Happy Mother's Day!

 I saw this little thought at the end of a video I was
watching the other day and thought I'd share it.
"When a baby is born so is a Mother."  So true!

I had a wonderful Mother and treasure the legacy
she left me and my family.  There is hardly a day
that passes that I don't think of her or do something
that reminds me of her.  So many beautiful paintings,
cross-stitch samplers and quilting pieces adorn my
home that she lovingly made through the years.  How
grateful I am for her. 

I wish each of you have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Yeah!  Lincoln is finally pieced and ready to be quilted.
I will drop it off Monday.  Seems like it has taken me
forever to get it put together.  I decided to add a small
border.  It just seemed like it needed something to set
it off.

It will be fun to add to my Patriotic Collection that
I set out during the summer months.

"Apple Pie"

I love Pinterest and find so many recipes I want to try.  Some
I like and others don't quite measure up.  Recently I pinned
"Super Healthy Snacks for Kids"
(http://www.superhealthykids.com) as I wanted some new
snack ideas to share with my grand kids when they came for
a visit.

Today I tried "Apple Pie in Only 3 Minutes" and I loved it!

Recipe:
Graham Crackers
Light cream cheese
2 apples
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Chop apples into tiny pieces and place in a bowl.
Sprinkle the sugars and cinnamon over the apples.
Microwave the apples for 1 minute.  Remove and
stir.  Place back in microwave for 1 more minute.
(I did it for about 20 seconds more as I had cut
mine quite small and I like them a little more
crisp than soft).  Scoop out chopped cooked apples
onto a graham cracker with cream cheese spread
on top of cracker.  I softened my cream cheese
and only used about 1/2 teaspoon per cracker)
They added a little caramel and chocolate, but I
chose not to.

I had a quarter of an apple in the fridge which I cut
in to very small pieces and adjusted the other ingredients.
It made enough for two squares of graham crackers.

I was quite surprised at how simple it was, yet how
satisfying and filling it was.  This is definitely a keeper
for those days when I want something sweet.  I am
anxious to try it out on the kids.  Since they all love
apples and graham crackers, I'm thinking they're
going to love this also.

What Was I Thinking

I don't think "I Was Thinking" when I started this star
block.  For some reason I had it in my mind the pattern
was for a 12.5 inch block and that it would work
perfectly for the "Quilt for Boston" blocks.  It worked
up quickly and I was happy with how it turned out.  But,
alas when I went to measure it and started looking at the
gray triangles I had added, I remembered that they
were made larger for another project and would need
be trimmed.

Reluctantly, I trimmed them and realized the block
was now only 9.0 inches square.  I was so frustrated,
but decided I liked the star block and would just
make a bigger one which I did and posted about
earlier.

This little block sat around all weekend while I tried
to decide what to do with it.  As I was using fabrics
from my stash and barely had any left, I knew I
couldn't unpick the gray and add narrow yellow
borders around the star.  So, squeezing out 2.25
inch strips of the yellow fabric, I added
borders to the gray to meet the 12.5 requirements.

I'm not really happy with it, but it is going to have to
do.  Just hope it will be an acceptable block.

What Was I Thinking?

Quilts for Boston

Had a few minutes today so thought I'd make a
block for "Quilts for Boston".  This is a quick and
easy pattern and I hope to get a couple more made
and in the mail this week. 

Information for this project can be found on the
side of my blog if anyone is interested.

Getting There

It seems like it is taking me forever to get these blocks
sewn.  Had hoped to have them all done by this weekend,
but don't think it's going to happen with yard work, a
bridal shower I'm helping to give tomorrow (Saturday)
and work at the store in the morning.

I did sneak in a hour or so today, but only after working
in the yard for a couple of hours.  Need to go back out
and do some more weeding...after dinner.

Only have 13 more sets of these blocks to make and
they go quite quickly.  And.....

Two more star blocks left:

I am slowly getting there.  Won't be too much longer
before I can lay it out and start assembling the rows.

Special Visitors

Each spring our store plays hosts to elementary
and preschool classes..  The students are taken
on a tour of the various departments:  bakery (where they
get a cookie), deli, meat department, dairy and frozen
foods sections as well as general tour of the rest of the
store.

It is so fun to see them come and how excited they are.
We have one employee who only does tours and she
is absolutely wonderful with the kids.

Today my grandson's preschool class was one of the
 scheduled tour groups.  Kohler was so excited to come
and had told me about this earlier in the week hoping I
would still be at work when they came.  Yesterday when
I stopped by his house, he wrote me a note with the
time on it so I wouldn't forget.  How could I forget
something like that??  I wouldn't miss it for the
world.

His preschool class was divided into two groups.  He
ended up in the second group arriving later than I
thought he would.  When I finished work, I checked
out and waited for him.  Actually, it gave me a few
minutes to run home and grab my camera as I had
forgotten it this morning.  Could have used
my phone, but this was much better.

This morning when I arrived at work, I grabbed a piece
of poster board and quickly made a "welcome" sign to
hang in my office.  I am not an artist, but I didn't think
5-year old's would be too critical.

Normally, tours are not allowed upstairs where the
offices and break room are located, but when it
comes to our families, exceptions are often made
and I received permission for them to come up and
visit me in my office.

Kohler on my lap

The groups end the tour at the service counter where
they are each given a small bag of treats and sent
on their way back to their classes.

It was a very special time for both Kohler and myself.