Snow Day 2011

Yea! A snow day in TX! This past weekend it was 72 degrees, and today the high was 30 something at 1am I think. Crazy TX weather for you.
Thankfully, I got interfacing for a T-Shirt quilt, that I am making for a friend, just in case we had a free day. So that is all ironed on now. I made the first cut on each shirt. Now I am debating on waiting to cut the other 3 sides now with a straight ruler and hoping they come out square or waiting till I can buy a 14" ruler.
While I decide, I can work on another project. Which one shall I work on?
Hand quilt more of my Asian style quilt.
Bind my classroom signature quit.
Bind antique looking quilt.
Bind cheater cloth Easter quilt.
Bind the quilt in my library room.
Assemble Pooh cheater cloth quilt.
Decide to hand quilt or machine quilt Pooh quilt.
Cut out pieces for Jr's star quilt.
Pay bills.
Nap.
?????
Definitely not bills. I think nap wins for now. Then perhaps I'll bind the classroom quilt and mark it off as done.
Given my list, one would think that I don't really care for binding quilts. ...and they would be right.

Embroidery and Movement

Mom started sewing for Jr. already. Well actually she started the day she learned we were pregnant probably. Her latest project is embroidered burp clothes.

They are cloth diapers, embroidered and backed with fabric.














Mom and I went to register this week. The bedding set that I had to have is being discontinued. So, of course, I just had to buy it before it was gone.

Classic Pooh and sage green, it couldn't be more perfect!

Movement
Today, I think I felt the baby move for the 1st time! He kicked 3 times. The first time I figured it was just gas or something. Then it happened again in the same spot. I know that after 18 or 19 weeks you can start to feel movement. I am 19 weeks as of today. So I put my hand where I had felt the movement.

Then I felt it again, this time with my hand!! I don't think if it was gas I would feel it with my hand.

News!

I have not post anything in a long while because I haven't had the energy. I am pregnant!
1st Trimester
I am finally though the first trimester exhaustion and 2 bouts of Bronchitis during my second trimester. My due date is July 2nd. We found out this week that we are having a boy! I can't believe the difference it makes to know the sex of the baby. It is so much more real.

Our first Ultrasound was at 7 weeks, when the baby was the size of a grain of rice. It was very surreal! We were excited but things were still very tenuous. During the first trimester there was a period of 4 or 5 week where I was nauseous all day, every day. That made it real for me but not so much for Jesse.

For our second ultra sound we got to see the heart beating but couldn't hear it. The baby was the size of a bean and it had a visible heartbeat. That was absolutely amazing to see.

Then we went for our third ultrasound and heard the heartbeat. Then it was finally real for Jesse, I think. I teared up when I heard it.
Week 11 (I think), I was having trouble breathing. We went to the ER thinking that it was asthma. Turned out that I had Acute Bronchitis.


The day before my second trimester began I went to the ER because pregnancy related problems. They diagnosed me with Marginal Placenta Previa. This is what I had feared all along. My older sister was stillborn 2 weeks past her due date because of Placenta Previa. My mother came close to dying as well.
I followed up with my OB a week later. That Ultrasound suggested that the baby might be a boy. However I was only 14 weeks along so it was too early to tell for sure.
2nd Trimester
This week was full of great news! First we learned they baby is clearly a boy! He posed for us : ) Then they told us that I no longer had Placenta Previa! Jr. looks perfectly healthy so far! We saw his feet and was able to count his little toes. He is a wiggle worm just like his cousin! Now that said, OB told me the placenta is in the front so I probably won't feel the baby move until 22 weeks (give or take). I am glad she told me because the books I am reading have said I should start feeling movement anytime now. Me being me, I had already begun to worry.
So anyhow, now we can pick a name, begin decorating the nursery, and of course, start making a quilt! Praise God for our little Miracle!
Here is our 17 week sono!

