Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

Lisa had 3 tables set up for Thanksgiving dinner. It was an absolutely beautiful day in the valley and we ate outside. Before dinner, the younger ones (and the young at heart) played some volley ball while the football game held the attention on some of the others. After the all the food was layed out-with one full table of desserts, the brave ones worked off the calories with a little Wii dance competition while the rest of us watched.

Well, Thanksgiving is over and the carcass (turkey) is out of the house and I didn't do any shopping! I did get 9 pints of cranberry relish put up, finished my Thanksgiving embroidery (but not framed or displayed) and completed the backs for 2 Christmas gift quilts and they are now headed for the quilter. How's that for summarizing a 4-day weekend!

Thanks to my wonderful sister, Marla, the binding is on and this years Christmas quilt is on the sofa. I just walked through the front room and saw Shawn bundled under a quilt on one end of the sofa and Nikki bundled in a quilt on the other end, watching a Harry Potter movie. I should have taken a picture! I love to see my quilts being used.

I hate the hand stitching part of applying the binding. It absolutely puts me to sleep and takes me forever. I'm very grateful that Marla is willing to take that on for me. I have 5 quilts waiting for the binding now so get ready, Marla.

I am still working on a Christmas tree skirt and hope to finish that before the tree comes down the day after Christmas.

Veteran's Day 2010

For fathers, husbands, brothers, wives, aunts, sisters, cousins and friends.

For all who have come before, all who serve now and to future generations of proud Americans that will serve our country's defense.

Thank you for my freedom.

President Thomas S. Monson Speaks October 2010

I think I needed this talk by President Monson today (yesterday and tomorrow, too.)

Here are some of the things he said that really touched my heart:

"Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily."

"It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time."

"I consider charity-or "the pure love of Christ"-to be the opposite of criticism and judging. In speaking of charity, I do not at this moment have in mind the relief of the suffering through the giving of our substance. That, of course, is necessary and proper. Tonight, however, I have in mind the charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions, the kind of charity thalso in times of weakness or error on the paat forgives, the kind of charity that is patient."

"I have in mind the charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others."

Note to self:

I want to remember these quotes to help me redirect my own sense of charity and to remind myself that every person I come in contact with is a "soul of worth" and a child of the same eternal parents and my brother or sister. I hope that by putting these teachingsof President Monson's on "paper" and contemplating the effect they have on me, I can more closely emulate them.

My Trip to the Grand Canyon by Jan Hackett

Last weekend we took Wyatt and Eli to see the Grand Canyon. This was their first visit and I hope it won't be their last.

I am impressed with the shuttles they now run, it really helps cut down on traffic, fumes, traffic and no worries about finding a parking place. Of course, it helps to remember where you parked your car so you can get off at the right place when you return.

I have been to the canyon (South Rim only) many times and every time it takes my
breath away.

For what it is worth, I'd rather visit the Canyon or Yellowstone or the Redwood Forests of California than go to Disneyland. Not only do you get to be in the most beautiful places created by God, but you meet wonderful and interesting people. You hear people oohing and awing in so many different languages. You see small children watch very large squirrels begging for food and watch them dart around your feet and on the ledge you were just just going to sit down on.

You watch people coming and going. Sometimes you can even take a picture of your family.

You can let your 2 youngest grandsons explore new places and find hidden paths.

Then you can sit on a cool, shady porch and listen to your daughter try to explain to a frustrated 19 year old that it isn't the end of the world that she lost the car. (How did we visit the Grand Canyon 5 yrs ago without the convience of cell phones?)

You can sit in a wonderful restaurant and enjoy a relaxing lunch while you wait for the 19 yr old gd to find the car and bring it to the parking lot you are now at, so that you could have had the picnic lunch you had planned on.

You can ask Eli to smile and get this:

And then you can all be happy when the 19 yr old gd finally brings the car and the picnic lunch to the restaurant parking lot and joins you in the restaurant.

And that's why I'd rather visit the Grand Canyon than go to some other places.

The End.

Look What the Mailman Brung Me

I am so excited. Today I received 2 very cute patterns I ordered from this website. She has lots of great stuff and I will be back for more.

I cannot believe how fast they arrived. I ordered this on Thursday and got it on Monday. That is S*E*R*V*I*C*E!

Autumn Harvest Pumpkin by Crabapple Hill.

This is one of the patterns and I can't show you the other one yet. I'll post it when I finish it.

If you love to embroider but are intimidated about tracing patterns, try this wonderful new product called TRANSFER-EZE. I have been using it for a couple of months and love it. You print your pattern onto the TRANSFER-EZE using your printer, peel off the backing and place it on the front of your fabric (no iron-on, taping or pinning-it just adheres.) The next step is even easier...start embroidering.

