Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Memorial Day

Good Morning!  Since I cannot be where I wanted to be on Memorial Day I guess I'll do a little tribute here.  First, here are some shots from my backyard this morning watching the sun come up:


Morning Chives


Sunrise on The Oak Tree

 OK morning sunshine aside, I did have fun drinking my Peppermint Mocha flavored coffee and eating a chocolate chip cookie while watching the sun stretch across the yard.  It was nice, and quiet, and beautiful!

On with it!  In tribute to Memorial Day I am posting a picture of my Dad.  He was 18 in this picture, and newly in the Navy.  He was about to be shipped off to war.  My Dad is no longer with us, but we miss him and love him LOTS and LOTS!  Love you Daddy, ALWAYS, please know we are thinking of you today.  I hope you are well where you are.


In Loving memory of Robert Lee Goodman.

Happy Memorial Day!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Fire, Hamburgers & Swimming

I asked my husband if we could cook hamburgers on the fire tonight.  I LOVE burgers cooked on a campfire.  It was hot again today though and he works outside all day in the sun........so HE wasn't so enthused.  He tried for meatloaf.....we had no eggs.......he tried for something else also....but we were missing another ingredient.  I finally laughed and said:

"The Universe is working against you hun!"

Mark laughed and said:  "I'll go start the fire."

So......we had black beans and rice with campfire hamburgers.......YUMMM!

Sometimes you just have to quit fighting it and go with the flow.

Yesterday was Hailey's play day at the recreation center here in town for the kindergartner's.  I was a chaperon for her group.  There were A LOT of kids there.  The teachers did an awesome job!  First they took all the kids upstairs to eat lunch.  Hailey and I had made ours at home.


This is the room we ate lunch in..........I could not get them ALL in the picture!


This is Hailey swimming with her friend Alivia..........I think they thought the lifeguard was cute.  They are right in front of his chair.


That's Hailey coming off the slide......see that BIG smile?  She loves it!

We had fun......I'm glad I got to go.

See you!  Gentrie

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Chaperones and farewells....

So tomorrow is Hailey's "play-day" and school and I volunteered to be a Mom chaperon for her group.  They will be going to the Rec Center and swimming, reading, and playing in the gym.  Hailey is sooooo excited for me to be there.  As a working Mom I do not get to do these things very often.  I am excited to be there with her for this!  Next week is her last week of school. 
This week is our foreign exchange student's last week of school.  She got her flight information today....she flies out June 29th. 
Her parents are flying in June 3rd for the graduation.  Then they go on a weeks vacation touring the US and then back home to Germany.  Elli will stay a couple more weeks and then she goes back also.  Sad.......we'll miss her.





This was Elli's first professional baseball game.  Mark helped chaperon.  He had a blast explaining the game to the girls (Elli and the other foreign exchange girls).  Mark loves baseball and was in heaven having someone to explain and share it all with.

So.....time with my daughter tomorrow.......doing the Mommy thing I rarely get to do.  Can't wait....we are both excited.

I'll be sure to bring my camera!

Gentrie

Saturday, May 22, 2010

..........And Holy Crap the WIND!

You know, we moved from Montana to Minnesota.  In Montana it is windy all the time, especially when your in a river bottom flat in between a few mountain ranges.  It comes rushing down those mountains and SWOOSH down across the plains.  Windy, windy, windy.  Great Falls, where we used to live is actually known as 'The Windy City', seriously, it was even on Jeopardy people.

One thing we thought upon moving was "at least we'll be out of the constant wind"!  Um, yeah, I think it followed us.  My husband was working on a bridge a week ago and they had to work under the bridge because the wind was so strong they were scared they would drop a piece of plywood (4' x 8' piece) on a passing motorist.  He told me he was having Great Falls flash backs!

Today is another WINDY day, it about blew my daughter off of her bike.  Everyone around here tells us the wind is unusual for around here.  So that means it followed us right?  It missed harassing us so much it tracked us down and is blowing us to Kingdom Come again!

That's the only explanation I can think of.  Right?!  So we might as well move back if we cannot get away from it right?

