Birthday Girl.

Happy Birthday Beautiful Daughter!

Please visit her blog and wish her a happy birthday.  You will also pick up lots of makeup tips and other fun posts.

Do I Know You?

Some of the bloggers I read have mentioned how embarrassed they are when someone they actually know reads their blog. Count me in!  It feels like my mother reading my diary as a teenager. It's not as if I was lying or being misleading in any way. I don't know why. It just feels weird.  I don't tell anyone in the real world I have a blog.  I did when I first started but as I kept on writing I didn't want anyone that I actually knew reading this silliness.

However, like all rules, there is an exception.  That would be my hubby's cousin.  We only meet up once a year, if that, and I would like to claim her and her sister as my own flesh and blood. Usually, the few times we do meet  it's because of a death in the family and that's no fun.
So, the most recent meeting was at the funeral for my hubby's sister-in-law. Cousin told me she loves reading my blog and gets a kick out of my many visits to Homesense.  She told me she was at a fea market this summer and saw a blue and white plate she wanted to buy.  Her husband asked her why she wanted it as she had no blue and white.  Cousin told him it was for me because she could tell from my blog that I loved blue and white dishes.  How lovely and thoughtful is that!  Here it is:

She noticed that I didn't have a square plate so she got this for me!  It is about eight inches square and very heavy.  I love it!

So cousin, you can read my blog anytime but just don't tell anyone else about it okay?! Unless they want to send gifts of course.

How does everyone else feel about people they know in real life reading their blog?

The Best Ships are Friendships...

If you remember my post from the other day on my mother's quilts I promised to show you a really special one.

This is a friendship quilt.  My mum grew up in a small community waaay out in the country.  All the ladies and girls would get together and have quilting bees.  This was a chance to catch up on the local gossip, eat great food, and help someone finish their quilt.  It was a tradition back then that when a girl got married everyone would make a quilt square, put them together and make the bride a quilt.  This is my mum's.  It rarely saw the light of day.  She never used it but would display it at quilting fairs in later years.  It's fun to look back on it and see her neighbours' and sisters' work.  Everyone signed their block so you knew who made it.  Some of my aunts' signatures are from before they were married and I love that.

This is the block Mum made.  You can see her signature in the right hand corner.

This block is from her oldest sister.  The bird is wonderful.

Some were simple but colourful.  All of them were beautifully appliqued.

Don't you love her name!

This is made by one of my aunts before she was married.

This is made by another sister.  I think it's violets.  They are our provincial flower.

This is my favourite.  The detail is wonderful.  My parents got married during the second world war.  One of Mum's brothers was in the air force and this is a tribute to him.

This is pretty too.  The colours don't show up well here.

This block was made by my grandmother.  I never knew her, she died before I was born. Mum told me her favourite flower was Cosmos.  I think the leaves are really super.

Mum had seven sisters and I wish they all had contributed a block but some had left home by then. Mum was born  the eighth of ten children.

I'm so glad I have this quilt.  This is the one time I'm glad I never had any sisters.  I don't know how this would have been sorted! I don't even want to think about how my girls will decide who gets to have it.

Precious Heirlooms

A few years ago, when my mum moved in with us, my sister-in-law and I had the task pleasure of cleaning mum's house out.  Totally. Nothing left in there. Nada.  It was hard to do in some ways and easier in others because Mum was still living.  I don't know if I could have done it after she died.
After a few hours of sorting, trashing, and dividing, we arrived at Mum's quilt trunks.  She had two trunks full of quilts.  She had a wardrobe full of quilts.  There were some quilts in her closet.  She liked to quilt.  A lot.
Here are some of the quilts I chose:

These quilts are quite old and I don't remember her using them in recent years.

I think this one is dresden plate.  I love the pink.

I don't remember the name of this one.  Mum always used material left over from something else she was making.  She always made her own dresses and mine as well.

I remember having a dress made out of this.  I loved the cutout clothes on the fabric.

She made this sun bonnet gal quilt for me when I was little.  When she showed it to me years later, I asked her for it and she wouldn't give it to me!

I can remember Mum wearing dresses made out of some of these fabrics.

When daughter #1 was born, look what her grammie made for her! #1 asked for her quilt a few years ago and I wouldn't give it to her either. Maybe later.

This is my all time favourite quilt pattern:  The double wedding ring. I love this one.

Mum made me my own double wedding ring quilt when I got married.  I'll show you mine sometime.  I have a really special one she made that I will show you next time.

Keep warm everyone!

Found in Translation

We had an unexpected visit Tuesday evening by this little family.

 This is Na Yun and her mama.

This is William and his daddy.  His daddy is sort of like the son we never had.  We just took borrowed him from his parents once in awhile.  Hubby taught him to drive.  He babysat our kids sometimes.  After earning his degree, J (daddy) joined the Navy.  Then he decided to teach in Korea for awhile to pay off his student loans.  Then he met YJ. They got married and a few years later, he became a dad. During all this excitement, he earned a Masters degree in Linguistics from a British university.

They decided to move to Canada and returned here six months ago.  We are so happy! When they first arrived, Na Yun spoke little English and now she switches between Korean and English with no problem at all. William was not yet walking and now he's all over the place.

