Wednesday Hubby gets a pie in the eye

Yeah... you heard me right... a pie in the eye. OK. The story goes like this. Hubby is the cubmaster of the cub scout pack that our sons belong to. I am the Advancements and Awards Chairperson. Have any of you ever worked with your husband? Let's just say... we are both volunteers, we both do things our own way and we hardly ever agree which way that should be. We do have some very active parents in our Pack and some great volunteers but when it comes to attending administrative meetings.... well that's a whole other ball game. So it had come to our attention from the Pack Committee Chair on a Tuesday that the last day to attend Popcorn training (yes I know how stupid that sounds) was on Thursday and there was no way that any parent volunteer could be acquired in one day and made to attend a training meeting. So, as all mature, responsible adults do when faced with this situation... Hubby and I played rock, paper, scissors to see which one of the two of us would have to attend on behalf of the kids.
I LOST!
On a Thursday, on top of all my other work, I headed to a council meeting to attend a (what I assumed was) short sales presentation at 7:00pm on how to organize popcorn sales for the Pack. At 9pm... yes 2 hours later... I realized that what I was actually attending was a rather lengthy video presentation on how to improve the sales skills of your scouts to sell more stuff. They had an adorable boy on the screen who had sold $76,000 of popcorn by himself and was a super achiever (which none of our children will ever be). I was trapped. There was no way to extricate myself from the situation with my humor and dignity intact. I sat and took copius notes.
On the way home, after finding a bathroom ('cause I went there with a gallon cup of Starbucks iced coffee), I played the sales pitches over in my head many times. It was totally unfair that I had to sit through all that. After all, that was definately Hubby's job and he wanted the kids to be Eagle Scouts just like him. An interesting sales tactic emerged in my head (suggested of course by the wonderful Trail's End sales rep). His statement was this..."The BEST motivation that works for kids... the thing they want the most... the thing that gets them out there selling and making their goals... pie in the face. They all want to pie the cubmaster in the face". That's right. That's what he said.
I forgot all the rest. I had my sales strategy all mapped out by the time my car pulled into the driveway. My husband was on the sofa watching tv (looking all smug) when I came in. He asked, "How was it?", behind a Cheshire grin. I told him that I had the whole popcorn plan mapped out and I would share it with him. Any kid in the pack that sells 6 units of popcorn gets to pie you in the face. You should have seen how fast his jaw dropped. That'll teach you Mr. Smug.
So each boy was given his sales flyer and a quest.

1 unit = patch, 6 units = pie in the face.

You should have seen their adorable little faces. They were ready. We have 27 boys in our pack (not a big one at all). After all the sales were tabulated, 17 boys got to pie him in the face. Wednesday night was our big Pack Meeting. Here is a photo of Little Brat (he's the one reading the instructions out loud for the flag ceremony) participating in the opening ceremonies.

I have to admit that Hubby had other things planned as well. He stalled as long as he could until the boys started chanting PIE... PIE. One of our wonderful parents brought brownies and homemade whipped cream for all the boys and then they lined up to commence the tossing. After every one else had gone I made sure that I got him one more time in the hair and everything. Here is hubby after they were through. He smelled like "cream" all the way home. REALLY!

All the boys had a great time (after all it's all about them anyway) and Hubby wasn't harmed by any side-armed paper plates. In the end I WON! That rock, paper, scissors game was just the battle. I think I WON THE WAR. We are still laughing about it. And we are pretty proud of ourselves that the kids had so much fun! Enjoy!

Tuesday Madness

Not so often, when my Hubby gets up to go to work in the morning, does he wake me. Usually I wake up on my own about 15 minutes after he leaves for work to find a hot cup of coffee next to me on the dresser. (That's right ladies... I have it real rough). Tuesday morning did not start off like every other morning. I don't know why I rolled over and opened one eye. Those with kids know this... sometimes things just don't seem right. Through my one sleepy eye I see Hubby (who is color blind and fashion challenged) staring at himself in the mirror and checking out his shirt.
That morning he opened up his fresh dry clean bag and pulled out a shirt. He put it on and it just didn't feel right. Well for one thing it was about a size and a half too big. It also looked like this...

