10 years tonight!

It was 10 years ago tonight that David and I said "I do!"

Gosh how time passes by so quickly! We wait all our lives for the days to come and then after we have eben there and done that ... look back and think to ourselves it all few by too fast. Ten years? 10??? At times it doesn't seem that long at all. We did date for a couple of years, and were enguaged 4 years before marrying. That has to count for something too. I have known the boy 17 years = which is 1 year more than half my life!!!

We met in our little hometown in Campbellsville, KY when I was 16 and he was 17. The "thing to do" back then was to cruise up and down Main Street. I had only had my drivers license for a month so it was a big deal to me and my girlfriend to finally get to be cruising!!! :c) I was in the lane that was not moving at all... but who cared? The music was jammin and we were waving and smiling at all the boys in the other cars slowly crusing by... then all of a sudden there was this black car full of good looking guys at least 4 or 5 guys from the county school... and when they passed us they all let out a "WHOOOO HOOOO! and lots of whistles" and then drove off.

My girlfriend and I suddenly took a closer look at the people in the cars in front and behind us (driver = boy in the car in behind and two boys in the car in front) so we immediately confirmed that the guys in the black car was complimenting US!!! Since the black car was out of sight we let out the loudest squeals!!! I am sure cars around us heard us b/c our windwos were down! LOL These boys were from the county school and we were in disbelief that they would be looking at us, much less whisteling!! You can imagine the excitement!

The next time we saw that black car, who by the way, the driver was David... they slowed down long enough to actaully speak to us this time and we made arrangements to meet at the ole Wal-Mart parking lot. When we got there, they all rolled out of that black car and of all the boys... David was the one who came up to me and began talking. :c) I have no idea which boy talked to my girlfirend... I was rather distracted. LOL

David asked for my phone number and I was able to cleverly come up with a way for him to remember (since we had nothing to write it down on) 7365 - "73 the year you were born, 65 the age you'll retire". Corny sounding I know... but it was the first thing I came up with.

Would he actually call me??? I didn't know. I sure hoped he would! That night I left more flattered than anything. .....A senior.... the captain of the football team... a good lookin guy.... from the county school had just asked "ME" for my phone number!

What made it such a big deal was that he didn't have another boy come do his talking for him and be the middle man.... which was how all the boys at my school had done in the past. David did it all himself! Wow, what a guy! Which made him all the more mature, serious, attractive, and hunky :c)

David also by the way, happened to be my cousin - Cindy's #1 "puppy love CRUSH" for over a year.... only he didn't even know who she was or that she existed! She would spend over an hour to hot roll her hair and do her make up to go with her mom to the grocery store where he worked.... just to walk by him once or twice while he stocked shelves. Never speaking to him.. just slowly walking by hoping he may see her! Those were the days before caller ID or caller return and if I had a $1 for every time my cousin had dialed his number just to hear him say "Hello?" and then hang up - I would have enough money to pay off my student loans!!! No kidding!!! She hung up on him and his family so many times, they canged their phone number b/c of her!

David did call me the next day after we met crusing (Sunday) and wanted to do something together. What to do??? I had a pair of shoes my mom had bought out of town that needed to be returned so we drove 45 minutes to Elizabethtown, KY to the Shoe Carnival to exchange them. Odd first date I know... but that drive in the car was great time spent talking and getting to know one another. When we got back to our hometown we went to Pizza Hut - which is funny b/c I always swore before that, that Pizza was not a good date food to eat in front of a boy that you liked - what if all the toppings slid off they they often do as you are taking a bite. But being to shy to object to his suggestion, we went and had a great time. We ordered the "meat lovers" and still to this day almost 17 years later that is the same type of pizza we order when we eat at Pizza Hut! ;c)

Edited to add:
Eeeeek! I have 2 Confessions to make:

#1 - I actually started this post early on Wed... but had to save it and didn't finish it until today (Sunday)

After reading SweetP's comment it reminded me to add that we did in fact go to Pizza Hut for our anniversary! :) We are Catholic, and Wednesday was Ash Wednesday.

