figured when I got to that part it would be a breeze...no such luck. All I have left to do is to sew that on..then I'm finished. I feel badly that I didn't try to finish it today. But, the weather here was gorgeous and I really wanted to get out and get some fresh air. Mark mowed and worked in the garden. I worked in my flower beds. He pulled up all the tomato plants. They were still holding a few tomatoes..but the plants were definately dying. Our cabbage plants and broccoli plants look pretty good. He planted some turnips and radishes too. They have come up, but the turnips got washed around in the rain. We'll see though..maybe they'll do something. We don't really like turnips that well. I can eat them, but they're not my favorite. Mark just wanted to watch something else grow out there :) Then he ran the tiller around some. He took Sam fishing this afternoon, after he finished with everything else. Unfortunately, they didn't catch anything..
Here's a picture of the binding on Sam's quilt. I don't remember if I told everyone..but Sam did all the squares himself and then I helped some on putting them together. He managed to get a couple of the same squares close to each other as you can see by his flames squares. I think he had 2 christmas ones close too. You learn after you do the first one to lay it all out and look really well before you start sewing all the rows together. Well, this one was a learning experience .
This is what the binding looks with the backing. I'm glad I went with the golden yellow. I think it looks very nice :)

I thought I would show a picture of what we had for supper tonight. Pizza pie! I just line the pan with pie crust. Then cover with meat (and whatever you like such as mushrooms, onion, peppers)mixed with pizza sauce. Then cover lightly with cheese.
Here's a picture after you've added the meat and cheese....
Then you cover with more crust and more cheese. Then you bake it in the oven. My family all likes it really well. There usually aren't any leftovers when I make it :)

Today was my oldest son Zachary's birthday...he turned 21 today. It's wierd how he turned 21 and Sam will turn 12 on Wed...The same numbers but backwords. The pizza pie was one of Zachary's favorites. We had cinnamon rolls for dessert. Another of his favorites.

With Sarah having surgery this weekend...and several of Sam's friends are heavily involved in Soccer. I think we'll have a little party for him the weekend after this one. That way I think his friends may be able to come and Mark and I both will be here. I have no idea what kind of weekend we'll have after her surgery. You know how things like that go..

Has everyone remembered there pen-pal partner for the month? If everyone could let me know I would appreciate it a lot :) That way I won't worry....

I'm going to head to bed early this evening. Well..earlier I should say :)

I hope everyone's weekend was a happy one and that tomorrow is the start to a very happy week too! I'll leave everyone with some leaves.....:) This was something Sam learned in his art class. I thought it sounded really neat when he told me about it..so he attempted to do one for me here at home. I think it turned out really pretty! It's hanging on the glass of our kitchen door. It looks pretty when the light shines through....

"He has made everything beautiful in it's time." Ecclesiastes 3:11
With Love, Jerelene

A giveaway at Doodles by Lauren

Is everyone having a wonderful weekend? I hope so!! I have something to tell you about that will make it even more wonderful....How about visiting Doodles by Lauren ? She is having a giveaway in honor of her 100th post! She is a very talented artist and has the most beautiful family! You will enjoy visiting her page :)
It's pretty out now...I was hoping it would stay that way...but there are thunderstorms on the radar. No! I don't want anymore rain. I hope it misses us :)
I better get off this computer and get to working on a certain someones' quilt :)
Have a great weekend....:)
With Love, Jerelene

Hello...wow..I posted!!!

