Professional Movers

In these hard times of plant closings, downsizing and recession, Doug and I have visions of creating a new business. We feel we have the experience, expertise and knowledge to start our very own moving company. Somewhat like Two Men and a Truck ... maybe we could be '"Rents Move for Free," or perhaps "Mom, Dad, Pick-up and a Trailer". Any way you look at it, we have a good basis for a new business.

Our oldest son, Brandon, is moving AGAIN! I yell the word "again" because we just moved him in October to Sioux City. Let's look back where this saga began ... when he graduated from college we moved him to Cedar Rapids, we put all of the "used a bit furniture" and his belongings into our little two wheeled trailer. When he left CR, we were headed west to Lincoln, NE, and a promotion, again we loaded up the two wheel trailer, our mini van, his car, and off we went, looking a bit like the Clampetts from the Beverly Hillbillies (vacuum cleaner hanging out the back and all).

Arriving at Lincoln, he went shopping and created a beautiful new home, filled with new furniture, dining room table and chairs, and then a few trips to Hobby Lobby :) A few years later, he was again promoted and back east we traveled, this time to Chicago and with a 24 foot moving truck, his car, our van and a determined attitude. Another change within the company and 3 or 4 months later back west our little band of movers traveled, this time to Rochester, MN. It was two in the morning, a moving truck, mini van, his car and a crew of very exhausted people.

Sometime later (felt like 2 months, but was probably closer to 18 months) we loaded up his belongings in a truck, put it in a garage, and moved our son to a friends house while he worked at a job search. He landed a job and back east he went. New job, new city, and a new home. The moving truck had to be parked on a busy street in downtown Middleton, WI (suburb of Madison), the mini van was now a car, and I think we added an SUV to the caravan our merry little band (note that the italics should show a bit of sarcasm).

After a year of being a robot, he made a decision to leave his job, head back WEST, live near Lincoln, and store his belongings. He began the immense job of another job search. Interview after interview, much prayer and he got a job in Sioux City. Another moving truck, a few more helping hands, and he and his beautiful girlfriend moved to a lovely neighborhood in South Dakota (a small suburb of Sioux City, IA). And this weekend, we head out to Sioux City, to begin the packing process for another move. Yep, five months later, we will be moving our handsome son again, to a city that holds his heart.

This move takes him farther away from mom and dad, but it's the city he found his vibrant, funny and beautiful Blair, it's where their relationship took root, and it's where he found his foundation (picture of them above, from about 4 years ago). A mom doesn't have to like the distance, but she will always love her son. We have joked about having a "mom" room and some day hopefully a "grammie and grandpa room".  I remind myself that I am not sending him off to war, I remind myself that he loves this young lady, and I remind myself that this place makes him happy :).

So back to Lincoln we will go! Doug's got amazing relatives there, whom we love and enjoy spending time with. It's close to Blair's family, they will be surrounded by friends, and I have a wonderful vacation destination with shopping, new quilt shops, and wonderful new adventures.

Did anyone count? Since 2003 (I think) we have moved him eight times, with the ninth one starting this weekend; he has lived in six different states; we've moved on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Halloween, our wedding anniversary and this time it will be Palm Sunday weekend. We've used UHaul, Penske and one other trucking company I think. But hey, who's counting. Let the new adventure begin ... I'm ready!

Until soon ... v

Sunday, Sunday ....

Sunday, Sunday ... feels like such a blue day. The house is so quiet, no little tick tick tick of Lena paws prancing around on the wood floors. No cheerful wiggles as she sees you enter the room. The toys and dog paraphernalia is all packed away for her next visit ... Yep, I miss the dog. She was so funny this morning as we got things gathered for her to go home, she saw her momma go out to the car, then her kennel went out with Doug, and she sat at the door and cried. I took her out and she could not wait to get into the car. She wasn't being left behind. We will miss her cheerful demeanor but it was time for her to head to KC and her home. We have loved being part time pet owners. Perhaps one day we will consider getting a dog, but for now, we have kids to visit, places to go, and a son to move :)

I am headed into my studio this afternoon for a long afternoon and hours and hours of sewing. I have so many ideas of things to make, so many patterns, just need to find the energy. The sofa is calling my name, but I hate to waste another day as a couch potato. I'm on a mission to use more of my own fabric than I actually purchase this year ... even if it's just ONE more yard ... I want to use more of my own fabric than purchasing new. Sheeesh that is so hard, I just love the shopping part of quilting.

FYI ... I'm thinking about trying gluten free. I want to see if it helps with headaches and energy. Perhaps just another fad, perhaps nothing to worry about,  but as my sister said, it won't hurt to try. Now to educate myself in gluten free food.

Until soon ...

Quiet Sunday

After a wonderful week of having Nolan home, he left to go back to school today. I hate how lonesome the house gets when the kids leave. This week was especially great because he took on all the cooking. He had dinner waiting when I got home from work. He and his dad watched a lot of basketball. He did a lot of laundry, both ours and his. And his smile just melts his momma's heart.

So we had the family over after church today, we enjoyed a meal together, lots of laughs, a little politics and they got to spend some time with Nolan before he headed back to Simpson.

