.what’s been happening.

This last week has been a full one. Starting with last Thursday, I met my good friends Jessica & Amy for dinner at PF Changs and a trip to DQ afterwards for dessert. We had so much fun laughing and catching up; it was just what I’d needed.

On Friday, my Mom & I helped Melissa with her yard sale to raise money for her mission trip to Jamaica. After a minor mishap (thinking Coco had run away or worse, jumped in the car of one of the first customers – luckily, she was found in my Mom’s car!), we had a busy day and sold a lot of junk….I mean, treasures. Like this priceless treasure – look what my Mom tried to sell!

She is stuck with those hot girls for-ev-er. :)

Mom & I left for Priest Lake on Saturday morning. We stopped in Ritzville on our way to visit with my Aunt Kim’s mom Freda. We wanted to see her before she moved to Vancouver, WA to a memory care facility. We had a wonderful visit with her – she had us cracking up!

We enjoyed a few days at the Lake with overcast & cloudy weather. We sat outside for a little bit each day, but mostly stayed inside. I finished 2 out of the 3 quilt projects I took, read a book, and did some Wordoku. Mom beaded up a storm. We napped, visited with friends, and watched movies. Melissa came on Monday for the evening and we all went to Cavanaugh Bay to meet Dave & Karen Baumann for dinner. I just love Cavanaugh Bay and getting to spend time with Baumann’s always makes it better!

I took this quilt to finish binding…I’ve been packing it around with me for a month and I was determined to get it done! I did it! YAY!!

This is probably the most beautiful background I’ve ever used!

Hey Samson! :) This quilt was made using the Pinwheel Quilt-a-long that Rachel Griffith hosted last year. I pieced it using Ginger Blossoms fabric, had it quilted at the Quilter’s Corner in Spokane. The back is flannel and so cozy.

 

We came home yesterday just in time for me to go to dinner with Kate & Candace. We went to the Tagaris Winery in Richland. I told Candace I had been wishing for a place just like that in the Tri-Cities. A relaxed place where you could go with friends and not be pushed to hurry up. It’s beautiful there! We had a fun girls night out before Chris & Candace move to Kelso. Maybe we can squeeze one more in?!

Since dinner with Jess & Amy last week, I’ve had cameras on my mind. Jessica just got a new Canon Rebel XS DSLR. I’ve been wanting one, but putting it off because I didn’t know what to get, or even where to start. After that night, I started doing some research, starting with asking my Facebook friends (they always come through for me!). I talked to Karen about it at dinner the other night and finally took the plunge this morning.

This new friend will be delivered on Friday!

 

It’s a Canon Rebel T1i. I hope I picked right. It’s so nerve-wracking!!
I can’t wait to get it and play with it at Priest Lake!

Before we go back to Priest Lake on Saturday, I’m packing in dinner with friends, JURY DUTY (I got excused, thank goodness!), a vet appointment, a root canal, a hair appointment, a date with Kamryn, an appointment for Samson to get his teeth cleaned and dew claws removed, and sending Melissa off to Jamaica. Whew! I”ll be glad to get back to the Lake and relax!

.cheer camp.

The girls made great progress today and completed their cheer/dance/stunt combo for the 1st Day of School and Eagles Nest BBQ. I think it’s going to be great!

They worked so hard today to get everything counted out just right. I’m so proud of them – especially when they work hard!

Here’s a shot of Chandra, our UCA instructor leading the girls in the dance.

 

We were so glad to get to be in the New Gym this year – not as hot as the Student Center!!

The girls got some sweet stunts down, including this arabesque with Kirston flying.

 

They also got a basket toss, extension lib, heel stretch, full down, somersault cradle reload to an extension and more. (Those are for you, Jess!)

This is the end stunt in the 1st day of school routine. Look at those freshman girls in the limelight!

Madison, Kirston, & Chelsea

 

I’m glad cheer camp is over (now my summer can really start!) – even more glad that they learned a lot and had fun too. I’m looking forward to football season starting in August!

.kamryn.

Kamryn got to come play this evening! She is busy but so much fun! We chased Samson through the grass, walked to the garbage can, had a tea party, danced, played pat-a-cake, and had dinner. My mom was feeding her yogurt (more like shoveling it in!) and Kamryn was hamming it up. I couldn’t resist taking pictures of this cutie pie!

 

 

 

 

 

. first day of summer! .

Today is the first day of summer and boy did it feel like it here! The temperature supposedly got to about 86 degrees. It felt like summer!

We have cheer camp going on around here, Monday through Wednesday this week. It’s always fun to see the girls bond as squads, the older girls mentoring the younger girls, and everyone having a fun time. They have learned 3 new dances, 3 new cheers, and some new stunts too! They’re already pretty excited to show off their new tricks in the fall!

I just love Sommer’s expression in this picture! That is pure joy and a feeling of accomplishment!! They had just stuck a complicated stunt!

Here’s our 2011-2012 CHS Cheer Squad. They are rock stars!

  

In other exciting news today, my 2nd cousin & his wife welcomed their new baby girl to their family! So far in that generation of Heiders it’s all girls (Frances, Louise, & now Alaina)! Congratulations Jason & Andee! I can’t wait to meet Alaina Hauoli!

