Prep Day

Prep Day For:

I think we are ready. Tomorrow is the 11 year old scout Day Camp at O'Neill campground park in the canyon.  My counselor, Sher, has headed it up and everything is finally ready to go.  We have a chance of rain, but have made alternative plans to move the day-camp to one of the ward buildings if need be.

My assignment is lunch, and the axes and knives rotation.  I'm excited about axes and knives. The boys will LOVE them.  We, stake primary leaders, have a 'patrol yell'.  With a few actions too.  We are going to perform it at closing ceremonies.  We're going to have fun with it!

Prep Day For:

Tonight was another lacrosse game at the home field.  The girls lost to SM, but played well.  It was pretty cold again, but this time we were prepared with warmer clothes and blankets.  Chris has a big 3 game tournament tomorrow.  I will miss the first two games, but hope to get over to the last one.  Duff will be there all day.  Lacrosse is like football--they play even in the rain, so we'll have to make sure we are prepared for the predicted weather.

Prep Day For:

Going to Utah next week.  Lots of laundry and things to gather.

Hope I sleep good tonight.



Daily Q

Question:  Tell about your first date.  What were the best and worst parts of it?

Answer:  It was with Wayne Tuttle.  We went to an after basketball game dance that he was in charge of all the sound equipment at his high school.  The best part was that I looked cute and he showed me a good time.  The worst part was he wanted to kiss me and there was no way I was going to let him be my first kiss.  I liked someone else.

Thursday P.S.

I had ministering visits tonight in connection with AC ward conference.  I got there to find that they had arranged all their visits that did not require a sister.  So I popped in to the cultural hall to see how the AC ward Pinewood Derby was going.  The cars were as cute as could be.  The boys were really excited.  The dads were hovering, and the moms were sitting and visiting.  Perfect Pinewood Derby!  Haha!

Then I headed over to the high school field to catch the rest of Christine's lacrosse game.  By the time I got there it was freezing.  I was dressed in a white spring skirt with sandals and pink top.  So I sat and froze, but it was worth every shivering moment.  What a game!  Chris played the game of her life.  And we won in the last 58 seconds of the game 8-7.  She had the most amazing blocks and saves. Some three shots in a row.

I ran to the car when the whistle blew to get warm.  I had the heater on to hot, and as high as it would go, and had the seat heater on to high too.  Nothing like a cup of herb tea when we got home to get the 'insides' warmed up again.

Chris came home, changed, cleaned up and headed out for the midnight showing of Hunger Games with her friends.  She is going to be one tired girl tomorrow!

Daily Q

Question:  What is the best thing about being your age?

Answer:  So Many Things!  The first thing that comes to mind is experience.  Lots of life experience.  Wisdom.  With experience comes wisdom, if you choose to learn it and apply it.  Appreciating others gifts and talents instead of comparing yourself to them. A bit more patience.  Haha!  Deeper testimony.  Notice I didn't say stronger.  When it comes to testimony I think a person can have a strong testimony all through their life of essential things.  Depth is when the layers of essential doctrine are revealed to us and we come to know things in a more profound way. I think depth of testimony is ultimately what we are striving for and will carry us through difficult mortal times.

My First Quilting Retreat--Kind Of

I am going to my first quilting retreat next week.  I will be attending an abbreviated version of the retreat.  Patti invited me a couple of months ago.  She belongs to a quilting group that has been meeting together for many years.  They are very unique.  Everyone is a different personality and their love of quilting and fabric brings them together.  The work they do is amazing to me.  They are inspiring women not just in quilting but the other parts of their life as well.

It is being held in Midway.  I will stay at the cabin, since I could throw a paper airplane from it to the resort that is hosting.  That presented an issue for the quilting shop that is hosting/sponsoring the event.  They feel it is important for everyone to stay on-site.  I couldn't justify the $400 to sleep in a bed there just to be a part of each single event and sewing time.  In talking with them, I decided to choose one class a day, pay the individual tuition and supply fee and 'get my feet wet' so to speak.  I will go back to the cabin to sew for the evening.  That option actually turns out to be a win/win for me after all. I can get the feel and learn some new things at the classes I've signed up for and spend some alone time with Duff at the cabin.

Since I am a novice at this quilting stuff, I signed up for a class called It All Starts With A Square.  They assured me it was for beginners.  Then I got the prep work in my email and wondered about that.  At the bottom it said to bring patience and a sense of humor--we will need it.  Haha.  I asked Patti to come and help me get the squares all cut and ready.  She came over this morning after taking Tyler to school.  We had a good time and she taught me some very good tips in using the rotary cutter, rulers, and cutting mat.  She showed me and then had me do it.  I appreciated her taking the time to do that so I could learn.  I noticed how she uses lots of math skills.  She could add up, take away, visualize, use geometry, like a wiz!  I guess I had a glazed look come over my eyes and then she laughed and assured me that it is acquired with repetition and practice.

