Wendy Lady: May 2008

I've been contemplating lately about how busy each of our lives seem to be.

We are always dashing around in a dither, trying to fit 48 hours into every 24 hour period.

When we look at one another's lives, we never cease to be amazed about how much the other person manages to complete, totally forgetting about our own awesome accomplishments.

We are all in different places ... some newly married, others raising young children, many working outside the home, and all working inside the home. Some of us are empty nesters and others are in the winter of our lives, needing to be cared for.

My hat goes off to all the women in my life.

I watch my sisters ... Jolene, dedicating her days to teaching young minds, and Nancy as Mom's major caregiver. It is an overwhelming task for which I will always be deeply grateful. Neither has much time for their own pursuits because they are so involved in serving others. My daughters, Sheryl and Melanie, are young mothers, so their focus is on the care and activities of their children, while Marisa is adjusting to marriage and a full-time career.

Some have immaculate homes, others raise wonderful gardens, and each has talents to offer.

So ... in reflection, I'm going to focus on just one of the aspects of my life during this particular season and share some of my pursuits when I'm not on the job, taking care of home and family or serving in the church.

I can't think of even one day in the past dozen or so years that I don't spend at least a few minutes reading. I love mysteries, biographies, inspirational, romance, & historical novels. It is the way I wind down before climbing into bed each night. The above photo is the curren stack sitting on my nightstand. East of Eden will be the 31st book I've completed since January.

I always have a list posted in my craft room with my current projects ... quilting, needlework, sewing, and crafts.

Quilting has become my passion over the past six or seven years. This is my recently completed Sunbonnet Sue quilt top. It has special meaning because my Mom cut out all the dresses & bonnets from fabric scraps of clothes she made us girls as we were growing up. I added a few extras from clothes I made my daughters. I can't wait to have it machine quilted & bound.

This is the Flower Garden wall hanging I just made my Mother-in-law for Mother's Day. She spends all summer in the garden tending to her flower beds that are so beautiful.

These are the blocks I made in 2003 for a Civil War Legacy quilt. The sashings & borders are also pieced, which is why it still isn't finished. It has been quite a challenge for me to figure out how to put it all together, but now I've taken a giant step in beginning the process and think that the results will eventually be very striking.

This is my latest and greatest hairbrained idea. I've made baby quilts for all the grandchildren except Jayden. He was born before I even took my first class. I decided to make him an Old Bones dinosaur quilt for his 8th birthday and baptism. It will be vibrant and colorful, focusing on reds and blacks, which are his favorite colors. I've just begun cutting and I think that I may have bitten off more than I can chew. It's going to be a humdinger!

I also do quite a bit of non-quilted sewing. I just finished making Tegan a pair of blue dinosaur pajamas for his 5th birthday.

These are my latest fabric purchases ... a stack of juvenile flannels for baby receiving blankets, some decorator cloth for a bathroom window valance, and some homespun calico to make myself a pioneer apron and bonnet for a Relief Society event.

This is the dress and teddy bear I made for Mayci's 2nd birthday. I made each of my children a teddy bear when they were young (okay, I'll admit that Kevin didn't get his until he was 16) and now each of the grandkids receives one when he or she turns two.

This the the crocheting project that occupies me when I travel. I use a variety of patterns for dishcloths and always have some on hand for gifts.

I've been playing the piano for more years than I've been alive (49). It is always a source of joy to me to be able to relax by sitting down and playing. While growing up my family could always detect my moods by the way I played. I took out a lot of frustration by pounding those keys!

One of my latest hobbies is blogging. I think I enjoy it because it is a way to document my life. I especially enjoy reading the blogs of my daughters and neices because it keeps me connected to them and their families in spite of the miles that separate us.

This is my latest labor of love. I have spent hundreds of hours (and $$$) organizing all of the slides Clive took while serving his mission. I've had them scanned onto a DVD and had prints made. I've organized them into a photo album and will journal each with Clive's help. This will be his birthday gift on Thursday.