Now I, of course, do not mean to criticize anyone's sense of fashion. I do know this... my Hubby does not smoke and hates shirts with embroidery on the pocket. So I don't think I ever would have picked out a shirt with a smiley face in a cowboy hat, smoking a cigar and reading the paper. But being the good husband that he is... he just stared at it in the mirror. I think he was trying to imagine in what drunken state I had purchased this shirt... or why I had purchased this shirt... or (more importantly) did I purchase this shirt. But he couldn't quite bring himself to wake me up and ask me.
Even through one sleepy eye I said, "Where did you get that shirt?" Of course he indicated immediately that he was thinking of asking me the same question. After a few minutes of fumbling around looking through the dry cleaning plastic, we realize that somehow I came home with someone else's dry cleaning. I had also paid for 10 shirts but only received 8. The most interesting thing about it was that half of the shirts in the bag looked like his and were probably his size. Of course he was incensed... convinced that the dry cleaners had somehow made off with all his good Tommy Hilfiger's and Burberry's (not that he would have any clue what any of that means but he knows I don't buy him cheap clothes)... like some bizarro episode of Seinfeld... the dry cleaner had given him freebies in exchange for his french cuff suit shirts.
I am only sharing this story as an amusing warning for all wives who drop off and pick up shirts as though you were taking them to your own laundry room. You have to keep your receipt. I have never had to do battle with the dry cleaner. And I have to say, it wasn't really a battle at all. I called them and they had in fact given me the wrong bag by mistake. Hubby's shirts were still hanging neatly there when I arrived. They were very apologetic and embarrased. That being said... I have to say ladies... I do all of the shopping and dry cleaning and laundry and I think I am pretty sure I know my husband wardrobe... UNTIL... you have to pick out your own husband's shirts in the dry cleaning lineup. I felt like a completely useless witness on one of those crime dramas on TV. You know the one where the witness says, "That could be him but I don't quite remember... his hair looks a little different and it was really dark." That's what will happen. I have watched the racks turn at the drycleaners and I can tell you that ever third bag looked like ours. *Note to self*... don't buy Hubby's shirts at COSTCO. All of our laundry is now beginning to look alike... and no matter how good the drycleaners are... CHECK the bag. As Hubby always tells me "TRUST BUT VERIFY". If I had my receipt I would have realized right away that I was shorted two shirts. It's a good thing he put on "Mr. Happy cigar face first" or we might not have known at all.
Despite the stress of the day it was actually ended quite fantastically. When I arrived home and retrieved the mail I find a packeg for me. It was all the Charlaine Harris books that I had ordered. YEAH!

I finished the first book right away within the first day and thought I would buy the rest of the series to save myself the wait (through a used Amazon bookseller of course). The 2nd (Living Dead in Dallas) is here. I would love to tell you that I savored the book and took my time like I said I would but I didn't. I read it that afternoon and completed it the next morning before the kids got on the schoolbus.
So I picked up the third book and read that one too. I closed the cover on book 3 (Club Dead) on Wednesday morning... just in time to plan our CubScouts events on Wednesday night and turn in all popcorn orders.

Hope everyone is having a less stressful week. Hope they aren't getting too worked up over Thanksgiving. It's just a holiday. Thursday is the FQ sale at Millstone and I plan to tell you all about it. I have a surprise to report as well. Stay Tuned!

Anyone Else in love with the Vampires?

I have to confess. I have been a little obsessed with vampires lately. I got hooked on this new series on HBO called True Blood. It's about vampires living among us in society. I couldn't stand it anymore. As with all good shows (especially the riveting ones on cable) when the episode ends it leaves you wanting for more. I just had to know what happened next. So I starting researching on the internet and of course felt like a complete loser when I found out the show was based on a series of books by Charlaine Harris.

