Ive Been Mugged! In a great way!!!!!

There is a new trend in appreciating coworkers and others who are special in our lives right now - MUG THEM!!!  Sounds horrible I know but it really is a good thing in this case and maybe - might just maybe be life changing - maybe - dare I say it -  even world changing!  

I came to work the other day to this on the door...... an "I've been Mugged" sign!

And to this on my desk...my new drinking "Mug" that says "Never forget the difference you have made!"  I need the mug and the reminder every day as I sometimes struggle (as I have wrtiien about before) to see the purpose for my being here on the planet.  I also need to drink more water during the day!  Double win!

There was also the directions for how to continue the "Mugging" as sort of a pay it forward system - if you are "Mugged" this way you get to "Mug" someone else too!

So much fun and so uplifting to the giver and the getter!

But my favorite part was this, a little note that said - "Check the Culinary fridge for a Saturday morning treat" and this lovely Butterscotch Bubble Bread" ready to go in the oven for a delicious Saturday breakfast with my coffee!

In its own brand new bundt style pan and with all the fixins and directions for baking!

Easy to read and follow for perfect success!

Baked to perfection and ready to flip!

Now we just have to wait a minute for it to release from the pan......

And viola!  Beautiful Butterscotch Bubble Bread Mugging to make my Saturday!

I mugged a couple of people at work with funny mugs, some fresh sourdough bread, and a jar of Honeyberry Jam - easy peasy and it doesnt have to be expensive - just from the heart!

May you be blessed with good friends who Mug you in a good way when you most need it and with the wisdom to know the good you have done, and to spread it around!

The Golden Birthday! A Reedo Episode

 Often times I get caught up in whose stories are whose in my life and who should get to tell them.  Its not that I dont want all the stories told, but that my kids who are still here to tell their own stories should be allowed to do just that - tell their stories!

Once in a while though it really IS my story - but also Reeds and so I will tell the story of his Golden Birthday!  He turned 24 on the 24th, which is what put the "golden" in the event!

(One year old here and so cute in his litte plaid jumper)

Since he was born early in the morning and bloody and purple from "difficult birth circumstances" he has always been very food motivated and has mostly never stopped smiling!  He was our "Rainbow Baby" and so, so very special from the very get go!  We had to keep food next to his bed because he would grow so fast that he was starving in the middle of the night often and if there wasnt food there he would wake up the house trying to make something!

Always very independent and resilient, Reedo would climb the fridge shelves to get to the butter - that lasted until he was about three and we figured out if we kept a protein bar handy always, it would cure what ails him!  He was the one who taught me that "hangry is a THING!"  "I do it my own self" was his mantra as he grew into the amazing human that he is, and when he was smaller, until he was about four his nick name was "Osama Bin Reedie", because he was always so busy and he lived up to his Aries sign with his "head down horns first" tenacity!

The nickname stuck until Nana said it was time for a new one - so Osama Bin Reedie became Boone - or Reedo Bandito!  Much better!

He loved and still loves his Carhartts from the Hat to the Socks after he outgrew his tiny Harley coat it was Carhartts or bust!

It has always been a special occaision when Reedo got a haircut - the mullet has been king since he was about two years and could actually grow one!  Above is right after he got it cut off and he really didn't love the haircut result but....still smiling... and very handsome if I do say so myself!

Mullets back!

He has always been the Fisher King and that has been his go to when he couldn't play hockey (you know you can fish all year right - not just when there is ice)?

Hockey always trumped just about everything - except maybe fishing - but maybe sometimes- still not sure on that one!  Reed had "older brother factor" since Rye was 7 years older than he was and often had to take Reed with him to clinics, practices, games, shinny, and pick up hockey.  Reed always got a chance to play with the "big guys" until he got to be one of them and stood out as a Champion always!

But sometimes on special occaisions - like birthdays - he would do other stuff too!  Like play pool while we waited for the food to come!

We were of course so happy to have a guy get to 24 at all and for it to be Reedos Golden birthday made it even better!  While we also breathed a bit of a sigh of relief too.... and watched im open his presents and enjoyed his presence!

Among friends in the house he grew up in..... one of the kindest, most generous of spirit and of money or things, a good friend and the best son that a mother could ask for!

May you be blessed with continued great friendships, many, many more birthdays, and fireworks always whenever the occaision strikes you!  Happy Golden Birthday Month Reedo Bandito!

Day at the Museum of Anchorage

I recently had the pleasure of being invited on a field trip with some of our High School classes Life Skills students and we got to spend a bit at the Anchorage Museum!  It was amazing!  So much fun and I learned a lot of things about a lot of things!  If thats a thing?

Yes!  We took a yellow school bus on a crappy road day with an amazing bus driver who made the trip seem easy and one of the kids just wanted to "nap" on the bus - he slept the whole way there!  

But then he was ready for the interactive Museum Experience!

First thing in the door was a giant interactive kinetic and hydraulic display that had all kinds of ball bearings, marbles, gears and other stuff that kept the kids and the grown ups enthralled! 

