Wow 5 months...

What the heck? Seriously? Have I been that lazy? I guess so. It's been a little busy and little lazy around here the past few months. Highlights?? Well there are a few.
1. I will blame everything on pregnant brain. Yep that's right. I'm 5months along, 4 to go! Pregnancy is no picnic around here. Hormonal, nauseous, tired, hungry, heartburn, more tired, more nauseous mess. However we are happy and Jackson is thrilled (we'll see how long that last after the baby is born). All in all it's good, very good.
2.Cross Country. I was assistant coach this year :-) We had a team make it to State!! And a lot of great memories for me and I hope the rest of the team.
3.Sewing projects! Well. What can i say. I have made lots, not taken nearly enough pictures, and sold or gifted just about all of it. (More gifts than sales).Oh and I got a NEW sewing machine!!! (The motherboard in mine died, so I splurged! Janome MC11000k!! She's a beauty!

10 days till Thanksgiving, and I am more than greatful for my little family and my new sewing machine. Not to mention the wonderful harvest we had and all the other joys. This is starting to ramble...I must be hungry again :-)

Here are some pictures to sum things up:-)

Running Camp

I think running camp was a success, if I must say it, I will..."IT WAS GREAT!". Though I didn't run but once, with Jackson, up a small portion of a hill...the kids did run, a lot, and I think for the most part enjoyed it. Was it difficult? I hope so, I think so. Was it too difficult? No. Maybe not enough. But then again, we didn't want to completely scare them away. We ran lots of hills, both in daily runs, and hill repeat day. It was good. Hills are something that every runner must battle, and to despise them only (in my mind) makes you a weaker runner. They give you a challenge, and afterwards gives you a blessed reward. Doing them 6x might seem killer, but really it's mother-natures weight room. Your body against gravity. The 10k at the end of camp was by far the best. I am a proud 'momma'. I hate that run. It seems so fun to start with, but the last 'false flat' at the end gets me every time. I'm glad to know you kids (girls + Kade) ran it well...though maybe a few too many water breaks for some.

It's hard to give a top runner award, since everyone finished, and everyone was smiling (well afterwards anyway). Just think, you kids just ran more than 70% of America...ok I just made that up, but I'm sure it's close.

My awards this week go to multiple peps.
1. Kade, who was the solo male on many mornings and managed to KILL the 10k. It appears you most certainly should run XC afterall.
2.Becca- Hill repeat winner. She may have skipped the first day, but afterwards made sure her sisters realized they weren't going to be the only picture in the paper.
3.Next...Ok all the rest of the girls. I cannot decide. Daphne KILLED the 10k. Ally Hartley take note if they lengthened the XC course you would be in dust. I just hope we can get some speed in those legs this fall. Hannah- newbie, who threw-up- It's ok. Multiple people get sick and run and then run some more. We'll work on the sprint/vomit finish. We are thrilled you are running this year. Twins. I think you need to run more, that said you can still out sprint anyone on this team which means you get a bonus. We just have to get you up front to make those sprints count for points. Cesley (did I spell that right?) you are my consistant runner. That's not in anyway a bad thing. I know where you are at, and I know where you fit. After missing hill repeats it was good to see you on the 10k. Ludi- applause!!! First day out running and you did a 10k. A full 10k, plus a warm-up. That's amazing. With a smile. It's going to be a great year! Should Bob be mentioned? He did bring fruit...so yeah. Thanks to BOB for bring fruit, weird jokes, and for being the actual head coach. If he gets the uniform samples in he might move up the list  ;-) (JK...you couldn't top Kade, at least not wearing an Oregon shirt).

So questions? Those who didn't show for 'whatever' reasons realize we know who you are, and you missed a totally 'legit' time. (Shout-out to Thode who only came one morning; we appriciate the effort).

Honorary roll- Jackson. Who did run more than...well anyone who didn't come. And did it all in dinosaur shoes.

Coach Mary

P.S> If you read this leave me a comment. :-)

3 year old...