The first one is called Dead Until Dark. It arrived in the mail and I couldn't put it down. I read the entire book cover to cover within the first 24 hours. Of course, I had to go back on the internet and order the rest of the series. I have made a pact with myself that I would slow down a little and savor the suspense a little. It's kinda weird that I am interested in these books considering that I don't usually like the supernatural and hate scary books because they still give me nightmares. This series is more of a love story with creepiness and mindfreak. I couldn't wait until 9pm on Sunday night to see the next one and as usual HBO did not disappoint me. But the series has its finale next week so I had to find something to do until it starts again (or in case it doesn't like the last two series I really loved, Carnivale and Deadwood). So I am bringing this up to ask the rest of you if you have seen the series and are you enjoying it? Are you obsessed with it? Are you a little creeped out by your obsession? Just wondering if I was the only freak in the quilting world. I have to tell you that it was really nice to read a book that was quick to get through and not too awfully heavy. What are you obsessed with reading right now?

Little Projects for the simple life

A blog friend of mine mentioned today that she changes her sheets to match her quilts on her bed. I guess she brought up the subject because someone at work made fun of her for being detailed. I told her she was my hero. I wish my house was decorated like that. As I said to my friend Kim, the sheet color selections at COSTCO are limited or I would have matching sheets too. But sadly, since I have four "men" living in my house we have to make things easy. I do make matching/coordintating pillowcases for my bed quilts now. Really out of necessity because men make the bed and fluff the pillows differently that women do. It makes it easy on the men to fold the quilt up to the top and lay the pillows on it at the head board. Here is a photo omy newest creation. Using my embroidery sewing machine I monogram each one on both sides (before I fold the bands in half so the stitches are on the inside). I use a serger for construction, and sewing machine for topstitching and the embroidery machine for the monograms.

These pillowcases were made to go with a Christmas Quilt that believe it or not I have yet to finish. It was just on old BOM from Guild but my Guild friends are very talented so the blocks are beautiful. As luck would have it, they also match a rather pretty red and green bed quilt with our estate name on it (Hunter's Greene). These are easy patterns and I know that you have all seen them completed in theme colors and cute novelties but it's nice sometimes to have fancy too. Of course, somehow the boys manage to wiggle their pillows out of the cases and so now I will have to make enclosed cases for them (probably with an envelope back).
Here is another project that I worked on for a day.

Here is a new "inspiration" board for the loft. Hubby will eventually hang it (horizontal) on the peak ceiling over the sewing machines. It's anybody's guess when that will be but my part is complete at least. I needed a place to put some images that I have been using for inspiration for new designs. I found this old remant in the closet and picked up some ribbon at the craft store. It is almost too pretty to cover up with stuff. It was fun and easy to make in the loft.
I have noticed lately that many of you are looking for little "gifty" ideas for that holiday that I won't name 'cause I am afraid it will creep closer. I bought a couple of books the other day.


This one is Sew and Stow by Betty Oppenheimer

And this one is In Stitches by Amy Butler. I have been searching for little projects that I can complete quickly for gifts for friends and family. Now all I need is the time to complete them. That is in much shorter supply. Today I spent half of the day organizing all of the Popcorn sales for our CubScout pack. Not an easy feat. But I managed to make amazing progress for the day and so I thought I would spend a few minutes chatting with you before I pick up the kids from the bus. Then it's off to homework, cleaning, piano lessons and one scout den meeting and then I can come home and go to bed... and start the same day all over again... tomorrow.
UNLESS... I have heard rumors that we will have "snow showers" tomorrow. I am not exactly sure what that means. He specifically said showers and not flurries. My luck... now that the house it actually looking better... the boys will be home from school tomorrow and I will have to start all over again on Wednesday. Wish me luck... Right now I could use some of those Santa Anna winds.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of you in the effected areas of California. Hubby and I lost our home to a fire in 1999 (many articles were written about our struggles, Smart Money magazine, Reader's Digest, etc.). It was the week of Big Boy's 1st birthday. It isn't any fun to watch your house burn to the ground and experience the year's of loss afterwards. You are in our prayers and it will all work out in the end. I know that doesn't helo much today... but it will. Keep the faith.

