Swoon, faint, gasp (not in that order)

A giant block for a new quilt.

The pattern is Swoon by Thimble Blossoms and let me tell you, that (swoon) is exactly what I did when I fist saw this quilt!I have already made 3 of these blocks out of different blues and greens. It's sooo pretty! The blocks are 24" squares and there will be 9 total making something like an 80"x80" quilt. .
 *the fabrics used above are: Denise Schmidt for Joann's (the floral) and Happier Cottons (the stripe) by Riley Blake.

I took this photo at the San Diego Zoo just to show how pretty it is. That is the polar bear exhibit (what gave it away?) with a beautiful building from Balboa Park in the back ground. We visited the Zoo 3 times while home and Emily went for one week to the Zoo camp. It really is the best Zoo.

And one thing we did while visiting was see Shrek the Musical (this is the best of the photos) It was really cool but very very long. They sang about everything. It got to the point where you're thinking, "no don't do that! Now you'll have to sing about it!". There must have been 50-75 songs during the whole thing. Bleh. I do realize it was a musical...but still that was a lot of singing.

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And this is so weird: our weather was 97 degrees yesterday and today was 60, windy and rainy. Yesterday I had on shorts and flip flops and was so hot I didn't want my girls to get near me and today I had on pants sneakers and a hoodie. Crazy!

 

 

pinterest + me = love

I saw this print on pinterest and had to have it. It goes perfect in my room, right? Here's more from this guy's series.

And whilst browsing pinterest, I found this and really really laughed out loud. I LOL'd! Oh my god and this one! Emily just did this earlier and I of course had to say that's why I tell you to pick them up! I actaully don't wish that on anyone. Ok, one more.

When I was at my sister-in-laws house I saw these cookies on crafterhours. I might have thrown my computer, knocked over one of my kids and pushed wheel-chair-bound Grammie out of the way trying to get to the store to buy the ingredients. I might have done that. And smacked a baby and shaken a kitten.... These cookies are that good people! They consist of just two ingredients: Oreos and pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough in the toob. You wrap the Oreos in the cookie dough (not the easiest thing to do) cook for about 10-11 minutes at 350 degrees. Sooo soo good. The really cool thing about these is two-fold (did I use that right?) : you get two cookies in one and because the dough is premade you can cook two a night like I do:)  Or when at my sister-in-laws I would take orders after dinner and make that many.  

 Random photos of me with my girls at Uncle Steve's fire house. I know lots of moms have the problem where you are never in any photos because no one ever thinks to stop and take one of you! When we travel I have to make Jon (Hi Jon) take photos of me and the girls so they know I was there:)

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As you can see blogger and I are friends again. I had to upload one photo at a time and to Picasa 1st. And to answer Kelly's question from the comments of my last post, I always have to upload to Picasa 1st now that we live here but I couldn't even do that yesterday.

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One more thing. We're potty training here.

And FYI, I will be throwing out my living room carpets in a month or two.

I'm crying over here!

I have  been trying ALL day to upload to blogger (same thing yesterday) and no luck. I don't know if it's my Internet or it's happening to others. The picture above is the only thing I was able to load.

I got these really cool nail polish pens from the Del Mar Fair (now the San Diego County Fair but you can't make me call it that!) and I love them! They are so easy. I know they look like my 3 year old did them but I still like them and if I practised I'd get better, right?:)

I'd show you the other hand but stupid blogger hates me!

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Did I mention it's hot? Like Africa hot. The humidity is just unbearable I want to cry. I have 7 fans going and am thinking of getting another...I sent the most awesome-ist fan back to Germany from the States but it's not here yet. Boo. This fan is truly the best thing ever.

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Strawberry Tunic Ottobre 3/08

The Strawberry Tunic.

I made this before I left for America so about 3 months ago! I lost my sewing and posting mojo while in San Diego. Anyway, this little knit top pattern is from a much sought-after Ottobre magazine (3/2008). I finally got this issue on ebay after months and months of waiting for someone to list one. The fabric is from Joann's but purchased on etsy. I love this style top on the girls. Love it. The pattern instructions though were not that great. I had a hard time with the neck binding and will have to make it smaller next time. If you've ever sewn from an Ottobre magazine you'll know that they give very little instruction and even less pictures. But I'll make it again.

Jon's sister Jessica with the girls.

 This past April when we went home on emergency leave, Jon's sister asked me to frame a bunch of photos as a surprise for their mom when she got out of the hospital. I hung stuff in her room too but this wall was my favorite. I also framed this print and this print for each of the bathrooms.

 Pappa J and Grammy Dar paid for a week of Zoo camp at the San Diego Zoo as a gift for Emily's 6th birthday. She loved it!!! Also above is the quilt I am in the process of making for Jon's sister, Jessica. I started it while in San Diego on their Brother sewing machine. It aint no Pfaff that's fo sho! But it did the job. I still have to add borders and quilt it. The fabric is Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hooey and the quilt pattern is Little Ones by Thimble Blossoms. I convinced Jessica to redo her bedroom (after starting the quilt above) so we got new curtains (pink) and I framed this print as a present for her (the blue and pink version which matches the quilt. I swear it does. That blue and pink are in the quilt!).  

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Isn't jet lag fun? The girls (I suspect Ava woke 1st and then woke Emily) woke me at 2:30am two nights in a row now. Lovely:) So both nights I've been awake from 2:30am to about 11am or so then napped. But I have the hardest time keeping Ava awake after that. Oh how I love that child (strained smile).  

Does this count?

Does this count as crafting something? I didn't think up the design and I didn't tattoo it on myself but it's art and new and I've got nothing else. I do have stuff actually that was done before I left for the States but I keep forgetting to post it.  And shhhh about the tattoo. My parents don't know about it.

A visit to my sister's. We went to the drive-ins (a 1st for the girls).

They went swimming with uncle Steve and aunt Jula.

And went to the fire house to visit uncle (fire fighter) Steve.

And went swimming some more. It's all about uncle Steve isn't it? While they LOVE my sister they adore him.

And then we flew home to San Diego. Boo. Did I just call San Diego my home?