Baby Shower Gift - Elephants

So I started working at a new job (which I must tell you all about at another time) and within a week was invited to a surprise baby shower for a co-worker.  I hadn't met her at the time, but knew that I would rather make something than buy something.  The mom-to-be for a second time, knew she was having a girl but was worried about the possibility of the tech being wrong on the gender.  So I planned to make a gender neutral gift. you know, just in case.

While I was in JoAnn's searching for Janet's gift for her bridal shower (yup gotta post about that one too) I saw this absolutely adorable fabric that I immediately knew I had to use for my co-workers gifts.

It was different colored lions.

I was in love.  I didn't buy it initially because I was on a time crunch to get Janet's stuff done and could not afford the distraction of cutie little lions.

So Jon and I made a trip to JoAnn's a week later to buy the baby shower fabrics.  And while I was intent on using the lions, Jon found the same fabric but with elephants!  They were super cute too!  Then the shelf the lion fabric rested on was broken and we ended up finding another fabric with monkeys!!!  Decision.   Overload.

After much deliberating the monkeys were out because their size would not work well with my "vision" of the end result.  The lions would have been perfect for my "vision" but Jon convinced me they weren't girl friendly enough to be a gender neutral fabric.

I got home and got straight to work on my plan.

I wanted the elephants to be outlined in embroidery of the same color.  A little texture and some fanciness at the same time.  With that done I went ahead and backed it with light green minky fabric.

Turned the whole thing into a taggy blanket and part 1 of 3 was done!

And it was late and I got lazy so rather than hand sewing the opening closed, I machine sewed it.  I have to say you can hardly even tell I did that!  I may end up getting lazy more often...

The last two parts I wanted to make were the ribbon outlined burp clothes I usually make.  I had found ribbon that matched the colors of the elephant fabric perfectly.  (Sorry no close up).

I have to also comment that the back of the burp clothes were perfect.  No random colored blob of "oh crap the sewing machine went stupid and I didn't realize it until I was done" thread!

I was very pleased with how well they looked together.  The mom-to-be was actually surprised by the baby shower and mentioned having never received a hand made gift like mine before.

All in all, a success.

I have several more posts planned (Julie I am going to get it together!) and hope to get them up soon.

Not the kind of post you are used to, but I need to share

**I wrote this about a week after my Grammie's funeral.  It has taken me a while to actually post this since I wanted to include pictures.  And I made sure to include a lot of them.**

This has been a very rough month.

I completed a second interview that I thought was very very good.  I knew that I had tough competition; however I felt I was the best candidate.  A week or so later I found out that I didn’t get the job as I had been hoping.  But that was just as well since I was called to come home and see my Grammie.

It was a very nice visit even though she was in Hospice with the plan of getting well enough to go home.  She would have told anyone and everyone that she was just there to get better and go home.  We just didn’t realize the home she was referring too was the home in the sky with all of her brothers and sisters.

I found it funny, along with my mom, that she declared that she didn’t want that "oxycodone" stuff again.  She had been given it to assist with a breathing attach she had been having.  She did not want to “become addicted to the stuff”.  My mom’s thought was, “Well if it helps you feel good for the next few months, why not?”.  Grammies desire to know exactly what was being put into her body stayed with her until the end, refusing medication that was not necessary.

The hardest part was that she passed away on Mother’s Day and Jon and I had left the day before.  It was very hard to hear but I knew that even though she had not been in physical pain, she must have been mentally in anguish.  She was always very independent and able to think her way into solutions for just about anything.  But, here she was with something she was unable to think up a solution for, her heart.

My Uncle had been staying with her for just about every moment she was in Hospice.  I am sure that had to be extremely difficult to see your very strong mother laying in a hospital bed waiting for her last breath.  I am praying that day does not come to my sisters and I for a very long time.

It was over a week before we had the funeral.  Grammie made one last trip up to her hometown, Grundy Virginia.  It was very hard thinking about going over to her house, across the street and two houses down from my parents, and her not being there.  Jon was able to take the time off of work (again) to be with me.  Staci scheduled her flight up there with us.  It was a rather uneventful trip up, unlike the trip my Uncle had just a few hours later.

It was really weird to be in Grundy again.  The last time I had been there was for my Granddaddy’s funeral.  Aunt Eddie and Aunt Fay were still living in their house next to Hardee’s and there was a lot of family and friends to see before and after the funeral.  I almost felt sorry for my Grammie for the lack of people that came to her funeral.  But she did live a long life and all her sisters were much older than her so it makes sense the amount of people attending to be less.

That is not saying the quality of people that attended was less, which was definitely not the case.  We had the husband and wife that have been living at the holler (the home place where my Grammie and all her family lived) for the last 40 some years, Aunt Fern’s sister and nieces (my mom so loved meeting them and made the comment that it made it feel like Aunt Fern was there), Uncle Hank’s second (and seemingly much cooler) wife, Cousin Chris and her husband, Mrs. Sue, and others that I was too sad to speak with during the day’s events.  Their presence let me know that Grammie meant a lot to many different people.  It is hard to think about the fact she is gone.

It is comforting to know that she and Granddaddy are back together.  However, it is very hard for me to think about their bodies being buried underground forever.  That most likely no one will go back to Grundy to visit them, to be forever laying there waiting for visitors.  I have decided I don’t want that for myself.

For how hard it was to experience for the fourth time, it was easier because family was there.  And easier for me knowing that she was not going alone.  Unfortunately Jill was not able to come due to weather but I knew she was there in her thoughts.