Hello to everyone! I know it's been a week since I've been on....Life has just been busy around here...With Sam's upcoming birthday..I've been busy working on his quilt. It's been taking longer than I would like and I'm hoping I'm able to finish it by Wednesday. Sam will turn 12 on Wednesday..Time sure does fly by. I can't believe my baby will be 12!!
As you can see from this picture...Mickey continues to be a spoiled little baby...It's like we all can't hold him enough :) As you can see from the picture...not much has been getting done in my kitchen either... The sewing machine has taken up semi-permanent residence at the table. It gets moved around, but not off the table. Every chance I get I'm trying to sit down and get the quilt done. Wish me luck!
Last weekend our neighbors had a yard sale. I resisted the temptations...and oh, there were so many! She had all kinds of angels and cows!! I did well though...I left with only a pumpkin medley home-interior candle, this really nice address and card book..it is wonderful! I'm trying to get everyone's birthdays and addresses down it....It's full of the sweetest little sayings and Bible verses..Really nice..It's very nice for helping me with the pen-pal exchange. I can put everyone's info in it :)

This is my favorite thing that I brought home...a quilt rack! It's got some scratches..but look at the cute little wheat print down the side :) I left the sale and had only spent $5.00! And the best part was I didn't get anything that I really didn't need...(except for the candle...but, for a $1..it was worth it!)
Sam's co-op went well this week. He still hasn't bonded with anyone yet...but, I am keeping my hopes up..During the classes they can't really talk and visit, so it may take some time for him to really get to know everyone. But I am really getting to know some really nice and sweet ladies! (One in particular) has been very nice to me and it's been really great. I've really needed that so it's an answered prayer on my part :)

It's been raining and pouring here all week. I think the rain has finally ended and they talk like we'll have a nice weekend. I hope so, I need to get out and weed my flower bed..if it ever dries out! Mark's cabbage and turnips are coming way up..I'm surprised the rain didn't completely wash them all away...Actually, it did run the turnips over the edge...But the cabbage looks pretty big now. I walked out to the garden this afternoon to take a peek. It was so muddy that I practically sank into it! I had left one pumpkin out there and was determined to grab it. I did..but my shoes paid the muddy price. Well, flipflops can be washed, so it wasn't too bad. I'm so glad the rain has stopped!! The mosquitos have been terrible and all the rain is just going to make them worse!

With the ACTUAL first day of Autumn this week...I thought I would share my 5 Favorite things that I love about Fall.....
1. Pumpkins (how could you not?) On the way to co-op this morning, we drove past a local greenhouse. They had the field covered with pumpkins. And beautiful mums too! It was gorgeous...I don't know who OOHED more...me or Sam.

2. Pumpkin scented candles...those are my favorite..those and Home Sweet Home from yankee candles.

3. Scarecrows and decorations (mums too!) (I know that's more than 1)

4. The beautiful color of the trees...I especially love the deep orange ones!

5. The leaves blowing in the wind.... :)

Even though I've not been on since last week...I have tried to look in on everyone...I love each and every one of you!!
I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend...and keep me in your prayers..that I'm able to get the quilt done :)

"I always thank God for you...." I Corinthians 1:4 NIV

With Love, Jerelene

A beautiful fall day....

Happy Thursday evening!! It has been a beautiful day here in Southern Indiana. The leaves are definately changing colors...the air wasn't humid..and there was a lovely little breeze. I opened the windows and let the curtains blow in the breeze. I hope it is this beautiful where you are too!
Sam started on this book this week. It is a lovely story about some school children in Holland trying to get Storks to come back to their town. It is very well written and so far it is very interesting. Along with reading it I think we'll study some on Holland and on Storks. Reading this book reminded me of something my Mother gave me in the recent Great Giveaway :)

These little Holland Girl or Dutch girl...dishtowels. The little girl in the book wears the hat like this and the little wooden shoes. These were my Mom's neighbors and she gave them to my Mom. I just love them.....
These are a couple of my favorites. The one on the left reminded me of Marcy...she told me she always hangs her clothes out...(I like to sometimes...but not all the time...it takes a lot of time to go hang them out and then take them down...I have much appreciation for those who do this all the time :) The second one reminds me of Diana....with the little mop. I bet Diana looks this pretty when she mops too :) I just thought some of you might think that these are cute...I love the little aprons too!

It's a short post tonight...tomorrow is co-op so I'm going to try to head to bed early!

Hugs to all!!!

