tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79011645430502785232024-02-19T06:27:37.490-08:00The Life and Times of VK and the HodgpeopleA look at what I'm in the process of creating, who it's for and when, where, and how.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.comBlogger431125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-55713960313115909442015-03-06T02:18:00.003-08:002015-03-06T02:50:40.690-08:00Another Cog in the Mix of LifeWhether I'm planning on gardening, traveling, sewing, or remodeling in the next year is not on my mind right now.<br />
The Hubby and I have been called on a mission for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, so my mind has been occupied with primarily that tidbit for the past few months. Getting prepared by reading and studying the Gospel and what missionaries teach and live like has been where my learning curve has taken up residence.<br />
We are putting on hold our other plans for the next 3 ½ years so that we can be Mission Presidents in charge of the Utah Provo Mission. Not quite what we had in mind when we were called (asked by a member of the Church's 1st Presidency - President Uchtdorf.)<br />
I'll explain how that all went down.<br />
We were traveling with my siblings and spouses in Scotland/UK/Isle of Man in September when the Hubby received an email from Elder L. Tom Perry who is a member of The Quorum of the 12 Apostles. We looked at each other and thought, oh no, is this going to be what I think it is? We had spoken to him a couple of years ago when he inquired about our lives, kids, parents, jobs, etc. At that time he stated that he would keep our file and maybe address us at a later date, but for now he felt like we were needed in out regular lives. That was 2 years ago. . . . Now the Hubby is between jobs, the children are all about their business, the parents are taken care of by our siblings and each other (which was also the case two years ago, but I digress,) and we are to talk to Elder Perry by Skype a couple weeks later.<br />
Well in mid October we had that call. Elder Perry is a delightful 93 year old man, with wit, sharpness, and ease of character. He used to stand at least 6 foot 4 inches, has a booming voice, is a wonderful story teller, and still carries that presence. This time around he recommended us to be Mission Presidents. This set us on the course to speak with President Dieter F. Uchtdorf who is a member of the 1st Presidency of the Church. President Uchtdorf is also one of the Apostles, but is serving as a councilor to The Prophet, Thomas S. Monson at this time.<br />
We Skyped with President Uchtdorf while we were on a little trip up to the northern coast of California for the Hubby's 60th birthday. It was an early morning and we woke up, got dressed into our Sunday clothes and sat in our little bed and breakfast room for the call. This call was more serious in nature as he asked us to be english speaking Mission Presidents starting in July of 2015. There would be about 50 english speaking missions needing new leaders at that time as they would be finishing their 3 year service and returning to their lives. About 20 of those couples would be going to various spots around the globe and the other 30 would serve in North America somewhere. We quickly looked up missions around the globe and located a list of 2012 called Presidents to see where this adventure might take us. (That is a whole other story - if I start adding to this blog again, I'll be sure to add it.)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Kathryn was our official photographer</i></span></div>
Finally in December we got our assignment and needless to say we were surprised to see we would be going to Provo Utah. Although less than ecstatic when we first opened the letter, we are now thinking that it is the most awesome of all the places we could have dreamed up. Provo is the hub of activity for the Church, and has missionaries assigned to it from all over the world. They are anxiously engaged in this good cause as they work hard, learn how to teach the gospel the best that they possibly can, help reactivate people that aren't as committed as they used to be, and become better individuals through their 2 years or 18 months served. The mission has been so successful that it is to be split in two on the day that we begin.<br />
On top of that, we can drink the water, shop in familiar places, be clean, have medical care, learn more family history (both of my parents grew up in Provo,) and enjoy our last 3 winters in the cold.<br />
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Needless to say, we are not remodeling our kitchen or any other part of our house in this new year. Stephanie and Jon are going to be living here and taking care of the house, and we will be taking care of another house which we will just take over from the Mission President who is there now.<br />
We are studying the Gospel, and logistics of serving as leaders in a mission, going to doctors to take care of all our little issues that will be needing to be ignored for the next 3 busy years, and preparing the house. I'm trying to sew some clothes, because I need a more conservative wardrobe, cleaning out closets, and scrapbooking so that I can get rid of most of my scrap materials and clean out a whole closet in the process, figure out what I need in my new house without seeing it first, and anything else that comes up.<br />
So, life never is dull. Change is constant. Any other saying that goes here. We are definitely in for an adventure.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-10590936934643384522014-08-03T22:44:00.000-07:002018-02-19T16:07:08.018-08:00Kitchen Ideas and ConfussionI've been obsessing over what type of stove/oven/range I want in a new kitchen we are planning and feel like I want a 48" range. It seems more confusing with more education on the subject and so I haven't really settled on a final decision yet, but here are some of the pros and cons according to my apparent wants and needs.<br />
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1. I really like the look of a colored range in leu of a stainless steel look, but the colored ones are either too expensive to think it would be worth it, too boxy and untested, or somewhat unavailable.<br />
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2. Most of the 48" ranges have a 30 inch oven as well as a small oven although the expensive colored one has a small oven that the company claims will fit lots of food so I shouldn't worry about that.<br />
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3. As part of the stove top, I have been interested in a French plaque which is a large cast iron flat unit that is hot in the center and gradually moves through cooler temperatures as it reaches the outer rings of the unit. The concept is really great in my eyes, but I really have no idea if it works any different or easy than a regular gas unit.<br />
Anyway... a few of the stove tops have one of these, and I <i>think </i>I'd like to have one, but don't really know.<br />
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4. A couple of the ranges come with a warming oven, which would be nice as then I wouldn't need to place a warming oven elsewhere in the kitchen.<br />
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5. One of the ranges also has a steam oven which I also have been investigating and if I don't get that range, I do think I'll get a wall steam oven.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Now onto a couple ideas I took pictures of while I was at the home show in St George, Utah.<br />
I want to place these pictures on my Pinterest board, and this is the only way I knew how to do it.<br />
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I really liked this wood island top. The Hubby isn't so sure he thinks it is a good idea, but I think if it is finished well it should be similar to the kitchen table and that is easy to keep looking good.<br />
So, just thinking about it anyway.<br />
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These glass kitchen cabinets have glass shelves that allow the light to go all the way down to the bottom. The front edges are finished with beautiful wood trim so that it shows well through the full glass door.<br />
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Here is another shot of the cabinet. I like the finish and the full glass.<br />
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The herringbone backsplash is cool.<br />
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We are in the planning mode around here, so just getting good ideas and trying to formulate what we want the kitchen to look like. My <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/vkhodgman/kitchen-elements/">Pinterest board is here</a>. Your advise or opinions are welcome.<br />
Thanks for listening.<br />
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I'm adding a couple pictures so I can put them on my Pinterest board.<br />
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Bottom Base width 84"<br />
Depth 27"<br />
Height 11"<br />
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Top piece width 64"<br />
Total height 67"<br />
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<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-53836816628292607102014-07-01T08:04:00.000-07:002014-07-01T08:05:58.689-07:00Prague is Beautiful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It seems there is never a shortage of beautiful sites and interesting meanings wherever we find ourselves on this planet.</div>
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After a pretty perfect week in Italy, we traveled to Prague, Czech Republic. We were picked up at the airport by the hotel car and the driver gave us a wonderful little mini tour on our way into the city.<br />
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Next morning was Sunday and we found church in a big embassyesque house not far from the Prague Castle. Our individual phone maps and taxi driver were divergent in their agreement of where the church was located and we ended up walking as fast as my sandals would allow us to get there before the meeting was too far along. (Not only is my brain fairly well oriented to directions, but it seems like we should have listened to my particular phone as well.)<br />
We were given headphones for an English interpretation of the Sacrament Meeting, and that was quite an interesting experience. Although I'm sure the Czech and English languages don't have the same number and length of words in a sentence, I'm pretty sure English has more than about 1 word for every 20 in Czech. However, I don't think the interpreter knew those other 19 words or how to express them. Quite the lesson.<br />
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The Hubby and I walked back to the hotel the long way. It took us about 5 hours to make the 45 minute walk as we investigated the entire castle including Cathedral, Basilica, Palace for the royalty, village for the common workers, shops, and guard house changing. We also passed by famous bridges, vineyards, and beautiful views of the city.<br />
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A little casual and formal all in one shot.<br />
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St. Vitas Cathedral is inside of the Castle walls, and took 1000 years to complete in its various stages.<br />
Fabulous windows, sculptures in wood, metal and stone, beautiful organ and artwork everywhere.<br />
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For some reason on this day we were noticing and paying special attention to all the amazing doors that we came across. The hinges, inlays, and woodwork were really fun to compare.<br />
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When seeing a fire furnace like this big green ceramic one located in nearly every castle room, I always try to picture how it would be to never see your fire being stoked or created. The servants would do the dirty work behind the wall so as to never enter the room with the nobles. It would feel uncomfortable to never even be able to thank them, or do it yourself without having to call for help. Just so foreign to todays living.<br />
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This room had coat of arms and family trees uniting them all over the ceilings. Quite the artistry.<br />
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Check out this hardware. Took a little while to create I'd say.<br />
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Here's a small library cupboard. Such beautiful cool books.<br />
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Within the castle walls is also "Golden Lane" which housed many artisans and goldsmiths staring from the 15th Century clear up until the middle of the 20th Century. Now there is an extensive armory on display in the top floors with tourture chamber relics, and many different weapons. The tiny little houses were occupied with alchemist, seamstress, goldsmith, and other examples of life as it once was on the lane.</div>
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Inside of the Cathedral.<br />
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After walking down the hill and past St Wenceslas Vinyard we found some interesting potato chips. The curly cut potato spread apart onto a skewer stick and deep-fried was quite yummy and novel. The Hubby wouldn't normally eat something like this, but I would (that is why he looks so slim and trim and I do not) so he got talked into this little snack.<br />
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ALL the sidewalks in the entire city are made with little two inch square marble or stone pavers. Once in a while you'd see a piece missing or laying on the side, but for the most part the pavers were set fairly evenly and they made the city have a memorable look.<br />
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More fun food.<br />
These are long strips of rolled out bread dough placed on round metal rollers that are spinning above a hot fire. Before cooking the girls roll the dough in a sugary mixture. Then after cooking they cool, take the sweet bread off from the rolling pin sized roller, and place them in bags for consumption. My style indeed.<br />
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Walking onto the Charles Bridge. So many tourists from so many places, buying so many artsy souvenirs, and taking so many pictures. The music from street musicians was almost always audible, and concert fliers for the churches and concert halls were being hawked all over town.<br />
