My new Machine is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took off for Grand Rapids and Smith-Owen Sewing Center at 9:06 - got there at 10. At the Lake Odessa exit I saw a large bird flying towards the freeway from the right - with a white head - bald eagle flew right in front of me - what a sight!!!!!!!!!!!


Alice was waiting for me and gave me a quick lesson in getting started. I paid for the machine and a quilting foot and a quilt table...........thanks, mom.

I stoppped at Field's Fabrics to get a backing for a charity quilt and some vinyl for the bar stool in the kitchen. Of course, I found a couple other pieces of fabric, too.


Mango was the first to explore the box - new items in the house must pass his inspection!!!!
I unpacked all the pieces and organized the little tool box storage that is built in.

I connected the foot pedal and the power - made a bobbin - and have sewn 2 lines!!!!!!!!!

It is wonderful - 10 inches of space to the right of the needle!!!!!!!!

It will start sewing with a backtack and end with a backtack and threads tied on the underside - and cut!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure it does MUCH more..........need time to explore!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Last evening John did some renovation to my OLD cabinet - took off front, back of top, cut hole in side and back, etc. My machine is wedged in - can't use free arm as it is - will have to take it out to use that feature. Right now, everything is kinda level and I have no top drawer - you must reach in that space inside the cut out hole to turn the machine on!! --- but it's workable. He's good!!!!!!!!

My cabinet was purchased with my Elna - my first sewing machine purchased with the first check from teaching in Everett, Washington. It has been modified twice before for Pfaff machines. It is colonial maple!!!!!!!! I just packaged up all the Elna stuff and it's in the Goodwill pile. It was a good machine..........

Christmas Eve and Day

Christmas Eve is spent with the Kuhlman family - this time at Great Grandma and Great Grandpa's condo - more space on one floor so Great Grandpa has room for his wheelchair.
It was good to have so many together - Marcia and Dick came from Florida for a few days.

Christmas Day is spent at our house - Santa time in the morning and then the Thomas family comes for dinner. Barb and family stopped at Mom Wilsons and got a hickory smoked ham for dinner - it is THE best!!!!!!!!

It's a lot of family cramed into a short time - but good memories...........




Andrew is going thru a stage of not wanting his picture taken.........but if he has a camera, it's a different story!!!! These are most of the Kuhlman greats - Reagan is missing from this picture. The Zweering boys looked real cute in their matching shirts!!!!!!!!

Andrew and Reagan shared toys - Reagan was there for a brief hello as she and her parents have other family obligations too............

Most of the grands and greats!!!!!!!! Andrew is there........behind his dad!!!!!!!!!!

The kids ate dinner in the kitchen - with a little supervision from Jessi and me!!!!!!!!

These children had to do a good inspection of presents - and had great patience!!!!!!!!!

As you can see - Andrew is a mover!!!!!!!!!!

A big hit were these remote control bumper cars !!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas morning Andrew saw his train - Alexander saw a couple Star Wars lego sets and a drawing book.

Allison got a nice box for her Pokemon cards - you can see her new keyboard in the background.

Andrew also got a new bike - riding on the carpet downstairs was tough, so we brought the bike up and rode around the kitchen and foyer!!!!!!!!!!

Alexander got some new gloves in his stocking!!!!!!!!!

Great-Grandma always ends up reading - and these kids LOVE to be read to. Also seen reading to children were Uncle John and Uncle Chris.
I have a large collection of Christmas books that were on the hearth. Allisons' favorite is The Chirstmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher - purchased for Ashley in 1979~!!!!!

JR worked with Alexander - and help from Andrew?????- on a Star Wars lego set.

This is everybody - got Andrew before he wanted out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alexander started band this fall and brought his clarinet. He has good tone with this instrument - not an easy thing to do!!!!

Uncle Chris used to play the clarinet and gave him some pointers.

Great Grandpa played the clarinet too!!!!!!!!!

It has been a whirlwind couple of days - with lots of good times and memories. Ashley and family left on Saturday late afternoon after a quick visit to the Thomas greats and family.

Monday is moving day - my parents are moving to a retirement home.

Keeping Busy

The kids have done some baking. They made gingerbread boys and girls and are decorating them here.
Peppermint Bark was another thing they made - and had a special label from Grace Lin for the container - peppermint trees with a dog in front saying "Bark" - too cute!!!!
We have roll out cookie dough in the frige to decorate sometime soon!!!!!! Each year they paint a little ornament - just one of those balsa wood ones with a circle for a picture.

