Week with my brother

I have always loved camping in the mountains, especially in the fall.  It is a place of peace and renewal for me.  I feel closer to nature and all the blessings from God.  My brother, Kevin, has always loved camping at a lake in the hottest part of the year.  His family does not like to camp but Alex does do the Boy Scout camping thing.  This year Kevin decided to try camping in the mountains in the fall and asked me if I'd like to go with him.  I jumped at the chance to go camping in the mountains in September and to spend some one-on-one time with my brother. 

We went to Colorado Springs and then out west to the mountains.  We crossed over some mountain pass that had a paved road to the top but a rough dirt road down the other side. This is what we saw at the top.   We took that and ended up at Taylor Lake north of Gunnison, CO. 

Kevin enjoys hiking but I am not to keen on that.  We went to Helen Hunt Falls where Kevin took the hiking path up to the falls and I stayed at the bottom and took pictures of the fall foliage and flowers.

Kevin also went on a hike up a mountain around our campground.  I relaxed at the camp site listening to the sounds of the running water in the creek and watching the birds and critters.  We watched the wind blow across the campground.  It was calm where we were but could see and hear the wind in the trees to the west of us.  We watched it move to the east, moving calm trees as it went.  It came over us and our calm became winds while it was still calm on the other side of us.  We watched it continued on it's path changing calm to windy.  I've never seen wind move like that.  It was like watching a wave in the ocean coming over the tree tops.

I love fall (autumn). It is my favorite time of year. I love all the colors in the trees as well as the warm days and cool nights. This is just one example of the colors in the under brush of the aspen trees in the mountains in September. 

I enjoyed the one-on-one time with my brother. We have not shared time like this since he got married nearly 23 years ago. We did not even fight as siblings have a tendency to do at times. Thank you, Kevin, for a great time together.

Church Quilts

Our church stake was given a lot of fabric and it was divided up to each branch and ward.  The Relief Society was asked to make quilts for charity from this fabric.  We were to make the quilt tops then come together at the stake for a day of learning quilting techniques and to finish our quilts.  I served on the committee and was asked to work at the binding table. 
I made up four designs for our RS branch to choose from that would work together from the fabric amounts we had.  They chose a Begger Block pattern and a Triple Windmill pattern.  We gathered at the church three times to work on the quilt tops and I machine quilted them on Mother's long arm machine.  They were ready to be bound at the Stake Quilting Day.  I chose two different techniques to do and to teach. 
We made two twin bed sized quilts and then I made a baby quilt from the scraps of the Triple Windmill Quilt.

Begger Block                                                  Pieced back for Begger Block

            Triple Windmill

I had so much fun at the Stake Quilting Day.  There were so many beautiful quilts on display.  I helped several women bind their quilts, helped others plan their binding, demonstrated and finally did get one of our quilts bound that day.  I did the binding on the second one at home later because we ran out of time that day.  

The Colby Branch now has three quilts ready to give to someone in need in our community.  There was a house fire in Colby shortly after the quilts were finished and one was given to that local family.

Shocker

Even though I just own one cow, Molly, while Dad has a few and my nephew, Derrick, owns the bulk of the herd, I love to work with the cattle and especially the baby calves.  Tonight I went to the pasture with Dad to check cattle.  We have been having baby calves for the last couple weeks and have at least 20 with a set of twins also.  We ear tagged 5 new baby calves.  The new hook he made to catch the little critters works well.  I tighten up my seat belt on the Ranger and lean out as far as I can as Dad drives (chases) them around the pasture and I hook their little hind legs.  Usually when I go out with Dad, he will open the gates and have me drive but not tonight since I wanted to catch.  As we were coming back home, I got off the Ranger to hook up the electric fence.  The wire would not reach all the way across for some reason.  I knew that while the fence was not hooked it would not shock me.  I had hold of the plastic handle but grabbed the wire on the other side that I hook it into.  DUMB!    OUCH!!  I got shocked from the fingers on my left hand, up my left arm, across my body and ended with tingles down my right arm to the hand holding the handle of the gate wire.  After laughing at me, Dad explained that the gate wire is not hot when unhooked but the remainder of the fence wire is!  That line is hot and runs the electricity to the entire pasture with a 100 mile fence charger.  O.K. I'll have to remember that.  Now, 4 hours later, my left hand and under side of my forearm still hurt.  I do not know how Dad can grab any of the electric wires and just feel a little tingle at best to tell if the fence is working. 
No wonder I do not like to work with electricity even to change out a switch or outlet, let alone replace a light or ceiling fan.  I will change a light bulb, though.