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From the middle of the bridge toward the castle.<br />
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Other side of the bridge. There are several other bridges that we crossed. This one was the only no vehicle bridge.<br />
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Mostly Baroque architecture amongst the old Gothic and Roman buildings.<br />
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Apparently John Lennon was a big fan of Bohemia which Prague (Praha) is the center of. There is a John Lennon wall where a musician was playing Lennon's music and people were reading inscriptions of graffiti that were about him.<br />
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Electric rail cars go right along with traffic on many streets.</div>
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This is the astronomical clock and is the oldest working clock like this in the world. Erected in 1410, it has many mechanical expressions. It tells the time in several ways, i.e: 24 hour clock, Italian hours which indicate 24 hour time starting at sunset, Zodiac clock, Daily name clock on the lower face, etc. It shows the phases of the moon, and the sun, and shows the time of sunrise and sunset. All in all an amazing piece of machinery given that I don't understand most of it 600 years after it was made.<br />
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I found it quite fascinating.</div>
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A crowd gathers around it on each hour to watch an unimpressive display of 12 apostles spinning in a circle, a cock crowing, and "death" striking bells for the passage of time.<br />
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The main town square is just adjacent, and always had musicians, bubble artists, and street performers showing their talents.<br />
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Which steeple represents Eve and which is Adam?<br />
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Large statue in the center of the square is of Jan Hus, an early reformer, priest and leader of the people.<br />
He believed that the bible should be read in the language of the people and that they should not be forgiven of their sins by paying the priest off.<br />
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The Hubby takes some cool pictures in this old city.<br />
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Huge chandelier in this old church, set off by painted murals on all the walls.</div>
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I joined this "free" tour in which you pay for what you feel you gained from it. JohnPaul was informative and entertaining, so he got a good tip from me after I followed him all over the east side of the city.<br />
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This Prague ham being cooked out on Wenceslas Square.<br />
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Narrow streets curving around with beautiful Baroque architecture.<br />
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The main Jewish synagogue in the Jewish quarter. Very Moorish in its design, because the Moors were more kind to the Jews than the Christians.<br />
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The Hubby had to work for several days while we were in Prague, so I took these city tours as well as a tour 40 km outside of the city to the summer home of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.<br />
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If you go to your history books you can find that this man along with his wife Sophie, was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914 - 100 years ago and is one of the major events that launched World War I.<br />
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This castle, named Konopiste was pretty well preserved and housed a CRAZY collection of weapons, armory, and wild game antlers, plumage and other animal trophies from game Ferdinand had downed. In his dairies he kept track of an estimated 300,000 game kills, and this place appeared to display a good many of them.<br />
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There were extensive grounds and gardens that we walked around and enjoyed as well.<br />
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Beautiful country and city.<br />
Thanks to Hubby for taking me to this new and historical place.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-20381004275932006992014-06-26T16:22:00.000-07:002014-06-26T21:24:58.568-07:00Florence by Foot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Next stop on our trip was Florence. The Hubby and I had collected our car following the train ride from Cinque Terre into LaSpezia and the best thing we did was to get the GPS NeverLost upgrade.<br />
NeverLost does lose its connection to the satellite once in a while, but we were still able to find our way around Northern Italy without too many problems, and wondered how we could have managed before GPS.<br />
We dropped the car off at the Florence airport and then got a cab into our next hotel. We would walk everywhere from there.<br />
Little disclaimer here. Be ready for a picture explosion. Not that my travel posts are ever short on pictures, but I'm just sayin'.<br />
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We headed out immediately on a walk along the east side of the Arno River to get oriented to the cities layout, and check out the bridges. My easy travel/walking gear always included reading glasses, camera, and side shoulder clutch sized purse. When I go shopping, or need other items, I put these original things all into a larger shoulder purse. I would find out in about 2 hours that I should've brought the larger bag with a couple of umbrellas in it, for it rained in a complete bursting of clouds for about 45 minutes in the late afternoon.<br />
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Calm before the storm. Still very bright sunny colors abound in the buildings and homes, just like the rest of Tuscany that we have just experienced.<br />
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This unique bridge is called Ponte Vecchio and has shops all along the sides of the medieval arched bridge. Apparently it was once a common thing to have butcher shops, and markets occupying this space. Now it is full of jewelry and touristy souvenirs instea<span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">d.</span></span><br />
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The Hubby noticing the door type coverings for the shops. Half come down to connect with the half that lift up. They are ornately carved wood and we noticed the beautiful old hinges and locks that held them together. He bought me some cool jewelry of Rose Gold. (Thanks Hun)</div>
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This guy just looks perturbed. I wouldn't want to have met him in a dark alley, (or at the dinner table either, I suppose.)<br />
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Then we went in search of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. The marble exterior in greens, peaches, and whites is pretty amazing. The detail that went into this facade is incredible and we enjoyed seeing it both from the ground...<br />
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Pretty fancy Gothic Revival finished in the 1800's. The "Duomo" as it is called, was started in 1296 and we were able to go up to the dome (a few pictures down here.)<br />
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The David by Michelangelo was the most breathtaking piece of art I have ever seen. Its detail and the beauty of the human body, its capturing of the power, strength and innocence, the magnificence of the Carrara marble, and the dome that was built to house it all add to its beauty. I was truly amazed that I was so moved by it as I was.<br />
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You see him holding onto a rock and sling which goes up his back and across his left shoulder where he is holding the end of it in his left hand. Apparently Michelangelo wanted him to look strong, yet have the strength manifest in his intellect. It worked. Completely.<br />
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End of story. <br />
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But there was more to see in this old art capital.<br />
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Lots of plaster pieces that were studied by various artists and marked in specific areas to measure distance when the sculpture was being carved. I guess they take calipers and angles to make sure they are as close as possible to perfection.<br />
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How about these streets? Crazy European streets. I guess a horse and carriage never has to pass another horse and carriage.<br />
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This is after climbing up to the base of the Duomo. Heaven and hell are represented from the top to the bottom. Quite imaginative. </div>
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We made it to the top of the Duomo!!!!! Yeah!<br />
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Looking out toward the clock tower which is 6 meters shorter. Look at those sucka's over there.<br />
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The builders carefully stored the measuring implements they made for all the stairs, domes, arches, etc. If anyone every needs to fix something, here's the place to begin.<br />
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Should I touch him? He winked at me.<br />
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A model of David out in the elements. Still impressive, but not as spiritual for me.<br />
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The Uffizi museum was FULL of cool stuff. Here's Venus coming ashore.<br />
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The Three Graces in Botticelli's Primavera. I didn't know about them. They are also referred to as the Charites and represent charm, beauty, and creativity in Greek Mythology. There are many famous artists and paintings that depicted them. Here they are with Mercury and Venus.<br />
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The whole museum is an art piece. It is formerly a castle where the Florentine Royals lived.<br />
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And if they needed to flee quickly from their enemies, they'd run across the Vecchio bridges top floor that is unoccupied to this day.<br />
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Sculptures and paintings everywhere.<br />
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This wall looked like it had cameo's decorating the columns. Very cool paint job, I'd say.<br />
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One thing we didn't get a picture of was of us eating a Gelato. Seriously almost daily we would go get a yummy cone or cup of various different flavors of the cold wonderful stuff. Should really have a picture of that. It was how we spent 15% of our time. (Insert smile here)<br />
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We ate huge Florentine style steak which we shared, and pasta, fresh vegetables, and fish. We continued to walk our feet off, which made us sleep well so we could be ready for the next leg of our trip.<br />
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Here we come Prague.<br />
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VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-39456769760094706722014-06-26T12:36:00.002-07:002014-06-26T12:46:26.880-07:00Seriously?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our DD has a great eye for photography and just sent me this beautiful picture of her two girls. I had to document it here.</div>
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How beautiful and precious!</div>
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Then I could not leave this one in my inbox either.</div>
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Love them!VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-29454195481524987062014-06-19T14:05:00.000-07:002014-06-19T14:05:37.391-07:00North TuscanyAfter Cinque Terre we traveled into the mountain region above Lucca and enjoyed a beautiful Villa near Barga, IT for a couple of days.<br />
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When we were driving up the Autostrade towards our destination, we had to exit in Lucca. As we drove through the place we couldn't resist turning our steering wheel into this OLD walled city.<br />
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New shops presented in an old way, this was a very well preserved old Roman town. Churches, town assembly squares, and of course hundreds of alley like streets took us all around the busy city.<br />
The picture above is from the top of the wall, which is 30 meters wide and has bike paths, walking paths and spectacular trees all around. Linden (Tilia) trees and sycamore trees grown to park size were beautiful.<br />
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We continued onward after a couple hours of discovering Lucca toward Barga. We had a beautiful Villa booked for the next couple of days near the town and this was the view from our window.<br />
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That evening we drove into the town and walked around and through this hilled area. We are now getting used to walking on old cobblestone streets that are on steep hillsides. We found a great pizza in town and then headed home.<br />
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Next day we headed up to Carrara going the short way (longer time, shorter distance) over the mountains. Here is a pix of Castelnuvo di Garfignana town which we drove through.<br />
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And through the mountains more Linden trees guarding our way. One other thing that we found interesting was the number and length of tunnels found in Italy. On big roads, mountain roads, railway tracks, pedestrian walkways, you name it there was a tunnel involved. When having dinner this very night we ate with a newlywed couple from NYC and he was a Civil Engineer (more on that later) who said that the Italians are known and hired around the world for their tunnel engineering skills.<br />
