The Test of Time

Once a month, our church hosts a gathering for Young Women/Mothers to socialize, study God's word and enjoy snacks. I've been helping out with the children during these times (seriously believing that I get the best end of the deal!); playing games and supervising outdoor play. I've been digging deep into the game closet at home for new(!) different and exciting ways to occupy their time and satisfy their curiosity. Yesterday was the day; there were just two boys, brothers, 5 and 7 years old. I had brought two vintage games with me which were both a rousing success! The youngest especially loved Booby-Trap. The many-times-repaired outer boxes indicate that these particular games were manufactured in 1965; almost 60 years ago!  In these current days where smart technology moves at breakneck speed in an attempt to make our lives easier and more efficient there's really something quite affirming and heart-warming about the fact that children can still be entertained by simple games.

In fact, on the playground, later in the morning, 

these brothers reveled in collecting acorns together; 

certainly another activity that's survived the test of time!

You can't help but smile at that.

Life is Good!

The Best Diversions

We've had some diversions from our normal routines this week, the best kind, an overnight visit from these two. Since they're currently being home schooled we were able to take an active part in that and even added some enrichment activities as well! 

At break time we played a rip-roaring game of Sequence and took a field trip to a local park for some exercise, fresh air and sunshine; the weather has been absolutely wonderful this week, cooler temps with lower humidity. Sometimes a brief redirection from the customary is just what the soul needs; I feel confident saying that we all had a good time during their visit!

In other news; our little buddy, Hannes, turned 18 last month! He's grown more feeble lately and his little back legs have been slipping on our hardwood floors as he navigates. It's so sad; and scary. We ordered these "grippy" socks and they really seem to help! As you can see, they work for him to safely walk around, and turn, with no sliding or slipping whatsoever. He leaves them on just fine, and doesn't seem to mind one bit.  Honestly, I think he's grateful. We cherish every day that we have with him. 

The Potato Chip quilt has made its way to the design wall, it will need another row and finish up at 64" X 80" when it's all together. I've been shifting and rotating blocks daily as I size it up. This is a fun and fast project!

The Kousa Dogwood is beginning to put on a show with it's fall "fruit". 

The colors are simply stunning as they ripen. 

Life is Good!

 

Do You Wordle?

This is my latest morning routine: as the water is boiling for a cup of tea I pull up Wordle on my phone and attempt to solve the puzzle of the day. It's a great way to sweep out the cobwebs of sleep and jumpstart my thinking for the day to come. The best part of this is the ability to share the results electronically, I play along with our daughter and oldest grandson. Once I've solved the puzzle I "share", via text, how many tries it took me to successfully guess the chosen five letter word; and they do the same. Wordle stores one's statistics, too; informing the player how long your latest streak has lasted and even breaks down how many games you've solved by what they call "guess distribution". I knew about this game and had resisted for a long time but our daughter talked me into joining her and Mason. It's fun to compare notes and commiserate over the exceptionally grueling words together. It's one game a day, so it's not a huge time commitment; and, the way I look at it, anything that helps to keep the ol' gray matter functioning is always a good thing! Do you Wordle?

Life is Good!

Quilt Camp, Day #2

Today's Quilt Camp session saw great great progress in the quilt block count! One of Lynnleigh's most frequently asked questions today was: "how many blocks do I have done now and how many more do I need?" She sewed up a storm and loved arranging her warm, freshly-pressed blocks on the design wall. 

I'm very proud of her can-do attitude! For the second day, we followed the same format as the day before; keeping the sewing sessions productive but not overtiring. There were plenty of other activities sprinkled in. 

The theme of her quilt is "camping". As you can see there are plenty of S'more related fabrics. 

Following that theme, "quilter's fuel" was at the ready in a "quilty" snack cup to keep her energized.

Lots of this...

Balanced with lots of this... puzzles, stories and games, not to mention lunch and dinner...

Led to this conclusion for Day #2. Fifteen (of twenty) blocks on the wall and one very happy camper!

Life is Good!

Beauty Shots, Life Here at Home and a Prayer Request

I've got a new spot for quilt beauty shots, the porch; it's perfect, I can set up the stand without dealing with wind, weather and other outdoor hazards. If you've ever tried to set up a quilt for outside photography you know that even the slightest breeze will turn your quilt into a giant sail!

The location is perfect but the time of day wasn't-- I'll need to be careful in the future to make sure the sun is directly overhead and not back-lighting the subject (but, I have to admit that the stained-glass effect with the sun coming in from behind is pretty!). 

This might be one of my very favorite scrappy quilts of all time. The porch was a beehive of activity over the weekend. 

Not only was it the site for meals but for another another Chinese Checkers challenge (with yet another grandson!)...