On the Farming Front...

I know that you have all been waiting with baited breath to know how the AeroGarden is coming. So, without further ado... here it is...

After 14 days of water farming, I have 6 beautiful sprouted plants. The only one that seems to be having trouble growing is the Oregano which is on the bottom right. I did mention that I was only growing herbs. You can grow anything: flowers, vegetables, herbs... But whatever you choose to grow they have to be all the same kinds of plants. These are all herbs. On the top of the photo I have Dill and Genovese Basil. On the front row I have Thyme, another shorter kind of Basil, Chives and Oregano. Today was time to add the nutrients. How do I know, you ask? Because the AeroGarden told me so. I did make one mistake which I found out about later after extensive reading of instructions (always helpful). I put well water in the thing. You're not supposed to do that and considering that our water is full of rust I should buy bottled water next time to fill it up. That could be why the Oregano is dwarfed. Or maybe it just feels like growing slowly. In any case... I hope you like my little indoor garden. It was the dumbest present ever that has turned out to be fun. While all the leaves are falling outside... I had little plants inside. If they weren't so expensive I would buy another one for the flowers. Wouldn't it be nice to have a little color inside in the dreary Winter.

Maybe I should ask Santa Clause for another one? Who knows.

How do you start a November?

First you sign all three boys up to play indoor soccer through both Holidays. Make sure that games fall on top of Christmas play practice so that instead of being a great fun activity it can be another reason why we should allow cloning. If we could clone ourselves we would always have a reasonable baby sitter, we would never have to worry about who taking who to what and we would have extra errand runners when we forget to bring things to scouts. If we could clone our kids think of all the activities they could be a part of.
I took a few photos of Little Brat and Eeyore after their first game. .

I didn't get one of Big Boy. He plays on Saturdays and I spent the day of his first game on a bus to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to go fabric shopping with friends. I had a great time despite having to leave the house at 5:30am to meet a 6:30am bus. I also left Hubby in town to not only make the first soccer game alone but also to get three boys moving on a Saturday morning at 8:00am to do Scouting for Food with the entire pack (I mentioned he's the CubMaster and I am Advancements Chair) and then organize scouting Flag Football after. He had to fly from the game across town to the soccer match at the indoor stadium. I was riding on a bus chatting and eating chocolate turtles.
The second week of the month was spent getting all the details together for the Fredericksburg Area Quilt Festival. That was mucho work but also loads of fun. I entered several quilts and then set up my first ever booth at a quilt show. I had never done that because I am a wholesale distributor but I thought it would be fun to "meet the public" so to speak and get some exposure in the local market. Here is a photo of me in my booth.

By the way, I have made a mental note to burn this shirt because it makes me look about 8 1/2 months pregnant. I have a very evil skinny mirror at home that needs to be destroyed. It was really fun to meet all the area quilters and have my own booth. I would love to try it again some time. At the conclusion of the show, the organizers brought over my quilt show entries. The house quilt (as mentioned before) took another ribbon which was exciting. I showed a beautiful batik sampler quilt that I made last year. It took a 3rd Place ribbon in last year's Guild Quilt show in the Traditional category (my first quilt award). This year it took a 3rd Place Traditional ribbon and a 2nd Place Best In Show (which my friend Mary Kerr, our local Quilt Appraisal, said she had never heard of before but who am I to argue). The best surprise of all was that I took a 2nd Place Traditional ribbon for the Quilt below.