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Coming out on the other side of one of these tunnels, we stopped and took pictures of the beautiful mountains and the drop below us. You could see them cut away for the carrara mining. For thousands of years these mountains have mined this beautiful marble. We drove down and met our guide Gabriele who then took us in his old Range Rover Defender back up another canyon to the extensive mining operations.<br />
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Everything below, on the sides and above us is pure Carrara. The dust is used for various products in the form of calcium carbonate. Some of those products could include Ca vitamins, cleanser, and food additives. The broken rock is used for pathways, roofs, and various other things. Blocks are used for marble slabs, sculptures, tiles and all sorts of home and industrial building finishes.<br />
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The Italians in this region (Linguria) have been mining this marble for over 2000 years and it is ramping up even more in this century. They also manufacture many other rock slabs from all over the world because they have all the machinery, saws, and labor located here. The cost is fairly low for Carrara because of the ease of extraction and the endless supply.<br />
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Check out how tiny this large backhoe tractor looks against the mountain of marble. Each step in this staircase is about 6 feet high. Crazy huh?<br />
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Gabriele was full of information and he spilled out as much as he could knowing we needed to get back to Barga for a cooking class.<br />
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Here he drove us literally 6 feet away from the side of this tractor whose wheel was as big as our entire SUV, and so we could see how the block is placed on the truck for carting down into town.<br />
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The driver of the truck got right under the fork of the tractor and directed which way to go in placing the tonnage onto the bed. No hardhat, our truck next to them, no problem. Apparently no OSHA.<br />
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We were also allowed to go underground to see another way they are mining from the inside of the mountains. This is a little harder and time consuming for each block, but seems to be making progress.<br />
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On the way back to the Villa, we spotted a few really cool bridges, and a purple Maserati with the license "33LA." Do you suppose Kareem has a place in Tuscany?</div>
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We then attended a cooking class given by the chef at one of the restaurants in the Villa. We had 4 people in out class and we made bread salad, homemade pasta, biscotti and pudding dessert, and zucchini/sundried tomato sauce for the pasta. The other couple in our class was fun and we ate dinner with them that evening, eating our prepared food as well as some other fun things the chef threw in for pleasure. Since I mentioned earlier in the post about the guys job, I should throw in that he is working on the huge Manhattan project digging another railway tunnel between Queens and Grand Central Station. She works as the online store manager for the Metropolitan Museum ofArt. Really enjoyable dinner companions. All in all a great time.</div>
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VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-71323853660208023902014-06-17T23:16:00.000-07:002014-06-19T01:33:13.601-07:005 Terre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The awesome Hubby and I have now been married 35 years. How did that happen anyway?</div>
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To celebrate, we started our vacation in Cinque Terre, Italy.<br />
After a quick visit to the leaning tower of Pisa .....<br />
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(I made John try to straighten it up a bit.)<br />
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(Here it is, peaking out from behind the big basilica next to it.)<br />
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we hopped a train to La Spezia and then got on the "Milk Train" to the Cinque Terre. Don't ask me why they call it a milk train, but it is basically the local train and we got tickets for on/off to use while we were there, and then didn't have to worry anymore about how to get around.<br />
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Staying at the second most southern of the "Five Terraced" villages, an adorable hilled assembly of colorful houses and various buildings called Manarola, was a really good choice on our part. This picture was our window view from out rented room. About as perfect of a location as we could have possibly dreamed. At least 2 of the other villages would have been great choices too, but it seemed that we couldn't have lucked into a better view/building to stay.<br />
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From the same window in our little "hotel" room, we could take this shot to the right. These terraces have been maintained and farmed for 500 years, and are located all over these hillsides on the coast. They grow grapes, beans, grapes, squash, grapes, figs, citrus, and most anything that we grow in Northern California.<br />
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Walking along the village paths we find all sorts of alcoves and treasures for photo opps.<br />
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There are also paths connecting the five villages and although one trail was closed due to land slides into the Mediterranean, we were able to successfully hike the "easy" treks.<br />
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Staring off from Monterossa this was one of the most built up areas of the trail.<br />
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John is in his photographer mode and we are always lucky when that happens.</div>
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Honestly, the guide books say they are easy, but we did not agree. If I can walk a mile in 15 minutes, that is what I consider easy. If it takes me 1 hour and 30 minutes to walk 2 miles, I think it must be a little more difficult. It is not that we had to crawl up any sheer cliffs, but there were thousands of rocky stairs of varying levels and widths, as well as narrow ledges and creeks to ford.<br />
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The mountains go right to the sea. This reminds me a little bit of Big Sur. We should really take more advantage of living as close to Big Sur as we do. I'll put that into the mind catalog for future use.<br />
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Looking back at Monterosso, which is the most be beachy of the villages with crowded pebbled beaches and wall to wall bodies lying on them.<br />
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The next village was only 4 km away and yet it took us 1.5 hours.<br />
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This is Vernazza and is also just so quaint and cute. All villages have a church with ringing bell tower in the middle of the town. I'm sure it used to be the most important building for the people so they made each church accessible to everyone.</div>
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One thing we always like to do is check out the inside of the churches. Some were fairly simple, but most had some pretty fancy ornate decorations reserved for the best building in town.</div>
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After a nice breakfast of eggs and vegetables, we headed out to the next town of Corniglia. I'm kind of a shiny sweaty girl here.<br />
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Another building that each town seemed to have in common was an old walled castle at a high point. Romanesque in nature, they were the lookouts for passers by.<br />
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The wild flowers along the way were mentionable. Poppies, scotch broom, all sorts of pretty things.<br />
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Here we are approaching the tiny town. This one is up higher on the hill than the other 4, so you have to climb down stairs to get to the beach or the train station. We did notice there was a small shuttle bus between the station and the main area of town, but we of course didn't take that.<br />
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In Corniglia we had lemon granite. Like a slushy but better. What we call granita's I think.<br />
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Finally to the last town of Riomaggiore, where we ate again. I'm seeing a theme here.<br />
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The train between towns is in tunnels most of the way, so the scenery is not part of the ride.<br />
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To walk to the train stations you also have to walk through tunnels. This particular pedestrian tunnel is in Riomaggiore.<br />
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John, sitting down for a wonderful meal where we just ordered antipasti. We had 12 different types of antipasti - including about 10 different fish dishes. Really unique sea food. And of course lemon gelato to finish it off.</div>
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One of the days we took a boat from the 5th town back to the 1st town stopping at each (except Corniglia) as we went.</div>
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View from the sea.</div>
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Our town of Manarola had some huge rocks that people jumped into the sea from. The girl in the black suit up there could never quite get the courage to take the plunge. She had quite a crowd cheering her on.</div>
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Looking back onto Manarola from the path which is closed up ahead.<br />
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Another fun thing about Italy in general is their lack of clothes dryers, or rather their proliferation of clothes lines. This man here is adjusting the laundry from his balcony. We had a line from our window, and it made me want to have one even more in California. The clothes become so fresh and white when hung out in the sun to dry. I've been considering a line since before we redid the back yard at our house. Just can't quite come up with a cool solution in this small brain of mine.</div>
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My camera has some really cool settings and this is John experimenting with it.<br />
Such a cool sketch of our little vacation town.<br />
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Overall one of the best vacation spots we have ever been too.<br />
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LOVED IT!!VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-68186969675801623272014-06-05T05:16:00.000-07:002014-06-18T13:30:11.032-07:00Hashtag Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I got the patterns for a few simple quilts done by Camille Roskelly and decided that this one would be a great place to start. The design uses 2.5 inch "jelly roll" from any line and I chose a cute little old fashioned line by Moda called Chloe's Closet. Reminds me of my Grandma Kelly, or her kitchen, or something there about.</div>
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I had some white on white floralesque fabric that I thought would set it off well and so "a cutting we went." A lot of 2.5 inch strips (which a jelly roll comes prepped for) and 7 - 9.5 inch lengths cut then it was all ready to sew.<br />
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All sewn together with 2.5 inch white borders and then a 5 inch floral all the way around.<br />
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A little machine embroidery for the inscription on the back of the quilt with a little information sets it off well.<br />
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I took the quilt into my standard long arm quilter Jenny at Finally Finished Quilts. We decided with the playful geometrics and 1930's style floral fabrics, a nice little flower quilted all over the quilt would compliment it well. Turned out just right.<br />