With Love, Jerelene

Pen Pal follow up...and some pictures!

Good Afternoon! I am so excited...Linda and Bernie are joining in on the pen-pal exchange. Bernie and Linda....it doesn't have to be a long letter or anything like that...just a little card with a few kinds words written inside :) I just randomly picked names....I was getting too stressed last time :) I'm thinking that most of you already have each other's names and addresses...so if you think they or I don't...just e-mail me..

O.K......Bernie & Diana
Eileen & Lori (at Morning Glories and Moonflowers)
Marcy & Jackie
Me & Linda
I hope that sounds alright with everyone :)
I'm just going to keep Fiona to pen pal with me at this time because I am not sure as to how long it takes for us to send letters back and forth from South Africa. I think it takes quite a while judging by how long it took her to get mine...so I don't know if we would be able to get hers once a month....
Linda...you can just e-mail me. And Eileen and Lori I will e-mail each of you with your partners address...Jackie and Marcy I will e-mail you each other's e-mail addresses unless I hear from you. Bernie as soon as I have yours..I will send you Diana's and yours to her :)

Here are some pictures of what I was busy working on this weekend...Quilting this....Front.........
And the back....aren't the teddies cute?
All I have to do now is put the binding on. I am thinking red.....This was my practice project before I start quilting Sam's...Sam did all the squares himself...and helped me put them together. (I want to try to get it done before his birthday on the 30th...so keep your fingers crossed)
Can you see the little cat and the hat square? Sam liked the martians......
This is the back of it.........
These are some of the fabrics I was playing around with this weekend........
I'm trying to get some more squares done for Elizabeth's raggy quilt....Don't you just love the pumpkins?

Elizabeth likes orange and purple...so these are some new fat quarters that I got last week...
See the pretty glass red birds in the window? Another sweet present from my Mom! Mickey's just looking for cats...he just can't help himself.........
I'll end with a pick of Sam (with his eyes closed...the sun was blinding him...)with some of his pumpkins..This is the big one...but the pics just don't do him justice...they really don't! We had to roll it up from the garden because it is too heavy to pick up...This is taken from above...you can't tell how tall it is!!
I'm off to take Sam to the library....so I won't send or check my e-mails until later on....probably this evening!! Everyone have a Great Day!!!!

With Love, Jerelene

Pen Pals...

I'm just wondering if everyone wants to pen pal again this month? If everyone could let me know a yes...I'll just pick names for everyone and post it tomorrow :) I'm hoping that you all want to do it again. It's such a nice way to send love and hugs to each other!!
I've been busy this weekend playing with my sewing machine, cutting fabrics, and quilting...I will try to post some pictures tomorrow!
I hope you all have been having a wonderful weekend!!!
Some pics tomorrow!!
(Yes...I'm feeling better...I can finally hear :)
Love and Hugs to all of you!!!
Jerelene :)

Remembering 9/11

We're home from the co-op and it was a hit! There was only one class that Sam got a little nervous about...but it was the first class of the day..and the teacher was gone on vacation. They watched him on video and the mom's helped out..The rest of the day went well. I'm tired though. It was a long day and it wore me out. I still can't hear all the way out of my ear and I' m still feeling a little drained. It was very nice though visiting and talking with all the Moms. I think we've made a very good choice with this co-op.

I thought about posting something about today being 9/11...but I'm glad I didn't. The reason I say that is I couldn't have done nearly as well as Eileen and Marcy have done...not even close. If you read my page you should definately read their wonderful and touching posts. Hugs to the both of you!! You are both such sweet and loving friends :) Sam and I talked about 9/11 today. The rest of my family remembers with a sad heart too. Isn't it amazing though how we are all friends here in this wonderful country and yet we are all so far apart? That amazes me...the internet is sure a powerful tool. It is truly a blessing to live here in this country. I know when I returned from Europe as a teenager...I remember wanting (literally) to lay down and kiss the ground...I was so glad to be home.