These kids are some of my favorites at the school - they are always joyous and the spread it everywhere!  One of them always tells me that Im "Legendary"!  He also believes that he is Legendary!  I love that about him and it always makes me smile - no matter what!

One of all of our favorite sections what the Comic Con section with an amazing library like reading area that was all animated/cartoon books and the kids could grab a book and Chill!

The Murals on the walls were done by local cartoon artists - I was not able to get the names of the mural makers, but the kids sure enjoyed finding the artifacts hidden in plain sight in the murals.

They also got to draw cartoons in part of the exhibit in the Comicon area - tons of different styles and lots of colors to use - you can trace something or make up your own characters! So Fun!

This part is also a fun and interactive section where you scan a QR code with your phone or the ipads provided and when you focus your device on the orange frames the picture that comes up on the device is all in color and tells you the story about that page of the comic.  Mind Blown on that one!

Then there is the Snapping Turtle - (thats Mr Brandt the teacher in this picture) but the turtle is a medium sized guy who loved the kids but the grown ups not so much!  He would go right to the spot where any kids were standing and swim and show off right in front of them!

You can see him swimming right in front of these two - He is an intersting addition to the Museum and kind of a "one of these things is not like the others" display!  It sounds like maybe someone had him as a pet as a baby turtle and then he grew into a big snapping turtle and this was his best option for great care?  I learned from this display that this type of snapping turtle can live up to 50 years!

There was even inspiration for us quilters there in the Alaska Native/Eskimo display - how beautiful is this regalia?  I could not resist taking a picture of it as I have quilt dreams of it now!  We couldnt take a lot of pictures in this section of the Museum due to the "No Flash" rule and that the lights are kept very low in this part - many of the artifacts can be damaged by the light - even from flash cameras!  

The elevator even has a marvelous mural on it!  Everywhere we went there was art and wondrous things to see and do!  We only had a couple of hours there so we did not get to even see and do everything but I give two thumbs up to this "Legendary" experience!  If you havn't been to the Museum please make plans to go - you will not be sorry!  If you are not local here in Alaska Check out the link here to the Museum - or check your area for a museum that is close to you - I know Seward has a great one also!  

Blessed Be and may all your adventures and field trips be Legendary!

 

Naughty Ike Steals a Shoe!

 I think all of you have heard of Naughty Ike by now - the Valentines gift gone slightly awry from 2022?  The two year old who acts like it?  Yes thats him!

He is a 130 pound wonder of love and no idea of his own size or how much he weighs!  What does he know?  He knows that he likes the remote controls and my Sanita hand painted shoes with the beautiful Dragonfly Dragon Rye's on them that I sourced off of Marketplace and paid extra to have them shipped because at the time, I didnt have time to drive to Anchorage (or the energy) during the busy time of both my jobs!

This is them - in all their splendor at moms house showing them off to her!  She was proud of me that I actually got something for myself - although pre owned - that made my heart happy!

Mom came out withour her shoes on even - luckily it was warm out that day!

I love these shoes! Should I say I loved them!

They went with everything - they were my special "dress up" shoes!  I wore them when I needed to feel good going to places that might be hard for me!  They were so comfortable and easy to slip on and off, and they never made my feet stinky either!  They were all day walkers!

And now.......Ike strikes again!

Hubby thought they might be repairable but he chewed them all the way down to the metal in the sole and then he chewed them some more!

Here I am at a wedding - wearing the shoes!  The special shoes so even if I was looking down - those Dragonflies would be flying all around!

He got both of them - I kept them in the bedroom with the door shut and he got the door open and got these shoes!  Not the crappy ones that are rubber but hurt and make your feet stink which these ones never did!

Here they are on the counter and you can tell who did it!  Brix was NOT involved in the shoe stealing!  He wants to bolt away!  Ike knows - and he does look remorseful!  I asked "Did you eat my shoes?"

If Brix could point..... you know who he would be pointing at!  But MoMMMM.....It was an accident!  Accidental shoe eating?  Pretty sure it wasnt!  

The very next day he ran out onto the lake and made a spectacle of himself with some fishermen who were just trying to enjoy the day!  Luckily - once again it was some of our nice neighbors - Ike was just saying a barky hello and Brix just showed up to chill and fish with the nice lady who had some shrimp for bait!  I got my steps in but not how I planned and I was so mad!

Here he is - under my desk where he really doesnt fit anymore and where he ends up unplugging my mouse most days if I let him get under there!  He was trying to make up and snuggle me cuz he knew I was very salty towards him!

I will be glad when the "twos" are over!  I never even had this much trouble with the boys when they were two!  We had a few things they would do, but the people boys were never shoe wreckers - at least not mine!  I know this too shall pass and I am practicing patience and learning new "coping skills"!

May you have great shoes to make memories in, nice neighbors to help get your dogs home, and a few baby gates to keep them out of the rooms!

