Latest Happenings – Trip to KC – Missouri Quilts

Posted By on June 24, 2008

A lot has happened since my last post.  If you aren’t family, you may want to scroll down quickly – past all of the family events – to see the beautiful MISSOURI QUILTS that I saw on my trip!

TRIP TO MISSOURI

If you are family – then you might like to see some highlights of my recent trip to MISSOURI.  I got a new camera and lived up to my name of CRAZY PICTURE LADY……enjoy.

My cousin died and I went back to the Midwest to be with my family.  While it was a sad occasion, it was also a time to make beautiful new memories and renew my connection with my familial roots.

MY BROTHER, FRED, AND FAMILY – AND AN UP AND COMING PRIEST

I stayed with my brother, Fred, and sister-in-law, Elaine, and my two nephews Eric and Joey.  Here they are outside The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in KC where mass was said for nephew, Adam Johnson.  It is a beautiful cathedral – with a gold dome – located in downtown K.C.  This is a picture of it from a distance – love that dome!  Inside the cathedral it is truly breathtakingly beautiful…….I have never seen such wonderful stain glass windows. I wanted to take a picture, but wasn’t sure if that was an acceptable behavior!

Elaine, Eric, Fred and Joey  Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Lisa, Adam and Diane

This is Adam, with his sister, Lisa, and mom, Diane.  Adam left for Italy where he will be studying in the Vatacan to become a priest (over the next five to six years.) 

You are seeing this correctly, the FUTURE PRIEST is taking his sister’s PINK SUITCASE with him on a trip to CA to visit the missions there!

The future priest with his PINK SUITCASE

FATHER’S DAY

I had the unexpected pleasure of spending Father’s Day with my parents!  We celebrated a late Mother’s Day too!

Father\'s Day

SONY FAMILY PICNIC

And I went to Lake Jacomo for a SONY FAMILY PICNIC….I hadn’t been to this lake since I was a senior in high school celebrating prom night!  Elaine and I are enjoying the festivities and good food  (Missouri style corn on the cob and fried chicken.)

Elaine and Sao at the SONY picnic

I will never forget this day because my brother, Fred, accidentally went into the ladies room and when we ran into each other in there he thought that HIS SISTER HAD GONE INTO THE MEN’S ROOM! 

Well, as FRED EXPLAINED, at a certain angle and with sun in your eyes, a WOMEN’S sign looks a lot like a MEN’S sign!  After this, my brother wore a hat and sun glasses to hide his identity!  Why?  Because ANOTHER WOMAN ran into Fred in there too and SHE THOUGHT that SHE was in the men’s room and my brother PROMISED not to tell (in sign language.)  We laughed a lot about this.

Fred going into the women\'s restroom

GREEN CITY, MISSOURI

We drove to Green City, MO…..and enjoyed the lucious rolling green pastures along the way to my cousin, Janie’s house.  The third picture below of the yard with the DINNER BELL in the foreground is my cousin Janie’s backyard….and the next one is of my cousin Betty’s backyard!  These country YARDS go on forever and ever!  Quite impressive for a city slicker like me!

Green City

Driving to GREEN CITY, MO 

 

Janie\'s Backyard Betty\'s back yard

And this is my grandma’s old house – it used to be SO BIG!!!  🙂

Grandma Albertson\'s house

And this is the old family GREEN CITY METHODIST CHURCH right outside the TOWN SQUARE!  I imagine that not too many people have heard of Green City, MO, but it is a charming town that holds many wonderful childhood memories for me – population 668.

  Green City Methodist Church

This is my cousin Janie standing in front of pictures of her grandangels.  We are five months apart in age and she and I used to ride horseback around Green City when we were little.  I thought that was so neat!  (Our fathers are brothers.)

Janie and her grandangels

She is a lot of fun to be with and I discovered that we have a lot in common – for one thing, we both LOVE ankle bracelets!

Janie and SAO\'s ankle bracelets

Betty is Archie’s wife – and he died only two months after being diagnosed with cancer.  She is holding a cast of their clapsed hands that they had made at the county fair last summer – what a treasure that is. 

Betty and the HOLDING HANDS

MY WILD HORSEBACK RIDE WITH ARCHIE

I have included a picture of Archie in his younger years – I remember VIVIDLY his taking me on a horseback ride through the pastures to round up the cattle (they lived on a farm and the cows had to be milked.)  I – a city girl – was on the horse (bare back) behind Archie – clutching tightly and screaming as we galloped through the fields. 

