Halloween Fun

Saturday we tailgated before the Iowa game.    There were two little punkins visiting us.

Chance didn't really know what to think about Clara.  He didn't really like anyone to hold her!

He did let Grandpa hold them both for a little while.

Oh, those silly bands!  Cael spent some time playing with his.

Payton played catch with Bud's nephew, Doug.  Then he went to the game with Grandpa.

It was an Iowa blowout!  Iowa 37 Michigan 6

Nate played his version of the bag toss game. (And had a great time avoiding my camera!)

Sunday night we had a few trick or treaters.

We had Mario and Luigi--

A cute little penguin--

And a ghastly creature with blood running down his face!

We enjoyed a supper of soup, salad, and dessert.  It was a good family weekend.

Yummy Mexican Lasagna

It's been awhile since I've posted a recipe.  You probably thought I forgot how to cook!  Cooking really hasn't been at the top of my list lately, but I was asked for this recipe recently, so I thought I'd share.  

I'm linking to Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap this week.  Check it out for great recipes.

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb. hamburger(I often use sausage)

1 small onion

3 T chili powder

1 T flour

1 cup water

6 flour tortillas

1 cup sour cream

1 can tomato soup

2 cups cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese

Brown hamburger & onion.  

Stir in chili powder and flour.  Add water and simmer until thick.  Cut up flour tortillas into one inch squares. 

 Stir together sour cream and tomato soup.  Spray a 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray then layer 1/2 tortillas, 1/2 hamburger, 1/2 sour cream mixture 1/2 cheese, then relayer.  Cover and bake at 350 for 45 min-an hour.

If I feel like making this healthier I use 95% fat free tortillas, lite or fat free sour cream, and 2% cheese.

Num-Num!!

Halloween Goodie Bags

We don't really do much for Halloween.  At some point I hope to see the kids all dressed up, but we usually don't see them on Halloween.  I don't really decorate for Halloween, but for fall instead.  Being in the country means we don't have trick or treaters either.  So, I decided to start a new tradition for our grandchildren for Halloween.  I made each one of them a goodie bag with his/her name on it.

(There are only five in the picture because I gave Chance his on Saturday.)

Of course Clara's had to have a little something "girly" on hers!

Because of all the fru-fru I put Clara's name toward the bottom.

You can see Nate and Payton's names on theirs.

So, I plan to fill them each Halloween and have them give them back to me before the next Halloween. 

I'm really not going to focus on candy, although I'm sure there will be some in there.

 I can envision sending them off to them when they are in college.:)

What Halloween traditions do you have?

A Fall Table Topper

  I LOVE "Gobble, Gobble" by Sandy Gervais fabric.   I had made a table runner last year and had some left over, so I came up with this table topper.

I decided to use a variety of quilting on it.  I straight line quilted the squares, used a fancy stitch on the cream border, and meandered around the outer border.  You can see all three styles in this close up.

Not a great photo, but photography is NOT my strong suit!!  Remember I'm a beginning quilter, so don't be too critical.

I love my house all decorated for fall with the rich brown, gold, green, and orange colors.  And the mums outside are gorgeous.  I'll have to get some photos before they freeze!

Thought for Today

A Little Fun and a Lot of Work!

We are in the process of finishing our basement.  The majority of the basement is older with lower ceilings, but it is in good shape.  When we moved in it had a room with a shower and sink, and an area with a kitchen that contained the washer and dryer.  The rest of it was just open.  At one point we put up a few walls and made a sewing room for me which was a not completely finished, but private.

Then we added onto the house including putting a basement under the addition.  We are now putting the washer/dryer, toilet, and sink in the shower room.  I'm not good at remembering to take before pictures, but here are a few "in the middle" pictures.

Here you can partly see the shower.  Bud did a great job tiling it.  It now needs to be grouted.

 This is where the new washer and dryer are going.  We opted to purchase the front loading ones without buying the pedestals.  Bud built a platform to put them on instead.

 And back in this corner will be the toilet.  It is different from your usual toilet since there wasn't the correct plumbing.  But, since I'm not very mechanical I can't really tell you how it's different.:)

After this room we move onto the family room which needs to be framed, drywalled, a closet, and carpeting.  Then the kitchen area and stairs which needs drywalled, new cupboards and appliances, and tile.  Finally will be a new and bigger sewing room for me.  It too will need drywalled, and carpet.  Of course everything will need primed and painted.  We do the work ourselves, so it makes me tired to think of it!

This past week we worked HARD every night--especially Bud--trying to get the area for the washer/dryer ready for delivery.  But, after many phone calls to Sears and their delivery people, it wasn't delivered.  Here's hoping it will be delivered next Friday as promised.

Our October weather continues to be beautiful!  We decided to try a new camping spot this weekend.  This was our view:

 The Mighty Mississippi!  

