A wonderful surprise!

Wow! This week was a long week....work is getting a little easier on the feet and I got a lot accomplished. Glad it is over though and here is to starting a new one...I actually got home on Saturday after working a whole day and felt ambitious...It was great. I have been working on my sisters quilt, I made pajamas for the three kids and my craft room is still clean. How about those apples? To top it off in a big way, this morning I noticed a package upstairs leaning against the wall, and by gosh, it was for me! I opened it up and it is the most wonderful handmade scrapbook I have ever seen made for me by my good friend Sherry from http://ificouldsetmysoulfree.blogspot.com ! I am calling it my blog friend book and it is so wonderful....I am going to post some of the pictures tonight and some the next time I blog. She contacted some of my blog friends and asked that they send well wishes and then she made a page or two based around what they sent. Every page is layered with beautiful papers and sewn and there is ribbons and all kinds of pretty stuff. I had to call her today in New York and it is the first time we actually spoke other than on the computer. She is a great person with a huge heart and I just love that about her. I can tell she is shy too, but fun to talk too. Thank you again so much Sherry for being such a thoughtful and great friend. I have to thank everyone for all their love and support and the beautiful cards, atc's and notes that they sent along...You all are wonderful. I hope you enjoy looking at some of the pages and stay posted for more...Thank you so much Sherry, Jean, Laurie, Tonya May, Miss Marva, Val and Curly Girl, Michelle, Dagmar, Karen, Elizabeth and Terrie ...You all are the best....

I made it through my first work week!

It feels like a big accomplishment..to me anyway. It has been a whole lot of years since I have worked full time and been a single parent. I could not do it without Julie that is for sure! I am exhausted. I have split days off, so both days have been pretty busy. I have everything put in its place now so today was a little more relaxing. I got up and made a pair of pj pants out of the cutest flannel...It is white with cherries and then I added a red with white dots cuff...I have them on now with red flip flops...I'm styling man..Last night I made a couple of painted fabric atc's on some rusted muslin and I also finished the last of my Easter eggs for the swap. I also took a picture of my craft room all organized since the first one I showed was a disaster and it may never look this way again. You can just see the back half of the room. I also have an art board, a bunkbed futon made up with quilts, more wall shelves with assorted things stacked up and my quilting frame and machine...It is a lot better than my previous basement set up that is for sure! Right now, I am going to go cut some fabric for a new quilt I am making and wind down a little bit. Thanks for all the kind words all of you! I sure do appreciate all my great blog friends....

Work, a bad Easter bunny and I'm charmed.

Wow! Working again really makes time fly by! I have super sore feet from standing all day, but other than that, things are going well. It is fun to work in a fabric store again..it is just filled with all kinds of beautiful stuff. Andrew has taken to Julie (my sister) really well and enjoys staying with her while I work. Olivia goes to school right before I work so I drop her off and then she rides the bus home. She is little "Miss social" and having a great time. She runs in after school, has a snack and goes right back out the door to play with all her friends. I still haven't finished unpacking yet, but I am hoping to get it done today. I also bought some really cute flannel prints and Julie and I are going to make pj pants. I am shocked by how low the fabric prices are here...I guess because it is so competitive...The flannel I bought would be 9-10.00 dollars a yard in Washington. I got it for 5.88 a yard less my discount. Amazing..and this is the good stuff. It has still been sunny with bright blue skies every day and I am so thankful for that! I wake up and feel like moving around. I do miss the water and all the green trees but the sun more than makes up for it and the mountains are so pretty right now all snow topped. They look like you could just reach out and touch them. As far as crafty things, I was invited to join a new art group and one of the themes was "evil
easter bunnies...I had to laugh. I think "Evil" may be too strong of a word but it is funny. I made a "Bad Bunny" atc for it....I also got the best package in the mail from Miss Amber Dawn! Black and White charms from her charm swap. They are all so pretty and I have been admiring them and thinking how pretty they are going to look on a bracelet. Someone even made this wonderful little bag to hold their charm. So much talent came my way in one package...WOW!

Easter Eggs and a trip to the zoo....

Yesterday was just beautiful here so we all took a trip to the Hogel Zoo. It was baby's first visit, so that was kind of fun seeing his reaction. It is a really nice little zoo. My favorite as always are the orangutans. I could sit and watch them play all day. My brother in law Steve is in the air force and has done two tours in Iraq so he has a hard time being indoors with a lot of people. We just kind of moved on through. Sometimes I forget that he has probably seen some pretty horrible things. I think we all do, thinking this war is somehow easier on these soldiers than ones in the past. Andrew's favorite thing about the day was "the elepants" Olivia's was buying a stuffed cheetah with her own money and seeing a live cheetah and little Jace liked it all. I have slowly been putting things away and getting organized. My craft room is now done and to celebrate and christen it, I made some Easter Eggs for a swap that Jenna Lee at http://artrageousafternoon.blogspot.com is hosting. I had so much fun, I felt like a new person! My sister Julie came down and she played with us too....She is new to crafting but really likes it. It is good to be back and able to create....

Back with a vengeance.....

Not really, but it sounded catchy...Well, we are in Utah and I am still somewhat sane. At least the voices in my head tell me so. I have missed blogging like crazy! It is weird how it gets to be such a part of your life along with the friends you make. I have missed everyone a lot! We got here last Wednesday and I wont say that things have always been smooth but they are better now. It was an experienced driving thru four states with two kids, a huge dog and a cat. If you look at the pictures, you will see why I havent been posting before today...HUGE MESS everywhere....I am plugging along. I have so much to be thankful for though and since today is Thankful Thursday here goes....We got here safely....the kids have a zillion other kids to play with and they just love it, my nephew Jace is adorable and I just love having a baby around, and best of all...drumroll......I got a job the second day I was here! I drove by a Bernina / fabric store when I was pulling into my neighborhood for the first time, and I thought, " I am going to work there"..I went in the next day and there was a sign that they had just put out..."help wanted." Can you believe it? If I had any doubt about if moving to Utah was where I am supposed to be, this erased it. I start on Monday. Thank you God!!!! This is after trying (begging) for any kind of job I could get on Whidbey Island. I am starting as the stores assistant manager too....I hope to get around to visit everyone soon and maybe make something....