Patriot's Day spent in Boston!

We aren't in Texas anymore Mom!Mom and I took the subway into Boston today and toured the city. It's a good thing we decided not to drive into the city as it's preparing for the Boston Marathon tomorrow. We took a wonderful bus tour and saw SO many things! It was a great day. =)

Mother Goose's grave. Who knew she was a real woman. Poor thing. She had 20 kids!

See MORE at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ginalee_67/sets/72157626396516641/

I've Been Published!!

I'm so excited with all the changes in my business. I just received the first magazine I've been published in!! Many thanks to Mary Mann and Debi Urban who each made a quilt and to Kathryn Rister (my mom!!) who quilted mine and Mary's quilts. =)

Happy Birthday Morgan!

Wow, I can't believe my youngest is 8 now! And to think he had to spend the day at home with a fever. =( Since I couldn't leave to get a mix or a cake, I made him a home made cake. He told me it was the best birthday cake he has ever had. =)

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE

2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup cocoa 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup real mayonnaise (not salad dressing) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup cold water Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add vanilla, mayonnaise and water. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9-inch pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes).

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup milk 2 tsp. almond or vanilla extract **I used 1 tsp of each!! In a food processor, process butter about 30 seconds or until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the confectioners sugar and process again, about 15 seconds. While the motor is running, drizzle in the extract through the small opening in the feed tube. Process for another 30 seconds, or until smooth. Cooks Note: For a stiffer frosting, add a little less milk or more confectioners sugar. For a glaze, or thinner frosting add more milk or less confectioners sugar. This same mixture can also be made in a stand mixer, but add the confectioners sugar on very low speed (or use the bowl cover), as it has a tendency to splash out of the bowl.

Happy New Year!!!

Can you believe that a new year has come in already? How do these things happen so fast?? Speaking of things happening fast, my kids are growing so fast. I am blessed to have a sister that is a super photographer. She took pictures of my kids a couple weeks ago. They turned out great!

Bryce - 20

Briana - 18

Blake - 13

Marshall - 9

Morgan - 7

These 2 are not only brothers but best friends. They are inseparable. I love the relationship that these 2 have.

Photograph computer tricks

I LOVE what my daughter Briana did with this picture of herself!

SNOW!

The kids were SO excited to be out of school today because of the snow.

So, how does a quilter measure snow??

Michael and I both went out with the boys and helped them make a snowman. We haven't done that in years. I'm so glad that we joined them.

As they were rolling the snow to make a ball, look what was hiding under the snow:

Now, want to see what truly makes this a Texas snow??

I love snow!! One thing I know is when it snows I won't see any rattlesnakes! woo hoo

Life is so busy. Goes by so quickly and the kids grow up so fast. Got an email form my daughter this week. She was 15 when I sent her to live with her dad. Seems like she was just here. She said she's about to be 18. I know that but it didn't hit me until she said that. Where did my little girl go? She's all grown up now. I miss her so much but glad to know that she is doing well in school. She's so artistic and talented. She sent me pictures of some of her drawing and sewing projects she did in school recently. She's really getting interested in Interior Design. She also like graphic Design and Fashion Design (which she's really good at). I do know that she wants to go to design school when she graduates in another year. I'm anxious to see what she becomes.

Talk about growing up, my baby is about to be 7. I can't believe it! he's not a baby anymore. He's so cute missing one front tooth. I'll have to take a picture if I can tear him away from the games long enough. I think I can. He's been snuggling with me lately which I just eat up. He fell asleep in my arms recently. That was the first time in several years that he had done that. I cherish moments like that.

Speaking of snuggling. My 19 year old came up today and just wanted to lay by me on the bed. He still likes mom to snuggle with him. It's very sweet and innocent. He went tonight to a Christian Comedy show with my mom. I thought that was really cute. What 19 year old do you know that will hang out with his grandma??

Saying Goodbye is really saying Hello

It's so hard when you see someone that has left this earth. My 3rd cousin passed away this week and her funeral was yesterday. While it was so difficult to see her children and siblings in pain there was a joy there too knowing that she had been liberated from the diseased body she was in and had gone on to a new and better one.....that she was no longer in pain. Death is not death, it is a new life in Christ for those who believe.

WOOOO HOOOOOO - Colt McCoy

Colt, I know that you willl never read this but here it is. =) Congrats on the Bowl win and being named MVP. The game just ended and I watched your acceptance speech. We live on the back side of your grandparents land and your granddaddy Burl was out working on his fence a couple weeks ago. Our dogs were going crazy out there so I thought it was a rattlesnake...but it wasn't, it was your grandad. I told him that I bet they were mighty proud of you. He said they sure are but their biggest hope is that you keep your head on straight. I know that he would be so proud of you right now because the very first thanks you gave were to Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior. I know that you will one day make it big in the NFL and you will be in the perfect position not only to say those words but to show others that you live those word I know your whole family does. Gosh, I remember watching your dad and your uncle Michael play football in high school. Seems like just yesterday. =)

T'was the month after Christmas

T'was the month after Christmas, and all through the house,
nothing would fit me, not even a blouse;
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I had to taste,
at the holiday parties had gone to my waist;

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber),
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared,
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared;

The wine and the rum balls; the bread and the cheese,
and the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt,
and prepared once again to do battle with dirt,
I said to myself, as only I can,
"You can't spend winter disguised as a man!"

So, away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished,
'til all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie--not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore,
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

--author unknown

Kids keep on growing

I sure hope that i can keep a better track of this blog this year than I have in the past. Briana has been visiting for Christmas break and will be leaving all too soon. It has been wonderful to have her home. The boys have sure loved being around their big sister. She took some wonderful photos last week that I want to share. I think she has quite an eye for photography. She does come by in honestly since we have several professional photographers and amateur photographers in the family.
Marshall : 7
Morgan: 5
Blake: 11

Blake has a penchant for photography too and got in on the picture taking that day. He took a great picture of Briana (16)


I'll have to load more pictures in my Webshots album:
http://community.webshots.com/user/ginalee_67

Life gets in the way

Wow, where does the time go? I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted. Life has kept me so busy. 5 kids and a business. whew. =) On Feb 24, my daughter, mother and I went up to Munday, Texas to the Cotton Pickin' Quilt Festival. So happened to have had a terrible dust storm that day. This is a blurred view. I apologize. I had it on auto focus, so it focused on the inside of the suburban. I was in the very back seat. =)

The dust was awful but the quilts were wonderful. I will try to give appropriate credits when I can. If I have missed some PLEASE let me know.

I fell in love with this Sunbonnet Sue Redwork quilt. I didn't get the quilter or the designers' name. Please let me know if it is yours.

This quilt was made and quilted by Amanda Bibb:

These darling handprint quilts were hanging in the school hallways.