Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Ready, Set, Go!

Whew! Today was fun and tiring...but the sun was shining and all was great. We hid something over 200 eggs...and the kids found almost all of them. Most were plastic except for 3 dozen or so...and we only "lost" one of those eggs. We're sure to find it after the summer sun gets it good and hot...and we'll step on it! Whew, what a smell that will be! Mom has a huge back yard that is great for hiding eggs.


 
For those that left comments yesterday...yes, a large family is a lot of fun. As the oldest of the seven kids...I have three younger sisters and 3 younger brothers. We all have kids, step kids, grand kids, and even some great-nieces and nephews.
The little kids (3 and under) hunt near the house...and the older ones hunt everywhere else in the backyard. We hide eggs that will get you a prize, and others that have candy or loose change inside....as well as dyed hard-boiled eggs...also sometimes worthy of a prize.


 Lil Brady found a few eggs...with lot's of help because he of course didn't "get it" at his age. But, he enjoyed walking, and walking, and walking all around the yard. Such freedom!
 Little Ely is old enough to look and pick up a lot on her own. And when we stopped hunting and were counting eggs so we could determine if they had all been found...she helped out. She took the first egg from her basket and placed it on the ground...while announcing loudly "Two!"...so we were sure that she had the most by the time she finished her counting...ha!
 Here's my sweet Aidan counting out hers...37 found...
 Hard to get faces when I'm shooting down...but Clay had quiet a few as well...
 When all were counted, we still were missing seven...and off they went to hunt for those...
 Then we sat in the shade and all the kids could empty out their eggs of candy and change...
Fun was certainly had by all today!
Now, it's time for a NAP!
Photobucket

Saturday, April 19, 2014

The New Carport


Today was a very busy day! The entire family (almost) got involved in cleaning up the yard and the menfolk took down the old carport that was really rotting away...and put up a new one. Thought y'all might enjoy a bit of family photos...especially since I'm behind the camera! Ha! But, even before these...the above is a fuzzy photo of Brady...he doesn't stay still long enough for me to focus even! He's is walking now...and thinks he is already a big-boy at one year old!

 The old carport is already down in this photo. The work started about four minutes after I got out of bed this morning...by the time I had a cup of coffee and remembered to get the camera...the demo part was complete.
 Framing up begins...
 My great niece Ely, who is now two! Gosh time flies, is learning to walk Taco...my SIL's dog. They are about the right size ratio!
 My niece (Ely's mom) and her three boys tackled the side yard under the cedar tries together...
 Aidan and I drug freshly cut limbs...she sure has grown don't you think? One of my three younger sisters, and Mom are talking about what's left to be done...
 Rita took a break to get photos of the other two sisters...and I'm getting one of all three!
 Anna and Jan has t-shirts made that said "Team Seaman...lifetime member"...cute! (Seaman is my maiden name...for those wondering why not "shaw".)
 See how yucky some of the old wood had gotten...really time for it to come down...
 Here's the new carport...all pretty and well-built. Still needs a coat of paint, but my baby brother will handle that next week.
 Mom's front flower beds are freshly groomed, raked, and mulched...
And a pile of shrub limbs have been carried to the front street...ready for the city to pick up. We still have trash bags full of leaves and other stuff to pull out there...for now...all are home taking a well deserved break!
Hope all of you had a wonderful and productive day as well!
 
 
Photobucket

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Family Celebration Time - Fish Fry!

Today, we had a little family gathering at Mother's...with a fish fry. Here, my sister Anna is outside frying up the fish...and hush-puppies. Some (most) of the guys are out there watching...and "catching" hush-puppies!



Hope y'all all had a great and relaxing 4th of July!
Happy Independence Day good ole USA!

You know you're from the South when you're outside catching hush-puppies!
Ha!

Photobucket

Monday, June 24, 2013

Do You Fish?