Blessed Be!

A BIrthday Good Thing for your 31

 Today you would be 31 years old.  31 years old at 8:15 pm.  It is a beautiful sunny day today finally, after all the crazy storms we have had it is nice to have your day be so beautiful.

The friends of the dead have come out in force to support us and have called, messaged, and sent hugs from near and far - some even coming right to us to try to hug a cactus today!  We have had notes given with love and support to help us keep going, and to try to give us a little love and remind of that the love stays, as we manage the day.

Today I am doing a good thing to honor you and to give a dear friend a good thing too, some who loves you and whom you love.  It required me to leave the house today and to go out into the world and be present with people and especially this friend who will be travelling soon to have cancer treatment.  I know you will be with us today and I know you will have her in your angel wings as she travels for this hard thing.  This is the first birthday since you died that I have left the house I think, and it was exhausting but good.

Today I delivered this quilt to my dear friend Dana - the only thing I can do to make her life a little easier as she goes to have cancer treatment out of state.  We had lunch together and visited and talked about all of our kids and some of the hard things we are both dealing with right now......

We remembered you and we laughed and cried a little, and right there in the restaurant, she prayed with me and for me and for us and I for her.  

I thanked her for giving me her time today, your birthday, and one of my hardest days of the year, and she said she was honored to spend the time with me and to have the gift that was made with love and magic, and a little bit of angel too.

Blessed be - do good things both large and small, and if you are a believer in any higher power, throw up some prayers for my Dana and her family, for me and my family, and for all of us struggling right now with the world, and always, always love your people!

We March!

Naughty Ike Makes A Friend!!!

 This week Naughty Ike turned two!  And he really is two!!!  Any of you who have had a two year old even as a baby sitting candidate knows the terrors of two!

The snow has been really deep, and the weather has been cold lately - and both my boys have to go poop where no one can see them - most of the time even cars going by!  Especially Brix - our older dog who was trained at a young age to not poop in the yard - but if the snow is touching his butt all bets are off and you can expect a pacing event until he just can't not go anymore!

So when a neighbor made a few runs to the lake on a snowmachine, and Reed and the Hubby had made a few runs earlier in the Winter, it made for a trail right to the neighbors in a roundabout way through the dark woods between our properties!  Ike just thought it was the best thing ever!  SO every time the neighbor started his truck and we were outside, Ike would run over and give him a huge barking helloo!  Yeah - laugh it up - damn dog kids!

Luckily we have nice (dog people) neighbors and his wife came over to meet this Naughty dog who kept coming to their house!  "Your dogs are always so good and they never come to our house -I thought you must have got a new dog!"  I had to say - he's not new - he's just two!

Then we laughed and laughed because we both know!

Blessed Be and may the worst of your two year old problems be just Ike naughty!

Every Baby Deserves A Blanket!

 

Early last week I was interviewed by some of the kids from our Yearbook class about some of the things I like about the school and working with the kids, and they also asked what I do to relax or have fun!  I always have a few answers for that but right at the top of my list along with gardening, is quilting!  I know you have all seen some of the quilts I have made in other posts, but the kids asked me how many quilts I have made - and I had to tihink about it!  I have made over 100 quilts!

I keep track of them in a couple of "Quilters Journal" books that I have been given or have just converted a blank book into, and now there is even an app on the I-Phone that lets me keep track!

This was the first Quilters Journal I got - from my mom in 1999!  It doesn't have all the quilts in it - one has to remember to take pictures before the quilts get given or sent!

I have made a wide variety of quilts in a myriad of colors and for all different reasons!  Hockey, Basketball, Homeless kids, weddings, babies and the list goes on!

 Here is the second book resting on the open pages of the first - I have lots of pages to fill still in this 2020 start book!

I was asked one time also why I make quilts for people I dont know,  or for people who might not use it or treat it well....  and the most simple answer is....because every baby deserves a blanket!  

This is my moms Nativity set that she gets out every Christmas and it has s special place in the living room for the whole of the Christmas Season.  Long ago when I was a kid we spent a lot of time at a Ceramics shop (Knik Knack Mud Shack) and I remember her carefully painting each piece of this nativity set!  It is a treasure.  Can you see the bright green square in the middle of the manger scene?

Look close..... that little square is covering up the baby Jesus.  It is a square of fleece that is the same as the teddy bear Rye had - that my mom made him.  I didnt remember the story until my mom reminded me this year that every time Rye was at her house during the Christmas season, he would cover the baby Jesus with a little square of fabric.  She tried to take it off and he would find something to put right back on it.....a square of felt, a peice of quilt batting, whatever he found that resembled a blanket.  In his words - even as a youngster- "every baby deserves a blanket!"  This year, mom was fussing that the baby's blanket was dusty and she wanted to wash it and I said "Why don't you just cut a new one?"  She said, "Because its the last one that Rye cut and covered that baby Jesus with......because every baby deserves a blanket."

 Blessed be and may you and all your babies have blankets!