Summer vacation

Last week I decided to tale a little vacation.  I just wanted some relaxing time away for a few days and also wanted to go to the temple before it closed for renovations.  I love camping in the mountains but just could not get things to work out as I had hoped.  Instead I booked a hotel in Denver for 4 nights.  I left on Tuesday afternoon, checked into the hotel and found something for supper that night.

Wednesday I decided to drive in the mountains for the day since I was unable to camp over the weekend.  I have driven through Idaho Springs to Echo Lake before then on through Evergreen and Morrison back into Denver.  It is a beautiful mountain drive without taking all day.  One thing I have never done is once arriving at Echo Lake, is to take the 14 mile drive to the 14,264 feet summit of Mount Evans.  This road is the highest paved road in North America.  This time I am doing it!  I paid the $10 for passage up the road and away I went.  The climb began immediately.  Up, up, curve, up and curve again.  The further I went the steeper the drive became, the tighter the curves were, the narrower the road became and the less there was on the side of the road.  In fact, you could see the depth of the blacktop of the road...then...nothing.  There might be a rock or two beside the road but other than that it was a sheer drop off into the valley (or road if you are lucky) below.  As I drive, I am a gawker.  I love to look around.  As the traffic was light that day I was able to drive in the middle of the road on some straight stretches of road and really look.  The mountains were beautiful, so many colors in them and the sky and clouds looked so fresh.  As I looked around and over (even from the middle of the road) I got butterflies in my tummy.  Oh, my goodness!  I can't believe I'm doing this and know Dad would absolutely hate the drive and view although he is where I got my love for this.

This is what I actually saw as I was approaching a very tight curve on the very steep road that had no guard rails.  I had the camera in my hand on the steering wheel so I could show what it was really like.  I am as high as the clouds with nothing between me and a beautiful free fall should I not make the curve.  I stopped once about 9 miles up the mountain at a little lake that had a rest area.  I just sat for about 10 minutes to catch my breath and relax my tense muscles before going on up.

As I finally get almost to the top I am stopped by wildlife. There is a family of sheep crossing the road in front of me. I know it is a little hard to see. but there were 6 of them-a couple were babies.


At the top it looks like God used a huge dump truck to make the top of the 14,264 foot high peak and people were climbing it.  The road is 14,120 feet high and you can see for miles as the sign says.  I felt like I was on the top of the world but had the little butterflies in the tummy and the swirl in the head as I looked all around me.  Can you believe people ride mountain bikes up this road?  I would not want to be on the edge of the road there there is nothing but drop off and have cars coming from both directions at once on this very narrow road.

The drive back down the mountain was as intense as the drive up.  I think I was on the drop off side of the road more.  Every curve would bring forth a prayer.  I saw more wildlife also.  There was a little red fox walking along the edge of the road.  Then there was a deer standing on the edge of the road on the side of the mountain so close that a passenger in the car could have reached out and touched it as it stood so still.  There was too much traffic at that time to get a picture of the deer. 

Once I got back down to Echo Lake I could have gone on the drive through Evergreen but at that time I was to the point of "Just get me out of the mountain and back to the Interstate" state of mind. But on the way there was this meadow and pond with moose playing in the water.  There were probably 20-25 critters there.  I know the picture shows the meadow much better than it does the moose.  I finally got to the Interstate and back into Denver.  This was a beautiful drive, although a very tense drive, and I am so glad I finally did it.  It was a nice day in the mountains that brought me a lot of joy and peace.

When I returned to Denver I went to visit a friend.  An ice cream truck came down the street.  I have not seen an ice cream truck since I was little and we were in New York visiting my uncle and aunt.  I did not know they were still even in existence.  I flagged him down and bought a $3.50 drumstick ice cream cone and visited with the driver a bit.  That was like being a kid again and was fun.  I later went out to supper at Rosie's Diner.  It was a cute place with the old diner counter as well as booths and tables.  The booths had the old jukeCristo sandwich.  I have not had one of those for at least 15-20 years.  This was a day to remember.

