catch up...

Hi All!
I'm still here... really I am!  I've just been so busy! Bad excuse, but the only one I can come up with...
So, what's new with you???
Here is high school... football... work... bears...
As you know... my oldest plays football.  He is a senior.  He really loves the game even though they haven't had a good season... 2 weeks ago at an away game in the first quarter he broke his collarbone.  Bummer in more ways than one.  Of course, it's his senior year... and he's out.  We got lights on our field... so the first night game EVER was played last week...   His coach is going to suit him up for the last home game... senior night... he won't play but he will get to wear his uniform one more time.

It was Homecoming last week.  Our big Booster Club membership drive.  The boys played hard but lost miserably... 
The highlight of the day for me was probably waxing my youngest's hair and spray painting it black.  Their floats theme was Punk Rock... too funny!  (if you knew ds you would understand!)

Also, the last 2 weeks we've had a visiting black bear... wish I had a picture for you... He is not a big bear, probably a 2 year old.  He has been making the rounds in the neighborhood.  He even got into someone's freezer and ate frozen chickens, 2 loaves of bread and I don't know what else.  I heard him at our house one night... came downstairs and turned on the porch light to see him drinking out of the water dish... then he took the cat dish off the railing and licked it out (it was empty) and then checked out the bar-b-q... nothing there so he left.  I called the local wildlife biologist and he brought a trap to catch him in.  He had had several calls on the antics of the little fellow.  He wasn't at all scared or nervous about us (people) or the dogs... or much of anything.  So after Jay brought the trap out the visitor didn't come back... I was beginning to think that something happened to him.  I mean he was here every night for more than a week.  Then nothing.  For 3 days no bear.  But last night he finally came back.  He found himself inside a live trap and so he ended up taking a ride to somewhere far away.  Yeah!
Lastly, I have been doing crafts... I have 5 quilts that I'm working on.  3 for me/my family and 2 samples for the store.  We will be going to the Spokane Quilt Show. (I won't be there but the store will have a both there)  if you have a chance you should stop in... I've been told it's an awesome show!  I have finished Sail Away... will post a picture soon.  I am taking a class from Toni... Civil War Diaries... wow... 121 - 6" foundation pieced blocks... what am I thinking??? I'm doing it in blacks and tans and creams... I'm excited but... I will take pictures of these soon...
This weekend I took a Bear class from Renee... oh... I could get into mohair bears!  Here are some pictures from start to finish.

Now... we will see how many of you read this... 
My bear needs a name... So help me pick one out! Leave your name idea in a comment!
Thanks and Until later... stay safe
KimV

Wow! Summer's over and School is here with a BANG!

I don't know about you, but time sure flies!!!
School has started.  I have 2 high schoolers and one is a senior! He's in Football... GO HAWKS!

I'm also Booster Club president (I just can't say no) and Homecoming is 2 weeks earlier than last year... I'm also the adviser for our high school pep club "The LOUD CROWD!" and we met for the first time this week.  We have been working on fliers, parade permits, school spirit ideas... and it's canning season, and bow season just opened, and, and, and!!! lol  I've made raspberry jam (has to be seedless for spoiled man of house!) and fruit jam ... what's in fruit jam... anything that's on the counter that you don't have enough of by itself! lol... plum/apricot/peach/raspberry jam! Working on cherry jelly and applesauce today! YUM! :)

My niece and s-i-l came up over Labor Day Weekend.  I'm taking her senior pictures... she's so beautiful! This is my favorite one so far... 
I've done a little stitching and a little quilting... Sail Away is almost finished...


We had family here over the weekend... had a campfire... made sh'mores and my niece bought some magic color stuff... what a pretty fire!  

Until later have a great weekend!
KimV

9/11 don't forget the fallen... never forget the hurt... pray for the families, pray for our country, pray for those who wish us harm...

Florida...

