New School

Recently we had an opprotunity to put Brandon and Nathan's name down for a new Charter school that was opening near us. There was some room, so we were accepted. Travis and I thought about it and decided to pull both of them from Public schools and move them to the charter school.

They started last Wednesday and so far are doing WONDERFUL! They have a large variety of classes from drama to learning ASL! They both are known already by all of the teachers and have made some friends.

There are of course some things we still need to work on, but I think this atmosphere is the best we can provide for the boys as of now. So if you are curious what school it is, it's Quail Run Primary School. 

I was able to take some pictures of the boys with my broken camera.....

They were really excited about the day. They get to wear uniforms which is a PLUS for us since we have been fighting the boys on what is appropriate and what isn't for school. 

Family History Monday

Longan berry 

What stories have come down to you about your parents? Grandparents? More distant ancestors?
I don't really remember any particular story about my parents, but I do love it when my Dad tells me stories about his family. Growing up I knew his Mom and Dad, an Uncle and Sister, and of that....that is all I know of the Longans. So I guess since I don't know many of the extended family, I would love to hear my dad tell us what he was told growing up and just about my distant ancestors. From everything that I have heard, my family seems to be a good one! 

Is there a naming tradition in your family, such as always giving the firstborn son the name of his paternal grandfather?
There isn't a particular naming tradition, but we do try to name the child after someone with their middle names, try meaning that all of my siblings were named after someone with their middle names but I wasn't. I guess there was nothing that went with Crystal. But I know that we have done that with our children. 

What do you know about your family surname?
I know that my family is generally from Ireland, or in that area. So that is where I assumed the name came from, but after googling Longan....it turns out that it is a fruit! It is a berry that is grown in Asia. Also Longan isn't a very popular name and so if there are Longans out there, chances are I am related to them.

Happenings.....

I want to say not much has been going on, but unfortunately that is NOT the case. My camera was broken in the mine cave that Travis goes to, so I haven't taken very many pictures. Also I just don't think I have gotten much done.

My Mom (thanks again) got me a new camera so I can finish my Moda projects (they are very important to me) and I have that now so hopefully I can get some picture taken and have more "interesting" things to post.

I need some help from my fellow bloggers.....more in particular....those that have an esty store or a store in general that they sell things.

I am looking for advice. I was thinking of creating one (to help support our income, since Travis still doesn't have a full time job) and I am just not 100% sure what is out there in the market, and what is popular right now and pricing. I have a list of a few things that I want to make. It will all be homemade things, I don't have the capital to start a fabric store of any kind, although I would love to in the future. So any advice in this category would be wonderful!!!! Also any suggestions in pricing :D

Featured Blogger

I cruise TONS of different blogs to see what others are working on, get creative inspiration, and just relax and enjoy the beautiful art work that is shown! So I entered the Quilter's Blog Festival this spring, and now I am featured!! I have already seen such amazing comments that are making me blush!! (I have very fair skin, so I am bright red now!) 

Amy over at Amy's Creative Side (amazing quilter) hosts 2 Quilter's Blog Festivals a year and I just applaud her for it! She also did a quilt along not too long ago (I joined and am still working on it) that was GREAT on learning the basics and getting down different block styles! 

So if you have free time, go check it out! I know that she has spent a lot of time on her blog, trying to make it easier to browse and read, so go explore and learn some awesome new things about quilting!! 

Thanks Amy again! You rock! 

Flashback Friday

I went through back my pictures and this what was happening in 2006....

I was very pregnant with Kimball....

And my little ones liked to show their tummy's!

They are just so tiny!

I think they were showing their tummies because Mommy was....well just documenting my pregnancy! But looking back they just look so young! 

What do you see?

Kimball got a hold of my camera the other day, and I though this pictures were kinda funny. Mostly blurry but some were good. When I did catch him, he still wanted to take a pictures, and since I was thinking that he just got it, I let him take a picture of me. He did pretty good.

Do you think he likes his drink cups??

Such a cute boy...and well can't you see where he gets it from?? 

Quilting Bee Blocks

I am shamelessly behind on my Quilting bees! This is my month for one of them and I just barely got the material out! So Saturday I spent some time and worked on a few. I did get August and September Live, Laugh, Sew bee blocks done.

Here is Kelly's blocks. She wanted a focus piece and then a confetti style around it. I really like it. I think I might do something like this for one of my i spy quilts that I am going to make. I think it will give more of a i spy feel to the quilt. 

Then I worked on Sarah's blocks. 

She sent batisk and wanted a traditional "L" long cabin. But she wanted the lines to be wonky. I felt more comfortable making it because I have already made similar blocks to this. 

I have mailed out the blocks and hopefully these ladies like their blocks! I know I do!! 

Adventure

My Husband had a fun "boys" night last week. His friend Jared invited him to go exploring in a closed down mine. Jared had gone before and knew the area and was going again so invited Travis. Travis drug his little brother with him, and the three had a blast! I made Trav promise to take pictures and then I threatened Jared that if he didn't remind Trav to take pictures I wouldn't let Trav go out again! Jared lived up to his word, and whenever he goes again Trav is more than able to go with him! (Like I could make my hubby stay home!!)