This pattern is called Glorious Garden Lattice and this quilt is a second sample that I made for the local quilt shop to display these beautiful fabrics. I used a border print in the border as well as in the diagonal setting triangles. It was rather hard to do. Apparently everyone liked it and it is a pattern of my design. I am very proud of it. It may not be the prettiest quilt that you have ever seen but it is the best little pattern that I have designed and very popular. It was probably the best award I have received over the last year because it was on my own design. I know this isn't the best photo but I had to take one right away so that I could share my excitement.
I have officially caught you up on our lives over the last month and will blog more soon.
I have the entire family coming to my "pig sty" or, "guy sty" if you will, for Thanksgiving this year and I have lots of work to do to get us there. Not to mention that $1.00 FQ sale at Millstone Quilts this week. That's a day trip that I will not miss no matter how many are coming for Thanksgiving. See you soon.

Halloween Again

So a few days later... it was Halloween time again. I have to tell you that my mother Sue "the ace" Super Sewer usually makes all the Halloween costumes. She has shopped and made costumes (sometimes from photographs) from 300 miles away and then shipped them overnight to get to her beloved grandsons many a year. This year... she was too tired and frankly they are getting way to complicated. One year... she was asked by a toothless smiling grandson to make a Larry Boy costume (from the Veggie Tales). In case you don't know he is a Cucumber SuperHero with plungers coming from both sides of his head. It was the first time Mom had to by costume parts at Home Depot. The costume was a purple jumpsuit with a purple cape and handmade helmet. I painted the boys face green to make him look like a cucumber. The helmet was priceless. I took a photo. It was the one and only time I send out Halloween holiday cards to family. I couldn't pass up the oppotunity.
Here are the guys this year. I paid beaucoup bucks for these babies. The deluxe models with the PVC parts and two part helmets.

Boba Fett (on the left for the science fiction challenged) is Eeyore. Little Brat is in the middle wearing the Commander Cody costume (also from Star Wars) and true to form, Big Boy wears a "Master Chief" costume inspired by a video game character in a violent video game that his father lets him play. I am so proud.

Don't you love Eeyore's smiling face. Not even $60 for a costume will cause him to crack a smile. Now you know why we call him Eeyore.

As parents... we lucked out. The trick-or-treating was great. While we have no neighbors and live in the middle of the woods we do live down the street from a nice neighborhood. Many of the families in this neighborhood chose to leave their lights off too. It was great because they had to walk more which made them tired and they wanted to go home early. YEAH!
As you can see Little Brat had a good time. He danced with this nice lady who took the time to dress up. He'll do anything to show up in a photograph. I know I don't have to tell you but I will for laughs that the expensive helmets that we bought fogged up after the 1st house and Hubby and I carried them through the whole neighborhood but they are only kids once. I'm sure that it was memorable.

Another Birthday come and gone

That same day here is me at Basil's. I order a panini sandwich and a cup of soup. New England clam chowder. It was more like New England Clam glue. It was the thickest cup of soup I have ever had. But it was a beautiful sunny day. Only a slight bit cool and breezy.

It was nice that Hubby took me to lunch since we didn't manage to get to go out for dinner this year. So what did they get me for my birthday you ask? Well take a look below.

Hubby and the boys bought me an AeroGarden (as seen on TV) because they wanted me to be able to grow my herbs and flowers in the winter. It never ceases to amaze me what men will find interesting and only they can find an incredibly expensive appliance/tool that will take the place of nature. High tech all the way.
A friend of mine asked what other hydroponics was I gonna be trying this year. In case you were wondering it grows your herbs in water so you can start seeds in the house and then plant them outside in the spring. Unless of course you are transplanting them to a giant pond outside which automatically feeds and waters them. I will show you a picture of whats growing in it now. I planted the garden on Nov 2nd. Stay tuned. I know you are excited.

Window Shopping

I know this photo is very hard to see but all the boutiques along Caroline Street do these spectacular holiday window themes. These were all halloween themes. This one is in the window of a upscale "stuff" shop. I call it a stuff shop because it just has lots of stuff in it. Figurines, clocks, dishes... it is owned by the same people who own the upscale kitchen shop attached next door and the really expensive furniture boutique two shops up. There is so much detail in this window it would blow your mind.

