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!

And, so am I. I was really wanting to try out a little sewing project I saw on another quilty blog, but I just ran out of weekend. I have made progress on the binding stitching of my grandson’s quilt, but a good bit of my weekend was eaten up by wedding planning. 62 days til “the big day”. Sometimes, it feels so surreal to me that I am getting married again. I’m looking forward to embarking on this new path, with Efren. A new and exciting chapter in the story of my life. The cake has been planned and ordered. It’s being made by a dear friend and I know it’s going to be yummy!! I’m so looking forward to having my cake and eating it, too! I’m really watching my sweets til the wedding, so that cake is sounding really good, haha! I’ve ordered outfits for my grandson and my step-granddaughter from my marriage to Greg. Another dear friend came yesterday to help me plan out decorations, etc. She is making mailing labels for the invitations. I don’t know what I would do without her! We finalized the time of the wedding with the pastor this morning. Still a lot to do, but closer than I was on Friday. I have to pick out my shoes, a photographer, have my dress fitting, pick the caterer. Wish me luck getting it all pulled together in time! My poor sewing machine is going to have to wait a bit longer.

Oh…Miss Bella says hi. 🙂

And, I say goodnight! Have a great Monday tomorrow, y’all!

Literally. As in my son sent me a photo of his face yesterday with the text “this hurts”.

He had first degree burns on his face after an incident at work (oilfield), in which his head was engulfed in a blast of fire from a pipe. Even after taking the usual precautions, the thing you take precautions against still sometimes happens. Lost a portion of eyebrows, eyelashes and had to shave his beard and mustache, as they were badly singed. At first, he thought he was blinded, as his lashes literally stuck his eyelids together. Poor guy. But, lucky in that this could have been soooo much worse. His wife and I are both into the essential oils, and we decided lavender would be good to try as we’ve had luck with it on sunburns and a cooking burn on my hand. It stopped the burning pain immediately. Today, he sent me a new pic, said it feels really dry and tight, and a little sore. You can really see where his stocking cap sat. It protected his hair.

Even though we knew he was alright by the time I even found out about it, the mommy in me still had to cry a little. While breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn’t worse. His eyes are perfectly fine, just a little more naked than before. He had long, beautiful lashes. I believe they will grow back as they were.

Today, I’m sitting in the airport waiting, with Efren and Christian, for Christian’s return flight home to depart. We were to bring him tomorrow evening, but ice and snow is on the way, and not only will flights probably be canceled tomorrow, but we have a two hour drive to get to the airport and then back home. We did not want to chance it, and as much as we hated to send him home a day early, I was thankful there was a flight available today. We should make it back home before the weather gets too bad this evening. I do not like traveling in ice and snow.

One good thing about the weather is that it’s great for staying home and working on something quilty! Maybe I will get to do just that tomorrow!

I want to thank you for all the sweet comments on my recent posts. So good to hear from some of my old blogging buddies again. I try to reply or at least hit the like button, but I don’t know if it notifies the poster of the reply?? It doesn’t seem that user friendly when I’m posting from my phone, and yesterday I was even posting replies to the wrong commenters’ comments. Ugh. Oh well. Please know that I do read and appreciate all of your comments! Wishing you all a happy and blessed 2015!

To getting it together for the wedding. Suits, shirts and ties have been chosen and purchased for my handsome groom and his best man.

Haven’t decided for sure if we want to go with this pocket square for Efren or a solid ivory one. We bought both. This one actually looks like a closer match to the shirt in person than it looks in the photo. The ivory one is a perfect match, but so plain. I like the character the stripes give. Just a little more fun. I think.

Well! Hello all. I’ve been a bad blogger this year. I have lots to tell, tho! I was determined that 2014 was going to be about focusing on positives, and a happier and healthier new me. It’s been quite a year, for sure. Where to start…

I got a tattoo. A memorial tattoo with angel wings and Greg’s “G” in his own handwriting. I love it and no regrets. Would like to have another someday.

On the fitness front, I became more dedicated and consistent with my workouts than I had been in forever, along with eating a healthier diet. Always saving some calories for chocolate!! I actually went past my goal weight I had set in my mind, and reached my ideal weight of 125, which I had previously decided was never ever going to happen again. And, I wasn’t “skinny”. I put on some lean healthy muscle, too. That was earlier this year. Before I had a problem with my ankle come up, and before another new development in my life happened. A great big upheaval named Efren. 😊

Efren came along in May of this year. Let me introduce you.

Efren has been a wonderful addition to my life, but wasn’t so good for the diet 😂 He was born in Mexico, and loves the traditional, authentic Mexican food, as do I. Now, I’m cooking a bit more and eating it all, too. We went through that “new relationship and eat everything in sight together” stage, lol. He has a regular workout routine, too, and now we are both trying to undo the damage we did together. In time for….THE WEDDING!! In MARCH!!

Yes! I said yes! When he proposed in August!

We had a great summer together!

Building a life with a new partner after 14 years of happily married and being widowed does have its challenges. But, the rewards are great and I am so thankful to be twice blessed with a special love!

Do the blessings stop there? Not at all! Many of my favorite moments this year were from times shared with my 4 yr old grandson. He has blessed me more than I can say. And then, on September 9th his precious baby brother made his arrival into the family! On my mom’s birthday! So special! I absolutely love being their “Mammy”!! It’s truly awesomeness! Sorry, but I won’t be sharing pics of the grands on my public blog. Their mom isn’t completely comfortable with that, and I totally understand, as I have my own reservations about that, as well.

My son Derek graduated college with his bachelor’s degree this month. I am so proud of him! He kept up with his studies online for the past 2.5 years after getting married, and working full time, and being a full time husband and father. So happy to see him complete that goal! Here is with my beautiful daughter-in-lawlove, Amanda.

I have been quilting a bit, too!! Working on this for
my four year old grandson. Quilting is all done. Binding is next! It’s something like 110″ X 99″.

On another note, my parents are struggling a bit. Daddy has Alzheimer’s or some type of dementia. It’s so stinking cruel. Mom seems to be developing some confusion of her own. We are in the process of getting them relocated here, in a brand new home of their own. They currently live an hour away from me, and I was so relieved when they finally agreed to make the move. It will be so much easier to help them! That will take place in April, most likely. Once the new house construction is completed. That can’t get here quickly enough!

Oh! I can’t forget the new puppy! Meet Bella, pronounced Bay-ya. Efren wanted her so I got her as one of his Christmas gifts. She has added a lot of action around here and keeps me on my toes!

So….after compete silence for months, I come back with a mini novel! Lol. I’m off to do 45 minutes on the elliptical now. I have a wedding dress to fit into!! 😄

Happy New Year to you all!! I hope to be keeping in touch a bit better! Just so busy living LIFE!!