Random Ramblings

Its late Sunday night (Monday morning) and I have to leave on a business trip in the morning.  I've done this before - many times, but the whole week being gone doesn't happen often.  I never thought having kids would change me so much.  I never thought being away from them for a few days would fill me with so much anxiety.  I never thought I'd be such a homebody!  

The red bull I drank tonight to get everything done - wasn't a good idea as now I can't sleep, up wondering what I'm forgetting for my trip, what I'm forgetting to have ready for my kids and Mike.  The joys of motherhood.  

This time of year - with school starting, getting back into a routine and a schedule - I think of all the things I want for my kids.  How can I help them grow?  How do I teach them what is important in life.  How do I teach Sam the sounds of the letters!  How do I find more time to read to Jake.  I find myself picking between reading to him, having him read to me, taking a shower - why can't I find the time to fit it all in?  How do I find a way to balance work, quilting, house work, homework, being a decent wife, and mother?  I know this is the universal question we all ask and hope to achieve.  

My goal or word this year was balance.  A few months ago I changed jobs.  I had been at my old place of business for 18 years - half my life.  It was a hard decision to leave - even when I wasn't happy - it was life changing.  But I've moved to another company that gives me the opportunity to work from home daily - and gives me a better work/home balance and I haven't looked back or regretted the decision once.  This summer I have tried to spend more time outside with the kids.  The sun does us all good!  But as a mother - you always worry about what you're not doing.  I haven't worked with them enough over the summer.  What are they forgetting?  Are they in enough activities?  Are they getting enough attention?  

My red bull ramblings for the night....my friend takes ambien and then sews and texts me and doesn't remember much in the morning - I have a feeling I'll feel the same about this in the morning!  By the time this posts - I'll be on my way home.  My kids will have had a wonderful week with Disneyland Dad, and grandma's that spoil them with attention.  And all my worrying and anxiety will have been for nothing.  But boy do I hate not seeing these cute little faces EVERY day.  

Happy Birthday

Today is Easter and although we will be celebrating and having a fun little egg hunt - it is also my Dad's Birthday.  My mom's was on Thursday - my dad's is today - so we have a lot to celebrate!

I am so lucky that my parents live so close and are around almost daily to help me.  My kids spend 3 days a week with my mom - and they ask daily if Grandma is coming.  They love her so much and have such a special bond with her.  She is a great example to them of how to be kind and live a good life and a wonderful help to me.  I am so grateful on the days I leave my children - they are in her loving hands.

My dad is the most hard working, honest, lovable man I know.  He is quiet and strong all at the same time.  Just the other day - I needed some help with Jake getting to baseball practice.  I called him up and immediately started crying - (I don't love having to ask people for help) and he asked what is wrong.  I said "I have this, Mike is still working, Jake has practice - I need someone to take him."  He then asked - why I was crying.... which I didn't know myself!  He said he would be happy to take him to practice if I would stop crying.  haha - dad's are so calm and down to earth.  He saved me that day - as he has done many times in my life.

I am lucky to have such great parents who are involved and love my family so much.  Hope you both have/had wonderful birthdays!

Love you.

October Review

I can't believe October has already come and gone!  It feels like just yesterday I was putting up all my Halloween decorations!  Now I'm going to have to take them all down!

Last year I started collecting these cute Halloween houses from Department 56.  I got a little obsessed and even had to take a few back because I didn't have room for them all!  I can't believe I already have to take them down!

I finally got my Halloween quilt out and hung.  

This is one of my favorites - pattern is Wild Things by Thimble Blossoms.  I think the fabric used was called Monsters or Little Monsters or something like that from Sandy Gervais.  

I've also been busy quilting a few quilts!  

This fun Ghastly one was done with the all over Spider Web pattern.  I love this pattern - it adds so much texture to the quilt without over powering the fabric.  

Love how fun the back looked too!

 

This next little quilt was fun to do - you can't totally tell from the picture, but I used the Spider web pattern smaller in the borders - stitched 1/4 inch in on the sashing and did the spiderweb pattern bigger in each block.  

