Slow Sunday stitching.

 I started a little hand work Friday night after a busy week. A couple of granny squares got added to the pile this week.

Saturday Emily was riding Marshmellow but he needed some care before riding. She was picking out his hooves in this photo.

This morning - I finally started the Autumn stamp stitch along over at Pinker n Punkin Quilting. It has been a long time since I have done counted cross stitch! I am working on the apples today that were released on Friday.

I have yet to start the hand quilting again on the Cat and Mouse quilt on the frame, but I did get the frame set back up and it is ready for stitching after a couple of years of sitting patiently waiting. I just need to pull a chair into the bedroom so I am all set to add some stitches each evening this week. Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Stitchers.

First - time to trim the shrubs that are completely overgrown and get the front of the house looking decent again before it gets way too hot outside. The kids have decided to stay home today instead of going to Grandma's so I plan to put them to work trimming and helping to pull the branches to the backyard fire pit. I had Aidan torch the brush pile yesterday, so we have a clear area to pile the new trimmings. The first 3 days of school are over and went well for the kids. I hope the pick up line gets a little smoother this week.

RSC Orange

 

I finally got a few minutes in the sewing room and made 2 of my 16 patch blocks in orange. I fear my orange fabrics are few and could use some supplementing. I'll have to look into that one of these days.

Linking up with the RSC.

A hectic week.

First 2 days of school is in the books! Both had good days. Pickup was better than I expected! I got there a little after 3:25 and was on the road in the turn lane. Aidan texted me he was walking over and I told him where I was. He crossed the road and got in the car and I heard all about his day. Then after we got on the middle school property a little after 4 I heard.... 'geez, you have a long wait for lots of years haven't you?' Ayup, including VPK I think we are going into year 11 on the drop off and pick up. (Kg and VPK + 8 grades) We had Emily in the car by 4:10 and then it took a bit to get back through the traffic but we got home about 4:40. Not bad at all. After a few weeks it will be a consistent 4:20ish.

Neither smiled for the morning photo - so this is all I got!

Oops - you didn't want to see Peanut on his school photo? He decided it was a sleep on Mom's lap while she worked kind of Wednesday!

My 8th grader

My 9th grader - a Freshman in HS!

Would you believe no stitching has happened this week? I was listening to an audio book until Aidan got in the car but I had not been there long when he got in. Being on the road, I feel strange doing hand work despite being in park and waiting a good 20 minutes before I can move. 

Monday night we had orientation at the HS and since they had a line for the Chromebook pick up (for all the Cambridge kids) Greg got in that and it was sooooo slow! We were still waiting in line an hour after orientation finished at 5:30 before they opened up a few more people to work though the line. The principal checked us out and we were on our way. We picked up Popeyes on the way home and had a late dinner around 7:30. Being on my feet for a few hours in the high temps did me in.

Tuesday night I took Aidan shopping for a few things for school (lunch box, binder, pencils) and made him figure out what he wanted for lunches. Emily had given me her list for breakfast and lunches. It was a get home around 8:30 kind of night.

Wednesday - I finished my 'homework' - all the paperwork the parents need to fill out. Time for a walk that I did not take in the morning.

Thursday - Greg and I dropped the kids to school and then went shopping for a sofa. We have been in need of one for a while but kept putting it off as the futon was working but the mattress keeps slipping and it drives me nuts! So we planned to shop a few places but we ended up finding one we both liked at the first place. Cheaper than what he was researching on line and it will be delivered to us on Tuesday! I might have also gotten a new rocking recliner chair to replace my 24 year old Lazy boy recliner. It matches the leather sofa and is oh so comfy. When we got home.... instead of sewing, I decided I really needed to clean and clear out the bedroom. I also reset up the Grace quilting frame so it is ready for hand quilting on the cat and mouse. I just need to move a chair in there. A quick pop to Aldi's to grab potato to go with dinner. I forgot to put the chicken in the crockpot yesterday since we were late getting home from dropping kids and I had to log right into work. So, I cut out the backbone to flatten it  and gave Greg instructions on when to pull it from the fridge and pop it on the prepped pan of potato, onion and garlic and put in the oven. Dinner smelled so yummy when we walked into the house around 4:50. Really slow line today for pick up and I left later so was way back on the road. 

If I remember correctly, the pick up line gets a lot better once the after school progam starts. That gives the parents until 6PM to pick up the kids.