For those of you who don't know, we've had our little "granddog" Miss Lena with us since January 18th. She is April's Boston Terrier and she has been such a good girl. I put a picture of her above ... isn't she the cutest little girl in her pink winter coat with the fur trimmed hood. She is full of energy and truly spoiled. Her Furever Mom, April, is coming to pick her up on Thursday.

April took a new job and has had to commute to Indianapolis from KC every other week. The company is moving it's office to KC and that move will take place the end of this week. Everyone tells us how much we are going to miss our little Lena ... well I think we will, but not as much as those darn kids. So a week from now Doug and I will both be pretty darn lonesome. :( Our little girl and her puppy will be back in KC.

Yep ... she is spoiled ... but so are we ... blessed to have had her for such a long time!
More news to come in the upcoming week :)
Enough for now :)

Studio revamp!

So ... I read an interesting article about blogging and the expectation is for frequent little spurts, be interesting, add some photos or videos, and keep things short, so as not to overwhelm the reader. It also suggested reading the blog out loud prior to posting, or have a friend with great writing skills to read it over. So ... here is a short little spurt about my Saturday.

I have been wanting a new sewing cabinet for a long time. I have a wonderful studio, which my kids refuse to call a studio. "It's THE SEWING ROOM," is what each of the three say. Well, I told them an artist doesn't paint in a painting room, they have a studio ... and I'm an artist, just with another medium! So, I've been working on my studio tonight. I will post more pictures as I organize and pare down a bit more in there.

Doug, Nolan and I went to FleetFarm yesterday, because I had looked at the ad and saw that there was a sewing cabinet for a great price. We looked it over and as I told April in a text ... after a little "Dougie Fresh Magic" ... I have an amazing ... AMAZING new sewing cabinet in my studio for under $100! The little door on the right has 2 shelves, I will do some photos later this week and show my "organizational skills"!

There is much more organizing to do, I am excited to spend time in there again and I am so excited to have my machine tucked down in the cabinet ... hope it helps with the neck and back strain! The guys have been watching basketball all day, Nolan grilled us some steaks, Lena enjoyed the action, and I was playing with my new TOY! What a beautiful Saturday ... tomorrow Nolan goes back to school. I will miss the amazing young man!

Return

Well one and all ... I tried on the blogging, it didn't seem to fit, so I returned it (renamed it) and perhaps this will fit a little better! Not sure about direction, not sure about purpose, and I think I like it! I follow a number of blogs about quilting, love to read my daughter's blog and my son's girlfriend's blog ... I like blogs. So ... here's try number two!

QUILTING - I'd guess that a lot might just be centered on quilting. I started quilting 26 years ago, I was quilting when my oldest was in 4 year old preschool ... in fact one day I was having so much fun quilting and tearing strips of fabric for a project with my mom, that I forgot to go to the school and pick him up :( And I've been "collecting" fabric, patterns, tools, and stuff every since.

COOKING - I love to cook, I'm sick and tired of the same old things, I enjoy baking, and Doug and I have decided that we need to lose weight and become healthier. Not sure I'll be dropping many recipes here ... I might!

KIDS - I have three of the most amazing adults that I used to call my kids. I am the proudest mother of a 30 year old son; a 28 year old daughter; and as of today ... a 21 year old son. We have been blessed with the joys, successes, happiness, and journey that these three have taken Doug and I on.

LENA - Hubby and I have had our little "grand" dog with us since January 18th'ish ... she is a beautiful, adorable, well-behaved Boston Terrier. Her "furever" mom, my daughter April, is missing her something fierce. And we'll have her another 3 weeks. She is one smart little cookie ... we've been having "school" and doing a lot of "tutoring" ... She is the smartest little girl ... and yes I am prejudiced.

FAITH - I am a faith filled woman ... I serve as a lay preacher for some area churches. My faith journey isn't anything special ... I had two parents who taught me from the cradle, taught by example, and gave me the tools I needed to enrich my own faith.

FAMILY - GARDENING - FRIENDS - KNITTING - ETC ... more topics for another time.

Until soon, Vic

New To You - New To me

Well ... I've jumped onto the bandwagon, not really sure why! Perhaps my own satisfaction of keeping track of things, leaving a journal for years to come, or just plain "wannabe"! I wanna be like my daughter, I wanna be like Judy, I wanna be like ... (Fill in the blank)!

What will you find? What will you read? What is the purpose? Three very good questions.

You will find me, being me. I'm no writer, I am just me ... plain, simple, down home, a little diva, a whole lot of practical, and some might say opinionated. You won't find the proper and perfect use of the English language, you will find a bit of humor, some serious thoughts and a whole lot of wonderment (I wonder alot).

What will you read? Hopefully lots of quilting "stuff" ... boring to some, inspirational to others :) Maybe a few recipes! Lots and lots about my kids, that could be a blog unto itself! Probably some "dad" stories, my dad is 88 and he can make a girl giggle. Just a few weeks ago, we were supposed to be celebrating his birthday after church. Well church was cancelled due to a storm. We called my dad and asked if he still wanted to celebrate, my sister said his answer was, "If we can't worship Jesus, we better not be worshipping me." So the party was postponed.

Purpose ... defined as the reason for existence; desired effect - the goal or intended outcome. Hmmmmm I guess the purpose is entertainment, enlightenment, and encouragement to be who you are and celebrate the gifts God gave you. The purpose is probably more "me" centered then "you" driven. I'll leave it at that and will ponder this for a day or two!