 Archie had so much fun making me scream that he added a bit of excitement to the adventure and rather than go through the gates to proceed from one pasture to the next, he simply directed the horse to JUMP THE FENCES.  I will never forget this as long as I live – the wind blowing my long blonde hair, the screams never ending, and Archie’s laughter – what fun he was having!

Archie

MY AUNTS

I have two aunts in long term care facilities and while they didn’t know me anymore –  I knew them, and it was nice for me to get to see them again. 

Aunt Lillian….with Fred and me……

Fred, Aunt Lillian, and sao

and Aunt Madeline…..our family elementary teacher who must have taught most of the cousins and everyone in Green City for their first three grades!  Even though she does not recognize us, she is very pleasant and social.  Here we are with cousin Ronnie – we celebrated his birthday while I was in town.

Aunt Madeline with me and Cousin Ronnie

VANILLA HOME MADE ICE CREAM

Yes, I really took a picture of my dish of HOME MADE VANILLA ICE CREAM.  It is near the top of my list of FAVORITE THINGS.  We always ate homemade ice cream when the family got together – in the olden days – and I often DREAM about having it again.  It was such fun, as a child, to watch my uncles crank that handle while we waited with anxious anticipation for that ice cream to be ready!  It was YUMMY DELICIOUS – then and now!

SAO\'s HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

What a sweet sight, cousin Randy with the ice cream freezer!

Cousin randy with the ice cream freezer

KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI QUILT SHOW

This was a real unexpected treat.  I got to see some of my grandmother’s and my aunt’s quilts.  I never knew that my aunt made quilts – so this was a lot of fun.

THE HOUSE QUILT

Now this is really exciting.  Here are my cousins Shirley and Ricky holding the HOUSE QUILT that my grandmother made Ricky when he graduated from high school!  Shirley and Rick hosted the birthday party for Ronnie!

Cousins Ricky and Shirley with Grandma\'s House Quilt

And my Aunt Gladys made several quilts – some of which my grandmother partially pieced.  This is Aunt Gladys and the quilts that she made.

Aunt GladysAunt Gladys Quilt Aunt Gladys Quilt Leaf Quilt - Gladys and Grandma Albertson

EMBRACING OUR HERITAGE” 26th Annual NORTHLND NEEDLERS QUILT SHOW at the GASHLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Elaine (sister-in-law) and I went to a  quilt show hosted by the Northland Quilters Guild and the Nitetime Needlers Quilt Guilds in Kansas City, MO.

Here are a few of my favorite quilts in the show!

Grandmother’s Flower Garden and Scrappy Bear Claws.

Grandmother\'s Flower Garden   Scrappy Bear Paws

Cats and Dogs….

CATS  DOGS

I am not remembering the names of these quilts – but I liked them!  The second one is a LOG CABIN set in an interesting configuration.  This very large quilt was edged with prairie points – very impressive!

KC QUILT SHOW  SPIRAL LOG CABIN

I am participating in a BOW TIE online block exchange – so this BOW TIE QUILT made with 1930’s fabrics was intriguing.  I had never seen this setting before.

BOW TIE QUILT

And this one I want to make – it is my FUTURE QUILT INSPIRATION!  I love stars, polka dots and plaid!  Goodness, I hope it isn’t in bad taste to post pictures of other people’s quilts without giving them credit – I am new at this and didn’t even think to write down the quilt creators names!

INSPIRATION

MORE OF MY GRANDMOTHER’S QUILTS

Before I left Kansas City, Fred and Elaine showed me quilts made by our two grandmothers.

Grandma Reiter of Pueblo, COLORADO made what looks to me like a variation on a TRIP AROUND THE WORLD….sort of. 

Grandma Reiter\'s Quilt

Fred’s Graduation Quilt from Grandma Alma Mary Bankus Albertson.

Fred\'s Graduation Quilt by Grandma Albertson

…..and the beautiful vintage blue and white quilt was made by Elaine’s Grandmother

Elaine\'s Grandmother\'s Quilt

Some Final Highlights of my Trip to the MIDWEST

I always enjoy seeing my sister-in-love, Chris……my brother, Fred, and I had lunch with Chris in the Crown Center area of KC.   Chris and I are looking forward to going to the largest outdoor theatre in the world (I think) next month to see MUSIC MAN.  I LOVE THE STARLIGHT THEATRE – definitely on my list of FAVORITE THINGS – and an annual traditional outing on my summer trips to Kansas City, Missouri.

Chris

51

We had a wonderful Italian dinner at BRAVO’s in ZONA ROSA in celebration of Fred’s 51st birthday.  It was wonderful and I highly recommend the eggplant parmigiano!