#2 - Following church that night we went to pizza hut and for the first time ever we ordered a completly differeny type of pizza. Because of the Ash Wednesday Holy Day we abstain from eating meet on this day as well as all Friday's thruoughout Lent. So we ordered a pizza with half veggie lovers and half cheese for dd. It was good and we had fun reminissing our first date. :c)

Happy Weekend everyone! :c) ~Bonnie

They say - "Three times a charm"

Over the weekend I bought my green and cream fabric for my block I am making for the next charity quilt on the HGTV board. I got it washed and pressed Monday and yesterday I spent some time in the sewing room.

Well they say "Three Times A Charm" and I am surprised at myself for messing up so many times with this simple 9.5" block to be used for the HGTV Christmas Charity Quilt Raffel.

The 1st block I didn't pay attention to the red/white in the center and got it backwards.


The 2nd block, I got the R/W correct but when I went to the HGTV board to share my photo - I noticed it didn't look like everyone elses at ALL! What did I do wrong!?!?


Apparently I didn't "READ" and follow the directions correctly for Indiana Puzzle from www.quilterscatche.com I have always been more of a "follow-the-photo" style of quilter and this was an eye opening experience that if the pattern maker goes to the trouble to put words beside the phots, well then perhaps they are worth reading! LOL ;c)

So doesn't that 3rd block look like a little charmer? :) The mail has already run for today so all 3 blocks will leave tomorrow headed to North Carolina. Only the 3rd will be included in the Christmas Charity Quilt. Our coordinator of this project, "Quiltaholic" puts together many quilts for childrens charities all year long so I am sure the other 2 blocks will one day find themselves in a quilt too.

Happy Valentines Day to all my blog friends :c) ~Bonnie

A very RUDE awakening!

Last night - or really very early this morning - I was having dream after dream. I'll try to post what I remember and in order.

I first remember I had dreamt that I had gone to a hair salon to discover one of my cousins, MeMe, working there...and while waiting she and I had a long conversation. (In real life MeMe is 41 and the mother of 4 children.) We talked about me expecting twins and then she told me that after Jane Francis (her youngest) she and her husband had gotten pregnant with twins but deiced their home wasn't large enough for a total of 6 kids so they had given the twins up for adoption. She said this in my dream as if she had taken old items off to the Goodwill - no big deal. End of that odd deram.

Then, I don't remember much of the next dream, but that the twins were born and we were very pleased that they each weighed a good amount. The baby girl weighed 6 lbs 5 oz and the baby boy weighed 7 lbs 8 oz. I don't recall what they looked like but that everyone was happy that they didn't have to be in the NICU and would go home with us when I was released. (I guess I have been worrying a lot lately that if they come early it maybe a reality that they have to stay in the hospital longer than me and we won't come home as a family)

Then the last dream before my RUDE awakening - was the strangest. I dreamt that David and I were on a vacation in Minneapolis during the summer just after the births of the twins but we didn't have any of the kids with us. We were riding in a red convertable with the top down and waiting in the drive up line for an ATM when who walks by??? It was MARY - she and Chesty were out for a walk but they were all dressed for winter with her scarf wrapped around her face adn Chesty had on his sweater she made him - although this was June or July weather. Mary was about to pass by when I turned around in the convertable and spoke to her.

I said "Hey there Mary - I love to read your blog!" She stopped and looked at me oddly. Then I told her I was Bingo~Bonnie and a member of Stashbuster and had encouraged her with the string project in December - then it clicked in her memory. She then walked up to the car and started having small talk... she noticed the earrings I was wearing and gave me a nice compliment on them... I intorduced her to David and then asked if we had any kids and I told her we had a 2.5 year old and that I had just given birth "LAST WEEK" to twins (but we were on vacation without them - ODD)

Then right in the middle of my dream I woke up screaming in pain as I experienced the worst ever leg cramp in my claf mussel!!! HELP - HELP - HELP ME!!! I knew not to be too loud b/c Nora would wake up but I couldn't help it. Quickly David woke up and began helping me forcing my foot in the direction it needed to go in order to relax the tight mussel and make the pain go away. Thankfuly he wasn't mad I had woke him up just 1 hour before his alarm was to go off and neither of us coudl get back to sleep. I was too affraid that my leg cramp would come back.

