Recently finished quilt for nephew

Saw a friendship star based quilt ... and saw one of those quilts that takes a motif and repeats it different sizes.  So, I gave the combination a whirl.  Next try, I will make the large stars more separated and the small stars smaller.  The lightest version of the small blocks, I think needs to be lighter still.







Here is a detail from the name I appliqued on.  The kids really like to have their names on the quilts in a large family especially.  But, I didn't want the name to obscure the design.  I went with a sparkly-sheer organza, so it is kind of hard to see in the full-shot.  It is smooth to the touch and held up under the first washing.  The white outline is partly the white thread, but also partly the white paper I used to stabilize.  It may or may not work it's way out.

Spring Break 2010

Well we spent half our spring break in the car traveling to and from Utah from the Midwest. We drove another 700 miles around the Salt Lake Valley. Visited with two of my siblings and their families and two of Steve's acquaintances from his mission. Other than wishing that I understood more Spanish, I thought that the visits went rather well. They both have daughters around Garrett's age.

We got to see Garrett, my oldest, who is at BYU and attempting to earn a spot on the playing field for football. And, we got to meet Julie, the girl he is sort of dating. She is very pretty and friendly. He wasn't overly warm with her or particularly wanting us to meet her ... but that might just be Garrett wanting to keep things light and not push things with her. We got to watch his practice Thursday and then took him out to dinner at what was our splurge place when we were at college at the Brick Oven Pizza. I think it was called Heaps' back in the day.

Tuesday, Steve took Rane skiing and Luke snowboarding. Rane did okay, and Luke did okay after a lesson. But, only Luke wanted to go again. Stone and I slept in, went to McD's for breakfast. Then the motel pool and by the time we were ready for lunch the ski bunnies were on their way home. Dinner was with the Porters.

Monday we visited with the Deardens in Farmington then dinner with the Flores. Wednesday we visited with Tripps in Springville.

Friday we headed home and though some of the roads were kind of bad, another family who left at a similar time got home six hours later.

It was 18 hours of driving to get there and about 20 to get home. We did some Redbox movies and had purchased two new movies. Even still, I got very tired of sitting. Tried to put things in perspective that our kids have ancestors on both sides that walked the same distance in 2 to 3 months time. Bet they were healthier for it.

As a test run for summer, Steve is now searching for airfares for our family reunion in Seaside. It would be almost twice as much driving. But if we fly, we wouldn't get to see Garrett mid-way.