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Keeping me warm while watching a little television in our outdoor living room. This is the best place to be.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-83587864361007741852014-04-28T05:31:00.000-07:002014-04-28T05:31:00.274-07:00J & V Hodgman Cars (since 1979 when we were married) Or "Trip Down Memory Lane V-2"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not sure why I didn't post this last year when I wrote it, but I must've been waiting for our new car to add.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I'll post about that special car in the near future, but for now....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">......Since we have been married we have gone through many cars. The Hubby is definitely a car lover and is constantly reevaluating and scheming about the next vehicle purchase. As opposed to my first blog about the cars my <a href="http://vkhodgman.blogspot.com/search/label/Cars">parents owned during their married life together</a>, this collection of cars is much more accurate. The Hubby remembers minute details of cars - especially ones he has owned and loved.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, here is a quick rundown of all our old cars:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1967 ford custom 500 red/ white</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Bought in 77 from Hodgman parents</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Uncle Brad Swenson outside of his Provo apartment in front of our car</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1967 ford pickup tan camper attached</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Bought in '79 also from Hodgman parents</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBcVfSozV1gjN9O_hJl-PzlNUts1rPYbAqBbtFiy31t0HtZvDKDx3AK2qwNhCObCkW4xsNpZFVkOqtUfR6-_3s8ICrVBoIpSdNNVTUEalnXvSn4Ry1QoFNoi21gGCE87E6ydAWeH1QOI/s1600/scan+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBcVfSozV1gjN9O_hJl-PzlNUts1rPYbAqBbtFiy31t0HtZvDKDx3AK2qwNhCObCkW4xsNpZFVkOqtUfR6-_3s8ICrVBoIpSdNNVTUEalnXvSn4Ry1QoFNoi21gGCE87E6ydAWeH1QOI/s320/scan+copy.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Vicki modeling the rear bumper</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1981 Honda civic station wagon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We purchased this with $4,000. cash and a $2,000. loan. Payed off in 3 years.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNT14Wrv1LE35mzhPSHGoUBtSPYyy0dyvT5CLlAz5x5p5-LW0hHO56UYwzAka0Om9H9fBM78louqfnNKzHdvmW46ZCnWoo3MXhzDd5ScmROM2SjN9FM5ttVFKqZFcj5q1kcqbpq5baNl8/s1600/scan0002+copy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNT14Wrv1LE35mzhPSHGoUBtSPYyy0dyvT5CLlAz5x5p5-LW0hHO56UYwzAka0Om9H9fBM78louqfnNKzHdvmW46ZCnWoo3MXhzDd5ScmROM2SjN9FM5ttVFKqZFcj5q1kcqbpq5baNl8/s320/scan0002+copy+3.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>GG Hodgman's campsite with the Airstream ("the Beer can") and their pickup truck.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqTvu33seqWX_sl0IhQeaDI0qWkLMgjzYQpOWg2cTCBqLACEyMnJ9WTQW9XR70K8qlpWk7CSvgmNTtng_hewfCNW6GvskcC1U8QA8VPCRTWO4pJFYauyq92dw-LGA092r9mPYxMgjaSs/s1600/scan0002+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqTvu33seqWX_sl0IhQeaDI0qWkLMgjzYQpOWg2cTCBqLACEyMnJ9WTQW9XR70K8qlpWk7CSvgmNTtng_hewfCNW6GvskcC1U8QA8VPCRTWO4pJFYauyq92dw-LGA092r9mPYxMgjaSs/s320/scan0002+copy.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>One of our first runs to Costco - 1982?</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1985 Chevy van blues 302 V-8. Had a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> couch/ fold down bed, 3 speed w/overdrive. After my 4th child I locked myself out of this van at least 4 times. I soon learned the easiest way to b</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">reak into it through the side pop out window.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Maybe I had a mushy brain for a couple years?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBcRYOuQU64Y0FHNJPdiYcCAG1yZ8oRllAI71_bpuuOVs2UP1YthsNCPXYLgdHpzUaACfwyDmHElVu9YziFamsL1g6LwPuGpZXyJ29oIBLBg36bRHBcBzspXfYfd7k4EuhzdfyulZtyE/s1600/scan0002+copy+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBcRYOuQU64Y0FHNJPdiYcCAG1yZ8oRllAI71_bpuuOVs2UP1YthsNCPXYLgdHpzUaACfwyDmHElVu9YziFamsL1g6LwPuGpZXyJ29oIBLBg36bRHBcBzspXfYfd7k4EuhzdfyulZtyE/s320/scan0002+copy+4.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pregnant Vicki with David and Jonathan at the Colorado National Monument 11-85.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mom, David (3 1/2), Jonathan (5 1/2)</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaawazFKBSZK7JNLmS4-THHCOfN0Oiie1VljqsR08xtkNmeCqUVJQ6yJGaXLnYbMW6ohIBQRzgZmJmYl3N7UeXAjpVlbhqTBer5O1qMSYOeQsKFx_eYUgo4OadMalWP19UR2cVnXUk30/s1600/scan0003+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaawazFKBSZK7JNLmS4-THHCOfN0Oiie1VljqsR08xtkNmeCqUVJQ6yJGaXLnYbMW6ohIBQRzgZmJmYl3N7UeXAjpVlbhqTBer5O1qMSYOeQsKFx_eYUgo4OadMalWP19UR2cVnXUk30/s320/scan0003+copy+2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This picture has a sign above the garage welcoming home our second girl, Stephanie in 1988.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We owned the Honda Civic station wagon and the Chevy blue van</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBcRYOuQU64Y0FHNJPdiYcCAG1yZ8oRllAI71_bpuuOVs2UP1YthsNCPXYLgdHpzUaACfwyDmHElVu9YziFamsL1g6LwPuGpZXyJ29oIBLBg36bRHBcBzspXfYfd7k4EuhzdfyulZtyE/s1600/scan0002+copy+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1988 Chevy 1500 350 V-8 van.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Burgundy red/tan. This van had a nice closet, a refrigerator, and a more powerful motor. We got a great trade in from our prettier blue van and paid cash for the balance. Very nice not to have payments again.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWs_CplSSHUNsNqBEZW8MwKpEKEnAem4oKC3QIT11L3948ut7gAfF2kzLOpgJlUYwa3Sr3OqKb2G-nd_jPsjQBYzJiCa3sqVDVTn6eiX9XlRhCVpAe6UBsqBzo880CA9SyUo7ma3Dh3c/s1600/scan0003_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWs_CplSSHUNsNqBEZW8MwKpEKEnAem4oKC3QIT11L3948ut7gAfF2kzLOpgJlUYwa3Sr3OqKb2G-nd_jPsjQBYzJiCa3sqVDVTn6eiX9XlRhCVpAe6UBsqBzo880CA9SyUo7ma3Dh3c/s320/scan0003_2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Sundance mountain retreat for Uncle Steve's 40th b-day</i></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0DOOsp-hnuv84C1ozoia3eUoOu0-WOdO5nPhvNfqhI5CRRKht228GfFARlvpiquyRcEjx5Ad1_jwtTHLPvnhcNMkA3nw_AYPZNCmdWVbk6H4kcZafTsy5VYMIz1WaXzwLbBMITy45nk/s1600/scan0003+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0DOOsp-hnuv84C1ozoia3eUoOu0-WOdO5nPhvNfqhI5CRRKht228GfFARlvpiquyRcEjx5Ad1_jwtTHLPvnhcNMkA3nw_AYPZNCmdWVbk6H4kcZafTsy5VYMIz1WaXzwLbBMITy45nk/s320/scan0003+copy.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Little picnic in a random parking lot out of the rear of the van.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Mom, Stephanie (1), David (7), Jonathan (9), Kathryn (3)</i></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1992 Chevy Astro van teal. Purchased December 1991.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKelyO_nDZjUBsZth34h2KE2pJdNqDDklKNnbjvNLnR4KBtIPn9W57_DboQg0zKATSQMv_9L7HRCDGYswaB33hkYCpKohamRVf0jCzzfGrp59tntpZZOYTzGM9HGYl9D2mQ68Gq2-INY/s1600/scan+copy+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKelyO_nDZjUBsZth34h2KE2pJdNqDDklKNnbjvNLnR4KBtIPn9W57_DboQg0zKATSQMv_9L7HRCDGYswaB33hkYCpKohamRVf0jCzzfGrp59tntpZZOYTzGM9HGYl9D2mQ68Gq2-INY/s320/scan+copy+4.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Jonathan and Dad coming around the corner on Joseph Ct in NW Portland.</i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1988 CJ-5 black jeep </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">302 Chevy engine.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Bought in 91,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> sold 92.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39TALt5YP9Jv7t88F-YutNektNXzzTKn2jKOS8FhoFN0Cs22izfRwJTYNMfI9a6eKsQSirfCZrvdFt77yO5Xa5JStaDS68vH26P3beAO1bJXYLy5MFS3cGKLagMA1obkfsX4ahuHLxfA/s1600/scan0002+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39TALt5YP9Jv7t88F-YutNektNXzzTKn2jKOS8FhoFN0Cs22izfRwJTYNMfI9a6eKsQSirfCZrvdFt77yO5Xa5JStaDS68vH26P3beAO1bJXYLy5MFS3cGKLagMA1obkfsX4ahuHLxfA/s320/scan0002+copy+2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Finally found a picture of John in our Joseph Ct. driveway</i></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1992 barely used Lexus SC400</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Garnett red.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Theres got to be a picture of this pretty car somewhere.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1994 Ford Explorer </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 speed</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">. Forest green</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Built in HUGE telephone. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Sold to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Jonathan in 2002.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4UuB6w2QlWcqGNoMG9CdgJlUw2hOiVyC7DqrM280_8Qy-U5BUBBX58HUfajPzjzt1XZY0RSSbPwRXZ6Uj-9NBdy3LuB2rzJYhIpdf_43ApFs4ovNXfKSMOogLHkXy5zzFjpwTTRDwzQ/s1600/scan+copy+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4UuB6w2QlWcqGNoMG9CdgJlUw2hOiVyC7DqrM280_8Qy-U5BUBBX58HUfajPzjzt1XZY0RSSbPwRXZ6Uj-9NBdy3LuB2rzJYhIpdf_43ApFs4ovNXfKSMOogLHkXy5zzFjpwTTRDwzQ/s320/scan+copy+5.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><i>Joseph Ct. 3 car garage with room to walk around. I do miss this garage.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><i>Explorer on R, Astro middle, Grandma Hodgman's white on L.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1996 Honda accord (1991) lt. green</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> 2 door, Jonathan drove traded f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">or Prism ('98)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1996 Suzuki 1200cc motorcycle - Sold in 1998</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> cranberry / silver</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1998 Prism green sold to David in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> 2004</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80iA99xwfSsOPURXQahjZiGdmP4sxP45xCOZKfNRqc29ipKaC9AP_qnXmZ7hWbQAcn_Hno7MHmvr-gR83GgTNtUz0SmTB5oGC7p7DAAQMxcegWOrFDUFt1I-A1SZ-VHgp5DAcwkyA2uo/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80iA99xwfSsOPURXQahjZiGdmP4sxP45xCOZKfNRqc29ipKaC9AP_qnXmZ7hWbQAcn_Hno7MHmvr-gR83GgTNtUz0SmTB5oGC7p7DAAQMxcegWOrFDUFt1I-A1SZ-VHgp5DAcwkyA2uo/s400/DSC_0015.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"><i>Here it is today a little worse for the wear, but still chugging along nicely</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"><i>(I wrote this 2 years ago and about 3 months ago David sold this for a cool thousand)</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qlY1f3zvy630qLgtMUKVbtWDgXSP6WaTV74ma3o4fRqhrLVjBdLE8simjpeV5GgUggoFi9__DFuvbUdcNXH3qbNNYtVraUY23_c5oDaHTL2YT2AJ7A5FpJQXouJBWulMCk5po_JgZEs/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qlY1f3zvy630qLgtMUKVbtWDgXSP6WaTV74ma3o4fRqhrLVjBdLE8simjpeV5GgUggoFi9__DFuvbUdcNXH3qbNNYtVraUY23_c5oDaHTL2YT2AJ7A5FpJQXouJBWulMCk5po_JgZEs/s400/DSC_0054.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
It is amazing how much time we spend in cars and yet when I look for pictures of these past cars, they are very hard to find.<br />
This is Stephanie decorating the Suburban for a high school graduation party for Kathryn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-Zg02BcylSVtdD4yRrABs2Of2Kxf-H6RkG9UbENcStHBO2Z0XSsFLciGsT8HK6piQuuq0kKgm6396lUjtJ9JmThU_bjzn95p7EY0oGyKs0C5xqQZ8Y2kOBbviYq3GVRrHccFA5Saxpk/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-Zg02BcylSVtdD4yRrABs2Of2Kxf-H6RkG9UbENcStHBO2Z0XSsFLciGsT8HK6piQuuq0kKgm6396lUjtJ9JmThU_bjzn95p7EY0oGyKs0C5xqQZ8Y2kOBbviYq3GVRrHccFA5Saxpk/s400/DSC_0055.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>What a nice little sister</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1998 bought 99 Chevy Suburban, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">burgundy, in St.George, Utah while visiting Mom and Dad Kelly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> • Added cost $1,200.00 just to get smog approval in California (gotta love </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> California and all its red tape)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> • Fit less cargo than Astro Van</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> • Had the Suburban until 2004 when we purchased BMW.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">1998 gmc Z 71 1500sierra. Sand</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> beige Gave to GGK's H in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> summer 98 back in maybe</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> 2006 for a year then 2009 for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> a month. Michael had it at the U last year and then after we drove it back to California Tressa decided that she'd like to buy it from us. Sold to Tressa in 2011.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sdbNlxJxgaSpqySvrGxY__9__zaG7BUibRJUHjAlUU9wSvcq7kL_VOFceCAoHo6aiYMDsKrpY9sduAsN5cl3j-o9kG_cBuQU8E6gbBBijjNvATIkNzlCLOgKIzOYSzC337th_okconU/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sdbNlxJxgaSpqySvrGxY__9__zaG7BUibRJUHjAlUU9wSvcq7kL_VOFceCAoHo6aiYMDsKrpY9sduAsN5cl3j-o9kG_cBuQU8E6gbBBijjNvATIkNzlCLOgKIzOYSzC337th_okconU/s320/Untitled-1.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2000 Millenium Edition, Carrera 4</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Porsche, 6 speed manual, violet</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> chroma flare, natural tan leather interior</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7ZOoUv_9whebN9n5aIj6g7QYznD3Pc3c1POurGSF_-LMrsy3UVaOYHZj0vJ55V6q5T8RoHAO16gRQ91Jarg3uFpKpicwd2Ym1Xgs8S98nfcB1nwwGq-D73WGrZ2eccDImXEkOfNhhj8/s1600/DSC_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7ZOoUv_9whebN9n5aIj6g7QYznD3Pc3c1POurGSF_-LMrsy3UVaOYHZj0vJ55V6q5T8RoHAO16gRQ91Jarg3uFpKpicwd2Ym1Xgs8S98nfcB1nwwGq-D73WGrZ2eccDImXEkOfNhhj8/s400/DSC_0023.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> John can clean a car up better than anyone I know.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6QdMxgUHzNssHMaSf-6Ws6EEOiSNCSZTHmtWdHD-2EUc-XdpCbvPWsTTNwgow6nZ4SFE8Faw0PXUjDfkmPoP_R8lASAB4f7ypLRxB3ljAAmYkxe0Gg5CfcuE0wcudDHYUGGsfY5SZoI/s1600/DSC_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6QdMxgUHzNssHMaSf-6Ws6EEOiSNCSZTHmtWdHD-2EUc-XdpCbvPWsTTNwgow6nZ4SFE8Faw0PXUjDfkmPoP_R8lASAB4f7ypLRxB3ljAAmYkxe0Gg5CfcuE0wcudDHYUGGsfY5SZoI/s400/DSC_0030.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Michael added the "Jump Man" symbol. Nice touch.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdAny4emcRCQHW8bw26x4CI3AtKPw4VV33pSGV2A7s5jyx-KiUn5EpydWMyE3Uqleyph0EuGC0HXX2DlGr2mncn1oMWnfAlzxoWsCkcmgz1CbTyX2ChkAyAvFV8fD_pgM1FQqBBQ6xdY/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdAny4emcRCQHW8bw26x4CI3AtKPw4VV33pSGV2A7s5jyx-KiUn5EpydWMyE3Uqleyph0EuGC0HXX2DlGr2mncn1oMWnfAlzxoWsCkcmgz1CbTyX2ChkAyAvFV8fD_pgM1FQqBBQ6xdY/s400/DSC_0004.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2001 yellow used (18,389 miles) jeep</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> wrangler soft top for $16,856.94</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Kathryn got her</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> license in jan 2002, and was the first of our children to drive this car. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">We used it through hers, Stephanie's and Michael's high school years and then some. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vkhodgman.blogspot.com/2012/02/teenager-vehicle-sold.html">We just sold the jeep.</a> It had 59,200 miles on it, has been in a couple of little wrecks, and has been loved nearly to death. Michael, Stephanie and Kathryn did NOT want us to sell it, but we needed to get it out of our driveway.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfqrNGj_Zlh9zwI-60eNhClzcmNnMVbbJ4ku9lZ_dz8UZV9uI2CUvzMGphC4yx0udHuefXOXwaMZjuuaa2OSuSzLh1lUz8b1w-9bu7FfX1NWbmNl-bjLHvghfk9zrJc7NjYpjgMIfk1A/s1600/Porsche-Cayenne-Turbo-front-side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfqrNGj_Zlh9zwI-60eNhClzcmNnMVbbJ4ku9lZ_dz8UZV9uI2CUvzMGphC4yx0udHuefXOXwaMZjuuaa2OSuSzLh1lUz8b1w-9bu7FfX1NWbmNl-bjLHvghfk9zrJc7NjYpjgMIfk1A/s400/Porsche-Cayenne-Turbo-front-side.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2003 Porsche Cayenne 2002</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> turbo 450 hp off road lift. This was a very pretty car and was the first one that was a high performance that I, Vicki, drove regularly. Spoiled me for regular cars. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1ybFy4TySUnqYnwuOySdpf_jmzoPynj7Lf7ZNk91jMhrhu0OpRYLoOx8-A1gp73S4h8hzLoKz3eNKek0le_Bw5YX-PHM995gbIC20-wnT5u-XlQx4KojOwn84GqDYjk8L-Z53HsAl0c/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1ybFy4TySUnqYnwuOySdpf_jmzoPynj7Lf7ZNk91jMhrhu0OpRYLoOx8-A1gp73S4h8hzLoKz3eNKek0le_Bw5YX-PHM995gbIC20-wnT5u-XlQx4KojOwn84GqDYjk8L-Z53HsAl0c/s400/DSC_0015.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