This window belongs to the gourmet kitchen shop, which as I said, is connected to the "stuff" shop. This window was cool too. It was made to look like whoever was cooking just sort of spilled something and then died (which would be me... I would sooner drop dead than clean). I thought some of you would get some ideas for your decorations next year.

Hubby had never been in the kitchen shop... so we had to go and see. It's really quite spectacular. You can find all kinds of good stuff in here.

Here is Hubby waiting at Basil's for me to stop taking pictures and sit down and order something so he can get back to work. Basil's has a special on Tuesday nights from 5pm-8pm. After your meal they bring the check and a coin and the waitress flips the coin while you call heads or tails. If you win the toss your meal is free. We took the kids there on one Tuesday night and we won the toss. Big Boy called it and our meal was free.

A few days before Halloween

I told you today would be the day that I would get caught up with you on what you have been missing. My birthday was a few days before Halloween. Usually everyone makes little or no big deal on my birthday. That's what this year I decided to be proactive and plan my own events throughout the month of October. Here was another nice little outing that Hubby and I shared. He "worked from home" one day and we took a trip downtown (to historic Fredericksburg that is) for a little lunch. I don't know if any of you know anything about my Fredericksburg but it is the only town that boasts both Revolutionary War and Civil War history. The historic Civil War battlefields of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville are located here within a few miles of one another (our "Cabin in the Woods" is located on the Chancellorsville Battlefield site area). So we have a wonderful little downtown which is constantly evolving and being restored and changes are being made all the time. Here is one of the neatest little spots located here.

We were walking down the street when we saw this alley. Isn't it the prettiest little alley. All the way at the end of the Alley is a gardening shop. They have classes. There is also a little staircase going up on the right with a little shop for rent. Wonder what will go in there. Rumor has it that a stationary shop will be moving into that building.

Here is a photo of the street right outside the alley. It's a pretty little town is it not?

Right at the boutique end of Caroline Street is the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop. It's now a museum that you can tour. Check out the sign in the window. I kinda wish they still sold stuff in there like this 'cause I might have bought the leeches. They seem better than aspirin eh?

Stay tuned!

A few Nice Quilts

This quilt did not get displayed very well but it is one of two Winding Ways quilts that my friend Liz Buchanan made. The other one is more scrappy but this one is more Liz. She loved purple and green. What a great quilt.

Here is a very interesting wool applique quilt. I love wool applique so I thought this one was great too.

This was one of the more striking of the Nickel Quilts that was made this year. It was a class at this years Guild Quilt-In. Mine is not finished (of course) along with the 30-40 other UFO's that I currently have. I can't wait to see mine complete now.

Last but not least... I thought I would show you our Guild's Raffle Quilt this year. I helped make some of the blocks. It's a really cute quilt made from all batiks. I think it turned out nice and it was very simple. Sometimes it's the simple ones that turn out the best.

Speaking of which I still have raffle tickets to sell. I am still getting over all the Sunday morning popcorn sales for Cub Scouts. Maybe I will be slick and sell them all to my husband. Hope you had fun on the Quilt Show journey.

Some of the good ones

Here's a really pretty baby quilt that Debbie Noble made for her family. I love the pastel background fabric... although if one of my boys had this it would be covered in dog hair and spiddle.

I planned this quilt out as a BOM last year for the Guild members. Most of these were put into last year's show but this one made it this year. It is by Alicia Veil and I love that she used red, white and blue. I think this qiult now belongs to her husband.

I can't remember who made this one but I think it's a very pretty Tennessee Waltz quilt. Our Guild likes the traditional as well as the contemporary.

This one is a really cool Lonestar made by Ginger Cook. Being a machine quilter, she did some amazing quilting on it. I am hoping that some of it shows up in the photo if you click on it to enlarge it.