Sunbeams, Goldfish and Bags

Today our lesson in my Sunbeam class was continuing on with the theme of "things Heavenly Father created for us in our beautiful world that we are thankful for." Today it was fish! Tabatha brought a little goldfish along that she was hoping one of the children would take home to keep. She had no takers. Of course she missed the conversation with the kids at the beginning of class where two of them told me, "I had a fish, but it died." No wonder none of them wanted it! Here you see them all staring at it. They were fascinated by the little mouth opening and closing and the little fins moving back and forth as it swam around. Tabatha let them each feed one flake of fish food to the fish, which Holly said we should name Crystal. Treavor thought the fish was a boy but was outvoted since there were three girls in the class.

We had a fun craft activity with foam stick on sea creature. Finally, I brought out the bags I'd made and gave them each one to put all their goodies in! Each bag came with a picture of Jesus inside. To that, they added their craft, and two plastic sea creatures. Treavor even stuffed his sweater and gloves in the bag. He was so funny. He told me, "Thank you for giving me a BLUE bag!" I think the sight of all the pink bags for the girls was too much for him. Here they are, with their bags. Unfortunately, Grant, Michael, Lucy and Bryce weren't in class today.





Aren't they cute?

BRRRRR!!!

If it is spring like the calendar says, WHY am I seeing this outside today?

More bags!

This week I made 8 little bags, about 10.5 inches square, for the Sunbeams in my Primary class. (for you non-LDS folks out there, that's Sunday School) The children in my class are all 3 or 4 years old. Holly is four. All the rest are still three.

Tabatha (mother of my buddy, HaiLee) and I teach the class together, which is really nice and cuts down on any stress there might be in being in a room with eight Sunbeams! There is always one of us available for the runs to the potty or the water fountain. We take turns teaching the lessons, another good thing about having a partner. Not that the lessons are difficult, but I appreciate not having to think about it except for every other week. Tabatha is very good at coming up with crafts for them that go along with the lesson. As a result, every week the children seem loaded down with goodies to take home, be it the craft they made or pictures they colored--or, like last Sunday, Easter candy! Their wee hands can only hold so much. As I watched them leave the classroom on Sunday, dropping and picking up their take-home items...repeatedly...I decided I should make them bags. When we got into the Primary room for our closing exercises (songs and other fun things), Becky--who is the chorister--commented that I should make them all bags. AHA! Another confirmation of the idea! So..I did. The first one was, of course, the most difficult, as I tried to work out what I was doing, but after that, I assembly-line sewed them and had them all done in two days. As you can see, one is blank. There is a little boy who is new to church and has only been to class once. His name is Bryce, but I'm waiting to find out from our Primary President if that is how his name is really spelled. Having grown up with people being creative over the spelling of MY name (how many ways can you spell Y-v-o-n-n-e?), I don't want to get it wrong. Even though he can't read yet!

Stay tuned to this spot. I'll take my camera on Sunday and get a photo of the Sunbeams with their bags so you too, can see how cute these kiddos are!

btw, anyone interested in flannel with LDS motifs on it, I got it at www.bighornquilts.com Just put LDS in their search engine.

Liz in Nepal

We got an email from Liz! That is her in the photo, wearing her green hat on the right. The email came to us from the airport in the Kathmandu, where she and the others in her tour group were waiting for their helicopter ride to Langtang. In her words: "We'll sleep at 9,000 feet tonight and then hike up to 12,000 for the rest of the time with the option to climb up to 15,000 for a day hike. We'll see how I'm feeling with the altitude. I've got a little time so maybe I'll try posting a blog. Whenever the power goes off, I lose my connection. Power in Kathmandu goes on and off. It's also on a schedule. Yesterday, for instance, power went off at 1700 hours and came back on at 2030. It's hard for visitors to keep track since it's different everyday. Coming home from dinner some of the shops are dark, and some have generators going to power lights. And this is the biggest city in Nepal!"

Check out her blog, she did have time to post a couple of photos and descriptions of her adventures. Wow! She got to ride an elephant! When Liz was a little girl, her favorite animal was the elephant. When we'd go to the library, her first choice was books about elephants. We soon exhausted all the library had to offer in the children's section, but that was all right with Liz. We read all we could find in the adult section about elephants. We learned a lot--I certainly learned more than I ever wanted to know about elephants! Liz had stuffed toy elephants, elephant slippers, and a collection of elephant knick-knacks. Her favorite movie was Disney's "Dumbo." When she was about 4 or 5 years old, the opportunity arose for her to have a ride on a real elephant. You can imagine how exciting that was for an elephant-crazed little girl. Her big brother Jim and cousin Scott, were less than enthusiastic, but had rides anyway. For Liz, however, that was a highlight of her life at that point. This time, she got to ride an elephant through a jungle! Ahh, sometimes it only gets better, doesn't it?