.lillianne rose.

My friend Jennifer, whom I met through work, had her baby girl yesterday!

Meet Lillianne Rose Dorsett

.

8 lbs, .5 oz
20 inches long
6/20/11, 2:55pm

I worked this weekend on completing Lillianne’s gift this weekend – just in time for her arrival!
I made this receiving blanket with her initial in the corner. It’s made from cotton so it won’t be too hot this summer. It’s my first time sewing rounded edges and they didn’t turn out too bad!

 

 

I love the back!! It’s so summery and cheery! If Lillianne is anything like her Momma, it will fit her personality perfectly!

      

Pattern: Coming Soon by Thimble Blossoms
Fabric: Gypsy by Michael Miller

I also made this little zippered pouch to in coordinating fabrics to go with it. Maybe it could hold binkys or something like that!

 

I found this pattern on Pinterest for a gathered clutch wallet. It changed it a little to fit what I had in mind. Pattern here: http://www.noodle-head.com/2010/04/gathered-clutch-tutorial.html

Congratulations Jen, Dave, & big brother Riley! I can’t wait to meet Lillianne!

.first weekend of summer break.

I got to come home about 1pm on Friday after crossing all my items off my to-do list! It feels great!  I have a long list of quilt projects I want to complete this summer – (what’s new?!) – so after catching up on some DVR, I got to work in the craft room. By the time I went to bed that night, I had my first quilt top of the summer completed!

It’s a baby quilt for a little girl…
(Pattern: Coming Soon by Thimble Blossoms. Fabric: Coquette by Michael Miller.)

I worked some more in the craft room yesterday morning before my Mom & I went to the Tri-Cities. Just did some Father’s Day shopping, a stop at JoAnn’s & Target, pedicures, and Starbucks, of course!

When I was at Clark’s a few weeks ago with Nick & Kate, Candace showed us that she’d been published in a magazine! I found it on the rack at Target yesterday and had to take a picture. That is so cool!

 

Way to go Candace! :)

Today, we’re celebrating Father’s Day with a late lunch in the Tri-Cities. Who knows what else. I’m sure what my Dad would love more than anything is a good long uninterrupted nap. :)

Cheer camp starts tomorrow and I’m pumped! I love to see our squads come together at camp and get excited for their season. I see lots of stunting in our future!! 

.office party.

We had an end of the year office party tonight at Hunter’s Pond in Eltopia. Not only was it our end of the year party, it was also Chris’ going away party. I’m still trying to not think about Clark’s moving and I’m especially trying to not think about not getting work with Chris anymore, so I’m not going to say any goodbyes yet.

Hunter’s Pond is a fun place to hang out. I’m not a real outdoorsy, rustic kind of gal, but Hunter’s Pond is pretty fun.

The boys did some fishing off the dock…

 

While others just watched and shot the breeze…

 

The kids took the boat out. It took a few tries before they got going in the right direction!

 

 

Chris said a few words…still trying not to think about it!

 

We sat around the campfire and teased the Peterson’s about their 4 week long cross country RV trip they’re leaving on in two weeks. :) It’s a hot topic right now!

 

And finally, we had the 1st annual ceremonial STAT card burning. haha

We all in the office have a love hate relationship with these green cards – and the main office gals even more than me!

 

I texted Kate & Ali to let them know it’d been done (they were the biggest players in the STAT card organization this year). Ali said, “Ahh I love this!! LOL I did just feel an unexplainable rush of peace not too long ago! ;) haha they sure do make a wonderful fire!”

 

Kate’s response: “Noooo! And I wasn’t there!!! :( I’ve been dreaming of that day since September!” I responded, “I know! It just didn’t seem right without you guys!”

Kate: “Well I’m glad it was done, but I hope it was done properly and thoroughly. Well over 100 hours of my life was spent sorting and counting those very cards in a most particular fashion. Anything less than the best just wouldn’t be appropriate.”

So long STAT cards.

No goodbyes yet, Clark. :)

.goodbye Connell Elementary.

On June 10th, the building that has been home to Connell Elementary for the past 60+ years said goodbye to the elementary kids for the last time. The new Connell Elementary is set to open it’s doors in August.

My Mom went around the school taking pictures of it after everything was packed up. This is the building where she went to elementary school as did Melissa & I (and Mark, Doug, Karlye, & Amber).

This was Mom’s corner of Portable 3 where she taught her reading groups.

More shots of Portable 3…

This was the kindergarten classroom. I was in Mrs. Coghill’s Kindergarten class in this room!

 

This was Melissa’s classroom. When I was in school, it was Mr. Winkle’s classroom.

 

I think this was most recently Robin Smith’s classroom. I was in Mrs. Daggett’s 2nd grade class in this room. My Mom was in Miss McKinney’s 1st grade class in this room.

My Mom said she took this picture because she lost a lot of teeth in this sink!

 

I’ve never seen the hallway this empty!

    

Wondered where all the STUFF goes before it can be moved into the new elementary?

That is a lot of stuff!

  

At this point, the teachers are supposed to be able to move in to their new classrooms beginning on August 15th. The jr high will be moving into the former CE for the 2011-2012 school year while the jr high is completely remodeled. Lots of exciting things happening around the North Franklin School District!