Windows to Genius Quilt and Other Stuff

Here is the big boy bed quilt Tyler received for his birthday last week! I just love the colors. He just loves the colors. And the animals, and the stripes. So happy that he's proud of the quilt and wanted to be in the picture too!

I had seen this pattern in the April 2007 issue of Quilt magazine. I said to myself back then, "If only I can have a grandson some day, I want to make this quilt for him." And I did!

The walls of his room are True Turquoise (Glidden paint color) and the quilt looks yummy with them. Someone's favorite colors are yellow and orange, so no wonder this is a hit, right?

I threw some solids and semi-solids in with the original Animal Party (Amy Schimler/Robert Kaufman) prints. I had hoarded those lovely fat quarters since they came out, because, Hello? I wanted a grandson!

Do you ever buy fabric and save it because some day you'll have the perfect use for it? A gift maybe? It feels good to put it to use.

I'd like to thank my friend, Nancy Troyer, for doing such a lovely job quilting it with large swirls all over. It perfectly complements all the angular piecing. The back and binding are a very deep turquoise, in case you are curious.

My next project is a coordinating pillow case from the remaining yardage and scraps. I'm thinking a pieced border. How cute will that be???  Please note that my "next project" list is pretty long and the pile up is starting to be an embarrassment. help!

Other news: Barnes and Noble Story Time is such a huge deal! So much fun, it is free and includes craft time and cookie and other kids to interact with! And because it is at 11am, guess who gets to have a lunch date after? Me! Books galore and lunch with my favorite 3 year old. Heaven! We have been thrifty and gotten pizza slices at Sam's Club next door to B and N. Who knew Tyler would be a people watcher like me? He is a hoot! He makes everyone around us smile and comment on his amazing vocabulary and sense of humor. He went up to the food counter and asked them if they toss their pizza dough in the air before they cook it! The look on the girl's face was priceless.

Birthday Gift Favorite: I found this violin (at JC Penney of all places) after Christmas - it ended up being like $5 with coupons and discounts. My mom gave it to him. Tyler about cried he was so happy. He shouted "A violin! I always wanted one!" and he played it for TWO HOURS. This is a 3 year old with the normal 10-15 minute attention span. It is awesome to behold. He said he is like the kids on Little Einsteins, and he plays it off and on every day. He bows after every performance. I melt. We are all so proud!

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ― Plato

Other favorite toys he got: packs of playing cards - Old Maid, Go Fish, Crazy Eights. A soccer ball and cowboy outfit. A cash register for playing restaurant and store. Small knights on horseback with weapons to go with the castle his pediatrician gave him. The new, replacement golf set. The old one has been completely destroyed due to Hallway Hockey being a rough sport for plastic clubs. Also, the bathtub pirate set is not going to be boring any time soon.

Will someone please tell me how you can possibly love anyone so much as a first grandchild? Who knew it could be so wonderful and rewarding every day? I am so very lucky and blessed and thankful. Yes I am!

Finally, I would like to thank everyone for stopping by. My blog reading counter has tripped over the 10,000 mark! Woo hoo!

Until next time, enjoy every day, and love the little ones in your life especially. YOU can make all the difference.

New Fun

Last week we discovered 2 things. A new, close by park called Beulah Regional Park. The reasons we like it so much are: it is wide open with walking/riding paths, 2 fenced in dog parks, there are 2 big sets of play equipment, it is quiet, next door is the Equestrian Center so horses and riders pass outside the fence, the playgrounds are visited by lots of kids and parents (but not too many at once) and the equipment is plastic and metal. NO CARPENTER BEES!!!

If you don't live with carpenter bees, count your blessings. They are annoying and sometimes aggressive. People say "leave them alone and they'll leave you alone," but when they are hovering over the slides at the wood constructed parks, what do you do? You leave. Those bees are not small. See that hole it makes? You can stick a pencil in there. Because our house was built with cedar siding, we are plagued by these pests every Spring. And we have the badminton racquets to prove it.

Call me a sissy if you want, but bees freak me out. They are creepy and I hate the buzz. God bless them for pollination, but stay away from me, and mine, thank you!

Anyway, we are in love with Beulah Regional Park. This is where Tyler will perfect bike pedaling, and learn to roller skate. It is where he'll make friends who can come over to play, and we will watch as he grows too big for the equipment they have and moves on to full time sports for recreation. And I will get some serious walking done too.

Our other discovery this week? Barnes and Noble. Yes, Pensacola actually has a big, name brand store, can you believe it? (We don't have IKEA or Crate and Barrel or Macy's but we have B and N!) Up until last weekend we stuck to Books a Million for the spontaneous book shopping sprees. I told myself Barnes and Noble was too busy and too expensive. Now I have seen the light! They have story time twice a week! And the stuff they sell for kids, not just books, is astounding. Totally my type of shopping for kids. Intelligent toys and books and games. We were in heaven. Twice already.  Tomorrow is story time and we wont' miss it. Tyler will have friends and I will be surrounded by my other love, books.

What in particular did we leave with that I am so happy about? This  ( OR this - there is only a few cents difference in price.) The Alex Toys "Pirates of the Tub." If you have been reading former posts here, you know Tyler is a huge pirate fan. It will be his birthday party theme this coming Sunday. It is his favorite dress up costume.

This advertising pic is spot on. Foam pieces that stick to the wall (or you) and 2 plastic pirates and a cannon that squirt water. There are 38 pieces in all. Including a mesh bag with suction cups to keep it all organized after bath time. And just try getting your child out of the bath tub in a short time!

I gave it a 5 star review. Worth every penny.

Also this past weekend we ventured out to the local Renaissance Fair. It was very exciting for Tyler. Pirates! Knights! Jousting and sword fighting, pistols and cannons.! A juggler on stilts. A petting zoo. And we rode a real live elephant!



I grew up attending the huge Renaissance Pleasure Fair in Southern California. That is a spectacle. This is a much smaller scale, but it was good entertainment for a few hours. Everyone should go to  a Ren Faire once. For the kids sake, at least!