I hope she'll be able to post more. It's very reassuring to know that things are going well and she's having a wonderful time. It is a scary world, out there, you know...and moms worry. What can I say? It's what we do...

Yakutat, Alaska

Tom spent the last two days in Yakutat, Alaska, doing a site survey for the FAA.



He got to ride around in a helicopter taking aerial photos of the spot where they want to build a radar tower. He watched as a backhoe dug through the snow to find the frozen ground beneath. They needed soil samples to figure out what they'll be putting the foundation on. Apparently it is all sand and gravel.
Tom said there were moose footprints in the snow, everywhere, but they didn't see any moose. It is beautiful there, mountains surrounding the town on three sides, with the ocean on the 4th side. No way in except by air or water. It started to snow on Saturday before they left. One of the locals commented, "We had 80 inches last year." Steve, Tom's co-worker said, "That's not so much." The guy looked at him and said, "That was just for March." BRRRRRR!

It looks like Tom might be working on this project for the next two years. When the boss asked Steve to take another fellow along, Steve said he wanted Tom instead, "in case something goes wrong, I want Tom there to fix it!" Unfortunately, this isn't a trip I can accompany him on, like the trips to Oregon--but on the bright side, I've been wanting to paint some of the rooms in our house and Tom hates the smell of fresh paint. I kind of need to get him out of here... This would do it!

Do It Anyway

I like this. Does anyone know who wrote it?

Do It Anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Cait's Visit

Cait, my 18 year old daughter, visited today. It is the first time we've seen each other in five months. Before that, Cait spent nearly a year in the hospital, after going off the deep end. Cait came to live with us when she was 5 years old. Formerly my great-niece, she was taken from her parents when she was almost four due to allegations of abuse, and put in foster care. My sister has yet to forgive me for stepping forward to help out. Marigene was so hostile to the case workers, there was no way they would let her have Cait and at the time, she thought we were a good option. I thought so too! I love my sis and would have done anything for her. She was broken-hearted over the situation and it hurt me to see her that way. What else could we do but try to help? You need my right arm, Sis, here it is! A kidney? You've got it! Want me to turn my life and the lives of my husband and children upside down so your granddaughter isn't lost to the family forever? I am SO here for you, Sis! And why? Because I love you!

You know how they say, no good deed ever goes unpunished? Well, this situation is the proof that's a true statement. When Cait came to live with us, we were at a point in our lives, when things were pretty good. Tom had just retired from Air Force after 20 years. We'd come home to finally buy a house and put down some roots. I wanted to be near family (foolish me) and particularly missed my big Sis. Jim, Liz and Jeff were growing up and doing well--and as for me, I finally was having some Yvonne time. Life was good. Life was pretty smooth. The turmoil of bringing a troubled little girl we didn't even know, into our home, was difficult to say the least, but for my Sis--I was willing to do it. I don't understand how it happened, but somewhere along the line, Marigene decided I was the enemy and out to steal her granddaughter away. As if! I was voting for Kris to get her life together and raise her daughter, while we "adopted" Kris into the family. Kris needed family. I thought we would be a good fit. Marigene decided I "brainwashed" Cait into saying the things she was saying about past events (never mind Cait was saying those things before we even came into the picture! There is NO logic in any of this) It put a giant chasm between us that I have, even after all this time, been unable to bridge. I have tried. I gained a daughter and lost my one and only sister! Not fair. Not to say I don't love Cait. I do, very much. Somewhere along the line, it turned from "I'm doing this for love of my sister," to "I'm doing this for love of Cait." For all her quirks and problems, there have been good times--many of them. Cait has a loving and sweet spirit.

All right, fast forward twelve years, spent trying to help Cait. It hasn't always been easy, that's for sure. Cait has been diagnosed as A.D.H.D., bi-polar, high functioning autistic, suffering from post-traumatic shock syndrome, attachment disorder and more. I think just about any label for something unpleasant has been stuck on her. Poor Cait! I suppose that's why she sneakily turned to smoking pot, trying to ease her pain and quiet the anxiety she was feeling. It totally put her over the edge, made her suicidal and there she went, screaming and tied down in an ambulance, off to the hospital. Oddly enough, Cait only went balistic and uncontrollable at school. At home, she was good company and nice to have around. We were lucky with that. She told me once, "I know I'd be dead by now if it weren't for you." That gratitude spared us a lot of trauma at home, at least. I rarely saw the Psycho Cait. Only a peek now and then, when I'd have to go to school to bring her home. And that happened often. When she was in grade school, I was on a first name basis with the principal and secretary at her schools.