When I was pregnant with Nora I had these same cramp attacks during my sleep and had thought this pregnancy I wouldn't have them since I am over half way thru already but nope, last night was my 1st one.

I will be drink more water today and eat at least 2 bananas each day in hops to avoid anymore RUDE awakenings!

.............and to think - Now I will never know if Mary would have invited me to visit her new home to ooough and aaaah over all her beautiful quilt treasures! and spend time sewign together. :P

I did the Noodle Dance all weekend long!

I have never did the noodle dance so long - usually it takes just one day - not this time... boy am I glad it is over - until next month anyway ;)

Well, today I made my hopefully "last" trip to the Post Office for a while. At least with having my new digital scale at home, I can just go to the drive up and put all my packages in the mailboxes and won't have to go inside and wait in line!!! Yippie!!!

I dropped off 22 of the 25 packages outside before going in. Three of the packages had to have postage added to them. I bought sheets of stamps for various amounts ( $0.01 $0.02 $0.03 $0.05 $0.10 and some $0.24 b/c that is the difference in bewtween ounces.) From here on out when it comes tiem to do the swaps and an envelope needs some more postage I will be well stocked at home to can do it myself!

Speaking of the noodles - this year we started the month of January off BIG TIME! On average last year I had 12-15 swappers at most each month. But for January we had lots of new people joining us and had a total of 25 swappers!!! 25 Noodleheads can you believe it??? We swap in sets of 6 so in all - I had 738 noodles to swap!!!!! I always state in my guidelines that I give myself 10 days to get the swapping done and never before has it taken me this long to get them all swapped out!

Mostly b/c there were lots of new people, and it being their first time, there was some confusion on how to prepare the noodles for swapping - and I spent over THREE HOURS just refolding noodles to how the directions said to so that they would be ready for swapping. All day Thrusday, Saturday and Sunday I spent working on these noodles! :P but at last they are done, done! and in the mail back to all the noodleheads.

I had to use my dining room table this time - b/c Dad and Clara took my tall guest bed to KY. My back was hurting me by the 2nd day... but I got thru it. Here is a look at everything laid out on the table before the swapping began. As you can see the color/theme for January was red/white. There were several more noodles in the windows and on the buffet server on the side of the room - but I didn't think to take a photo of that. Notice the red Kool-Aid in the cup too! :)
Another thing that made it more challenging for me was that there were lots of Fabric Repeats! At least 8 fabrics - if not more - were repeated by one or more of the swappers this time. One fabric was so popular that everyone in the swap got 2 or 3 noodles of it back :( I try so hard for no one to get their own back much less a repeat but this time it was impossible. Back last month when Joann's had their 50% off sale - everyone had the same taste.

I am SO HOPING that for Feb we won't have so many repeats of fabrics to work with. It's gonna be just as big - there are already swappers so far participating.... I know I complain, but deep down - well actually not so deep - I really, REALLY LOVE hosting this swap! :) I know it sounds silly, but I love getting so many packages in the mail all around the same time - and then the bonus is I get to see it all first!!! :c)

Ocassionally, swappers will throw in a little something for me or even a gift for Nora. She collects postcards and most everyone at one time or another has included one in their package or mailed her one. She has also received sidewalk chalk, color crayons and coloring book, and stickers! Quilters are "sew" thoughtful! :c) As for me, I get excited when swappers throw in an extra noodle or two -I love noodle left overs! :c)

I had a very FUN Friday!

Well yesterday is long gone that is for sure - today the temperature was only 54 as the high. Funny how it can be so drastic in the changes so suddenly.

Anyway, today I had to run errands in the large town near us and that included a trip to JoAnn's Superstore. :) When it first opened last year, I made an excuse to go to the big city once a week - now I am only in the Joanns once a month maybe.

Here are the fabrics I selected to use in my block for the HGTV Christmas Charity Quilt. The red was something I already had - from Wal-Mart. At JoAnns, all fabrics were $1 off a yard which is their next to best deal if you ask me. Only once or twice a year do they go 50% off and that just passed in Jan.

