Home again, home again and all is well!

April was a stressful month!  But at the end of it - all is well!

First, of course, darling Mr K was born.  He's doing so well and big brother is adorable with him.  His little voice making two syllables into 4+.     You should hear what he can do with "Hi!"  Too cute!

Then we had a scare with my dear SIL.  He's a jogger - training for a marathon and had a spot on his nether-areas.  He went to his GP and he said, "Hmmm, I pretty sure that's a bug bite, but I am concerned with this that I found. You're going to a Urologist."

Long 'nail-biting' story shortened -- after blood tests; Ultra-sound, CAT scan, MRI.  The Urologist wasn't sure what it was but  said, "I want it out."  Well, it was testicular cancer.  J is 35 this week and we thank God for that bug!  It was pre-stage1.  He's cancer-free and will be scanned several times a year for a while - but there's no sign of it spreading anywhere.  Of course, there always is the shock of going to a dr for a bug bite and finding out you have cancer!  But he's getting his mind around it.

When I was up there, he said - in a very pitiful voice, "L can you get me a glass of juice, because I have testicular cancer!?!?!"

I replied,"J."
"Yes, Mom?"
"You can get your own juice because you are a CANCER SURVIVOR!"
"Yes, Mom!"

So poor L - 9 months pregnant with twins (she was a surrogate for good friends of theirs.) was the caregiver for J after surgery.  It was a long week before he got the "All Clear".  L said, "Now we can finally relax!  Well, until labor!!"

The twins were born April 20.  The little girl was 4'12 and the big brother was 5'14!!  There was the usual concerns about twins, but all was well and they should be released today from the hospital.

L was so anemic they kept her 2 days in the hospital after a natural birth; and gave her two units of blood. But she is bouncing back in her usual style! Sunday they were all at the zoo!!

And during this period my mom was in the hospital for pneumonia for the 3rd time this year.  She's back home and I'll be seeing her Mother's Day for my spring visit.  Hey, Nebraska! Spring weather would be appreciated!! Work on that, would you???

I missed my Bayshore Babes quilt retreat while helping up at Portland.  But I was on my way home Thursday and they were still all there - so I stopped by, stayed the night and had a great time vegging out after a stressful month! Thanks, Babes, for the warm welcome for someone who was 4 days late!!!

I managed to get my house blocks done.  We're getting together tomorrow to start the last two blocks in the original pattern.  We, of course, are adding 3 blocks to make it square and top and bottom borders of mountains and ocean!!  Might as well make it your own especially if you're starting it late anyway!!

Here's the link to the first 2 blocks.  And here are the blocks - officially block 4 and 5:

These are 'almost' done - there's some animals but I think they need to be enlarged just a skootch!  I machine blanket stitch around them and they are pretty darn small!  But that means I have to be organized enough to remember to take the patterns into town and stop at the copy shop!  Hasn't happened yet!

Miss P is in an "ARTIST" stage.  She had me pose with a can of Sierra Mist!!  And my, she was cranky when I moved at all!!  But I really think she "GOT ME"!!!  What do you think??  Friends told me it looked like I was holding a cell phone, but that couldn't be right - my cell phone is always in the other room!!! LOL!

We had gorgeous weather yesterday - and an awesome low tide too!!  Here's some photos taken with my phone - just to urge you to visit the Oregon coast - especially on the gorgeous days!!!

That's home!  Last building on the left!

Tide pools - always fun to poke around in!

Wide beaches to walk.

View from the top of the hill where we started!

Enjoy spring wherever you are!!

He's Here!!!

Mr K made his debut Tuesday, April 2, 2013.  Welcome to the family, Cutie-Pie!!

We got to meet him on Tuesday when we hurried across the mountains to see him.  We met the babysitter and took Mr D to the hospital to meet his new brother.  Very exciting!  Mr D will be 2 next week.  Here he is playing "yogurt" games with Papa.  Although he can certainly feed himself, we love interacting with him whilst he's trapped in the high chair.  It's about the only time we can get an 'in focus' picture of him. The rest are blurs as he runs by!!!

Don'cha just love the toes bracing against the high chair tray shown below!!

Although I bound Mr K's baby quilt and added handquilting details in the little panels at their house - I'm happy to report the baby quilt was done within 2 days of Mr K's debut!!  Why - that's practically a miracle!!

Beach Baby - approximately 40 x 55 - lasagna quilt with beach panels added.

