The first of many...

Between chores, daily swimming lessons and obligatory meals, I have snuck in the time to start work on my very first patchwork quilt.  What an experience!  It's not very neat, to be sure.  I didn't measure very much while I was cutting.  I was in a hurry to finish cutting and start sewing.  (I don't have a lot of time during the day to focus without little hands and little questions taking over.)  A lot of leftover fabric needed to be used up, so it was the perfect project!  I just need to pick out a nice fabric for the backing and another for the binding.

More updates as this unfolds, but can I just say that I have fallen in love with quilting.  I love it.  I want to make quilts all day.  For now anyway.  (And if someone offered to do the measuring and cutting, well I'd be as happy as can be to sew all day!)  I have two other quilts planned out already and just waiting for a trip to Fabricland.  :)

My 6-year-old learned to whistle a couple weeks ago.  It is now rare NOT to find him whistling.  He whistles when he's breathing, when he wakes up from sleeping, while he's working, building lego, playing chess, walking...  It would be hilarious if it also didn't get slightly annoying!  I am trying to work on my annoyance threshold, so I tolerate it for the most part.  Whistling in church is a no-no, however, as well as during nap time.  There are times though where I can't hold it in and I have to ask him to stop.  He complies directly, but 30 seconds later, he's at it again.  Not because he's being defiant.  He is just that absentminded.  At least about whistling.  Oh well.  More opportunities for me, I suppose.

We snuck in time to make some raspberry jam this week.  We were picking peas and the raspberry patch was right beside us.  The kids and I were practically face-first in the bushes stuffing our mouths with those delicious berries!  I still have one more batch to do and then we'll work on some blueberry jam.  Lots of blueberries around.  Those are our three favourite kinds of jams.  The kids do love peach jam too mind you.  I'm just a little bit paranoid of preserving enough peaches first in jars before we look at any peaches for jam.  (In my books, sliced sunny peaches in the winter beat jam...)

Last weekend we went up to visit some family at their cottage near Lake Simcoe.  They are right on the lake.  Such a beautiful place, and lots of wonderful memories for the kids too.  How they loved being outdoors all day, swimming and playing and boating and being surrounded by love and attention.  God bless family.  We had a long drive on the way home and the kids were out cold in the backseat, leaving D and I a chance to talk peacefully together without interruptions.  Heaven.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend too...