Just want to give a praise report! I had 2 huge prayer requests for other's answered yesterday and today. I am so happy! Just had to share. :o)

I love spring! These are pics from our yard. The tree is the only tree we have! Sad huh? But it is honestly so gorgeous when it blooms I don't mind horribly. It starts as light pink buds then goes to dark pink and then to a tree full of snow! Later on it will have tiny lil red hard cherries.

The back yard is almost all weeded and the dead taken from the beds. Just one lil bit left. I do the back and Mark does the front. Hard going with one hand in a brace, but I have done it! He has been working so much, he doesnt have his side done yet. I may have to venture to the front before it is over with. I just do not want those pesky dandelions and weeds to get a strong hold. So hard to get caught up then. We had always bought our mulch from a man that sells it mixed with horse manure. For several years. And our flowers loved it! Well 2 years ago, it was so full of grass seed. Last year was a totaly nightmare trying to get it weeded. Mark worked his hiney off let me tell you all summer. Our flowers will never see that stuff again! Thank God for Preen's. It is this stuff you sprinkle out. Looks like chicken feed. And it really works on the grass and weeds.

And I have been in my playhouse. Have 2 cradle quilts done for our upcoming retreat next month. I honestly cannot remember having so many deadlines in a very very VERY long time. But busy is good. Just maybe not quite this busy. LOL

Someone loves her Uncle Markie.

Here is a wonderful post about the world's oldest lady. She is from Indiana. Says she is never worries and is 115 years old! Can you imagine what all she has seen and lived through? Amazing!

Well I am heading out to see if I can do some sewing with this dang hand of mine. I have tried several times this week, but am determined today. I have so many clocks ticking on deadlines it is crazy! Have on my short brace with the thumb free, instead of the one that keeps the thumb stiff. And the ice packs at the ready. Here is hoping :o)

Birthdays and Babies and Earthquakes oh my!

Look at the way that baby smiles for her Meme. All the time! My sis gets these huge grins from Jaidyn. LOL The rest of us get smiles, but not this! And of course, Debbie eats it up. But I am guessing without being there that she is looking at her Pappy.

Happy Birthday Debbie Jo!

Tomorrow we are going to our folk's to celebrate with Debbie. Her actual bday was the 18th. Love my sisters!

And this is my pincushions after the earthquakes today. Humpty Dumpty got dumped. LOL Or had a great fall if you prefer. We had one in the wee hours and one right before noon. Mark was getting ready for work this morning and the whole house was vibrating. Imagine a train going through your front yard. That is the feeling. And there was this wierd sound. Could have been my heart coming up in my throat, but I think it was the earth rumbling. Not a feel good feeling either way! The second one was very brief. Not something I would want to get used to either way!

I had a great day today. One of the bestest in two forevers. I told someone, we need these once in awhile to help us through those nonbestest ones don't ya know. :o) The weather was simply gorgeous. The birds were everywhere in the yard. I saw 4 male cardinals on my fence.

Poor Mark came home with a whopping headache. He works a full time job and then an almost full time, part time one also. The man is not lazy. Trying to cut back his hours some cause it is just too much. He needs a whole day off on the weekends to recharge his batteries I think.

Today I was on the phone and internet so much it seemed. Have all the last minute, small details worked out for our quilting retreat. I am so excited. My online quilting group, Backporch Friends will be coming to Indiana mid-May. We skipped last year and I missed it so much. The ladies are awesome and we have the best time. Lots of laughing and of course sewing. 22 ladies from all over the US and Canada. How cool is that!

Here is a sweet lil graphic I am sharing with you all. Have you kissed your baby today? :o)

Miss Jaidyn. The lil stinker would not smile for the camera, but was smiles all the rest of the visit. Teaching me who is boss at 4 months~oh my! What will 6 months be like. LOL

Angie with a hurt hand makes for a very boring girl. I tried to use my hand last night and today also to sew a bit. Just hurt too much to handle the scissors. Blech. I have been going through some of my books for rereads. I love love LOVE to read, but my head and eyes do not cooperate too well. So I have had to save them for my working the past several years. Well, if I am not going to get to work, I am going to read! :o) This book is a tiny lil volume of short stories. I love it. Would be a good read aloud book, for or to children with it's good moral teachings.

Heather hosted her first selling party here on Saturday. A Mary Kay party. We were calling it a Pretty Princess Party. LOL It was alot of fun. The lady, Dodie was wonderful. We each got a complete, very intensive facial, hand spa treatment and makeup samples. They sell a great mineral powder foundation. I got that when my mom kept telling me, You NEED that. You realllly need that. Hello, I can take a hint. LOL I needed it. It evens out your complexion without feeling all gunky and painted up. It only takes a tiny bit also. So will last a long time. With lupus, my skin tone is uneven. You can order from her online with free shipping. Cannot beat that. Sis got $129 in free product and was thrilled.

Thank you everyone for the good wishes on my hand. It is better. Just going to take more time than I thought. My tetnus injection site is better also. The knot is going down finally!

Tonight I fixed baked hamburgers, cabbage and mac & cheese. The baked hamburgers are 1 pound ground chuck, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 c. instant oats, 1/4 c. ketchup, salt, pepper and onion powder to taste (or chopped fresh onion). Mix together and pat into 4 patties. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done. Turn over after 30 minutes.