Well it's official folks. The little boy is 3, (though he protest that he is still 2).We had the BIG party last night. Jackson- mine 3, Nolan- brother in law's little boy 1, Bethany- 2nd brother-in-law's little girl also 1. Somehow I volunteered to host. Not sure why since my yard/garden is in the worst state of anyone's, but I did. I spent the entire past week weeding. I should have taken before and after pictures, it was pretty impressive. Especially since there are now TWO areas in my garden that are aprox. 12ft by 5ft that are completely tilled with nothing in them (thanks in no small part to plants that didn't survive and weeds that had previously taken over). There are actually 3 of these areas, but the one is still covered in weeds. It's on the corner so I didn't really worry about it. It's nice to be able to see my tomatoes and peppers, and the corn. But I worked a lot of hours in the garden, only to realize yesterday that I hadn't touched my house. So in a furry I cleaned bathrooms and vacummed floors and overall power-cleaned what I could between making ice-cream, potatoe salad, 24 cupcakes and one double layer square cake. In the end it was a success. No emergency room visits, no food poisoining, no full on family arguements. It would have been nice if I could have mowed the law one more time...but at least it got mowed. Now that the party is over, it's almost hard to relax. I still feel the pressure to clean and weed more. Heaven knows all those baby weeds are going to take-off now that they have sunlight. But I've tried to relax and open Jackson's toys as he 're-discovers' them today. Enjoying the fact that my little boy is 3, officially 3. In two years I will be shipping him to school, and 10 planning a 'teen-ager' party. I'm not one to cry, but it is going fast. He's napping now, and I really just want to hold him and remember how wonderful it was to do that the first time. I'm not sure what 3's are known for, but I'm sure Jackson will give me a good enough lesson in the year to come.

4th of July Run/Walk

It's been a really long week/month. Somehow very little by way of projects have been finished. My excuse: It's summer! Weeding the garden, mowing the grass, planting the last bits of flowers, and planning the 4th of July Fun Run/Walk. The walk was a huge success..well except for running out of race bibs, and the course not being on target...but otherwise we had a GREAT turn-out!! So now I am ready to sew a little and try to relax...'try' of course, there are still weeds to pull and grass to mow. Not to mention Willowcreek running camp next week. I should sew while I can.

Also...I made a BIG stick of butter last week. I was super excited! It was actually somewhat funny. We had 3 gallons of milk to pull cream from. So instead of doing my normal 4 cups I went for 6. Umm...not such a great idea. With-in moments we had whipped cream all over the counter! at 9pm Jason wasn't exactly excited about the idea. I cleaned, moved milk around, let the mixer work while I put Jackson to bed, and wha-la!! Butter ready in 15min. I think it took longer to clean the kitchen. The one thing we have noticed about our butter is how hard it is. That's the difference in the milk fat of our cows. It's great for pie crust and biscuits, however a little difficult to spread on toast. Still tasty though!

Graduation Bags

Hello!! This is a much happier, much more 'crafty' post. YAY!! Normally on a working vacation with Jason, he goes to a meeting in a town a few hours from here, Jackson (the little man) and I tag along in the car; kiss him goodbye in the mornings, and go our separate ways. This trip started that way (innocently enough), Jackson and I headed to the Portland Zoo...AMAZING. We learned all sorts of things, of course all Jackson remembers is that one gray wolf had a hurt ear, and we could not see the giraffes because they were getting a new home. But anyway... the little man feel asleep before I was even out of the parking lot thus it was on to the FABRIC STORE!! Fabric Depot to be exact where I knew I would find a great deal and a variety of fabric. Sure-nuf! I got some really incrediable stuff, a lot of Laura Gunn designs (I LOVE her style!!), and some clearance stuff that went right along. The little man slept in the stroller 'most' of the time. By the end he was his normal post nap cranky self. Luckily the cutting man seemed to go with the flow, and tried to work around my screaming/crying child who was demanding I buy the ENTIRE bolt of coral minky! (Really. I did NOT put him up to it.) We made it out under a $100 and we were off to eat dinner at Red Robin by ourselves (boo to post-meeting dinners :-p) and for mom to get her sewing machine up to the room and get to work. I got lots done the next 3 days, and by the time I was dropped off at the State Track hotel my bags were nearly finished. So all in all our work-vacation really was work on both ends, and I think Jackson got a good mix of mom and dad time.

Without further delay here are two of the three finished products (I forgot to get pictures of one of the best ones).

My heart reachith out...

There are times I feel (maybe most of you do), that God puts things in your path; tough things, things you never saw coming. Today (yesterday actually) was one of those days. I coach high school track. It hasn't been the easiest year, for the team or myself. Before the season even started my Grammie died. I missed the first two weeks to be with my family. I left sunny warm North Carolina, where my heart sings as the red cardinal in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and came back to Eastern Oregon... a much cooler climate, and my heart filled with less singing, more like the quail clicking away in the field scaried of being too loud should enemies hear. I have already mentioned the depression, it was settling in before, and worsened by the loss. Yet for some reason I decided I should keep coaching. It wasn't easy. Cold weather, long hours, sweat...lots of cold sweat. But it was good, good for me, and I hoped good for the kids. Two weeks ago the injuries started. My top girl, out for three weeks (till districts) and then only *maybe*. Other kids fell in behind her, my 'team' was injured. But most of our 'core-group' was still together. Then yesterday my heart reachith out more than ever... one of 'my girls', my 'core-group', out for the season. But it was more than that...as it always is. I can't say much, it's not my place to share. And that's not the point of this post. The point is God put a stone in my path, and I hope I've done what He wants me to do with it.