Thursday I did a little shopping, took a nap and visited my aunt and uncle.  I took them some items for a garage sale his family is having to raise money for his daughter that needs surgery.  After a nice visit I went to the Outback Steak House and had one of the best sandwiches I've had in a long time (not counting the great sandwich I had the night before).  It was a steak fillet cooked then sliced thin and placed on some kind of special herbed bread served with au jus and sweet potato fries.  Yum, Yum!

I went to the temple on Friday from 9:00 - 3:00.  It was great to be able to do some family history work and be reminded of all the covenants made and blessings promised in the Holy Temple, The House of the Lord.  Later I got together with my niece, Liz, that lives in Denver for college.  She has the cutest house that she shares with 3 house mates.  Liz has done a lot of work in the yard planting grass and flowers to make the place really look like a home and not just a rented house.  We went out to a Mexican restaurant in a trendy part of town off Colfax Ave.  It was a place and in an area that I never would have found or gone to on my own.  The food was good and the company was great.  We had a wonderful visit and I'm so glad she was able to share some time with her old aunt.

Saturday was the day to return home.  I got ready to check out and the main elevator was out of order.  At least there was a back service elevator to use.  I would not want to haul all the stuff I had down the stairs by hand.  It would have taken 4 trips.  I went shopping for a bra and got frustrated and just headed on home.  Dana called me to ask me to babysit that evening.  I was about an hour from home at the time.  I got home, unloaded the car and went to babysit my great niece and great nephew.  I love spending time with the kiddos while my nephew takes his wife out on a date.  They got home very late and I set my alarm to get up for church but fell back asleep and did not wake up until 1:20 p.m.  Oops, I missed church.  I guess I was totally exhausted from a great week of 'relaxing' vacation.

Summer days

Summer has been hot, hot, hot.  So many days have been over 100 degrees with the rest in the mid to upper 90's.  Thank goodness I have central air conditioning in my house.  I'm lovin' that.  Dad got the air conditioner fixed in my car a couple weeks ago after having problems with it off and on for over 2 years.  That is so nice also.  I am such a wimp about working in the heat and humidity.  Yes, northwest Kansas has had some humidity.  I've been trying to go outside to work in the flower beds or mow early in the morning.  I survive longer on the mower than I do working in the yard. 

I put in a flower bed along the south side of my house last summer and put one along the west side of the house this summer.  I got some plants while in Wichita in June and got the area worked up the the plants in the ground.  As I was walking across the yard looking at other plantings, I stepped in a hole in the yard that I had never seen before.  I fell to the ground on hands and knees with my foot still in the hole.  I got up and continued to work in the yard another hour or so before going into the house to sit and cool off under the ceiling fan.  When I tried to get up to take a shower, I could hardly put any weight of that right foot.  By evening I got the crutches from Mom & Dad.  A few days later I went to the clinic to have it checked and was told there was no obvious fracture on the x-ray and to wear the walking boot and use the crutches.  If I was not better in 2 weeks I should come back and then they'd find out what is really going on.  I do not want to mess with 9 month of a hurt ankle as I did 2 years ago.  I wore the boot and used the crutches for another week and a half before trying it without.  I decided to go to the chiropractor then.  He said it was out of place and did a couple pulls, twists and pops and sent me on my way and to come back in 4 days.  At that time he said it was only slightly out of place, put it back in with one pull and taped the arch and ankle.  That was 4 days ago and I hardly have a limp when I walk.  I even got the mulch down in the new flower bed yesterday. 

While using the crutches, I used a messenger bag to carry stuff around since I did not have extra hands.  My cell phone was in there all the time because I usually do not have pockets.  I was picking up dishes and cups to take to the kitchen and put a mug in the bag thinking it was empty.  It fell over in the bag as I was moving and there was some melted ice water in it.  My phone got wet.  I immediately took the battery out and dried everything out and placed it all in rice..  This it supposed to be the cure all for wet cell phones and I know it has worked on a phone that took a bath with one of my nieces.  Mine just got wet, not dunked or soaked.  The rice did not work on my phone.  The battery still works in Mom's phone but the screen and keyboard are dead in mine.  UGG!  Rather than buy a new phone, I just had my old one with an external antenna reactivated.  It does not matter what phone I have I still have dropped calls, week signal and can not answer calls in the bedroom. 