 So... if you've read my blog long, you know that I've been whining about the snow and cold and snow... a lot.  Last year we planned a trip to Florida ~ the Sunshine State... and on the 2nd of April we headed to the airport to leave for Miami... via Denver... via Atlanta... ya, that was a long day.  We arrived in Miami at 6:45 pm.  We got our rental car and head south for Key West... We stopped to eat dinner and then continued our way.  We finally arrived at our destination at 11:30pm... the next morning I woke before everyone else (which is normal) and went down to walk around the grounds of the condos... wow... we were on the pier...  it was warm... there was sunshine... Here are a few pictures to show you some of the sites...

Tarpon... huge tarpon swimming along the docks... I fed them and this is a snap that DS took...

I found that there were at least 3 "local" dock cats around... this is Raggedy Anne... she is quite content.  She loves fresh caught fish.

This was a really nice boat that showed up midweek to dock for a couple of days...

So, Monday we went deep sea fishing... with these guys.  

We decided to go for Sail Fish... so we needed live bait...

We got out to where we were going to fish about 6 miles out... Almost immediately 1st DS caught a "Bonita" which you don't eat... they kind of like a tuna.  They kept it for bait... Then 2nd DS got to bring in a "Silky Shark" we turned him loose...  Next DH and I both got to bring in Dolphin (Maui Maui) fish... mine got away... :-(  We did keep the ones that got to the boat (these are very tasty fish)  Then, father in law and I got to bring in 2 more Dolphin fish! YUM!

This all occurred in about an hour (awesome fishing!) HOWEVER... during this time 1st DS and Mother-i-l were becoming very ill... and then 2nd DS began to get sick too... we had purchased a 3/4 day of fishing and ended up only being gone about 3 1/2 hours... at least we did catch fish... but alas no Sail Fish... 

me and a dolphin fish...

After watching those gianormous tarpon swimming under the dock... we decided that we needed to catch one of those... so we chartered a trip.  1st trip with Dream Catchers DH caught about a 40lb fish... tarpon are all catch and release cause they are not good to eat.

The second trip DH and I went with Capt Jared Cyr.  Well recommended.  Jared was born and raised in Key West.  His dad is a charter captain too... I caught a beautiful Red Grouper (out of season), DH caught a lovely Black Grouper and then a red... we were chatting.  Jared told us that if you have a tarpon you will feel you bait "get nervous" then you will feel a bump and a steady pull... don't do anything until your line starts to go out.  The cool and fun thing about tarpon is once the fish realizes that he is on the line he explodes out of the water!  They are an extreme fighting fish!  So anyways... we are sitting there... we've seen other boats hook tarpons, so we know we are in a good spot.  We are chatting... actually I think I was chatting... and all the sudden ZINNNNGGGGG! my pole is almost ripped out of my hands... line is whizzing off my reel... Jared is giving me instructions... suddenly a HUGE tarpon blows out of the water!  OMGOSH!!! I'm so excited!  I'm reeling for all I'm worth, then just like that ZINGGGGG... there goes all the line I reeled plus more... This went on they told me for 15 - 20 minutes... He blasted out of the water 3 different times.  Soon after the last time, I lost him... he was just gone... :-( But oh how exciting... I was shaking.  My arm muscles were burning... my hands just ached and seemed to be in a permanent death grip on the pole and reel... I want to go again... 

Sunsets were dreamy... Boats everywhere...

I found a local needle shop.  Turns out she designs Needlepoint.  I've never done needlepoint... but I got a small kit and some extra flosses just cause... lol... you should check out her stuff! 

Julie Pischke Designs OMGoodness you should see her rugs and her bags... look at her bags... she also had the most awesome leather bags that you could insert your projects into... I can't find them on her site... but I will post when I do!  Now, I took my Resurrection with me... cause I thought I would have a chance to work on it... Yeah, right... best laid plans of men and mice... So, am I going to make my crazy goal... no, probably not.  Oh, well I will revamp it somehow.

It was awesome... too short... now we are back and it has already snowed 3 times... though the snow is almost gone... there are things coming up in my yard... and the deer are here (so they will probably eat everything that comes up... grrr...

Until Later...

KimV

I'm BACK!

Hey! I'm back... sorry I've been gone so long!  So much going on here... the first year my child played basketball!  We are on our way to District Tournements!  Their team ranked 2 in their league.  He's on the tourney team... but probably won't play much.  He's excited.

