It has been a good weekend, thus far. I got baby C’s quilt loaded  yesterday and started on the first row of quilting. Today, I got to work on it a little more.  It’s all very simple quilting. Nothing fancy at all.  I took such a long break from quilting after Greg’s passing, and when I did start again, it’s been so sporadic that I almost feel as if I’m starting from scratch. Not quite that bad, really, but close. I had gotten to be quite adept at tension adjustments, and even retiming my machine wasn’t that big of a deal. I’m having to fuss with the tension a bit on this one, and it does feel more challenging to me than it did at the point where I was before. I know I’ll get back there in time. In the meantime, my goal is to just enjoy the process again. Be thankful that I’m blessed enough to have this longarm machine to quilt with. I can’t wait til we are the best of friends again.

Lots of variety for baby to look at as he snuggles with it. Part of my day was spent babysitting the boys while mommy went to a see the doctor at the local family clinic. I was pretty happy to spend that bit of time playing with them and feeding the baby his lunch. Good times.

Efren and I spent the rest of the day by slowing down and just enjoying each other’s company and a nice dinner together at home, along with a fire in the fireplace and a movie. I wish I could say the movie we chose was as good as the company and the dinner. I love acorn squash, with a big pool of melted butter and brown sugar in the middle. Yummy!

A nice side for the pork chops I cooked. One of my favorite fall veggies. Yep, it’s been a good day, but I better go to sleep. Efren is snoozing away, Lulu is curled up in her little bed, and Bella is softly snoring away on hers. I’m looking forward to tomorrow….

That’s what’s going on here right now. And, I don’t mean the kind on top of the house. Ouch. Didn’t really have time for them right now, but this too shall pass.

This morning, Efren and I listened to a recorded sermon from one of our favorite area churches on their mobile app. We are making our way through a series on marriage misconceptions. We already completed a set titled “Marriage Makers, Marriage Breakers” and I would recommend them to any married couples. Having previously been happily married for fourteen years, up until May 22, 2011, the day I became a widow, I thought I knew pretty much all I needed to know about how to “do marriage right”. Reality check! Every marriage is different. My relationship and marriage with Efren are very different than what Greg and I shared. I’ve had to learn to adapt to many changes, and learn how to adapt to this new and wonderful partner I’ve been so blessed to have found! Navigating this new path life set out for me hasn’t always been easy, or gone that smoothly,  but without a doubt it’s definitely worth the effort and I’m so excited to be making a new life, memories and adventures at Casa de Ortega with this precious man.

After breakfast and our worship time, we caught up on all the yard work, laundry and a few other household chores. And then, Miss Bella got a bath. She was still a pretty small pup last time you saw her. I better show you a picture today, because once she goes back outside in the morning, it will take her all of maybe thirty minutes to be filthy again. This first one is Efren’s favorite and I say it shows the destructive little monster inside her! She tears everything up!!

Trying to show her sweet side in these last two. Right…. Lol.

I barely got to sit down today, and in all that activity I didn’t even get to take a single stitch in any of my projects. I was really hoping to get the backing made for Chase’s quilt and maybe even get it loaded on the longarm. It wasn’t to be this weekend. That’s a wrap for tonight! Ttyl!

I love Saturday mornings when I can just slow down a little. There’s no rush to drink my coffee and get a workout in before getting ready to hurry off on my way to work or somewhere. This morning, as I sip and write, I’m snuggled in soft flannel sheets, under a quilt I made with a buttery soft flannel backing. That isn’t the case for my Efren, though, as he had to head out the door to work before 7 a.m. The quilt, I admit, is actually still a WIP, but it is on the bed anyway. Maybe looking at it like this will push me to get the binding made and attached and I can work on the hand stitching while sitting in bed watching tv in the evenings. That is all it lacks, plus some thread tail trimming  I was going to knot and bury them all but I gave up on that chore a long time ago, and thus it has set unfinished for more years than I care to think about now. I love this quilt and it looks so nice on the bed. I must finish it soon!

I don’t need to tarry too long this morning, however, as I have household chores calling and I need to run out and grab Miss Bella a bag of dog food, and check on my parents and see if I need to get anything for them while I’m out and about. And, there are birthday presents to wrap. Today we will celebrate Caleb’s upcoming 5th birthday. Him coming into my world has been such a blessing. He brought so much joy and light after the passing of my late husband. “I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born”, says the Lord. Isaiah 66:9. That verse has proved itself so true for me. So many new changes in my life. New loves and joys and blessings have flowed abundantly post loss. I’m so thankful for each and every one.

On my bad days, days where the struggles with my dad’s Alzheimer’s is worse, days when some chronic physical pain I deal with is worse, days when I feel I can’t take the work stress, or just feel that there are too many demands on my time, etc., I remind myself that even my worst days are so much better than many people’s best days. So much better. Life is fast paced. Life is full. Life is life. Life is amazing.

Life is full of sweet moments that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss for the world. Like getting a makeover from a four year old boy. During which he excitedly stated ” you’re looking fancy, Mammy!” Fancy indeed!

Happy, happy times and happy 5th birthday sweet boy! A few days early, but that just gives us longer to stretch out the celebration!

While I was MIA from Blogland, I did finish Caleb’s quilt and it looks so good on his big boy bed, in his new bedroom. My son and daughter-in-law bought a new house in my neighborhood this summer. I’m loving having them even closer! It’s literally less than a five  minute walk from my door to theirs.

This weekend, I finished the top to baby Chase’s quilt. I absolutely love the 10 minute block pattern. So much fun to whip out the blocks. Almost instant gratification! Even though the pattern designer has the how-to video posted on You Tube for free, I love this so much that I ordered the pattern book to support her efforts.  Now, I only wish I could remember where I put it! I swear, sometimes I feel like I spend at least half my life looking for misplaced or “placed in a safe spot” items. 😡

I’m really looking forward to getting it loaded on the longarm and getting to do some quilting again! Sure have been missing spending some quality time with my beloved A-1, Corky.

That pretty much catches you up on any quilty happenings around here since the last pre-wedding post. And, that’s a wrap for this evening. See you soon!