Hello Friends and Family...

  Hello everyone!!

My second quilt top is done. I picked up both and dropped two more off to be done. I am so amazed by the talent of the sweet lady who is so willing to do these for me.

I had a contemplative drive home from picking up the two quilts. I was thinking over the conversation I had with "the quilter" and about making these quilts. I was thinking about the "what ifs" and "what could have beens" and what my reality is. I reflected on the sorrow, overwhelming still at times, that ebbs and flows. I was discussing this with Chris that evening as he looked at the quilts I had picked up. I cried. We both discussed that these quilts would never have been a thought in my mind or heart to make, how I would never have known this creativity, or the sweet blessings and healing that come from making quilts for this purpose. That led me to remember one of my favorite quotes from Corrie Ten Boom:

We've had a lot going on this week......

For starters, I made homemade strawberry ice cream:

Meg and I went for a walk, and to a new playground, while Elsa was at her dance class. Her dance lessons are now held at her teacher's house. This is a bit closer for us, so that is nice. It was nice to get some energy out!

Chris has been busy doing a few repairs on the Volvo: speedometer, heater valve (??), and air conditioner. It's nice to have a friend at church who can help with some of that and get paid in tacos from Taco Bell 😉

Meg helped me make dinner one night this week. We had Yumsetta, and she did a great job mixing the soups, pouring the mixture into the pan, and sprinkling the cheese.

We also had a family music night. It was so fun to have a little jam session going on . I'm going to miss this when the girls go back to school in the fall.

Elsa is working on several songs, but this one is called Thanksgiving Waltz. This is the very  beginning of the song:

 Aeva was singing in Japanese, Myles was making his cello "Mooo", and Elsa was trying to play Arirang all at the same time. It had Chris and I in stitches.

Aeva, Myles, and Rhaevyn have been working on playing Arirang together. The girls have been patient with Myles as he learns to play with them. They've got it down pretty good. I absolutely love this song. I think it is so beautiful. Rhaevyn did one version where she plays the recorder with Myles and Aeva instead of her violin. That sounded really pretty too!
FYI: Arirang is a Korean Traditional Folksong.

Rhaevyn encouraged Elsa to learn Arirang, as well, and join the three of them. She practiced all week on it and had it memorized in just a few days. She did fairly well on her first try with only a few hiccups.

Aeva has been learning a few new songs since she has been home. This is one that I really like to listen to her play. It's titled: Gnossienne No. 1
It's a bit big to upload, so click on the link below to hear it....

https://youtu.be/1JaMzi0Y6Es

Rhaevyn has several songs she is working on, but she said she didn't have anything "mastered" yet. I wasn't allowed to do a video. I had my phone on, but it was resting on my leg. Elsa was a bit sneaky and got a bit of a snippet of a finger exercise that Rhaevyn played for us.

Chris really enjoyed the music:

Meg and I enjoying family music night.

We are downsizing on the amount of bikes we have. We keep getting bikes donated to us, and it was time for the kids to decide what they were keeping and what they weren't. Elsa got rid of two bikes and opted for this one. It's a bit big but she does really well riding it. Plus, she really likes the style.

Meg is learning to ride Aeva's scooter. Once she gets the balancing down she can move to riding her bike.

Myles's deacon quorum at church had a cookie baking contest. Chocolate Chip against Snickerdoodle. I helped supply him with recipes because that was what he was tasked with. It was a really fun activity. Friday he begged me to let him make some Snickerdoodles on his own at home. I normally very much dislike snickerdoodles, but I really loved these. He even saved some for his Auntie Stacey.

 Molly had a day at the groomers. Chris wanted something different. No topknot. We all think it is not the style for her. Poor thing...............

 She was ready for a nap when we picked her up.

 Saturday we were up bright and early for the Tacoma Highland Games. Chris, Rhaevyn, Meg, Elsa, and I left at 6:40am and drove about 2 1/2 hours north. Elsa competed in four dances. She was a trooper! Ben and Stacey drove down to come support and watch her dance too. That was extra special 💖
Aeva and Myles opted to stay home. Aeva was going to sew and dress, and she and Myles were planning a picnic outside in the backyard together.