It's tough being a Mom. In grad school I was always referred to as"team-mom". I thought then it was for all the pies and muffins I made. Looking back, maybe it was all the advice I dished out, hoping it would find some dirt and take root. I feel like that now. I've offered help, and tried to be there. I've prayed that God will open doors. Now I just have to wait for the rain and hope the seed takes root in this young girls life. That all my silly sayings the past 2 months will have sunk in. It's hard to trust what you don't know. It's called Faith. Reading this it all might sound a bit rambling and it is. But here's the thing, a young girl needs some prayer. And for some reason God put her in my path. My painful path of depression and loss, with of love of running shared. Maybe in the future I can say more, when it's not just my words. For now, thanks for reading...if your a mom, go give your kids a hug, and a kiss, and a "I'm proud of you no matter what." (and mean it). We never know the extent to which our influence reaches. We are all Moms and Dads...good or bad to those we are closest to. Hillary Clinton might have coined it, but she didn't develop it: "It takes a village". And it does. I wish I could tell you how it's all connected, I wish God would show me how it all works out. How the pain of one could bring happiness to another, but I can't. Something things are without words. If nothing else it has inspired me to be more faith-filled not just faithful. To smile to all, and to know God is in control.

Love...Mary

P.S. i got really pretty fabric today. I'm just not up for showing it off. Maybe tomorrow will be Sunny and filled again with the songs of cardinals.

Updates- Updated

Below was a post I created a few weeks ago. I'm making progress...
I've updated the blog.
Sewing machine is fixed...though I am still leaning towards a new one. At least new embrodery software.
Still no Civil War Journals...Blah!

House- flower beds weeded.
Goats were killed due to disorderly dog (see previous post).
Garden disced (husband), tilled (me), planted (me). YAY for garden!!
No butter made (you can't expect everything!)

Running-
28.46 - didn't kill 29min. But did break it.
Umm... does chasing cows yesterday count? If so I did 2x last week.

Sales-
I did sell some semen yesterday :-)

so not perfect. but getting better.
New goals? Not yet. Give me a day to be happy :-)


I need to get with the times... my blog is UGLY! I know I at least have a blog, but let's be honest, how many people are actually reading this? I've got to get more creative.
So my 'sewing' goal this month...clean up BLOG.
goal 2. Get sewing machine fixed OR decide on new one (may have to wait till May if the better deal is in Portland :-p)
goal 3. Work on stinking Civil War Journals. I'm already 3.5 months behind...ahhhh!!!

House goal:
1. Get weeds out of flower beds.
2. Get goats in pasture.
3. Till or Disc garden
4. Plant said garden to early spring crops.
5. Make Butter.

Running goal:
1.Simple: Race on Saturday (Kill the 29 min. mark)
2.Start running 2-3x/week.

Sales goals:
1. Sell SOMETHING!!...:-)

READY SET...GO!

Garden time

Garden is nearly all planted. Just corn, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins left!!!!

Muffins

Chocolate banana nut muffins... With cinnamon and vanilla! I am sooooo excited! I hope Jackson likes them

New Blog..

Well the Blog has been colorified and updated. I like it. The new background photo is one I took of our backyard when the neighbors had corn planted. The color scheme is more springy. And it looks more enthused. I think the spring slump maybe turning around... and that goes for more than just the blog. I'm feeling much better as well. No new quilts anytime soon on the horizon, but come Thursday I will be off with my trusted companions (aka Anna-Marie and Lori) to do some MAJOR shop hopping.
/http://www.treasureshophop.blogspot.com/

So Spring is finally HERE!

P.S.> I planted red potatoes, red onions, carrots, sweet peas, lettuce, and spinach the other day. AND pulled weeds this morning. Spring is certainly here to stay!

