Nick and Sophie

Gene and I fly up to Portland on Wednesday to stay with Nick and Sophie for a few days while John has a well deserved break off golfing with college friends. We have some fun things planned and there will be LOTS of time for hugs!

 Last weekend John took them up to Mt. Hood.....They both had lessons for beginning skiers and it looks like they had a wonderful time!

Have a great week....Jo Ann

A special quilt

Last October when I "retired" from The Country Loft my friends there presented me with a very special quilt.  It is an antique one that Sharon found in her journeys and she had all the people who shop, take classes and work at the Loft sign it for me....for my very own signature quilt.  When I took down all my Christmas decorations I had Gene hang it for me in our dining room.....and I thought you would like to see it.  I love the log cabin blocks....but as you could probably guess, the crazy quilt border is my favorite part!

Happy Monday everyone!

A Beautiful Baby Shower

 Last Saturday I went to a baby shower for Natalie (my friend Peggy's daughter) and it was done so beautifully I just had to share!

Here are the party favors displayed on an cupboard in the entry....

......and a framed piece announcing the baby's nickname, COCO.....her brother plans on calling her Coconut!

Our friend Raffael made this "wish tree" where we could all write messages to the mom and baby...

......and here is Peggy taking the wonderful food (enough for an army) out of the oven. They even decorated the kitchen!

......the table ready for all of us....the baby's room is going to be in gold, cream and pink and they carried that theme through on the shower....

....even the coffee had it's own display.....This is the mudroom .....Don't you love it?

....the rocking chair was all set up for Natalie and I loved how the little girl clothes were hung in the window.  This will be one well dressed baby girl!

They painted Natalie's changing table gold and used it for the presents .....the scarf hanging on the left was a prize for the one game we played.....
It was a FUN day and everything was PERFECT!  Hope you enjoyed seeing it and getting a peek at Peggy's home. 
All my best....Jo Ann

Heartfelt Thanks

 I am so thankful for all the warm wishes and virtual hugs you all sent this last week.  Megan was a beautiful person, inside and out and it is still hard to believe that I can't just see her or call her when I want....Here she is with Sophie in the summer of 2011 at a family party. 
  
I will try to keep you updated on the garden.  We will be planting some hydrangeas because she loved them...and some daffodils around the birdbath....Luckily I have a sister in law with a GREEN thumb who has some great ideas, because I am not a gardener. 

Hugs to you all.....Jo Ann

In memory of Megan

A year ago today we lost our daughter Megan to cancer.  We have a garden area that has needed to be planted all during this last year....and in her memory today we made a start.  Here are Gene and Andy centering the first plant....

....and here are Tim, Andy and myself....the crew...

I decided to have them plant these purple coral peas along the fence.....They will grow up to cover it and twine into the trellises they placed behind them....










...and here is what the fence looks like with the trellises and the 5 plants.  I wanted to show you the birdbath my friends gave me to honor her will be the center of this garden......







We all miss Megan so much.  She is always on our minds.....and in our hearts....

Mr. Jack Rabbit

Happy New Year everyone!  Sorry I haven't written in awhile.  Life has just gotten in the way!

We have been busy......it is true what they say about retirement....."When did I find time to work!"

I have finished one project though....Meet Mr. Jack Rabbit....He is my class project for my "visiting teacher" class at The Country Loft on March 1st.  He is all ready to meet Cara T. Rabbit (my bunny from last year)....He has flowers galore for her!  They make a cute couple  don't you think?

If you are in La Mesa next Saturday stop by The Loft and see all the new fun things they have planned for this year.  Great blocks of the month and cute classes....plus kits galore for you....

Hope your year is starting out GREAT!  Jo Ann