Corey has not had a seizure since October 14.  We've got him on a vitamin/mineral diet plan... we've cut back on his meds.  I am so praying he'll be better.  And finally we have an offer on our farm.  Oh, how good it would be to get that sold!!!

So many projects to do... Cross stitch is still my love.  I've been quilting also. 

I've finished 2 more stockings!  How dumb of me though... I forgot pictures before I sent them away! 

Here is the last one... it hasn't been finished yet...  I have 2 more and I think I will be done with those... lol... maybe... ya right!

Hey all... little update from me... this is a swap that I did with my Hand-Dids group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hand-Dids/   We made 3 needle cases and then got back 3 different needle cases... very cute!  The crocheted purse and needle case was a little extra special drawing that Angela (our group Mommy) made and I won (yay me!)

2nd Update... as of today Corey hasn't had any more seizures... I just keep praying that it will stay that way... that the medication is where it needs to be... He's very independent.  He has a 3 day field trip coming up in a couple weeks.  He doesn't want me to be there as a chaperone... he informs me that there are plenty of teachers and instructors that will be there... so deep breathe... ok, he needs space... this is really hard on him.  He's my go off by myself... do my thing...

Sneak peak of my Autumn wall hanging swap with Angela...

I'm here...

Hi everyone...

Did you all think I dropped off the edge??? It almost feels that way... summer is hard... since I don't have a "real" job ~ we aren't on a real schedule.

We've been boating/jet skis... Corey learned how to slalom ski! He's a very determined boy...

We went to Hungary Horse Reservoir... wow! It's probably one of the most beautiful places I've seen...

We have been dealing with the Epilepsy. Corey has had 6 total seizures this summer. The last one this morning... I feel so frustrated and helpless. He will be at full dose on his medication Saturday. We are making an appointment to go to Seattle to see a specialist there. I have yet to hear from their office.

My oldest starts football practice tomorrow. Where did summer go? School starts in 17 days... it all goes so fast.

I watch them go through all these life periences... I ache for them... first love... first heartbreak... unexplainable illness... It's cloudy and rainy here... I think it's affecting my mood...

On a brighter note... I have to post pictures of my swap with Imi! I have a couple of pictures from the scissor fob that I made her...

I've been working on Christmas presents. I finished my sister's stocking. Both her and Bill's are sent to be finished ~ I will post pictures of the end results... I've also been doing some embroidery. I am making tea towel sets. I found the cutest cowgirl/boy day of the week patterns... I just finished the stitching on Monday... have to do the corner fabric and blanket stitch! Soooo cute!

Well, I just wanted you all to know that I am here... just busy! September will be better for communication!

KimV

went fishing today...

We went fishing today and so did he...

Exchange received!

I received these lovely squares from Peg! Aren't they too cute? (note the K A & V for my initials... ;-)) I love them... I bid on a chart on ebay ~ many moons ago (didn't get it)... called the James Town Minstral??? I can't remember anyways it was very remincent of this... I would love to find it... anyone know what I'm talking about? Anyways... I'm thinking of makeing a little pillow/pin keep... but then again I think it would be adorable framed up in a very dark prim frame... what do you think? I'm almost done with my squares for Peg... had a little glitch. Stitched the biggest part of the design then noticed OOPS! Oh, how aggrevating!!! GRRRRR... to much and too big to pull stitches so ~ I started over. I am close to done... can taste it! ;-) Will post when she gets them.

Also, working on another exchange. can't show you that one either... deep sigh... but it's gonna be cute!

It was beautiful Monday! My 13 year old and I went fishing and for a ride... (caught 6 fish ~ they were oh, so tastey!!!) as you can see I make him do all the work... I just catch them! The advantages to being a mom... ;-). I could feel summer! I think it got to be 82!!! Shadow thought it was way too hot to run but he is so out of shape since we moved so he did a lot of running... had to stop at every water hole on the way ~ makes it a little hard to fish LOL! Well, today is 33 so far and it actually had the nerve to spit snow!!! What is with that???? I do think it's gonna be a nice day but really now...