Wow, it's Friday Again ...

WAW! After the last couple of weeks I really didn't think I could pack more in.

This week was off to a running start and never really let up.

It was busy, busy, busy ... so ... I'm afraid there aren't too many pictures.
But the list ... the list tells the story. Happy Reading!

1. finished painting the kitchen
2. vacuumed and mopped 
3. then cut out, baked and decorated cookies with two sweet little girls
4. cleaned the kitchen again!
5. made salad rolls (twice in one day!) and again today, they were declared delicious ... even if they weren't very pretty ... and I've found the perfect spicy peanut sauce combination, mmmmm.
6. sat in the sun, got nice and brown while chatting with a friend and stitching away
7. prepped four Oma Lena blocks to take to the hospital with me on Monday
8. had two friends over for another day of stitching ... lots of laughter of course
9. finalized the design for the last two blocks of Nesting
10. went to the market again for more strawberries for more jam ... last batch turned out pretty good so here's to another try.
11. also went crazy at Ikea ... more storage for my office, kitchen towels, bathroom cupboard and kitchen doors - all very necessary things
12. narrowly avoided what could have been a very bad accident - phew, my heart still clops every time I think about it. definitely the emergency stop they train you for!
13. had another friend over for coffee, then went an sewed the afternoon with her at yet another friends house
14. may have ruined my favorite pan for making sauce ... not sure if I should tattle ... suffice to say it is glued / melted to a rubber surface after being taken outside to cool (because I had burnt a pan of onions)
15. slept soundly another 6 out of 7 nights ... in spite of some very warm nights.
16. felt like i needed a better profile pic so made an attempt at a self portrait .. not too bad but there are definitely room for improvements.

And yes, you counted right, I spent 3 out of 5 days sewing with friends!! It took up a chunk of time but was entirely worth it and I got a lot of stitching, drawing, laughing and bitching done. And yes, my head is rather tired from speaking so much Nederlands ... but I'm coping there too. I am a lucky, luck girl to have so many wonderful friends

Most significantly ... I made it to the end of the pregnancy. Yesterday was the last day of the 40 weeks. It's been a tough ride getting here. But I made it. We made it. The best moments of my entire week has been in creating and stitching the little squares you see above. In all 25 very special memories, wishes and dreams for Saskia and Arne. I can hardly wait for it to be done, but I won't rush it. It's too special.

You can read more about it here.

Our two week July vacation officially began at 5pm tonight. 

Axel doesn't have to work for 16 days! and we plan on enjoying it. 

I'll do my best to pop in and say HI, 

but I'm not going to sweat it if I don't ... I hope you won't either. 

We've got some great plans for our 2nd annual Staycation!! 

And regardless of during or after the fact, 

I'll be back to share the highlights with you.

Oh, and don't freak out about the hospital thing .. it's for sinus surgery. 

Hopefully just a day there. Maybe overnight.

Prayers are welcome but don't worry.
I'm looking forward to this sinus issue being solved.


And don't forget you can join in on, just post write a blog post containing your WAW list. 
Then come back and leave a link in the comment section.
You know I won't be able to stay away from my computer during our vacation so I promise to stop by and be wowed by all the things that you get done in your week ... you know ... the ones that get overlooked, the important things that keeping us from stitching every minute of the day ...

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Plus One, Minus One

... that's what I'd have to tally this week 

if I was keeping count of "on-going" quilt projects.

Starting a new project wasn't exactly intentional, 

but it was absolutely the right thing to do this week. 

Tomorrow is (was?) Saskia & Arne's official 40-week (gestational) due date ... 

I've been watching it slowly approach on the calendar. 

After tomorrow different kind of counting starts ...

I've used some of my nervous energy to create a special piece to honor Saskia & Arne. 

Each square represents something that relates to them. Our wishes, dreams and intentions all stitched up in a little 7-1/2" square sampler. Each square (including the t-shirt above) is 1-1/2" square.

You can read more about this project here and see detailed pictures of each square here. Be sure to visit Amy Power's blog Inspire Co. and check out her Happy Go Lucky Stitchalong.

On the finishing side of the column, I put the last stitches into 

the binding of this quilt last Friday and threw another party! 

More pictures and all the details are here.

 

I'd like to say that Axel's second sock is done .. but it's still waiting for me to turn the heel (again) ...

But TODAY, I drew the last and final block pattern for Nesting!

Now it's time to sit at the computer, scan, edit, write, re-edit and finalize all the patterns. 

This finished quilt design has been a long time in coming but I sure am loving the results.

This week is crazy busy. 

There is at least one major thing on my calendar every single day. 

I'm really not sure why it turned out to be this week. 

But maybe it's for the best 

... one thing is for sure ... 

it will mean for a whopper of a WAW list ... I hope you'll stop back by.

Be sure to stop by Freshly Pieced and see what every one else has been up to ...

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Monday Morning

I am really not sure where the weekend went. But it was perfect ... we worked, we relaxed, we played. The perfect combo, right? Our garden is shaping up and hopefully I can show so major improvements over this soon.

Axel put the last coat of paint on the kitchen ceiling so I'm headed in there to do a deep clean and put things back. Soon .. the lamp, we are actually going to hang a very cool lamp.

Yesterday, I played. I really didn't mean to spend the whole day doing it but it was rather therapeutic. A couple of years ago I saw this and fell in love with it, but I knew I couldn't justify another project. Then I saw more of them and they kept haunting me.

In March, I read that Amy was going to teach a class on-line - for just $10 (introductory price). I was curious about the whole on-line class thing. It's something I would love to try doing. I thought what the heck ... do it!

Use it as an opportunity to honor Saskia & Arne. Of course in early March, I couldn't quite see all the Happy things. It's much easier now, it is all I see. I miss them terribly but they have given me so much. I can only be grateful ... I keep saying over and over "we are better people for having known them."

My heart and soul is going into the stitchery.

I am working on it in my quiet time. 

After my work is done when I can sit and relax. 

And reflect.

It is all about them. It is all for them.

It makes me smile!

It makes me happy!

You can see close ups of each of the squares in my flickr stream.

I hope you have a lovely week.
Mine is just starting.
I have quite a list.

But I am ready.

Be sure to check back on Friday to see what I've gotten done.

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