April Goals Revisited

Managing goals is easier when you don't make such grandiose ones and when you are realistic. I thought I was doing that but I forgot to factor in babysitting. Did you know that when you're the grandmother and the baby is 4 months old you don't do anything during the day but take care of the baby? And at night you're too tired to do anything but sit? There's probably not anything more rewarding or more fun than what I'm doing and there's another plus to it...you don't have time to eat. I've lost 6 more pounds! That's 16 since Christmas and finally, finally, I can get into some pants I couldn't wear last summer and they are comfortable. :) That's a good feeling!








I did finish an appliqued pumpkin block and thought I might even do a second one but didn't manage that.

















I also got the binding on the rose quilt and had it finished and ready for my sister but the planned visit fell through. We always have our "cemetary gathering" the first weekend in May but this year we all decided to skip it in recognition of this new flu that's floating around. No point in taking chances and getting together when many have to travel long distances to do that and who would come in contact with lots of unknown people. In addition, many of us are getting older and have health issues that getting the flu would exacerbate. Not to mention bringing back germs to this baby I'm keeping! It was truly a sacrifice because we all love it so, but certainly a wise one.









I didn't finish this charity quilt even though Lindi sent me some wonderful circus animals to applique on it. I just couldn't muster the energy! I also didn't get the binding on the School Days quilt or put together the Winter Wonderland quilt or read Beth Moore's book. But here's what I did manage to accomplish:










1. I watched Andrew turn over for the very first time, and the second time, and the third. That's all he managed so far but he's on his way! All have been back to stomach...the first two to the right and the third to the left. Oh my goodness, he'll be rolling all over the room soon. :)

2. I heard two other grandchildren yell, "Grandma!" as I got to their house each morning about 7:00. How in the world can they have such energy that early?

3. I got pictures of two more grandchildren holding the newest one and loving on him like cousins ought to do. I love that we are still able to have extended family around us. In today's society that is rare, way too rare. We feel blessed that all three of our children live in the same state and two in the same city.

4. I heard my husband say, as he prepared to leave for a mission trip to Mexico, "This is God's work and whatever happens is God's will." Even though I hated for him to go I knew he was right and that God's hand was on him. There's probably not a greater gift a woman can have than to know that her husband loves the Lord and wants to serve Him. And best of all, he's now home safe and sound and free from any flu symptoms. :)

5. I took pictures of another granddaughter in her prom dress and then listened to her the next day talk about how much fun she had. She was beautiful, of course, but more than that she was happy. She got to dress up, go out to eat with her friend, dance and talk, and then play games at "After Prom" where she won a microwave oven (which she immediately gave to her parents because, according to her, "they always buy for us and sacrifice what they want or need to do it.") Besides, her dorm room for next year has a microwave in it already! Can you believe that? When I went to college a hundred years ago we couldn't even have a hot plate!

It was a good month. A very good month!

Good Heavenly Days!

Oh my goodness February is over. :( What happened to it...where did it go? Wasn't it just Valentine's Day yesterday? This is a sure sign of old age isn't it....when time slips away without you noticing? Not only that but I'm supposed to be through with all my Febuary goals...and I'm not! Oh well, better just get it over with it. Here are the Finishes and Failures. I'll start with the good stuff:

FINISHES

1. Finish the Snowball Quilt. Now you know when I say finish I mean finish the top, right? Because that's a finish, really it is. It doesn't have to be quilted to be a finish. And so the top is finished. And pretty darn cute if you ask me. I used 4 Moda Recess charm packs plus some white fabric I bought at Alco and don't have a clue what it is, then added some borders from the Recess line. I have one row of snowballs left which I will use on the back as part of the label. Don't you just love this fabric? Of course, I'm partial to Moda. Well not just partial - I truly would marry Moda if I wasn't already married. And if Patrick Swayze didn't ask me first.

2. Make "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" quilt for Andrew. This one is done, quilted and delivered. Along with a little cloth book that went with it. Now truth be told all this panel needed was one border with cornerstones so it was super fast and super easy. But I loved it and he will too - he would have told me that this weekend if he could talk yet. And I did the machine quilting myself, yes I did. At this stage of my machine quilting game, less is more if you know what I mean.

4. Read "The Measure of a Man" by Sidney Poitier. I read it. And I don't recommend it. Oh it wasn't bad, it was just sort of rambling and didn't really rocus on anything. It told a lot of his background but it was patchy. It said on the cover it was a "spiritual journey" and I didn't see that at all. I love Sidney Poitier - admire him and think he's a phenomenal actor. But the book didn't do him justice.

5. Make one charity quilt. At one of our guild meetings they gave out fabric for us to make a quilt for a child. The fabric was donated and therefore was free. Not everything free is good. This fabric was not only precut, some of it was made into blocks. But for a child, this just didn't work at all. Brown and brown print are not my idea of something a child would like. And to top it off the blocks that were sewn had been ironed out of shape. But I put it together like I was supposed to....and hated it. I've added these bright yellow stars to it and now I'm trying to decide what else I can do with it. I'll add bright yellow binding but I'm thinking maybe a face on the big star? Anyway, this top could be finished, but I don't think I can leave it like this. Any suggestions?

6. Finish sampler. I actually finished this at 9:00 p.m. February 28 but it's not ironed so I'll show it later...but you're gonna like it!

Now here is my excuse for the failures that are going to follow. A friend gave me a book that had this pattern in it and I've had the handwork done for some time now. I pinned it on the wall in my sewing room trying to decide just what I wanted to do with it. Finally I decided on a pillow for my bed. And ya'll it's just perfect. In fact, it made my bed perfect. Next week I'll show you how much it added to my bedroom because I plan to show some pictures of how I use quilts in my house and I know you'll agree with me on this. It did take me a little longer to make than I thought it would - I'm not real good with ruffles. So I "unsewed" a time or two. But it was worth it!

FAILURES

There are no pictures here because, well, because there's nothing to take a picture of!

3. Read "The Memory Keepers Daughter" by Kim Edwards. I'm only half through this so it's going to have to stay on the list for March. I listen to a lot of books on tape and I'm wishing this was one of those because I don't seem to just sit and read much any more. But so far I like it and I do want to finish it.

6. Finish one block of Botanika (applique). Ok this is the second time this block's been on my goals list and the second time it's not done. But in my own defense it's almost done. All I have left is about a dozen circles the size of a dime. I hate circles. Especially the ones the size of a dime. So this one stays on the March list too.

7. Finish Winter Wonderland (pieced blocks). This quilt is so beautiful and the hand embroidery has been done for a while. I've done about half the pieced blocks but got sidetracked by some other things so I plan to leave this on the list and surely will be finished in March.

9. Lose 5 pounds. Last month I lost 6 pounds. This month I lost 0 pounds. However, I did not gain any so that's a victory. Just didn't meet the goal.

Goals are good things. They build character. Goals are good things. They build character. Goals are good things......