The foot accident was on Friday (July 8) and the cell phone accident was the following Monday (July 11).  On Thursday (July 14) I laid on the couch to put my foot up for a while and fell asleep.  When I woke up a couple hours later, I opened my eyes to see a 3 foot long snake crawling across the middle of my living room floor.  I called Mom and she found Dad in the shed and I had kept a watch on the snake to see where it would go.  They both came in to help, one with a hoe and the other with a shovel.  He had crawled behind the recliner along the north wall.  Mom opened the door and Dad chased him that way and finally out the door.  He took off towards the road but turned around and headed back to the house.  Bull snakes are good to have around because of they eat other rodents but you get in my house and you are fair game.  If he had kept going he would be alive but once he headed back to the house, Dad decided he would not have the chance to get back in.  Thank you Mom & Dad for coming to my rescue once again.  That week was some week and I would rather not repeat another one like that.  Foot accident, cell phone accident, and snake in the house.

Now for the fun stuff.  I hope you have stuck with me through the other.  I spent 2 weeks in Wichita at Karen & Ron's home in June.  It was very hot there also but I stayed mostly in the basement in the cool sewing room.  I had taken a project to work on and that is what we did.  Karen had meetings 3 of the days and I just sewed away.  I have had fabric for a Storm at Sea quilt for at least 6 years.  Along with the fabric, I had a copy of the pattern that I had marked changes for it to be the size I wanted and had templates drawn out and cutting directions ready.  Karen & I work so well together when quilting.  I usually cut and arrange the pieces and Karen sews.  I then cut, press, trim and then arrange the blocks together for the next sewing.  We finished the top.  I plan to machine quilt it on Mom's long arm quilting machine.  It is double bed size.  But as you can see it fits very nicely on a queen bed.

Since coming home from Wichita I have finished the applique borders on the Year in the Garden quilt.  Now it is ready for machine quilting also.

On the way to Wichita I found some fabric that would work in my bathroom for curtains.  I bought enough to make a valance for the bathroom window because I also wanted to hang a pull shade on it.  After purchasing this fabric and making the curtain while in Wichita, I decided to make a matching shower curtain.  Karen & I stopped in Newton to buy more fabric.  Yesterday I painted the trim boards around the bathroom window, installed the pull shade and the valance.  I put up the shower curtain.  Today I made a hanging bag from the extra fabric.  The bathroom looks so much brighter with having the shade up and the forest green shower curtain down.  Now to clean the room.

               

I have been helping the ladies group at church with a quilting project.  We were given enough fabric for two quilts.  I took the amounts of each color we were given and figured out several patterns we could make from it.  We have had two sewing nights at church and are to have the quilt tops done by September 17 when we will all gather in Garden City to quilt them.  I have been asked to teach a binding class so I think I will machine quilt ours before going there.  I'm excited to get these done.  I then will work on Eilene Murphy's quilt.  I have been enjoying the sewing projects.

Arbor

Today I finally did it.  I did it all by myself, in fact.  I am proud of that fact.  For two years I have had a box sitting in my mud room waiting for me to do something with it.  I have looked at the box and moved it around and dreamed about what was inside but nothing else.  Today I moved that box to the living room.  I removed the clear plastic cover, then slit open the bottom of the box.  I slid out the contents of the box onto the carpet.  I looked it all over well and got excited about what I saw-a lot of white sticks.  White vinyl sticks - for the arbor that I want to put in my front yard along with a new white vinyl fence.  The fence has been sitting in my garage for 2 years also now.  I read the directions that came with the arbor and found the electric drill, extension cord and square.  Now I was ready to begin.  The instructions said it should take 30 minutes and two people to assemble this.  Well I went to work while sitting on the floor.  I assembled the arches and screwed them together.  Next the sides were laid out and the slats inserted before squaring up each of the sides and setting with screws.  Now came the part that I was to need a second person to do-put the arch and sides together.  I maneuvered things around using my back, hands and head to get it together.  Yes it would have been easier with another person but I was stubborn and did it myself.  When I tried to totally raise it up straight I heard a huge clatter and realized that I was standing under the running ceiling fan.  Oops!  Way to go, Rose.  I had to scoot over before standing it up.  I do have a few white vinyl marks on the ceiling fan blades that should rub off easily.  Any marring on the decorative part of the top of the arch connectors will never be noticed.  Here it is.

