Baby Shower, Swimming, and Other Things...

This last Sunday my good friends Beth and Arlene threw me a baby shower for Samara. I am just so thankful for all the people that came out, and sorry we missed the ones who couldn't make it (it's ok, we should get together later!)...

Nikolai and I went swimming on Monday in a blow-up pool that we bought last year (and hardly ever used) He is so cute and had so much fun!

I had a doctor appointment on Wednesday, and I have some news about that too! So... Here we go...

Tula Pink Quilt Along: Blocks 10, 11, & 12

I have had these cut for a while, just have not had the opportunity to get around to them. I will post more on why later. And no, no baby yet! :) I just have some pictures to work through to get them up here!

Block 10

Block 11

Block 12

I am having fun doing these with The Sew Along at SewSweetness! And I swear cutting fabric first then sewing makes it go so much faster! I am not that fond of block 11. I think that blue dot should have had orange in it and I should have cut a different piece from the fabric, but oh well!

These blocks are a part of what I am doing with the TulaPink City Sampler Quilt Along!

Happy Sewing!

Tula Pink Quilt Along: Blocks 7, 8, & 9

Yesterday I took a part of  Nikolai's nap time to cut the fabrics for these three blocks. Today, I got to sew them together during his nap time. So much easier doing it that way! Though I feel I may have rushed the fabric selection a bit, I am fairly pleased with the way that they turned out! :)

Block 7

Block 8

Block 9

I think my favorite of this group is Block 8. I like the way the fabrics I chose worked out together. :)

These blocks are a part of what I am doing with the TulaPink City Sampler Quilt Along with  The Sew Along at SewSweetness!

Tula Pink Quilt Along: Blocks 4, 5, & 6

I have reached a point where I cannot make it through the day if I do not nap with Nikolai, or at least that is how it feels. So that means my creative 'me' time has dwindled down to almost nothing. That is, unless I get lucky, and that happened yesterday.

Nikolai grabbed me and pulled me to the craft room. He said, "sew, mommy. I watch?" Too cute! I managed to get in block 4! Then Nikolai lost interest, decided to try to 'fix' my machine then we needed to leave the room. But, later, Brandon took Nikolai out in his big truck and I was able to work on blocks 5 & 6 while dinner was in the oven! Yay!

I am so glad that these blocks are so easy and fast to put together!

Block 4

I think that so far this (block 4) is one of my favorite blocks! I am pretty proud of the piecing too! :)

Block 5

Block 6

I was not too fond of this last one. I thought the red was too much, but the more I look at it, it isn't too bad. :)

Here is all 6 together so far!

Blocks 1-6

I wonder if I will be able to get caught up at all on any of the other blocks in the next few days... Since The Sew Along at SewSweetness  are on 10, 11, and 12 this week! Oh well... Potty Training sure is fun though! LOL!

In case you wanted to see my blocks 1-3, you can go here...

These blocks are a part of what I am doing with the TulaPink City Sampler Quilt Along!

Happy Sewing!

36 Weeks and 5 (now 6) Days...

Yesterday was the ultrasound appointment to determine if Samara is in the head down position! About 2.5 years ago, in November 2010,  I had to undergo an External Cephalic Version in order to turn Nikolai from a breeched position ( I talk about that here, here and the actual Version here). I have to say that once the wand was showing what was in the pelvic region I was extremely...

relieved!

Potty Time!

It feels like it has been forever since we started trying to get Nikolai to use the potty. We tried naked, only to have him demand a diaper. We tried underwear, only to have him demand a diaper and accidents galore. (don't mind the yellow on the walls in the bathroom, we haven't decided what color to paint yet)

 

Then I started to tell him, as soon as the diapers are gone, you have to start using the potty. So then, after every diaper change we counted the number of diapers left and talked about when you wear underwear you have to tell mommy and daddy when you have to go potty...

A Modern Mini in a Pillow

4th Grader's Nine Patch Block - May 2013

So, I have been wanting to do something with this block that one of the 4th graders designed. If you remember I talked about the quilting thing that the 4th graders did here. I was so glad that they did that this year (they didn't last year).

I hadn't found the perfect thing to do with this yet. I had only really done foundation piecing on two separate blocks for the Craftsy Block of the Month last year and I thought it was the way to go with this one. Well, I thought that it would be pretty simple right? I had no idea That it would test my abilities this much! :) But that is a good thing, I am still learning!

I was really excited with the Modern Mini Quilt Challenge beginning this year over at Ellison Lane Quilts! I followed along with it last year though did not participate. This year I wanted to, and that was the perfect opportunity to jump in with this design! So excited!

 

I was thinking just a simple quilt, nothing fancy. But then as I was doing each 6.5" square I was thinking this was too simple. I had done a foundation piecing before, I needed to do something different. Something I had never done before. After all, isn't that the point of the challenge?  As I read through the details of the challenge (for the 100th time, couldn't do it enough) I thought, pillow! I have never made a pillow before! Little did I know that sewing all those blocks together with represent a challenge enough! LOL, but so would the pillow!

 

And so starts this item's existence into being...

Tula Pink Quilt Along: Blocks 1, 2 & 3

I am excited to share my first three blocks! I sat on the idea for a while on whether I was going to join in or not, and then a week (almost 2) after they really started the QAL, I finally decided to join in!





I figured it be something to do, to use up my scraps, and just be there when I have time. Goodness knows that 5 weeks from now (give or take a couple weeks) I wont have nearly as much free time! :)

So here are my first three blocks! :)



Block # 1

Block # 2

Block # 3

If you have been following me on Instagram, or Facebook then you have already seen these! ;)

These blocks are a part of what I am doing with the TulaPink City Sampler Quilt Along!

Happy Sewing! :)

Daddy and Nikolai pictures

I loved the pictures from the Mommy and Me shoot that Jenn Roberts did for us.  We did some with Brandon and Nikolai too. Just in time for Father's day. I love pictures!

And here are quite a few of them... I had such a hard time picking some out to share with you!

Announcing...

We have a name for Baby Girl!!!


Samara Elin

I like it!

It is pronounced suh-mahr-uh  ee-lynn