Reflecting

 I sat on the front porch the other night reflecting on the last couple of months as I watched the clouds change shapes.  I took pictures of them as I sat there.  

 The end of July, Gary's uncle passed away.  We attended the funeral on the 29th.  He was never one to brag about himself or his accomplishments, so I was surprised to learn of all he had accomplished in life.  On our way home from that funeral we stopped in to see my Uncle Fred and Aunt Deanne.  These are two of my favorite people!!  My aunt had been having some health problems, so I really wanted to see her.  It was such a good visit.  She commented on how pretty in looked in my new outfit.  Little did any of us suspect at the time that exactly 1 month later I would wear the same outfit to attend her funeral.  We stayed for about 45 minutes.  I wanted to stay longer, especially when I saw the look on her face when I said we had to leave, but it was Gary's birthday and we needed to get home so our kids and grandkids could come over.  Now I wish we would have stayed for hours!

 She was such a great example to me.  Just watching my aunt and uncle together, you knew that they had a deep love for each other.  She made everyone around her feel special and loved.  Her kids were so lucky to have her for a mom.  I'm sad that I won't hear that laugh again in this life.  

 Sterling had his 1st birthday on August 8th.  He started walking the next day, and has been practically running since then.  He can sure get into things fast.  In the picture below he brought me a pair of Papa's socks and made me put them on his feet/legs.  I tried to get a picture of how curly his hair is in the back.  

 I quilted this froggy quilt for my grandson who is coming the end of this month.

 Here's the fabric for his car seat canopy.

 And this quilt is half way done.  Crossing my fingers he doesn't come early!

A Couple Fun Projects

 Tracy gave me some fun owl fabric a couple of months ago (have I mentioned that I love it when my sisters clean out their stash). I tried a new pattern for this quilt.  I goofed in turning the rows the opposite way to cut them out, but it doesn't look so bad...at least that's what I'm telling myself.  Now I want to try this pattern again for a lap size quilt out of some darker fabrics I've had for years.  That will be a good winter project.

 Jaycee got some of these Aden and Anais swaddle blankets when Sterling was born.  I LOVED them.  Wish they would have been around when I was having babies.  They're 44 x 44 inches, a good size for wrapping up a baby.  The Cotton Shop started carrying the gauze fabric in really cute prints.  I resisted buying any until now.  I bought 1-1/4 yards of this bunny print to make it 44 x 44.  It's a swaddle blanket for grandbaby #9 who is due in September.  First I surged around all the edges.

 Then I did a double fold narrow hem all around.

 I bought the fabric on sale so it cost me about $12 for the blanket.  The name brand  blankets are around $18, so it's a pretty good deal.  

Up next are some boy blankets for the new baby.  Trying not to procrastinate until the last minute.  

Family

 I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the meaning of family?  There are many ways to describe family.  What comes to mind first are blood relatives, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and all the extended family.  There are times when people who are not blood relatives are family.  It’s untraditional, but family nonetheless.  My mom wasn’t raised by her parents, but by her widowed grandmother.  She never knew her own mother.  When we were young she became close to a woman in our ward who lived the next street over.  This woman had moved here with her husband and kids from Holland.  She had family, but they were still back in Holland.  Mom and Ann created a “family unit” that was closer than blood ties at times.  I often think it was their way of making a family to take the place of a void in their lives.  I found a few pictures from Facebook for this post.  This picture shows my parents in the middle, my grandparents on the left (my dad’s parents), and Ann and Walt on the right.  This picture is so special to me because it shows my heritage, my family.

There was a special bond between our family and the De Haan family.  Their house was where we spent holidays.  It’s were we celebrated being family.  When I think of the special moments in my young life, it’s always with them.  Camping trips, dinners, getting together on Sunday nights, playing games on New Year’s Eve.   Ann would take one child at a time for a week during the summer.  We felt so special to spend time in their home.  She would share her Dutch chocolate and salt licorice with us.  Walt was an excellent carpenter.  He made cedar chests for the older girls until his health didn't allow him to work with wood anymore.  

 We were close with their 2 youngest children, Lavada and Ken, who were still at home.

(Nann getting birthday spankings)

Tracy, Jenny (??), and Walt

(Ken and Bryan) 

 (Camping trip to Fallen Leaf Lake)

(Walt, Kathy, and Kyle) 

 (Walt and Dena "making a picture")

 A few weeks ago Lavada, came for a visit.  It was fun to sit back in my parent’s house and hear everyone reminiscing about the good times we had.  Even though our lives are full with our own children and grandchildren now, we are still family.  I feel like I am who I am because of the foundation that was formed years ago between our two families.  I feel a connection with their Dutch heritage through their stories of Holland and how they lived through the war.  They taught me to love salt licorice and Dutch pastries.  Even though Ann and Walt have been gone for many years now, I still hold them close in my heart

Quilt Show

 For the Fiesta Days Celebration the local quilting bee hosts a quilt show.  It's located at the Pioneer Park on Main Street.  They display the quilts so cute, on an old buggy, barns, fences, and porch.  There's a $75 prize for 1st place and $50 for 2nd.  It's a people's choice award with a ballot box to vote.

 I got brave and decided to enter a couple of my quilts this year, a first for me!  After the parade we walked over to the quilt show.  I was a little nervous when I saw my Skull Quilt peeking out through the trees.  I wasn't sure how this one would be received hanging alongside the more traditional quilts.

 I stood back and watched for a bit.  A lot of people noticed the skulls and then passed by quickly.  Some teenagers loved it and took note of the quilt number so they could vote for it.  

 I found my Row Along Quilt hanging in the back of the house.  I have to say this is my all-time favorite quilt.   

 I didn't win, but it was fun experience.

Fiesta Days Parade

 We moved to Spanish Fork last year.  They celebrate Fiesta Days on July 24th with a parade, rodeo, carnival, fireworks, etc.  This year we attended for the first time with our kids.  We had the grandkids sleep over the night before.  We got up early to attend the pancake breakfast, but no one showed up to cook the breakfast....so we got McDonalds breakfast!  Love how it started out with the flags presented by riders on horseback.

 This float of young beauty queens was so cute.  So much enthusiasm, big smiles and big waves.

 Stripling warriors -- only in Utah! 

 Rodeo Queens.

 Love the bagpipes!  

 This was my favorite float from a little town to the south of us, Salem.  That fish was so sparkly and beautiful in the sun.

 You know you live in a small town when there are lots of tractors!

 Lots and lots of tractors!  (I didn't even take pictures of all of them)

 This will definitely be a new tradition for our family.  We're all looking forward to next year and hopefully will be able to attend the rodeo too.  Can't wait!

Lucky Winner

 Our local grocery store had a giveaway display with a smoker, camping chairs and a cooler.  We all entered it when we were shopping.  After that every time we went by the display in the store Gary would say he was going to win it.  He even went so far as to tell a store employee to be sure and call him when he won.  Well, I got a text from Gary saying "Guess who's the winner of the awesome smoker??"  I thought he was teasing me.  Sure enough, he won this beauty.  

 He's made us the best chicken breasts on it a couple of times.  So tender and smoky.  

 Here's a quilt I made with some leftover scraps from a couple of baby quilts.  Turned out cute.  Thanks, Tracy, for the fabric.  I had fun making them.

 This is a quilt I just finished quilting for my friend.  I love the purple flower applique she did on it.  

 Another fun way to do a baby quilt.  It would be a good use of scraps too.

 An finally.  Just a pic of my bargain shopping.  Got all this for $5.  (I'm trying to get into coupon shopping again.)