007

We rented Quantum of Solace, the newest James Bond movie, this weekend. I just love James Bond. I know I was not around when the original Bond movies were made, but Daniel Craig is a very good Bond. My next favorite is Sean Connery. Not that I am an expert on James Bond, but I can say with the utmost certainty that Peirce Brosnan was probably the worst Bond. His movies were more concerned with Bond's ability to woo and bed women than solving the UK's top threats and defusing them. But, I am no one to judge. I just prefer the strength of the newest Bond plot and characters. I love that in Casino Royale, Bond's justification in charming women, if he can have one, has a source. He is shown to be a person with a deep hurt trying to sort out what happened to the one person he loved. A place we can better identify with than a whoring secret agent who will bed any reasonable looking woman whether or not she or anyone else is hurt in the process. Anyway, I enjoy the Bond films, the newest ones the best and the original films as well. I am even inspired to get one of the books and start reading. Not sure which one yet.
Please be in prayers for Trae's mom. She was admitted to the hospital Sunday evening.

Crazy Money

Trae and I went to Home Depot yesterday. That place is like our playground/fantasy world. We like Lowe's too, but it is farther away. This time we did go with a plan/purpose. We are in the process of remodeling our house in North Carolina so that we can sell it. We already have replaced the old nasty linoleum floor in the kitchen with slate tile and replaced the old nasty carpet in the living room with the same slate tile. The rest of the downstairs is original hardwood. We are leaving those alone, of course. They are in great shape and look really good. So now we have to do something with the downstairs and master baths. Both are very outdated and not good looking at all. The master bath is big, but with an awkward bad layout with a huge olive green garden tub and telephone booth sized shower in which I can't even bend over in without hitting my head on the shower wall. So that must be changed. We want to put a huge walk-in tile shower with no tub. We need to change the rest of the floor in that bath and replace the vanities. The bath is open to the master bedroom, not really ideal or logical to us, so we want to add more wall and of course a door. Oh did I mention that the master bedroom is the entire upstairs level and it is open to the staircase, with no door either?! Yea absolutely no door to separate the master bedroom and bath from the rest of the house, just stairs! So we want to wall off the stairs! The downstairs bath really needs a total overhaul. We want to put wainscoting on the walls and have been debating whether we need/can put it right over the existing tile wall. So we need a new sink/vanity and to re tile the shower. The kitchen needs new countertops, and we are planning on painting the cabinets we already have and updating the hardware. So what will all this cost you ask? Well I am so glad you asked because that is why we went to Home Depot, to price out all of these projects we want to do to see if we can even afford to do all of this work. Well we priced out tile, lumber, lighting fixtures, vanities, wainscoting, paint, and lots more. Grand total for what we want to do is way more than we really want to spend. And it doesn't even include new kitchen appliances. So went planning to price the project just like we want it to look and then based on prices we can always scale back on certain areas we feel aren't as important as others. So of course we are planning on scaling back our original plan and doing only what we think is really important for the sale. Oh I forgot, I can't believe I forgot this part. Our driveway is atrocious. You almost have to get a running go to make it up the driveway and the old asphalt is broken and it has deep gullies in it. So we need to have our driveway repaved. I got an estimate for it to be an asphalt driveway, trying to use what is already there. Not to excited about that but that will definitely be a huge negative if the driveway continues to look as it does when buyers come look at it! SO we will be deciding on what to cut back and what to keep. But we do have a wonderful view! Sorry there is no picture of our wonderful view. I will get one when I get out of California!
The lovely picture of those yellow flowers were on sale at the grocery store and I got them because it is spring and they make me smile!

Nothing New

I feel like I have been away from the blog for so long. I have been looking at it everyday and reading all of my favorites every day, but I have had some trouble coming up with anything to write. I do not want to just post a bunch of jibberish just to post something. But on the other hand, on a day to day basis, at least the last week or so, there has been nothing incredibly new to report. I have been quilting, but not enough progress yet to discuss on here. I have been cooking, but nothing really exciting or interesting enough to discuss. Every day is pretty much the same for me. I love my life, but I don't think it would be particularly interesting to many other people. Maybe I should be paying more attention to what is going on around me, slow down and appreciate the world that I live in and the things I see and experience more.Trae and I went to Tahoe again on Sunday night after he got off work. We stayed with my aunt and uncle again. It was a very nice quick trip. We skied all day on Monday, they got a very nice big storm over the weekend. Trae got his fix of fresh powder and I got to stay on the groomers and in the terrain park, which I am loving more and more. Bella had a wonderful time playing in the snow, no surprise there. We got some very funny pictures of her too. We came back around noon on Tuesday because Trae had to cover for someone on Tuesday night. Not too sure what is on the docket for the rest of the week. So I guess my task is to now pay more attention when I am out running errands to find people, sights, or whatever else I can appreciate and seems big enough to write about!

