Football is over..... at least for one player!

 Remember this guy?  I know, you probably don't recognize him all dressed up for game day.  I'm a sucker for a good lookin' kid in a nice shirt and tie.............probably why I've purchased so many (including this one) for him.  So if he doesn't look familiar, maybe this will help........

Yup, it's #15, Jackson Morton.  His team won their second playoff game Friday evening, but unfortunately, Jackson is done for the season having broken his collar bone during the 4th play of the game.  Give the kid credit, no one realized he was hurt and he stayed in for a few more plays before heading to the sidelines.  My sister got that text no one wants to get, "Jackson broke his collarbone", and headed down from the stands to get him and take him to the emergency room.  He walked in still in uniform, even the helmet.  My sister had to cut his jersey off, and somehow got his pads off without cutting them.  The good news came when the doctor, after looking at the x-rays, asked him how much more he thought he was going to grow............which clued my sister in to the fact that Jackson's growth plates are still open and he could grow 3-4 inches more!  

You may recall this photo which was taken for evidence that one of the grandkids had finally outgrown Grandpa Barber (note the stretching Grandpa is doing in this photo and Jackson is barely standing up straight).  So, while it was not a happy end to his football season, the "opportunity for growth" was good news.  He doesn't know it yet, but he did make all-district first team utility player, so he should be proud of his season.  He just needs to heal quickly now to get ready for basketball season.

Speaking of growing.........remember Willow watching her first football game and cheering for Jackson with me?

Well here she is playing with me while we listened to the football game Friday evening....

I can hardly remember that little puppy!  She is so smart.  She still loves playing with the kittens, and will follow me anywhere.  

We walked to the field one afternoon and took a combine ride.

She didn't appreciate the loud noises, but once she was in the combine, she liked the ride.  Of course, all that work made her very tired when she got home.........

You know the puppy is tired when she sleeps with the cat without chewing on it!

 

Growing is exhausting!

I received an early birthday present from my mom.  (My birthday is not until Dec. 18th, so you haven't missed it!)

My mom thought these puppies looked like Willow.  I'm afraid that by Christmas, she isn't going to look like a puppy anymore!  I treated myself to some fabric to go with the panel to make a nice Christmas wall hanging.  I have just the place for it since I gave away the one I had hanging there last Christmas!

I can't wait to get started on this!  Of course the snow we are getting today isn't helping any.  

Hopefully I will get another post done this week............THAT is the plan, but we'll see how it goes!

Christi

World's Longest Spring Break Ends!

 

I spent 5 days in St. Louis with Sarah as she is finally starting her new job.  Yes, it was the longest spring break ever............she came home for spring break in March and never went back to college due to Covid.  It's hard to believe that she was interviewing for this job a year ago.  We had made a couple of trips prior to this one to take care of the major furniture and things, so this time it was just her and I with 2 cars loaded down............and Dory, her cat.  Dory is settling in slowly.  I think she cried most of the way there.........she had enjoyed the long spring break with no travel.  She slowly explored the 4th floor apartment.  Her favorite spot is either on Sarah's bed, or in one of the low window sills gazing down on the street below.

We spent a lot of time with my nephew, Jacob, who is attending Concordia Seminary there.  We also made it into Trader Joe's!

We only purchased a couple of things.  Sarah tried some fresh pasta and I bought some brown Basmati rice to bring home.  This was only one of the 6 times I was in a grocery store while in St. Louis.  Sarah and I shopped at Walmart and Menards............yes, Menards.  It's a huge 2-story store with EVERYTHING!  This is where we did the majority of her shopping for groceries.  Then I was with Jacob and we stopped at a Schnucks to get some food for one of his friends who was in quarantine.  Then, Jacob wanted to cook supper in Sarah's apartment, so he and I went to the Schnucks close to Sarah's apartment to get what he wanted, and then Sarah thought chicken parmesan sounded good on Sunday and would make good leftovers, so she and I went to Schnucks AGAIN!

Sarah had gotten reservations for the zoo for Saturday morning for the 3 of us.  

The penguins were out and waving to us!

And my favorite was the polar bear.  He was enjoying playing with his snow.

Jacob and Sarah............ Sarah was leading us through the things she was most interested in, so of course, we saw lots of cats............Big ones!

Obviously, it was getting close to lunch time as this guy was licking his lips!  So we left, lest we become his dinner and headed to a pizza place Jacob said was good.  

Delicious!

Then, I finally convinced them to take me to a fabric store..........Jackman's Fabrics.  I told them it would have a large variety of fabrics.  Sarah was groaning inside, I'm sure, but since Jacob was driving, she had to go along.  Jacob had been talking to me about the robes and stuff he would need when he finishes his seminary and how expense they are, and maybe we (me) could make them.  He had taken me to the Catholic Supply Store to see some and they were very pricey.  Even the fabric and patterns were pricey.  I introduced him to pinterest and we had looked there and he explained the types of things he liked.  I learned new words like chasuble and I taught Jacob terminology like pieced vs. applique and paper or foundation piecing.  

Well, Jackman's was the Jackpot!  Sarah found backing fabric that she liked (finally!) for her BB-8 quilt, which we will go back for later as I didn't know how much we needed, and Jacob found liturgical fabric that he liked that was more reasonably priced.  He even got them to give him swatches that they attached to little cards for him.  

They had all sorts of machines, everything from embroidery to long arms.  We were looking at the long arms and a lady came over and turned one on for us to try.  Jacob was impressed with my long arm skill.  

And of course, there were amazing displays of quilts and fabrics!

I would have bought the pattern for the bat quilt, but they were out.  And Sarah hates spiders, so she put the kabash on my purchasing this pattern.  So, I left without any purchases.  But, we will return!

It was definitely nice to return home on Monday.  I think my pets missed me.  Cici showed her displeasure at my absence by terrorizing the rosemary plant on the counter.

She knew she was in trouble, so wasn't available for photos as she was skulking under my bed.

Willow looks so much older...... and the cats seemed to be glad I was back.

It's good to be home.  The hubster was probably too busy in the field to miss me, but I think he's glad I'm back too.

So, it's empty nest time again here!

Christi

Time Flies!

Welcome Willow!

 I just can't believe that it's almost October!  And, my last post was just after Labor Day.........where did the time go?  Well, a lot of time has been spent with Willow.  She is my new golden retriever puppy.  We got her just after Labor Day at 6 weeks old.  She is so cute and fluffy.  She loves the kittens and they are waiting for her to be let out of her pen every morning and tackle them in greeting.  Where did she learn to tackle so well?  Probably from watching Jackson's football games on the computer with me.

And now, a parade of Willow pictures.......

She is pretty well behaved for a puppy.  She did stop eating for a couple of days after her first round of shots and that scared me.  But a trip to the vet and a shot to settle her tummy helped.  Now she is eating us out of house and home.  She somehow managed to trick us into giving her breakfast twice this morning.  David fed her when he left to do chores, and then I fed her when I went out to play with her before church because her food dish was empty.  

The only one she really annoys is Kenzie, David's border collie.  Kenzie is very jealous.  Willow tries to be friends, but I'm not sure that's going to happen.  The inside cats, Cici and Dory, keep a wary eye on her too.  

She paid a visit the the Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum where I work this week.  

She enjoyed the DC 10 plane seats and seemed to have lots to say at the propeller shop.  

She doesn't mind getting wet, even if it's with soap in a bath!

Anyway, life is definitely exciting with Willow around!

Christi