Halloween eve

Pumpkins? check.

Carve the pumpkins? check.

Candy? check.

Halloween sugar cookies and popcorn balls? check. check. (thanks Grandma Irene)

Yep! We're ready for Halloween!

Be sure to take my candy survey (look up top, to the right).

I'll post the finished jack-o-lanterns tomorrow.

The start of something fabulous

This is my collection of fabulous Hawaiian prints. My mom picked them out and bought them for me a few years ago in Hawaii, I think she'd make a great quilter - check out these great fabrics! This one is my favorite:

I like how it's tropical and vintagey but not too loud.

Show and Tell

Show and tell day!

This quilt was on display where I work as part of a "The Other Work We Love," gallery display. I also was showing an apron and another, larger quilt.

It occurred to me that I haven't ever shown this quilt on my blog before. 

Here's the story:

This quilt was finished quite a few years ago - in 2005. I Made it with old family photos from my mom's mom's side. In fact, the center photo is one of my great grandparent's wedding photos - Helen and Carl Hoesel. It's one of my favorite photos - ever. I made this quilt for my grandma the summer of our annual family reunion. The blue represents the sky, the green the prairie and the photos make up the horizon – rolling just like the North Dakota prairie where they settled, a long time ago.

I'm starting anew quilt tonight! It's so darn exciting for me. I may even post a work in progress photo soon.

(click on photos to view them larger)

Neat stuff

Corey's grandpa Andy gave me a walking stick. This isn't just any walking stick! He hand-sanded the wood (many times) and varnished it himself. He also attached a metal plate toward the top (I chose the bison). It is very beautiful – I love all the knots and twists and turns in the wood. Thanks, grandpa Andy!

Here's what I worked on today - my grandma Katy's quilt. It's so pretty - lots of fall colors!

Milk ... it does a body good

I despise milk. I'll drink chocolate milk every now and then but I avoid white milk at all costs. I'll consume it if it's in food but I've never been the type to sit down and drink a tall glass of milk. I have milk in my cereal every morning ... but I use the spoon to strain the milk out of each bite. Yep, that's how much I avoid milk. ack. yuck.

So it was pure luck that the sample dude in the grocery store lured me to try a small taste of chocolate milk. I was pleasantly surprised at at the tastyness of it. I was even more impressed when he said the milk was from his farm, from his cows just a few miles east of town. How cool is that?! I was gosh darn impressed, I even sampled the white milk. I got it down without gagging - I was impressed with myself ... and the milk. It actually tasted good. 

The packaging is quite charming too. "Bessy's Best - Milked and bottled fresh at Bessy's family farm in Sterling, ND"

Have you seen this milk in your local grocery store? I'm curious ... let me know.

I should also mention that it is a "Pride of Dakota" product - made in North Dakota.

Boston Treasures

Like any vacation we've been on, Corey and I came home with some awesome souvenirs from Boston. In addition to the countless memories and thousands (yes, I said thousands) of photographs, we brought back some treasures in our suitcases. Above, from left: real Italian extra virgin olive oil from Boston's North End (little Italy); from the Harvard bookstore, "Make Way for Ducklings" children's book based in Boston; Corey's Red Sox game program; "The 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life" book from the Boston Science Museum gift shop; "American Revolution" book (this one is Corey's) also from the Harvard bookstore; Boston Baked Beans (a 'welcome' gift from Jesse and Megan); Boston Duck Tour ticket stub; Red Sox ALCS game 5 (home game 3) ticket stub. 

What fun! I also bought a Boston Christmas ornament for our tree (below).

Boston Photos - Take II

Here's a link to our Boston Photos (the same ones that appear on the "old" site - but should be easier to view and comment on images). Look in the upper right hand corner for the "slideshow" button, then sit back and enjoy.

click here. (must be a "friend or family" member on Flickr)