Empty nest? Bah!

Don't give up on me. I'm still here, but I've been otherwise occupied with family matters for the past month. I thought that once we became "empty nesters", I would have oodles of time to blog and sew and read and..., BUT NO! Actually, DoJo had surgery on October 19th and his recovery has been steady but slow. Maybe he's playing me, but everytime I mention going out to the garden to work in some of that homemade compost I whipped up, he grabs his stomach and says his scars are aching. Is that real? He went for a follow up visit to the surgeon on November 11, and the doc said all was well. So me, thinking the doctor wouldn't lie about a thing like that, started making plans for the big DoJo. Finally, we're going to work in the garden again! It's Saturday, it's damp outside, and the rototiller is achin' to be started up again. DoJo just lays around in his pajamas all day telling me how he aches all over. He even played up the hot & cold chills thing just like he had the flu. However, I knew he wasn't THAT sick because at the end of a long miserable day, he was talking about going to church the next day. ARE YOU KIDDING? I think of ways to get out of Sunday School if I have a really bad hangnail! So I'm thinking he faked it all day to get out of working in the garden. Sunday morning rolls around and he's up and dressed in suit and tie, sweating like a pig (DO pigs really sweat?), and pale as all get out. What's this? He's really sick and he insists on going to church. Like anybody's gonna want to shake his hand looking like that! Before he hobbles out the door, I get a glimpse of his lower leg. Just above his ankle is a band of hot, swollen, flesh! "Good grief!" I say. "I've seen this before. You have cellulitus and you need to go to the doctor right now!" I insist. Nope, he went to church and then had me drive him to Urgent Card afterwards. Yep! Dr. Whipple nailed it again. I felt much better about the whole situation when I got to watch the nurse give him a big shot in the rump! He was supposed to return the next day for a check up, but he decided it wasn't necessary. When I got home from work and saw that the hot, swollen, flesh was creeping up his shin, I loaded him up and took him back to Urgent Care. Sure enough, it was getting worse. The doc gave him an additional antibiotic and instructed him to go straight to the ER if it got any worse. And he should have another check up in a couple of days. So, DoJo took a day off of work and a couple of nights off of church duty (And believe it or not, the church is still standing! It's a miracle!), and was supposed to check in with the doc on Wednesday. When I got home from work on Wednesday and asked him what the doc said, DoJo says, "I didn't go. I think I'm getting better." That's a man for you! That was 3 days ago. When I asked him last night what his plans for today were, he said "Sit in the recliner and keep my leg up because I need to be healthy enough to go to my church meetings on Sunday." It's okay. I'll do the garden all by myself. Like it wasn't that way all along. So, if you see the big guy at church or something, do me a favor and don't ask about his leg. If it gets worse, I'm first in line with a chainsaw. Good thing I love him so much. And this "empty nester" thing isn't all it's cracked up to be either. I've still got DoJo and my mom to keep me occupied.

What a mess!

Earlier this year I discovered the Wonder Box. Basically, it works like a cordless crockpot. You sew up these weird shaped "bean bags", fill them with polystyrene beads, and presto! You have a cordless crockpot. Check out Kathryn Pratt's Wonder Box site for further details. Google "heat retention cooking" and you will hit the jackpot of info. I used the polystyrene for the insulation, but in other parts of the world they accomplish the same thing with rice or hay. Yes, this is my Earth Mother coming out. If you are rolling your eyes right about now, then you are having the same reaction as DoJo and most of my male family members. Nolan is at least nice about it. He doesn't roll his eyes in front of me.

Filling the bags with the polystyrene beads is a pain in the behind. The beads are like packing peanuts, only smaller. Static electricity...need I say more? One additional problem is getting polystyrene beads in the far reaches of civilization (like Farmington, New Mexico). I used walmart.com, but my mom-in-law found a polystyrene wholesaler in Utah...where else?...and bought me a couple of bags. They were only $20 a piece and will each fill 5 Wonder Boxes! Like I need 5 or 10 more Wonder Boxes. I made 4 already! So...long story short, I've got these two huge bags of micro polystyrene beads in the 1st bedroom Wesley vacated. I have plans to convert this room into a food storage room, but in the mean time, it is very cluttered.

