Update.

My newest grandson is doing well.  Has developed a bit of jaundice, but they are taking care of it and am told that is is fairly normal for this to happen.

If I do this right, you can click HERE to see a YouTube video of little Micah.  If you watch it, please let me know if it works.

Years ago, a friend of mine would compete with me each month to see which us brought the most isolette quilts to the the guild meeting each month.  Just a friendly little challenge between two friends.  I miss her very much since she moved away.  At any rate, I haven't really quilted much in about 5 years or so.  I saw the isolette covers when I visited my new grandson in the NICU.  Not the ones we made of course, but the guild is still making them.  So, I decided that I could make one for him, a special one since I knew how.

I took it down to the hospital yesterday morning.  Very simple pattern, easy to make and quick to make.  The little isolette quilts are only 32 inches square so don't take a lot of fabric.  They are also a wonderful way to try new blocks and techniques out.  At any rate, I went a head and embroidered his name and birth date on the quilt.  

It probably doesn't mean a thing to anyone but me, but I know that I have prayed for good health for my grandson and that a little bit of me is right there with him.

I think also that maybe God is using this to bring me back to a calling, a passion, that I have been neglecting since my father died.  I get such joy out making various types of quilts to give away.  So many charities need them.  I have been told by many that I have a talent for quilting (crafting in general) and went through a bible study class to find that this is truly a gift from God.  I make things, I make them well, and am pretty quick with it as well.  I can crochet, but while most find it soothing, relaxing, for me it is nerve wracking. I love to sew, to embroiderer (both machine and hand) and now have some new goals for my crafting.

One, I want to make several isolette quilts each month and just take them straight up to the NICU that my little grandson is in.  I don't think I will be joining the back in the local quilt guild any time soon.  Too much little knit picky things go on there that leave a sour taste in my mouth.  I am very uncomfortable when attending.  However, I may try it again in the fall.

Two, I am going to jump back in to my church's quilt group this fall when they start back up.  I have a ton of Christmas fabric squares that I hope to make in to a quilt for the church to use as a door prize this year for the Christmas program they are reviving.

Three, I want to make some charity quilts to use up my scraps and stash.  Although, my stash isn't as big as it used to be since I was stupid and gave a bunch of it away, God seems to find ways of providing me what I need to make various projects.

Four, I need to do a lot of sewing of garments.  I have the patterns, the fabric, just need to do it.  That is a fall project as well since I am using the summer to clean and organize the house.

Speaking of God providing.  I have found many times, that I would get an idea for a quilt, be driven to make it, complete it, and not have any where for it to go.  I put it up and it never fails that somewhere down the line it is the perfect quilt for a person that could use it.  Here is an example.  A fellow church member gave me a big bag of fabric because she knew that I quilted.  The following month, a local quilt shop offered a quilt class that I was just really drawn to so I took it.  The class demo was a lovely quilt in mauve, greens, and cream colors a bit of a variation on the Ohio Star.  Reminded me of an English tea garden.  Well, for some odd reason, even though I like the demo fabrics, I decided to use a completely different color palette using the fabrics that the lady from church had given me.  They were bold primary colors, I used black to pull it together.  And, of course, the ladies that take the quilt classes on a regular basis and always make the quilt exactly like the demo, all thought I was crazy and let it be known that they did not care much for my quilt.  Not that I really cared what they thought, I finished up sewing the binding down and then just put the quilt away in my closet.  Almost a year later, my husband's boss had a daughter that was badly injured while serving in Iraq.  She came home to several operations and skin graphs.  After healing up, she came and talked to our church bible study group about reaching for the stars, keeping the faith to reach the stars. I pulled the quilt out and brought with me to the bible study and gave it to her telling her that she is our star for her service.  It was all her favorite colors.  Her dad told my hubby at work that the quilt is the first thing she packs when she goes back to any hospital stays.

In other words, God had a plan, I followed the plan, and the person the plan was for was blessed.  I was blessed by being able to do it for her.

Thanks for stopping by today, hope your day goes wonderfully.  I am off to start some laundry, pick up daughter J from summer class, then to a doctor consult for my droopy eyelids.

