Monday, June 26, 2017

Three Graduations!

This year we had three graduations; 4th grade, 8th grade and kindergarten!  On Thursday, June 22nd, Bronwyn graduated from 4th grade.  Next year she will be in middle school.

Bridger got really enthused about clapping for every student, and copied/repeated most of their names, too!  I had a video of him, but apparently it doesn't want to load correctly, because it says an error occurred when I click on it.

On Friday morning, Clayton graduated from 8th grade.  Next year he will go to BGHS.  They had a nautical theme.


Here he is walking in.

After the program.

He's not looking, but a good picture of him :)

 After Clayton's graduation, we went to the primary school, where Morgan was graduating.  I think her teacher was in the process of moving her tassel to the other side here.


Her teacher dressed them up ahead of time in cap and gown and had a photographer friend come in and get good pictures of each of them.  These were in their "diplomas".

Friday night to celebrate, we went to Rocky's for dinner.  Lovely, kindhearted Tara decided since we had three graduations, we should have a graduation party later that night.  She bought a pie for us.

The graduates each got some candy, a squirt gun and a dollar.

They were very excited graduates :)



Thursday, June 8, 2017

Strawberries

After a 6 month or so absence, I'm back again :)  Today as we were doing strawberries I decided to snap a few pictures and do a quick post.

I picked up 10 half flats of strawberries this morning.  Before that, I picked up 20 packages of pectin!!

I needed to freeze some berries cut up with sugar, but my primary goal was to make a bunch of jam.  This year we ran out in January, I think, and that was way too early.  I've been using the same pectin for 25 years, but a couple years ago the company changed their product.  I really haven't liked how my jam turned out the last couple years.  Yesterday as I was headed to the store, Aimee told me about my sister using a different kind, so I quickly called her.  I bought a package to give it a try.  (I was in the area of the strawberries yesterday and bought a couple half flats for fresh eating, so I had some berries to make into jam.)  I really liked how it turned out and decided to go with something different this year.

Forrest helping out with the pectin.

Tara did lots of stirring.

Yesterday when I made one batch of the jam I didn't think it was any faster than my old kind, but today when we made 20 batches, it went sooo fast!  In less than 2 hours we had 59 pints of freezer jam made.



I'm hoping our jam will last til the berries are ready next year but, if not, I did end up freezing some smashed up berries - enough for 12 more pints.  I think this jam will go further because the last couple years the jam was so thick,   This is juicier and easier to spread.

We froze 6 quarts of whole berries and 13 quarts of cut up and sugared berries, too.

One afternoon and we're all done with our strawberries for the year :)  Well, except, we need to buy some more so we can make a couple pies!!  I never like to get involved in pie making when I have so many berries to get put up.  And then, when I need to make gluten free, too, it's more of a project, so we'll put it off til next week.

I hope you all have a nice week(end) and get some good fresh berries!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Post Bazaar Sale!!

Enjoy bazaar shopping in the comfort of your own home (or wherever you are)!!

We had some great sales at our bazaar last night and today but, as usual, we have lots left.

Please comment on this blog post if you want something.

Wreath - $20.00

Wreath - $20.00


Christmas Cards - $2.00 each

Christmas Gift Tags - $2.50 each
Six sided puzzles.  Approximately 1 3/4" blocks of solid wood.  The puzzle on the left is of 6 different birds.  The one on the right is more of a children's learning puzzle . . . numbers, letters, colors, shapes, animals and fruit.
$23.50 each - puzzle on right SOLD
Six sided puzzle, approximately 3 1/2" solid wooden blocks.  The pictures are of eagles, bridge/river, bears, deer, snow scene and sunset/river scene.
$35.00 - SOLD
Ornaments - $3.00 each
Luggage Tags - $6.00 each - 2nd from left SOLD


Bibs - $5.75 each

Bibs $5.75 each - 3rd from right SOLD

Mesh Sock & Lingerie Bag - $8.00 each

Wallets - $7.50 each

Zipper Pouches - $12.00 each

Diaper Pouches - $15.00 each

Hot Packs - About 20" long - $10.00 each - middle one SOLD

Hot/Cold Pack - About 4"x6" - Minky or Flannel - $4.50 each
Only bottom left camo one is available - all others SOLD