This is Trav and his brother John, in the entrance of the mine

Here is Jared and Trav (some would say that they look like brothers...Jared had a bald head too!)

Trav loved the how when he went into the mine, it felt like he went back into time. Everything just looked old was all. This is some sort of water something. Not sure, but he liked it. 

It was huge, so they had Jared stand next to it, Jared is 6'2"

There was a lot of mold everywhere. Trav said it looked like someone had a big shaving cream fight, and the mold felt like shaving cream too. If it wasn't for the fact that they place is locked up, I would say that they did. 

They found an old mine cart upside down and posed by it for me (I love how John smiled so pretty for me!)

John was taking one of Trav now, but was complaining that it wasn't turning out. Jared leaned over and told him it was because his thumb was over the flash

There we go!

While Jared was chipping away at the rock to get a few pieces, Trav found this latter. It would go up to a landing and there would be another latter. It went all the way up to the top

Here is some of the track, they built it up to make it even, just a few feet off the ground

Here was some of the braces that held the tunnels. Trav said that there was over 21 miles of tunnel. They only closed down the mine because it stopped producing was all. 

As they were climbing back out of the mine, they took a break and started chipping at rock....

They found some pretty pyrite with iron. Trav did bring home some nice pieces. 

Going down into the mine they went down to well over 1000 feet, but it was at a 45 degree angle. So going down they slid a lot and going up they took a lot of breaks! Here is John and Trav at 950 feet under. 

Once Trav got home, he was so dirty! He took off his cloths and we had to get a picture of how bad he got. Unfortunately the picture doesn't show justice to just how dirty he was! 

All in all he had a great time and would love to go back again! John too! I told him that Jared needs to take him a kid friendly cave/mine so that me and the boys could come. I would go to the caves but I think I would be too paranoid half the time, but we will see. Maybe I can rope someone into watching my kiddos while Trav and I go! 

Another Giveaway

I love giveaways and after winning a few, I think if you have the time, why not! I mean who DOESN'T like FREE things??

So Karen over at Badlands Quilts is having a giveaway to celebrate some milestones :D Congrats! :D

Reasons why you should enter:
1) You could win
2) Karen is so sweet and nice! She found the quilt I was wanting AND she looked for me! I mean how sweet is that???
3) You could win
4) Karen's blog is very cool. She has some awesome quilts and she has interesting posts!
5) You could win!!!!

So head on over!!! Oh you could win this.....

(One of these)

Friday Night sew In

Okay so  I am WAY WAY behind on my blogs!! I try to once a week catch up on my posts and keep mine up to date for my family members who read it. So today I decided to catch up and what did I see?? Friday Night Sew In is this weekend!!! YEAH!! A night where I can give a great excuse to do nothing but sew!! I AM SURE I CAN FIND SOMETHING! Now just what am I going to sew??? hmmm.....a wip or a something new??? AHH decisions, decisions!

Circles

I love circles...When I saw this quilt, I SOOO want to make it! I went and bought the magazine so that I could make it. Jaybirds Quilts designed this quilt and it is just fabulous!

Right now she is having a giveaway on her blog for a kit to make this!!! 

Isn't it beautiful?? AHHHHH 

So head on over and check it out! Enter to win and hey if you win you can give it to me!!! Okay, maybe not....but you can make a very very pretty quilt!! 

Outside Concert

Last week my friend Annie got tickets to a Beetles concert. It was for a charity cause and was done by some who "look" like the Beetles. It was outside in a concert area.

 It turned out to be a good concert with some good music. We did end up leaving at the intermission but that was because we had school the next morning and it was past bed time (7pm)

It took place on a big hill. We had brought chairs and blankets, but just ended up on the blankets

Here are some more kids in our group, my friends Crystal and Laurens kids

Lucie, Annie's daughter. She was showing me her new smile!

Here is Adam and Annie. I had to get Adam to smile better and sit closer to his wife, but in the end he realized that you always listen to the person with the camera!

Nathan at the beginning wasn't very happy. It was a very long day and then being in a new area with a lot of people was just pushing him too much.....

But in the end he was happy. I am not sure if it was because we let him run up and down the hills or because we promised some ice cream

Brandon had fun too (I promise that this is a smile!)

Had to get a picture of Mommy and Kimball!

Annie from the beginning took Crystal's baby Hailey. So cute!!

Here is Lilly, Lauren's daughter. She was cute to watch during it

Tackling Mommy

And then Tackling Daddy. 

We let the kids run on the big hill, well when the concert started Brandon and Nathan came back and sat down, leaving poor Kimball. He couldn't find us again! So Daddy went and rescued him.

The boys wanted to keep running so Daddy stayed the rest of the time over on the other side of the concert on the hill and watched the boys for me so I could socialize more

Here is Kayla and Aubrie, cousins and best friends

During the concert it got a little cold. So I took a blanket and put it over me, Kimball who was only in a sleeveless shirt and shorts came and would hide under the blanket with me. I thought it was really cute.

He did have fun running back between Mommy and Daddy. The people between us soon got used to him running over their stuff

Crystal was the big entertainment, playing and dancing with her kids. Here she is with Logan. What a good Mommy! 

We had a great time and then enjoyed a nice ice cream cone afterwards (in our warm car).