Wow!

Not had a lot of time lately, over the past few months with so much going on. I started a new job at TouchMark in the Memory Care Unit on July 1st. I am really enjoying it. As you know I love to cook and experiment with some new dishes occasionally. well here I get to try them and I have 9 guinea pigs (the residents), and staff to try them on. So far so good.
I have made 2 ER trips, and have had  2 surgeries since March. I hate kidney stones!
Ashley had a good and safe summer of softball. Have one more tournament next month then we are done for about 6 months or so.
We sold the house, finally! Awaiting appraisal. But are looking finally to move up to Helena again. We have looked but could not do anything until the house was sold. Now to pack.... ughhh.
Erin has been over in ND with the Love of Her Life, Zach. Doing very well I might add. Things are finally clicking for that young Lady! She started teaching Biology this week to seniors. And is the Asst Coach for Cross Country & Track. Team turnout was very good this year too! Guess with a new coach, and all.
Rachel & Brandon are still living in Belgrade. There are snippets here and there about possibly starting a family.
I am still quilting and will suffer some withdrawal while we relocate. Going to be tough, but I can handle it.
Going to try to add some pics and other things after we move, when I have some more time.
I haven't hit on everything just catching up.

A long update: maybe, if all can be remembered....

Hi Ya'll! It has been such a long time since my last post I do not know where to begin. Excuse my jumping around in order to remember it all.
As most everyone knows I have been struggling with my weight for years. Well, for about the last year I have been finally losing some much needed weight. I changed my diet, started exercising a little more, and voila' . When I started this new phase, and you know what they say, Not gonna work unless you want it to... Well I was at my highest, 245lbs. I am proud to say that as of today I weighed in at 209.2 lbs!! And I slipped on a size 20 pair of jeans, no sucking in the belly either!! My next goal is to get under 200, and then 10 lbs till I am where I want to be. Not sure on that exact number yet but it will be a healthy weight for me no matter. I want to thank my husband, and my kids for their continued support.
Did I happen to mention prior that I was going through menopause? I am and it is terrible at times. Even though I generally only have flashes. Have the chills occasionally, but no mood swings.
I was in the ER in March due to a Diabetic seizure, so now I am on metformin again, and take my blood sugar several times a week.
I am still quilting, and am member of a local quilt guild in which I helped to start here in Boulder. Sometime this summer I will be giving a class on the importance of labeling your quilt.
Ashley is still at Universal Athletics but is looking to go elsewhere. They told him with his last raise that he was not to expect anymore. And this was his 1st one in 5 yrs!
He is also playing softball again this summer, and at 52 I believe he will be one of the oldest in the league. I know he is for the team, both Men's and Coed.
Erin has moved to Stanley, ND with Zach. She is working as a para- professional teaching at a high school. They are working with her to get her teaching certificate in Science. Zach is employed with a company that lays the cable for tv, I think. His family is from Stanley, and they are very happy. Will wedding bells be in the future? We hope so, but that is a decision that is up to Erin and Zach. He will be welcomed with open arms,
Rachel and Brandon are living in Belgrade MT. Talk of grandchildren has started. They have been married for over a year now, 2 in Sept. Rachel is still up at the Yellowstone Club as the Residential Houskeeping Manager.
I am still quilting , but we have dismantled the Peace Valley Quilts business. I just work from home and take in items. I am currently working on quilting quilts for my nieces & nephews. Hopefully I can get them done soon.
With my job at NorthWest Home Care where I am currently a CORE PCA we are looking to move to Helena, but are having difficulty selling our home. Hopefully soon.

Summer fun.

Received Mom from Rachel's on Sunday. She had arrived on Saturday from Florida. We get her every year, so that Butch and Cheryl can get a much needed break. Honestly, she should be in a home. She is forgetful, stubborn about steps, needs assistance getting her meals prepared. Yes she is able to do many things but doesn't concentrate on those- just the things she can't do. I was afraid last night when she mentioned what she takes as far as her meds are concerned. Thought she was double dosing. So I hid her bottles last night. She asked where they were this morning and I told her I put them away, and will make sure her tray is filled weekly. Now she is mad. So be it.
At this point can't wait till Sept is here....

