Riley Turns 7!

Yesterday was Riley's 7th birthday. Every year I try to think of something I can do with my grandkids when their birthday comes around. In the past I have taken the older 4 girls to "Girly Girls" to get their hair all done up like a Princess, with glitter and all. That was fun. This year I decided to take them to get a Pedicure. This only works for the older girls ......gonna have to think when Drew and Zack come around!

On Friday I took Riley to "Happy Feet" to get a Pedicure. We had a great time together. Everyone there knew it was her birthday....so they helped take some pictures. She had flowers and polka dots painted on her toes and fingers. She was pampered.

Perfect Toes

Saturday she had a big swim party at our house with all her friends. Julie had everything fixed so cute! Lots of fun food and Darling Favors! She went to a lot of work to make it especially fun for Riley. The weather was perfect (if you love HOT).....and the kids had a great time. Amy remarked that the party was a lot like the partys we had when we were young. Ryan (Max) in charge of all the fun games and Julie (Deb) in charge of the cutest "Party Look" Oh the memories! Julie fits right in with our family....she is the BEST!

Max was the designated "Lifeguard"

Party Attendees!

The cutest cupcakes

The Favors
"Thanks For Making My Birthday A Splash"

Just a few thing I love about Riley:

At the age of 7 she is remarkably grown-up.....I was telling Max yesterday that having a conversation with Riley is quite fun. It is like talking to a 13-year-old without the attitude!

She is very responsible....She will be a fabulous babysitter. She has the in-charge personality and a mom-attitude. Love it!

She is very sociable......she has lots of friends

She is very tender. She already cries at the movies!

She is the oldest grandchild and great- grandchild on my side of the family, which makes her the oldest Schaar cousin. A lot to live up to!

She is a FABULOUS swimmer and can read really well.

She takes really good care of her younger sisters.

She is very feminine....loves all the "Girly" things! Look out Ryan...he will have his hands full!

Riley is so sweet...I Love her Lots! Happy Birthday

Blue Ribbon Winner!

This afternoon I went to watch my granddaughter, Riley, compete in a synchronized swimming meet. She is taking some lessons for the summer with some of her friends. First of all, I was surprised that they even taught lessons for kids this young. Actually, there are a lot of kids that participate. Anything to do with water in the summer here is a good idea. It is fun to watch. It takes a lot of control and practice to perform the different moves in the water that they are judged on.

Riley did really well tonight. She came away with two first place ribbons. One for a swim race and the other for the highest score in her age group for her performance in the water. She is a really good swimmer! Way to go Riley!

Runaway to Flagstaff

A Fun Vacation With Friends

Okay......it's 113 degrees.....I'm hot......my husband and son are in Lake Powell.....what am I doing in Mesa in this kind of weather? I'm lucky that I have a friend with a cabin in Flagstaff! This was the perfect time to visit. With encouragement from my friend, Michelle, (who's husband and son were also gone vacationing) we packed our bags for a visit to see Valerie in Flagstaff.

Does anyone want this cabin?

Valerie had invited us up several times and we decided to take her up on her invitation. Michelle and I drove up on Thursday night with everything we needed to sew on in the cool weather. Do we ever think about anything else but quilts? After visiting Valerie....I want to think about buying a cabin!!!! Too bad I don't have the money! The Randalls have a beautiful cabin in Flagstaff at Pine Canyon. The perfect retreat in the mountains to relax and escape the heat.

Yep.....I finally finished!

We had a fabulous time enjoying the cooler weather and sewing on our quilts. It was just the three of us for a couple of days.......soooo relaxing! It was worth the trip! We stayed until Saturday afternoon. Valerie was so nice to let us come up and take advantage of her beautiful surroundings. Such a nice break from the heat and the daily routine!

Kevin Heads For EFY

Alex, Beau and Kevin

The long awaited week arrived. Kevin flew to EFY to spend some great time with his friends, Beau and Alex, and his cousin McCall. Last year, just by luck, they were at EFY the same week. They decided to do it again this year.

Cute Cousins!

Kevin flew up by himself and Shelley picked him up. I kind of dumped a load on Shelley this year. She was responsible for getting Kevin and his friends down to EFY and back! She was a ton of help and I'm sure Kevin and his friends loved it! McCall loved it a little bit too!

Kevin had a great, great, counselor which made all the difference in his experience at EFY. He had a great time with his friends.....away from his mother's influence! He roomed with Beau and Alex roomed with a boy he didn't know from California.

They enjoyed their classes, the dances and most of all their counselor who spent lots of time with them answering all kinds of questions. I guess he was pretty cool. I'm glad Kev had a good experience!

Flutter, Flutter, Flutterby

"Flutterby"

Another quilting trip has come to an end! I always have mixed emotions after one of these trips. First of all.....why am I the slowest at getting any project finished? I think I enjoy the process more than the finished product. I am now home with a quilt I still have to finish! Linda always comes out on top, meaning she has a finished quilt top. Mom, Kathy and I still have a few hours of sewing ahead of us. I am determined to finish! I can say I had such a great time visiting, eating (way too many M & M's) and sewing.

