Then a Hero comes along

I like sitting on my front  porch (when did they become decks?).
When we bought this house the one thing I told Mike I wanted was a bigger front porch. He had to rip out the ugly evergreens and build me a bigger porch. It came with a small slab they called the "stoop".

He wasted no time and I got my big porch the first year we moved in.
Mike made two Adirondack chairs and I have a glider that a co-worker bought me because I helped her make her yearly goal. I love to sit out there and read or to just relax and not think.

I have had a few cocktails with the neighbors and juice with the grand kids. Everybody is welcome to come and sit on my porch!

Maybe not everyone.
I have seen chipmunks and squirrels travel over and under the porch.
Several years ago a rodent had decided to make his home under our porch for the winter. It turned out to be a harmless possum. We blocked the entrance hole and he must of found another place to live because we hadn't seen him for awhile.

Last week I looked and something is trying very hard to get under our deck again. No idea what it is, but I'm thinking another possum. So we block the holes again.

This time we trapped the rodent under the deck and the poor sucker got stuck and died.
Thank You Lord that  his head was sticking out a little bit. I can only imagine what the stink would be with a dead animal under there. I am NOT touching it.
I would of if I had to, but I don't.
because...

My hero came along!
He pulled it out.

He picked it up.

And he carried it away.

Bye Bye Skunk! Now I can only hope there are no babies under there who need their Mother.

I'm Done

I finished my mystery quilt today. The top anyway.

The name of the quilt is Second to None and the finished block is called Chicago Pavement. I had to smile  when I saw what the finished block was starting to look like because it was one of  the blocks that  I chose for Bryan and Mary's wedding quilt, just because of the name - Chicago Pavement.

I actually could call my quilt an Amish quilt, because the story goes that the Amish put a mistake into their quilts on purpose to show that nothing is perfect. I have a couple squares in the nine patch that has the lighter fabric wrong side out. Oops! I caught it too late to want to change it. You can see it only if your looking for it and I kinda like that my quilt is not perfect.

I CAN say that it is beautiful. I love the finished project and I so am ready to do another one. I told Mike that the bedroom is getting painted to match. He likes it too and had no problem with me changing up the room. It fits our queen size bed.

Here is a picture of the quilt that came with the instructions.

I did make a change in mine. Since my material for the strips surrounding the blocks is lighter, I made the light squares in the picture that is separating the strips between the blocks, dark.

The unveiling of all the quilts is May 22.

Help

I vaguely remember how it is having newborns in the house - Chaos. I can only imagine having 2. And to top it all off having an active 2 year old thrown in. Everything revolves around sleeping, eating, and naps for everyone.

I tell Carrie and Dave - just call me - I will come out. I tell Sharen, tell them to call me, I want to help.

Well, Carrie finally did call, her and Dave wanted to go shopping and didn't want to take the twins.
Yes, I got to stay with Kendell and Kallie while their brother took off with Mom and Dad to the hardware store.

They had just been fed, so all I had to do was watch them sleep. Kallie fussed, I picked her up, she burped and closed her eyes, back asleep.

Which one is which? They are going to here that so many times in their lives. Sometimes it's annoying, but most of the time you smile and say your name.

Which one is older? Another annoying question, that seems to have to be asked. I told Kendell my favorite response and I think she smiled. "Sharen pushed me out and she's been pushing me around ever since." :)

I explained to them what it means to me to be a twin and I hope they understand the special bond they could have.
You two have a built in best friend. Don't try to understand it, just know it's there.
I told them as they get older if their Mother doesn't get them to go see their Grandma Dup, because she will.

She'll understand when you don't want to be a twin anymore one day and then want to sleep in the same bed the next night.
She understands the constant comparing and sharing and competing and fighting.
She will also understand the unconditional love that you will have for each other. The I have your back no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT...

I think they understood some of the mumble jumble I was saying, because when I asked them to raise their hand if they think their Favorite Great Aunt Karen rocks.

This is what happened.

Kendell, who Carrie usually has in pink, is on the left in the purple blankie. And Kallie, the purple girl, is wrapped in the pretty pink blankie. (both blankies made by Grandma Dup) And they thought they could fool me.

Whole Foods

Or as Bryan calls it Whole Paycheck.

Anyway I am a big, no make that HUGE fan of cooking challenges shows. Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Next food Network Star, Next Iron Chef - ALL of them (even Cupcake Wars and Chopped, though they don't do any shopping in their shows).

They all seem to head to a Whole Foods to get their ingredients. The stores on TV look big and fresh. I wanted to go to one.

Then I saw an article in this weeks Good Housekeeping about a pasta without any calories. Are you Kidding me? - I love pasta and I wanted to try it out. The only place that sold it was online or at a Whole Foods.

I knew there were some stores in the city, so before we headed in to go to an open house that Bryan and Mary were interested in, I got on the computer to find the nearest Whole Foods store near us.
Schaumburg - sweet! Right on our way.

So I rip the article out of the magazine and we head on out. I couldn't decide which I was more excited to see the house or the grocery store.

I don't know if all the whole foods are like this one but, OMG, I wanted to spend the whole day there. I really could have - they even have a bar to sit and have a glass of beer or wine. Next time I will go during a weekday though because it was very crowded and the aisles were very small.