This is the Two Blonde Mice pattern I am working now using this. You can see the edge of the pattern web and how easy it is to work the pattern.

When you have completed all the handwork, cut off most of the transfer product. Soak the project in cold water to melt the remainder of TRANSFER-EZE, dry and press to block.

Sorry, didn't mean to do a "Billy Mays" on you, but you probably can tell I am sold on this product. Now I am going to find a piece of fabric to transfer this pattern to and start stitching.

Flagstaff to Grand Canyon

Since this is probably the trip of the year for us, I'll break it down a little so we won't overwhelm you with all the photos at one time.

What do you do to prevent massive revolt by

very bored travelers (ages 7 to 19)? You give them the camera and tell them to take pictures of the sights. Now you realize that between Flag and the Canyon there is nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. So you take pictures of the driver.

And the road signs.

Oh, yes and pictures of this....

And this>>>

And sometimes you can get a picture of a truck load of baled hay (a la Pioneer Woman.)

And then you get back into the pines and follow a white Mustang convertable with California plates going much slower than the speed limit.

Good Morning Arizona

The sun rise was casting this beautiful gold on everything in its wake. The flag we fly on the house and the the east side of the Palo Verde tree in the front yard. I wish these pictures could do it justice. Besides, I wanted to show off my new 55mm lens for my camera. I love it. (the new lens)

This was the view from the back of the house on another gorgeous morning and the next picture is the east view from the front of the house that same morning.

What can I say except I love Arizona mornings and Arizona skies.

And that is just a few of my favorite things.

Long Time Gone

Well, needless to say, it has been a while since I posted. I have often thought of posting but there always seems to be something else to distract me. (Notice I used the word "distract" as opposed to something more important...)

So what have I been up to lately? I was going to spend a day and night with one of my oldest, best friend, Irene in Pima and then head up to the ranch and spend a long weekend enjoying the last of summer. That plan went under the train when I went looking for some technical help with my software program for the website I work with. I had to be back here on Sunday so that I could be available Monday-Tuesday to meet with one of the tech people I was seeking help from.

When I got to Irene's, she had 2 quilts she wanted me to help her with so-we sewed and sewed. This is one of the quilt tops we put together. This is a Turning 20 pattern, using 20 fat quarters and 3 or four cuts to make the blocks. Cute pattern and works up very fast if you don't use directional prints.

I was looking at some of my favorite blogs this morning (I am slowly recovering most of them from my August computer crash) and found this. I love it. She has a basic picture tutorial of how to make these precious pin cushions as well a super cute hot pad. You can find it here.

As for me-I have been doing a lot of red work-finished my St. Nicholas and am also doing a nativity from Two Blonde Mice. The project that is the biggest challenge is a Block of the Month to make a gorgeous Civil War Tribute Quilt. Each month we make 4 to 8 blocks of each of these designs. The good news is I am 80% caught up. That means I still have lots of work to do. I will finish this by December though.

Red work Nativity-"It Started With a Family"

Civil War Tribute

May 2010

Dear Friend,

Well the last 3 months have been nothing short of hectic. I have put many, many miles on my car going to Vernon and back to help Judy with Dad. I want to really thank the people I work with-Heather, Mary, Dennis and Frank especially for their kindness and generosity. Without their support I could not have done anything.

As most of you know, Dad had spent the last 2 months pretty much bedridden and after his last hospital stay, we decided to call in Hospice. They really helped us and we very much appreciate all they did.

Friends and associates often ask how I am or am I okay. The answer is yes! I miss both of my parents all the time, but I have a such a wonderful picture that I carry in my heart and my mind of the joyful reunion my parents shared a couple of weeks ago, that it supercedes all my wishes and desires. I know that my parents had both fulfilled their earthly missions and it was time for them to join our family and friends on the other side of the veil.

Although we were all grateful that Dad held on until Spring, we did have to deal with fierce winds up on the mountain on the day we said our goodbyes. Because of the winds, we didn’t get a lot of good pictures of friends and family that shared this special time with us bit I would like to share a few with you now.

The flower arrangement had some of Dad’s tools-schrewdriver, level, some nuts and bolts and a few other items.

The shadow box in the center contained his collected military medals, his US Army issued drivers license for special wartime equipment and the open book at the bottom of the photo is his Senior Yearbook from Gilbert High School. The school, parents and Seniors did not have the money to pay for the binding of the Yearbook so Dad made his own from a couple of pieces of wood and a piece of leather to tie it together. That was Dad…”use whatever you have available to make it work”.

The last time we will follow Dad into a Chapel.

Friends and Family gather at the cemetary for the last good-by and the dedication of the grave.

Until later,

Love Jan