A couple of years ago I started picking up ziplock baggies of beach fabrics at sales.  Last year, in the midst of a sewing space clean-up, I decided to see how far they would take me.  Now you quilters know, that you always end up adding from your own stash ... like the white fishie strips were from Miss P's Fish quilt, but I made THREE baby quilt tops from the baggies+!!

I really shudder to think how many quilts I can make from the stash!!!  BUT moving on ... J&A picked this top for Mr K last fall when we knew he was coming.

I used Warm 'N Natural batting; a nautical flannel backing from JoAnn's - I fell in love with the little crabs!  I walking foot quilted it.  In the close ups you can see my Washable marker markings on the borders - the pictures were taken before I washed it before leaving it there.

Sleep tight, Little One.  Nana will be back soon!!

Still crazy here!!

First I want to say - if you ever have a chance to go to a Quiltmaker Block Party - GO!  It was awesome.  We had so much fun and were treated like royalty!  The Jantzen Beach Red Lion is a great resort hotel.  The classrooms have floor to ceiling windows looking out over the Columbia River.  We had a great rainbow one of the days.  Yep - our days all blended together into wonderful memories of a great time.  
Please excuse the cell phone pix.  They're good, but not as good as the Nikon.  Of course, you have to haul the Nikon around .... choices, choices!!                                                                 

The rainbow was at a low angle - simply awesome!

Midnight flight was a HARD block - with 3 picky points!  But Bonnie's classes are always worth it!

Debbie Caffery is a great teacher - made us feel talented!!  Thanks, Debbie.

Jo Morton - from Nebraska too!!  Hand piecing, just the class to end the Block Party

The roomies from Newport!  It was such a party!!!  Thanks, gals!

A big shout out to Mary - we took the same classes the whole time!

Then I brought the Portland grandkids home with me for their school spring break.  At 4 and 6 their schedules are getting busy - we fit them in while we can.  Luckily, the weather was 'not March-ish' and we had an awesome low tide last week.  The beach is very popular with them.  There are rocks to find and/or throw into the ocean; lots of sand to draw on; driftwood to race to the ocean in streams; and well, needless to say we have to drag them off the beach every night.

I usually draw a heart on the beach - it started as proof I was down there!  But who can resist such a giant drawing space???

Castle building 101 - that's too close to the waves, buddy!!

"Sheriff"  Miss P drawing the line so no one gets too close to the stream we're throwing pieces of driftwood into. Papa was picking them out of the rocks and tossing them down to the beach - Mr M throwing them into the stream as fast as he could - trying to keep up with Papa!!

Hard to keep them in focus - always on the move on the beach!  Things to throw, things to climb!

Got'cha, you two little cuties!!

THE bench on the way back up.  Miss P sat with me here the first night and said, "It's so nice to hear the ocean waves again."  Yep, she must be 'channeling' a little old lady!!

I'm so excited - I've wrapped/gift-bagged all the new baby clothes. [ I went a little crazy at the Carter's Outlet at Woodburn!]  AND completed 4 flannel receiving blankies for Mr K;  AND finished binding on an UFO!  Ta-da!!!

Presenting "It's A Garage Sale Thing" - and what a story!  By the way, there's a top border, like the bottom border, folded down.  If you listen carefully, you can hear my DH holder/folder mumbling about the awkward size!!

I've had this quilt top for 5+ years.  Funny story!  When I moved to Oregon I had a giant garage sale - lots of quilt stuff.  Double car garage - absolutely filled to the brim!  A friend bought the giant baggie of squares - ala Bonnie Hunter style!  She made them into 9patches, one of my absolute favorite blocks!!

On that same weekend a mutual friend was also having a garage sale - the floral fabric was acquired there!  The friend then put together the quilt top and showed it to me.  I loved it and bought it from her!!!!  It now reminded me of all 3 of us!!!  It was like hiring a subcontractor to sew my quilt!!  

Only thing - it seemed a little too short for us tall people!!  So I hunted and found a green border for top and bottom.  As you can see - that one didn't work as well as it promised to!!  So last fall in Nebraska, I found the red stars - perfection!!  I had the Ladies Altar Society in Lincoln hand quilt it for me.  And I bound it - just tonight!!

A finish just in time - for the end of the quarter .... for getting me out of the top 20 in the UFO challenge... and  it also is registered in our guild's UFO challenge!  Triple delight!!

Don't know when I'll get back to you!!  Babies coming at us from all directions!  I'll let you know how everything goes ... eventually!!  Happy Spring!!!