Movie Date

Trae works every weekend, so that means we have all week to do what we want, go where we want, and see what we want. Well today we got all dressed up to go to the movies. I know it isn't hitting the town too big, we even went to a matinee not an evening movie. Well, we saw the movie "Taken". Let me just say, we absolutely loved it. I won't ruin the plot for anyone who hasn't seen it yet but it is a very good movie. It has a very "Bourne"-esque movie feel but it involves a family. An ex-government agency "preventer" worries about his daughter who is traveling to Paris for a vacation with a friend and no adults. He does not feel good about the trip at all to begin with. He explains to his daughter that he is worried about her not because he is paranoid, but because his job made him aware of all the business, good and bad, around the world. Well of course something happens. She is taken and her dad goes on a mad search for her. He steals, kills, and lies to gain information into her whereabouts and why she has been taken. I will not spoil it. But Liam Neeson is great, he is sweet, determined, and very good at his job in this film. We loved it, but then again we love international, top secret, aggressive movies about issues that are not always on the forefront of our everyday lives because we don't see it or experience it in any way. Go see it, you will like it. I also want to see "He's Just Not That Into You". Maybe tomorrow!

New Fabric!

So I was out yesterday running errands. While I was out in the nearest city with a mall, I thought I would stop by the JoAnn's to see if they had any fabric that I just really needed. Well, turns out, they were having a huge sale on fat quarters!! YAY! .99 for 1 fat quarter. So needless to say I thought I should take advantage and get some that I liked.

I really liked the leave prints on this and the color is just so bright and cheerful. Then I started to think about the quilt-along I mentioned in my last post. So I picked up some fat quarters for that too! This is the whole lot:
The top print is so bright. The background color is lime green, one of our favorite colors. The bottom has pretty aqua swirl pattern.This top print is very unique. It has some yellows ans whites in it. I just liked it. The bottom is just some squares in squares. Pretty colors.This top print has a very unique swirl print with a dark and lighter green. The bottom one is my favorite of this bunch. I'm not sure why, I just loved the bright contrast and the style of the flowers.So what do you think? Will they all look ok together, or should I add another color to them?

We're Back!!

I am so proud of the picture I took of Lake Tahoe! It is beautiful and pictures will never do it justice. This was taken from a cornice at Alpine Meadows in Truckee, CA. It was so much fun. We skied for 2 days and boy are we sore now. Our calves and shins hurt. But it was a lot of fun. We had lots of good food and met new people and caught up with old friends. I just had to share a few pictures from our trip. I feel like all we have been posting about lately is Tahoe, but I guess that is because we have been excited about this trip. Well, it is over now and although it was fun, we will be posting about everyday life again.
Oh I have to share this. Oh, Fransson! is hosting a sew along and she has absolutely beautiful quilts. You must check it out. Well I am very late in joining but I got some fabric today for the quilt she is doing. I will present that tomorrow. Can't wait!

He so funny...

My husband that is! He is so funny. I am right now watching him, in an excited little boy manner, explain the trail map of the mountain we are skiing tomorrow. He is showing our guest which runs we will be skiing, those we should do only if we want to pee our pants in excitement/fear of death sensation, and those with "wicked rocks" to jump off. I will be simply skiing, no jumping, mach speeds, or fear of death! In snow, he is the master, on the water is my domain. I just had to share how happy he is right now, Which makes me happy.

Good Morning Everyone!