Tuesday we went to Impressions Five - a hands on science center for children.

This mouth has been there for YEARS!!!! I have a picture of little Ashley in it!!!!

The bubble room is the first place to stop. Alexander could get this up around himself - and Andrew popped it!!!!!!!!

There is also a bubble "wall" that you can make and blow into.

Allison could pull the bubble up around her, too.

There is a new special room for children 4 and under. Andrew expecially enjoyed the water table area.

At the top of the climber I caught this wonderful smile - he was really enjoying his own space.

Cousin JR and my sister Barb showed up and got to see - and try out - many things.

In the basement the Lansing Railroad Society has a HUGE set up - 100' long - many lanes of track and hundreds of train cars and scenery...........great to watch.

There is also a small train set up for kids.

This is a "radio station" - lots of sound effects on the board and then you could comment on them with the microphone........Great fun.

We were there for about 3 hours...........constantly moving and discovering new things - that's what this place is all about - hands-on learning.

The kids have also been enjoying playing with all the lego and playmobile guys and pieces. They do so well together.

This morning we all went to Meijers - it's a treat to shop with 3 kids. They each picked out something in the bulk candy to have after lunch. Andrew said he didn't want to eat a good lunch, so I asked if wanted a bad lunch and he said yes..........so he had his gummy worm after a "bad lunch" !!!!!!!!!! He really ate well........he says the cutest things!!!!!!!

Ashely and Alex will come tomorrow. We will celebrate Christmas Eve with the Kuhlman family and Christmas Day with the Thomas family.

I doubt that I will be on the computer again, so Merry Christmas to all my friends.

P.S. - my new sewing machine is ready - I will get it next week. Something to look forward to!!!!!!!!!

Sledding

There really isn't much snow out there.........


It took 4 stores before we found snow pants for Andrew and the kids went outside to sled down the hill at our neighbors. Allison does well by herself - matter of face, they all do!!!!!!!!!!

Coming up is hard work!!!!!!!!!!

Andrew did just fine walking up on his own.......just after this picture was taken, Alexander slipped and they both went back down the hill!!!!!!!!!!!

Andrew loved going down!!!!!!!!!!!!

Allison had to make a snow angel...............cute!!!

The boys went down together quite a few times.........

I went down a few times too!!!!!!!!!

They enjoyed throwing snowballs into the creek, then went up to a driveway and brought down hunks of snow to throw in the creek.

Finally they made sculptures with the hunks of snow. It was NOT good for packing, so no snowman..........at least not today...........

Inside for hot chocolate - YUMMMMMMMmmmmmmm.

They're here

We got home about 6 and the kids started in to make blueberry muffins..........great help!!!!!!!!!
And great dinner - steak on the grill, blueberry muffins and fruit. YUM Alexander ate well.

Andrew has a limited palate - he had a corn dog and lots of carrots and a few bites of steak - which he said was "Good chicken."

Alexander is almost finished with a book - the latest Wimpy Kid book and Allison and Andrew are downstairs with John.

Allison has requested her favorite Christmas book before bedtime - The Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snitcher..............an oldie but goodie.........

Charm Group

I didn't make it to the potluck - too busy with Stollen!!!
It worked out ok - they only had 2 "main dishes" and a salad - and a dozen desserts!!!!!!

After dinner Bonnie presented Cindy with Christmas blocks that we each had made - NOT something from Bath and Body Works!!!!!! Cindy will have a challenge to put them together for her OWN Christmas quilt. She has posted pics of them on her blog - Lavender Pie on my sidebar. Then we showed our "Landscape" challenges.........
Ruth did an Australian Tree.

Georgia has this landscape in progress - she says it still needs work.

A closer look at the landscape. She used lots of different fabrics for the topography.

Louise made this bear in nature - looks like Alaska to many of us.

Ruth did this straight line landscape - really turned out neat. I hope she hangs it in her home!!!

Carol cut and sewed in a special way to achieve this look - it really is unique - and looks better in the picture than in person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cindy had some flowers in a garden. OK.......she cheated - she made this in a class a few years ago. That's ok - we have no rules!!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa used some of her Jane Sassaman for this - something about the characters in Yellow Submarine movie...........

My tree.

Daisy's house - her own - and her backyard, the gazebo, etc - notice Gracie rolling in the grass!!!!!!!!!!

We sure are a group of talented quilters..........and I'm glad to call all of them my friends.......