A New Blog Party to Urge Me On!

Well, hello! Aren't I posting a lot the past few days. Just say thank you to Mr. Virus.

I'm not that polite...Boo, hiss Mr. Virus. It's my Winter Break you commandeered, you weasel. I looked forward to 6 (six, 5+1, 6-1) lovely days of quilting. But no, you evil being, you have kept me from quilting for two days. Go away! Don't come back! You are indubitably not welcome here ever again! *Poof* I'm feeling better today and can quilt--hurrah!

For my loyal followers, there has been quite a bit of repetition in the blogs since New Years Day. I'm just getting my ducks in a row for the start of a more organized and git-off-yer-butt 2014.

I'm joining up with A Lovely Year of Finishes. Finishing is on my New Years Goals (here) and this seems like a splendid way to urge me on. I've put the link from Sew Bitter Sweet Designs in my right sidebar.

This month my goal are:

1.  Make 40 (10 per week)  more Log Cabin blocks for my TGS & OSLW wedding quilt. With any luck, I'll have it to them by their second anniversary! (In June), which is amazingly ambitious. That's quite a push. But I would be happy with by the end of summer, giving me time while I'm not teaching during the Summer Break.

Here's my Log Cabin on my design wall:

This is a by-golly beauteous quilt-in-the-making.

2.  Make 16 (4 per week) more Sister's Choice nine patches. I'm making a Sister's Choice quilt that is on Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville Quips and Snips blog. I'm doing as a Leader Ender quilt, so it takes a little more time. In essence, I'm doing two quilts at the same time.

This a picture of the quilt from Bonnie's blog

A sample of nine patches I have made

I have made 50 blocks out of the 140 needed. I'm making a king-size quilt.

See you at the end of the month!

Happy New Years to All!

Happy New Years. And I hope you haven't spent it like I did!

Christmas morning I was "sick". New Years Day I was sick.

Interestingly enough (at least for you, my lovely readers) is that we have a family tradition of someone being sick on Christmas Day. Not every Christmas, but enough to make us sick of it (sick humor) (more sick humor) (...)

But let's just hurry past that and go to the happy news: I had the blessed opportunity to spend Christmas with Nancy Drew, SWH, Sweetie and Curly. I haven't spent Christmas with my family for six years. Phew. This year Nancy Drew and her family moved to Utah which is much closer to us. Hurrah!

I flew in on Monday. It was euphoric...only a 90-minute flight. Now contrast with the flight to the East Coast: 9 hours. I was doing the happy dance down the corridor in Utah.

That night we went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. It is always spectacular. The most beautiful, Christmas-y thing you've seen!

First stop: The two lovebirds posing in front of Joseph and Emma Smith statue.

Many nativities. This one Peruvian? I think. These were about 3 feet tall.

Japanese, so cute. These were between 4 and 5 feet tall!

Curly in front of the Reflecting Pool

Sweetie at other side of Reflecting Pool

Looking up at a lit-up tree!

Even a bag-piper playing Christmas Carols.

Nancy Drew and I in front of a Temple window.

Sweetie took a pic of us off guard!

We had a wonderful dinner that my daughter prepared after getting home from work. Home-made mashed potatoes! What a joy to stay up the next night, Christmas Eve, putting out presents and stockings!

SWH's family has a Christmas breakfast every year. It starts at ten, but he was doing the cooking and had to leave early. Christmas Eve ND & SWH set the wake-up time at 5:30 in order to get all the presents opened before the breakfast. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was woken up at 6:30! I think it was the first time I ever saw parents waking their children up for Christmas morning!

There is so much joy watching a three-year-old, with wonder in her eyes, walk out of her bedroom that morning! It was just as much fun with our 11-year-old Sweetie. She was ecstatic and enthusiastic about every gift! She got a bike and she was bouncing all over, eyes shining.

Sweetie with bike

Sweetie with Zebra (her fave!) bedding

Curly showing her Dad the Princess Sophia doll

Curly playing with her V Tech learning pad

New outfits

Sweetie trying out her new manicure nail dryer

For the especially observant, the Happy Birthday banner is for Nancy Drew. She was born on December 26.

I'm sharing this over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Pop over to see more fun! Badge in right sidebar.

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Gasp! New Years and New Goals!

Okay, okay, so maybe I'm panicking more than I should. Take a deep breath. Whew. Much better. If anyone gets in a tizzy about New Years goals, I suggest a paper bag.

Nope, Better, Getting Close, Now You've Got It!

         

Then again, I heard a new piece of advice. Have any of you watched Call the Midwife series on
PBS? Netflix has both seasons. It's a gem...a must-see. I'm working through the second season. The episode I watched, a mid-wife was helping a woman going through labor to calm down. Her advice: Recite the 23rd Psalm: "The Lord is my shepherd..." but take a deep breath between each line. The woman doesn't know the psalm, so the midwife suggests reciting a song with deep breaths stating she doesn't see why that wouldn't work. The woman starts singing, "Catch a falling star, Put it in your pocket..."  You might want to try this if you're over-wrought.

But I digress... Really are they going to put this on my headstone?

I'll be terribly truthful here. Now wait, I'm always terribly truthful. So why do I have to say this to start off?

I have always made New Year's Goals. Sometimes the same goals many, many years in a row. Like losing weight, saying my prayers daily, writing in a journal, reading scriptures daily. Those are the Top Four. And, not to brag, I have finally gotten to the point of saying my prayers daily and reading the scriptures daily. (After a decade or so!) Does writing a blog count as a journal? And I did lose 30 pounds 2 years ago, but have gained back 20 of it. Sniff. Sniff. Do I smell a repetitive New Years Goal in the making?

Sarah, over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, shared her NYGs and asked for others to chime in. I love to chime! (because I'm a ding dong?) Oh my, my humor today is taking on a fourth grade mentality. Of course I have three fourth graders on my caseload!

Keeping it quilty, here is what I hope am going to accomplish this year! Tally Ho!

PS: My links are in light blue. I haven't figured out how to change the link color.

Quilts To Finish

Log Cabin Wedding Quilt

10 Squares a Month

Progress 40/75 (not sure if it is 75)

Quilt Spider Web

Quilt Bricks and Stepping Stones

Upcoming Quilts

Continue on UFO's list

Next UFO: Farmer's Wife!
I have done 94 blocks--17 to go!

Modus Operandi!

Do not buy new fabric, except as needed
to finish a UFO.

New Things to Try

Keeping a Stash Count
because I love lists and numbers

Make two quilts for Phoenix Quilts
because my Dad was a firefighter

Keep up with A Lovely Finish 2014

Hopefully
Fingers Crossed!

I would like to have 50 followers by 12/31/14

Blog 3-4 times per week

And there you have it folks. My goals. And my dreams. I'm excited! I have to remember to be realistic because I work during the school year and my pace is slow. I'm also have a limited "up time" every day.

There are some really great blogs yesterday and today talking about New Years Goals. I'm hooking up with the wonderful Sandy at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Fresh Sewing Day I highly recommend checking out all of the other linked blogs there. Their buttons are in the right column.

God Bless.