There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. Are we doing all we should?
–Thomas S. Monson
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
We're Going to A Quilt Show. Because I Said So.
Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it. –Winnie the Pooh
One of my goals for this summer was to spend more time doing things with the Not-So-Little Bugs. The past two summers have been new territory for our family with me working, and to be honest, they've spent an embarrassingly large number of hours with the electronic babysitters. I adjusted my schedule and the number of hours I'm working, made charts of weekly chores and activities and have made myself most unpopular with the enforcement of time-limits on screen time and the near-constant stream ofharassment encouragement to my children to complete their daily tasks and to branch out and do some new and different things. I've offered options and made suggestions of things I think they might like to do and they're pretty luke-warm about everything. Since there's nothing they want to do we're going to a quilt show. Because that's what I want to do.
The response to this news was less than enthusiastic.
So I'm giving them an assignment to complete while we're there. My purpose is two-fold. First, I want to be able to spend more than 5 minutes looking at the quilts before hearing, “I want to go home now.” Second, I want it to be fun for them too.
Their assignment is a Quilt Show Scavenger Hunt. I've never seen one and I'm not really sure if I'd heard of such a thing before deciding that's what I wanted to do to make it interesting for my kids. I looked on-line and it isn't an original idea, but I could only find announcements that there would be scavenger hunts for kids at certain shows, but not any actual lists. And since I haven't been to this show yet {and it closes tomorrow}, I'm making it up as I go, here. My list contains things that I think will help make the quilt show more relate-able to the Not-So-Little Bugs. But, I've also put a few "technical" things on the list, so they can learn a little. I'll have them take photos of the quilt they think fits an item on the list while we're there. When we get home we'll look at the photos together and I'll have them help me put together a post about the quilt show later this week.
I won't require them to find every item on the list, but I want the list to be long enough to keep them entertained so that I can enjoy the quilts.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Summer.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Spring.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Winter.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Fall.
Find a quilt made for a specific holiday.
Find a quilt with your favorite color in it.
Find a quilt that only has two colors in it.
Find a rainbow quilt.
Find a quilt that you would like to have on your bed.
Find your favorite quilt.
Find a wholecloth quilt.
Find a quilt with a blue ribbon on it.
Find a quilt with pinwheels in it.
Find an appliqué quilt.
It's a start, but I think I need a few more things on the list, so if you have a suggestion, please leave a comment! And if you've done a Quilt Show Scavenger Hunt, I'd also like to know what worked and what didn't.
One of my goals for this summer was to spend more time doing things with the Not-So-Little Bugs. The past two summers have been new territory for our family with me working, and to be honest, they've spent an embarrassingly large number of hours with the electronic babysitters. I adjusted my schedule and the number of hours I'm working, made charts of weekly chores and activities and have made myself most unpopular with the enforcement of time-limits on screen time and the near-constant stream of
The response to this news was less than enthusiastic.
So I'm giving them an assignment to complete while we're there. My purpose is two-fold. First, I want to be able to spend more than 5 minutes looking at the quilts before hearing, “I want to go home now.” Second, I want it to be fun for them too.
Their assignment is a Quilt Show Scavenger Hunt. I've never seen one and I'm not really sure if I'd heard of such a thing before deciding that's what I wanted to do to make it interesting for my kids. I looked on-line and it isn't an original idea, but I could only find announcements that there would be scavenger hunts for kids at certain shows, but not any actual lists. And since I haven't been to this show yet {and it closes tomorrow}, I'm making it up as I go, here. My list contains things that I think will help make the quilt show more relate-able to the Not-So-Little Bugs. But, I've also put a few "technical" things on the list, so they can learn a little. I'll have them take photos of the quilt they think fits an item on the list while we're there. When we get home we'll look at the photos together and I'll have them help me put together a post about the quilt show later this week.
I won't require them to find every item on the list, but I want the list to be long enough to keep them entertained so that I can enjoy the quilts.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Summer.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Spring.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Winter.
Find a quilt that reminds you of Fall.