6th Anniversary

Today marks the 6th year of marriage to the most wonderful husband! It was a most perfect day; clear blue skies and only mildly warm. That is saying something for Texas! We went to the arboretum. We saw tons of mums about to burst with color! But they hadn't burst yet. We did appreciate all the many variations of green leaves. I love the variety of plans, hate cliche plants. When perusing plants in the garden shop I refuse to buy flats and flats of a plat that everyone else has and you see on every corner. I want to have a unique garden, full of surprises. True my garden looks like an overgrown hodgepodge of odd plants. It has no rhyme or rhythm. It is not so manicured like the arboretum. I prefer to think of it as a free-form English style garden. Perhaps I should call it Herrera style, because we just buy and plant what makes us feel good. Anyhow, I digress. 

What really struck me today at the Arboretum was the amazing textures we saw. They had not just weeping willows but weeping pines. Conifers galore. Green ones. Blue ones. Silver ones.

I fell in love with the most amazing plants, mostly ones that were way, way to gargantuan for our modest yard.  There was one that looked rather like a 6ft marijuana plant only chartreuse and dark lime variegated. I doubt it was, being that it is illegal and all, but I can't tell you the name of the plant because we never found a label.


Jesse and I also pointed out many plants that we had killed over our years of gardening. To our delight we saw some flowers that we have in our yard currently.

I am envious of all the shade that the arboretum has from century old trees. Why? besides the fact that 100 year old trees are one of God's most amazing gifts to us mortals? It means they have shade for their ferns. I dream of a shade garden covered in ferns and hostas. I have no idea why but I find them beautiful and relaxing. Perhaps because every time I look at them, it means that I am out of the blazing Texas sun and in the cool shade.
Yes, it was a perfect day.

Preparations

Two days until school starts. I am ready for the most part, just finishing my introductory power-point. That helps me stay on track so I don't forget to tell the students anything. I look forward to getting back to teaching. Summer is great, but when school starts you know cooler weather is not far behind. 

 Plus there is something to be said for making a difference in a student's life. I love to see how much progress the students make, in spite of me. I love to see a student at the beginning of the year say on their  Reading survey, "I don't like to read." I beg them to read books in the beginning. 

Then by the end of the year I have to fuss at the student by saying, "Put the book away, please." I find it curious that at the end of the year they still say, "I don't like to read." That is the cool thing to put down, I suppose. So I have created a closet reader. I'm OK with that. 
I'm ready to make a difference again, even a small one.

Writing

I haven't written much so I thought I might practice what I preach. Write, write, write!
1st draft, not polished in any way.
 
Back to School
New school,
new principal,
new coworkers,
new kids,
new friends,
new experiences,
new joys...


Shiny floors,
fresh paint,
grand entrance,
bright halls,
softly lit rooms,
bold posters,
smiling faces...
This is what I see as the new school year begins.


Trepidation,
anticipation,
excitement...
This is what I feel as the new school year begins.

"I will fail them."
"I will teach them incorrectly."
"I will make a difference in their lives, for good or for bad."
"I am trained for this."
"I can do this."
"I can help make their lives better."
"I can help them feel the joy in reading and writing that I do."
These are my thoughts as the year begins.

Help me.
help the kids.
guide me.
guide the kids.
help me reach them.
help them reach me.
help me teach them.
help them teach me.
This is what I pray as the year begins.

My Garden

As you saw in my last post, My Balloon Flower Plant bloomed and died very quickly after it bloomed. I guess it wasn't happy with its location. So we had to go get 2 new plants to replace the one I lost.

This is called Lobelia erinus Techno Heat. We got this dark blue variety as well as a light blue variety.

Light blue Lobelia









I also took pictures of some of our plants that are thriving.

My Autumn Sage- Hot Lips is covered with blooms like this.

Blue Daze ground cover is looking pretty!

This is my first Cockscomb. He is looking a little wilted along the edges but the flower looks nice. I wonder if he will make it?

In the foreground is my Delphenium that is about to explode with blooms! The bottom of the plant is turning yellow with the effort, so I cut some of the flower buds off.


Behind it you can see the Kangaroo Paw and Zinnias.

