Wishes do come true....

Last year at this time we were wishing for the safe arrival

of a baby boy .....

One year later that sweet baby boy

was walking happily at his own birthday party!!!!

He invited a couple of cute looking girls...

There were great decorations....

Mommy and Daddy are so clever!!!

There was great food to eat....

...and a very yummy cake.

Lots of presents to open....

...and very sweet parents gave us a wonderful gift too!!!

The day ended when we wrote wishes for Donovan,

tied them to his party balloons,

and let them fly toward the heavens.

Last year we could only dream of the joy this little boy could bring to our lives...

Now we are living the dream!!!

Happy Birthday Donovan.

More fun birthday pics here..... http://mrshein.blogspot.com/

Many Things to Celebrate....

This past weekend Oma got to meet her latest Great-Grandson,

and we got to meet our dear Great Nephew.

Nathan Cole is adorable...and oh so sweet!!!!

Afterwards the family gathered for a lovely luncheon

in celebration of Clare's Dedication at Church.

We could not have been happier or any more proud.

Clare was excited to help Oma with her cane....

...and then open some presents.

That evening she took a peek at her new Bible

....how cute is that????

....and the celebrations aren't ending anytime soon.

There is a bitty boy who will have a birthday party this weekend.

How is it possible that he is already one!!!!

Focus on the resolutions....

I am not much of a resolution kind of person....

I guess I know I don't stick to them!!!

But I have vowed to improve in SOME ways.

I have begun by USING some of my stash, and organizing my projects.

Are you impressed with the bitty stickers to keep me FOCUSED!!!!

I have begun my first new years project...thanks Bunnyhill!!!

I am going to LOVE making Dresden plates.

Oh my resolution to use up stash

...well QIAD was having a crazywarehouse sale.

$4 per yd. fabrics, and add to that I get a discount.

My resolve was shaken to the core.

Wish I would have taken a photo of my stack of bolts,

but better that I did not!!!

Back to the positive....my first Dresden plate.

So yummy I could eat it with a fork.

Back to my not keeping up with my resolutions

....a local fabric shop is moving locations.

All fabric 50% off. I went back TWICE!!!

How can I resist cute fabrics to outfit our bitty Clare and Donovan???

My resolve to begin the New Year by cleaning my house?

Well, I began by cleaning out all the candy we had for the holidays.

Doing REALLY well at that resolution....

ME BAD!!!!

New Year....new projects !!!

Christmas is finally put away....

all that remains are the dust bunnies

and some snowflake stuff that didn't make it into the vacuum cleaner.

Today was SUPPOSED to be devoted to more cleaning,

but why clean when you can play with your fabric stash instead!!!!

I think this poster says it ALL!!!!

SEW....instead I finished the borders on a Valentines quilt.

Here is the backing...cute huh?????

Digging deeper into my stash found this goodness....

I have been saving ( hoarding) for long enough.

I am hoping it will turn into this....how yummy!!!!

This is another group of goodness....

and maybe this is the year it will be turned into a Dresden Plate.

Did you know that Bunnyhill is hostessing a Sew Along?

Pretty much all the motivation I needed.

Not even sure in ALL my excitement that I shared this wonderful WIN!!!!

A whole collection of Pam Kitty Morning fabric...

thank you "Notes from the Patch" blog!!!

My friend Bev shared the win with me

and we are busily coming up with a perfect plan for the cutest quilt ever!!!!

Then I found time to visit Michaels today...and what did I find????

The cutest pouches that match the fabric

....had to come home with me.

Matching pen too,

to scribble down all those notes that I will need to remember!!!

So have you wondered if I finished anything lately...

YES I HAVE!!!!

Of course I think Clare will need to grow a bit more

before this sweater and hat fits.

...and one more coat to add to her collection.

It is looking like it will be a SEW wonderful year for quilting

and making things for Grandbabies.

Looking forward to it all very much!!!!

The best way to begin 2012....

It is a Dutch tradition to celebrate the New year by making "Oliebollen".

It is one of the reasons I love being Dutch!!!!

I hired a VERY cute Oliebollen maker....

It starts like this...

and ends with a plate full of yumminess!!!

Time for a delicious bite...

and a little powder sugar on the nose of the baker!!!!

Time to call Holland and wish

our Dutch family a very Happy New Year.

A fun way to begin the new year....

and one more reason to put the diet off for a few more days!!!