One last thought...please remember our favorite Marine John as I know things have been pretty bad in Afghanistan lately. Please keep him in your prayers as we await his safe trip home. I'll end this post with just a simple God Bless America!!

That's about all for now...

With Love, Jerelene

Getting ready for tomorrow..

Tomorrow is a big day here...Sam starts his co-op classes tomorrow! He is very excited! We had to go and get the last of his supplies that he needed today. I treated him with a stop at the donut bank...yummy! Then off we went to the newest Wal-mart in our area. We hadn't been there yet and I wanted to check it out. It was very nice with much wider aisles than the one here in our town. We were walking around and I happened to look up and see my daughter Sarah's ob/gyn. I immediately smiled and said hello and made a quick move in her direction. All day yesterday I had kept thinking that I wish I could see her and thank her for referring Sarah to such a nice specialist as she had...and lo and behold there she was. (Answered prayers...or God just sending the right people to the right place at the right time?) I don't know which...but it was so, so nice to be able to talk to her about our visit with the specialist yesterday and to be able to thank her. Sarah wouldn't have been able to see this wonderful specialist if she hadn't referred her. So..it was just such a blessing to be able to thank her like I did :)
We got all the shopping done and Sam is anxiously awaiting the morning...He is so thrilled about going...it was funny but all the while we were getting things and putting them in the cart..he just kept saying "I'm so excited about tomorrow...and thanks so much Mom"...it was really sweet. I know he is looking forward to making some new friends. (And..so am I :)
So..the new back pack is ready..and the new lunch box..and the cello awaiting it's first class..We're excited!!
After the shopping, I stopped by to visit my parents for a while. My mother decided to clean out her china hutch and give me a bunch of her pretties out of it. This will definately be another post..It was sort of strange to take them all and bring them home. I'm still waiting for Mark to paint my hutch..and it's not got done yet..I'm not happy about that..but, this might prompt him to do it. If not..I'm going to step in and do it. I went ahead and put all the things she gave me in the hutch. It will be a nice post to show you everything. She went through the kitchen drawers and gave me some old pot holders and some old...beautiful dutch girl days of the week dishtowels..they're adorable! They belonged to a really sweet neighbor that used to live next door to my parents. She's getting up there in age now..and she was always so sweet to us. It's very nice to have something of hers.. My Mom also gave me a big ole yellow and gold cookie jar that looks like a fancy teapot. It belonged to some close family friends of ours..it was a wedding gift. I love it because it reminds me of my Mom and Dad's house...well the kitchen...Mom has always had it on top of the fridge..that's where I put it too..

They also gave Mom the amber glass dishes they got too. She's giving me those too..but I told her not today..
Mom gave me a big pretty cross too. I have it sitting on top of our entertainment center for now. I might move it..I don't know yet. It actually is longer on the bottom and has a base..it's down in the top of the entertainment center..I like it though...
It has been a busy week. A week full of so many different emotions and ups and downs..mostly ups though :) I'm so thankful to God for the many blessings he has passed my way this week...very thankful....
There is no event so commonplace but that God is present within it.
~Frederick Buechner~
With Love, Jerelene

Past and future....

Hi there! Guess what...I'm finally feeling a little better...not 100%..but better :) Even though I was happy about Mark getting the job..I still didn't sleep well. I was worried about a doctor visit that was going to be happening today. Some of you that have been reading here for a long time may remember what we all went through here last yr. If not then go back to my November 2008 post and January of 2009 before you read any further...those posts will tell you what we went through and explain the rest of this post from here on....................(Blogger wouldnt let me link it!) Sarah has a heart shaped uterus and only one kidney. October 3 they will do surgery to see exactly how badly mishaped the uterus is..Endometriosis is also common with this condition. If it is anything he can fix while she is under...he is going to fix it. If it's Endometriosis..there is a particular procedure that they do for that. Then she will have to take some kind of medicine that makes her pituitary gland stop her from having periods until she's ready to have kids. Last year was very...very hard on me. I still cry if I talk about it...and I try not too. I'm not proud of what happened..It made me very sad..but it still happened and it still makes me cry too....It would have been my first grandbaby and that makes me very sad. I am so glad that this doctor is going to try to fix her and that something good can come from all the sadness that we had happen to us last year..This is a picture of my 2 girls...Sarah on the left and Elizabeth on the right, with Trever on the left and Jared on the right...Even though Sarah and Trever aren't together now...he still holds a special place in my heart...and I miss Jared.....a lot. He was a great guy..



