1 baby + 1 baby + 1 baby = Triplets!!!

I am going to be a NANA again!!!

Our daughter is pregnant with her first....and second......and third!!! TRIPLETS!!

Amy and her husband Ivo are expecting!! Things are about to get crazy (or should I say crazier!!) around here in the coming months!!

Amy is just starting her 12th week of pregnancy and after a doctor appointment yesterday and a second ultra sound all three babies are growing at the same pace and are at the exact size they are supposed to be at by this point!!

It has been hard to keep quiet the past several weeks!! She told us the day before Easter that she was pregnant......and then about a week later found out that there were three of them!! That was even harder to keep quiet!! But last night she gave me the OK to SHARE!!

WE are all so excited and are saying our prayers!!

She is due around the middle of December but sounds like with triplets they normally come a bit early....so probably sometime in November!!

11 weeks

Coal the Black Dog

We had to say good bye to our family dog this week. Our black lab "Coal" lived a good and full life adding joy to our days. He was eleven years old.

Coal came into our lives back in 1999 after we were camping with a group of friends. One of the families we were camping with had a black lab who had puppies and all of them had been sold. One of the puppies had been returned to them at the age of 6 months because he was just too much for the family that bought him. After hearing about the dog around the camp fire, our son who was a sophmore in highschool at the time, came to us and begged us to take the dog in......so like all good parents......we said yes!! We had had large dogs ever since we had been married and at the time had a golden retriever...........so what was one more dog!!

Little did we know what we were getting into!! Our son went with a friend and picked him up in the cab of a small truck thinking he would be a cute "LITTLE" black puppy you could hold in their lap......wrong....he was already half grown....I can only imagine the ride back home with the large spunky black lab roaming around and the boys trying to keep him in control at the same time as the truck!! What started out to be our son's dog soon became our dog (mostly DH Jeff's) do to the normal highschool actitvies that take up a young boys life.

Coal's name was Shadow when he came to us but we wanted to give him a name from us. We gave him the name "COAL" you know....like a LUMP OF COAL!!!

His first bad habit was that he barked and barked and barked and barked and barked....you get the picture!! We tried everything to get him to stop!! He hated being left alone.........and I think he barked the whole time we were gone if we had to leave him!!

Of course the kids went off to school and DH off to work and there I was with the BLACK LUMP OF COAL.....barking!! At times when he would stop......... I would have to sneak around the house so he would not see me through the windows moving around in fear that he would start barking again!! I asked everyone I knew if they wanted a dog!! I begged my friend to just come by and take him somewhere......just dont tell me where!! Maybe if I just left the gate open he would run away!! I was desperate!!!

Things went from bad to worse with lots going on at the time with life in general so I told the family that something had to change and since we could not get rid of DH, daughter, son, or me...it was going to have to be the COAL!!! Much to everyone's sadness (EXCEPT MINE)... I said I would take him into the Local Humane Society and maybe they could find a new home for him!! So off I went......I left him in the car and went inside.......looked around........asked questions.........and more questions........went back out to the car and looked at him........he was just too cute to leave.........so I drove him home......crying the whole way and telling him what a STUPID dog he was!!! As you can imagine when everyone came home they were so excited to see COAL!!! We took him in for a little male adjusting which helped hugely to calm him down and continued to work with him.

He and I truly bonded when we moved into a new home which did not have a fenced yard to begin with so he and I were joined at the hip until we put one up. I must say that during that time I fell head over heals for him!! Where I went he went.....where he went I went! He loved just being with you!! DH Jeff was his best buddy....he could not stand the thought of Jeff being across the street visiting with someone....if he was not within 5 feet of you he was too far away for his liking!! When Jeff mowed the yard Coal would follow behind him every step of the way until the whole yard was mowed!

The last three years at our present home he has had lots of room to run and roam. He loved the water, squeaky toys, licking DH's icecream bowl, he loved his christmas stocking and presents, he loved wearing his antlers during the holidays, rolling in the grass, going on walks, chasing rabbits, riding in the car, going to the beach, camping and sleeping in his own little tent, he loved our granddaughter Addison and was so kind and gentle with her. She called him "COAL DOG" just like her papi and loved giving him treats!! And, mostly, he just loved being anywhere we were!!

The house is quiet without him.......DH's homecoming from work everyday is not the same without the black dog running out the long driveway to greet him. What started out as a lump of COAL in our lives turned into a heart warming shiny COAL, a treasure we can never replace!!!!

Everyone in our family had a special bond with him and was there to say good bye to him. He will truly be missed.

Sunday, Sandwiches, Sunshine, Sewing, and EAGLES!!

So I am liking May!!! I have gotten to see Addison everyday so far!! LOL....It's so fun being a NANA!! My DIL went back to work for awhile so I am getting to have some regurlar days during the week the I get to spend time with her!! At 2 1/2 years old we are beginning to have lots of ourside fun!! Today she helped her Papi plant some sunflower seeds....learned to use a shovel...and meet an earth worm!!

The kids all showed up and we had sandwiches outside in the sunshine which is so nice to see....but as we speak the clouds have come back and it is raining!! Gotta catch the sun fast around here right now!

After the kids all left Jeff and I worked on mowing the yard and the field, picked up more sticks and limbs from the winds we had in January and sat and enjoyed our labors.......... while just over head 2 bald eagles flew inand landed in the top of a nearby fir tree.......they hung out there for about 30 minutes!
Ok, so I covered the Sunday, Sandwiches, Sunshine, and EAGLES.......on to the SEWING!!

