HAPPY 27TH BIRTHDAY KATIE!

Today, August 24th, 2006, is my baby's BD. As you can see by the picture, she has aways liked to "get right into" her chocolate cake.She used to get her hands all messy eating, and then wipe them off in her hair, so I almost had to bathe her afterwards



I remember the day she was born, I was having a planned second C-section. John's mom and dad were visiting to help out with 18 month old Kristen. I was supposed to have an amniocentesis on Monday, and then they were going to do the C-section. But there was no way they could get fluid because Katie was in front. So my doctor sent me home to go into labor. I had never been in labor before, as Kristen had been delivered via emergency C-section. So I went home, and waited, and waited. The thing was, my in-laws were leaving the next Monday because they had appointments the next week.

And I waited, and waited, and people were calling to find out what the baby was, because they knew I was supposed to have the surgery on Monday. I was getting some wierd twinges, so on Thursday, John took me to the doctor, and he said I was not dilated, to go back home and wait. I burst into tears, and the doctor looked at John and said maybe they should do the surgery on Friday.

So I had my surgery on Friday, came home on Sunday, and John's parents left on Monday, and I had two babies, just had surgery, and no one to really help, as John worked nights. But we made it, and here it is 27 years later. Katie was a very happy baby, as long she was fed, and has always been, and still is a good sleeper.

Katie this year has managed to buy her own car, and has a job working for some personal injury lawyer as a secretary. She is very artistic, and for all major holidays, birthdays, she generally paints us a special card. In addition she has painted me a number of small flowers that she frames. I am very proud of what she has accomplished. Love you Kates!

This is me and my girls on 4th of July at Kristen's house. Katie is on the end with her hand on her hip, Kristen is the pregnant one, and I am on the other end.

This weekend we will be having our family dinner for both Katie and Kyleigh. I love our family get togethers.

PLACES I HAVE BEEN:

Thanks DesertSky for this link:



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

GREAT WEEKEND

All in all it was a pretty great weekend. I had a chance to finish Kyleigh's BD dress, and she was thrilled. I even made a little matching purse with the same fairy embroidered on it that is on the dress. The zipper has a minor problem that needs fixed, but the dress fits good.






A couple of weeks ago, Kristen asked John to make Jaeger a toybox. This is the idea that John came up with, a boat toybox. He even told Jaeger maybe he could sit in it to watch TV. Jaeger was on cloud 9 with the whole boat idea. Jaeger had specified how he wanted a blue stripe on the side too, and blue curtains (sails) but Papa told him a toybox does not need sails.



Jaeger and I had a special day today, him enjoying is new boat toybox, and we also put together a new lighthouse that goes with his pirate ship and treasure island set.

Then John seeing how I was tired after the Kristen came and got Jaeger, offered to buy me dinner at our favorite Mexican place.

Kyleigh's 6th Birthday, August 17, 2006

Today is Kyleigh's 6th birthday, and tonight we are going to enjoy ice cream at local ice cream parlor. She said the thing she wanted most in the world was an American Girl doll, so I found one "Just Like Me", along with some outfits. Next week, when we have our own family dinner for the August birthdays (with Aunt Katie aka Sissy), I plan to give her the orange dress I made, with the fairy embroidered on the front, and hopefully this weekend, will have time to make the new doll an orange dress too, maybe a little matching purse.






Last week we attended the awards ceremony at the California State Fair. These were Kyleigh's
cat and toucan which is a watercolor and sort of hard to see, that won 1st place.







These are the three that placed second, her sea turtle, giraffe and kangaroo. We are very proud that she did so well, for her first time. The kids were ready to go on the rides that night, but unfortunately the fair didn't start until the next day.

ARTY DAY

Long before I began quilting, I loved to do watercolors. I used to go to a night class, and our teacher would have a picture she had done that she showed us the technique and we copied it. She did a lot of florals, and while I love flowers, I always felt my floral designs left something to be desired. Yesterday my daughter Kristen called and asked if I could watch Kyleigh and Jaeger while she went to have a discussion with one of her employers. (Kristen does transcription like I do from her home). I said to bring them over. The kids got here, and Kyleigh told me Jaeger had decided they wanted to do watercolors and Play Doh. We got the watercolors out first, and while Kyleigh and I used watercolor paper, Jaeger had his Elmo color book, and proceeded to mix all his colors together and make a muddy Elmo. He soon got distracted and went off to play with Papa, and then his pirate Lego ship.

Kyleigh and I kept on watercoloring. I showed her a few techniques, like how to make bark on a tree, and how to make dramatic skies. I then showed her some of my hanging watercolors. I then got out my UFO watercolor portfolio. And I discovered my florals were not that bad. Kyleigh found one she loved. The one above.

I then found one for Jaeger, a sailboat. My original thought was to give it to John, but when I showed it to him at the time, sailor that he is, told me the sails were configured wrong, (I copied the teacher's picture) so I never gave it to him. So I gave this to Jaeger last night to hang in his room.



Then I found another floral, that was almost finished, I finished up the details last night, and am giving it to Kristen. It is really hard to see, but it has traces of purple and yellow in it that Kristen loves. It felt good to get my paints out and paint again. I found several others, that I had started in class, that just need some detail work on them, and they will be done.



Last, but not least, yesterday Kristen got notification in the mail about what the 5th of Kyleigh's entries placed in the fair. She won another 1st place and the Best of Show in her division (5 yr olds). Can't want for the award's ceremony next week. I am one proud gramma to be sure.

As the kids were leaving last night Kyleigh reminded me that I promised her orange dress (I did the embroidery on it last year for her birthday in a few weeks. Jaeger reminded me his new brother needs a quilt. Guess Gramma better get busy!