On to a more happier subject for me...Fall decorations! I sat these little cuties out a couple of days ago. They were a gift to me from one of my cousins. The girl bear is a little rough around the edges...but I love them :)

This came in the mail today...it was waiting for me when I got home...what a great magazine! I love these...If you haven't ever looked through one, you should order them...they are full of the cutest stuff! (Eileen...look owls!!)


These are pictures from the wonderful quilt book I've been reading from the library while I've been sick...I can't say enough good things about this book! It is a wonderful read and full of the most beautiful pictures!!

Another gorgeous picture....What a cozy kitchen!
Here's the front cover of the book...If you like quilts at all....you will LOVE this book!

It would be well worth your time spent to read it....It has pictures of real...beautiful quilts too!

I made a quick little trip around the yard this evening...it was quick too! The mosquitos..or Mozzies if you're in Australia...are horrible!! I didn't stay out there long........This is a picture of the berries that are now on all of our bush honeysuckles....Later on the birds will eat them, but not for a while......
These are pictures of some really old bottles that were dug up on a job that Mark was on in the old, historic part of Evansville. I didn't know that this was such a popular thing to collect...but we found out since Mark has been doing these foundations for Habitat for Humanity...that people love to collect these..They've been doing a lot of digging and building in that area and they find a lot of these. The one in the very front center is an old lysol bottle. The back left is an old milk bottle..the one on the bottom left is an old medicinal laxative..I think... a lot of the others I'm not sure about yet. We still have to clean them up...but I got sick and it didn't get done yet. I did look on the internet and found out lots of wierd things that bottles were used for...One is that they used them for embalming bottles...I don't know really what any of the others are...reading that made me queasy and I didn't really press on...I guess I was getting sick at that point. I am looking forward to cleaning them up though...It will be neat to see what they look like. I'm just scared of breaking them. Some of them do have cracks too..so that makes the cleaning part kind of difficult.. I thought you all might like to see them though.
These are some of my mums..aren't they pretty? I have pink and yellow ones in the front flower bed. These definately look like fall though...

I apologize for the poor quality of this...but the skeeters were eating me up!! Mr. Pumpkin is still there...he's grown some too! He is the prettiest orange too :)

I'm so thankful for all the well-wishes and prayers that have been sent my way from all of you! You are such a blessing to me and I just wish that I could hug each one of you!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart :)

Though we may be many miles apart, the ribbon of your friendship binds my heart.

With Love, Jerelene

YEAH!!

OK Ladies...finally some GOOD NEWS! They called about 20 minutes ago..he got it!! He will start tomorrow and he will work from 3 to 7 pm mon.-friday. Yeah...it's part-time..but he's in. Now when a full time position comes available he'll be able to apply first. He can still work during the day for the guy he works for now. And, they said he could sub during the winter for ball games and during the day shift if he was able to. Such great news! It will be a big help. That and he won't be gone all night long either..the other shift that was open had been 10-2 am...Yikes. It would have been really hard on him to work in the middle of the night...and then work the next morning. He's done it while subbing...but its hard on him.
That's all for now!! I'm relieved...and happy. Village prayers were answered :)
With Love, Jerelene

An Update...