Tomorrow I get to babysit Baby Jaidyn. Looking forward to that. Cannot have enough baby time don't you know! If I can remember, I will take new pics of her. I just get so involved, I forget.

Infamous or famous? Tomatoe or tomato LOL

I wanted to post a pic on my blog and since my hand is still not up to par, nothing new is being made or did. So. It is like 10 o-dark tonight and I thought about my pretty tulips and how today they started popping open. Out into the dark I go. Hey my camera has a flash. I know where they are, but cannot realllly see them. So I start snapping away. Then I hear. "What is that crazy woman doing?". LOL The Children of the Corn who live across the street (recently moved in) from us were sitting IN the street, in the dark, watching me take pictures in the dark! LOLOLOL I just snapped a couple of more cause that is how we are thank you very much. Then came inside and laughed and laughed. Just wait until it gets hot and I am outside pulling weeds by flashlight! They will be coming over Penny said when we are not home to see what I am growing! LOLOL Another kind of weed perhaps? (disclaimer: They are probably good kids. And I do not grow anything smokable. So do NOT go trying to stalk my house and dig up my flower beds!) Anyways, that is my post for the day. :o)

Quilter Husband's Lament
I've always learned that life

was full of obstacles and woes.

I've learned to live with sickness,

death and taxes, heaven knows.

I've taken all these things in stride,

the problems and strife,

But one I didn't count on

was a Quilter for a wife.
Come home from work, the stove is cold,

the dirty clothes still there,

The suit I wanted cleaned today,

still laying on the chair.

"Where's Mama, son?" I asked my boy,

"This house is such a mess.

Why, all the sheets are missing,

we've been burglarized I guess."
"No, Mama stripped down all the beds

and took the sheets away.

She cut them into little strips

and pieced two quilts today."

"Why every pair of pants I own

is cut in little squares."

"I'm demonstrating appliqué,"

my lovely wife declares.
I show up in the office in my boxer shorts and tie.

My secretary giggles

and the clerks give me the eye.

It's freezing cold, I'm shaking

and my knees are turning blue.

My boss considered firing me,

but his wife's a quilter too.
I told him what happened

and he said he could believe.

I noticed that the coat he wore

had only half a sleeve.

A husband needs a loving wife

to help him when he's ill.

To soothe and comfort, mop his brow

and help him take his pills.
Should influenza strike you,

your life's not worth a dime,

Particularly if it hits

at Quilt Convention time.

You'll lay there in an empty house

in pain and deep despair,

While the workshops and the lectures

keep your wife's attention there.
You learn to ask no questions

when she smiles and drives away,

Rushing to the Fabric Shop

for a big sale there today.

She's gone for hours,

then drags back home all bleary eyed and down,

Now who'd believe a lie like that?

She must be running round.
But I'll get by, I always do,

some days are fine, some not.

When your wife's a Quilter

you tolerate a lot.

I know that when my life is through

and I pass away

They'll have to set my funeral

so it's not a Quilting Day.

Author: Cathy Miller

And the winner of 4 stitchery cards or 2 pattern packets with free shipping on any additional order placed from The Country Cellar is Kate at 3 Ankle Biters! Whoot for Kate! So Kate, go snoop around the site and pick out what you want. Then send me an email with your addy and goody list! Thank you everyone for playing.

Now the pics below 'plain why I didn't post the winner yesterday. On Saturday I took a tumble. Landed on my hand. And as Shayla said, well you went and did it now. She was with me and did so good. I honestly thought I had broken my wrist again. It hurt soooo bad and swelled up. But xrays said nope. Just a nasty sprain. So in a splint for a few days. And the color it turned is the color I have been painting everything lately. A lovely robin's egg blue. I kept ice on it yesterday and last night and it looks much better this morning. I bruise bad and wierd colors, but it leaves quickly too. Something about all the chemo they said. It is very hard to take a pic of your dominant hand. LOL

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. For some reason I have only received into my mail box a portion of your comments. I was happily surprised when I look at the blog! :o) And then I realized this was my 176 post, so that means another Give-A-Way for the 200th.

Yesterday we had gorgeous sunshine! Oh it was nice to wake up to. I tried to work in the flower gardens a bit clearing out the winter foliage. Didnt do but a tiny bit. I didnt realize how sore my ribs still were until I was doing the bending so low and moving. So I sat on the porch swing and watched the birds instead. :o) Just wanted to be outside. The weather is cloudy and cold today. Whatever!!

I have been wanting a pie. Some kind of cream pie. I havent made a sugar cream for years. Anyone have a yummy recipe to share? If you post it on your blog I will link to you. And I have ben wanted homemade tapioca pudding. I have to get out today and think I will run in and get some pearls. I only like the small ones. The large ones kinda choke me for some reason. I used to eat this alllll the time. Me and my crazy stomach. Can you see a trend here of bland foods? :o)

Here is another site I joined. It is not a "selling" place but more an informational group. Primitive Peddler is owned by Cathy Jackson and she is super to work with. I would suggest anyone that is selling online get with her. It is a new site, but I think it will be a benefit.

So dont forget to post until Saturday to be entered in the Give-A-Way. The info is in the last post.

Hope you have sunshine wherever you are. And if it isnt in the sky, well we will just have to make our own! :o) Instead of the old saying, pretty is as pretty does. I think the one for the day is, sunny is as sunny does.