Missed Monday

Okay, had every intention to post my menu plan on Monday, for Menu Plan Monday over at Laura's blog that I follow called I'm an Organizing Junkie. It is a great site for dinner ideas and real motivator for keeping on track. All the inspiration with over 300 fellow bloggers that all post their MPM (Meal Plan Monday) menus for the week. I am constantly both amazed and surprised at the variety, you really should grab a glass of tea or cup of what ever and just sit and read through them. Every type of dish, from meat and hearty to vegetarian to light and everything in between. From all over the world too. I learned that a pie doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. LOL

This week's plan:

Mon - Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, beans
Tue - Chicken Rice Enchiladas, Frito Salad, cantaloupe
Wed - Baked Talapia, Salad, Dutch Green Beans
Thu - Crock pot Sloppy Joe, Tater Tots
Fri - Pizza
Sat - Sandwiches, Chips
Sun - Steak, Baked Potato, Salad

Although, Wednesday may change a little since it is expected to be 110 degrees here, and since my kitchen is west facing, not sure I want to do any baking tomorrow. But, that is the plan.

On a more positive note, tonight's dish was a huge hit. Didn't have a recipe, which happens around here a lot, but here it is.

It was so good, and you know how I tell if it is a hit? No left overs. And this particular main dish was very cheap.

I bought some rice mixes on sale, this one was a mix for Spanish rice and it was .75 and was prepared in the microwave. In to the rice I chopped up the last few pieces of some packaged fajita chicken strips costing about .50 which is pre-cooked. Flour tortillas that cost about .80 and about 2 cups of grated cheddar, divided for another 1.40 for the portion I used. There was also about .30 worth of red enchilada sauce and an avocado that was .25 sliced up. Here is what I did with all of that. I mixed the chicken and rice together. In the baking dish I layered the rice, just a thin layer to cover the bottom. Then, mixed in about half the cheese with the remaining rice mixture, spooned it in to a tortilla and added avocado slices, rolled up and placed a toothpick to hold it closed. Layered these on top of the rice. Poured a little bit of the enchilada sauce over the tops of the rolled flour tortillas. Layered the rest of the cheese all over the rolled tortillas. Placed slices of avocado on top of that, loosely covered with foil and popped in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, opened the foil and spooned sour cream on topped with sliced black olives, placed back in oven to just warm the sour cream. Total for the main dish was approximately $4.20. Add in about $2.00 more dollars for the salad and cantaloupe and dinner was a total of $6.20 and there is actually enough left over for my lunch tomorrow. Not bad, since I am having a little trouble adjusting my cooking to servings of 3. I cooked for so long making everything for 8 because when the boys were home they ate seconds on everything. Then, went down to cooking for 6, when oldest son left home and since I was working would just take left overs with me for lunch. Now, youngest son isn't home anymore so it is just the three of us and I am trying to eat healthy breakfast, light lunch, and then healthier family dinners so the goal is no left overs.

Speaking of eating, thinking of tables, and all these vintage garments running around my head pleading to be made up. I know, long run on fragment of a sentence there. At any rate, while I was going through boxes and bins of fabric and treasures that were packed away, I came across these and had to share.
I saved these from the estate sale we had when moving mom out here. They are just too precious. They are placemats, probably from late 30's or early to mid 40's, I estimate this because according to mom they were pre-married life. My parents married in 1946 not long after dad got home from the war. The flower is appliqued down with the bottom petal left free so the tip of the napkin can pull through to hold it in place. There are embroidered details on the leaves and vines as well. I just love the scalloped yellow edge which is hand stitched. I have eight of them. Mom believes in settings of eight for everything when it comes to the table. Always has.

Tomorrow is the kick off for the women's bible study at our church. Since no longer working, I am so looking forward to getting back to the group. And...big news here...for me anyway...I was asked to run for a position on the women's ministry board. The elections are in September, so will let you know how that turns out. I thought I wanted to try for one position, but after looking over the position descriptions, I am so happy that they needed me for the one they suggested and I really hope I get to be a part of this board.

Thanks for stopping in an visiting my little world today, feel free to leave a comment as it is always nice to know that someone read it.