SUNDAY MUSINGS...FAMILY UPDATE JUNE 2016

I MADE IT....

NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM

PADUCAH

Not the best picture, but Hubby is not a photographer, plus he didn't quite "GET" that he was standing on Hallowed ground...LOL!

Hubby actually enjoyed the 35 min. museum tour but once it was over went outside to sit with another husband who had driven out of the way to bring his wife to MECCA!  Both men earned an extra jewel in their crown by letting us wives go back through the museum and devour each quilt at our own pace.

These next two pictures crack me up!  My youngest grandson, 22 months, LOVES the TV remote.  Why do kids love the remote?

GOTCHA

(That is the remote in his left hand)  

He also loves to HIDE the remote and we have gone for days trying to find the remote but THIS time...GOTCHA

(The remote going into the PRINTER!)

Gotta LOVE a toddler!

Now for a few End of School Year Grandpeep Pics

Scott .....2nd Grade

Clay...6th Grade

(My handsome son and lovely school teacher DIL)

Ryan ...8th grade

(Ryan is next to speaker...Citizenship Award)

I didn't get pictures (phone camera acted up) of Granddaughter Emma Grace winning the Warrior Award which is THE BIG AWARD in 5th grade.

Those of you who have Grandchildren "Get It" when other quilters put down their needle and thread for these precious moments in time that mark milestones in the lives of our Grandchildren.

My James is growing by leaps and bounds!  Here he is on Mother's Day at our family cook-out with PaPaw.  I HATE CP but love this precious boy with all my heart.  He will be having a major surgery on his feet and legs in Sept.  Pre-Teen growth spurts cause major orthopedic issues in the lives of children with Cerebral Palsy.

I will leave you with a Chuckle...

RJ is a man of many looks!

Here he is after taking off his church clothes and getting "comfortable" on Mother's Day!  I laugh every time I see it!

I Love my Family!  But there are times when my heart is heavy. I suppose on this rainy gloomy Sunday, my heart is particularly heavy.  I never share feelings of this nature on my blog but for some reason, I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share in hopes that one mother/grandmother out there reading this can know that she is not alone...that many of us behind the blog have hurts just like everyone else.  Sometimes it helps to just talk.  I'm a good listener!

Do any of you have a Prodigal Child? 

 If so, then you understand the depth of my pain.  I once heard a TV Mom say when a friend commented that 7 of her 8 children were all happy and leading productive lives and for that she should be grateful rather than grieving over the child who had chosen a difficult path.  The Mom responded by saying a line that has come home to rest in my soul.  She replied, "Anything less than 100% feels like failure to a mother." 

 So True...So True

WHAT DO YOU DO WHILE YOU'RE QUILTING OR SEWING?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN QUILTING OR SEWING?

A few weeks ago at my Thursday Sassy Sewers meeting we all had this same discussion about what we do or think about when we're home alone quilting or sewing?  I thought the topic would be a good one to share with you and get your feedback.  It will be fun to share your comments with my fellow Sassy Sewers.

Gmama Jane with Sassy Sewers quilting on a quilt showcasing Patches from Fire Dept.s all over the country and even a few foreign countries.

As for me, I HAVE to have background noise whether its the TV, radio, or even nature.  I love to open my windows in my sewing room and listen to my birds, squirrels, chickens, Jeffrey the Rooster, etc.....

I like the radio with political talk shows and genealogy some of my favorite.  Contemporary jazz, R&B Classics, 60's music (because it takes me back to good memories of Jr. High/High School), Bluegrass like Alison Kraus/Ricky Skaggs, and Praise and Worship.  That is one eclectic group of music choices, is it not?  Sort of like my Quilting???

I do have a TV and prefer to watch tutorials with my favorite being Missouri Star Quilt Company!!!  Going there is on my Bucket List?  How about you?  I fulfilled one of my Bucket List destinations on Monday!!!!!!  Every Quilter should go there to be amazed, challenged, and awestruck as I was.

I will share with you in my next post where I went?  I bet most of you can guess.  Want to try to guess where I went?  Go on....give it a shot!

SEW...leave me some comments.  What do you do while quilting or doing any type of needlework?  Do you snack or have a cuppa near by?  What do you listen to or do you prefer to listen to nothing?

  AND........

WHERE DO YOU THINK I WENT THIS PAST WEEK THAT MIGHT BE ON EVERY QUILTER'S BUCKET LIST?

BLESSINGS

GRANDMAMA IS BACK.. EMPTY NEST PART 2 NEW STORIES, NEW QUILT PROJECTS, GRANDPEEPS, ETC...

GMAMA JANE IS BACK

MARCH 27, 2016

Easter Sunday Morning

HE IS RISEN...HE IS RISEN INDEED

What a perfect time for starting fresh...in Life and in Blogging.  Since last October, I have been helping Mr. Tractor take care of his mother who suffered with Dementia and declining health.  At age 93, March 14, 2016 my sweet mother-in-law passed away surrounded by those of us who loved her and had cared for her.  She passed away as graciously as she lived her life.

Anyone who has ever been a caregiver knows what I mean when I say care-giving takes over your life.  In our case, we both cared for my mother for 11 yrs and then Mr. Tractor's (Roger) mother for 2-5 yrs.  We have actually been caregivers for over 20 yrs total.

Lately, I am even more aware just how short life truly is and want to live each day with purpose, love, and gratitude.  Therefore, my next phase...Empty Nest Part II as I am naming it ... will be lived, told, laughed/cried about and then written down as a way to leave a written legacy for my family.  Does that make sense?