And since they were $1/yard off - I just had to browse a little more to see what else I might "need" :c) Well, Ihad to look at the browns but at first I didn't see any that resembeled CHOCOLATE.......and in fact it wasn't until after I had the cream and green in the pic above cut that I took one more pass thru and then found the perfect "Chocolate Brown Fabric".
So, since I was headed back to the cutting counter, better make it worth the efforts so I picked up several bolts of creams too and got 1/2 yard cuts of each. :) There was around 7 yards of the brown so I got the whole bolt of it thinking it will be the boarders and possible backing of a future string quilt. I can count on one hand the number of times I have walked out of a store with a BOLT :C) and boy is it a happy feeling!
Just where did I get this idea for a string quilt???  To see my inspiration, check out Elaine's post from January 14th.  I immediately fell in love with her string blocks with the chocolate brown centers as she shared photos of her first Heartstrings quilt project. I just knew that one day I would have to start string blocks with half light / half dark too! and now I can b/c I found the perfect fabric to get me started! :c)

Well my shopping experience didn't end with the fabric. I also couldn't help myself up front of the store at the clearance rack. They had 3 baskets full of rubber stamps all marked $0.97 each! I am rather proud of myself for only selecting 5 stamps though. It was tough but I did maintain some self control. :c) The FQ's were all on sale for $0.99 each and I only bought ONE! Boy was I a good girl or what!!! ...and the book in the photo was only $4 and I thought it would make a great door prize for our next MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) meeting on the 20th.
After my trip to Joanns - I stopped by a Christian book store and then to Office Depot. They didn't have what I went for at the office supple store btu I walked aroudn anyway and before I knew it, I had talked myself into buying this:
I hst noodle swaps every month on the HGTV board and have been wanting one a scale for a very long time but just couldn't justify the $35 cost. Well, today I stood there in the store and started thinking:
...I go to the PO so often - once a week and sometimes more...
...the PO people won't let me ring up each swappers package individually so that if more postage needs to be added I can do so and then retrun them their change before sealing up the envelope...
...and if I had my own scale I could do this at home...and they could each include $1 for me to use or return which would save me money from having to pay it like I have been...
...we had a record number of 25 noodle swappers this month = more packages = longer time to process them at the PO...
...the cost of this scale is the same or cheaper than Valentine's flowers... and the bonus is that I will be able to use it for years and years!!! Where as roses are only nice for a week...
...and although I am getting a double stroller (thanks Dad & Clara) after the twins are born it is gonna be nearly impossible to get to the PO as often with 3 children under 3 years old...
...especially in the early days when they will be eating very often - I can not stand the thought of being in line at the PO and hearing them cry and my milk letting down and I begin leaking all over!!!...
... I don't just want this scale - I NEED this scale!...I MUST BUY IT!...
...calling David at work to justify it all to him and see what he says...
...he's not at his desk so I left a voice mail telling him not to buy me anything for Valentines, that I bought it myself and will tell him all about it tonight ;c)...
:c) He just laughed at me when I showed it to him and thought it was cute that I was all excited about buying a postal scale. Lucky him, got off easy for Valentines and LUCKY ME - got exactly what I wanted and needed!!!

It was a BEAUTIFUL Day today!!

It has been so cold here for the past 2-3 weeks! But today while I was out I felt very warm in the van and turned on the A/C and looked up at the temp and outside was 75!!!

I just had to call my Dad and stepmom immediately to rub it in! heheh :c) It's been very cold for them in KY this month. They wern't home but I left a message. Too bad they arrived last Thur for their visit and not today! We had a great time with them last weekend despite the cold. Nora fell in love with her PawPa this trip - which made my dad very happy. Up until now, she has never had much at all to do with him but last weekend she was "PawPa's Girl" :c)

Here is a photo I have of Dad and Clara taken LAST April when they were visiting. I couldn't find my digital camera the whole time they were here this time :(

Aren't they a happy looking couple??? That's b/c they are still newlyweds! That's right, they just celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary Jan 31st this year. I've known Clara all my life and my dad has known her majority of his life too. (over 50 years he's known her!)

