Family Quilt, A Treasure

Family Quilt Backing
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

My mother started this quilt decades ago but put it aside before finishing it. The top was completely pieced and she had frame-quilted it, all done but the binding.

The olive drab squares are from her father's work uniforms, the checked and striped ones are from her mother's house dresses.

It makes me well up in tears... these stitches are by my mother's very own hands. These fabrics worn daily by my grandparents.

After she died last year dad found it in her cedar chest. It is a treasure to me. My dear girlfriend, Julie, bound and finished the edges for me. I am eternally thankful for her generosity and friendship.

Pink Medicine

Pink Medicine
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

We've worn the numbers off the dropper. (smacks forehead)

I thought they were supposed to grow OUT of ear infections, not into them. MG and Andrew had them as young babies but they were pretty much gone by age two. Abi didn't have a single one until she was 21 months. And over her second year she's had 4.

Pollen brought a drippy nose, a drippy nose brought head congestion, head congestion brought fluid behind her ear drums. And that fluid brought infection.

Argh.

Big Girl Bed

Big Girl Bed
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

Abi will be 3 this summer... sadly one more baby thing went away this weekend. She moved from her crib to her big girl bed. She LOVES it. I'm happy for her.

But... it was very hard putting the baby bed away. All 3 of my children have slept in it until they moved over around 2 1/2 - 3 years old. That's almost 8 years of me tucking someone into that thing every night. I will miss it. It seems like yesterday that I was shopping in the baby boutique for it, when I was pregnant with Mary Grace. So it goes... into storage to wait for the first grandchild.

The girls share a room and they have this loft set. MG sleeps up top for now. Once Abi is old enough she'll switch to the top and big sis, MG will get a break from the climbing.

Square Foot Gardening

Peas on the Move
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

We've decided to give the square foot gardening technique a go after reading so many positives about it. Set up was easy! (lots of pics) The website recommends no larger than 4 ft wide but I put the stepping stones in to access the middle squares. Ours is 8'x8'.

Some plants, some from seed. It's been in for about two weeks now and the seeds are popping up like crazy now. Peas, broccoli, zucchini, squash, cucumber and okra just this week. I've also transplanted seedlings for tomatoes, basil, chives and parsley. Plants include peppers, cilantro, onion, head lettuce and some heirloom tomatoes.

I am loving the potential and the life in action, but more importantly the children loved helping daddy build it and mommy plant it. We check it daily for new sprouts and growth. I can't wait until our first crop!

Biker Chicks

Balancing
Originally uploaded by wenjomatic.

Spring break brought something new and fun for both girls. Riding a bike! On the same day even.

At 12 Mary Grace finally decided to learn how to ride a bike. Santa brought her one for Christmas when she was 5 or 6 but when it went back down with her to her dad's, they never worked with it. My neighbor couldn't believe she didn't know how to ride at 12, so she pulled on of her boy's bikes out.

It only took 5 minutes and she had it. I was proud of her but she was SO proud of herself. She's never mentioned it, but it was definitely something that bothered her. She beamed for several days after and just could not stay off those 2 wheels!



That same day I got a hand-me-down bike out of the basement, from a girlfriend, and Abi climbed on like it was no big deal at all. Within minutes she was cruising around. In just a day or so it was pretty much mastered. It's so much fun seeing all 3 kids zooming around and laughing.