I'm not sure who my readership will include, if anyone, but I promise to leave a little of myself in each post so that my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will KNOW who their Mother or Grandmother was as a person.  Since I've experienced loss of family and close friends in the last 6 months, I am only reminded of the brevity of life and the importance of making the most of each day.

Today, on this rainy Easter Sunday, I'm going to leave pictures of a few quilts and quilty projects in progress that I have put needle and thread to either by hand or machine.

BLESSINGS
Hope you will come back often and visit.  
Leave me a note so I will know I still have some blog reading friends out there.

Halloween Haunts Blog Hop Projects

GMAMA'S 

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS PROJECTS

Today I'm going to try and FINALLY Post my projects 

Although I think these projects are "Haunted" because everytime I go to post my pictures SOMETHING turns afoul.  Last time it was NO INTERNET, this time it's a STOMACH BUG.

SEW BEAR WITH ME...Nothing fancy...just the facts! Some Projects are New, some are from the past.

"The Ghastlies" Fabric used to make a tablecloth!

Three Little Pumpkins

Pillow

Fabric Basket

Organizer for my Perle Cotton Thread

OWL PINCUSHION

Fall Hot Pads

Fabric Basket

Owl Pincushion

Happy Halloween

Thanks to Marian for organizing the Blog Hop and getting the Gang back together.

Blessings

Gmama Jane

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS BLOG HOP STARTS FRIDAY OCT. 16TH....GET YOUR HAUNTING HOP SHOES ON...

NEW HALLOWEEN BLOG HOP

BEGINS FRIDAY OCT. 16, 2015

Tomorrow's Schedule

A Stitch In Time
Marjorie's Busy Corner
Ravelly
Words In Stitches
Quilted Delights

Our Super Head Cheerleader is the very Special

Marian

at 

Seams to Be Sew

Back from Family Beach Vacation 2015

Ready to Get my Spooky Sewing MOJO back on!!

Projects from Past Blog Hops

Once Again:  

Hop on Over and Visit these Blogs with special Halloween projects made 

Just For You

Psst.... I heard there may be some *spooky cool* Give -Aways*  wink wink

Tomorrow's Schedule

Friday Oct. 16

A Stitch In Time
Marjorie's Busy Corner
Ravelly
Words In Stitches
Quilted Delights

My Day will be Next Week...Stay Tuned for Daily schedule, updates , Give-Aways!!!

GRANDMAMA JANE

WELCOME BACK...WELCOME SUMMER 2015

HELLO???

IS ANYONE STILL THERE?

SUMMER RAMBLINGS 2015...

It's been awhile since my last post....aaah Life gets in the way at times but I'm back.  I may be blogging to the computer but then I remind myself of my original reason for blogging in the first place....to chronicle the life and times of my Family and retain much of the oral rich history that sets my family apart.  Telling stories has always been a huge part of any Hillis family event.    Therefore, Along with "telling" more stories, I will still incorporate my quilting and other Blog projects which may include something from the garden, Mr. Tractor's shed, my sewing room, or the Grandpeeps' adventures.

A UFO in the HOOP

for a little

Hand Quilting

Scott (7) and I went to the Park "like old times" he said referring to the timed when he stayed with me before he got old enough to attend pre-school.  Geez, I miss that little side-kick!  He and I were buddies from age 6m-4 yrs. old.  This slide presented a HUGE barrier for Scott who is deathly afraid of heights.  He wanted me to see how BRAVE he was now!! I watched with a secret tear in my eye...all you Grandmama's know what I mean!

Now that summer has arrived...IT'S TIME...TOMATO SANDWICH TIME

I CAN LIVE ON TOMATO SANDWICHES

TOMATO

HELLMAN'S MAYO

WHITE BREAD..SOFT...

(lOCAL FAVORITE IS FLOWERS WHITE BREAD)

SALT 

(CRACKED BLACK PEPPER FOR VARIETY)

AND THIS LITTLE/BIG GRANDPEEP

CLAY  11 1/2

Has become quite the Stand-Up Comedian!

Being the quietest of the 7 Grandpeeps, Clay's growing interest in Drama and Stand Up Comedy is quite the pleasant surprise! 

Currently, KNOCK-KNOCK jokes and Puns are Fan Favorites

So, that's all for today.  Just a Plethora of News from the Farm.

Tomatoes are beginning to ripen so Canning those beauties will be HIGH on my T0-Do List in the coming few weeks.  I can NEVER  put up enough to make it all the way through winter.  I'm always looking for new Super Salsa recipes and any other Tomato based canning recipes that are tried and true winners with your family...send my way!

Blessings

FARM GIRL VINTAGE QUILT ALONG

FARM GIRL VINTAGE

QUILT ALONG

CLICK HERE

For more info in this Quilt Along

I love love ALL the fabric lines designed by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet.  Her colors and designs remind me of a time gone by.  Many of the fabric designs remind me of my mother's kitchen back in the 1950's.  

In this Quilt Along you can make as many or as few of the 45 blocks as you wish.  You do need to buy the book (hey, a girl has to make a living) but it is well worth the money for all the beautiful quilts you can make.  Simply Click Here to go to Fat Quarter Shop and you can find the fabric AND the book.  I actually have many of Lori's fabrics already and I'm simply going to pull from my stash to make this quilt.

NOW.......

What Have I Be Doing?

SPRING 2015

ON THE FARM

SPRING 2015

BRADFORD PEARS 

HELPING A FRIEND HAND QUILT

HER GRANDSON'S "KENTUCKY" QUILT

A Quick Over view of my April.

Hubby and I traveled via Camper to a wedding in Virginia.

We turned it into a little vacation, visited Monticello, and other points of interest in the beautiful state of Virginia.  I will post pictures in the next few days.

Blessings