Checking In

I have been out of touch for a couple of weeks. Last we chatted, I was heading to stay with my grand girls for a long weekend while their parents took a quick break. We had so much fun. The girls were very easy to take care of even though the two year old was running a bit of a fever. She was still very happy to be with her grandpa, even if not feeling quite 100%. We got to celebrate Ray’s birthday while we were there.

Celebrating Grandpa’s birthday together

The girls had fun painting a cardboard box outside. There was no real plan other than to paint for the sake of painting.

Muffin tins make a great holder for the paint.

Once the box was done, H asked if we could make it into a rocket ship. She clearly had a very specific plan in mind. Ray and I talked to her for a bit to try and suss out her plan. She was able to explain just what she thought it would look like.

Working with Grandpa to make the rocket ship

It turned out so cute and the girls were pleased!

Rocket ship to the moon!

When H was in the box, she and Grandpa would count down to blast off and Grandpa would shake the box like crazy to make it feel like she was blasting off. It was so fun.

The day we were driving home I started to feel sick. By the time we got home (it is only a 75 minute drive) I felt horrible. Climbed into bed and there I stayed for three days. Then I just felt awful for another three or four days. I tested negative for Covid and it seems I had the flu. The day I started to feel better, Ray crawled into bed and repeated my entire experience. Ugh!! We lost a couple of weeks to this virus and it was not fun!

Once we got our energy back, we invited the girls to come for a weekend. We really wanted to spend some time with them before H starts school.

Playing at the local splash pad

We went to a local park that has a splash pad. Little sister was a bit leary of most of the fountains but she would occasionally stand near one and shriek. It was really funny. Mostly she watched and also stomped in the puddles.

This girl couldn’t get enough!

No fear with this one though. She has such an adventurous spirit!

Two kitties in a swing

There was a playground next to the splash pad. H was in this big webbed swing and really wanted her little sister to join her. A was not going anywhere near it. She kept saying it was scary. After many invitations, big sister said, “let’s be kitties” which is one of A’s favorite games. A few meows later and little sister was in the swing snuggling with H. I was almost getting choked up here. H kept patting her little sister’s back, saying ‘see, this isn’t scary, I am here with you’. They fight occasionally but this sort of thing makes up for the squabbles.

Making pizzas.

The last night we all made individual pizzas together. The girls love doing this. Yum.

Summer is winding down and H starts kindergarten in two weeks! Hard to believe she is going to be in school.

My friend from California arrives today for a quick visit. She is also a quilter and as luck would have it, today is the local quilt guild’s show. I am really excited to see Sophia, even if just for one night.

Scrappy pumpkins

With school starting for H and summer winding down, I have been thinking about fall. I made a few scrappy, strip-pieced pumpkins. I think I will incorporate them into a Halloween quilt.

Debbie Mum Halloween panel

I can’t remember if I shared this but I was at an estate sale some time ago and picked up this Halloween panel. I am thinking I will use the pumpkins to border one side. I am going to make blocks out of them that set the pumpkins on an angle so they have some character. More on that as I make progress.

Lastly! Sunday is the opening of the final link up for the 2022 Positivity QAL!! I have my quilt finished. If you do as well, please link up!! Remember that if you don’t have a way to link up, you can email me a photo and I will add it to the blog post. I want you to be eligible for the prize drawing!! The link up will be open all next week so you still have time to finish it up. See you soon!

26 thoughts on “Checking In

    1. Bernie Post author

      Thank you Carol. I don’t really have any seasonal quilts, with the exception of one Christmas quilt. So I decided this would be a fun project. Take care. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  1. Diann@LittlePenguinQuilts

    Such adorable grands you have there, Bernie! Looks like lots of fun, except for coming home sick. Your Halloween panel quilt will be a fun project. I’m finishing up a Halloween quilt, too – it’s time for fall colors!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I know – it is only August but fall is on the way! I am going to use a tutorial on the Twiggy and Opal blog where she frames the block and cuts them so the middle is wonky – I think it will be really cute for the pumpkins. Hope so anyway. πŸ˜‰

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Grace

    Oh my gosh, these photos and the memories you are making with your grandchildren are priceless!! I wanna blast off in that rocket ship, too! Sorry to hear that y’all got Sick-With-the-Ick but glad you’re both healthy again.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      H was so happy to have her vision realized with the rocket ship. She knew it should have shiny foil on it and triangles at the top – Thank goodness Grandpa came through!!

      Reply
  3. Tracie

    What a sweet time with the girls! Birthday cake, rocket ship, and playing kitties sounds purrfect. I’m glad you’re feeling better, Bernie!

    Reply
  4. Jenny Benton

    Let’s be kitties, I love that! Always fun times with the little ones. So pleased you and hubby are now recovered from whatever it was you had, that must have been quite a trial.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Thank you Jenny – We are all back to normal now. That was no fun!
      The girls are very special and we feel very lucky to live nearby. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Wendy

    All the photos of the girls at play are so fun, but the swing thing even had me choked up a bit! How sweet of H to be so assuring. That fall quilt is going to be cute! Have fun visiting with Sophia!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      She was so sweet to A that day-I am not sure why the swing was making little sister so nervous but her big sister solved the problem and they had a nice long snuggle in the swing. Sophia and I had a great evening – Thanks so much!

      Reply
  6. Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl

    I continue to be so thrilled for you, Bernie. You have definitely been able to do everything to soak in the love with your family, and I’m so happy every time I read one of your updates. I hope you have a wonderful time with your friend and the start of kindergarten for H goes well!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hi Yvonne! Have to say I am loving your new studio – so fun to see those fresh white walls and the pretty flooring. Just beautiful! Ray and I keep telling each other we chose the perfect place to move to. It checks all the boxes – couldn’t ask for more than that. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. CathieJ

    Oh my, except for the nasty flu, it seems that you and your husband had a wonderful time with your two adorable granddaughters. I love the photo of them in the swing playing “kitties”. You Halloween stitching is great. Enjoy your weekend.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Thank you Cathie – It has been a great weekend. Lots of visiting time with my girlfriend and her daughter. I agree about the picture of the two girls. I think I need to print that one!

      Reply
  8. Kathleen Scargle McCormick

    Being with my grandparents was one of my favorite things in the whole world. What a fun time you had! I love all the creative things you do with them, but was most touched by big sister getting little sister in the cocoon! So sweet.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Me too Kathleen. That was my favorite part of the weekend. The girls are so good to each other. I suspect Little Sister is going to have a big adjustment when her older sister goes off to kindergarten in two weeks. Their district has all day kindergarten so H will be gone from 8:30 – 3:30. Big changes are coming!

      Reply

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