HHHHMMMMM............I'm tired of the wind.  Makes me want to chop all my hair off!  But then I'd look like my sister, can't be having that!  So ponytail haters be warned................it's my new style......at least until the wind goes away.

Gentrie

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Here comes the sun......little darlin'....

Finally some sun.  It was raining for so long I was beginning to wonder if the sun was ever going to show it's face again.  All week the sun has been shining and it has been wonderful!  I can feel my sanity returning!  Hubby is actually getting a FULL WEEK of work in this week!!  WAHOOOO!!!  I think he went 3 months last year without getting a full week in.  Stinkin' rain. 

My Mom's Birthday is coming up.  HHMMMM, what to get her, what to get her.  I'm not sure.  Maybe some kind of photo collage of Hailey.  I don't know.  Any bright ideas out there?  She says she doesn't want anything to hang in her house or anything decorative because she has too much of that now.  Gotta do some shopping this weekend I guess.

No pictures tonight.....I've been slacking in that department.  Lots going on.  So sorry this is so short........I'll be back again soon.  Just wanted to let you know I was still alive.

Gentrie

Monday, May 17, 2010

These are a few of my favorite things............


So this is one of my favorite pictures of Hailey.  It so personifies her in soooooo many ways!  This picture is actually from last summer.  Those are strawberry shortcake sunglasses she's wearing and they make everything turn pink.  That would be why she loves them, the pink thing.  She has a pink and purple stringy ponytail thing in her hair and the scarf, of course tops it off.  Although..........nothing comes close to the ATTITUDE in the picture.......she's DIVA all the way!  Anyone who knows Hailey, knows that to be true of her completely.  Which she totally stands out in my family, as we are all horse loving country girls........the farthest thing from Divas you can get.  (Well almost....we are still girls after all.)



This is my other favorite picture of Hailey.  This was last fall at a Twins game.  This is soooooo Hailey also.  She's a goof ball and really likes slush's.  She likes baseball too......and fishing.  Seriously, she can out cast the neighbor boys who are older than her.  Dad had her started early.  She even has a nicer fishing pole than the boys. 

The Twins are playing outside now.......we'll have to go check that out, sometime.



This is also one of my favorite pictures.  This is my niece Steph and her fiance Steven.  I'm not sure why.........it just is.  Maybe it's how content they look.  Peaceful, calm, young, happy......lots of stuff there.

I'm not sure I have a point to this post other than these are some of my favorite pictures.  Did I have to have a point to blog?  I don't think so, I didn't see that in the manual.

OK, talk to you guys later!

Gentrie

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Quilt sending SOS......

My Dad used to go elk hunting every winter for a week.  Him and his buddies would load up the horses and head out into the mountains and hunt elk.  Sometime when I was young.....or not born.......my Dad had bought and old quilt in a second hand store to use for hunting.  Because in the mountains in Montana in the winter......it's freakin' COLD!  It's a tumbling blocks pattern, the tops of the blocks are crazy quilted.  After going through all Dad's stuff and doing the auction it has been found!

It was in a trunk in the barn with all of Dad's other hunting things (go figure!).  I now have it in my posession, and it needs help.  It looks like a mouse or some sort of rodent chewed on it in couple places, and well, it smells like barn.  I desperately need to wash it but am afraid to because of the chewed spots.  I need to fix the bad spots but I do not know how to embroider.  So HELP!

I am posting some photos to see which of you will have some advice.  By the way....the back of the quilt is pieced together old flour and sugar sacks!!!!!!  How cool?!?!

Ok, time to comment and give me your ideas.

Here is the quilt, see the tumbling blocks?  This is made from tweeds, wools and flannels and such.  It's tied, and the "batting" looks like it's old sheets or an old blanket or something.  See the little chew holes?



This is one of the sugar sacks on the back.  It looks like whoever made it turned the writing on them to the inside because the lettering is backwards and you can only see the writing on a couple of them.

The quilt also has a signature on the back but only a small portion is visible now.  I am so intrigued by this quilt!  Can someone please help me and give me some advise about restoring this without compromising the integrity of the quilt?