I'm usually the one sitting in the lawn chair with a book...swatting at the mosquitos and wishing I were back home. Which is probably why I don't do much fishing! This past weekend, my daughter, her boyfriend, his family, and Aidan went fishing....and this is one of the fish that they brought home. Several catfish filets will come from this one for sure.
 
Photobucket

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Ooops, You Almost Got a Boob Shot!


Aidan is my camera "person" for this picture...so, I'll have to just close my eyes and be thankful that she is here to help me this week. 
 
I'm a Great Aunt...to several little wee folk. Here is the latest one...this is my Great-nephew...he is 7 weeks old...and I have him all to myself Monday through Friday now while him Mom and Dad are working.
Aren't I a fortunate gal!
My stitching through the week is in the evenings and my blogging is early in the morning and in the evening too. I fit small projects in while the baby is asleep. 
I love little babies...they make me smile (most of the time).
Aidan did really well helping today...except when she thought she was going to change a wet diaper...and "unwrapped" to find MUCH more. She ran for the bathroom...leaving Nana to handle the details! The next event was when she learned that little boys work like lawn sprinklers sometimes when their diaper comes off!
He got her Nana good however so his aim is right on target!
 Ha!
Photobucket

Monday, February 18, 2013

Oh goody, goody!


Look who has popped their heads out! Oh, goody, goody! Spring has to be right around the corner! Glorious spring....woot! woot! Bring it on!
 
Photobucket

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Missing...Almost...

 
 
Well, what a couple of days I've had lately!
Nothing too dramatic...just boring stuff mostly.
I did manage to finally get the drapes done for my brother, and I'm sure he was glad about that! I learned that black fabric makes a wonderful catcher...for every human and dog hair in my house! And for every fuss ball, dust particle, and piece of thread off of my sewing room rug!
 
My laptop has been super slow. And no, it's not a virus or such. I keep it equipped with software to stop that kind of stuff...even though I still am tormented with spam on my email and blogger comments...which annoy me to no end.
 
Nope...my problem is that this little cutie (see I'm talking nice...it may be listening...) is an older model...with only a 32-bit processor. Now, when I got it...I had no idea if 32 was a good number or not.
It has about 2GB of RAM...which is nothing in today's market of 8GB normally. This means that large downloads of "updates" just take up so much space...it has to be "cleaned out" every now and then.
 
So, about a year ago...I went to Office Depot to see if more RAM could be installed. The technician opened her up...(I about had a heart failure)...and pronounced that there was an empty port...so I could add another 2GB of memory. Wonderful! Let's do it! I paid the about $50 for the extra card and he installed it...but...it didn't "take". After another 30 minutes of trying to figure out why...and checking his techie manuals...which said that the card should work. He finally determined that the processor speed was the problem. The memory of 4GB could not be "read" by a processor that would only handle about 3.2 (or really 3) GB...hence the "32" part of the 32-bit.  There were no memory cards for 1GB on the shelf...so I was stuck.

Instead, I purchased an external hard drive "notebook"...(about $100...but they took the $50 un-usable card back...thankfully) which holds about 150 GB...limitless to me!
All of my photos (including all of the CQJP and Blog stuff), my documents, and large programs not sit there...and I direct my traffic to them at the "H" drive, instead of to my normal "C" drive. This speeds things up considerably.

Now, for the problem...some programs, sites, etc...just don't give you the option to change the drive you want "stuff" to go to. So, every time I update these softwares...I get more stuff on my C drive...and have to go in and manually move it to my H drive. I spend a couple of hours yesterday doing that. Then, I spend a couple of more...transferring other files. Then, I ran some cleaning software and also decided to de-frag my C drive to get things in a better "alignment" so to speak.
All together...my little laptop got a workout...about 6 hours of constant moving, compressing, adjusting, etc. Most of this time, nothing else could be happening...so only checked my email between "events"...which was about every 2 hours or so.
 