The Sewing Begins

The name of the quilt pattern we made was "Flutterby." Cute.....but way more involved than I first anticipated, or should I say more time-consuming. Making all those different diamonds got to be a little tedious! This was Mom's first time sitting down with us and actually making a quilt with us. I thought that was great! Finish up Mom!


While we were there we celebrated Kathy, Linda and my birthday. I am not often there to go to lunch with the fam, so it was extra fun. We all took a break from quilting and went to lunch at Market Street Grill. Everyone was there except Alice (we missed you Alice!). She was on a business trip in New York??? By the way it was freezing!!!! in June. I brought shorts! We had a great lunch....the prize goes to Shelley for ordering the huge onion rings! Thanks to everyone for the great birthday gifts!

Birthday Lunch at Market Street

Happy Birthday To Us!

How come Shelley is so skinny and can eat onion rings?

I have returned home sleepy.....sewing til midnight......a cramp in my right shoulder from using the rotary cutter.....irritated plantar fascitis from standing at my cutting board....a few more crow's feet around my eyes from squinting as I sew and carpal tunnel in my wrist from ironing all my diamond blocks. Are these quilting trips becoming a health hazard?????? I love 'em!!! Thanks Kathy for sewing on your birthday.....thanks Linda for all the great food and the house hospitality....thanks Cari and Shelley for coming to visit with me and thanks Mom for hanging in there with the quilt and the hotel accomodations. Until next time!

The Queen

Heading For "Quilt Heaven"

It's Sunday afternoon and it is absolutely quiet at my house (believe me....it is so nice!) Kevin headed up to Salt Lake today for EFY and Max is, of course, at meetings. I hate to admit it but I love a little piece and quiet and time for myself. This brings me to my next thought....what do I do with my spare time? Any of my children would know the answer to that question (I hope!) I love to piece quilt tops!

I always have 4 or 5 quilts going at the same time. It is the most relaxing, stress relieving, enjoyable, creative thing I can think of...in other words...I am obsessed with it. The more tedious the project the better. My family always teases me about my obsession and my stash of "fat quarters" If there is any spare space in my house......it is taken over by my fabric stash. If you are traveling with me you may open up your suitcase and find a few "fat quarters" along for the trip simply because I ran out of room in my own suitcase!

As my children were married I always made them a quilt for their wedding. This was always so much fun because I loved doing it. The new babies in my family are welcomed with a new little quilt. Of course, they don't know the time and thought that went into their little quilt, but I just enjoy taking the time to make them something that I love. I always put a little message on the back of my quilts that is personal to them and sign and date it. Hopefully my children and grandchildren will treasure them as much as I do. Okay....enough of that!

Zack's baby quilt

Sophie's baby quilt

I have the best group of friends that love quilts as much as I do. We have become close friends because we enjoy the whole quilt thing and everything that goes with it....namely buying fabric! We get together often and even travel to quilt shows on occasion. We always want to make everything each other is making. I am currently working on a quilt that my friend Marae talking me into making. The rule if that we cannot buy any fabric (except the background fabric) to complete the quilt. Of course, everybody is ahead of me and almost finished....I am always that last one done with any project! It gets kinda crazy and out of control, but it truely feeds my need for something over and above the household routine. Who would have thought?

The current "quilt project"

Now for the whole reason I am writing these few words.....I am headed for Utah to another "Quilt Heaven". At least once a year I get together with my some of my sisters and we make a quilt together. Meaning......we each make the same quilt pattern.....maybe different fabric. This is a riot!!!! Not all of my sisters sew and enjoy this quilt thing (I am pointing my finger mainly at Alice!) Alice is the business whiz.....she rolls her eyes at the thought of petting fabric! Where did she come from? Anyway....I am so looking forward to this little trip......laughing, eating and staying up way too late. What's not to love? Stay tuned for a report on my trip to
"Quilt Heaven"

Ohhhhh How Cute!!

The Artists....Riley and Maddie

Last Saturday afternoon Riley and Maddie came over to visit and go swimming. I noticed that Riley was carrying around a little plastic bag with colored art paper in it. She sat down at my outdoor table and said, "Nana do you want to buy some of our pictures that Maddie and me made? They cost 25 cents a piece....(that made me smile) and you can choose which ones you want!" Riley laid them all out on the table. Of course I am going to buy some of them! They spent a lot of time on them. Riley explained to me which ones she made and which ones Maddie made. She was very business-like. It was a tough decision......Ohhhh is was so cute!

"My Purchased Artwork"

While my little grandkids were swimming Lucy became a member of "The Goggle Girls Club"
She needed some de-fogging solution! She also undoubtedly established the record for the most jumps off the diving board in one visit to the swimming pool. She probably made 20 jumps off the diving board. One right after the other! Ryan had to tread water for a loooong time! He was the emergency rescue person in case Lucy didn't pop up to the top of the water after jumping!

Riley and Lucy....Goggle Girls