This is my current car. I took a little while to get used to driving a non-truck/van, but I really like it now.<br />
This is a fun car to drive and it minds me very well. It goes and stops on a dime.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLhnL9llAR4cRvjltEzNqiecjIbiQTmB6LqYLnUphCoo48bR5EncKGfUUpffvdn1pDfTSSYKamk1K-K_RpWPXogfgcu8lcZsDy-_eN6b2t1MNwKoziA3ra_-HCjMeCGtfDchadxqt674/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLhnL9llAR4cRvjltEzNqiecjIbiQTmB6LqYLnUphCoo48bR5EncKGfUUpffvdn1pDfTSSYKamk1K-K_RpWPXogfgcu8lcZsDy-_eN6b2t1MNwKoziA3ra_-HCjMeCGtfDchadxqt674/s400/DSC_0016.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a BMW 545i, black with black interior. We got it lightly used at the end of 2004 and I have been spoiled by its handling. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We bought this next Honda at the same time as the BMW (December 2004) when we traded in the Porche Cayenne for them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfZiz-qVXFYXIjigFSbPUiBcUJJ7DJTbgC87RarUWzM_W4cSh8Qmzu7pk-7YCh0-t8VUexENyBQKob2Wxey79iAAAnmYIc4SOq4kRrrPhQmotzGgoqutTArTg-xtsTWL2IN28WiCZ_uE/s1600/VKH_3374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfZiz-qVXFYXIjigFSbPUiBcUJJ7DJTbgC87RarUWzM_W4cSh8Qmzu7pk-7YCh0-t8VUexENyBQKob2Wxey79iAAAnmYIc4SOq4kRrrPhQmotzGgoqutTArTg-xtsTWL2IN28WiCZ_uE/s400/VKH_3374.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Kathryn bought it from us as she was getting married. Get that puppy clean girls!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFH3trplmnN49Jyc8yFvaek0mPL3pF0pLR-aRV4mQVcfN_tJjO3SzjZbYY2tB2y15BpmtrGe1jE_1aNGxMNpSKcmMpR86pojWTbGcZp3c4RwJUk1UqR8Ye5-lkdcEP5JEX20edRpSoss/s1600/VKH_3377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFH3trplmnN49Jyc8yFvaek0mPL3pF0pLR-aRV4mQVcfN_tJjO3SzjZbYY2tB2y15BpmtrGe1jE_1aNGxMNpSKcmMpR86pojWTbGcZp3c4RwJUk1UqR8Ye5-lkdcEP5JEX20edRpSoss/s400/VKH_3377.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lexy and Ellery helping Katz</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2004 used Honda Accord 5 speed</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> manual w navigation, dk grey. This</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> has been a great little car for her new family. This picture is cousin Lexy helping clean the car in our driveway while Ellery watches on. A fun time was had by all!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3qtuzUQHSSlZhmuZ0hNRVrpVDR2iFV0BM1zuQVPJI2yj39VInzb3qThmtjuHIfvaM9M8GAZY0AkHCeRgzh4mwZE04iX4iRkwr-ADSpwIVi1JuxQECB9kFcyzoCuaH7zSaTdPqnPQpvo/s1600/VKH_2617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3qtuzUQHSSlZhmuZ0hNRVrpVDR2iFV0BM1zuQVPJI2yj39VInzb3qThmtjuHIfvaM9M8GAZY0AkHCeRgzh4mwZE04iX4iRkwr-ADSpwIVi1JuxQECB9kFcyzoCuaH7zSaTdPqnPQpvo/s400/VKH_2617.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2005 Honda Accord, black exterior with beige</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> interior. 5 speed, and …. yet another great Honda added to our collection. Stephanie</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> bought this one in 2011. Here she is driving it on a long trip to Utah from CA.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp2IR6tYGTtPiI_Qoe3_zu7JpgW-jujlG-QsodgMKRijQhC8ajObqagWXrhAH2NnEyVPYTw6s626efJJ24V8EcPbmYW04mia2oftbZkZyWM6WDXLjJNOT7qhgOeLBmcH-_9jMQ0t3Swc/s1600/VKH_6012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp2IR6tYGTtPiI_Qoe3_zu7JpgW-jujlG-QsodgMKRijQhC8ajObqagWXrhAH2NnEyVPYTw6s626efJJ24V8EcPbmYW04mia2oftbZkZyWM6WDXLjJNOT7qhgOeLBmcH-_9jMQ0t3Swc/s400/VKH_6012.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2007 Porsche carrera 4S, meteor</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> grey, coco interior with double stiched upholstery, 6 sp,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Bluetooth, nav, etc.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KQeynNmfHUOatcBvStyXxbimdOha7VTl0VNVwVqr1GLH7mbhGhsij2MadU0cIn5vY36OBsNOihcMxqvGj7907SPR4Db9QGf8_zoDJrJj3OoER6GFJ6o-MX-kHmsTuSGWCY0p1UziYV4/s1600/JCH_5880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KQeynNmfHUOatcBvStyXxbimdOha7VTl0VNVwVqr1GLH7mbhGhsij2MadU0cIn5vY36OBsNOihcMxqvGj7907SPR4Db9QGf8_zoDJrJj3OoER6GFJ6o-MX-kHmsTuSGWCY0p1UziYV4/s400/JCH_5880.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">My cute Hubby keeps it quite impeccably clean, as he has kept his cars for his entire life. This is often kept covered in our garage. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">His parents used to wash cars every Saturday whether they needed it or not, so he learned at a young age to respect these precious purchases.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">I'll explain a little about how he cares for them in an example of one of our first noticeable differences of opinion. He couldn't believe that I would set things on the top or hood of a car, and he let me know that he was irritated when I set a book down on his hood. I didn't have a clue that he was serious, so I laughed and apparently it was not a joke. Mind you, it was the red and white 1967 Custom 500 and it was 11 years old so I had not even thought about what I was doing. Truthfully, if it had been bought yesterday I wouldn't have thought about it either. I just did not get it. I always used to set things on cars, as I would a fine piece of furniture. I would never scratch a car and set something dirty or uber heavy on it, but I learned to not set things on cars at that juncture. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmOuw1kcTlde0aefhDLq-8hY2zsfXaV9-aEXm4qxD91ijfidqPpiF2PzTlm9Xk7Y9yZOZO1A6dszoG-L0asQpDd7PUQdxxfdvnFbB9iyet_QxtnW6nR868FOyLui_3wmcwpISrsZWou0/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmOuw1kcTlde0aefhDLq-8hY2zsfXaV9-aEXm4qxD91ijfidqPpiF2PzTlm9Xk7Y9yZOZO1A6dszoG-L0asQpDd7PUQdxxfdvnFbB9iyet_QxtnW6nR868FOyLui_3wmcwpISrsZWou0/s400/DSC_0020.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">John's current commuter car. He drives to Brisbane from Los Gatos 5 days a week and shares rides with a couple of coworkers. We apparently love those Honda's.<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">2007 Honda Accord. Black, black interior, 5 sp. (Another change here. Michael now has this car in Utah while colleging -my exciting new word)</span></span>VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-34928537002004230492014-04-25T23:04:00.000-07:002014-05-02T06:33:04.558-07:00Cookie Placecards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've taken to decorating cookies lately. At Christmas I did some fancy trees, girls, etc., and this time it was for a little luncheon/tea that Debbie, Carolyn and I had for Laurie's daughter Jayne who is getting married.<br />
We ate great food, toured Laurie's beautiful refinished apartment in the city and shared stories.<br />
Here, I am just writing about the personalized cookies I crafted for the event.<br />
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Some of the cookies were iced with flood consistency royal icing in yellow followed by spokes of blue through the circle. You then drag a toothpick through the colors to marbleize them and then let the icing dry.<br />
Starting out with pale yellow royal icing, I made a couple of styles of round cookies. This icing dries to a hard smooth finish if it starts out the right consistency. I basically copied this cookie from a tutorial I found on a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ5SusAyS5I&list=PLE8_nG5Lq4LUbYGzqezfqBNMhA4DJQmjP">Julia Usher</a> site.<br />
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Literally used a rubber stamp from my stash and tapped it onto a paper towel that I had lightly covered with maroon colored gel food coloring. I then diluted some pink and green food coloring and colored in the design lightly with a brush.<br />
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I personalized the cookies and placed bicolored dots of icing around each after "glueing" a cookie frame to the top of the base cookie. Then glued the double wide nameplate to the base with more royal icing. Learning all the time here. Next time I'll lessen the glue, and cut out the frame on a silpat so I don't have to move them around or touch them before cooking.<br />
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Here is a picture of the two girls flanking Carolyn at the tea. We loved getting to know Maggie and had a wonderful time eating and socializing with the group.</div>
<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-3556170932169760292014-04-17T23:58:00.000-07:002014-05-02T07:58:04.636-07:00Perfect Lady(s) For The Easter Parade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The little Colorado granddaughters needed Easter dresses from my stash of fabric this year. I have wanted to use some old pink/blue plaid fabric for a new kind of smocking for many years, and have never quite gotten to it, so this was the year. </div>
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But, first I thought I'd grab some fine white cotton and make a fancy lace embellished dress for the little one. I've also had this fabric for several years and it has woven striping and kind of a French entredeux running down the fabric every ½ inch or so. It is really cool fabric.</div>
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I also have some Swiss embroidery insertion that I bought about 22 years ago. This was a time for me when I had just learned the basic methods of old fashioned heirloom sewing and I purchased several yards of some of my favorite types of laces and insertions, and I just looked at them once in a while when I was sorting through my sewing notions.<br />
The picture below shows a close up of the dress bodice. Here the lined fabric runs horizontally whereas the rest of the dress fabric runs vertically. The cotton val lace and embroidery were put together without entredeux and I used the point de paris stitch (#1229) to mimic the look of entredeux. This Bernina 830 machine does such a good job and I starched the fabric making it easier to run through . Turned out great.<br />
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I sent the dress to CO with a blue satin sash, but I had to actually go to the store and buy it before I felt like the dress was finished. By then I guess I was over the pictures.<br />
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Herre from the back of the dress. I lined this with a lightweight cotton and then added a 6 inch gathered pettiskirt chiffon to give it some lift.<br />
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The base of the dress is finished with more lace and pre-embroidered insertion. The ⅛ inch blue satin ribbon adds a little more blue for nice effect.<br />
This French val lal lace is pretty easy to sew together. I just slightly gather the top line of the 1 ½ wide lace and then put it next to the ⅝" lace and set my machine on a small zig zag and go. The wearer has to be a little careful when playing in a dress like this, and I always tell their mother to take off dresses like this before feeding little faces. Then you don't have to wash them each time they wear it.<br />
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The corkscrew ribbons and some more of the embroidery tape to mimic the dress made a cute little ribbon for her hair.</div>
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Now onto the plaid.</div>
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Like I said this plaid is needing to be turned into a new kind of smocked dress.</div>
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You don't have to pleat the fabric to start with, but rather you use the lines of the fabric to make a geometric design in the bodice. I found this heart pattern and went with it. </div>
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Of course I had to make another hair bow to match this dress too.</div>
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The white collar and cuffs are a heavier solid white cotton pique. Now that the dress is gone, I feel like I should've put a little heart embroidered on the collar and cuffs. Maybe I'll add something when I go visit these cute little ones next month.<br />
These little females also have a 1 year old brother. I made him a simple tie out of the plaid and so they should all match for the big Sunday celebration.<br />
Maybe they can even walk (i.e. parade) down the halls at church showing of their finery.<br />
Happy Easter.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-29381360850119806962014-04-02T11:00:00.000-07:002014-04-02T11:04:59.798-07:00Chuck TaylorApparently Chuck Taylor started wearing All-Stars by Converse in 1917 when he was playing basketball in high school. After working as a shoe salesman thereafter, he suggested adding a round protective patch over the ankle and changing some other aspects of the design for comfort and support. The company hired him to help with the design and that was followed by the addition of his name on that ankle patch.<br />
These shoes are all the rage again for little girls and boys alike, and I ordered some to make my version of "altered shoes" for a couple of the granddaughters.<br />
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The first ones are orange low tops that we just glued some crystals to. <br />
I know that sounds a little simplistic, but it really was a super easy project and my cute little granddaughter who was just short of 6 helped me decide which colors to go with. I let her work with some less expensive sticker crystals while I did this and that worked out well.<br />
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I bought some nice Swarovski type crystals at Michaels and then just used E6000 Industrial Strength Adhesive to put them onto the plastic toe of the shoe.<br />