I did have a nice weekend doing so sewing!! I sat in my sewing room all day yesterday and worked with some of the wool I recently dyed. I am making an assortment of wool applique christmas pillows. Stitching with wool is so much fun and just makes a person happy!! If you have not tried it or it's been awhile since you have ............make a date to do a little wool stitching during the month of May!! It will make you happy!!

BLOG WRITING

Ok, so writing a blog is sometimes hard for me!! The hardest part it usually the first sentence!! It brings back memories of writing class in school....not my favorite!! What to say....how to start....and does it even matter!!??? I have a list of things I wish I was better at and writing is one of them!! I am amazed at some of the blogs I read and what a talent it is to put down into words just the right thing......in just the right order!!

May is almost here!! MAY DAY!! Did you ever put flowers on the neighbors door, ring the bell and run away?? How FUN was that! Maybe I will do that this year....it's coming this Friday!! Which also means the sun should start showing up more!! Looking forward to that!!

This week I worked on dying more wool and planning ahead for Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA in July. Should be lots of fun! International Quilt Market is in Pittsburgh this spring.... and like everyone else I am having to watch my budget, so for the first time since I started my business in 2004 I will not be at Spring Market!! I am sad to have had to make that choice and will so miss being there!! I have met some of the nicest people at the show and always enjoy meeting my customers!! I am so blessed to get to do what I love and am always in awe of being around so many talented women!!

I had to get a new keyboard and mouse this week. It came as a set and I got it at Costco. I love the keyboard but the mouse is a little wide for my hand.......so I think I am going to have to return it and find something else!! It is so frustrating when you are used to something and you love it and it breaks and you have to get used to something new and different! I always think that there are way too many choices to choose from and wouldn't it save us a lots of trouble and time to not have to choose which cereal to buy....which iron you like the weight of the best.....what underwear feels the most comfortable.....so many things to have to consider!! It's just hard being a woman!! Hmmmmmmmm....so does that mean I am picky!!??? YES I AM!! I do know what I don't like but sometimes not until I get it home and I hate the process of having to return things!! BUT..........on the other hand aren't you glad we have so many fabrics to choose from!!??

My sweet granddaughter was over this week and we had so much fun! She just brings me to tears everytime I am around her......she has such a personality!! She likes to say....NANA....I show you something...and grabs my hand and drags me off to whatever it is she wants to show me....and tells me to sit down. This week I tripped on something she had on the floor and she said "I so sorry nana!!" I know it sounds so silly but if you are a nana you understand what joy they bring to your heart!! Grandchildren sure cure a bad day!!

Thursday I was on the freeway coming home from doing errands and I heard a huge pop noise....at first I thought something hit my car or that I ran over something. Then realized that my car was starting to not handle well and that I think I had a flat tire!! I pulled over and called my son who came to the rescue!! He was just getting off work and still in his work truck. Earier in the day I had gotten an advertisement for AAA roadside assistance........but who needs AAA when you have such a great son!! He had my tire changed in no time!! Thanks son!!

Ok, so I rambled on and practiced my writing!! Glad I am not getting graded on it!! I hope you have a good last week of April and think about taking someone May Day flowers!!

April Outings

There have has been much fun around here the last week!! Lots of special things going on with family and friends!! I am blessed with so many good things in my life!!

I have so enjoyed much time with my sweet granddaughter Addison recently!! Last Friday she spent the day and we had so much fun outside playing!! She loves wearing her Papi's UPS hat when she goes outside!! We got a break from the rain and were able to enjoy some sidewalk chalk, and enjoying the flowers!!

What makes a girl happier than a trip to the mall for new shoes and a pink balloon!!

Easter it RAINED so we had our egg hunt indoors which worked out just fine....our first real hunt with Addison and she LOVED it!!

Today I got to take a trip with a friend to a couple of quilt shops which have recently both relocated (Momma Made It in Longview, Wa & Primitive Thimble in Vancouver, Wa)and some antique shops along the way!! My treasures included some wonderful fabric, old tomato pincushions, a sweet little muffin tin, and a special glass chicken feeder.....(no we don't have chickens but I just know I can use this for something)!!

New Pattern

The Fruit of the Spirit

I just finished stitching the samples for this new pattern

which includes a woolen wall banner and a table mat....

now to get the pattern written!!

Inspired by a collection of milk glass.

The FRUIT of the SPIRIT is LOVE,

JOY,

PEACE,

PATIENCE,

KINDNESS,

GOODNESS,

FAITHFULNESS,

GENTLENESS,

and

SELF-CONTROL

Spring Sightings

The colors and sounds of spring are finally here!! On my walk out to the mailbox today I so enjoyed the Spring weather we have been waiting for with anticipation for weeks!!

The sky is blue, the grass green, and the daffodils are bursing in yellow!!! The birds are singing and building their nests like crazy!! There is a cow pasture down the road where all the mommy cows are showing off their new little baby cows!! I love how Spring brings so many new things into our lives!! It gives me an energy bust!

Yesterday was an outside work day for Jeff and me. We raked and gathered limbs, limbs, and more limbs that had blown off trees during the winter. There are still more....it is going to take us several more days of working to get them all gathered. We have 5 large walnut trees, 20 or more fir trees, a handful of alders, half a dozen maples and a handful of others......so we have our work cut out for us when the wind blows!!!

I am working on new patterns that should be out soon!! While sitting and stitching this weekend I was able to view these cute little bunnies out my window!!

Hope you are finding signs of spring where you live too!!!