A project and a win!

So, on Monday (day after Christmas) I took Cal to Target so he could spend some Gift Card money.  I am so proud of his decisions as he purchased some much needed Jeans and then  had enough left over to buy a toy.  As we were getting into the car to head to another store I decided to quickly check my iPhone and saw that I had an email.  It was the best email I've had in a long while!  You see... I had entered into a giveaway via another blog and much to my surprise I actually won!!  It may not seem much to you but as a quilter who has had to pinch back on my fabric purchasing ~ this was a very big win!  I won a fat quart bundle of flannel fabrics from Kansas Troubles, my favorite fabric designers!  I actually started to cry as I read my email... Cal was so sweet to ask me if I was OK and when I explained what had happened he told me he was so glad for me because he knew it meant a lot to me and thought I deserved the win!  Girls... start sending in your resumes... I am going to VERY picky who gets to spend their life as his wife!   Anyhow, I have been doodling and sketching and browsing a couple of quilt books my mom sent me to figure out what kind of quilt I am going to make.  Chris wants me to make one to cover our King sized bed... that will be a very big quilt but a Flannel one would be perfect!  Here is the website, Kansas Troubles Quilters,  that I won from... and a photo that they had posted on their site with a picture of the fabric!  I am so excited for it to arrive!

I have also been working on a few other crafty projects.  This one is my first attempt at fried glass... I will get better with more practice... I cant tell you how many ideas I have swirling around in my head.  I need to start sketching and writing down my ideas!  Tell me what you think... any potential?

The End of 2011

2011 went by super fast!  I am going to have to write 2012 a few dozens times to get used to that change!  We had a white Christmas in the Springs this year thanks to the 4-6 inches we got earlier in the week that stuck around.  Christmas day was sunny with blue skies~ Perfect! 

Here are just a few pictures...

The kittens even got into the spirit of Christmas (NOT!)

Peter Pan

Captain Hook

(he has a hooked tail, hence the names)

One of the presents that Tyler got was a Paper Jamz Guitar.  Here are a few pictures and videos of our little Rock Star! 



Apparently if you wear your Nerf Dart Goggles you will look a lot more like a Rock Star!

Adding your brothers Cookie Monster flat bill hat helps too!

Talking to Oma and Opa just before he played for them.

Happy New Years Everyone!!!

That time of the year!

The kids are finally on Winter break... here is a quick post on a couple of things!  First, the entire first grade at the school got to dress up as Gingerbread boys/girls.  Most did but I wasnt going to sew a costume or purchase one for Ty... so we did a web search for some ideas and came up with the following!  Very inexpensive and was def one of a kind!  He was such a good sport about wearing this too!

This year for the teachers Christmas gifts we went with Sugar Scrubs and Book Marks.  Easy to make and hopefully enjoyed by the teachers.  Hobby Lobby was having a 50% off sale so I was able to get little jars (normally $1.49) for next to nothing!  I'm thinking I should have stocked up on some more... but I know the sale will come around again!  I was also able to purchse some ribbon with the first letter of each teachers last name for mere pennies and the kids helped choose colors for the beads.  Oh, and can I just mention that I love Graphics Fairy for the numerous pages of clip art for tags!

Pikes Peak

Although we have been here just over a year as a family we hadn't made the drive up to Pikes Peak until Sept 17th.  We had some temperature changes that week and so there was snow up at the top.  The drive was quick and really nice until we hit the sleet, hail and then winter like conditions... the temp difference from the base to the top can be a 30 degree difference.  We were ready though and for me (having had allergy problems all week) it was a welcomed relief to be able to breath once we got to the top!  Chris thinks I am nuts, apparently I need to live at Sea Level or above 14,000 in order to thrive!  We took several pictures and enjoyed the famous donuts which are only made at that altitude (and they were really yummy!)... the kids cant wait for winter~ they really love the snow!  Then we headed back down the mountain venturing through the 'seasons', watching the trees reappear and seeing birds flying below us and counting rainbows as the sun would appear and the rain would subside.  It was a really pretty day and the Aspen was already turning a pretty gold color.  It is definitely worth the drive and perhaps next time we'll get out and hike around the trails. 

Didn't see Big Foot, maybe next time!

We made it to the top!

Inspiration site for America the Beautiful





Checking in!

