Rachel Christensen

Welcome to our family little Rachel Christensen!  We love you sooo much!  Your mom and dad are the best parents you could hope for!
Rachel was born on Wednesday the 16th of May to Jim and Shauntae Christensen.  Her big brother, Wyatt and big sister Hannah are so excited to have her here. (Wyatt wanted a brother he could call Spiderman..it's a good thing Rachael had other ideas!)
She is precious and beautiful and our 9th granddaughter.  The 5 boys are going to be outnumbered, but that is ok.  We love whoever wants to be with us. She was the smallest of their children..8 lbs. 1 oz.  Not too small...just healthy and ready to face the world.  She gets to come home today...and it's raining like crazy out there.  I think they are Heaven's tears of joy for our family! 
We are waiting and ready to love and hold her and watch her grow and develop and fit in with her siblings.  I cannot decribe how happy I am right now, and thankful that my family is willing to bring new life to the world.  We know it's not an easy undertaking and it is wonderful to know that they have all been willing to face whatever happens to have our family here on earth.  She is just what we need right now!  I love all my grandchildren.  They each hold a place in my heart that will ever be theirs.  Each one is unique and wonderful. Thank you parents for being willing to give us this most precious gift!

I made this quilt for my mother for Mother's Day and her birthday.  They are just a week apart, so I am going to give it to her for both days.  She is in the hospital right now, so I put the quilt on her bed at home, and I am going to make a pillow case to give her on Mother's Day and tell her about the quilt, with a picture of it, so it will be ready when she gets home.  I hope she likes it!  I also made her some flowers out of the fabric and took them to her in the hospital because she can't have real ones.  It was fun to make and I am excited to see if she likes it!

A few more quilts...

I have finished a few more baby quilts...both for gifts..one for a friend, one for a future grandbaby.  I have two more quilts ready and waiting at the quilters and they will be finished , too.  I have so many I would like to try.  I just need some energy to complete my wish list!  I see new ideas everyday on Pinterest and other sites and I want to do them all!  With everyday life and my other hobbies, it seems that I just have to wait until things are caught up. It is getting easier to get things done.  I guess the organization that I did helps to make more time.  I don't have to search nearly as much to find what I am looking for.  This summer I am going to finish projects  and use up what fabric I have stashed away.  Then I can try some of these new and wonderful ideas I see floating around the web.  My challenge is to just get it done!!!

These were both quilted by my friend, Cindy Denkers and they are both from fabric by Moda called Lollipop.  The other baby quilt is also from this line..It's made for a little girl.  Just in case .

This is the girls quilt.  It is on it's side, but you can get the picture!

Too busy?

I have been so wrapped up in life, that I forget life.  It doesn't make too much sense, but that is how I feel.  I have been worrying that I don't do enough for the people that are needing some extra care, then I have nightmares that my whole ward shows up for dinner and I only prepared enough for 4...A sign that maybe I better buckle down and do what is imprtant... not just the things I want to do.  People are more important than the quilts I put together or the paintings that I paint.  I need to pay attention to the needs of others and really put forth the effort to touch bases with them and keep them in my heart and prayers. We had a good friend die today.  We haven't talked to him for awhile...we just knew he would be there.  Now, he is gone and we won't have the oportunity to tell him that we thought he was great. We always hear..".it just happened so fast."  I know it does, but it doesn't prepare you for the time that it does.  I will vow to make it known to friends and family that I love and appreciate them.  I will tell them whenever I get a chance.  I hope they know, so when it is my time to be gone suddenly, they will be secure in my love.  So...as of tonight...I love you all.  I will be there if you need me. I will get out of my comfort zone and yell it to the world.  My friends and family are my life and I will not get so wrapped up with the unimportant parts and miss those that I hold dear.

Thanksgiving and More!

Another Thanksgiving day has come and gone.  We only had 7 of us this year, but we still had fun!  More family came and visited later in the day, and that was wonderful!  We also got the announcement that we have a new addition due in May... Jim and Shauntae are expecting their third!  We are so excited and happy for them!  Maybe we will get another boy and get the totals closer... we are three short on the boys side!  I told Kari and Jordan that they could have triplets, but they didn't think that was too good of an idea!  Anyway, we are always excited for a new baby in our family!
Curt and the boys have been working hard to gat our "Party House" done.  It is going to be wonderful to have room to have everyone eat together!  I am getting quite excited to go out and cook up a big meal for all of them!  If it is done before Christmas, we will have our family party there on the 26th!  It will be good to sit down together and enjoy each others company without having to crawl under the table or over other people...and be in the same room!  What better Christmas gift could we give each other?