...but it was also a bedroom for the night! Ever since the porch construction began, Gregory has been begging for a chance to sleep out there! Saturday night was his first chance, he told us that the birds were his alarm clock! So sweet. 

We watched this movie together on Friday night, I was unaware of the Brandon Burlsworth story until seeing this; what an inspiring story! I can recommend it, just know that you'll need Kleenex nearby. 

Sweet Sixteen ~ completely finished at last, measuring 65" X 80". 

Adapting in an upside-down🙃 world: I got my hair cut; (that was cause for celebration!) my dear stylist had advised me to wait in my car when I arrived, I sent her a text and she texted back when it was okay to enter. She met me at the salon door to take my temperature before I was granted entry! Life goes on~ one step at a time; and it's good, it's all good. I've seen plenty of blog posts and social media entries commenting on the state of the world, political and racial unrest, so many that I cannot even count them. You're not going to find that here; I do truly believe that there is good in the world, love and grace exist in abundance and that we have a faithful and loving God who's in control. This blog will continue to chronicle what goes on here, from our little corner of the world, a day at a time; without judgement, bias or political opinion from me-- not now, not ever. Now, a personal favor from me: would you please remember my mother in prayer as she recovers, in the hospital, from pneumonia? Her name is Harriett. She's doing well, praise God, but this is such a difficult time to be hospitalized and to be separated from loved ones, especially from my Dad. Thank you! In the meantime... 

...I'm working on a sundress for Lynnleigh from some super-cute Riley Blake Girl Scout fabric that her Mom  had sent to me; I'm using this pattern. I have made this for her before, this year I've had to go up a size, to a 7-- she's growing (they all are-- much too quickly!).

 I've found a wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe! Here's the link, it's from Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table cookbook; it meets my desire for a cookie that doesn't spread too much while baking. It just so happens to be delicious, too; pass the milk! 

  "...so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless." Titus 3:7-9

Life is Good!

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Third In A Series

This past weekend was a repeat of our "one on one" grandchildren weekends, which, in actuality, should be called "one on two" as we've been hosting one child at a time with both grandparents! This past weekend it was Mason's turn. We picked him up on Friday afternoon in the Capital City and enjoyed every minute of his company. Now a fourth grader, Mason loves to read and play sports. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate for any outdoor activities but we made the most of being confined indoors. On Saturday, Mason surprised his cousins by attending Gregory's Pinewood Derby! Uncle Kyle even had a car for Mason to race after the Cub Scouts' competition concluded; Mason raced Lynnleigh in the "family fun run". Lynnleigh's little car turned out, surprisingly, to be super fast; but Mason ended up getting an even better prize at the end when Uncle Kyle let him keep the car!💗

Mason (lane 1) vs. Lynnleigh (lane 2) in the "Fun Run" race.

After the Pinewood Derby all the cousins were treated to the new Lego movie, they loved it. The rest of the weekend was spent playing games (perfecting those Cribbage skills), eating, church, and visiting; Mason is a smart and funny boy who's so much fun to spend time with, and we're not one bit biased! Before we knew it, the weekend had flown by and Mason was off, returning back home once again. 

Speaking of time flying-- another photo of Mason at another Chick Fil A 

(see now, in the photo collage above for comparison).

Wasn't this just the day before yesterday? Sigh.

Life is Good!

One On One... Again

Another weekend, another grandchild. This time it was the youngest; this newly-turned-six year old really keeps us on our toes! The activities included, but weren't limited to: homemade ice cream making with Paw Paw, practicing hand sewing skills with lacing cards, sewing skirts for her American Girl dolls, making a necklace hanging rack for her room and, of course, a tea party! The tea party table was set with a tea pot and cups from two of her great, great, grandmothers! In between all of those fun things lots of pictures were colored, crafts created, jokes told, stories read and memories made. 

We ate at Cracker Barrel on Friday night. She ordered a pancake and had a biscuit along with a side order of broccoli. Eating out with grandparents is a special time, she can order whatever she would like. We've already been broken in and worn down by picky eaters over the years, we weren't fazed.

Meet "Reese's Cup" and "Ice Cream"; these two "worm" creations kept her occupied for hours on end. Our "art box" filled with all sorts of odds and ends along with markers, scissors and glue is her treasure trove. 

All in all it was a great weekend that flew by much too quickly. She and I are already making plans for what we'll do "next time". 

Life is Good!

Whirlwind Weekend!

We had a wonderful, whirlwind of a weekend with our two youngest grandchildren. We celebrated Pawpaw's birthday in grand style with his favorite dessert: homemade apple pie. There was also some cookie decorating, a nap or two, box stacking/tower building*, creative arts, ice cream and many, many games of Otrio. This game is a new twist on Tic Tac Toe. Mr. Goodneedle and I were amazed at how quickly the children took to the game and marveled at their strategic skills; even at their ages they were quite adept at defensive moves. This is a great family game, check it out if you haven't heard of it.    