Thanks.........very appreciatively yours.........Gentrie

Friday, May 14, 2010

LOVE

Oh, there in the distance
I hear it, I see it,
I long for it,
To touch it, to feel it
Warm, comforting, eternal.

I reach and reach,
Are my arms long enough?
Will my fingers ever get there?
Ah yes, they will.

I've found it, touched it,
Held it, comforted it
and now it's gone.....
It fades, away, away

My heart aches
and I long for it again.
Stronger now, as I know,
I know now what IT is.

LOVE

I see it everywhere and watch it everywhere.  It is in all our daily lives, and today I choose love over hate and death and destruction.  I'll close my eyes to all else today and see only the love all around me, because today that is all I can handle.  Everything else will have to wait for another day..............

I challenge all of you to see ONLY all the LOVE around you for at least one day.............the rest can wait!

Go experience the love.......you'll never want to come back.

Gentrie

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Retreating

I went on a quilt retreat in March and realized I had not posted anything about it!  Well, what the *bleep* have I been thinking?  Anyway, we had a blast at this quilt retreat.  We quilted, laughed, quilted, laughed, did a few shots of Tequila (originally made in Mexico), quilted and laughed some more.  It was FUN...I can't wait to go again.

So here we go.....

These are a couple of Karen's quilts she was working on...........preeeeetttttttyyyyyy!


This is the cutting table.........also known as the story telling table........ (that's my bud Rachel)

This was the sunset out the window in the dining room.........nice......


This is my other bud Lynn, she's modeling a shawl she made from Cherrywood Rayon........she looks mad .......but she's not......TRUST ME!

Of course I have a ton more pictures but this post would be a mile long if I posted them all.  As always we have way too much fun and it always leaves me longing for more.

Until next time girls.........I luv ya more n' my sewing machine!  (I don't own luggage!)

Gentrie

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Slideshows and Flying

I just finished making a slideshow to music and a DVD of videos of Hailey for my Mother-in-law to play in her DVD player.  It's her birthday today, (I know, I'm running a little late).  Karmalee.......shut up (that's my seestor).  Ok.....so anyway they turned out pretty nice if I do say so myself.  She's been missing us lately.  We've been gone 4 years now and have not seen her since last summer.  Actually it will be a year this weekend.

Here's a fun trivia fact......you (you, me, anyone) can fly round trip to Germany for the same price as a round trip ticket to Montana from Minneapolis!  Here's the kicker.........they have 4 DIRECT flights a day from Minneapolis to Montana.......wether you are on the plane or not.  I DO NOT get it!  Ok I'm off my soap box now.

Anyway, I know she'll cry when she watches both of them.  I'm suggesting she watches the slideshow first so she'll be able to pick Hailey out of the groups in the videos.  My mother-in law is 5'1" tall, we had a good laugh Sunday that when she sees Hailey again they will be the same height.  What's scary is that is easily possible as Hailey is only 7" from there now and she grew more than an inch just in this school year.  At this rate she'll be a giant.  In reality I know one day she will slow down and that will be the end.  I know this from personal experience.

After watching this slideshow at least three times I started noticing two things about my daughter:

1 - She is never NOT POSING when a camera is in the vacinity.  (I think that picture of her sleeping is the only "natural" photo I have of her.)

2 - She has three shirts that are very obviously her favorites.  Because after watching the slide show you wouldn't think she has any more.  Believe me she does.......I do the laundry people.

So I'm hoping she enjoys these and that they make her feel a little closer to us.  Happy Birthday Bonnie!  Here's to many more.....'clink'......cheers!

Gentrie

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Posotive Sunsets.......

Sunsets are beautiful, as are sunrises.  The only difference is that in the summer I do not get up early enough to see sunrises.  In the winter I am usually driving right into them.  There are rare times in the summer when my husband has talked me into getting up ungodly early for something or other and I get to sit and enjoy a sunrise.  Those are the best ones, because they are with him.........and if it weren't for him I wouldn't be in that moment anyway.
These rocks normally do not have a reddish hue.....that is the sun.