Time for some Murdock Mysteries.... with crochet or quilting? We will see.

Cross Stitch Autumn Stamp Sew Along.

The first clue was released today with the outline. It has been so long since I have done counted cross stitch it should be an interesting beginning. I went to the store yesterday and picked up all but one of the floss needed and the Aida cloth. They were out of the eggplant color. I'll have to check my other baggie and see if I might have it.  I hope I grabbed the right needles. I had the hoop and scissors and printed off the pattern this morning. I plan to give it a start later this evening. Greg is dropping Aidan to the orientation this afternoon and then we will head over for 4 when the parents are asked to go.

After running errands yesterday, Greg, Bear and I headed to Grandma's house mid afternoon. We wanted Bear to meet Scruffy - Grandma's dog. 

We had them meet through the fence first as we were not sure how either would react. Both did submissive behavior and did really well! Now we know if we need to babysit Scruffy, the dogs should be fine together! 

With school starting soon and me picking the kids up at 3:25 and 3:45... and with the known beginning of school pick up chaos usually taking 30-45 minutes to get them and then 20- 60 minutes to get home with traffic I need to think of meals and prepping ahead again. This is the part I dislike!

I opened the big freezer and pushed and pulled things and tried to figure out meals for the nex

t couple of days. I pulled some ham from Easter and that is tonight's plan with some mashed potato and frozen peas. (We have orientation until 5:30 so won't be home until 6 -6:15? I may be talked into takeout on the way home, but we will see!)  Tomorrow, I pulled out some pork chops that will thaw overnight and then we can pound them for snitzel tomorrow night with some roasted cauliflower and a salad. Greg will take Aidan after lunch to check out the computer from school.  I also pulled a whole chicken out to thaw (the deep freeze is at zero) and will plan to do that as a dry roast in the crock pot with root veggies on Wednesday. Who know's when we will get home from school! It will be nice to have dinner ready and waiting for us. 

 

Sunday before the storm (school storm that is!)

 The kids spent the night at Grandma's after a late night at the car races. Tomorrow, I start getting them up at 'school time' so they are not too surprised on Wednesday when they have to go to school! Monday Aidan has Freshman orientation at 2 and then the rest of the school and parents arrive at 4 for the 4-5:30 orientation. We got a robo call informing us that Tuesday they have to pick up a crome book for school between 9-3. I guess they don't think parents work? Thank goodness I have a flexible schedule and so does Greg with his schooling. I think Greg will do the 2PM drop off (well 1:45 drop off) and I'll go at 4. Tuesday... we will see who brings him to sign out the computer. I think my morning meetings got moved to the early afternoon so it might be me. 

Wednesday should be a mad house dropping off and picking up so I'll make sure to have my 'busy bag' with me in the car. It will have a skein of yarn and crochet hook for the below project of the granny squares. I am not sure if the grey and/or cream will be in the afghan. We will see. I have lots more of the medium country blue than the light and dark. We will see what happens. I have been looking at different ways to join them and might go with this one - Join as you go by the crochet swirl. 

I have been waiting patiently for school to start to begin my Brimfield Awakening EPP project. I have it all prepped and tucked into a container with the necessary supplies. I really hope I like EPP - as I might have purchased a few Accuquilt single dies for it - the hexagon and the paper and fabric cutting for the diamond. I have always wanted to make a tumbling block quilt! 

Then the third option is hand piecing on the third Hand Pieced Sew Along - Harmony.  I have one block completed and planned to make 3 more. 2 are prepped and in process. 

I might also have a 4th project as I plan to stitch along with Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching. She is doing a Mystery Autumn Stamp Stitch Along. It starts tomorrow.... so I might need to go shopping to make sure I have the floss.

Linking up with the Sunday Slow Stitchers. 

I saw this pretty shot out my window this week and had to go snap a photo as the sun was going down. 

Crossed Canoe

 I just took a little sewing time and got my 2 orange Crossed Canoe blocks completed and added to the mix. I believe we have 2 more colors to add for a 4x5 setting. Linking up with the RSC.

Summer UFO finish

 I worked on #22 - my tumbler flag top. It did not turn out how I imagined so it sat.

 I decided to take it apart a bit. I unpicked a section and finished this 23x25 section into a little runner. I played with the machine quilting and did a machine binding. Another finish!