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I should ask if they are staying tight to find out if it is the right combination of materials. She's been wearing them for a couple months now, so I'll try to find out how it's working out, and report back.<br />
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We also added some colorful laces to the shoes in the form of ruffled ¼" ribbon and shoelace plastic end pieces that I purchased from <a href="http://ribbonandbowsohmy.com/">ribbon and bows oh my</a>. They have a crazy assortment of ribbon at this place.<br />
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Okay.... onto the next shoe. After I completed the orange shoes I found out I'd ordered too big of sizes for the girls so I've just been dragging my feet on the next project for her big sis. I finally got to them this last week and here's the result.<br />
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Starting with high top "Chuck's" in a bright fuchsia color I hand sewed woolen yarn to these shoes with crazy embroidery stitches.<br />
Using a large and strong needle and metal thimble was key to this project, and I learned as I went. (I always do that, 'cause I always just do one or a few of a project before giving it up for another.)<br />
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These heavy canvas shoes are lined with a lighter weight natural cotton canvas and I pretty much stayed under the lining with my stitches so they don't show through to the inside of the shoe too much. Obviously I have some knots in there that I couldn't avoid showing, but most are actually hidden in other stitching, under seams, or behind the tongue of the shoe.<br />
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I used feather stitch, french knots, stem stitch, and a couple that were new to me.<br />
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Some of the stitches I used needed some review as I hadn't done them for several years. I found a lot of great <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1651656943"></span>stitch tutorials on this blog here<span id="goog_1651656944"></span></a>. There are several types of stitches listed on the left side of the blog. The directions were easy and doable making the project easier, and I was happy with the results.<br />
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Aren't they SO CUTE!<br />
Hope the girls like them.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-87903397073881678802014-03-23T16:15:00.000-07:002014-03-23T16:16:51.393-07:00White Dress for Baptism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We actually have a grandchild old enough to get baptized. This time stuff never ceases to amaze me. </div>
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Whole other subject here...</div>
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We are Mormon and so baptize at the age of 8 which is when we feel children know the difference between right and wrong. This makes us accountable and so able to make things right when we make mistakes. I asked her if she wanted me to make a dress for the occasion, and she (along with her Mom) agreed. I used lining of peacock blue (left over from Steph(er's) wedding, with a couple of different white embroidered cotton fabrics that you can see the blue through. </div>
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The skirt is a circle with a pleat in the center, and it zips up the back. The neckline has a rounded yoke which is simple and sweet. It has a tea length half slip under it which is fluffy adding more body to the dress. The sleeves also have a pleated bottom in leu of a cuff and gathers, which makes it more suitable for an older girl. Usually the little girls dresses I make are puffed sleeves on top and bottom, which works well for under 6 year olds.</div>
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Grandpa, Grandma, David (Dad,) Kara (Mom,) & Uncle Michael with Lexy in the front.<br />
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The dress she is wearing here was made by her other Grandmother for the actual baptism and is culottes so that it doesn't float up too much in the font of water. Then she changed to the dress for the confirmation prayer on her which follows the water immersion.<br />
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Lexy Lou also liked the matching dress I made for her new American Girl doll. Nice addition. I also made bows for the 2 dresses waist area and hair.<br />
What a beautiful little 8 year old.<br />
Congratulations sweet girl!<br />
<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-23941411805101351622014-03-20T17:18:00.000-07:002014-03-20T17:30:20.206-07:00Me and My GalsA couple months ago my DD called and invited me to meet up with her and her sister in Chicago for St. Patty's Day and a little Mom/Sister bonding time.<br />
I obliged right away and we planned this little getaway........<br />
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Riding into the city on the "L" train.<br />
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The first thing we did when we arrived was a night at Riverdance. "Heartbeat" is their new program and it was fabulous. A highlight of the trip and we had barely even began. The musical and dancing talent of the artists was wonderful, and made us want to dance ourselves.<br />
Steph was barely in time and came from the subway toting all her luggage.<br />
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The Oriental Theatre was also quite impressive. Everywhere you turn there is another interesting animal or shape to be seen. Truly a design feast for the eyes.<br />
We walked back to the hotel because it was a balmy 38 degrees out and we knew that the next couple nights were going to be more like 18º without the windchill, so we'd better enjoy this night.<br />
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My kind of town</div>
Another notable event was being followed by a very interesting and challenged homeless guy. He walked us through his territory along Wacker (pronounced "Vocker" if you care at all) and the river for a few blocks. Trying to tell him we were having a deep conversation, or saying goodbye, walking faster, slower, ignoring, etc. did nothing to shake him, but a solicitor for money made him mad and as he jabbered with her we were able to lose him. That cab looked pretty good about then.<br />
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Next morning we woke up and headed toward the river. We didn't spot Tommy Lee Jones, or Harrison Ford, but it seemed like everyone else was there. The river turns a very bright green. It's pretty cool.<br />
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All dressed up for the Irish celebration.<br />
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Cool dog buddy!<br />
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I always like a good library. They tend to be some of the best architecture in any city, so when we saw this one we took a detour inside. Any inside was good today, so we kept finding excuses to get out of the cold. It however, is not the library anymore but my original reason for entrance was not lost on us anyway.<br />
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Look at this amazing stained glass cupola. The ceilings, mosaic floors, marble walls and columns were just beautiful.<br />
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Then we walked with the crowd toward the parade route and past the public art. Cloud Gate or "The Bean" was completely cordoned off from the crowds, but we still got a first good look and pictures.<br />
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Many interesting people could be seen.<br />
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And of course bag pipes and drum marching bands. What a great sound.<br />
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I always like things that are as old as I am.<br />
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After the parade, we met up with some friends for a deep dish Chicago style pizza. Jonathan Walton and his wife are living in Chicago for his doctorate studies and suggested an authentic pizza place. Good company and good food.<br />
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The main park is fodder for Steph antics here. Both models have lost their bows.<br />
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No matter what I do, this thing isn't going to budge.<br />
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We woke up early on Monday morning so we could be alone with The Bean.<br />
One of the most popular pieces of public art in the country. Wonder why? It is about me. (Or you.)<br />
Pretty funny really. We came around when the park reopened on Saturday after the parade, this place was PACKED.<br />
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We did find someone to help us take our pictures. Of course we took shots of them too.<br />
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Now we are looking around for more cool public art. These guys were pretty odd.<br />
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And then to the art you have to pay to see. Huge awesome art museum.!<br />
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I liked this Renoir especially - so my DD bought a print of it for me. Thankee!<br />
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I also think Chagall is pretty interesting and so I made the girlies run around to the other side of the museum at closing time to spot it.<br />
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This was just one of our yummy meals. The sweet one. Actually a couple of the others were SWEET too, but not in the same way.<br />
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The Disney display at the Museum of Science and Industry.<br />
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Yes..... it is 18º on this fine Sunday afternoon. That is without the windchill factor which put it at about 8º. YIKES!<br />
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Very industrious I think.<br />
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On actual St Patricks Day we went up to the top of Willis Tower and overlooked the big city.<br />
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The glass overlooks are pretty crazy. Makes you have a bit o' weakness in the knees.<br />
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Katz as her dramatic twin.<br />
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Don't fall Steph.<br />
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I also like store front art. This one of old sewing machines is right up me alley.<br />
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I so enjoyed spending 1 on 1 time with my darling daughters for a few days. Truly a treat for me.<br />
<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-81403583501629901862013-12-24T20:05:00.000-08:002013-12-24T20:05:09.671-08:00Merry Christmas<table bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
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VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-18250418630139163852013-11-01T09:32:00.000-07:002013-11-01T09:32:02.433-07:00FIVE All Together<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We all met up in Utah for General Conference at the beginning of October. One family came from Colorado, 4 of the family came from California, and the others were already in Utah for a mini reunion. The Grandparents also traveled by car from Colorado to reunite with our little clan.</div>
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Waiting for the Saturday morning session to start are the girls and Jon. GPKelly was in attendance, and GMKelly stayed back at the hotel. Austin also stayed with the 3 little ones so the rest of the adults could attend.<br />
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What a very amazing building the conference center is.<br />
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Seriously. Cute. Baby<br />
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We all went up to Mantua to visit GG and Aunt Toni, etc. The Hubby's mom continues to be spry and agile as she works around the house and in her cute little apartment. We are very lucky to spend some quality time with her periodically.<br />
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All five of my offspring together for the first time in 2 years. Fun for me as well as them.<br />
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Being silly as they hold up the big guy.<br />
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The area surrounding Mantua reservoir is very beautiful. We took Uncle Rods ATV up into the colorful and changing mountains for a real treat.</div>
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Pictures don't really do the place the justice that it deserves.<br />
We were lucky to be able to spend several days in the beautiful state of Utah before heading back to CA with Kathryn's 3 beautiful children. More on our babysitting experience later.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-50480719929928703602013-09-30T13:45:00.002-07:002013-09-30T13:45:59.239-07:00Home At LastWe have had a few fun days around here. Last Thursday our missionary of two years came home.<br />
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Made a sign to greet his arrival.<br />
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We are happy and he looks that way too.</div>
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Before his plane arrived, we were patiently waiting at the airport.<br />
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Pretty patient anyway. The kids were great.<br />
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They didn't get in trouble as they ran past the "Do Not Enter" security sign.<br />
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Such excitement to have Uncle Michael home. They call him "Michael Michael."<br />
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The parents are pretty excited too. Biggest hug EVER!!!<br />
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Speaking a little Portuguese to our friend Chuck.<br />
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First meal at "Classic Burger."<br />
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Next day we went to the temple. It had been over a year for him, so it was a nice experience.<br />