The grandkids and their parents usually come over on Sunday evenings. After some very noisy play, it suddenly seemed very quiet. Too quiet. Then, the informer, aka Lexi, announced "You should SEE what the babies are in to!" (Lex is so mature. Everyone is a baby in her world.) The moms all went running to the back room and I heard "Oh no. Mom? Do you want to see this BEFORE or AFTER we clean it up?" That's bad. I decided to look at the Before.

It was like a snowdrift. The babies were covered with micro polystyrene beads and they were stuck to everything. Jared inhaled several beads during the cleanup and Amanda swears that she has one imbedded in her ear. Somehow, they worked their way into Megan's underwear! Seriously, they were everywhere! Jace, my 3-year-old grandson found the bags in the back room and decided that it would be fun to jump on them. He did, they all did, and COOL! A snowstorm! The babies were momentarily in Winter Wonderland. Thank goodness for the informer. However, I wish she had informed a little sooner. Still, it was a family bonding moment. Jared even helped clean up. That's unusual...he's DoJo's real son. I also believe that is how Meg got them in her underwear! The really cool thing about the whole episode is that I didn't get all bent out of shape. Jared would still be in time out if he had done something like that when he was Jace's age! Being a Grandma gives you a whole different perspective. Plus, I'm thinking that those beads are still hiding in all the nooks and crannies of the room. If I play my cards right, I can get the babies parents to come back and clean up that room properly and help me convert it to the food storage room.

Quilters Anonymous

Ohio Star

Turnstiles

Card Trick

Country Pinwheel

Jacob's Ladder

Castle In the Air

I've been wondering if there is some sort of intervention program for obsessive quilters. My "homework assignment" was to create four quilt blocks. This seems simple, but it really takes a lot of brainwork to figure out what to cut and how to sew it. We aren't using patterns, just drafting out the blocks and figuring out how to make them. For me, it has been great fun. However, I can't seem to stop. I wake up early every morning with plans for cutting material and sewing it back together. I don't watch TV; I sew. It is sorta creepy when you think about it. I think DoJo is planning an intervention. If my quilting rulers disappear or my rotary cutter goes missing, you will know that DoJo has stepped in. I don't see why he should complain. It's a harmless hobby. He has a hobby too. It's called Church.

Departure Day!

Today was D-Day, but last night we had a fun family dinner and one last go-round with Wesley before he became Elder Whipple.

Here is Wes with his nieces and nephews. They mostly adore him, except when he tickles too long or growls too fiercely. We tried to get Desi to pop her belly in on one side of the photo, but she said it wouldn't fit. She is looking forward to to her D-Day coming up soon.

Here Wes gets some last minute loves and advice from his two grandmas. My mom is Opal, on the left, and DoJo's mom, Shirley is on the right. Grandma Opal has fairly severe dementia and doesn't remember much from one minute to the next. She gave Wesley his "last goodbyes" about 4 or 5 times last night. Each time, she began by asking what time he would be leaving, and then announcing that she was going to tell him goodbye right then because she "probably wouldn't be awake in the morning when he left." Too bad he didn't get the departure money with each goodbye! $$$

The Other-Mothers. These girls really did help raise this missionary and they are proud of their work. (No one quite understands Kaitlin's strange attachment to the Pink Power Ranger?!)

One "perk" of knowing the Stake President personally is that Wes was able to be set apart as a missionary in our home. It was a perfect ending to a family night. For the scoop on Elder Whipple, you can now visit his mission blog, Elder Whipple Goes to Washington at elderwhipple.blogspot.com. Currently, the blog is plain and unadorned, but once the Other-Mothers get to it, they will spice it up nicely...just you wait and see!

9-patch-9

My first project, a 9-patch-9. I loved the materials separately, but I'm not crazy about the finished product. However, may I point out how very SQUARE all the corners are?! This is what I was doing at 4am this morning when I couldn't sleep. I'm hoping this onset of insomnia will pass once Wesley is safely in the MTC. In case it doesn't, I have quilt blocks to make! :)

A Good Day

Today was a good day. One of those days a mother waits her entire life for. Today, my baby went to the temple in preparation for his upcoming mission to Everett Washington. Kaitlin and Reed were not able to be there with us because they were on their way home from New York City and another appearance on the Today Show. All the rest were there.