Find a quilt made for a specific holiday.
Find a quilt with your favorite color in it.
Find a quilt that only has two colors in it.
Find a rainbow quilt.
Find a quilt that you would like to have on your bed.
Find your favorite quilt.
Find a wholecloth quilt.
Find a quilt with a blue ribbon on it.
Find a quilt with pinwheels in it.
Find an appliqué quilt.
It's a start, but I think I need a few more things on the list, so if you have a suggestion, please leave a comment! And if you've done a Quilt Show Scavenger Hunt, I'd also like to know what worked and what didn't.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Mormon Messages: We Lived With God
I, the Lord God, created all things . . . spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. –Moses 3:5
Friday, June 21, 2013
Ode to Summer
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time. –John Lubbock
Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, my favorite day of the year, I think. And today is the first day of summer. While spring-time is my favorite season with its promise of good things to come, summer is the fulfillment of that promise. How I love cool summer mornings, with the expectation of adventures to be had and a temperature so delicious you could almost scoop it up and eat it. I relish the freedom from sweaters and boots and gloves and woolly hats, even though the trade-off is heat so sweltering that it almost melts you into a puddle. I love eating fresh-picked watermelon and corn from the farmer's stand and cooking with sun-ripened tomatoes and zucchini. And I savor every single minute of extra daylight summer affords.
As a kid, summer meant sleeping in, later bedtimes, trips to the library, going to the drive-in movies, sleeping out in the back yard and hours playing with friends. The days were filled with imagination-fueled adventures in tree-shaded backyards, board games in the refuge of cool basements, running through the sprinklers, neighborhood games like Kick-the-Can and Ghosts in the Graveyard and enjoying life at its best. As an adult, summer is spent in the pursuit of maintaining some semblance of a schedule, trips to the library, swimming with the kids, family reunions, board games in the refuge of the air-conditioned kitchen and enjoying life at its best.
Welcome summer! I'm so glad you're here!
Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, my favorite day of the year, I think. And today is the first day of summer. While spring-time is my favorite season with its promise of good things to come, summer is the fulfillment of that promise. How I love cool summer mornings, with the expectation of adventures to be had and a temperature so delicious you could almost scoop it up and eat it. I relish the freedom from sweaters and boots and gloves and woolly hats, even though the trade-off is heat so sweltering that it almost melts you into a puddle. I love eating fresh-picked watermelon and corn from the farmer's stand and cooking with sun-ripened tomatoes and zucchini. And I savor every single minute of extra daylight summer affords.
As a kid, summer meant sleeping in, later bedtimes, trips to the library, going to the drive-in movies, sleeping out in the back yard and hours playing with friends. The days were filled with imagination-fueled adventures in tree-shaded backyards, board games in the refuge of cool basements, running through the sprinklers, neighborhood games like Kick-the-Can and Ghosts in the Graveyard and enjoying life at its best. As an adult, summer is spent in the pursuit of maintaining some semblance of a schedule, trips to the library, swimming with the kids, family reunions, board games in the refuge of the air-conditioned kitchen and enjoying life at its best.
Welcome summer! I'm so glad you're here!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
My Favorite Superhero
The best superheroes don't have to wear capes and fly. The best superheroes know where their powers come from and they faithfully answer to the name "Dad."
Happy Father's Day to my dad, who faithfully reads my blog and calls to see if I'm OK when I haven't posted in a while. It means a lot. Thank you for sacrificing your dreams to take care of your family and for helping me become the person I am.
Happy Father's Day to Mr. Bug, the father of my children, who is a gentle soul, who never criticizes,d who loves our children and would do just about anything for them. I hope they grow up to be just like you.
And Happy Father's Day to every Superhero out there who influences the life of a child for good.
Happy Father's Day to my dad, who faithfully reads my blog and calls to see if I'm OK when I haven't posted in a while. It means a lot. Thank you for sacrificing your dreams to take care of your family and for helping me become the person I am.
