Day 21: THEY ARE HERE!!

Christmas 2016 with the Clearwater Sandman:)

Today they all arrive and I am so excited 

to have everyone here again!!

It is a bit  more special that it is Christmas but truly I become overwhelmed with JOY anytime I get to have all my kids with me:)

I hope that your Christmas or Hanukah or Holiday Season finds you near someone who loves you!

Cherish EVERY moment! 

Day 20: 2018 Review J-A-S

JULY -- AUGUST -- SEPTEMBER

This summer seemed to fly right by but I could actually say that about the whole year!

Top row is July.

1. We took a trip to Chicago to visit our eldest daughter and while in Chicago you must go to Wrigley Field according to my husband (a lifelong Cub fan:).  While there I asked how many other girls he had taken there and I am the first girl he has ever taken to his precious Wrigley!  How is that for a first in 30 years of marriage?  It was my first time there too! 

2. Along the way there was thankfully some treasure hunting and I found these lovely ca. 1940s hand appliqued rose blocks.  The pink ones are being redone for an upcoming COC charity quilt. The Autumn colored ones are welcome to stay and inspire:)

3. Another baseball game-ugh!  Thankfully I am helping a friend with her Millefiori quilt so I have lots of handwork to take along! 

Middle row is August and it is all about the LOVE!  We celebrated 30 years together this year!!!

The center photo is us on our wedding day (no professional photos just the one from the little 110 camera I had). The photos on either side are more recent.  We really don't have tons of us from when we were younger without me going in search of.

Bottom row is September.

The center picture is from the landing in San Antonio as a cruise went by during the show we were watching that evening.  Such a lovely city!

The pics to either side are work in progress shots.  I was able to get lots of work done in and around more appraisal shadowing and treasure hunting! 

I am very proud to be able to offer a new workshop to guilds as well: FABRIC COLLABORATIONS!  IT is going to be so much fun to watch people build off one another and design!  I can't wait to meet your guild:)

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Day 19: 2018 Review A-M-J

APRIL -- MAY -- JUNE

Top row is April.

1. Our back yard this past April when my sweet husband planted some more trellis climbers in red just for me:)

2. Me in front of "Robin's Wreaths" in Paducah this past Spring...So Exciting!

3. Baby lambs at my friend, Brenda's, when she had our whole guild up to her place for lunch one gorgeous Spring day!

Middle row is May.

1. "FEATHERBERRY" is published.  Love this sweet little wall hanging because it is so simple and vibrant!

2. We went to a LIGHTNING playoff game!  I think you know I love hockey but the playoff games are even more fun and LOUD:)

3.  Treasure hunting in Virginia payed off with this amazing late 1800s quilt with Wondrous hand quilting.  I know it is hard for you to see and I could look at it all day!!

Bottom row is May/June.

1. Me teaching my mom how to do a selfie:)  I helped her set up her new phone this past summer so she is more 'modern'-haha:)

2. My actual copy of AQ Magazine showed up and my name is on the cover....Finally a Cover Girl. We dream of that moment, don't we?

3. We took a trip up to St. Simon's Island (beautiful!!) to see our niece get married. It was a beach wedding and she looked Lovely! It was a fun weekend with plenty of family catch up and couple time for Jim and myself too:)

More reviews coming so stay tuned.

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Day 18: 2018 Review J-F-M

Time to look back a bit to where my year went. Here is a pic review and then some other posts to look back on.

Top row represents January into February.
I did so much appraisal shadowing these 2 months that I was very thankful to have time to go to St. Louis for a quilting retreat with friends from when I lived there.
This Blog Post discusses the retreat from a few years back when we were younger:)
Pics on top row are 1. View on the way to the airport to fly to St. Louis, 2. an aerial view of STL, and 3. my St. Valentine's Day Décor at home.