And here the sun is winding down another day.

These are my neighbor across the streets trees.  I have seen more beautiful sunsets here.......but this one is still nice.  I love the red and orange colors thrown across he landscape.  I find it interesting that colors that you would never imagine "going" with orange and red still look beautiful in a sunset.

Now if I could just loose 40 pounds all would be right in the world again.  OK maybe almost everything.........in my world.........mostly.

Well, just shoot me for being positive.............Goodnight!

Gentrie

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Homework

I am working from home today and since it's not 8:00 yet and I technically do not start work until 8:00 I am taking a moment to blog.  I know all of you out there will understand.

Hailey is sick today.  What had started out as what I thought were growing pains from her latest growth spurt has turned into the flu, or some variation there of.  (Just to be clear, she didn't have a fever and all she kept saying was her legs hurt.......in the past that's growing pains.)

By yesterday afternoon she had the full blown fever, NO energy, and she hurt all over.  This morning she's still feverish and achy and she's sleeping in my bed.


This her just a few minutes ago sleeping......on her Dad's side.

Yep, she's still in her clothes from yesterday.  She came home last night and flopped on the couch.  Ate a bowl of Mac & Cheese, and went upstairs to our room.  I think she was asleep by 7:30.  Mark made me go up there @ 8:30 and mover her to her bed........dead weight.......I don't think she even cracked an eye.  I did take off her jeans (cause I hate sleeping in jeans).

At 3:30 or 4:00 this morning she was trying to climb over me into our bed.  I gave her more Tylenol (cause man was she HOT again!) and laid back down with her.  Where she proceeded to toss and turn and kick me for another 45 minutes before falling back to sleep.  Dad got up at 4:45 to get ready for work so I pushed her over on his side, and that's where she still is.

I like her like this, it's quiet in here!  ;)
Gentrie

Monday, May 3, 2010

Obsess Much?

So I have lots of irons in the fire and have lost my motivation.  It's just temporary, I know that.  I go through this every now and then.  It's like creativity just stops flowing, a blockage in my brain. Quilting stops, writing stops, it all stops.  I'm obsessing over a new book, well new to me.  I'm on book 'S' of the Sue Grafton series. 

When I start reading a good book and start getting into it I can't do anything else but read.  Lunch, before work, after work, after dishes.....or instead of dishes.  The problem with this is I usually finish the book in about two days......depending on if it's a weekend or a week day.  (A girl's gotta work.....well this girl does anyway.)  And......blocked.......all creativity stops and brain can't get past the book.........until it's done.

Hey maybe, subconsciously, that's why I obsess over it.  I know I won't be able to think of or concentrate on anything else so I hurry up and try to get it done!  Yeah....that's it.......yeah!

Phsycologists out there.........anyone?

Don't delve any deeper than that though, it could be scary, you'd be scared for life I'm sure.  I'm just sayin....

So now I have to get this book finished so I can move on with my creativity.  EXCEPT.....dun dun duuuunnn...I forgot the dumb thing at work!  AAAHHHHGGGG!  Pain and agony!  How could I?  Now no book until LUNCH tomorrow!  Are you guys hearing me?  LUNCH TOMORROW!  This bites.

I suppose I could get the writing going tonight...........blockage removed.........seriously.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Dance Recitals and roses

What a great and busy weekend.  Hailey had her dance recital this weekend.  They had two programs one at 2:00 and one at 7:00.  Grandma and I were going to go to the 2:oo one but by the time we got there (15 minutes early) it was standing room only.  So we all went to the 7:00 instead.  We went at 6:08.......we were waiting in line at the door.......and not the front of the line.  I'm amazed that a school dance program can bring that kind of enthusiasim out of this community.  Amazing.....the recital was great though.

Hailey (the ham she is) after her second dance, when leaving the stage, turned around and blew kisses to the audiance, then ran off the stage.  UNFORTUNATELY, I had just stopped the video camera and did not catch it on video.  CRAP!  The memory is stiil there though.

And of course a recital would not be complete without flowers.


Gentrie