Denim Covered Composition Notebook - $13.50 each
(Reusable Covers)


Flannel Swaddle Blankets - $15.00 each - Only left green one available - others SOLD

Gauze Swaddle Blankets - $20.00 each

Doll or Security Blankets - $7.50 each

Minky Blanket - $18.00

Cotton and Chenille Ruffle Blankets - $29.50 each

Size 3 skirt - $14.50, 0-3 months Onesie/Skirt $22.50, 0-3 months Pig onesie $7.00

Pixie Hats - 2 on left size 18-24 months, 2 on right size 3-4 $14.00 each

Please let me know here if you are interested in anything.  Thanks!

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Stitch & Chatter Quilt Retreat

This week we had our annual Stitch & Chatter Quilt Retreat at Cannon Beach.  It is such a blessing to be able to join this group of ladies for several days.  This year there were 17 ladies, with 4 of their spouses joining us.  It is a group with a wide variety of ages, with the youngest joining us this year 21 years old and the oldest being 84!

Several of us ladies drove together from Hockinson.  I drove my van with 4 other ladies.  We checked in on Monday at 3:00 and checked out at 2:00 on Thursday.  Our group stays in the ocean front building of the Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center.  It's basically like a motel, with a large room set up with tables that we sew in.

This is what it looks like when 5 ladies drive together to a quilt retreat!  One of the husbands were wondering if everyone took as much as his wife if we needed to start pulling a trailer :)  I had the back seat removed from our van.

We didn't need the third seat for sitting, so it was filled up with more of our stuff.  We also had things underneath all of the seats.

This year I got to share the wonderful time with my daughter, Rachel.  She spent two nights down there with us and roomed with me.

The weather was gorgeous.  It was warm and sunny most of the time we were there.  We couldn't have asked for better weather!  The sunset on Monday night.

Tuesday morning it was so bright and beautiful!

Because it is a Christian conference center they like us to have some sort of worship while we're there.  To fulfill this we sing each evening.  It sounds so nice; I especially like it when we have the male voices joining in.


I love it when the men join us.  They make things interesting.  Tuesday evening they went out and bought us ice cream and cones.  Just like that almost a gallon of ice cream was gone :)  Even the people who were too full decided it would slide down pretty easily!

Tuesday evening sunset and some people in canoes on the river next to the ocean.


Ladies at work throughout our stay.  The ocean is right out those windows!  As you can see, everyone doesn't work on quilting.









Wednesday morning.

Evening sunset . . . it was rare to see the sun set without clouds on the horizon.

On Thursday morning we saw these people riding by on horses.  It was so still and they looked so neat, reflecting in the river.

Along with our room, we also get one meal a day from the conference center.  We walked to their main dining hall to have a brunch at 11:00 each morning.  We were served buffet style and were able to take leftovers with us.  For our evening meal, some people ate leftovers and some went out to dinner.  I ate at a local fish restaurant on Monday and Tuesday nights.  On our last night, I drove a van full of us to Dooger's in Seaside.

Our buffet and dining on the last day.


This is one of the quilt tops I made at the retreat.  It's just laid out here under the table, ready to sew together.

Here are a bunch of projects we worked on.  Phyllis finished this quilt she started about 20 years ago for her daughter.  It was finished for her granddaughter instead!  It was more than slightly windy out when we were photographing it!

Quilt top that Betty made.

Quilt top that Marie finished up at the retreat.

Joan was working on a Bargello quilt.  This was only 1/4 of it.  I didn't end up getting a picture of it when she cut this up and starting sewing it back together.

This is the center of Jerrie Lynn's table runner.  It's a fall one that will have pumpkins appliqued on each end.

Janine kept busy making bags.  Many of them have outsides made from chicken feed bags.

 Phyllis S. worked on pin cushions.  They turned out so pretty.

I saved my personal favorite for last!  Judy made this Finnish quilt.  She designed the whole thing herself.  It has such a neat story for why she did every part like she did.  It looks like it's a panel, but she appliqued the whole thing.  It is even more gorgeous in real life!!



All of the ladies on the last day.  (Rachel left Wednesday night so she's not pictured.)

I'm so happy I was able to go again this year!  Looking forward to next year!!