Around the corner

The wedding is just around the corner. Things have settled down a bit so that I can finally get to work on my dress. My plans are to do that today.
I was contacted several weeks ago to make pies for the Yellowstone Club, where Rachel works, for an upcoming YC Camp weekend. Forty pies to be exact. So I enlisted Erin's help, she was going to do atleast 10, me the rest. Due to some obligations she had she was only going to get that many completed. It was alot of pressure but knew we could handle it. They wanted them for the 1st weekend in August. Well I made 14 of them when the "higher ups" decided to slim down the budget. So now I am waiting to hear if they will purchase what I have made. If not I will be selling them to others.
But alas when that fell through it has given me some extra time to work on my wedding dress. I also gained a quilt from Shirley to do, and a commissioned quilt for Kayla at the bank. Once everything goes back to normal I can get those 2 things done.
Also found out that Mom is coming in August for the wedding. Ofcourse she will be staying with us as the Butte Gang want to have nothing to do with her. We will never understand the childish selfish ways they are acting over the last several years. Not just towards Mom, but to the rest of the family. They have alienated everyone, including Erin and she is living in Butte and working for Allen! I am flabbergasted by the treatment. He did not even go to either Bonnie's or Annette's funeral. Mom is in her 90's now and I know she will always love her son-as she should- but she does not realize/recognize or admit how she is getting treated. That is due to her own health issues...dementia, alzheimer's, & back pain. Ofcourse when she passes they will gladly accept anything monetary she leaves them- such gratitude. Kudos go to Butch & Cheryl for what they have been doing for the past several years in caring for Mom. Ashley and I certainly appreciate it, and have told them that also.
Well I better get dressed so I can start sewing. Sewing Bee is this week also.

Half way through the year.....

Well only 2 more months till Rachel and Brandon get married. Time is flying by. She asked me again today if I would make some Shoo Fly pies for the reception. Ofcourse I said yes.

Rachel also asked then hired Erin and I would make 40 pies for the Yellowstone Club. A variety of them, Erin is making 20 of them, I am making the other 20. I have picked several from recipe books. We have to have them to the club by the first weekend of August. So I guess I'll be making pies in between making the dress for the wedding. Plus I received an order for some more ShooFly pies from Vicki at Rachel's work.

Also sent off the estimate to Kayla for the Commissioned quilt. Awaiting her reply. I hope I get it. It is a Crown Royal Quilt.

Also found out today that Rachel is having hip surgery in September, in Spokane.

Oh, and Erin gave us some cool news today. She will be modeling some running gear at the MT Folk Festival on the 10th. I am proud of that. It would be so neat if it was the start of something...

And last but not least found out MIL is planning on coming out in August prior to the wedding. Good thing I am going to be busy this summer.

The Vann's job is going well. I have actually already sold 3 acts/upgrades in the past 3 weeks which is what the store has done since they became a Rep in Jan. As soon as the word gets out I expect to be pretty busy.

The Boulder River Quilt Guild got started this past month also. I won't be doing joining any groups at this time, due to the business of the next few months.

Well I better be going, need to get up early in the morning.

Start Tomorrow!!

I start at Vann's tomorrow.This will be my first ever commission only job. Since it is Ashley and I at home it won't be so much pressure. I believe I will do very well, afterall Sales and Customer Service go hand in hand for me. Ash is always saying I can sell ice to an Eskimo so we will see.
We went to Coeur D' Alene this past weekend to support Erin in her Marathon. Unfortunately she did not finish but we are very proud of her for trying. She went to just before 19 miles. Her body from hips down were completely numb, she felt a pop in her ankle so she decided to not push it. And possibly injure herself more. Hopefully we talked her into doing half marathons for a while. We think she can do a full marathon, if the course is right. Macadum doesn't do well on her body.
That's about all for now.

Wow- Is it April already?

I must say I am tired of snow. Yesterday it took us over an hour to get to Helena. The roads were horrible, and that is putting it nicely. We had 6" when we woke up. But by 1pm most if not all was melted.Typical Montana Weather. Wish Spring would stay here with some beautiful weather.
Letterjackets have been slow in getting turned into me. I have joined 2 different swaps with the StashBuilders group. I am having fun. The most recent is a 9Patch that I signed up for, and it consists of 6 in a set, the other is a 4patch Happy. This is a set of 6 also. I signed up for 4 or more sets on the 9patch, and ended up with a 7 sets on the 4 patch. This will be interesting. I have done the online Sewing Bees with them before and they have been motivational in getting me to work on several projects. The group also does a FIUP (Finish It Up) Bee where you list 6 projects you want to complete in a timely manner. That was fun also.
I am going to help get a Quilt Guild started here in Boulder. I hope to get my business running also. That has bee a very slow process. Ashley and I have discussed moving back up to Helena so that could happen. We will see how that goes as I have to be able to find a fulltime/permanent position first.
Taxes are done, signed, sealed, and delivered. We did well.