Five Things To Be Happy About - A Day Late

I am not at all surprised that I'm a day late posting my Five Things to be Happy About post this week.  It's just the kind of week that it was!  All week I felt like I was in some kind of a mental fog.  I had the tension in my shoulders and pressure in my ears that usually signal the start of a migraine...but the headache never fully materialized.  It was just a crappy, tired, can't quite do what I need to get done kind of week.  Honestly, the thing that made me happiest this week was the moment when the ibuprofen and peppermint oil started to work  I love that feeling of the pain and pressure and anxiety floating away.

All that being said, there were still beautiful and happy moments.  I might have had to look a little harder for them, but thank goodness I had a reason to!  I might have missed them, otherwise!  Here's a peek at some smiles from the week.

I LOVE binding all rolled up!  I use old ribbon spools to wind the folded binding.  Then, the spool goes in a box on the floor, and it unrolls easily as I sew the binding on the quilt.  I had my bonus happy moment this week when I got the joining of the ends right ON THE FIRST TRY!!!  (That usually doesn't happen.)  The blade of my scissors is reflecting a piece of Mexican embroidery that hangs on the wall.  I love that!

And, of course, a roll of binding means THIS is coming next.  I debated machine stitching the binding on both the front and the back, because the quilt had a deadline.  But, I also knew that some time on the couch, with a cup of tea (not pictured) and Gilmore Girls on the TV might be just what I needed this week.  It felt really good to slow down and hand stitch.

We had some severe thunder storms on Thursday.  We were fortunate to not have any damage close by, but we sure got some amazing skies as the sun went down that evening!  My camera didn't do a great job of capturing it, but we all agreed we'd never seen skies quite like them!

Next week is fair week.  If you grew up in 4-H or have kid in 4-H, you know that THIS week, then, is finish fair project week!  These adorable Christmas light cupcakes were made by Emily for her cake decorating project.  They were a trial run so she could perfect her technique and figure out how it all goes together.  She will make the real ones on Sunday night.  She has done an awesome job with her projects this year.  This is the same kiddo who made the jello cup and the cheesecake in previous Friday Happy lists.  I think she had a future in the culinary arts!!  (By the way, seconds after this picture was taken, the "wires" fell off the yellow bulb.  Back to the drawing board!

And this.  This is the junior chef herself.  She has taken to wearing these big bows in her pony tail lately, and it makes me smile every time.  She's growing into such a beautiful young lady.  She is my heart.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend.  We have a weekend full of performances for my oldest daughter, a graduation party (and T-shirt quilt gifting!),a sleepover,  and of course, final, final touches to put on fair projects on the agenda.  I hope there's also time to clean up the sewing room and prep the next project.  Oh!  And a post about the finished quilt will be coming soon.

Even though I missed the Friday party, I'm going to share my post over at Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. Amanda has some beautiful pictures of her week, and some others have linked up to share their happy lists, too.  Be sure to check out the comments on her post to find out who to visit!

Five Things To Be Happy About Friday (#5)

Wow.  We've been celebrating our happy moments for five weeks, already.  It's a joy, certainly, but it sure makes the weeks fly by!  Oh, well, they'd do that anyway.  Might as well take a few moments to notice and talk about the good things in them!

I am really happy today because this afternoon we will pick my oldest daughter up from band camp!! I am sure she's had a fabulous time, but I am so ready to have her home.  We have missed her smiles and hugs and witty comments.   And, she does the dishes.   I've missed that!

We did find lots to smile about this week, though.  Here's my list, in pictures.

This "quilt" was found in the stairwell of the Studio Arts Building on the college campus where my daughter has spent her week.  We were both feeling a bit frazzled by the drive two hours-check in-audition- find our way around-process (not to mention a problem with a lock which meant she couldn't get into her room until hours after I left...).  We rounded the corner, saw this and shared a smile.  Quilts bring comfort, no matter what.

My younger daughter and I have taken some time to linger over some rather indulgent breakfasts this week.  She made her own oatmeal and smoothie.  Doesn't it look yummy?  And yes, sometimes last night's dessert becomes this mornings breakfast.  No shame.

Love the colors in this rhubarb.  Quilt inspiration, perhaps.

Giraffes.  My favorite.  They are so graceful and communal.  We are blessed to have 6 of them at our zoo.  The young ones are fun to watch, especially the new baby.

And the reason for our quick visit to the zoo.  My black belt ndaughter performed with her demonstration team for Kids Night.  She hung out with the team and her instructors while I got in my 10,000 steps, visited my favorite animals, enjoyed a gourmet grilled cheese, and read a few chapters while sipping an iced coffee. It was a beautiful evening. And, of course I watched her perform, too.

What has you smiling this week?  Why not make a quick list (no pictures required) and link it up at Amanda's blog, Gypsy Moon Quilt Co.   We could all use a little extra happiness these days, don't you think?

I'm also going to share this at Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? This week.

Enjoy your weekend!

Five Things to Be Happy About Friday (#3)

Thank Goodness It's Friday!  There were summers, when my kids were small, when I barely noticed the weekends.  The days all had the same feel to them and everything ran together.  As the girls have gotten older an involved in more things, and as I've started to become involved in some week day happenings, myself, the summer weekends have become more noticeable.  And more cherished.  This year, I am not taking any tutoring students on Fridays (I'm working with 7 kids this summer, some for 2 or 3 hours a week, totaling about 20 hours a week of tutoring, prep and follow up correspondence with parents.  It started a few years ago as something easy to earn some cash and turned into a part time summer job!).  