I thought the backing looked cool too!  This was a cute fun quilt to work on!

This quilt and pattern I have done a few times this month!  I have the cutest group of girls who get together and sew each Wednesday.  They decided they wanted to make this quilt for Halloween.  It was so much fun to see how different these turned out - and I've loved getting to know these girls!

I want to be in their quilt group!

Lisa chose Skulls for her quilt

She always brings me backs with fun minky (or all mink) and the skulls looked so cool on the minky!

 

This next quilt I did a few months ago - what a fun way to use a jelly roll!  I loved how bright and festive it is!

Kathy chose Candy Corns for this quilt and I think it fit it perfectly!

The back was covered in Candy Corns so kind of fitting

This quilt I have seen at my local quilt store and a cute new client Dana from California shipped it my way!  

I love the black between the rows and the cute little monsters.  Perfect for the Sweetwater Halloween line!

Dana chose the Trick O Treat pattern which is so cute quilted up!

A little stippling around the monsters.

And a great polka dot on the back - this dot should be in everyone's stash!

This next quilt was Chantel's from the Wednesday quilt group.  She chose Spider Web for her pattern.

I love how just changing up the pattern took on a whole different look to this quilt from Lisa with the Skulls.  

Chantel had a minky backing and looked so cool with the web.  

Megan is a new client - and daughter to Dana.  She made this cute quilt up using the same Boo line from Sweetwater as her mom's monster quilt.  

She used Candy Corns for her design and black thread - love how it turned out!

The backing fabric was so cute too with the little monsters.  I love this line!

Interrupting the quilts to share a cute/scary pic of my kids at the Cornbelly festival.  We had a great day hanging in the warm sun - playing on slides and big huge trampolines.  I love a good fall festival!

Last but not least is the last quilt from Brenda - again the same quilt pattern and she chose Spider Webs also - but she changed up her backing a little.  

Although I love all quilts - I'm a sucker for minky, a sucker for chevrons, and Halloween - and didn't want to give this one back!  The lime green minky backing was to die for!!!!

I had such a fun, busy month - and am a little sad to see it go!

Happy Birthday Jake

It's my babies birthday.  He's not such a baby anymore.  Every time I look at him I think he has gotten bigger and seems older then he did the day before.  Watching kids grow up brings on so many emotions.  I love watching him learn and grow, but I also want to bottle up the innocent child I have and keep him this way forever!

I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday.  He's been invited to a few parties - and I told him he could have a party with his friends if he wanted.  His reply to me was - "I just want to do something with my family - spend the day with you, dad and Sam."

So that is exactly what we did. Mike and I both took the day off. Went to lunch, went bowling, played with his presents, his new Legos, ate cake - whatever he wanted to do today he got. 

I've enjoyed every minute I've had with this boy.  He made me a mother - he turned me into who I am supposed to be.  I love this boy to death. 

On the way to school I told him I was going to interview him and asked him a few questions.  Here are his answers below. 

Name - Jake Latimer

Age - 6

Favorite Color - Red

Favorite Food - Pizza and Pears

Favorite Activity - Playing with my brother

Who do you look forward to seeing the most at school? Centers (they move from group to group working on different activities)

What scares you? - Black Widows - (he had an encounter with one this week - traumatized all of us!)

Happy Birthday Jake!  

First Day of Kindergarten

My little Jake isn't so little anymore.  Yesterday was his first day of Kindergarten!

I can't believe that my little baby is old enough to be dropped off at this big school and be away from us everyday!

He was so excited to go - he woke up on his own about 30 minutes before I had thought I'd have to wake him up "Mom, did I wake up in time to go to school?"  He was excited and happy - and didn't seem nervous at all.  I on the other hand was sick to my stomach and a mess on the inside.

We went to meet his teacher and walk the grounds last week and was given homework to make this gingerbread man.  He decided he wanted clothes sewn onto him, so we made him this cute little outfit.  We stayed up way too late last Saturday coming up with ideas.  Everyone was asleep and he came downstairs to tell me he couldn't sleep at about 10:30pm - so we started on his gingerbread man's clothes.  We had a fun night and hopefully some memories for him.  