                    

Yes, I know it is indoors and it is leaning.  I did not screw the arch to the sides yet because I thought it would be easier to move outside in three pieces instead of one large unit.  Now I need to get the patio and sidewalk concrete poured so I can install the arbor around the new sidewalk and install the new vinyl picket fence.  I have plans to do more flowers along the fence the width of the arbor when all is done.  I have a lot of ideas in my head of what I'd like the front of my house and yard to look like and maybe, slowly, I'll get them all done.

I am pleased that I have taken the first step.

Rose

Happy Easter

Happy Easter.  This is a day of celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Over the past week we have remembered His suffering, His atoning sacrifice, His crucifixion and death, and His glorious resurrection from death.  All this he did for me, for you, for all mankind.  What an amazing and beautiful thing Jesus did for us.  I am so grateful for that and for the plan of salvation.  This video is beautiful.
I hope you will view it.

In 1985 I toured Israel with my mother and a small group from the area.  There we toured the historical sites where different events were believed to have occurred in the life of Jesus.  It became more real to me at that time than ever before and even more so a couple weeks later when all that I had done, seen and felt really sunk in fully.  I was there where He was born, where He grew up, where He was baptized, where He taught, where He walked, where He died and was buried, and where He rose again.  I know Christ is risen and lives.

Last Sunday I was asked to speak in Sacrament meeting in church today, Easter Sunday.  When President Rose asked me to speak about Easter traditions, I told him I'm sure I have a different view than some because of growing up Catholic.  He wanted that point of view and how it applies to us as LDS members and how it brings us closer to the Savior.  I prefer a two week notice to speak in church so was glad when I substituted at the school in the library three mornings this past week.  Those morning are spend supervising study hall.  I had time and full access of the Internet and used them to my advantage in preparing my talk.  By noon on Thursday, I had my talk researched, written, revised, and printed-ready to present on Sunday. The presentation of my talk went very well this morning and I received many positive comments.  What is more  important to me is that it be pleasing to the Lord.  I pray it was.

"Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen." (Luke 24:5-6)  He Is Risen.  Happy Easter.

Sister's Weekend



Arvilla (Mom), Dorothy, Phyllis (Sis), MaryAnn, Sister Rita


This past weekend my mother and her sisters got together from Thursday afternoon till Sunday morning.  These girls started this annual gathering 20 years ago.  There were seven girls in the family.  One passed away when she was 23 and another passed away since this annual gathering began. The youngest sister has Alzheimer's disease.  The sisters-in-law are also invited and the brothers and spouses join the girls for Saturday evening dinner.  They take turns hosting the event and do many different things.  This year my mother was the hostess.



 

    

                                 

During spring break her children gathered off and on over a 3 week period and helped her get ready for the gathering.  We painted the living room, painted the bathroom, and removed the old kitchen linoleum and Dad installed new industrial tile.  We helped her deep clean the kitchen, bathroom, and living room.  Mom bought herself a new chair since hers was falling apart.  Dad's chair was no better but he did not want to buy one but my sister found a lift chair for him and they brought it home the day the sisters were gathering. 

Dorothy, the youngest of the sisters, lives in Denver and before she became sick she used to make quilts for the homeless.  She has donated over 75 quilts and given at least another 25 to family and friends.  The girls are all avid sewers and quilters.  Mom thought it would be nice to make quilts for the homeless and send them back to Denver with Dorothy this year before she no longer knows what is going on.  The other girls were told of the idea and were fully on board.  Some made quilts, some made quilt tops to be tied or quilted, some brought out fabric to be made into quilts. 

  

Every year they have a show-n-tell evening to show what they have been working on during the past year.  They all do so many sewing and crafty things.  This year they showed all the quilts they brought out that were already finished and those that would be finished during the weekend.  It was amazing.  They had 33 finished quilts and quilt tops.  By the end of the weekend they sent 30 quilts with Dorothy and Frank to Denver for 2 different homeless shelters.  Sis took a couple home with her for a charity in Manhattan as well as a couple quilt tops to tie.  MaryAnn took a couple tops home to finish also.  Look at the pile of finished quilts they made.  The decision was made to continue to make quilts throughout the year and see what they can do by their next gathering.  These ladies are amazing. They are all beautiful seamstresses and quilters, and have huge hearts.

  I am blessed to have a mother and aunts that are such a good example to me of what family really is all about.  To come together as a unit and work together for good is only one way they have blessed the lives of our family and the lives of strangers alike.  I am grateful that I was able to spend some time with all of them over the weekend and watch them interact together.  I pray that one day my sisters and I will be able to do the same as my mother and her sisters.