The class will be teaching us 9 different kinds of blocks.  I put each set of fabric in it's own labeled baggie and then all together in a large ziploc.  Speaking of the practice part:  One of the blocks requires 2-12" stripped squared up squares.  I sewed them together later in the afternoon.  They were off by 1/4".  I checked my seam allowances.  They were correct.  I called Patti.  We talked it through and figured out that we made a very slight, but significant calculating error.  I cut 2 1/4" strips instead of 2 1/2" strips.  That little 1/4" made all the difference.  She gave me a couple of options of how to fix it.  I cut another strip and sewed it to one of each of the ends of each block and then squared them up again.  It worked!

I will be taking these classes:
Tuesday:  Knitting a potato chip scarf.  I haven't knitted in decades and the project is darling.  Hoping I pick it up quickly.
Wednesday:  Peony Wreath wall hanging.  It is with a felted wool applique and small 9patch blocks around it.
Thursday:  It All Starts With A Square.
Friday:  Sample Canvas Board.

Daily Q

Question:  Who is always there when you need them?

Answer:  Several people.  When I first pulled this out of the jar, no 'one' name stood out for me.  I concluded that is a good thing.  There are different people for different things.  Here is a list in no particular order:

--Our home teacher.  Been our home teacher for 18 years. 
--My visiting teacher.
--My Hubby.
--My parents.
--My sister, Lisa.
--My Children.
--Duff's sisters.
--Heavenly Father.  I had an experience with prayer earlier this week.  Everyone else had gone to bed.  I sat in the dark upstairs alone in the bonus room reviewing and thinking.  It was quiet finally.  I knelt down to pray.  I'm fairly consistent with my prayers, but this was one of those times when I just let all the exterior fall off and really got to the heart of several matters.  I felt especially exposed emotionally and spiritually.  I didn't realize until much later the next afternoon that many of the things I had prayed about the night before had been addressed during the course of the day.  Nothing with big fanfare or aplumb but small and simple.  There was a moment where time seemed to stand still--briefly--and I knew He knew and was aware and was guiding me along.  It was a feeling of peace, empowerment, love, nuture, acceptance, faith, encouragement.

The Newell's Are Having A.....

BABY GIRL!

Baby Bun is a she.  Natalie and Robert went to the doctor this morning for their 20 week ultrasound. The baby looks healthy and good.

Nats has placenta previa at this point.  The doctor gave her some physical restrictions for now, but is encouraged that the placenta will eventually move.

Speaking of 'moving':  John has moved to his new big boy twin bed.  He picked out Thomas the Tank Engine sheets for it.  He had to carry them out of the store and hold them in the car on the way home.  And he now has a 'potty chair'.  Let the fun begin!

CONGRATULATIONS to all the Newells!

We drove to the beach this evening for the first league game.  Christine played well and her team won handily 12-6.  Nice start for the league opener.  Dana Hills is a pretty campus near the ocean.  We forgot how cold it gets there at night.  I don't think my feet got warm again until a few minutes ago.

Busy week ahead.  I keep reminding myself to eat the elephant one bite at a time.  Haha.

More Winter Formal Pictures

Daily Q

Question:  If you could live at any other time but this century, when would you choose to live, and why?

Answer:  The 1800's.  I don't know why, but I've always had an affinity to the pioneers era.  I've been fascinated by log cabins, and gardens, and bonnets, and cornbread in a cast iron skillet.  I still love Little House On The Prairie.  My mind tells me that this would probably be one of the most difficult times to be alive, but my heart tells me I could make it.  I admire the people of this era.  I think they showed great courage, resolve, and bravery.  I hope I would be among those.

First Day of Spring?

Today has been cold, cold, cold.  That wet, damp cold that just goes right through you.  At least it finally feels like winter for us.  Ironically, today is the first day of Spring.

It has been a day of being on the computer and phone. 
I did do the laundry.
We had Rueben sandwiches for dinner tonight with our left-over corned beef.

Chris and I watched the opening night of DWTStars.  It was really good.  It feels like it could be a good season this time.  The last few have been controversial for me with the star line-up.  We decided not to even watch last season until the last two episodes.  I gave all my votes to Gladys Knight.  I like her and thought she did fabulous.

Daily Q

Question:  If a very poor person spent one day with you, what would you do with them, and why?

Answer: This question caught me off-guard initially.  At first the obvious answer for me was 'buy them clothes, food, etc.'  Then I started thinking that in some cases that is not always the best thing to do depending on their poverty.  Some people can truly be 'down on their luck' for a period of time, others have a history of bad choices that have led them to where they are and they continue to repeat the same patterns.  Then I thought of the cardboard huts Duff and I saw in Mexico once on a business trip we were on.  That was desperate poverty.  The little children came running out to our vehicle and begged for coins while the chickens and dogs nipped at our feet.  I will never forget that.

Then I thought of a set of verses in Mosiah 4. 

I would take them into my home.  I would care for them.  We would talk.  I would give them good, clean clothes.  I would feed them till they were as full as they wanted.  I would hope that they would feel the love of Heavenly Father in our home.  I would want when they left to have the experience be deep in their soul and that they would have hope for the future.  I would talk with them about the gospel.  I would arrange to have them come again.  I would arrange to have them learn a skill that hopefully could help them rise above their current circumstances and provide for themselves.  Then I'd probably try and do it all over again.