Happy Father's Day to Mr. Bug, the father of my children, who is a gentle soul, who never criticizes,d who loves our children and would do just about anything for them. I hope they grow up to be just like you.
And Happy Father's Day to every Superhero out there who influences the life of a child for good.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Sabbath Songs: One by One
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
–Luke 12:6-7
When the night is clear enough I can see through Heavens door.
Endless stars like endless sand upon the oceans floor.
Of all the human lives to plead, or ever that will be.
I stand amazed that Heaven knows me.
He hears one by one, loves one by one.
When this crowded world around you,
doesn't know your name.
He knows us, one by one.
When He saw the hungry thousand, every person ate.
Comforted the aching the soul, and looked into each face.
And when He had a world to save, He had a world of time.
To stop and hold a little child.
He hears one by one, loves one by one.
When this crowded world around you,
doesn't know your name.
He knows us one by one.
He notices it all, the sparrow when it falls,
the sheep within his fold,
every person breathed was born upon his soul,
one at a time He makes us whole.
He hears one by one, loves one by one.
When this crowded world around you
Doesn't know your name.
He knows us, one by one.
The way He loves you is one by one.
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
–Luke 12:6-7
When the night is clear enough I can see through Heavens door.
Endless stars like endless sand upon the oceans floor.
Of all the human lives to plead, or ever that will be.
I stand amazed that Heaven knows me.
He hears one by one, loves one by one.
When this crowded world around you,
doesn't know your name.
He knows us, one by one.
When He saw the hungry thousand, every person ate.
Comforted the aching the soul, and looked into each face.
And when He had a world to save, He had a world of time.
To stop and hold a little child.
He hears one by one, loves one by one.
When this crowded world around you,
doesn't know your name.
He knows us one by one.
He notices it all, the sparrow when it falls,
the sheep within his fold,
every person breathed was born upon his soul,
one at a time He makes us whole.
He hears one by one, loves one by one.
When this crowded world around you
Doesn't know your name.
He knows us, one by one.
The way He loves you is one by one.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Can I Please Have Some Crackers With My Alphabet Soup?
Once Mother said, "My little pet
You ought to learn your alphabet."
So in my soup I used to get,
All the letters of the alphabet.
I learned them all from A to Z,
And now my Mother's giving me
Animal crackers in my soup.
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop.
Gosh oh gee but I have fun
Swallowing animals one by one.
–Irving Caesar and Ted Koehler
You ought to learn your alphabet."
So in my soup I used to get,
All the letters of the alphabet.
I learned them all from A to Z,
And now my Mother's giving me
Animal crackers in my soup.
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop.
Gosh oh gee but I have fun
Swallowing animals one by one.
–Irving Caesar and Ted Koehler
I work in the accounting department at a small software company. Actually, I'm pretty much the accounting department at a small software company. On the first of every month, rain, shine, Saturday or holiday, I am given a spreadsheet containing upwards of 5000 names which I have to sort through to determine which users are billable and which are not. I filter and sort and number and it takes about 8 or 9 hours. It is tedious and a little mind numbing. After the spreadsheet is ready, I print it out and then transfer the information, company by company, to our very
And it happens every month. All of those names start swirling around in my brain like alphabet soup.
*There are the normal, everyday names like John Smith and Mary Brown. Then there are the attempts to dress up every day names, like Adamantium Williams and Steele Jones. There are names that appear to be back to front, like Harrison Bert and Taylor Grace. {Sidebar: I've actually wondered if they entered their names backwards when setting up their accounts, but then they call and their first name really does sound like a last name and vice-versa}. There are names that don't go together, like Jose O'Malley. There are names that remind me of characters in books, Henry Potter, and movies, Clark Kenton, names that remind me of actors, Merlyn Streep, names that remind me of political figures, Rudolfus Hillter, and names that remind me of pop culture icons, Bella-Bev Devoe. And because we have customers all over the world, there are names that look completely foreign to me.
Now, I don't take issue with the names, per se. It is a parent's prerogavtive to name their child any fool thing they want {see also, Nymphadora Tonks}. It is simply the sheer number of names and the intensity and duration that I must deal with them that makes me a little crackers sometimes.