Depression SUCKS

I'm in a rut. Not a super deep one (like last year when I quit nursing and all my hormones came crashing in during one of the foggiest years EVER). No, not like that. But I am in one. It always starts during the short cold days (seasonal depression I think they call it), but it's not as cold now and not so short of days, but I'm still there. Yesterday was a bad day. A really, F-ing bad day. Our dog dug into the pen where we had our two (newly purchased) goats, and killed them both. He was proud, I was not. Now we have to sell the dog. He's been in our family before we were a family. 4 years. Jackson will be 3 in July. To say I'm sad is an understatement. The rut is deeper. I agree we need to find a new home for him. It's not the first time he has used his German Shepherd instinct to kill. He took out a calf a year ago. He was banned from the farm after that. He has never hurt us or Jackson, never even growled at us. But the thrill of the chase and the kill is too much. It doesn't work when you need critters to survive and keep your weeds down. So now you know why today depression sucks. I was there before, but not heavy. Today, though it's sunny and nice, and the wind isn't even really blowing, however I feel like watching a movie under a blanket and hiding. But I can't. I have to go coach at a track meet, and be happy. Cheer on my kids (not literally my kid, he's with Dad on the farm), and be productive. Depression SUCKS-- so do ruts. Let's hope I can pull out soon. Spring is here...it's time to be happy.

Really bad day to be a quilt...

I had just finished this quilt Thursday night. I washed it late and went to dry it Friday morning. I started it in the washer but it was such a nice day I decided the line would be better. I headed to get on the tractor for a few hours before track meet in the afternoon. Well as always I was running late getting on the tractor and late getting off the tractor which in turn put me behind for the track meet( of which I am a coach and helping put on the meet) I totally forgot about my adorable baby quilt! It did every kind if weather but be nice, snow, rain, LOTS of wind, and cold!!! I finally got home at 9:30 And was ready to crash... So I did. Well at 7am this morning hubby informs me that my quilt was on the ground.... Ahhhh!!! So I ask... "was it ok?" he said yeah maybe a little dirty... Well u can guess what happened next, I went outside to check on it and the first thing I see is HOLE in the quilt!!!! I started crying. So many hours of work, and my first go of 'turn under' appliqué plus we had already decided to whom it was going. It was lucky that it wasn't sold already. You maybe wondering how it got a hole in it, the appliqué ripped off And torn on one edge... I the the culprit wasn't the weather, but a little black dog named Harley. I cannot be sure that Wally didn't help eitheer. But it is all very sad. Hopefully I can mend it enough to give away.

Updates

I need to get with the times... my blog is UGLY! I know I at least have a blog, but let's be honest, how many people are actually reading this? I've got to get more creative.
So my 'sewing' goal this month...clean up BLOG.
goal 2. Get sewing machine fixed OR decide on new one (may have to wait till May if the better deal is in Portland :-p)
goal 3. Work on stinking Civil War Journals. I'm already 3.5 months behind...ahhhh!!!

House goal:
1. Get weeds out of flower beds.
2. Get goats in pasture.
3. Till or Disc garden
4. Plant said garden to early spring crops.
5. Make Butter.

Running goal:
1.Simple: Race on Saturday (Kill the 29 min. mark)
2.Start running 2-3x/week.

Sales goals:
1. Sell SOMETHING!!...:-)

READY SET...GO!

Some Old some New

I updated my Etsy store this morning with a new bag option and a reduced price on a baby quilt. Of course if you like something and want to haggle I'm up for the challenge. I could use to sell a few things right about now :-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CreekerCrafts?ref=pr_shop_more

Busy is as Busy Does!

I'm not sure what that title means. It most likely has layers just like anything else does. It's late, I'm tired, but it's one of those nights that I feel like I need to get a million things done. I worked hard on getting as much of the applique done on my Saturday Sampler quilt as I can. It went well. Only 3 flowers and 6 petals to add. Now I'm afraid come two Saturdays when I have to take the thing in I'm going to look like an over achiever (of which I am NOT!) I just have OCD right now about getting that quilt DONE. Of course I still have two Saturday's left (aka 2 months) to get the rest of the blocks...but whatever. I have a feeling in two months I'm going to be so freak'n busy that I'll be SUPER glad I was up till 10 (make that 11) back in March doing the applique's. I still have not put the binding on my civil war quilt. I KNOW!! CRAZY!!! It's track practice. It makes me not want to sit for very long and focus on anything. I have too many items on my plate right now, but really, who doesn't??? My husband must not, since he complains about how busy I am with track and dairy judging. Oh well... it's being helpfully and that I cannot help but do. I have sooo many projects, but for right now finishing the applique is #1 priority. then I can start a new quilt...which is most likely at the heart of it...procrastination. But at least this is usefully, unlike the book(s) I started a year ago and will never get published or even read by another soul. But who knows, maybe I will have something else to procrastinate about one day and they will get done... Take THAT!! Well it's too late to procrastinate going to bed any longer (and I just mis-spelled procrastinate for the 3rd time...certainly time for BED!!) Night all...
M

Quilts, Quilts Quilts

So Civil War Quilt is DONE (ok not really DONE Done, but it's ready for the quilter which is 89% of the work. It's been over a year in the making, so I'm glad to have it off my self. The Farm Boy Quilt is Done (aka Farm Panel Quilt) (also not quilted Done, but finished pieced). My Mom's birthday present is done (ok... also not quilted, but don't judge). It's been a busy two months of 2012! Which means I can buy more fabric (yay) Custom orders welcome :-) I do have the fabric to make another of these quilts (see above) which I am tempted to start on to have around 'just in case'.