One thing about Colorado, there is a lot to do and keeping busy isn't hard~ hence why I haven't been posting anything since March. 
We have been taking a break from Hockey just to get back into the swing of things since the kids went back to school on August 2nd.  I've been busy with new quilts, church activities and getting used to having the kids gone all day at school!!  (insert happy dance)  My house is a little bit more in order (except on weekends when everyone is home or running in and out!) and I am spending more time looking for those crock pot recipes now that the weather is starting to feel more like autumn and hockey is just around the corner. 
Chris is now at a new job up at Division on base and is going to school a couple of nights a week to get his masters complete and is heading up the cub scouts that the boys are a part of.  It's nice to see him a little more even if he is in 'another' uniform. 

Here is a small collection of our summer~  There is a lot more and hopefully these next few weeks will allow me to post those pictures!

Lydia said goodbye to her friend Joy who moved to Japan ~ lots of days spent at the pool ~ hair cuts for the boys ~ Tyler's battle wound from camping ~ Cal's first crawdad ~ Lydia's Lemonade stand ~ recovering Tyler's old pillow ~ a medal for Cal! ~ Colorado rainbows ~ Sky Sox baseball with Darth Vader and the stormtroopers ~ My 42nd birthday ~ new shoes for Lydia

Happy St. Patricks day!!!

Happy Birthday to my Great Grandmother Emma!  She was a Kelley and she was born 124 years ago on this very Irish day!

Great Grandma Emma holding my Grandmother

Yikes!

Wow, talk about being busy and not writing anything on the blog!  Colorado Springs is one place where you will stay busy all the time!  The kids have played Inline Roller Hockey every month we have been stationed here and with all the church/military activities we have going on... well it's a wonder I am even back to blogging! 
Lets see, quick update:  Not much snow this year (of course Kansas got plenty since we left!) but spring is def around the corner!  Both of the boys are now playing club hockey (tournaments every month) and Lydia is still playing rec hockey with her brothers (weekly teams).  She has lost plenty of her front teeth (naturally, not hockey related!) and finally let me get her hair cut into a cute long bob off her shoulders.  She also has updated her eye exams and will be sporting new glasses once they come in!
Tyler is our daredevil on wheels and on the playground.  Recently he was chasing someone on the playground and fell... later that day (after school and a hockey game) his dad took him to the ER to manage the pain and learned that he indeed had a pretty good fracture (almost a total break) on his right arm.  So, his first short (thank you Lord for a short cast!) cast with a camouflage theme.  So, that took him out of the Rink for a week but I'm am sure he is a quick healer and will be a rink rat again soon!  Cal is doing well with third grade... it's a tough age group and he is testing his boundaries with us at home.  I welcome the challenge, esp since Chris is home this year to help!  He finally got new (faster) wheels for his skates and is doing even better in his hockey play.  He loves his cub scouts and his new addiction are Lego's (which hurt when you step on them in the middle of the night!). 
I have been less involved in the military family (distance and commitment to my kids) and have been more committed to going to the gym and getting our family to eat even healthier than before.  I've been quilting up a storm as well... have 5 (yes 5) quilt tops about done and will be sending them off to a quilter soon.  The local gal that is doing one of my other quilt tops seems to be super busy so I def have to find another person to get at least three other tops done so I can give them to the kids school teachers before the end of May!  Yikes!  I'll post pics later!
As for Chris... he is busy all the time with the Army side of the house and we are currently waiting to hear from the army as to where we will be going this summer!  Will let you know when we know!
OK, that's the short update!

A few pictures of us last fall at the Garden of the Gods

Moda's Progressive Dinner!!

Moda is hosting a Progressive Dinner this week featuring 15 of our favorite Bake Shop Chefs who are all featured in their new book.  Each author will be giving away a copy of the new book and a  Moda pre-cut!
For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle, fat eighth bundle, jelly roll, layer cake, and a charm pack (a $200 value!), be sure to comment on every author's Progressive Dinner post starting on January 20th!

Here is the menu!!!

January 19
Stash Books
Moda Bake Shop

January 20
Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts
Roslyn Mirrington of Bloom
Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.

January 21
John Adams of Quilt Dad
Monica Solorio-Snow of The Happy Zombie

January 22
Kimberly Walus of Bitty Bits and Pieces
Melissa Mortenson of The Polkadot Chair

January 23
Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt
Vickie Eapen of Spun Sugar Quilts

January 24

Rachel Griffith of P.S. I Quilt

Lissa Alexander of Moda Lissa

January 25
Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts
Sweetwater

January 26
Angela Yosten
Jenny Garland