Clara and my mom were only 2 days apart in age and were best friend all thru childhood. Both my mom and dad and Clara and her husband all "stood-up" for each other at each other's weddings. Mom passed away in 1999 and Wallace passed away I think 4-5 years ago.

In June of 2005 Clara called my Dad and invited him to supper - just after that he repaid the favor by taking her out to eat at a nice resturant. Each week they would eat together more and more often, enjoying each other's company, and the rest is history. ;c)

(Please ignore the boob shot of me in the red - I wasn't able to crop me out of the photo)

Today was our 2nd Meet-Up Playdate with a group of local Stay-at-home Moms. I really like this group of moms. several I already know thru MOPS and the Story Time we go to, but there are a few new moms here and I am looking forward to getting to know them better.

In the photos you see above, the hostess - Lisa, planned a craft for the kids to each make masks in celebration of Mardi Gras. Afterwards all the kids enjoyed purple, yellow, green and white cupcakes for Natalie's 2nd Birthday. Nora had fun using the GLUE while I put all the items on her mask. She was going so fast, I could hardly keep up with her. ;c) She wouldn't hold it up to her face for the photo but after we got home she was very proud of her "New FACE" and had to show Daddy when he was home for lunch. :c)

Tomorrow night is the "Munchkin Mardi Gras Parade" here where we live. David and I are looking forward to taking Nora as we missed it last year.

State Flower Basket Quilt Raffle

Hello Quilter Friends! :c)

I wanted to share with you a quilt that my friends on the HGTV.com quilter's message board made this year and are raffling off this July.

Each block was made by a differnt memebr and the finished top was set together by the organizer Quiltaholic. Isn't is SEW BEAUTIFUL!!! Those baskets and flowers are all hand appliqued onto the setting squares.


Maybe you or someone you know would like to buy a chace to win this quilt??? Tickets will be sold for $2 each or 3 for $5. This is the second quilt the HGTV quilters has made to raise money to help needy children at Back-to-School Time. Below is a little more information that was provided by Quiltaholic the organizer of this project on the HGTV board.

She can be contacted at her email: alliesgrandma@earthlink.net if you would like to purchase chances on this BEAUTIFUL QUILT! :c)

Love from TX ~Bonnie



In 2005 we raffled off a quilt and used the monies to help buy Christmas for needy families... I can't remember exactly now how much we raised but I believe it was around $1,300.

That year with the money raised, we gave one of our board members money for Christmas gifts and then helped 5 other children have Christmas too. We had around $100 left adn Marie and I went back to Social Services adn got a 3 month old infant's name and bought the child some clothes and a few toys and gave his a quilt made form teh Sunshine Quilters blocks.

Five members of the HGTV board and I met together one day in Gastonia, NC and a fireman from the fire department drew the winning ticket. Karol0405 from our board won the Sun Bonnet Sue Quilt made in 2005.

After a long wait the basket blocks are finally together for a raffle quilt for 2007. State Flowers from each state are represented in teh quilt shown above. I have 5 blocks that will be going on the back of the quilt along with a suprise from sluvs2quilt.... I at first was going to put what seh sent on the front but it makes the top to busy so have decided to add it to the lining to help tie it to the front of the quilt.

I will get this quilted as soon as my lining gets here.... I will be ordering a wide lining so there will eb no seams on the back. The quilt top is 97" x 97".

I want to thank everyone for making these gorgeous blocks. My hubby said he couldn't believe we are going to give it away.... he thinks it is awesome!!! Without all of you here on the boards taking the time to make a block when we do these charity quilts, it woudn't eb possible to do them.

Again, Quiltaholic can be contacted at her email address: alliesgrandma@earthlink.net

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Plans are already in the works for the HGTV board's next quilt raffle - A Christmas themed quilt to be made and tickets sold to raise money to help needy children. One of the board memebrs donated 12 blocks and they are so pretty and will be used in the center of the quilt - set on point.

If you would like to take a peak at the sketch look below. This is just a rough draft of the next quilt to be made - the details of the outside boarder is still being decided on by our organizer. This Christmas Charity Quilt's ticket sales will go to support needy children at Christmas time this year.