Hi Everyone! I have the sweetest friends ever! You guys are so thoughtful :) I am feeling a tad bit better today.. And I do mean tad :) The pain has lessened some..but is still there. I cannot hear at all out of my right ear. Everytime this happens I really freak out because Meniers tends to leave people deaf. So, I get really freaked out when I can't hear at all out of it. That and it kind of makes me nauseous and dizzy too...which goes along with the meniers too. The (NICE) doctor at the ER suggested I be updated on my tetanus shot and so they kindly gave me a DTP..which covers not only the tetanus, but diptheria and pertussis as well. So now, not only is my ear still hurting...my arm is too :( I'm sort of laughing as I type this...because..it's pathetic...I'm so tired of feeling cruddy. I just want this to be over and I'll feel like a new person!
I wasn't too happy about my visit to the ER. Last time I had trouble like this..I ended up at the ER. I know it took about a week to get over it last time. Longer than that before I could hear at all...but the Doctor last time was much nice to me. They sent a doctor in at first...then moved me to another room and made me wait even longer...it was almost 3 hrs before I got any pain medicine...they didn't give it to me until they were giving me my papers to leave. That and even though I was wearing a bracelet for allergies....they still tried to give me pain medicine with acetominophen in it. I sat there and told the nurse when she brought me a pain pill..that "I can't have tylenol...does this have tylenol in it?" So then she went out and came back and said ...Oh gosh...they said at the pharmacy that it DOES...they're sending something else up...Good grief..and they did this to me the last time too! Only the doctor was nice enough to give me a pain shot and numbing ear drops fairly soon after I got there. Not this time...they sent me back a nurse practitioner and no shot or pain drops either. I still am pretty disgusted. They even gave me a script for the same pain medicine that I told the doctors I already had here and wasn't helping! I think once I feel a little better that I'm going to complain. They usually send a patient survey to the house...at least they did last time..That or they call. I definately have something to say this time :(
On to something else...The school board meeting is tonight! I hope it goes better this time :) We will definately know something for sure later this evening...probably after 8:00. Keep the prayers going up ladies!! I will try to make a quick post and let everyone know what we find out :) We still don't have a phone. Evidentally they had widespread electrical damage...The lightning actually hit very, very close to the house several times. And the whole top of the neighbor ladies tree was jammed in the ground. It was SCARY!! It's not really open area here..but lots of big old trees. Our tv's are still messed up too :( It's wierd but someone said take a magnet and run over the screens. It helped some..but the corners and edges are still wierd looking..boo-hoo...
I better go for now. My ear is now itching way down inside. I'm wondering if i'm allergic to the wick they put down in it or if that means it's trying to heal. It's sure wierd to hurt and itch...I am praying for a quick healing :) I've been keeping myself busy reading quilting books :)
Thanks so much for all the prayers and sweet comments! I love All of you so much!!
Talk to you soon!
With Love, Jerelene

Under the Weather...literallly

Hello! Just wanted to post a quick hello...I've been sick and haven't been able to get on the computer. I ended up going to the E.R. last night. I have a really bad ear infection and my glands are all swollen. I've still been running a fever too. They started me on some antibiotics so hopefully I'll be feeling better in a few days. I can't hear out of my right ear at all. It was my bad ear that I always have problems with. I have Meniers and worry about losing the rest of my hearing in this particular ear especially. If you don't hear from me again for a few days you'll know that I'm taking it easy..
We had a terrible electric storm here last night...it knocked out our phone and messed up all the tv's. I saved the computer when I came in from the ER..I unplugged everything. Sarah had driven me to and home from the hospital. The storm followed us home. It lightninged so bad we could hardly see to drive...it rained very hard too. The lightning took a couple of really good hits here directly. The next door neighbor had the top of one of her trees completely knocked off..I'm not exaggerating about it being bad..it was BAD..The phone company was supposed to make it out here today..but didn't. The neighbor lady said she called and they said it would be tomorrow. So I guess it will be a while yet...
The school corporation has their meeting tomorrow evening. They didn't have it tonight due to the holiday...I hope they call tomorrow evening with good news!
Keep us in your prayers! I'll check in on everyone when I get to feeling better :)
Love and Hugs!! Jerelene