I'll admit to getting a little teary after he went inside.  I just can't believe he is big enough to go to school.  He is so ready for this and will love it - but its hard to let your kids grow up and do things on their own sometimes.  

This week has made me want to quit my job (ok I feel that way every week) and homeschool my kids so they are never out of my site.  I've been taking deep breaths knowing this is so good for him and for me - and its all part of growing up - for both of us.  

Next week Sam starts Pre-school and I know the first day of school he will be screaming for me to stay and I'll be bawling, wanting to take him home.  That one is going to be tough!  

At least Jake is easy and excited to be going to school.  This waking up early thing may kill me though!  

The joys of motherhood.

Motherhood

Source: wallsneedlove.com via Abby on Pinterest

I've been getting in some quality time with these two this weekend - its been a great couple of days.  Need to remind myself to do this more often!

I'm Still Kicking

I can't believe its been so long since my last post!  Things have been a bit crazy here in the Latimer household.  

Had a little vacation, had a little business trip - been a lot of quilting going on - doing a lot of living with no time left for blogging!

I did take a few projects on my trip and got some binding done - so have a completed quilt to show this week - and I finished a few tops.

But tonight I am finishing a big ole quilt - and am so tired - I'll have to get caught up this weekend with a few posts.  

In other big news - we've got Sam sleeping with in his own bed - it might not last all night, and every so often he ends up with a friend - but I'm ok with that....

Aren't they so cute when they are sleeping?  

I gotta get off to bed myself!

Happy Birthday Mom and Dad

This week is always a busy week in April - as we celebrate my mom's birthday on the 17th and my dad's birthday on the 20th. 

This year my mom had a big one - the BIG 60.  My siblings and I decided to send her for a little spa day and it was so much to surprise her with it.  My mom is so giving and helps us all so much - this day was longtime coming and very much deserved.  She is such a great mom and the best grandma to our kids.  We are lucky to have her. 

Jim's birthday is tomorrow and we are taking him breakfast at the Iceburg his favorite spot in the world.  My dad is so loving, kind, hard working, honest - the best dad a girl could ever ask for.

I am lucky to have such great parents and to have them be such a big part of my life and lives of my kids.

Love you both - Happy Birthday!

Quick Getaway

So a few weeks ago - Mike decided to book a week up in Park City.  I was a little annoyed as I am so busy at work these days - how would I be able to get away?  He also booked it on a weekend when I had a big roll out and wouldn't be able to come up right away.

Friday night rolls around and he got the kids all packed up and ready and headed up.  They spent the night hot tubbing and playing their ipads. 

I finally got up there around midnight - to sleeping boys. 

I was amazed at how much we did Saturday and Sunday.  We had such a fun time and did so much - it made it all worth the trip. 

Saturday we went sledding at Gorgoza Park.  It was so much fun!  If you have little ones - and are in the area I would highly recomment it. 

  

We had a little take out at Baja Cantina and then Jake and I went out for a little night skiing.  It is so peaceful and nice to be up there at night.  I love to watch Jake ski - he loves it so much.  He wants to stay out all night!  He fell once or twice and when I went over to help him up he looked up at me and said - "that was a good battle wound mom". 

Sunday, Mike headed out to ski while the kids and I were lazy and laid in bed.  It was nice to sleep in and not have to do anything or be anywhere.  Jake went back out for for another day of skiing and by the end of the day he was going up lifts and getting mad that Mike wouldn't let him ski down blue runs.

Sam and I decided we were going to hit the Alpine Coaster Sunday afternoon.  He wanted to go fast the whole ride up - but as soon as we started going down, he wanted me to slow down.

All in all we had a nice little getaway.  I'm always surprised at what gets backed into a few days.  We spent time hot tubbing and the boys even swam.  

I would never tell Mike, but I'm glad he booked the room, even though I wasn't happy at first.  It was a nice needed break away from life.  Something we should do more often!