Since getting back it seems that every day there is a reminder that she is gone.  Several TV shows reference death of a loved one (Modern Family was the death of the grandmother = that wasn’t a great topic for me to watch but I have to say I liked the ending).

I attended the wonderful baby shower for a friend a week ago.  Her mom went all out on decorations and making sure there was food for everyone to eat (even me!).  As my friend was opening her gifts she thanked her grandmother and the exchange back and forth hit me.  I wouldn’t have any grandparents at my baby shower… or my wedding… or any other significant event in my life.  I did my best not to start bawling since it was not the time for that and attempted to enjoy the rest of the shower and I did.

But it seems those moments of sharp realization come out of left field and I am never ready for them.  It sounds terrible to say it, but I hope they lessen with time, only so that I can think of her without my eyes stinging and my throat tightening.

Time…  one thing I wish I would have spent more with my Grammie.  And hopefully it will eventually heal my heart of the pain of loosing her.

Late celebration of Christmas and Grammies birthday.

Trees!

Jon and I went to a plant show today and bought some very wonderful items.

TREES!!!!

The large one in the foreground is a BANANA TREE!!!  The guy said that it should have fruit next year.  I can't wait!!  It also looks like there are two baby tress in there too so we might try to separate them to have three trees.

The one off to the right is a white peach tree.  It even had little tiny peaches on it when we bought it.  The grower said it would probably be better for the tree if we pulled the peaches off.  It will cause the tree to grow stronger, so next year it will be able to hold the peaches better.

The one that isn't shown is an avocado tree!  I was so excited when Jon agreed to having one.  Ever since I discussed avocado trees with my coworker I have wanted one very badly.

Still on the list to purchase: a lime tree, an orange tree, and possibly a lemon tree.

I am very much looking forward to when they fruit!

I also started a new project today and will hopefully get my act together and not only finish it this week, but to post about it too!!!  Must work to get back on a schedule.

Oh and the crazy storm today completely filled the pool almost to bursting!!... partially because we finally had filled it with the hose... we are wishing we had waited to fill it...

FENCE!!

WE HAVE A FENCE!!!!!!  And the old yucky fence is gone!!

I am sorry I have no pictures yet because when I left for work today it was too dark.

I was so happy last night when I saw it I almost burst!

Now I can start being excited about something else. :)


Amanda

Photos of whats been happening

Just like I said yesterday I am back today with some pictures!!!

Jon's mom contacted the county about the drainage problem we were having and this is what happened.  They dug up our front yard.  Now we have grass there.

 

The only problem is that it is a little steep to park there.

Then there is the back yard.  Jon's parents have been working like crazy back there.  I did help to get this crappy chicken wire out of there.  I have to say the back fence looks a whole lot better.

There were a ton of trash bags from this past weekend.  This is a shot from the house.

Here is a close up.

And here is a shot of how much nicer the back yard is looking.  A whole world of difference from what it was before.

And finally with all of that crazy ass wind last weekend our gazebo thing flew apart.  Jon said that a piece of it was hanging in the pool!

That's all I got for now since I am hungry and dinner is almost ready. :)

Delays

Sadly there is no fence in our yard yet.  Due to the rain we recently had they had to push our date back to the 11th at the earliest.  Yes you read that correctly, the earliest.  I am sad to say the least.  BUT, we are still going to be getting a fence.

I am slowly working to organize the last remaining boxes, odds and ends.  It is difficult because I have a desire to get rid of things but some just don't want to be tossed yet.  Slowly.  That is my plan.  If I give myself time to think about it enough I may just decide to get rid of it.

I have some photos I took this morning of the huge yard trash pile that Jon's parents (and Jon) have cleared out of the yard.  (I'll try to get those up tomorrow).  My biggest contribution was to remove the chicken wire from the back part of the fence.  It made the raking so much easier.

Well I am off for a quick walk before my girls night.  I must win my diet competition again.  And you know get healthier too.

Amanda

House update and some me stuff

Well it has obviously been a while since I posted last.... again.

BUT a lot has happened around here.

We found out the pool does not have a leak... but the pool pump might.

We have the counter tops in!  No more counter made up of 4 different pieces.

We have been approved to place our fence where the old fence was (new regulations was going to cause it to run smack through the middle of our septic drain field).  Said new fence should begin going up March 4th!  I am one happy girl since they will also be taking out the ugly old fence around the pool.

We have door handles on the kitchen cabinets.  I don't have to worry about breaking my finger nails trying to open them anymore.

We had purchased an entertainment console to hold all of the game systems and DVR.  Only the next weekend to find out we did not have enough space because Jon was gifted a pretty awesome surround sound system.  Today we bought one more cabinet to add to what we already had.

Almost all of the light switches have their face plates back on and that makes them look so much prettier.

The kitten thinks she runs the place and likes to jump up on the kitchen counters to look out the kitchen window.

Jon's parents organized more tree removing since we had a few level 3 invasive trees.  The yard looks so empty and if you can imagine smaller at the same time.

And now to me stuff:

I entered a diet competition with some of my co-workers last month.  We all had to pay in $25 and whoever made their goal would split the pot!  Well... I WON!!!  After the websites fee I walked away with $68!!!  So what did I do with it?  I joined the second round competition to keep up loosing weight.  I may have also convinced Jon to join in too. :)

I will have to gather some photos of all the progress for you tomorrow. :)