On Quiltkeemosabe's recommendation we all watched The Star on Sunday afternoon. This is a sweet movie of the first Christmas told from the animals' point of view. It is just precious, we all loved it. All too soon the weekend was over and our house grew quiet once again. And yet, reminders remain.

Last evening, after dinner, we were moving upstairs to settle down and watch TV in our converted attic space/entertainment area. It was then that I spotted this pinned to a quilt that hangs in the hallway outside the room. Gregory likes to announce what's playing in "the theaters"! Sigh. 

Yes, it's quiet around here today, New Year's Day.

I look forward to more whirlwind weekends and memory making in 2019! 

Wishing you peace, joy and fulfillment on this day and every day in the new year to come.

Life is Good!

* We have amassed an excessive amount of corrugated cardboard shipping boxes this year. I believe that I will invest in cardboard stock. This seems ridiculously wasteful to me. Mr. Goodneedle is looking at these as future fire-starters now that we have switched to a wood burning fireplace. I believe we have enough for a very long time!😉

Let The Games Begin

Yesterday was cleaning day at Chez Goodneedle. Do you have a dedicated day for scrubbing, vacuuming and dusting? I don't remember why or when Friday ever became that self-assigned day of the week for me, but it has been for as long as I can recall. I have a method and an order, I try not to let anything interfere. I don't love to clean house, but I do enjoy living in a clean and organized home more than the alternative, that's my deep-seated incentive. I discovered this three-minute toilet cleaning video a few months ago, it has been a game changer for me. Okay, so toilet-cleaning has to be one of the most dreaded household chores, but-- if you make a game of it, as I now do, it's accomplished thoroughly and rapidly. I set the stop-watch app on my I-pad and try to beat the clock; my toilet-cleaning time to beat now is two minutes, thirty-nine seconds. I can be competitive, even with myself! For the rest of the house I use a weekly task chart and revel in checking off the chores as I go. I also turn up the music as I work and dance while I dust. Give it a try, see for yourself, make your cleaning day as enjoyable as possible; but, above all, avoid distractions. Don't defer any jobs for the next day, you want to completely confine cleaning day to a single one or it will drag on forever; remember-- the objective is to get to all those activities you actually like to do. Friday is behind me now, (hallelujah!) a clean and organized home is the Saturday pay-off. What recurring task is it that you dread? Can you devise a way to make it more enjoyable, or, at least, tolerable? Grocery shopping is mine, and all that it represents: from the menu planning to the list making, from the actual shopping to the bag schlepping, unloading and putting away. So far I haven't devised a method for dancing through all of that! Ideas?

Life is Good!

On this, the twelfth day of November, I am grateful for my home.

 

Intervention Needed!

We love the annual electronic advent calendars from Jacquie Lawson, we share them as dowloads with the grandchildren and get one for ourselves too. This year the theme is Victorian Christmas, there are lots of activities (things to create and decorate) that build on each previous day, creating a more Christmassy Main Street to revisit as time goes by and Christmas day draws closer. There are fun diversions as well: puzzles, books and games. My daughter-in-law shared this photo; Gregory and Lynnleigh enjoy their calendar each night before bed, she says that they LOVE it this year. Well, there's a certain obsessive attraction for me too: the ornamant breaking game! Ornaments apper in a large grid, clicking on three of the same color ornaments that appear in a row breaks them, allowing different ones to drop down into play. As the levels progress the speed picks up and bonus points appear for accumulation by breaking "special" ornaments. This morning I could not make it from the desk chair and laptop until I reigned victorious over this silly merciless game. Dishes to wash? Cards to address? Gifts to wrap? Trees to decorate? Nothing on my "to do" list could break the temptation to play or sway my competitive nature to beat the computer! I was definitely rendered powerless and in need of an intervention. Thank goodness this screen suddenly popped up. Whew! Now, I can get on with my day; tomorrow might just be another story!

Life is Good!

Cooking Up Some Fun!

What's cooking? Despite what it looks like, this is NOT a colorful quilter's version of ravioli; no, it's a whole lot more fun than that! After stitching up game boards for classrooms and for gifts, over the years, I decided it was high time to have one to keep here at the house. This Tic-Tac-Toe game is for even the youngest of game players... no X's and O's to draw, just puffed-up little shapes to place on a quilted game board. Originally, I blogged about this when I made up an identical game for Mason, two years ago, you can read that story here.

This simple game board measures twelve inches square (the center portion is nine inches,
sectioned off into three inch squares) and the playing pieces are stuffed with poly-fil.
It's been placed into the toy basket in a designated low kitchen cabinet; where it waits
 to be discovered and will, hopefully, spur on lots of happy competition and hours of family fun.
Life is Good!