So, this summer, by the time Friday rolls around, I am tired, and ready for a day to relax and have fun!  A whole day with no obligations outside of our home.  TGIF, indeed!  

Again this week, I've been so grateful for Five Things To Be Happy About Friday hosted by Amanda at Gypsy Moon Quilt Co.  When life gets a bit crazy and I'm feeling a bit unbalanced, it really helps to look for the good, you know?  So, here are my Five Things for the week, with a bit of an explanation, and a glimpse into our crazy, busy, fun week.

Aren't they so fun, stacked up like that?  These are my heart blocks for #Quiltsforpulse.  I will do a post on these next week, but but it sure made me happy to carve out some time to work on these this week.  And I am over the moon happy to see all quilts, blocks and support for this project pouring in on Instagram.  I'm sure you've seen it too, but you can check out the information page for the project, organized by the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild, here.

Books!  A good book never fails to make me happy.  And the best books make me a bit sad, too.  Here's the stack that's being read in my house this week.  I LOVE having three Readers-with-a-capital-R in the house.  While this stack in all YA, two of them are actually my reads for the week.  Have you read Wonder?  Oh, my.  If you haven't please do.  It's a quick read, and everyone should get to know Auggie, the hero.  I'm almost done with Auggie&Me, the companion stories.  The gem on the top of the stack is shared read out loud that my daughter and I are doing.  It's getting its own post, soon.  There's a quilting connection, I promise.  What are you reading?

These girls. Happiness. I just love them, so.  I was minding my own business on the deck (reading!) and suddenly realized they were doing a hand-clap rhyme I haven't heard them do for years.  They were just so sweet together.  I snuck some pictures and *almost* got away without them catching me.  A bit later, they were in their childhood sandbox together.  Just look at their faces in the top pictures.  You can see how much they love each other.  And that is the happiest thing of all for this mama.

Our little local swimming hole.  Like the Library I posted last week, it's not much to look at, but it's a hub of social life in our little town.  It's a man made pond, with a sandy bottom,  It's clean, well maintained, and only costs $3 to get in.  You can stay all day, even get a hand stamp to come back later in the day.  It's a deal!  We took advantage of a near 90 degree day and cooled off at our little beach.

And this girl.  That's my oldest, Isabelle, whom I have referred to as SingAndDance, sometimes, on my blog.  She was so excited to get to perform with her show-choir type group at Summerfest.  Summerfest is a big deal here in southeastern Wisconsin.  A really big deal.  Her group perfoms a few shows on the children's stage every year,  Usually, its the older kids in the group that perform, and this year...she is one of the older kids.  She looks so grown up here, that it makes me a little sad.  Where's my little girl?  She just shines on that stage.  I smile like a crazy person watching her.  She makes me so proud, in so many ways.

Thanks for checking out my smiles this week.  What's got you grinning and grateful?  Join in the fun and link your post to Five Things To Be Happy About Friday.  Be sure to visit the others who are participating and leave them some comments!  Enjoy your weekend, and to those in the US, Happy 4th!

Five Things To Be Happy About #1

During these last two weeks, I've visited many of the blogs that are part of the 2016 New Bloggers Hop.  What a treat that's been!  One of the treasures I've found is Gypsy Moon Quilt Co., written by Amanda.

Amanda has created a very positive, thoughtful,quilty space on the Internet, and she focuses on reducing the environmental impact of her quilting by using only thrift sourced and repurposed materials.  The result is beautiful- vintage modern.

Amanda has started a weekly link up which I am very excited about.  Each Friday, she is asking her readers to join her in finding five things to be happy about.  She's encouraging photos of things that made us smile, too.

It's been refreshing, this week, to reflect on events and moments and think "Is this one of my five?"  And you know what?  The act of LOOKING for happy things made lots of small ordinary moments feel really HAPPY!

If you want to join in on the happy seeking fun, you'll find Amanda's pretty pink button in my sidebar.  (The fact that we were able to work out some kinks and get it there made Amanda and I happy!)

Pop over and see what everyone else is happy about this week!

And now here are my first "Five Things" in photo form. (Except there are six, because, JELLO CUP!)

Summer meals!  This simple meal of grilled chicken breasts, toasted sour dough and an assortment of fresh and healthy sandwich toppings really hit the spot on one of the warm days we had this week.

Summer flowers.  This photo really doesn't do these justice.  They have made me smile every time I glanced their way this week, and I think they've gotten prettier as the week has gone on.  This is a mixture of a cheap grocery store bouquet and some lovelies from my flower beds..  

A round robin quilt round...done, mailed and received.  And that makes me happy.

A birthday cake for their dad, made (from scratch) entirely by my daughters.  It was a marble cake, and it was delicious. And no, the photo is not upside down...I took the picture from across the table.  

This beautiful young lady makes me happy and proud every day.  But this week, she gave me an extra reason to smile.  She sewed this outfit all by herself, and modeled it in the 4-H Fashion Revue.  She was disappointed to receive a red ribbon (the judge didn't like her color choices, and the collar doesn't lie perfectly flat) but I could not be more proud of her.She worked all on her own and learned so much.  And I think it's pretty cute!

And the bonus happy!  "Mom, can we have jello cups for dessert?"  Then, she proceeded to make cups from jello, as she'd seen in a You Tube Video.  Messy?  Yes.  Exactly as she'd envisioned it turning out? No.  But it was certainly fun and resulted in a whole lot of smiles!

I hope you'll link up with Five Things To Be Happy About Friday, and share what made you smile this week!  Just leave a link to your post in the comments on Amanda's post, and be sure to see what's making everyone else smile, too!