My Dianthis is also going crazy with blooms. I probably should cut off some blooms on this one too. You can see the yellow leaves at the bottom.

Gerbers are happy as always.

Kangaroo Paw Flowers look neat.

Overall plant looks happy. (I think I watched too much Bob Ross as a child. He always talked about happy this and happy that.)

My Lavender plant has a pretty bloom. (actually 3 blooms)

My Fern Lavender plant has a bunch of blooms. Here is one.

My Wave Petunias are abundant. They used to be solid, bright purple, but now the color is leeching out. They look almost variegated now.

This is one of several blooms on my purple Verbena. It is supposed to be speckled.

Here is my red Verbena.

My White Rosebush is doing well.

Here is a close-up of the flowers.

These are the same Zinnias from my last post. They used to be bright, solid pink. Now they are turning white. They are still pretty though.





Hope you have enjoyed my garden!

Gardening and Sickness

 We have been doing some gardening lately. My Balloon Flower Plant bloomed, then promptly died. 

Three Weeks ago: We have been filling in our new slightly larger flowerbeds that was created when he had the stone border put in. Here are some things that we planted.

 We have several types of Lavender. I forget which is which. One is French, one is Spanish and I don't remember the rest.

This is called a Fernleaf Lavender, a variety I had not seen previously. I have a passion for Lavender so I collect every variety I can. We planted all 5 lavender plants along the walkway to the front door. That way when they attain full size they will hang over the sidewalk a little. People will brush up against it and admire how lovely it smells.

We have a Wave Petunia, which is supposed to be very heat tolerant. So far it seems to be thriving in the spring heat.

I thought this Dianthis looked neat.

 I call this the Fuchsia dot plant because I don't have the foggiest idea what it is really called. 

 This is a Penta Flower.

This is our rose hedge under our front window. I love English styles gardens, and roses under the window are an English tradition. I love the English style because of its relaxed feeling. Not stuffy French manicured style. I am not good at sticking to a plan. Once I get to the flower shop, I throw that out the window.

On the other hand, I like Japanese style gardens. It seems like a contradiction and it is. I have never tried to create a Japanese garden in my yard.

Back to my front Garden. We bought 5 rosebushes. The 3 in the middle are actually rose "carpets", a low growing variety. The 2 on the ends are a more traditions Hybrid Tea Rose bush. However day by day, the one closest to the camera is dying. The leaves are turning yellow, the flowers are wilty and don't bloom. We turn on the soaker hoses daily. We put special soil in the hole that the nursery recommended but I fear that is not enough. This rose bush was a red and white striped flower. All the other bushes are red or white flowers.

This is called a Torch Plant. It has a most intriguing bloom.

White Salvia (Sage) is on the left side of the garden. We thought it would look good with the white stonework.

No Texas garden would be complete without Zinnias. Ours have done something strange though. The pink is leaching out, so now it looks like pink and white striped flower. It is still pretty though so I am happy. I suspect that it has something to do with the acidity or lack of acidity. 

We also have Verbena. 

The Red Verbena is NOT next to the pink Zinnias.

Lastly, why have I not posted lately? 1- This garden was a lot of work and took time. 2- The school year is winding down and very busy. In Texas we had TAKS testing to drive us crazy. 3- I have been sick... twice...kind of... I had a really high fever 2 weeks ago. I was out sick from work for several days. I didn't go to the dr. because I hate them. They torture with sticks down throat. I got better w/o dr.
Then this past Tuesday, I got a rash on my arms. I thought it was an allergic reaction to perfume. (Middle school kids discover it this time a year and bathe in it!)  Wednesday the rash spread. Thursday ALL my joints began to ache... agony! It hurt to write. That is not good when you are a teacher!
I went to the dr. They tested my blood for everything. Friday, joints still hurt, rash going away. Dr. says it is a reactionary virus. Reaction to being sick 2-3 weeks ago. I told her I had been sick 2 weeks ago. She gave me medication. Starting to feel well enough to type now. I do not look forward to getting old and arthritic!