Festival of Trees

This year we all gathered at Starbuck's for the annual hot cocoa before heading over to family night at the Festival of Trees, sponsored by the hospital I work for. The kids had their picture taken with Santa as you can see and all of the trees were gorgeously decorated. There was a nice band playing music and good appetizers. The gift shop heralded lots of goodies but I was pretty good this year, ha. Upstairs were crafts for the kids to do and Jaiden had so much fun doing a few!

It has been wonderful to have my sister here. On my days off we sew together if time allows and that always makes it extra fun. I will be done with Jaiden's bed quilt and backing tonight. I sure hope I can find someone to quilt it before Christmas! Cross your fingers for me :-)

I work the next 2 days and then Friday we will spend the day at the Victorian Christmas. Neither Gene nor my sister have been there so it will be lots of fun.

Are you getting ready for Christmas? Maybe I can get things decorated this coming weekend. Seems like the season gets here earlier every year, ha!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I couldn't let this day get by without wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! My family and I are grateful to each of you for your love and friendship. The support and prayers this past month have been overwhelming. Maddy and her parents will be joining us for our holiday of thankfulness and there is definitely an enormous amount to be thankful for. Aime and her children will be here and so is my sister Karen this year, YAY! So the turkey is going in the oven, most of the food is already made and I say let the games begin!! There will be a few card games I'm sure, snacks and laughs. Anybody care to take my place in line for a roaring game of Candyland? LOL! I hope each of you has a wonderful day filled with gratitude and good food. Now I must share a little picture or two, gggg.

Left to right: Molly with Maddy, Jaiden, Jack, Ethan and Aime.

Maddy Comes Home!

Isn't she absolutely PERFECT? Welcome Home Maddy!

She has jumped so many hurdles since her birth. Thank you God for this gift.

The family gathered to celebrate her arrival home with dinner together. Thank you for sharing your first night home with us!!

Happy Halloween

Today is Maddy's one week birthday! Happy Birthday Maddy, we are all celebrating your life today with gratitude and prayer. Your little life has had a rough start. Grandma can't wait for her chance to touch and hold you. Bless you and your parents today and every day.

What do you want to be for Halloween? I'm thinking Grandma and Grandpa's littlest and newest Princess is perfect as you won't have to change a thing!!! No surprise that Jaiden will be Cinderella again this year. Can you guess what Ethan will be? Pictures soon! Grandma and Grandpa will join Aime and the kids at the Tacoma Mall for some trick or treating after they visit Auntie at the hospital.

Here is Jaiden at Thursday nights swimming class. She is doing so well! More relaxed in the water with each lesson and she walked across the pool on her own this time, WOW!

It is with much gratitude I thank you all for your ongoing prayers and support.

Auntie and Mommy with Maddy

Every 12 hours they remove the cold cap to massage her scalp and check skin integrity. During these few moments some of the equipment is moved for a better view and the ability to kiss her soft head. She is just precious and know you agree!

Drum Roll Please...........

We have a baby girl! YAY! Madeline Renee has arrived!

I suppose you notice she is a rather busy newborn with lots of extra equipment, right? Right. A beautiful sight none the less!!! She has the newest and latest in fashion hats, the "cold cap", which is keeping her brain chilled. The plan is to remove it Tuesday morning and move forward with neurological testing. She remains on the ventilator for oxygen support but doing most of the hard work herself. Her heart is handling things quite well, she must have her mother's. She pees and poops, both terrific things to see and I GOT TO CHANGE HER DIAPER LAST NIGHT! She moves her arms and legs and in fact extubated herself at one point early on in this game of life roulette. Yesterday she opened her eyes several times for us and it made our hearts sing. Her parents, her aunt and Gene and I are able to sit with her in the neonatal intensive care unit and touch her, talk to her and sing to her. The staff is awesome!

A few vital statistics?

Madeline Renee

Born: October 24 at 2:37AM

She was 20 3/4 " long

Weighed in at a healthy 8 pounds 10 ounces

More pictures and updates on my Facebook page as well as links to the proud parents updates. We want to thank each and everyone of our friends and family members who have added Maddy to their prayer chains as well as supporting us all through this traumatic and difficult time. Jennifer is recovering well from the C-section required and already up and walking. She was blessed to be given the clearance to transfer to the hospital where Madeline was taken so they ae now just one floor apart :-) Dad made it through in one piece and they are going to make awesome parents and meet whatever challenges come their way. Continue your prayers and when I can update here I will. Things are kinda busy in our neck of the woods!

Will she ever arrive?

When is that new grandbaby going to arrive you ask? Well she is officially 5 days late now! What's with that?! Doesn't she know her grandma and auntie were on time with all their children? Humpft. Little Madeline is showing her stubborness, ha! I have done some sewing and knitting for her and thought I'd share a few more of them.

There were a few more burp cloths and the Aran Afghan is still in progress, ho hum. There might even be a surprise or two yet to come................... shhhhh.

Jaiden and Ethan are growing and changing so fast we can hardly keep up! I downloaded a coloring program onto my iTouch for Jaiden and without any instruction she began working it! I was amazed. Ethan has the brightest smile that lights up his whole face and his vocabulary is growing. His bestest word is GRANDMA of course. He is on the move, all boy and definitely going to be all the girls heart throb when he's older.


I just love Fall and it has certainly arrived to our neck of the woods. You wouldn't know it today though with the mild temperature we are enjoying. But with the onset of a new season I had to make a new tote with a yummy Moda charm pack. It's more the size of a purse than a tote though. Then I also completed a small purse our of a floral I fell in love with! The little purse has 2 zippered pockets as well as 3 others!



Bored with show and tell? Okay I'll give you a break, LOL! Last night I made a little Happy Jack wall hanging (12") from Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting Sept/Oct 2009 issue. It's so adorable. When I find "eyes" for him I'll share a picture.


Cross your fingers that Maddy comes soon. We don't want her mom to need inducing :-(


Hugs to all..................