Half Square Triangles

I came across a quilting blog today that really excited me.  Jennifer at That Girl...That Quilts has a method for making half square triangles that really intrigued me.  Check out her site here http://www.thatgirlthatquilt.com/2011/03/have-stitchin-weekend.html.  She takes a square, stitched all the way around it and then cuts it diagonally twice to make 4 half square triangle blocks.  I never would have thought of that.  She also gives the math to make your hst's any size you need.  How fun!  She is doing a Have a Stitchin' Weekend projects posted every Friday.  I am anxious to see what else Jennifer does and what new tricks I can learn.
Happy sewing and quilting.

New Great Babies

Wow, our family is growing so fast. 

 

February 1, Alisha, Jake & Emelyn received a baby boy, Isaiah. 

 

 

Then on February 26, Valerie & Justin had a baby boy, Jeremiah.

February 27th, Chris & Megan had a baby boy, Gabriel. 

 (2 prophets and 1 angel within a month--we have been blessed!)  Three grandsons within 4 weeks for Cathy and Joe. 

Dana & Joe were to sign the final adoption papers on Andrea, Ernie & Amanda today.  That is three more grandchildren for Cathy.  That makes 10 grandchildren for Cathy and 3 grandchildren for Karen - 13 great babies for me.  That is 53 of us if we all get together at once.  I think that is fantastic.  I have 19 nieces & nephews plus 8 spouses & now 13 great nieces & nephews (Great-Babies).

Our family is so blessed.  All are here safely & healthy.

Sewing

I have been sewing a little bit more and I really do love it.  The first thing I did was to put together blocks that baby shower guests designed with waterproof markers at the shower into a quilt.  I have had a stripe fabric with red, blue, yellow, green and orange on a white background for so long in my stash that worked perfectly to set these blocks together with.  My sister Judy had some fabric in her stash that I used for the backing of the quilts.  I hope Megan & Valerie enjoy them.  It was a cute idea for a baby shower to occupy guests and to have a remembrance from that day.   I hope their babies arrive soon.  I am anxious meet them. 



                                                               

                       for Valerie Visser                                                                      for Megan Broeckelman















Alisha has a new baby, Isaiah, who was born February 1 and permanantly joined their family a week later.  I am so happy for Alisha, Jake & Emelyn and excited to meet the little guy.  I want to make a quilt for him before I do meet  him and have ideas in mind but have not nailed down the right thing for him yet.  It will be fun to create something for him.

Today my Great-Babies, Layne & Macie, turn three.  They love to help Mommy and Aunt Lizzie cook.  Liz is in culinary school and wears a chef hat as part of her school uniform.  I made chef hats for the twins.  It was so fun to do.   I did an Internet search for sewing chef hat and found a lot of web sites with tutorials.  I read several of them and then went to the sewing machine and did my thing based on what I had read. 

Well, I'm off to begin creating my next sewing adventure.

Baby Quilts

When my nieces & nephews began getting married and having babies, I decided to make each one an applique baby quilt to match the theme of their nursery.  It could be used as a blanket or wall hanging.  I have so much fun coming up with a design to go with each nursery.  I have designed a sports theme quilt, a farm scene quilt, and baby doll dresses quilt.  I have also made a firetruck theme quilt from a purchased pattern called "To the Rescue" by Clair Oehler at The Country Quilter.

Yesterday was the baby shower for both Valerie & Megan.  Here are pictures of what I did.  Chris & Megan have decided to wait till the baby is born to find out it's sex.  Megan has done her nursery in brown and aqua.   The teddy bears quilt is a personal design based from a coloring page for the bear.  

Valerie & Justin farm.  Rumor was that Justin wanted to wallpaper the nursery in tractor repair manual pages so their baby boy could tear down a tractor by age 5.  Valerie was not so sure about that.  Maybe the tractor quilt will help.  I did purchase a pattern for the "One the Farm" quilt which was also designed by Claire Oehler with The Country Quilter. 

Now I have had to tell them that this is done only for their first baby--8 babies will not get 8 applique quilts.  I have 19 nieces and nephews and that would add up to a lot of applique quilts and most likely several at once as with Megan & Valerie's babies-due about a week apart.  I'm not that creative nor that fast!!

I wonder what I will do next.  What will the next nursery theme be?  We'll see.