*All names are completely fictional, and any resemblance to names of actual people is purely coincidental.
Monday, June 3, 2013
A Stitch In Time: May Finishes Giveaway Winner
What is not started today is never finished tomorrow. –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Thank you to everyone who linked up in May. Each project inspired me and I so enjoyed seeing what you've been up to. I'm really excited and encouraged to keep on working on my projects because there's nothing like the feeling of finishing something you've started. And now, I'm excited to announce our May winner, drawn by LadyBug. She picked #24.
Hafza
Hafza will receive $15 Gift Certificate from The Fat Quarter Shop! Make sure you click on over and see Hafza's winning entry, her adorable zippered pouches, as well as her other entry, a crocheted cushion cover. Her projects are so much fun! And if you haven't already, check out a few of the other finishes this month. There were so many fun projects finished in May!
The June Finishes Linky Party is open, so you can link up as you go throughout the month. Remember to include the June Finishes button {code found in the June post} somewhere in any post you link up. Code for a button for your sidebar can also be found at the bottom of the June post. The June giveaway is a Honeycomb of Happy-Go-Lucky by Bonnie & Camille for Moda!
Today's post brought to you by:
Thank you to everyone who linked up in May. Each project inspired me and I so enjoyed seeing what you've been up to. I'm really excited and encouraged to keep on working on my projects because there's nothing like the feeling of finishing something you've started. And now, I'm excited to announce our May winner, drawn by LadyBug. She picked #24.
Congratulations to
Hafza Hafza will receive $15 Gift Certificate from The Fat Quarter Shop! Make sure you click on over and see Hafza's winning entry, her adorable zippered pouches, as well as her other entry, a crocheted cushion cover. Her projects are so much fun! And if you haven't already, check out a few of the other finishes this month. There were so many fun projects finished in May!
The June Finishes Linky Party is open, so you can link up as you go throughout the month. Remember to include the June Finishes button {code found in the June post} somewhere in any post you link up. Code for a button for your sidebar can also be found at the bottom of the June post. The June giveaway is a Honeycomb of Happy-Go-Lucky by Bonnie & Camille for Moda!
Today's post brought to you by:
Saturday, June 1, 2013
A Stitch In Time: June Finishes Linky Party
Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions. –Mark Twain
Time keeps slipping by and it is June already! Thank you to everyone who linked up in May, even though I made it a little difficult to find the linky party because while I posted, I forgot to update the linky page. I'm always forgetting something. I think I'll have to make a checklist. Lists are good, right? I hope you won't mind if I share a link to my May finishes, a folded fabric star tote bag and a mini star quilt. And now, let's see what you've been up to in June. Let the linking begin!
To participate in this month's linky party:
• Your project must be completed sometime in June, 2013.
• Once you've got your project finished {as in done, finito, nothing more to add, ready to use/display/give away} with some sort of stitching in it, blog about it or post a photo of it on Flickr.
• Scroll down to see what other bloggers are up to and link to your own finishes.
• Please include the June button in your blog post. Copy the code in the text box below and paste it somewhere in the post you link for this month's finishes. The button is a link to this specific post, so that other bloggers can find their way over and link up too. If you'd like a button for your sidebar, the code is at the bottom of this post.
• Each time you link up a finished project, you're entered to win the June giveaway, a Honeycomb of Happy-Go-Lucky by Bonnie & Camille for Moda!
• Thank you to The Fat Quarter Shop for sponsoring our giveaway!
The Fine Print {which might be boring but you really should read}:
• Your project must be completed during the month you are linking to.
• Projects must include stitching of some sort. For example: appliqué, crochet, cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, practical sewing {garment construction, bags, curtains, etc.}, quilting.
• Projects must be completely finished. As in done, finito, nothing more to add, ready to use/display/give away.
• You can pick something new to do, but projects do not have to be started during the month. If you pick up a UFO, Ph.D, WIP and finish it during the month, it counts.