I am hoping that the New Year will be as good as the last year has been for us.  The holidays are always so packed with things to do, that this may be the last post for the year...  If so.. Happy Holidays to all of you!

Falling under the spell...

It's almost Halloween. I went to Molly's party last night to "help" and eat dinner with them. I laughed so hard at what those girls said and did. It was so fun to watch and see how they got along so well and laughed so hard at what they were playing at the time. It is refreshing to see the "younger" generation having fun and being good friends. I enjoyed every minute that I spent with them. I didn't take pictures, but Cresta did, so when she posts them, I am going to borrow them and put some on here. (It is always more interesting to see photos, don't you think?)
Monday is the "trunk or treat" at the park. I always dress in my t-shirt that has a pumpkin face on it and hand out treats to the kids. They are so cute in their costumes and so excited to be there. It sure is a lot easier than opening the door a million times and handing it out at the door. (Call me lazy, that's ok!)
My lawn has a new carpet and it is getting plusher every minute. The colors range from gold, brown, orange and green and look absolutely beautiful. It even crunches as you walk on it. I am putting off raking the carpet...I love the colors and feel it gives our yard. I want to leave it until the last possible second before we get the big snows. I don't know when that will be, but I hope I get them done before that. The kids walking home from school seems to gravitate to them, maybe I will pile them up on the edge of our yard, just so they can walk through them! Fall has to be the favorite of all times to me. I like Spring, summer and winter, too. Fall just seems special some how.
Our family is all growing and getting older. My oldest grandkids came to visit today in their costumes that they are wearing to help at the town festivities. They are such beautiful kids and so willing to help. All my grandkids make me happy and glad that I am their grandma. They are truly blessings!
The spell may not last too long, and winter will be upon us, but, for now....I'm completely happy and content to be where I am right now. Life is beautiful and so are our surroundings. Happy Fall Everyone!

Ramble on...

So much has happened in the past little while. Kari and Jordan have been married for two months already and I haven't added pictures...mainly because I don't have any yet, but also because I seem to forget that I have a blog! I love to keep a record of what is going on, I just don't take the time to do it.

It has been canning time around our house. That should tell anyone who has preserved food at home what it's been like. Very busy, very fulfilling, and so fun! I love to see the jars all lined up on the shelves with the bright colors and prospects of what they will be like when we open them during the winter. I have tried a few new recipes and I am excited to try them out. Vegetable soup... a little on the spicy side, and spaghetti sauce... a little mild, but just what is needed for certain Italian dishes. Add those to green beans, whole tomatoes, pickled beets, peaches and I will be doing apple pie filling and carrots...I guess we will eat better when it's cold outside!

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My grandkids are growing up. My oldest..Jessie is now 16. I swear it wasn't that long ago when her dad was that age! Now he is 38 and I swear it wasn't that long ago that I was that age! My youngest granddaughters are no longer babies...They are the cutest little things you ever saw. I am so blessed to have the grandchildren that I do. I am also grateful to their mothers for going through the process of having them and raising them...just for me!!! ( I know...I have learned to share them...but it is hard!) I really don't think there is anything better on earth than being a grandma! Not that I didn't think it was great being a mom...Just that grandchildren are different. I do believe they accept you for whoever you are , whereas our kids weren't so sure on the acceptance part! So...if any of my kids are reading this...you know what to do to keep those little ones coming!!!

The ranch is beautiful this time of year. I had planned on having a painting retreat for artists to come up and have a chance of painting outdoors and seeing the beautiful fall colors. I don't think it is going to happen this weekend. It is supposed to snow!!! I am really not ready for that. I am disappointed too. I think I will drive up there anyway and see how it is. I can paint in the cabin and be perfectly content! Maybe some of the artists like to paint in the snow...

We got to go help Gina paint the outside of her house and put some of the rock on the front side of it. It was so much fun being there and working and hugging my two handsome grandsons that I don't get to see very often. It was a fast weekend, but a good one. It was her birthday present from us. It made a difference to the house. I love the color and look of it. When it is finished it will be awesome!

We started the "Party House" in our back yard. I am finally going to get a shop and a place where the family can go to have dinners and parties. We got the cement poured for the foundation and floors last week. Now, if the weather will cooperate, we will start the walls next week.

Life marches on... And I am trying hard to keep in step!