It was a beautiful spot even though the trees really haven't turned yet.  There were two other campgrounds right along the river within about 8 miles.  I know we'll be going back.

Quilt Show Shopping!

While Jenny and I were at the quilt show we did see several "celebrities".  The first one I thought I saw was Jan Patek. She is known for applique and needle punch.  Sure enough when we went back to her booth, it was her.  She was teaching a mini class.  We bought a pattern from her. If you'd like a free pattern from her go here.

When we went back to Eleanor Burns' booth there she was.  

Eleanor is know for her "quilt in a day" patterns, although she has many others.  We bought one of her patterns.  You can check out her website here.

Of course we bought a "few" items.  Who could resist? 

There's Eleanor Burns on the pattern on the right.  Jenny and I are sharing that one.  Won't my grandbabies look cute in jackets like the pattern on the left?  And the pattern you see behind is really three patterns that were free with the purchase of some flannel you'll see next. 

This flannel was so soft and pretty I could just imagine being cuddled up with it in front of the fire this winter.

We got a great deal on charm packs--buy three get one free.  So, we each bought two and split the cost.  I'm using mine to make this little Schnibbles.  I've heard so much about these, but I've never made one. It will be just right for a winter weekend activity.

And a few fat quarters--the Dick and Jane fabric is for a gift.  I'm sure you'll see the project later.  And the fat quarters on the right are to finish a snowball table topper for Christmas decorating.

It was an enjoyable day, and I look forward to next year's quilt show!

More AQS

Photos just don't do these quilts justice.  (Especially MY photos!)  This quilt was a kind of 3-D quilt.  The small quilts on the clothesline were raised up from the rest of the quilt.  This was a real art piece.

This is a great quilt for a fall Hawkeye football game!!

The piecing on this quilt was great, but the quilting was fantastic!  It doesn't really show up on this photo, so check out the close up below.

I still think there's nothing like a hand quilted quilt.  The time and precision just can't be ignored.  There were quite a few of these, but this one was my favorite.

The focus of this quilt was the quilting, not the piecing.

There were a few men out and about along with quilts on display that were made by men.  

We talked to a man from Minnesota who started on a quilt in 1983 and had just finished it.  It is a HUGE Monopoly game.  The "board" is about 8' x 8'.   All of the pieces, money, cards, etc. are fabric.  It was very cool.  You can see a real Monopoly board in the upper left hand corner of the photo so you can get an idea of the size.

And someone else made a CandyLand quilt.

This last quilt is just for my sister-in-law, Gay.  She is a Santa lover and collector.

I have the name of the lady who made this quilt if you want to make her an offer, Gay!!

And that's the end of the quilt show.  Soon I'll show you the loot I got from a few vendors.

AQS--Des Moines Fun!

A friend and I took the day off and headed to Des Moines for the AQS quilt show.  If you want to know more about it go here. Neither of us had been there before so we didn't know what to expect. The first view we saw through the window upstairs was oodles and oodles of booths!

We didn't realize it at the time but right there in the front middle of the picture was our favorite quilt store--Willow Creek Quilt & Gifts!

Here  Juanita and Deb are in the Willow Creek booth.

There were many quilts on display.  Many had been judged for something in particular, and some were in contests.  I took some photos, but the quilts were all gorgeous in their own way.

I would love to have this wintery quilt hanging on my wall. This photo(I won't keep saying this,because it's true for all the photos) doesn't do it justice.

Here is a close up of some of the embroidery at the top.

This quilt was a cute one in a booth that was selling the pattern.  It is a game quilt for kids.  The sides are I Spy fabrics.  I intended to go back and purchase the pattern, but didn't.:(

This quilt caught my eye with the stunning  red flowers on the black background.

That's all for today.  Stay tuned for more great quilts in upcoming posts!

A Tailgating Saturday

Iowa vs. Penn State was the theme of the day for Saturday.  It was forecast to be chilly, so we decided to take the fifth wheel up for the day.  Bud and I headed up around 8:00 a.m. to get a good spot.  Travis, Kerry, and Chance, Trilby, Payton, Cael, and Nate, and Tasha and Clara all joined us.

There was a little eatin' goin' on.

There was a little drinkin' goin' on.

There was a little corn bag toss goin' on.

There was a little snugglin' goin' on.

There was a little Hawkeye wearin' gear goin' on.

A little football watchin' in the afternoon.

(Yes, someone had to bring his Dish.)

And then the big attraction.

There is such electricity and excitement in the air before the game it is hard to describe if you've never been there.  And the night games are the best!  Look at all that black and gold.  It was great and had to be intimidating to Penn State to look up into the stands and see it.
Final score:  Iowa 24 Penn State 3

What a great day of football and family time!!!