Second row: 1. My very first appraisal booth all on my own. What a fantastic day!  
2. My baby girl finishing nursing clinicals!! I am a very proud mom and she shines at whatever she puts her mind to and she has worked so hard for this!
3. We had a bit of a warm up late in February and so my husband and I took a rare moment to go sit by the water and have a beer together:)

Bottom row: 1. I finally met Kay:)  You have heard me talk of her in my Heritage Architect stories and it was great to meet her and go see her ice dye exhibit.
2. We lost a dear friend to cancer this year.  When we lived in NC, Paula and Sharon lived down the island a bit from us.  I met them through a business meeting and they owned the Wood Gallery that I exhibited in for awhile.  We spent many weekends at their place for oyster roasts which I had never heard of before them:)
We  moved and they moved but we were able to visit them in New Hampshire-WOW!  Their new gallery was even more amazing!!
Being with them was a joy with lots of laughter and love.  Our hearts break for Paula and are thankful she has family near to help her.  We love and miss you Sharon!!
3. I finally got to take a Brazilian Embroidery class. That pic is the class sample and it is gorgeous!!  Good to keep learning even when you think there isn't anything else.

In March we also had the annual COC charity auction. Click on COC to read about my donations. 

I do keep very busy. I wonder what my bullet journal would have looked like that first quarter??  Maybe we will see this upcoming year:)

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Day 17: CHECK LISTS!

Most of you who know me, know that I love making lists about everything and I really LOVE checking things OFF the list.  That feeling of accomplishment is pretty high up on the best "highs" in life!
It is really hard this time of year to keep up when the list is longer and longer.  I tend to want to shut down and procrastinate.

The little bit of orange showing is the journal for 2019...

A whole year of possibility!!!

When that overwhelming feeling kicks in, it is really important to look back at my Bullet Journal and see all the red ink.  This reminds me at a quick glance that things are getting done even when not as quickly as I may like.

Here is your Holiday Reminder to slow down, not everything NEEDS to get done, and enjoy the happy moments this season is suppose to bring to each of us!

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Day 16: PUPPIES!

Thought we would go fun and light-hearted today:)

Who doesn't like puppies!

This is Pooka & Biscuit! I am sure you have heard me mention them before:)  We purchased Pooka as a furry little puppy and then adopted Biscuit as a 4 year old. This is a rare moment of them playing together.

Here is another Rare moment of Pooka sort of letting me cuddle her!  Biscuit likes to be snugged up against one of us.

We haven't taken them to the beach in long while due to all of Biscuit's allergies but that boy LOVES to be in the water!!

Then there is the sleeping and the weird way this breed sleeps~ Biscuit has his front legs folded but many times they sleep with their legs stick straight like Pooka above.

He looks so sweet and happy in this picture!

NOT a Video:)

Anyone who has come to the house will tell you that Pooka is a big old fraidy cat and hides when people are here.  Our niece is staying with us temporarily and after a few days became Pooka's best friend!  It is hilarious to watch and my only explanation is that the Koehlers must put off some sort of weird 'furmone' that attracts animals.  Jim and Lauren both have it too.

This is ZIGGY, our niece's Golden Doodle.  He is very sweet and lovable and really likes to cram himself into Pooka's old puppy bed.

It must have magical qualities because here is 

Biscuit doing the same thing:)  

Pooka just really likes to hump it!

Other family pups include Juni above with baby Pooka and Bowen below in his own little bed.  We will be seeing him for Christmas so another full house even without Juni coming!

I hope you will share fur baby 

pics in the comments!!

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Day 15: Fifteen

Today's post brought to you by the number 15:)  

How very Sesame Street of me.  

Trust me I am not out of topics for this month's 31 day blog challenge but the business topics I want to share are not prepared because I am very busy and I am procrastinating (who knew:). 

Plus I don't want to drop a day because  

I am very motivated to keep up this year.

Google has to be one of the greatest inventions Ever!  

So I searched 15 and hit images- Boring!  

Then I hit the news button and Wow. 

 I try to avoid the news like the plague because it is so 

depressing and not all these stories are great 

but there are a couple that are fun/good!

**Fifteen stories of the Taj Hotel...I am intrigued.

**Fifteen Pirates in Fall Commencement. Well that is one of my daughter's Alma Mater so, that sounds like a fun story.

**Holiday Travel increases/Puerto Rico makes a comeback. 

That sounds uplifting for my former home.

** EU donates 15 mobile labs. That sounds extremely helpful.

This seems like a different way to expand my reading of "news" without being bombarded. I may add that to my lists for 2019 that I can procrastinate about-LOL!

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