Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Ducks + Fleece = Happy Boy


The boy loves his 'eeee.'

That would be his blankie. This much loved, nearly fleece-less blanket is blue and covered in yellow ducks and bubbles. Most prominent are the duckies.


Enter a certain developmental stage, and this boy hauls that poor ducky blankie everywhere. Pool? Yep. Outside? Definitely. Dirt, asphalt, bark, truck, car, mealtime, or bedtime - duckies are present and accounted for. Especially bedtime.


How does mommy manage to wash the poor ducky blankie?

Sneakery. Thievery. Mass distraction.

Today Nana bought the boy 2 whole yards of NEW ducky fleece. It actually still has fleece attached. We are talking one happy boy who 'eeee'd' his way through the store, holding the pile of fleece, hugging it, rubbing his face on it, and talking to it.


Nana also pulled the sneakery trick. "Oh, Donavyn, go watch the garage door close!"

Quickly, new blankie fleece was in the washer. Mean Nana.

Now to cut it into two pieces and blanket stitch the edges. Mommy and Nana will have insurance against original-duckie-blankie disaster.

Guess who else loved fleece blankets? Daddy.

Like father, like son.

Quack, quack.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Mad Monday - aka - Tea with Me


Whoa, baby!

It's been Mad Monday here all day long.

Originally, I was going to spend the day off on a retreat by me-lonesome, taking photos, dabbling with watercolor paints, and chilling. Well. That didn't happen.

Instead:

I had to harvest the garden. Green beans, wax beans, yellow squash, and raspberries were waiting for me.

The gardens had to be soaked. This 100-plus spell is taking it's toll. Raspberry and blueberry leaves are positively baked on top.

Laundry. Oh, boy. For two of us, it is amazing. Loads of laundry and changing of the sheets. Not as important or exciting as the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, but necessary.

Grocery. Shopping. My usual store (first word starts with an F, second word begins with M) is in major remodel mode. Can't find anything and most things are non-existent. Still, I was there early and the crowds were light.

Spreading bark on my triangle kitchen garden was mandatory. The heat has been brutal. Poor plants. The cats loved helping me and the soil should stay moist and weed free(er).


Due to above cats, I had to recover a bird. Dead this time. My first hint was Monet trying to get something beneath the couch. As she walked off, I thought, ok, it's a toy.

Hours later, a I discovered feathers in two spots. Ok. It was not a toy. Up went the couch, and there amidst many kitty toys was a poor dead sparrow. After fighting off Mabel, who loves stealing Monet's prizes, and shooing off Monet, who wanted her birdie back, I was able to capture and dispose of said bird. The good news is that it was dead and therefore easier to catch.


Plenty of green beans filled my basket, so a second batch of spicy garlic green beans made their way through the pickling process.


Muesli was on the list of to-do's, but guess who forgot oatmeal? Kind of an important ingredient in oatmeal muesli.

So far, laundry remains on the list. As do tacos for dinner, numerous paperwork tasks, packing for a writer's conference, piling craft supplies for a rubber stamp fest,
and writing tasks.

I could sure use a tea break. How about it? See you in five. And then we can chat about your weekend.

Like Mabel, I'm exhausted. However, I will not recline on the table like a naughty kitty.


I suppose it will be Mad Monday until tomorrow, when it is Tuesday.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Happy Birthday, America!

Hayden and Khloe with patriotic shorts and skirt

Donavyn wishing his 'eeee' could go swimming with him

Donavyn wearing red, white, and blue shorts

Snoozing Baby Gage sporting his way-too-big bib. He will enjoy it later.

Nana began the 4th of July celebration early by sewing red, white, and blue clothing items for her grands (and a grand-niece). It never hurts to dress for the occasion, right?

And no one can have too much red, white, and blue on July 4th.

Happy Independence Day, America!

Friday, July 3, 2015

A Birthday Celebration

Kevin when he was 3 years-old.

Welcome to birthday month at the Quantrell household.

July 1st - nephew Sebastian had his birthday

July 2nd - grandson Donavyn turned 2

Baby Donavyn is no longer a baby. He's two years-old!

July 3rd ~ Papa turned 52 (yikes)

Kevin, on the phone again, during a rest stop on a recent motorcycle ride

July 4th ~ America will celebrate Independence Day

July 17th ~ nephew Cody has a birthday

This list does not even count 4 of my friends who celebrate a birthday in July! But as they don't live in my house...

Happy Birthday to my honey, family members, friends, and my country! May you have many, many more happy days.

Stained glass from Mt. Vernon; General George Washington

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Thankful Thursday Brought to You By the Letter Ss


Thankful Thursday is once again upon us.

A list of things beginning with Ss for which I am thankful:



~ Seahawks!

~ sunshine

~ the Son

~ my sons

~ spicy spaghetti

~ strolling along the beach

~ sunsets with my honey

~ spiders that eat bugs

~ silly kitties that try and climb telephone poles to catch fledgling birds

~ swimming

~ Swiss chocolate

~ sisters

~ Salvation paid for by my Savior

~ spices

~ salad

~ sewing

~ suitcases (that means I get to go on a trip)

~ SNOW

~ see-ing (sight)

~ singing

~ scoops of ice cream

~ His Sacrifice

~ salmon

~ sandy beaches

~ schools

~ Scotland (bucket list)

~ seeds

~ shoes

~ showers

~ sleigh (as in one-horse-open)

~ stamps (rubber)

~ skeleton to hold my skin up

~ Stars and Stripes - Happy Birthday, America!



Do you know how many words there are that begin with Ss? Amazing.


How about you? What are you thankful for that begins with Ss?