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!

 

 

Family time

Here are some random photos from our visit to San Diego.

There's no crafting in this post so skip it if that's the only reason you visit! Which is totally OK. But I feel I need to warn those that don't really want to see boring family photos:)

Right to left:

Jon, me, Jon's mom, Jessica (Jon's sister) with Ava on her lap, Glenda (Jon's aunt) with Emily on her lap and Bird Jon's niece (Jessica's daughter)

Bird and Emily. Bird is 15 and as I like to tell anyone who will listen, I saw her come out! And she was truly the most beautiful baby right from birth. I can't even say that about my own!

 

Bird, Emily and Ava

One of the day's we went to the Zoo. We took the tour bus which is the best way to see the Zoo. Then you go back and walk the places you want to see. We've been going to this zoo since I was little (at least once a year and sometimes more when we had season passes) and I think I've only done the tour bus two times. I will be doing it each time from now on!

One of the funniest pictures ever of Emily & Ava because it says so much about these two. Emily trying to have a nice time and Ava sneaking in and ruining it. That sounds harsh but it's soooo true! Ava has to get in on everything.

When in San Diego we visited Jon's mom twice a day in the hospital.

The girls would get restless and had to find ways to entertain themselves. They even fell asleep a couple of times.

San Diego Zoo

I got my hair cut and colored with highlights while in the states! Do you know how long it has been since I've had my hair done in a nice salon and paid lotso $$ for it? 7 years! I had it done (almost just like this) the week before I moved here. My friend Mary H had been cutting my hair for a couple of years now but since we're moving I decided to get it done in the states and then I'll go to a salon in Schweinfurt for upkeep...hopefully...I'm kind of lazy when it comes to my hair..

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Sorry if the photo is kind of creepy. I don't really like photos of people looking at the camera, kind of creeps me out (doesn't apply to all pictures of people's faces, just some) but I wanted to show my new do! I made it small so as not to scare:) This was taken the day it was done at my parents house.
I want I want I want!! I think though it would be better to buy it than make it. I'd only want to use wool felt and a big piece would be about $32 at a childsdream.com and it would only be 36"x36". This sells for $49 at Landofnod.com and the diameter is 48".

I LOVE these!

I so wish I had a cricuit or we had larger alphabet die cuts at the store.

This is so cute!
*all the above from landofnod.com

The World Famous San Diego Zoo.

I just wanted to say that.

hippo

grumpy looking hippo

Emily, my parents neighbor and my nephew Jevin at the Zoo.

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I wanted to show the chicken pot pies I made the other night. I finally used these weird shallow dishes I have had for years. They are perfect for pot pies becasue you get more crust and less filling! Below are the tiny ones I made. They are only about a 1 cup size. I froze these for later. And you know what made these all so good? No vegetables!!!!! I bought the wrong kind so oops! I couldn't use them. Awww, too bad.