This is Na Yun in her little Korean dress.  Isn't she a doll?


YJ is a sweetheart and we love her dearly.  She loves to cook and we can't wait for an authentic Korean dinner when they move into their new house. Thankfully, there are several Korean families in our area and at least two authentic Korean food shops so YJ is very happy.  She has made some Korean friends here too. They even had her refrigerator shipped over because our fridges don't keep bean paste at the proper temperature.  Who knew?

This photo was taken in Korea.


So Shannan has her Korean littles and I have mine.  Happy times!

I Believe She's Amazing Flash Mob - Toronto Eaton Centre

I found this video on The Lettered Cottage this morning. The link is on my sidebar.  I'm posting this in honour of my dear Mother and my sister-in-law especially, but also for all of my other family and friends who have suffered or are coping with this terrible affliction.

A Little Help From My Friends

Gentle Readers,
I could use some prayers for my hubby's sister-in-law.  She has coped with breast cancer for about four years now.  It spread to her shoulder  a year ago and she has had three surgeries since then.  She just found out that it is now in her spine.  She is having a lot of pain.  Her spirit has been wonderful throughout this ordeal and remains so.  She trusts in the Lord and has a great peace.  The doctor figured she had had the cancer in her breast for about five years.  She had put off her mammogram for those five years because she was starting her own business and didn't have the time.  So ladies, please get your regular mammograms.  Don't put it off.

Thanks everyone.

Those Were the Days

Today would have been my parents' 66th wedding anniversary.  Because they married at such a young age, they could have been still alive to celebrate it.  Twenty-nine years of marriage seems like a long time to me.

Aren't they just the cutest couple?

Happy Birthday #2!

Today is my younger daughter's birthday.

I have no photos of her as a baby because they were absconded by daughter #1.  I don't know why she thinks she is entitled to all of them.  So here is a picture of #2 dressed up as a princess!

How cute is that!

She used to have really long hair.

Now she does not.

Oops, that was last year.

Here she is wearing braces.  You cannot tell ?  She has not one picture of those braces showing.

I have not one picture to show you of her teenage years.  Or her university years.  I am not worthy to be called her mother.  I have few pictures of my daughters. Oh, the shame.  Daughter #2 doesn't like for me to show her picture on my blog for all and sundry to see.  She has an Important Job with a Big Multi National Company and fears for her employment.  

Can anyone tell me why this has started centering and won't stop?

Back to the point:  Happy Birthday Skinny Minnie,  I love you lots.

 

I put her with #1 so you won't know who she is.

p.s. giveaway winner on previous post!

The Sleepover

This weekend my little grandson stayed with us as his mummy and daddy attended a wedding out of town.  Oh what fun we had!

Our little girls couldn't wait for him to go arrive.

The girls got anxious and decided to wait for him outside.  let us in!

Sophie, don't you remember when he was your little baby?

I'm trying my best to forget that, Mummy.

 Emma, you're his half sister don't you love him?  No, I just liked stealing his baby bed.

 Now, he's a big boy and he loves to play with the girls. Whether they like it or not.

 Bmer you're here!  Let the fun begin.  The girls are always a bit shy and standoffish at first but they gradually warm up to him.  Pretty soon they're all rolling around wrestling with each other.  But then it happens.  Remember when  you were a kid, if there were three kids around, one always got left out?  Same with doggies.  One dog was always interrupting the other two having fun.

Okay, puppies, it's bedtime.  Let's all go out and do our duty before we hit the hay sheets!

Hey, whaddya mean I can't sleep with Emma and Bmer?  We have learned from previous sleepovers that Daddy and Sophie have to sleep in a separate room because she and Bmer will wrestle all.night.long.  After numerous configurations and substitutions we have learned that Emma and Bmer have to sleep with Mummy because Emma will not put up with any shennanigans or tomfoolery.  Except this time, Mummy forgot to feed Bmer before he went to bed. who knew? And she spent the longest time trying to settle him down before the lightbulb went off and she remembered to feed him.  Ahh, sleep at last!

Until 6:30am when sharp little ears hear Daddy in the other room.  I open the door and let them at him.  Then I promptly go back to sleep.

Bmer keeps looking for his mummy and daddy.  Oh, happy day, here they are!

All is right with the world.  Emma and Sophie are exhausted and sleep all day Sunday. Thank goodness that's over with, they're thinking.  But guess what, daughter #1's doggy is coming over next weekend!  I'm sure grandchildren will be easier, won't they?

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm so thankful that God gave me these two beautiful girls to mother:

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Art Appreciation

Do you like these houses and barns?

Now I'll show you the paintings they are from:

This is a little 5x7 watercolour.  I found it laying around in a drawer full of clutter.

I love this one.  It makes me think of a cottage in the English countryside.  It is done in oils.

This one I love for the fallish colours,  Is fallish a word?  This painting was also done in oils.
Now are you curious as to who painted these?  No, not me.  My multi talented mother did them.  There were ten brothers and sisters in her family and pretty much all of them could draw and paint beautifully.  I did not inherit this skill at all but I think my daughter #1 got the gene. My mum did many paintings.  My brother has some and so do my girls.  I'm so blessed to have them and I think of Mum every time I look at them.