I had to ask for help in finding the noodles. I showed the helpful girl my article and she laughed and told me they cannot keep them in stock. I took the last one on the shelf.

Checking out the boy asks me if they were any good, because he sees a lot of them. I told him I haven't tried them yet, but maybe it's because of the article in Good Housekeeping.

I haven't eaten them yet, but I will let you know how they taste.

Or maybe if I like them I will keep it to myself - More for me!

Oh Yeah, I liked the house too.

Hate - Love

I hate that they cancelled one of my favorite shows of all time. I have been watching (taping) All My Children for 35 years. I would come home from work, make dinner then sit down to all the nonsense in Pine Valley.
I will confess now that I can watch it at it's normal time I still do tape (I guess now technically I DVR it) and watch it at my leisure. (I have 13 episodes on the DVR at present).

I loved the way the ladies at V-Nails treated Mom yesterday when I took her for her first pedicure. They were so gentle and respectful and I tipped them well.
Yes, my Mother, 88 years old went for her first pedicure. AND she loved it. Don't be surprised if that's what she asks for for Mother's Day and birthdays and Christmas.

We had to do some fast talking for her to get polish. She had them all laughing when she told them "I'll be the only one to see it - it's not like I have a man in my life to appreciate it". She agreed to pearly white, but only one coat.

I love that all my 6 different varieties of daffodils decided to bloom at the same time this year.
I love my new spring table cloth. I finished it just in time for Easter.

Feels Good to

Open all the windows and let the fresh air in.

Rake out the flower beds.

Pick daffodils for the dining room table.

Help out Carrie and Dave for Sharen (because she really wants too)

Play at the park with a 2 yr old that LOVES the park.

Sleep with the windows open.

Wake to the sound of the birds.

See my mystery quilt come together.

Wash windows.

Ride my bike.

Sit on the back porch and let the sun warm my face.

Flip around the channels and watch all my favorite sports at one time. (That Masters was ridiculous)

See the buds on the lilac and forsythia bushes ready to bloom.

Here all about the twins. (Wow - "the twins" used to be me and Sharen)

Here the sound of mowers.

Have the house to myself while Mike goes play golf.

Know that Spring is here and there will be more warm days than cold!

Kendell and Kallie

Meet my new nieces.
Kallie is in the purple and Kendell is in the pink. Carrie and Dave both agreed they do better is the same bassinet.

Sharen and I visited them this morning. In all the excitement yesterday Sharen realized that she hadn't even held them yet. She did get to be with them while they were being born and got to cut Kallies's cord. She was thrilled, touched and very emotional.
I grabbed Kendell right away. Us first borns had to stick together.


Grandma and babies!


Kendell and Kallie with their FGAK (Favorite Great Aunt Karen)



Proud Grandparents.


Matthew gave each of his sisters a kiss and then gave Carrie a kiss.




There are more pictures on my Shutterfly.

Matthew

While Carrie was busy, with Dave and Sharen by her side, my job was to keep an eye on the twins big brother Matthew.
Matthew is a Monster Truck junkie. Dave and Carrie have several MT shows on their DVR and that is what Matthew wanted to do. "Watch Monster Truck" oh yeah, and drink chocolate milk.

When we weren't watching MT we were playing with his Monster trucks. Matthew sent his truck down this roller coaster about 50 times. Then he would say "Aunt Karen's turn". (He did call me Grandma a couple times, but I would say "no Aunt Karen" and he would stare at me and say "Ohhhh Aunt Karen."




It was a long day for both of us. I would look at my phone hoping it to ring and he would look at the door looking for anyone else. Momma? Daddy? Grandma? I'm sure he was really excited when Grandma walked in at 6:15 with McDonalds.

When he spent an hour jumping on the bed instead of napping (I loved her video monitor) I took him outside thinking to wear him out. HA - we went from the swings to the slide back to the swings in the backyard. Then he would run around to the front driveway and pull his wagon around the driveway. I was only allowed to touch it when it got stuck in the grass and only with permission.


I was really glad to help out and give Carrie, Dave and Sharen some assurance that Matthew was taken care of and that they had bigger things to worry about and get them little girls into this world.

Are You Kidding Me?

It's the fourth of the month and we still didn't have our 3rd and last step in the mystery quilt. Hummmmm... (turns out the girl running the show is expecting and is battling morning sickness - all forgiven)

Well, Sharen called this morning and said she got the 3rd and final step this morning and OMG!!!

I had an eye doctor appointment and rushed out the door down to the fire station to get my last step and see what Sharen was talking about. She was right - the last few squares and putting this bad boy together is going to be exciting and I could NOT wait to get started.

My eye doctor had other ideas. He dilated my eyes to check for Macular Degeneration. I couldn't say no - That's the disease that took my Mothers eyesight and it is hereditary.

When I left he told me NO reading or close work. Are you kidding me? Seriously? Dammn! That means no sewing for me - today anyway.

So I took myself into the kitchen and put together some dinners for the Zierk family. I know Carrie appreciated it and Matthew loved the soup.

Logan turns 9

And I think his mother has lost her mind.

First she puts Cubs m&m's on his cupcakes.


Then she had 9 - 9 year olds staying overnight for a birthday sleepover. This is a picture of all the boys who were at the party, only 8 stayed. Only 8!?!?!


Logan did get a bunch of great presents.