BIRTHDAY LUNCH AT BRAVOs

Nephew Eric’s girlfirend, McKenna, works at BRAVO…..THANKS MCKENNA……you are the best!

Eric and McKenna

Nephew, Joey, enjoyed the ice cream…..we all did! 

Joey and the ICE CREAM

In fact, I think we are an ICE CREAM FAMILY….look at Fred and Elaine…..at the DAIRY QUEEN (I don’t think we have any of these in Virginia!)

Fred and Elaine eating ice cream at the DAIRY QUEEN

MY GRANDANGELS

My 13 year old grandangel, Harry, and my 10 year old grandangel, William, flew in from CA. It was WONDERFUL to see them!  Here they are with their great grandparents – my parents.  We caught my mother in rollers – I hope she doesn’t mind my sharing this picture…..if she does, OOOPS…too late!

 

My Parents with Harry and William

Brother Jim and Family

Finally I had fun seeing my very dignified CEO brother, Jim (the one with the bag over his head) playing with his grandangel Tara Lynn.  It is a good thing we have grandangels as an excuse for our “FUN” behavior!

Jim and Tara Lynn

Tara Lynn (one year old) is cute without the bag on her head too – here she is with her mom and my neice, Amanda! 

Neice Amanda and Tara Lynn 

And finally Tara Lynn’s brother, Preston (age 3), and his dad, Tyler!

Tyler and Preston

I love my family – they are so much fun to be with….and I have to close with one of my favorite pictures from my trip…….Fred holding a baby mouse in a pet store.  A little girl (not a family member) invited him to hold her pet mouse….too funny!

Fred and the baby mouse

And FINALLY – my two brothers, Jim and Fred, always have to clown around for a picture – it is a tradition.  PEACE BE WITH YOU!

Fred and Jim - PEACE BE WITH YOU

 

Locks of Love – Dance Awards – VA Museum – Cooper is 5 – Orange Crush Mystery Back

Posted By on June 10, 2008

LOCKS OF LOVE GOT 22 INCHES OF BLONDE HAIR TODAY

Today was a big day.  Grandangels Leanna (12) and Sarah (8) gave their beautiful long blonde hair to LOCKS OF LOVE.  Some little girl with cancer or some other disease that results in hair loss will get some beautiful locks.  I am proud of the girls – this is their second 11-inch contribution each.

Here is Leanna (Sunday) getting her Second STAR STUDENT AWARD for dance and drama at the Academy for the Performing Arts….followed by a picture of Leanna (Tuesday) after donating her hair.  (Fantastic Sam’s gives FREE CUTS to donators!)

Leanna receiving her Star Student Award  Leanna after donating her hair

This is Sarah (the short one) getting her 3rd Year STAR STUDENT AWARD at the Academy for Dance (ballet, jazz, and Irish) followed by her picture AFTER donating her hair.

Sarah getting her Star Student Award for Dance  Sarah - gave her hair to Locks of Love June 10, 2008

FIELD TRIP TO VA LIVING MUSEUM IN NEWPORT NEWS

Last Friday, my daughter got to go on the Field Trip to the VA LIVING MUSEUM with Sarah’s second grade class!  Here are a couple of great pictures from the trip!  (Sarah is in the front on the dinosaur!)  She is transformed into a TURTLE in the picture below!)

 

DINOSAUR RIDE ANYONE?    Sarah in a turtle shell

If you are ever in Newport News you can go to the Museum and pet a skunk – or a snake. 🙂  My daughter had so much fun being a chaperone that she doesn’t want ME TO MISS ALL THE FUN – I get to do this trip when Cooper is in 2nd grade (providing I win the chaperone lottery process.  🙂 They had lots of fun – so much that Sarah wasn’t sure what was better – the field trip or the dance recital!

COOPER’S 5TH BIRTHDAY

Cooper had a great birthday June 9th.  He got to go to CHUCK E CHEESE – a paradise for kids!

One mommy, one poppa, two sisters, one grandma Shirley (the photographer), one friend, and two sisters – now that is what I call a great party!

READY FOR BIRTHDAY FUN

BLOW OUT THE CANDLES  COOPER GOT A BAT

SCRAPPY HAPPY ORANGE CRUSH MYSTERY QUILT TOP AND BACK ARE FINISHED

I decided to put only one small 2 inch brown border on the Orange Crush Mystery Quilt.  It will be the perfect size for my grandangel James (age 5 1/2). 

I named it the SCRAPPY HAPPY ORANGE CRUSH MYSTERY QUILT.  It is 68 x 81.

The binding will be orange.

