Summer = BUSY!!!

It is summertime!  June has flown by so fast!!!  I can barely recall what I've been doing for the past month!!! But I will give it a try!

Stitching

I have been working in some stitching time.  I have too many projects that I want completed to just let them sit by the side!!!  I have been, of course, stitching on Dragon Knot.  I've made some progress on it:

I also had one small finish.  I did a bib as a gift for one of my co-workers who is expecting her first baby.  The baby's room is being done in lambs and sheeps and since they aren't finding out the sex of the baby before it is born, I had to go pretty neutral:

Summer Convention

This year's summer convention was held in Orange Beach, Alabama.  Luckily, the place that it was held was so great, there was no need to go to the beach.  There were a number of pools to choose from and a lazy river.  This place was great.  I had a 2 bedroom condo that put my apartment to shame!!  I was very tempted not to come back!!!  The convention was a great success.  I had more participants this year than I've had in the 5 years I've been putting it on.  The oil spill did not dampen the great time any of us had!!!

Here's a few pics:

Sister Time

My Mother brought my sister back home shortly after her surgery on her ankle.  She's been at my parents house for the past 2 weeks recuperating.  It's been nice having her home.  When I can I take her out to dinner, for coffee, to movies, to bars, etc. just to get her out of the house.  We've seen Sex and the City 2 (not as good as the first one, wait for DVD).  We may go see Grown Ups this weekend.  We are both going to see Eclipse this week but separately.  She just can't wait for me to take her!!! 

Her and Mom are returning to Austin on Monday for her next doctor's appointment.  She may be able to "try" to start driving again. If that happens, she will finally be able to return to work and Mom may come home.  We'll see!

Annual Evaluation

It was annual evaluation time this month.  I was quite pleasantly surprised to have a really good evaluation.  It was actually a fairly painless process this year!  I did get a raise but no bonus.  No money was allocated this year for bonuses.  But, that really isn't quite surprising considering the economy.  I was pleased overall. 

I know there was other things, but I just can't remember what they were!!!  I hope that July and August are just as good or better as June!

Stitching, a Birth and an Accident

It's been a while since I've blogged.  Blame it on life.  Or more simply, blame it on my sister!!!  I'll get into that later.  First let me start with some stitching updates.  I haven't been stitching a lot lately.  I guess the hot Louisiana summer has me feeling very lazy!!!  But I have made some progress on two WIPs.

The first WIP is the Mary Engelbreit Mother Goose baby quilt I'm working on for Cassady.  I've moved on to Mother Goose!

This first picture is all that I've currently completed on the quilt:

The second picture is a close up of Mother Goose, herself, who I am currently working on. That feather actually took 2 nights of stitching to finish.  TEDIOUS!!!

The second WIP I've been working on is Dragon Knot.  I haven't worked on it for a while as I was working on other projects that were gifts for people, but this is one that I really want to finish this year.  I'm once again not sure who will receive this work or if I will keep it for myself, but I am going to finish it!! I've put to much work into it and would love to finish a "big" HAED!

The first pictures is a close up of the area I am currently working on:

This second picture is of all that I have completed.  I am so close to finishing but yet so far away!

Now on to what has kept me from blogging since my birthday!  The good news first!  I am an Aunt again! The day after my birthday, one of my very dear friends from college, Jason, and his wife welcomed a baby boy!  He is absolutely adorable - looks nothing like his father! Sorry Jason!  Love ya!!!  Unfortunately I have no picture to post, I'll have to figure out a way to pull it off of Facebook.  But Brendan Julian is absolutely stunning!!! I can't wait to meet him!

The bad news.  Also the day after my birthday, I was notified, late at night, that my sister was in the hospital with a broken ankle.  Llllooooonnnngggg story.  But anyway, she was told she was probably going to have to have surgery that night.  So I had to do what I never wanted to do which was call our parents at 12:30 am to tell them that their baby daughter (ok, she is 30 but still the baby) was in the hospital looking at surgery.  Ended up that they weren't able to do the surgery that night because of all the swelling.  But regardless, Mom and I both rushed to be with my sister, who lives in Texas.  Mom left early Thursday morning and I left Thursday at noon.  I was working on absolutely no sleep and was amazed that I was able to make the 7 1/2 hours drive with no problem.  I think I was working on pure adrenaline. 

My sister had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon that Friday.  They assessed that her ankle was completely broken and would require plates and screws.  They scheduled the surgery for the following Friday and placed her back into a splint with a fiberglass cast.  I spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday just helping my mother out with cleaning my sister's apartment, shopping for groceries and supplies, and helping to maneuver my sister as she cannot walk or drive. 

My sister had the surgery.  2 plates and 10 screws later, she is on the way to mending.  Below is a picture of one of her incisions.  Don't look if you get queasy easily!  My mother has moved in with her indefinitely (wonder who is going to come out of that one alive!) and my father is there for this week to help out.  At the moment my sister has too many doctors appointments to come back home, which is what my father would like her to do to mend.  Her spirits are good.  She is frustrated as she is a very active person but she is definitely learning a lesson in patience and compromise. 

I hope to go back to see her at 4th of July if she is unable to come home.  Give my mom a chance to take a break and give my sister a break from my mom.

Picture of one of her incisions.  She has another one on the other side too.  But see how pretty her toe nails are?  I did that for her!!!

So that is what has been going on.  I've been worried to death over my sister.  But now that she is mending, I am feeling much better.  Which is good because work is keeping me super busy!!  I am working a convention this Thursday thru Saturday and then another one next Thursday thru Sunday.  This week's convention is a local one and it is rumored that Patrick Dempsey is staying at the hotel it is being held at as he is in town filming a movie!!!  I am very excited!!!  I hope I get to see him!!!  Next week's convention is in Orange Beach, Alabama.  Unfortunately the oil spill will make it impossible to get to the beach, but luckily the resort we are staying at has 3 pools and a lazy river!  I only work half days so I am looking forward to some sun!!!  (Cross fingers it doesn't rain!)

I'll try to post some more updates on stitching as I really hope to get some more done.  It's June already and I am no where close to finishing any of my goals from the beginning of the year!!!