So Monday has finally arrived for Monica and I... For the majority of people, Mondays represent the WORST day of the week, but for those of us that work weekends, Monday is a God-Send! Today we will make the journey to our beloved Lake Tahoe (yes I do speak of it like it is mine and in my own backyard). On the way we will pick up a friend of ours in Sacramento who is flying in to join us, then up to the "North Shore." The north shore of Tahoe is a little different than the south shore and for those who have not yet had the opportunity to visit this exceptional place I will give a little verbal tour :-) The north west shore to the NV line is very much a "locals" area, laid back, and friendly. The western shore is one of the most spectacularly beautiful drives on God's earth, including "Emerald Bay." The Northeast and South shores are much more touristy and from the NV line (which bisects the Lake) eastward are full of Casinos and bright lights; a pretty stark contrast to the phenomenal natural beauty that surrounds you. The majority of the East shore is all National Forest and it too is a tremendously beautiful drive. As far as activities go, there is no shortage of anything to do, anywhere you go, whether your pleasure is shopping or gambling on the South shore or any manner of outdoor adventures anywhere else. For the Skier amongst you there is skiing to be found almost anywhere around the lake except for the East shore (which is limited to back country skiing). My Favorites are the laid back locals mountains. Don't get me wrong every resort around Tahoe is a major destination and all are considered in the top 10-20 resorts in North America, but Alpine Meadows on the North Shore and Kirkwood on the South shore are by far my favorites. Both resorts have open area boundaries and friendly, helpful staff. We will be skiing at Alpine Meadows tomorrow and Wednesday and making the best of what remains from the biggest storm to hit Tahoe this season. Last week mountains claimed they received from 5-8 feet of snow at their summits with up to 4 feet of that falling in 24 hrs. I am hoping to not have to ski many groomed runs this week! Pray for our safety and look for photos on the flip side! Bye y'all!

I have really enjoyed being back with my sweetie this week. I really love that in our relationship, we don't have to fill our time with things to do or places to go to have quality time together. Most of the time, we sit and watch movies. This week we both got a little stir crazy though and had to get out of the house for a little bit. So we went to Home Depot to walk around and look at things for the remodel we are slowly trying to do to our home, which we don't live in. Not only do we not live in it, we are on the opposite side of the country from it right now. I know, it doesn't make for an easy or quick remodel, however, we are doing what we can. This week I have been getting the house very clean and getting all of my paperwork done for grad school. Nothing too exciting on the home front here. Monday we are heading to Tahoe for a few days of skiing. We are sooo excited. They just got a load of new snow, several feet to be more specific. That makes us happy. What is even more exciting, Trae called an old friend of his in the area who has a home in Squaw Valley, only one of the ritziest part of town to see if he still rented out his home. Well, he does and he is letting us use it practically for free. The only thing we have to do is to make a small donation to the local church and that is it!!! I can definitely do that. This is soo exciting because the house overlooks the valley and it is just gorgeous. House rentals in this area can go for several thousand a night, so we are getting an incredible deal!! Anyway, enough about that, even though Trae could talk about it and get all worked up over it until he is blue in the face and be completely happy. Bella is very excited too, she loves playing in the snow! The pictures below ALWAYS make me smile! She makes us laugh constantly! Sorry not much to tell! Maybe next time!

I'm A Little Afraid...

So my wife has returned to me from being gone for over 5 wks and I am elated! My heart is full once again... There is something wonderful about our relationship that I pray everyone either has or finds in their marriage, and it is our ability to pick up right where we left off. There is no awkwardness or pauses in conversation that seem a little too long or uncomfortable. We never skip a beat as they say. I must say that there is a new element in our marriage, one that I am afraid I will have to make room for..........BLOGGING........Yesterday I think my wife put the laptop on a solid surface and looked away from it for a grand total of about.............15 mins....... It has now become a joke, innocent and playful, she is "Blog-alicious" or is "My little Blogster". Blogging IS for Monica as Facebook WAS for me when she was gone, now coupled with the fantastic need to learn and do all things "Quilted" I am a little afraid I have lost a few hrs of my quality time with her to needle, thread, batting, and of course Blogging. I am consoled with the fact that it could be much much worse, like being a shopaholic, or a pathological liar. I am happy she has found something that captivates and encourages her creative spirit, but have true fear over the monetary costs for this hobby :-) Fortunately she still makes plenty of time to love on me as well as surf the Blog world and sew like the wind, so I am confident all will even out!!!

Machine Quilting

Here is my first stab at machine quilting. I say stab because I think it could be considered a disaster. I can't really believe I am posting these pictures. My attempt is very humbling, but please remember I do not have a free motion machine yet. I am still working on a 60-something model Singer. I would stitch until I needed to change directions and then I would have to move that little lever on the right all the way up or down to change from forward to reverse and vice verse! Crazy I know. The hunny and I are shopping for a machine and are looking to get one in a few weeks. I was not trying to follow a stencil or pattern, just doing the pattern that came to me at the time. Some came out ok really, but others tanked.I think I like the flowers best, but only because my execution was better on those. I am not normally a flower person.Well I can just say this is a very good learning experience. I can do straight lines very well. One of the girls at the quilt shop told me I could even use masking tape as a guide if I just wanted to do straight lines. I think I may take her up on that until I get a free motion machine!!
P.S.- Don't laugh too hard!