Scrappy Happy OC Mystery Quilt

I made a SCRAPPY HAPPY PIECED BACK too (all 15 1/2″ squares)…….and here it is!

This was a very difficult process to make a totally scrappy quilt.  I enjoyed the challenge but the rest of my scrappy quilts will most likely be PLANNED or SEMI-RANDOM SCRAPPY!

You can’t see it but in the checkboard square I wrote information about the quilt and it will be quilted into the quilt – this is my first quilt label! 

Scrappy Happy OC Pieced Back

 

The Dance Recital and LILIES and QUILTY STUFF

Posted By on June 7, 2008

The DANCE RECITALS (one at 3 and a second at 7 pm)  today were wonderful (and as one might have already surmised, I MIGHT not be the most objective person in the world to have an opinion!)  In fact I am such a SAP that I cry every time my grandangels dance (yes at tech rehearsal, dress rehearsal and then AGAIN for the real thing…..I just cry when I am happy – and yes, it is a tad bit embarrassing!)

Grandangel Leanna (12) danced to VISTA FROM A CAR WINDOW – a modern dance done barefoot.  I have also included a picture of all of the girls in her group.

Leanna in VISTA FROM A CAR WINDOw    Leanna and the Modern Dance Group - VISTA FROM A CAR WINDOW

Sarah (8) was in three dances.  The first was an IRISH DANCE – St. Patrick’s Day Parade (I LOVE IRISH DANCING!)  I love their green velvet dresses!

Sarah and the ST PATRICK\'S DAY PARADE  Sarah and her IRISH GROUP

Sarah also took jazz this year – and their dance was YELLOW TAXI  CAB!  Sister Leanna has claimed the taxi-cab outfit for her Halloween costume next year!  (Even though Leanna is 12 and Sarah is 8 they are very similar in size.)

Sarah\'s Jazz Dance    Sarah\'s YELLOW TAXI CAB JAZZ GROUP

Sarah’s last dance was ballet to CHINA TOWN.  Sarah was so excited that she got to keep the fan!  Isn’t it fabulous to get so happy about little things in life!  🙂  Sarah says this will be her Halloween costume next year!  🙂

Sarah\'s Ballet CHINA TOWN  Sarah\'s Ballet Group - CHINA TOWN

Lilies

I just HAD to share more pictures of my MIRACLE LILIES from QVC……even more are in bloom.

I can hardly believe these humongous blooms – they are almost as large as Nanna’s face….and I had to snap this picture on our way to the beauty shop this morning to put Nanna’s hair in a French braid for the recital.

Leanna and the QVC lilies  Leanna\'s French braid

These lilies from Roberta’s Farms (QVC) are almost as TALL AS SARAH!

Sarah and the Lilies  Sarah and the Lilies

QUILTY STUFF

I can’t let a day go by without sewing – even a BUSY day.  I made my blocks (I am making two each month) for the QUILTER’S CORNERS Block of the month – for June.

JUNE QUILTER\'S CORNERS bom

 

I just love these Civil War Repro fabrics and the patterns too…..we started in April with this one….

 April QUILTER\'S CORNER BOM 

and then for May it was…….May\'s Block for QUILTER\'S CORNERS BOM

And I put a few more YO YO FLOWERS on my BIRTH OF A SAMPLER QUILT…..I am just so excited about these YO YOs!

Gold and Burgundy Flowers on my Birth of a Sampler Quilt

And……I cut some border material for the ORANGE CRUSH MYSTERY QUILT.

That sounds like a pretty good day to me!  :):)

GRANDMA’S DAY OUT WITH COOPER and the PINEAPPLE CRUSH TOP

Posted By on June 6, 2008

It has been a LONG STANDING TRADITION that when one of my grandangels has a birthday they get a GRANDMA’S DAY OUT.  They get to do whatever they choose and we usually eat somewhere and shop for a birthday present.

Cooper will be 5 on June 9th and we were left HOME ALONE today – so what better thing to do than have GRANDMA’S DAY OUT!

Cooper was so excited this morning that he did the HAPPY DANCE!  Perhaps giving him TWO pieces of cinnamon sugar toast helped the dynamic and rhymic aspects of the dance!

Cooper Doing the HAPPY DANCE

The KUNG FU PANDA MOVIE opened today and we decided that the movies would be our first stop.  They were EXPECTING record crowds today because the FIRST move was at 9:20 am and it played every 30 minutes all day! 

Cooper is ready to go – he is signalling CHECK – that he has the bread for feeding the ducks at Brandermill Lake after the movie!

