Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday to the Gardener today!

Happy Birthday to a knight in shining armor.

Happy Birthday to the guy who rocked his three babies to sleep.... and would still do anything for his three grown-up children.

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite huggers.

Happy Birthday to the funny man, and a man who likes to have fun.

Happy Birthday to the guy who has spent his birthday all over the United States.
Happy Birthday to my polka partner.
Happy Birthday to a gamer.

Happy Birthday to a man who has shown over and over the meaning of the word support... support for family and friends... 

Happy Birthday to the guy who taught me to ride a bike, water ski, and snow ski.

Happy Birthday to the guy who never complains about baiting my hook, or taking the fish off my hook.  He just loves to fish and is happy to have me fishing with him.

Happy Birthday to the guy who can make anything out of wood.

Happy Birthday to a man who loves unconditionally.
Happy Birthday to an exceptional role model for children and adults.

Happy Birthday DAD!  Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday dear Dad.  Happy Birthday to you!

I love you.  I am so fortunate and blessed to be your daughter.  You are a great man.

I Know The Gardener

Let me start by saying this... I KNOW THE GARDENER.

He has a yard full of different kinds of flowers.  All different colors and beautifulness scattered throughout the front and backyard.

He has handmade planters, that he made, for some of his flowers.  He has creative planters too, like steel tubs, wheelbarrows, and a wagon.

He has many hanging baskets with plants and flowers overflowing out of them that decorate his back porch.

Flowers bloom in the Spring in his yard and keep right on blooming through Summer and Fall.

Flowers around the mailbox, flowers around the trees, flowers along the fence lines, flowers dotting the perimeters of his large vegetable garden....

He has a special potting and planting table that he built himself for planting and taking care of his plants and flowers.

The yard is beautiful and has been for all the years I have known him... almost 34 years in fact.

He works hard to keep it that way.

Did I mention that I KNOW THE GARDENER!?!

FUN with her Popee and Nanee!

Sarah got to spend a few days at Popee and Nanee's house last week.  She had lots of fun.  They played lots of games... Mr. Mouth, Ants In the Pants, UNO, matching cards, a frog game, Don't Spill the Beans, and High-Ho Cherry-O.   They also found time to get ice cream treats, ride the little train at Soden's Grove, watch some movies, and play in the backyard.  They kept busy and she wore Popee and Nanee out!

She got to go to VBS at Popee and Nanee's church while she was there.  The theme was Main Street.  They had a word of the day to remember and learn about.  The words that they learned about were Gratitude, Grace, Compassion, Faithfulness, and Forgiveness.

She liked drawing pictures with crayons, colored pencils, and markers. Here are a few of her pictures that she brought home.  She told me that the first one is a picture that she drew of herself and our dog, Jessee.  The second picture is two hearts one colored by Popee and one colored by Sarah.  The third one was a picture that says to Daddy from Sarah on the back.  She decided that she wanted to keep it instead of giving it away once she got it home though.  I think she really liked all of the stickers that she had put on it.  

 

Here she is doing lace-up cards with Nanee. 

 And, here she is playing UNO with Popee, and of course... being silly! 

Old T-Shirts = Quilt

T-shirts... everybody's got them.  Some have lots and wear them lots.  Some have some and wear them some.  Some people have them, but don't wear them at all.  Everybody's got them. 

My mom saved lots of mine and my siblings t-shirts from when we were little all through high school.  She had good intentions of having them made into t-shirt quilts for us at some point. 

About two years ago I took a t-shirt quilting class so that I could make these quilts.  So far I have made three.  One out of my high school cross country t-shirts, one out of Eric's high school t-shirts, sweats, and team uniforms, and one for my sister, Lindsee, out of t-shirts that she had saved from trips she had been on and places she has been to.  I almost have another one done for my brother, Matt, out of his high school t-shirts. And, have three more t-shirt quilts started.  I really like making these memory quilts.  It allows me to be creative... like creating a giant puzzle.

I have been teaching a couple of friends from church how to make these quilts too.  One lady's husband is a youth pastor and she is making a t-shirt quilt for him with some of his youth group trip and project shirts.  The other lady's Dad passed away a few months ago.  She helped her Mom go through his things and saved some of his work shirts and t-shirts.  She is making three smaller quilts, one for each of her kids and one for her Mom, with these old shirts.  What wonderful ideas and great ways to make a keepsake of memories!  (I will be sure to post pictures of these quilts when they are finished.)

   

I have been asked if I would make these for others... The answer is "Yes", I would.  I have been keeping track of my time and materials used as I have been working on this current quilt, so that I have an idea of what to charge.  So, if you are interested in having a t-shirt quilt made please contact me.  I would be happy to help you preserve your memories in a quilt.