Farm Panel Quilt

These are photos from my newest quilt. It hasn't been quilted yet, but hopefully this week while I'm in Salem I can take it with me and get it done. The applique was done on my machine with a turn-under technique so there are no edges to fray. Once quilted and bound it should be 44 wide by 49 long.

Cold but Sunny.

Jason was up at 6. Phone rang at 6:30... school needing a sub. I declined (since I'm subing there tomorrow and I have a meeting over there tonight, I figured it was worth having the day to do a few things). So thus I was up. 6:30 really isn't that early. Back in my college days I would be up and actually cheerful at 5:30 for Crew practice, then when I started doing the 'half-graveyard' shift I would be up at 3:45. That's early! But now a days 6:30 feels early. I had tea with Jason before he left for a 4 day stint to dairies and beef herds. I'm glad I don't have his job, and I'm thankful to the utmost for the income it brings. But it sucks to be a 'single mom' for 4 days. I made food for the chickens (corn, soybean meal, and a vit-mineral mix), and I'm eating and blogging till Jackson's up. I should be doing dishes from last nights Lasangana (I cannot spell...did I mention that yet?) when the whole family was here for the Super Bowl. However resting for a few moments and enjoying the sunrise seems sooo much better. BTW.. I'm ready for Spring. More snow would be fine, but this uber cold morning thing and frozen water troughs is getting old. I'm ready to get in my garden! And I'm ready for the little boy to be able to go outside without three layers. Inforcing a two year old to wear a hat and gloves must be one of the worst jobs. It will NOT happen no matter how much you protest. And then when he comes crying because he can no longer feel his ears/hands/ nose, you wonder why you went outside to start with. But alas the fresh air does us all good (even Wally dog who gets taunted over and over again when a little boy steals his precious duck). Well tea's cold now and oatmeal nearly gone. I should get to those dishes (and maybe a little sewing :-) fingers crossed). BYE.

New Bag

Custom Order! So exciting :-) Isn't she pretty?? Medium Size "Bella" bag in Kate Spain colors.

That's all for now... off to work on a baby present.

Calf Feeding.

Well it's not really a 'new' job, but I have been feeding calves for my mother-in-law two days this week and it's been nice. Getting up early, moving around outside (dispite the 7degree mornings), and feeling like I'm actually contributing. This morning however one of my 'rules' was broken. The rule is no-one dies on my watch. Unfortunately we lost a baby calf this morning. It was just one of those, life on a farm, things. She had been sick since almost day one, and had battled through scours (diarhea for those not in the know) for the past 12 days. But the super cold weather and another bout of scours must have been too much for her little system to take. So my rule was broken, but I'm trying not to let it get to me. It is after all one of those things that happens. And my 'realism' side says "Most likely she would have been a poor do-er for possibly her entire life." It's crazy to think that, but realistically it true more than not. Sickly calves have a harder time moving on, they either pick-up anything that is around them, or they are carriers, making other calves sick. Then once they hit the milking herd they give less milk, and tend to get mastitis (infections in the udder- aka where the milk comes from) more often. So though it's hard to lose one, in this case my rational side says it's ok, and to try better to have less sick ones.

On another note... Jackson's asleep. Maybe I can get a little quilting done before it's time to feed calves again.

New Quilts UP!

I made this quilt a few months ago, and have had it in a local store. It's technically still there, but I thought I would post it on etsy just to see if it could sell. I love the colors, and it's one my favorite fabric lines of all time! There is still a little of the fabric left at our local quilt shop. I keep asking the owner to put it on clearance so I can buy the rest, but she hasn't yet (says she loves it too much to put on clearance). So alas I just keep buying a little at a time and making what I think is worthy of it.
This quilt reads little girl to me, though I think it could go easily to a new mom-to-be who doesn't know what her baby is going to be. It was my first time making praire points, and they were fun! (Those are the little triangles around the body of the quilt. They are secured on one edge so they flap). This was a super fast quilt (I actually made it in one day!). So there is my update for 2012...maybe I'll most more... you never know :-)

Link to etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90777334/pinwheel-baby-quilt