SOOOO nice to have our Michael back.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-12672391324232380822013-09-23T06:03:00.000-07:002013-09-23T06:03:00.636-07:00Baby Boy Bubbles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My DIL and I threw a shower a couple weeks ago for our sweet friend and hairdresser. We have known her husbands family for 19 years and actually hers too - just her grandmother. We've known her for about 6 or 7 now. </div>
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I saw the invitations on Amy Atlas Blog last year and had "Pinned" them for just this time.<br />
So we changed the colors and added a couple things, and ordered a set of party decor from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/152607430/instant-download-bubbles-collection?ref=shop_home_active">Penandpaperflowers</a>. Most of my ideas stemmed from these designs.<br />
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I really thought the address labels made the invites look great. I bought 8.5"x11" label paper because my old 500 sheets of sticker paper was all used up. It took me about 15 years, but I used it all up. These 100 labels cost about the same amount that the old 500 sheets. Time has a habit of making things more expensive.</div>
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I found this diaper tricycle idea online.<br />
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Turned out pretty good. (more on this later)<br />
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I made dots out of chiffon for the tables.</div>
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My friend and Krista's made these Oreo POPS. We had POPpyseed Strawberry salad.<br />
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We had POP corn, Jello POPS, Cupcake POPS, SodaPOP, LolliPOPS, anything POP.<br />
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Never thought I'd be making Jello for anyone let alone for a party, but it was so colorful and pretty.<br />
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The entryway to the house had a ladder with a welcoming sign and bubbles streaming from a machine on top of it.<br />
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Welcome to the guest of honor.<br />
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One of the guests also made a fancy diaper bicycle. What a pair.<br />
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We had about 40 women at the party and they all enjoyed chatting for a few hours. It was a lovely evening for an outdoor party.<br />
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The mother-to-be received all sorts of love and gifts for her new little guy. </div>
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He should arrive in October.</div>
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Congratulations Krista!</div>
VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-5323533027295712382013-09-21T17:17:00.002-07:002013-09-30T09:28:22.290-07:00Antoni GaudiThere are many things I enjoyed about Barcelona, so I'll write a couple more posts including some of my favorite places in the city.<br />
Be aware here that this will be a REALLY LONG post.<br />
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This innovative architect built some very interesting places in Barcelona, and they are definitely worth visiting.<br />
We were able to see a couple of homes/apartment buildings that were designed by Gaudi. Also a neighborhood development that was never occupied but is a free hiking/viewing area consisting of interesting trails and supposedly natural formations, arches, benches, patio areas, etc for the homeowners that were to live there. Last but most impressive is Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that was planned and started during the last 40 years of his life, but is still being built today using the proceeds of sales of tourists that want to check it out.<br />
Here are some pictures that The Hubby shot of these cool places.<br />
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<u><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Sagrada Familia</b></span></u><br />
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Wheat or grapes located on top of many side spires. These spires represent the 12 apostles. Shot taken from a tower stairwell.<br />
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The Hubby checking out proper F stop and aperture. </div>
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The north side of the basilica is in honor of the Saviors' birth and early childhood. On the top of the window is the holy family, down on the left side you can see the 3 wisemen, and the shephards are on the right side. Much foliage and "beautiful things of the world" are surrounding it all. The Hubby thought it looked like mud had been thrown all over it. The sculptures are done in more traditional rounded happy faces.<br />
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These 4 towers represent the 4 Gospels.<br />
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This is part of the face of the south side of the building. This whole side shows the death and stories surrounding it. Notice how angular and harsh all these sculptures are.<br />
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This scene shows the cock crowing 3 times as Peter denies knowing Jesus.<br />
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Moving into the inside of the building this picture shows how amazingly the colors of glass reflect as the sun shines through them.<br />
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The windows are abstract and more than half of them are completed at this time. He has the stained glass progressing through the color spectrum. Gaudi who died in 1926 had planned the whole building and many of the fine details are still being carried out.<br />
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The columns inside the church all thin out a they rise from the floor and then branch out resembling trees as they go skyward.<br />
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Here is a small scale bronze model of the finished building. The plan at this time is to have the Sagrada Familia finished by the time a third of this century has passed. (so by 2033 it should be complete?)<br />
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Notice the pillars here. They are the ones from a previous picture with the grapes or wheat on top. </div>
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Such a unique building. Onto the next one.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><b>Park Güell</b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">"Every </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;">Who down in Whoville, the tall</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"> and the </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;">small</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">, was singing, without any presents at </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;">all</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">!"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">This whole place reminds me of a Dr Seuss book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">It is a neighborhood designed by Antoni Gaudi and never was finished. There are lots for 60 homes, of which only 2 were built, and so it has turned into a big garden/park. The most unique park I've ever been to, I might add.</span></span><br />
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At the main entrance. Big pavilion in the background. Interesting gates.<br />
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The mosaic tiled public areas are shaped in concave and convex patterns and the local rock is placed in arches, walkways, colonnade footpaths and would be roadways.<br />
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Here's my walking partner. I think he's quite handsome.<br />
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We were serenaded by several different musicians in the various terraces and structures located in the 40 acre hilly park.<br />
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Quite a unique sitting area.<br />
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Tree like structures? Kinda wacko this guy was? Or a genius?<br />
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View of the city.<br />
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We toured the home that Gaudi lived in for a couple of decades. Quite the light, wouldn't you agree?<br />
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There's a school yard exactly to the south of the main entrance.<br />
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The serpentine like bench done in mosaic tile runs all the way around the pavilion.<br />
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The column's that hold up the huge patio above.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">The famous salamander at the entrance stairway.</span></div>
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All in all, a great little hike and very unique place. If I lived in Barcelona, I would try to go to this magical place often.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Casa Batlló e Casa </u></b></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Milà</span></u></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Many private homes and apartment type buildings were also designed by this imaginative man around the turn of the last century. We were able to tour Casa Milã or "La Pedrera" which was a large building with an apartment on each floor. </span></span><br />
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Undulating concrete and steel are the support for this entire building.<br />
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The roof top is about as interesting as they come.<br />
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Looking into the middle of the building and all the "Maids quarters and utility windows."<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">The roof, attic and one "period" style apartment were on the tour and again, everything was very unusual. We think of Victorian style or Craftsman style as architects most often used at this time, but Gaudi's style considered Modernist, was </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">bizarre and definitely out of the box. </span><br />
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The structure of the attic makes it a go to place for neighborhood meetings, or living areas. Our audio tour told us it was planned with cooling and heating in mind and that it really works to keep the climate of the whole building comfortable.<br />
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Here is a would be maids room.<br />
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and the kitchen.<br />
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Living room.<br />
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A very amazing place from a hundred years ago.<br />
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Then onto the next house.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Just down the street was another of his buildings. We ate dinner on the sidewalk cafe near Casa Mila and so we were able to see it at night and then again during the day. </span><br />
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I think - genius.</div>
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Pretty cool.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-86660138934287693392013-09-18T09:44:00.000-07:002013-09-18T09:47:30.667-07:00Ocean Front Hotel and Montserrat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Traveling with The Hubby has its perks. One of these is that we stay in great hotels and this trip was no exception. We were able to stay right next to the beach in Barcelona, and so we could easily walk along the rows of restaurants and such that line the beach in this stretch of the sea.</div>
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Here is the view of the north side of the city of Barcelona from our hotel room.<br />
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The Hubby's favorite building in the area. He called it "the bullet."<br />
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Then turning the camera to the right and out the east is the Mediterranean.<br />
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There is art in nearly every nook and cranny of this city. This, still out of the same window.<br />
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And the meshy-metal of this structure atop the casino next door.</div>
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Another thing in the city that is part of life is the railway system. We got a 5 day pass to the subway and took it all around the city. Here we are waiting for the actual train to take us an hour outside of Barcelona.<br />
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Look closely <i><span style="color: #45818e;">(I'm quite serious here. Click on this picture so you can see where we are going.)</span></i> slightly above the center of this photo and you can see where we are headed. Called Monserrat, (the Catalan people have revered it for centuries and it is their #1 pilgrimage site) this monastery is built in the rocky vertical ascent of this mountain. In some form or another, monks have occupied this sawtooth terrain since 900AD. It is quite an amazing site.<br />
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The chapel in the background here. The place is a village of sorts, with grocery, museums, dormitories, school, and churches. There were farmers markets set up along the main road selling cheeses and local wares.</div>
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The twelve disciples with Jesus in the center, as you walk into the basilica.<br />
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The place was crowded with standing room only for the young boys choir to perform at 1:00pm (everyday except Saturday.) It was beautiful and so were the voices of the choir.</div>
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I liked it.</div>
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We had ridden up on the rack railway train, but went down on this cable ride. OLD cable ride I should say.<br />
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Standing room for 25. It drops from the 2400 ft monastery to the nearly sea level train station in about 4 minutes. Here we come!</div>