But enough of that. Today Cait is back with her birth mother, who also has struggled with her bi-polar condition. If anyone can help Cait, I thought it would be Kris who has been through this sort of thing herself. Cait is totally off medication, doing well, has lost about 30 lbs she gained in the hospital (hospital food is BAD!) and her ol' sweet self has returned. She's back in school, getting good grades, and looking forward to college. I have hope for her having a future now. Today we sorted through her boxes and boxes of stuff, packing up more for her to take back with her than I imagine she has room for in the small apartment where Kris, Bill, and two other kids are living (plus 16 pets!)

Two of Cait's adult friends from church, stopped by. It was a sweet visit and I even got to cuddle Angie's cute little boy.

On the way back to Cait's place, we stopped off at my mother's house. Marigene lives next door. I asked Cait if she wanted to go visit and gave her my camera to take photos. They had a pleasant visit, mostly because Cait didn't mention my name--according to my mother, that apparently still makes Marigene froth at the mouth. I really don't understand it. I would have thought that the evidence of Cait's breakdown, and subsequent diagnosis would have helped my Sis to realize the things Cait had said that got her put in foster care in the first place, came from Cait. No outside force, no brainwashing, just Cait and Cait alone. I didn't make her brain the way it is. We did the best we could to help her. Too bad we didn't have Marigene on Cait's side, helping. Not that I think that would have made a difference, except that it would have made me feel better with her support.

Here is Marigene: Marigene loves Barbies. I am a Hitty-fan. We both like to play with dolls. Just another thing we have in common that we can't share.

Marigene doesn't realize what a good sister she has, and I do not think she isn't ever going to figure it out, since she refuses to talk to me. Since no one will talk to her on my behalf, I can't see things getting better. I guess it is easier for them to try to ignore it. I have to admit, I am frustrated and disappointed in some of my extended family members. No one ever stands up for me.

Okay, that's the end of my rant. Here's the photo I took that Cait liked best! (this is what happens when I forget I had it on telephoto!) LOL

Baby Girl Quilts!

Two baby girl quilts to give away this month. This one is for Teryn Elizabeth, who was born Sunday, March 2nd. She is just a wee thing, weighing in at 5 lbs., 8 oz. and 17 inches long.

And here is a photo of Teryn with her mother, Lindsey.









Baby girl quilt #2 is for Savanah Antoinette who came into this world on Thursday, March 6th. She's 10 lbs., 1.9 oz and 20.5 inches long.
Here is a photo of Savanah.


What beautiful little girls! I really like making baby quilts. The colors, the fun fabric. Lucky me there are so many people I know, who are reproducing! I found out yesterday that a sweet friend is expecting TWINS! Ohboyohboy...now where is my frog fabric? LOL

Bag for March

Here's a photo of my version of the March bag, from the British Quilt List Bag Challenge. http://bqlbagblog.blogspot.com/ This was a fun bag to make and I had enough strips cut that I actually made three of them! Okay, so I got carried away...

I've put a link in my "favorite blogs" so anyone stopping by here can check that blog out, even when this posting cycles off to join my older posts. I've learned to do that since the last time I posted photos of the bags!

Here's an update! A photo of what I made with my pile of strips. Three shopping bags, and two wee zippered pouches. I think I'm going to stop now! As you can see, my assistant, Taz, is supervising the photo, as usual.

Sunday's Show and Tell from Spring Break

Last Spring Break posting! On Sunday we have a Show and Tell, to give us all a chance to see what the other classes are doing. It's always fun. I managed to get part of my cat done, the rest of him pinned...but only finished one eye (hey, I was tired!) Yes...I got a lot of flak about a one-eyed cat as I paraded around the room with the rest of my class! I didn't get very many good photos as everyone was moving pretty fast--I've spared you looking at most of the blurry ones!

Images from Janet Fogg's Class

I really did try labeling these photos, but I'm not very good with that sort of thing and the "who's who" ended up not being with the right photo. So here you go, anyone in class knows who they are! Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of everyone with their projects but they were:

Karen/Bird of Paradise
Denise/goose
Jan/bear with compass
Sheila/boat
Donnah/wolf
Debra/parrot
Laura/otter
Alice/dragon
Pam/cat
Beth/horse
Carol/monkey
Katie/Mt. Rainier
Schelley/tulip
Cheri/bear
Eda Lee/color flow
Yvonne/siamese cat





















I hope eventually to be able to post finished projects--at least mine!