Cooper is READY TO GO

AND….just for the record……I did not choose the outfit…….Cooper selected the red t-shirt to go UNDER his plaid short shirt and he insisted on buttoning the top button because “HE WANTED TO LOOK REALLY GOOD TODAY.”  He even brushed his teeth with SPONGEBOB toothpaste even though it does tickle his tongue.

The first order of the day was to get a little GRANDMA’S DAY OUT gift – a WEBKINZ (LILKINZ) Cocker Spaniel – Cooper named him APPLE!

Cooper and APPLE the Cocker Spaniel

The movie was pretty exciting.  There was only ONE GROWN UP MAN in the theatre besides us…..Cooper wanted to sit right in front of him….but I figured spreading out was a better idea!  Does Cooper look scared? 

(Yes, I actually took a picture in the movie theatre – remember there was only ONE other person in there and I only had to flash twice to FIND Cooper in the picture (it was dark in there!)

Cooper watching KUNG FU PANDA

I won’t win any awards for modeling NUTRITIOUS EATING BEHAVIOR TODAY….two pieces of cinnamon sugar toast for breakfast and orange soda, popcorn and M & M’s for a 9:30 am snack.  SIGH……Grandma’s are supposed to be EXTRAORDINARY – aren’t they?

After the movies, we went to MICHAEL’S to look for a DOG HOUSE for APPLE.  Cooper chose a GREEN BASKET WITH A LID and I gave him lots of choices (I am so proud – I love baskets!)  Cooper also chose a red lunchbox, some PEZ for his Darth Vader PEZ MACHINE, a black ball, and a beautiful green notebook!

Cooper and his PRIZES

I still can’t BELIEVE THE NEXT PART.  We were supposed to go to BARNES AND NOBLE to play with the trains, buy birthday books, and get a book and a STARBUCK’S for Grandma Shirley.   Then we were supposed to go to the lake and feed the ducks.

COOPER WANTED TO GO HOME AND PLAY WITH HIS TOYS………HE SAID, “Grandma, that is what you do when it is your birthday….you get toys….and then you play with them.”

So Cooper got his wish.  He said that I had to pack his lunch in his lunchbox and put in a LUNCH BOX MESSAGE like I do for his sisters each day.  So here is Cooper’s Lunch Box Message:

June 6, 2008 Friday

Dear Cooper,

We saw KUNG FU PANDA

on Grandma’s Day OUT

And you got presents

Let’s clap and shout!

I love you, Grandma Shirley

Cooper and his TREASURES

We had fun – even though it turned out to be a GRANDMA’S HALF DAY OUT instead of a WHOLE DAY OUT!

THE PINEAPPLE CRUSH MYSTERY TOP

I laid out my other version of Bonnie’s ORANGE CRUSH MYSTERY QUILT – I call this one the PINEAPPLE CRUSH…..and it looks like it will have a much more subtle look to it than the orange and green one.  It is amazing the difference that fabric and color can make with the SAME PATTERN.

The top laid out of the Pineapple Crush Mystery Quilt

I think that I am going to make the extra 96 half square triangle blocks for the border on this one.

Tech Rehearsal and the ORANGE CRUSH TOP

Posted By on June 5, 2008

I am such a sap – I cried at tech. rehearsal tonight because I was so overwhelmed with JOY at my grandangels’ dances…..go figure.

Here is Sarah standing at the top of the stairs ready to go on stage and the blonde with the pony tail in the middle doing her CHINA TOWN BALLET….

Sarah waiting to go onstageSarah in the middle CHINA TOWN BALLET   

….and Leanna doing her modern dance to VISTA FROM A CAR WINDOW….Leanna has on white shorts and a dance t-shirt with gold lettering on the front.

Leanna - VISTA FROM A CAR WINDOW    Leanna - VISTA FROM A CAR WINDOW

Tomorrow I guess I will cry even more when they are in make-up and costumes for dress rehearsal…..and then Saturday it is the REAL DEAL!!!  I am watching the 3 o’clock performance and dressing the dancers at the 7 o’clock performance.  TOO MUCH FUN.

ORANGE CRUSH TOP WITHOUT BORDERS

I finished the Orange Crush Top without borders……

Orange Crush Top without borders

Since I am making TWO of these mystery quilts I decided to put the fancy border on the PINEAPPLE CRUSH and put plain borders on the ORANGE CRUSH……I am thinking of a narrow 2″ BROWN BORDER (the same fabric as in the SPINNING STAR blocks throughout) and then a 3 1/2″ GREEN BORDER (the same green as in the SPINNING STAR blocks throughout) – or maybe the blue check that matches the center of the orange album blocks……I will decide shortly!  Any votes?

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