The Ohio Road Trip, a College Graduation and Surprises from Secret Santa!!

I took a long weekend off from work to drive down to Ohio with  one of my best friends, Teresa. It was a miracle she was able to take off and we left after work on Thursday evening! We drove almost to Milwaukee and spent the night. We planned on heading out fairly early in the morning in hopes of making it to Ashland, Ohio around dinner time.

Why road trip to Ashland, Ohio? Well, my oldest son Matthias, who turned 23 years old on Thursday December 12, was graduating from Ashland University with a double major in Political Science, International Politics and a minor in Business Administration. At first he didn't want me to come but decided it would be alright so I got real excited and couldn't resist the adventure! I was so proud and happy to watch him walk across the stage.  The realization that he wouldn't be going there anymore really sunk in. He spent 4 1/2 years there, working hard, longer then he was in high school and now, he needs to figure out what he wants to do with himself. He currently has no real plan, he came home last night after visiting with friends for a few days and today he worked on the farm.

Another joy of this journey was finally getting to meet the special woman in my son's life. He has been spending the last 3 semesters with Rachel, she is a sweet, outgoing, precious young woman from Ohio. She has a big heart and I opeo she will be around for a long time. I found out she is coming to visit the end of the month!! I am so excited!! Here is the lovely couple!

While in Ohio, Teresa went and got us matching nighties. They say "Is it too late to be good?" I realized she is a freer spirit then I am. She was so much fun to have along! Here we are in our matching nighties!! She was ready for mischief! We played some games and enjoyed a cocktail. It was a lot of fun to have along! I love her dearly! 

When I got home I was surprised to find a most wonderful package from my Secret Santa from the Coloradolady's Secret Santa Soiree!! It couldn't of better topped of a great weekend!! 

It is a Hexie fest!! I was amazed to find the most wonderful handwork created by my Secret Santa!! Isn't this the most amazing pin cushion? I love her fabric selection!! Thank You, Thank you!! I love it!!

Look at this beauty!! She made a hexie table center piece, I also see it as a mug rug! It is absolutely gorgeous and again what great fabric selection!!  I feel so spoiled!! 

Now, look at these beautiful coasters!! I am telling you, she must have the most fantastic fabric stash!!! I love these too and really like using them in the living room!! 

This is one of two panels of cute Christmas Stockings on it! It says I can embroider names at the top of the stockings. I think I will do that and by sending two panels she actually allows me to personalize one for each member of our home as there are 5 of us!! Thank you so much Secret Santa!! This will be fun to work on!!

 She also sent these cute Christmas towels and Christmas knives for spreads and dips! I have already used them for a Pate' my mom made for us!! 

Dear Secret Santa, I can't thank you enough for all the time and effort you put into the goodies and I so appreciate your work and that you thought enough of me to spoil me with such goodies!! I am overwhelmed and truly thankful!!! What a great week it has been!! 

God's Blessings be on you all and a Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Baby it's cold outside!

This may sound funny, but I am a home care nurse and get to tootle around the rural countryside of Western Wisconsin and I came upon an old outhouse. Now, why would I even mention such a thing? Well, our young'uns don't really know what one is any more and I found one!!  One of my clients still had one standing out in the back yard and it looked so natural, so I just had to post a pic of it. Imagine sitting in there today on a -11 degree morning? Brrrrr! Frozen buns, literally!! 

My husband shared a story with Eliah, our youngest, this morning that back in the late 70's and early 80's his highschool used to do a bonfire after the homecoming football game at his school and they would go around the countryside collecting old outhouses to burn in the bonfire. They don't do that anymore here in town. I think I can remember one when I first moved here, but what fun that must of been on a cool autumn night with a nice roaring fire to hang out with your buddies. Faculty and families all participated. Memories....

I have been seduced by my fellow  Coast to Coast Bee members to join the Catvent Quilt-along hosted by Oh fransson! It can be found here if you find yourself also so tempted: http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/catvent-quilt-along/

 It was an easy seduction. They just posted it on one of our threads and I was hooked!! You know I just adore kitties if you couldn't tell. Molly and Milo are dear members of our family. So I just had to do it!! I have made the first 4 kitties and plan to get caught up on the next 3 today. 

This log cabin quilt was made by a friend of mine, she shared with me she found these fabrics all cut out at a thrift sale for only $2 dollars!!! What a find! She was told an older woman had lost interest in quilting, in her late 80's and had all the pieces cut out and all she had to do was sew the log cabin blocks together. She decided block placement and I was so impressed she let me take a picture to share!! Nice job Judy!! 

As I mentioned before, here is Ms Molly. I had started this quilt in 2012 and it sat around always in my visual field, but I just couldn't make myself finish it, well, it must of yelled real loud because all of a sudden I had the inspiration to finish it and quickly I did. Yes, Molly is always my quilt inspector. I guess she approves!! Hope to quilt this one real soon! 

In the last post I posted pictures of Karen's Holiday apron, well I had a wonderful surprise from Lyanna!! I could not believe it!! I absolutely love it and I have been using it in my cooking and baking. During Thanksgiving I even used it and it really helped me keep clean!! I am a wild woman in the kitchen, especially with my hand mixer! I had whipped cream everywhere!! Thank you so much Lyanna!! I really love it! She made these awesome potholders too. She really spoiled me. I am not worthy! Thanks again!!

         Here is the other side of the apron!! It is reversible and I am crazy about both sides!!

Deer Hunting was very successful at out house!! All 3 of my fellas got a beautiful buck!! They all weighed around 200 pounds. There is a smaller doe in the middle which will be used for making our favorite Venison recipes.  The bucks go to the locker for processing as the bucks always have such a gamey/wild taste to them. Here is a picture of 3 out of the 4 deer harvested. Eliah's was shot the day before so it isn't here, but I will try to find a pic to post for him. I even have a picture of all 3 of them with their beautiful bucks. I have been told 2 out of the 3 will be head mounted as a wall decoration. I already have 2 hanging on my walls, one dressed up as a Green Bay Packer! 

This is Matthias, my oldest, with his buck. It was also a very very cold day for hunting, plus he prides himself in never smiling for me. You should of seen him on Thanksgiving day! We all laughed so hard as he tried not to smile for a picture, he couldn't keep a straight face either.

Matthias graduates from college next Saturday from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. My best friend called me yesterday and said she will road trip with me to Ohio to see him graduate!! I am sooo pumped! It should be a blast, her and I. We have done this before, but it has been many years, since before we had children. He will have a major in Political Science, International Politics and Business Administration. No wonder he needed an extra semester to finish! Now he just needs to find a job! Any takers? Hard working farm boy!! Great work ethic, that is one thing I can say, all my kids have a great work ethic!  Congrats Matthias! I love you so much!!

I made this block for Svea in the Fat Stash Bee. It is a feather block from AMH. She wanted it scrappy in these color ways. I am happy with how it came out.

In Coast to Coast Bee we were given freedom to make any block as long as it was autumn oriented so I chose to make these two for her. The Ozark Maple and then an appliqued block with a crow in the middle. On the farm the crows like to steal corn from the corn field. 

 Stay warm out there!! I am thankful for heated car seats when I drive! That's all for now!