Jared and Desiree were there too, but they are off camera somewhere chasing two tired little boys. Jace, unlike his father, is not a ham in front of the camera. Just the opposite.

Mason didn't mind having his picture taken as long as he didn't have to pose!

Nothing has ever tugged at my heart strings more than seeing my children sitting in the temple all dressed in white. Words are inadequate for days like today. Besides that, it's hard to talk (or type) about it without crying. Not sad tears, just really happy, grateful tears. Today was a REALLY good day.

Idle hands are the devil's workshop

I don't have any idea what it is REALLY like to have idle hands. What I mean is, I'm always busy. I love my teaching job (6th grade) but I often find myself longing for the days when I was a stay-at-home mom with 5 little kids. Looking back at that time in my life, I'm amazed at what I was able to accomplish. Now, it seems that I accomplish a fraction of what I used to do. (PLEASE do not attribute this to my age! I'm struggling with the nice round number approaching in May) Anyway, in an effort to produce more, I started knitting dishcloths. It all began in late June when I was recruited for a part in a Pioneer Days play. Knowing how there is lots of wait time in these productions, I began knitting while waiting in the wings. So far, I've knitted my way through one big spool of cotton yarn and about half-way through two other spools of different colors. (I had to keep switching colors because I was bored. Big spools are way cheaper than the little skeins, but you do have the boredom factor.) Here is a picture of my handiwork.

30 dishcloths and counting. My mom keeps asking me what I intend to do with them. I'm thinking Christmas presents. Who doesn't appreciate these handmade cloths? Even if you don't do dishes, they are great in the shower too.

After the Jolly Green Giant experience, I signed up for a beginning quilt class. Yes, I already know most of the basics, but the teacher, Shirley, promised that I would learn something anyway. Besides, I need to move past the basics and I figure this class might get me off high center. The first class was on Thursday evening, and bless her pea-pickin' heart, Shirley is MORE anal about fabric than I am! I knew right away that I'd found a sewing soul mate. Our first task was to buy our fabric. The instructions were to pick out three fabrics; one bold print that we love, one neutral fabric (I'm queen of neutral...zzzzzz!), and one fabric that was different than the other two. Shirley taught us the "squint test" for determining if the fabrics will go together nicely. Basically, you put them side by side, stand back, and squint (un-focus) your eyes. If it looks okay, then you have the right mix. I'm all about that since the mere mention of a color wheel makes me break out in hives. So, today being a school-free day, I went to the local fabric store to buy my stuff. First off, I'm wearing my glasses today instead of contacts. Being far sighted makes me look like Mr. Magoo anyway, but I wear the glasses when I'm too lazy to mess with the contacts. Just imagine this...Mr. Magoo standing several paces away from strategically placed fabric bolts, SQUINTING. Yes, I'm SURE I looked idiotic. Whatever. Here's what I came away with:

A bold print that I love. Say ooooh to fall colors.

A neutral. The picture doesn't do it justice, but it is a beautiful small print in ecru. And last of all, something different from the first two.

You KNEW it was going to be a green. Sorry. I can't seem to help myself. Now, do the Mr. Magoo and see if the squint test doesn't really work.

The second task Shirley assigned was to straighten the fabric. In case you haven't been to the fabric store lately, a "straight" cut is not necessarily straight by sewing standards. This bugs me, but there isn't much you can do about it except buy more fabric than you think you will need. I do that anyway, but still, you ought to get what you pay for. None of the pieces I bought were straight. Here is the result of straightening.

In some cases, I lost one-and-a-half inches of fabric by straightening it. Like I said, I'm anal. I was ripped up when I saw this pile. Get it? Ha Ha, you rip the fabric to get a straight edge. Just a little fabric joke. I crack myself up sometimes.

I had so much fun walking around looking like Mr. Magoo, I decided to pick out some additional pieces, since I know that I will be needing them sometime and my fabric shopping time is limited. Besides, I had a 10% off coupon! Try the squint test on this. Also notice the limited amount of green! Stay tuned for pics of my first project; a nine-patch-nine. Shirley says this will be an orphan piece, but I'm planning to use it to make a little topper for my dining room table.