 This was her ending jump and landing on the Seann Truibhas. She has been working so hard on this part and the landing, which they have to hold. 

Meg got all bundled up as it was a bit chilly.

 Elsa was very surprised, but very excited, that she won a trophy.
She placed first in the Lilt, second in the Sword and Fling, fourth in the Seann Truibhas, and she tied with another dancer for overall winner for her age group in Beginner. There were about six or seven other dancers in her age group.

 I was having a hard time videoing Elsa's dances. But here are two:
The Highland Fling....

The Lilt.....

 Meg and Elsa made swords and shields.

 And trying out stone carving....

 Afterwards we went to Round Table Pizza with Ben and Stacey. It was so nice to sit, visit, and laugh.

I'm ready for a bit of a rest before Monday arrives!

Sunshine, bubbles, and Outdoors

One quilt top has been quilted and the next one will be started this coming week. I finished another quilt top (a strip quilt) and hope to have two more completed this next week.

 

 I did get some weeding done this past week, although I still have more weeding to go. The little girls and I swept the back and washed the chairs. Myles mowed the front and backyard. Chris pressure washed the driveway, sidewalk, front walk, and brick wall. It looks like new!

Myles and I replanted some lavender and put it by the front door. Myles repainted my little flag sign so it looks spruced up and bright now.

The day lilies are flowering.

 Elsa and Meg had lunch outside one day. We had temperatures in the high  90's Monday and Tuesday, but the weather cooled after that and was positively gorgeous; 70 degree temps and a light breeze. The kids played kick ball, drew with chalk, blew bubbles, etc. It was so nice to be outside soaking up the sun.

 

 

 Elsa is so excited that her pea pods are growing.

I decided to make a little hanging sign for the strawberry patch. Aeva helped me with the strawberry.

I also bought some new strawberry plants. They were on clearance, and I had wanted to get them last year. They are white strawberries called a pine berry.

Myles moved his hummingbird feeder to the back and also set up a suet basket feeder.

I also planted a cucumber plant, and Rhaevyn planted a watermelon and cantaloupe plant. My clematis has pretty purple buds on it.

 Since it's summer I decided to add some sunshine to my hair. I was laughing because as each of the children noticed my hair the first thing they said was "Wow, your hair is blonde!" It's a bit lighter than I had hoped. It's just hair right??? I suppose I cannot be too harsh on myself since I was highlighting it on my own.

 

 Yep, it's definitely a lot lighter now!

 

Many faces of Miss Meg:
peaceful slumber.....

Shopping with her "purse" which is a a small Alaska Airline bag that Myles donated to her.

 

 She made up a little song to the "Tequilla" tune:

 

 Myles had a youth activity at church where one of the boys' mom taught them her painting technique. Myles had a great time, and this is his finished artwork:

Miss Molly feeling all better...

Meg was so excited about this cute little American Goldfinch that she spotted when we were out shopping.

Myles wanted to bake a cake on Friday. He asked how much a boxed cake mix would be, and then we discussed the idea of making a cake from scratch. So, after picking up some cake flour, butter milk, and heavy cream he set about making a vanilla cake from scratch with buttercream frosting. He had a bit of guidance from Rhaevyn, and then he let Rhaevyn and Aeva have a turn at helping with the decorating.

 

 It was very tasty and moist, although very rich.

Saturday the youth from church went on a temple walk. It was a five mile walk through part of Portland. It started at River View Cemetery and ended at the Portland Temple. Myles had a walking buddy; Meg's friend, KK.

 

Myles let KK take pictures with his camera along the walk.

 

One of the girls made a laurel wreath and plopped it on Myles's head.

 The cemetery is full of past Portland Pioneers. Many streets are named after the early settlers of Portland: Terwilliger, Couch, Henry Weinhardt, etc.

 Happy Fathers Day!!!

 

 I had planed on getting up early to make Chris breakfast and bring it to him in bed. I slept through my alarm and was actually dreaming that I had gotten up and made him breakfast. All of the sudden I realized that he was up making Meg breakfast. I did manage to still make him breakfast though. Meg picked out Red Vines for her daddy.

Chris and his crew:

And that's a wrap from this week!