Independence Day!

Don and I celebrated our Independence Day by doing what we love to do, visiting with family, traveling, and visiting with family some more. After we had a good breakfast at home, spending the morning lounging around with our black lab, Chaos, we set out for an early afternoon visit to my mom and dad's house. I'd spoken to mom on the phone recently asking all sorts of questions regarding quilt making so she set to work to see if she still had any books lying around. My mom used to sew quite a lot, expecially when I was a child. She would make my sister, Mary and I, short sets and the coolest sundresses. I also knew she had made a few small quilts at one point and time, as mom and my sister, Mary, were once interested in making them, too.

Can you imagine my surprise when she found three books for me? What a wonderful mom, to have saved these! I may just have to scan some of them in; they are that beautiful! I also had to chuckle quietly to myself a few times when looking through the books. I noticed just how much like my mom I've become, LOL! I've always heard women say, "ACK! I'm becoming my mother!" but you'll have to trust me on this one, as Martha would say, "It's a good thing!"

What lead to me this revelation was seeing a quilt photograph featured within the book and gently written in ball point pen below it was may mom's handwriting, "instructions on pg. so and so". So, see, I get writing in books honestly {grin}; it is a true family tradition! Heck, I may just have to create a scrapbook page or an altered book about this, LOL!

Anyways, to make a long story short, I took my recently purchased fabric and the Fiskar's Rotary set over to show her. Mom loved the light purple, blue, and green paisley fabric that I had picked out and told me that she thought the fabrics I'd chosen would make a beautiful quilt, even thought we decided to ditch one of them. We discussed a vary of ways to lay the quilt block outs while I browsed through some of the books she'd given to me. My mom proceeded to show me a quilt she'd laid out on her bed just for inspiration to me and I loved it! It is a 6 1/2" square with a 1/4" seam allowance created in the 9 square pattern, with a 5" border, then a 6 1/2" border surrounding all four sides. Definately a lot easier than what I was looking at with at 4 1/2" squares and a lot less sewing; making it a bit more sensible for me to use this pattern since I am just beginning. We spent the next 15 minutes or so measuring the quilt. I measured and she created a sketch of the pattern and marked in all the measurements. Once again, I noticed her handwriting and quickly realized just how much I've always admired it!

Since I had made mention of worrying about the size of the quilts and all the conflicting info I'd found on the dimensions of a full size one, she gave me a beautiful ucre colored eyelet dust ruffle just in case I'd need it once my quilt was made. She told me how she loved having it on their bed but how my dad would get a bit upset about having to take it on and off for washing as he got older. I realized then, that I truly am beginning to understand that concept, LOL! Anyways, it is so nice to have something of my mother's, even if it is only a few items, to treasure! {smiles}. A while later, after chatting, having a cup of coffee that I really didn't need, we could tell mom was getting tired and ready for her afternoon nap, so we departed with warm fuzzies and happy hearts.

A quick stop at home to put Chaos outside on his lead, we soon departed for a little road trip over the Ontario - a visit to M's {Michael's} then to Target to purchase some household items. I didn't purchase much at Michael's -- a few sheets of Anna Griffith paper {imagine that!} and some clearance goodies that I can always use: artist's tortillions, two silk floral pins to add to Alexxis's banner, an embroidery hoop, and get this!!! I found two, yes two!, Fiskar's cutting blades in the pinking design for $1.00 each. Oh, happy day!

After purchasing some household items and browsing the baby department at Target, we checked out, made a quick stop into Pet Smart for a smoked ham bone for the mutt, and set off for home. A quick last minute visit to Amber and Chris's to see if there was anything we needed to bring over for a cook-out at 7 p.m. provided me a chance to peek in on my granddaughter for a moment, before we returned home for just a bit to care for Chaos before returning once again.

The cookout was nice, lots of Chris's family were there and a few family friends. We had a good time, laughing, visiting, eating, and Gary, Chris's dad made it home from working. I had to laugh as Amber once again asked me to keep Alexxis overnight, not that I found it funny, just sort of chuckling to myself as I thought she's finally realizing some of what I gave up in my life to care for her. Unfortunately, I had to turn down the opportunity for Alexxis to sleepover as I wasn't too certain how Chaos was going to react to all the fireworks scheduled at 10 p.m. although we fully intended to have him inside. Just too much traffic, people and noise going on all at once for me to really be comfortable with the idea of both babies at once. We've never had the dog around the baby; not that I don't believe he'd intentionally hurt her in anyway, just that he is still a puppy in so many ways himself --- jumping when he gets excited and a bit jealous of any attention I give to anything else sometimes. I didn't think it was too good of an idea and I could definately see Amber's disappointment. It is supposed to be sunny and nice later in the week so I'm thinking I'll keep the baby overnight one night this week, maybe on Friday so her and Chris can have some time in the evening to themselves and part of the day Saturday to go swimming or something.

We left to return home before the fireworks at the fairgrounds began, arriving inour driveway in just the nick of time. We grabbed a couple of chairs from the studio and sat along the front lawn to watch them with a few friends who stopped by. The fireworks themselves were a bit of a disappointment, not as exciting as I remember them from when I was a child but at least our county tries to do something for the children. While Don chatted with friends, I sat and thought about the county fairs of days gone by... how we'd make an entire day of it, planning a picnic with fried chicken, ice cold lemonade, seeing the 4H fair animals and visiting the craft and homemaking booths, riding a few rides, playing a game or two, and eating cotton candy and candy apples. It was then that I realized that I really missed the good ole' days, not that I lived through that many of them, but just how different things were then. I also thought about Alexxis and wondered if one day she'd be interested in such things and if so, how it would be my responsibility to share that with her. All in all, it was a great day. Shortly after midnight, we tiredly called it a night, but a good day/night it was!