DONE.... FINALLY!!!

So yesterday was a huge success! Got TONS done in Cedar Rapids regarding the wedding and got to spend quality time with kids and future new mom....

Today, I just needed to finish THE PROJECT!

How the sewing test came about!

My precious daughter-in-love asked for an apron on her Christmas list. She had picked one out and when I looked at the picture, the first thing that I thought of was, "Oh my, I can make that so easy!!

So I asked her to pick out some material and I would whip it up in no time. (A few hours, I'd be done, easy!!)

Got the pattern, got the material and extras..... easy!!!

Got it cut out.... 5 pieces.... only 5 pieces... Well, I kinda forgot that I haven't sewed anything for awhile so had to do the minor adjustments on the sewing area, clean off the table, set up the iron (had to find the iron) ya know.... all the details...

Then I thought I would just TWEAK the pattern a little! That's where I should have said to myself, "STICK TO THE PATTERN!!!!! HONESTLY, STICK TO THE PATTERN!!!"

So, long story short and two, yes two, days of sewing, this is what I came up with. Now you might say, "It looks like the pattern to me, minus the pockets (she didn't want pockets)."

BUT, I made it reversible!!!! Oh yes I did!!

Now for all you sewing geniuses, this would be no major feat. But for me, the one who hates to follow the patterns and who can't stay focused on a project for more than an hour at a time, This is ONE MAJOR APRON!!!!

So now I have a whole new respect for all those contestants on Project Runway!

HOW DO THEY DO IT????

HI HO HI HO....

It's off to Cedar Rapids I go... I get to play today...

Well, not necessarily play, but to do wedding stuff...

with these two...

(since we are still buried in snow, I will use any opportunity to show a sunny, warm pic)
I have a list a mile long and I am determined to get a bunch of things done.

Has anyone heard of a bridal lariat necklace? This is a necklace that a person wears down the BACK, not the front. Love the idea, something different and daughter's dress is low in the back.
Yeah.... might be the project of the day.....
I may be putting one together because I really have no desire to pay excessive cha ching for it....

So this list: cake, flowers, venue, rooms, decorations, LUNCH, invitations, NECKLACE.....

I actually love days like this...
Okay, gotta go,,,,,,,,,, DAYLIGHT IS A BURNIN' !!!!!!!

I'M SMILIN'....

So I stopped at the greenhouse yesterday and wow!!!! I am so excited... Bright, cheery, great people, green things.... I love the green things! Lots and lots of green things.... Oh I just can't wait to get started...

These pictures are from last summer, but I have a hard time saying "the greenhouse" without posting pictures.

As soon as I get started, you WILL see more posts of work, people, what makes this place tick!

COMICS....

I am not one to read the comics very often, but I have always liked BC. Here was yesterdays..

So I think from time to time (when I can't come up with anything else) I will show you a BC comic that tickled me....

BLACK AND WHITES....

I have some favorite pets on the farm. They are strictly outside pets and actually quite wild. There is only one in the bunch of 11 that I can get close enough to pick up. They ARE fed well, but keep the mice population down nicely, the black and white kitties on the Ricketts Farm. My daughter, Tracy, came home from Cedar Rapids for the day and said,"my, how many newspapers do you have out there?" huh???? (I didn't get it)

ya know mom... kitties... black and whites....

Ohhhhh!!!

There are actually 3 litters, just no color other than one,,,,,

he's gray and white (can you spot him?)

They sure were cute when they were just kittens..

This one is appropriately named "Leg-rubber". She is the only one that I am able to pick up and she well lives up to her name!

Some of you have indeed shared your furry children with us,,,,, but some have not....

Tell us about your favorite someone with fur, feathers, scales, or .......whatever....

GARDEN DREAMS...

Okay, so anyone else got garden ITCH going on? Ya know, this is February and this is when I start getting all excited about the garden! I have looked through all my seed catalogs, my eyes are all glazed over from looking at all the pictures of huge vegetables and gorgeous flowers. My little heart gets all pumped up for some dirt (oh yeah, not dirt,,,, it is SOIL) action.

To me a garden is kinda like childbirth. In childbirth, women forget about how much pain they went through and how miserable they might have been.

Well in a garden, a gardener forgets how many weeds they had to fight and how grassy it got; how miserable it got.