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A very nice excursion. If you go to Catalona someday, make sure you see this place.</div>
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<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-87630940326327518962013-09-08T23:02:00.000-07:002013-09-21T12:28:50.776-07:00Barcelona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Hubby and I are in the cool OLD city of Barcelona. He has a few days of work and I tagged along. The we are staying on for a few more days to enjoy the city and surrounding countryside a bit.</div>
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We went to church on Sunday morning and didn't understand much except the hymns and makeup of the meeting were sure familiar. We attempted to read different words to familiar tunes. We partook of the Sacrament which is the reason ultimately to go to the meeting anyway. A fun experience.<br />
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We also went to the Catholic church that day, as there are hundreds in the city and this old and beautiful one in the Gothic quarter was amazing.<br />
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There is a new window in this one up above the entrance as the old rose window was destroyed in an earthquake in 1429. The new one was completed in 1459. Quite new, right?<br />
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The magic fire water show was pretty cool at night. We arrived by Metro subway and the whole place was hopping with people on a Sunday night in September.<br />
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Hoogy big.<br />
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It was like a holiday. I can't imagine how crowded it could get on a busy day.<br />
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We notice that the nearby stadium had an event going on and hoped that we would get back on the subway and out of the area before the game got finished.<br />
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The whole avenue was lined on both sides by fountains with the culminating one at the very end. We will come back here to go into the Picasso museum during our stay.<br />
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Subways always intrigue us west coasters and this saxophone player had back up music and was quite talented. His "Take Five" rendition was heard for a hundred yards before and after his location. It really fills up the corridors. Very cool.<br />
I'm excited for a fun week.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-8526126787379052252013-08-23T00:05:00.000-07:002014-03-22T21:50:30.573-07:00Something's FishyLittle girls can wear smocked dresses until they are 6 years old, or there about. After that, they seem to outgrow the look. Therefore I feel the need to make at least one dress of this sort each year and this cute little sundress was my choice most recently.<br />
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I started and basically finished the smocking last fall, when I then set it aside for finishing in the spring. I didn't get it out until after our big wedding, and it just took me a few days to get it all wrapped up and finished.<br />
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The pink and orange fishy has fun blue french knot dots to set it apart from all the other fish in the ocean.<br />
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The purple fish should be a favorite of my little granddaughters too. I especially love their bright red smackers.<br />
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The pocket on the front has the same orange piping surrounding it as the line that sets apart the top bodice from the smocked piece.<br />
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The back of the dress is drawn up with elastic to make it adapt to the small little backs that it must fit around. (I am watching a rendition of Mansfield Park right now, so I am perhaps sounding a little 19th century British as I write.)</div>
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I waited to enter these pictures for want of receiving a picture with the little Ellery wearing it, but I thought I'd now go ahead anyway. Maybe later.</div>
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(Update: When we went to SoCal for Thanksgiving, Cossette wore this cute little dress. Below are a couple pictures from that day.)</div>
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Her from the back showing off the fancy hair bow I made to go with the dress.<br />
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Now the cute little 3 year old is telling quite a story, and we can see the front of the dress pretty well.</div>
VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-60023723735303987172013-08-21T16:20:00.000-07:002013-08-21T16:22:34.470-07:00Not A Lot of Comfort Food HereSo ... I'm out in the garden gleaning this morning and I discover several things that I really need to address. I'll just talk about one of those things now.<br />
The eggplants are a little bit out of control, and how many eggplants do we really need in any given year? We planted just one plant thinking we'd get a few for some Ratatouille, and other than that, I'm not sure what to do with them. In the back of my head I think, "Oh, (light going on) I wonder if it's easy to make Baba Ghanoush?"<br />
Turns out - it is. I have all the ingredients right in my very own kitchen. (and garden I might add)<br />
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I looked up, thanks to the internet, if I can use old Tahini. Turns out, it lives a long time so no worries.<br />
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The picture above, taken a few weeks ago, shows my pretty white and purple eggplant.<br />
Todays crop featured some that were twice as big.<br />
I grilled the eggplant on the BBQ because I was already using it to grill some other veggies. I just turned it to medium and put the eggplant on whole for about 40 minutes. Then I ran to my hair appointment which I was late for because I decided at the last minute to make Baba Ghanoush in addition to the White Gazpacho I was making for some friends tonight.<br />
I fear this kind of activity is not being grown out of just because I don't have children at home anymore.<br />
I wanted to miraculously become an on time person when I reached this stage in life. But .... I digress.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD_HbOx00UctD7SYNATsFTF0kSGQEq5PjXsY_r5LlPIGRJjPlknYfKLB5WrpjrydVO5OM0gFs_plYmhH561amF0EYvy9xHKUBXjh65i_nYq9Nvhp0Ui4ESUHf2gei9SjlocA6DRKmUPE/s1600/DSC_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD_HbOx00UctD7SYNATsFTF0kSGQEq5PjXsY_r5LlPIGRJjPlknYfKLB5WrpjrydVO5OM0gFs_plYmhH561amF0EYvy9xHKUBXjh65i_nYq9Nvhp0Ui4ESUHf2gei9SjlocA6DRKmUPE/s400/DSC_0228.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Then after I came home several hours later, the eggplants were easily peeled and the ingredients blended together. I ate some of the wonderful spread with some of the grilled crook neck squash and it was <span style="font-size: large;">wonderful.</span><br />
I liked it anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7h3waSc4kOUH2ku-YHhIl2GrhGGg-Qq-VC0Sue9ShJ_-gpO4fErqGrXx8fSHh3nWO34OkH43h3JeXZPeRzyVp1uyUitrh84MCXlp-tnh-LNnsU6mX_HglLA_i2Ki-6pVAFsiwDO7vFi4/s1600/DSC_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7h3waSc4kOUH2ku-YHhIl2GrhGGg-Qq-VC0Sue9ShJ_-gpO4fErqGrXx8fSHh3nWO34OkH43h3JeXZPeRzyVp1uyUitrh84MCXlp-tnh-LNnsU6mX_HglLA_i2Ki-6pVAFsiwDO7vFi4/s400/DSC_0233.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The people I'm taking dinner to tonight are probably not expecting weird food like I make, so I'm taking them a big variety. Hopefully we can hit on a few desirable tastes for them.<br />
Wish me (them) luck.VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-91786533149202108442013-08-19T17:00:00.001-07:002013-08-21T09:12:03.543-07:00Independence Day Quilt I started this quilt last year a month or so before the 4th of July. I quit working on it after I didn't get it finished, in <strike>leu (is that how I should spell it?)</strike> lieu (thanks to my niece Megan for helping me be a little more literate) of finishing the next projects on my so called table.<br />
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Then this year there was a big wedding in our lives, and life got in the way of getting back to the quilt in time to finish it for the celebration of our Country.<br />
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I bought the pattern at a cute quilt store in Livermore, CA and it is by Verna Mosquera at<a href="http://www.thevintagespool.com/welcome/"> "The Vintage Spool." </a>Called Faded Glory if you want to look at her things.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tpMpn3Mh9e-_1n8R5kXv4iJxB-QAJKhuAplNNC2qS-YiSSnr-mc7AXnMG0KJhrl-6G-oiDEctsjoFA2b6zQUpwelQ68vsXHBUl4dSvL8xKqTFv1asHRqiPI14n-LjFsLJ4jI_Ig87_A/s1600/DSC_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tpMpn3Mh9e-_1n8R5kXv4iJxB-QAJKhuAplNNC2qS-YiSSnr-mc7AXnMG0KJhrl-6G-oiDEctsjoFA2b6zQUpwelQ68vsXHBUl4dSvL8xKqTFv1asHRqiPI14n-LjFsLJ4jI_Ig87_A/s400/DSC_0222.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The pattern calls for hand stitching all the appliqués on by hand, and I had completed a few of them last year, but I decided I didn't need to take the time and effort to do them this way now. I used iron-on backing on each individual piece and then machine stitched each design with a blind hem stitch or a satin stitch when I thought it would look best. This quilt is not going to be going through wash even once per year, so it'll hold up just fine with the iron on. There are 12 main designs and I think they are so cute that I'll probably make a few pillows or table runners out of some of the patterns eventually.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfjym8j6O3ipBjaoRznkWrPnbXcY9L4u4FYjuzb-pcOC7aitv8n0OH632Il3r5A7KMp6Mn0RSnYQMEhvrUV4ONtJx-6ekCQ6pL9cbJbc9HZdgsXKwVUnsiPeElOrauG4vh-kNhmLUOCs/s1600/DSC_0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfjym8j6O3ipBjaoRznkWrPnbXcY9L4u4FYjuzb-pcOC7aitv8n0OH632Il3r5A7KMp6Mn0RSnYQMEhvrUV4ONtJx-6ekCQ6pL9cbJbc9HZdgsXKwVUnsiPeElOrauG4vh-kNhmLUOCs/s400/DSC_0223.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The design above is Uncle Sam's hat with a bouquet of flowers in it. A few of the flowers are just cut outs of fabric flowers in a particular piece of fabric. This method of piecing is called <u>Broderie Perse</u> and is basically just fussy cutting a section of fabric that you want to place onto another fabric for a pretty addition to the quilt. You can see the red/pink flowers above are not pieced with stamens and petals, but cut all in one already printed flower. Apparently they used to do this with Persian or English chintz fabrics for a specific look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZwrUQrUPxMegJxGUBq_bCcjFfXEPv6D-vfq7qcyOWEgsiiDWGI3gNTrkoVFLqhzrRuCjetS6bXXSXKNx4RM1E36mwzG0FTPk0JBkktfpVZvHpAMWRUmnOfb8K-wFQ7bm_4o_Z-Uyq1Q/s1600/DSC_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZwrUQrUPxMegJxGUBq_bCcjFfXEPv6D-vfq7qcyOWEgsiiDWGI3gNTrkoVFLqhzrRuCjetS6bXXSXKNx4RM1E36mwzG0FTPk0JBkktfpVZvHpAMWRUmnOfb8K-wFQ7bm_4o_Z-Uyq1Q/s400/DSC_0224.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The firecracker above had bugle beads hand sewn on for the burst of fire on the end. Very cute, if I do say so.<br />
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Same on this wagon full of firecrackers. The blue and red sparklers are beaded.<br />
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Another technique I've used on the quilt is my own idea of using my cool embroidery machine to make a couple of sectioned flowers, cutting them out and then sewing them together. Nice new type of embroidery I've never tried before.</div>
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The whole thing turned out very well, even if it is the middle of August.<br />
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Better luck on my Thanksgiving quilt?<br />
<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901164543050278523.post-36953944481901288442013-08-15T09:11:00.000-07:002013-08-15T09:11:03.751-07:00What's for Breakfast?I have been trying to eat more protein for my early morning meal these days. Eating an egg, protein infused green smoothy, or greek yogurt seems to keep my appetite in check when 3:00pm rolls around each day.<br />
The Hubby has taken on the roll of fixing me a protein shake on Sunday mornings. While I'm getting ready for church he brings me a nice cold thick drink and I don't have to think about it at least one day a week. What a nice guy I married.<br />
Saturday mornings are a little more up in the air and we often go to the Saratoga Farmers Market and decide what to eat from there.<br />
But I digress. I just wanted to post some great looking/tasting yogurt parfait's here.<br />
So a couple Saturdays ago, I brought the Hubby out some simple parfait for Saturday breakfast. Bu "out" I mean he was in the backyard cleaning up the pool and so we ate underneath the big arbor on the couch. What a great breakfast spot. REALLY great! Perfect!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2qTs-DGQrM7mS9pAuz-GRJbD8Ln7eBLqnVLc94Ukh_UB-o0Tv1XR_nVO1I1cgk_I-BJ6D_UDXKRczirwua42r4CqQE4rK2rrByr927nl0YwQFXiF1R5rovCFFslO7gx59oe4GdyfVpU/s1600/DSC_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2qTs-DGQrM7mS9pAuz-GRJbD8Ln7eBLqnVLc94Ukh_UB-o0Tv1XR_nVO1I1cgk_I-BJ6D_UDXKRczirwua42r4CqQE4rK2rrByr927nl0YwQFXiF1R5rovCFFslO7gx59oe4GdyfVpU/s400/DSC_0043.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
We had some fresh blueberries and strawberries in the fridge, and so I thought they would make a beautiful and tasty layer in my morning yogurt. I usually add a teaspoon of agave to my Fage 0% yogurt, but this week I had some cream cheese frosting in the fridge so I plopped a big tablespoon of that into twice as much yogurt ('cause I was making two today.)<br />
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The first layer was crunchy granola and then yogurt blend, followed by berries.<br />
Repeat.<br />
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Good stuff, Maynard!<br />
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The outside couch also makes an excellent spot for answering a couple emails.<br />
<br />VKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17120810780221963010noreply@blogger.com1