• Finishes must be completed during this month, but you have until noon MST on the 1st of the next month to link your post.
• Post about your finish and then link your specific post {instructions here} above. Links to your blog and not the individual post about your finished project will be deleted.
• Have more than one finish this month? Great! Post about each finish individually and then link the specific posts up separately. Each finish, and therefore each link you add, counts as one entry for this month's giveaway.
• If you've already posted about a finish for this month, there's no need to do a separate post. Just add the button to that post and link up.
• Please copy and paste the code below to include this month's button somewhere in the post {not your sidebar} you link up for this month .
• Don't have a blog? You can link from your flickr account. Just post a picture, include a little note about your finish and a link back here {code included below} in the description. Then join the linky party.
• Want a button for your sidebar? Copy and paste the code below into an HTML gadget for your sidebar. This button is a link to the main A Stitch In Time Linky Party page, which always has the current month's finishes and links to all previous linky parties.
• Make sure to visit a few of the other links and leave them some love {ie, a comment}. A good rule of thumb is to visit two links for every one you include.
• Winner of the sponsored giveaway will be drawn randomly from among the links and announced by 8:00 pm MST on the 3rd of the following month.
• Instructions for making an index page to your finishes can be found here.
• Kindly consider changing your comment settings to the pop-up window option for faster and easier commenting for visitors to your blog. Instructions can be found here.
To participate in this month's linky party:
• Your project must be completed sometime in June, 2013.
• Once you've got your project finished {as in done, finito, nothing more to add, ready to use/display/give away} with some sort of stitching in it, blog about it or post a photo of it on Flickr.
• Scroll down to see what other bloggers are up to and link to your own finishes.
• Please include the June button in your blog post. Copy the code in the text box below and paste it somewhere in the post you link for this month's finishes. The button is a link to this specific post, so that other bloggers can find their way over and link up too. If you'd like a button for your sidebar, the code is at the bottom of this post.
• Each time you link up a finished project, you're entered to win the June giveaway, a Honeycomb of Happy-Go-Lucky by Bonnie & Camille for Moda!
• Thank you to The Fat Quarter Shop for sponsoring our giveaway!
The Fine Print {which might be boring but you really should read}:
• Your project must be completed during the month you are linking to.
• Projects must include stitching of some sort. For example: appliqué, crochet, cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting, practical sewing {garment construction, bags, curtains, etc.}, quilting.
• Projects must be completely finished. As in done, finito, nothing more to add, ready to use/display/give away.
• You can pick something new to do, but projects do not have to be started during the month. If you pick up a UFO, Ph.D, WIP and finish it during the month, it counts.
• Finishes must be completed during this month, but you have until noon MST on the 1st of the next month to link your post.
• Post about your finish and then link your specific post {instructions here} above. Links to your blog and not the individual post about your finished project will be deleted.
• Have more than one finish this month? Great! Post about each finish individually and then link the specific posts up separately. Each finish, and therefore each link you add, counts as one entry for this month's giveaway.
• If you've already posted about a finish for this month, there's no need to do a separate post. Just add the button to that post and link up.
• Please copy and paste the code below to include this month's button somewhere in the post {not your sidebar} you link up for this month .
• Don't have a blog? You can link from your flickr account. Just post a picture, include a little note about your finish and a link back here {code included below} in the description. Then join the linky party.
• Want a button for your sidebar? Copy and paste the code below into an HTML gadget for your sidebar. This button is a link to the main A Stitch In Time Linky Party page, which always has the current month's finishes and links to all previous linky parties.
• Make sure to visit a few of the other links and leave them some love {ie, a comment}. A good rule of thumb is to visit two links for every one you include.
• Winner of the sponsored giveaway will be drawn randomly from among the links and announced by 8:00 pm MST on the 3rd of the following month.
• Instructions for making an index page to your finishes can be found here.
• Kindly consider changing your comment settings to the pop-up window option for faster and easier commenting for visitors to your blog. Instructions can be found here.