Gift quilt.

I mailed off my first gift quilt last Friday and hopefully the new owner will open the box before she reads this! You've actually seen this quilt here before because I made two of them (thanks to bad math when cutting out all the pieces) so I was excited to have a reason to give one away!

Sweet Baby Ryelle (a.k.a. the unnamed, unborn, they-are-keeping-the-sex-a-secret child of Dani and Ryan) will hopefully have a snuggly first winter with this quilt. Since I don't know the sex, I thought it was safe to do something that wasn't so "baby-ish" and though it is mostly blue, there are some fun pops of red and yellow in there too so it should work (I hope!). This is also a design that I came up with pretty off the top of my head after seeing something mildly similar somewhere else.

This is the whole quilt. It is a square...about 45 or 50 inches on each side. 

I decided to sew a stripe of material on the back too to give it a little more dimension. While this quilt isn't perfect (don't look too closely at the quilting!), I'm pretty proud of it. 

I hand sewed the binding on which takes forever and makes my fingers tired but it is so absolutely worth every single stitch. I love the way it looks so finished on the edges. 

Baby Ryelle, you are so loved and hoped for and prayed over!

 I can't wait to meet your sweet little face. 

Busy weekend...slow week.

This past weekend was a lovely mix of busy/loud and sweet/quiet.

Last week, the staff at work spent the week training on a new computer program that will help us manage lots of things better - membership and getting people signed up into new troops is the top of that list. One of our JC staff members came back with us from Knoxville and spend the night at my house Saturday night in preparation for a fun Saturday. E and I hosted a shower for my sweet work friend K - whose pregnancy is well-watched, loved, and wanted. We decided to host a rather non-traditional shower and do a picnic/pool party instead of the typical did your baby float out of the ice cube/what chocolate bar is melted in this diaper business. I think it was a great success even though some of our favorite folk weren't able to come. We ate tons, laughed, and loved on K and baby MG. I love these women that are in my life - thankful that we bridge the gap between work and life so beautifully - and take care of each other along the way.

Sunday was quiet, calm, and I spent 90% of the day in my pajamas. I watched 3 movies on Netflix (sadly, Chad had to work) and cleaned up a bit from having company. It was such a nice change of pace from a crazy go-go-go day Saturday that I loved every couch-bound moment. Two romantic comedies and a thriller later, I was happy to head to dinner with Chad's family. A little more grilling out (happy summer food!) and some good chats and the weekend was deemed a success.

Our computer program and new website went live about an hour ago and I'm excited about all of the possibilities. Good stuff coming.

Slowing down.

This week is the beginning of the slow down at work...and I could not be more thrilled. After Big Event #2, that became #1 because #1 was posponed to #2 (follow me?) happened on Sunday, I really am on the downhill slide for the next few weeks. I still have Big Event #2 (that was #1!) on July 14th but many, many fewer nights and weekends between then. In fact, I don't have to work any nights this week and I am going to a Boy Scout/Girl Scout event on Saturday by choice (and really for the little Boy Scout in the family!). The only downside about not working as many nights and weekends is that I am not gathering and hoarding flex time. I actually have to get up and go to work on time and stay all day. Bummer. :) It is really ok though...my gym buddy, K, and I are totally back on the wagon. Hello summer!

I am enjoying quiet nights at home - tonights involved a TV show, cleaning out the gutters, and a stroll through the garden to worry over a tomato plant that seems to have caught a disease. Praying it doesn't spread to the healthy others - I am hoping for a good 'mater haul this year. Even planning dinner for the rest of the week...I love to cook for my little family of 2.

Hoping for a visit from a friend this weekend. Crossing my fingers. Another friend with a baby in the due zone and praying for quick and easy (and selfishly, on a day I can come meet the newby...).

a sweet face. and some juice.

Chad and I just got back from the hospital where we got to meet the newest member of our small group family who has a perfect chin, a button nost, teeny tiny fingers and the most adorable dusting of dark hair on top. Emily and David had their sweet baby boy today and he really was super cute and perfect looking. I can't wait to be a part of his life as he grows up and as his parents teach him to love God and love people like they do. It's gonna be great!

On another - possibly much less exciting note - our Valentine's Day was quiet, sweet, and together...just the way I like it. We ate Chick-fil-a (don't hate. It is exactly what we wanted!) with every child-filled family in Chattanooga, stopped by Hobby Lobby, and came home to watch NCIS. We are exciting folks! Either way, my sweetie ordered me a juicer for Valentine's Day (really for life...I think he just says it is for Valentine's Day) and I am really looking forward to buying juicy fruits and veggies in bulk and upping my nutritious intake in the future. I am even thinking about doing a few days of a juice fast of sorts...I'll let you know if that happens and how it goes! I'm sure you will be interested...