BUT, the good news is that my baby (see, another nice term) is purring...and happy!
My latest boring drapery project is done!
And, I'm designing some silk ribbon project ideas for you!
So, if you have read this entire boring post...you are in for a treat soon!
Okay, even if you didn't read it...you'll still get the treat.
Now, I'm off to go stitch the example I just finished designing!
Come back and visit tomorrow...and it will be almost done I'm sure!
Hugs, hope everyone has a great weekend!

Photobucket

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Rain and Slushy...


Today has been a dreary, rainy...then slushy day!
The morning, mid-morning, and early afternoon rain showers...turned into wet snow...which left this icy slush on my porch and steps.
 
I've swept it away..and am hoping that the morning does not bring a thin sheet of ice since the temperatures are dropping tonight. I can't get down these steps if they ice up...and only have a handful of rock salt left. I could hang off the porch with a rope, like a monkey....or with my hips, more like a gorilla! 
Guess I'd just have to stay inside...and make hot cocoa instead of going down for coffee in the morning!
We'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings...
Hope y'all are having loads of sunshine!

Photobucket

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Circle #2 Completed


Last night,  managed to finish the second little circle I'm working for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project, 2013 Challenge. I'm using only the seam designs in my book, Embellishing Crazy Quilts. Some of them are getting a little tweaking if I see the need in the specific circle it happens to be included on...and most are getting beads...well, just because! You really don't need a reason to add beads.

This is seam #145, and I added small Rocaille beads instead of French Knots at the top of this blanket stitch seam. The spokes are close together, too close for seed beads...and the size #15 little Rocaille is just right.

This is seam #43, and I added size #11 seed beads instead of French Knots in this design too. I also amended the seam to add some pink straight stitches next to the chain...just to widen the seam a little bit. And that gave me the opportunity to add some pink color...to pull the eye a little from all the pink in the blanket stitch seam close by.

Lastly, for this little circle, this is seam #23. The cluster of French Knots was replaced with a 7mm flower spacer bead.

Most of my beads (and all three of these specific ones) were purchased at Fire Mountain Gems if you have the need for some new beads. Just search for the type of bead you are looking for, and you're sure to get loads of possibilities! 

If you are keeping up with the Move and Repair and Rent Out saga going on in my life right now...we got the ceiling fans and kitchen cabinets cleaned today; Sis (Anna) got the insulation installed in the attic; brother (John) and BIL (Shawn) got the leak at the hot water heater fixed, the back cement steps leveled, and screen put over the attic venting areas. Tracy and I decided not to paint today...with so much going on...we didn't want lovely "dust paint" walls. So, tomorrow we go back to paint and clean the floors in the kitchen.
There are still little things to replace, but they'll get done over time. So, one more day...of real work, and Shawn's mother can move in. They'll be doing that next weekend...but, I'll only be observing! Yeah! (Famous last words I'm sure...especially if my Sis reads this!)

Photobucket

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Checking Things Off My List...

Managed to get the first of many CQJP2013 circles finished...and am working on the second one tonight. Today, we did not get any painting done...because Sommer showed up early in the day, and we loaded the rest of the boxes and furniture. Here is the last load heading to the new house...it was sad to see the truck pull out of the yard. But, life goes on...and the world keeps turning...and children have to make their own lifes. I made sure to corner Kyle and asked him to make sure that Aidan gets to visit...cause Nana is already missing her. She starts a new school next week, so I'll be calling to hear all about that for sure!
 My middle brother came today and got a new set of steps finished. The other set was a bit worn and rickety...perfectly okay for sure footed folks. But, Shaun's mother has problems controlling her diabetes and has already lost part of her toes...so her footing is not so steady. These steps are closer together and much more solid. 
One more day of cleaning (ceiling fans and floors...and paint that awful lime green living room!) and my back, shoulders, and wrists can get back to their normal...calm existance.
Hugs to you all! We are scheduled for rain for the next couple of days...then these wonderful 70 degree temps are plunging down to the 40's. Now, I know that 40 is not very cold for some of you...but it is here!
The insects are so confused...we saw a bumble bee today!
Photobucket