I am all excited because this year I may have a gardening partner. My husband always helps when he can, but this year his cousin wants to put in some vegetables. She is a master gardener, but lives in town. We always have a good time when we get together and have a lot in common. I know she loves to dig in the soil too. Should be fun!

So time to start planning, get that garden thinking going and pray the snow goes away soon!!!!

YAY......USA.....

I have been glued to my tv watching the Olympics and oh my, yesterday was a very good day for the USA teams, alpine downhill skier, Lindsey Vonn, gold; men's speed skater, Shani Davis, gold; snowboarder, Shaun White, gold. There were others receiving medals, but these are the three that I watched.

I was reading Yahoo Sports article and it was exciting all over again.

I think my perception of snowboarders has changed a bit! I used to see them as the young, hippy-like, carefree kids that have nothing else to do but spend their days on the mountains, spraying snow in the faces of people like me just trying to stay up on two skis.

Okay, okay,,,,, I haven't been on skis since,,,,, hmmm,,,, really,,,,, that long ago? and when we were out in Colorado that little skateboarder (not size little, he actually couldn't have been even.... 6!) about wiped me out!

Well, last night I was sitting there watching these snowboarders doing things that were AMAZING in a half pipe... I could not believe the courage these athletes have, to fly in the air as they did and then add flips and spins to their flights THEN land on solid ground (ice) only to go up the other side and do another death defying trick! UNREAL....

Way to go U S A!!!!!

Hey, go to Lovella's blog! She actually got to go to the Olympics yesterday. How exciting!!! To be there, feel the excitement, be amongst the amazing people. She posted some pics.

Oh and yes, I had to watch American Idol first, before the Olympics....
Wow! What a talented group of singers... This year is going to be EXCELLENT!!!
The 24 have been picked and I will be watching....

TIME TO BUCKLE DOWN.....

So we got home last Thursday and I have been real random in getting anything done, but yet I have been busy. How does that work????
So when I get this way... ya know,,,, random....
I tell myself I need to BUCKLE DOWN!!!!!

I will make...THE LIST....

surely I will be able to keep track of my duties with....THE LIST...

Wedding Stuff
Dentist appointment
a stained glass project
a spare bedroom to clean out
laundry

THEN.... I heard that clock again.... tick.... tick.... tick.... tick....

Oh gotta go, too many things to think about and all I REALLY WANT TO DO IS,,,,
read how my bloggy friends are doing.... so I am going to do what Colleen at Main Street Memories does....
She gets up REALLY EARLY, reads blogs (she says for about an hour in the morning)
then gets ready for work...

Okay, a timer, I need to get a timer....

Okay, gotta go for sure this time!!! Later everyone! Wish me luck!

Okay, Lori, stay on task....

TWO DAYS AGO ..... TODAY

TWO DAYS AGO....



TODAY....




TWO DAYS AGO....




TODAY.......

We came back from our vacation last night... Got out of Atlanta just in time too. Airtran just cancelled 62 flights out of Atlanta. Delta just cancelled 800 flights. Atlanta is calling for snow and everything just shuts down ...... wow!!! Glad we got out and glad to be home, despite the snow waiting for us!!!

TICK,,, TICK,,, TICK,,, TICK,,,

Do you ever hear this clock going off in your head and feel things aren't getting done as fast as you would like and this overwhelming feeling says there is not going to be enough time to do all that you want to do..... yep,,,,, I'm there. It is only the 1st of February and I feel I don't have enough time to plan a wedding in June. Now we all know, that is ridiculous. After all, my mom planned 2 weddings in 13 days! and everything was great!!!
This is on a bit bigger scale than mine though and it is an out-of-town wedding.


So we got the venue, check....


and we found the dress, check.....


and I am just going to keep going down the list! There is a wonderful site, The Knot, that helps you get completely organized.
I did make Tracy a notebook to keep all info in...



and WE started to think about all the parts and pieces of the reception. Now we just have to find an officiant. Since the wedding is in the ballroom of a convention center, we need someone that will come there instead of an actual church.... Hmmmmm..... I will have to think about this one.... Got a few ideas though...
So on with the planning and with God's help, I will stay calm and collected....
Oh so her colors are black, purple, silver and white... I said okay???? as I thought this could be VERY ELEGANT orrrrrr...... HALLOWEEN DRAG,,,,, HMMMM.... LET'S STICK WITH ELEGANT!!!