25 Hours With My Sisters...

Wow, I finally have some time to do this while my satellite speed internet is being cooperative. Finally.

I last wrote on Thursday night, when I made a quilt block for Julie.

The next day, Friday, Julie & I went to the vet school (where I work & where she used to work) so that she could visit with some friends.

We did a few errands and then came home to get
ready for the other two sisters.
Julie wanted some photos

taken with the pups.

Here's Tag, sitting nice & straight for her

(her hand - holding a stick - is just outside the shot).

I think she's whispering sweet nothings to Allegra.

Joyce & Jill finally arrived! YAY!!!

We had pizza for supper and then sat & gabbed.

(l to r: Julie, Jill, Joyce)

Each time we have our 'sisters weekend' we exchange gifts. Jill gave sister plaques, Julie gave each of us 3 jars of jam (oh, it's sooo yummy), Joyce gave each of us a votive candle, dishrag that she made + money. I made aprons for everyone. Julie's has a wine motif, Jill's has motorcycles, and Joyce's is black/cream with a pocket that matches the fabric of theplastic bag holder I made for her last Christmas. I think they all were very happy.

(I made one for myself...pizza slices!)

Mom and Aunt Bev sent gifts, too,
but I don't have good photos of them.

Thank you very much...the gifts are great!

I wanted to give Jill her Christmas/birthday gift so

that Julie and Joyce would have a chance to see it.

(yup, she's crying.)

We got our jammies on and were all set to watch a movie (he's just not that into you). Julie grabbed my 'practice' quilt, Jill grabbed a tan quilt that I usually have on the ottoman, and I had my star quilt that Brenis made for me last year. Joyce sat there in the middle...here's how it went. (Close, anyway.)

Joyce: don't I get a blanket?
me: oh. do you want one?
Joyce: well, yeah.
me: {sigh} I suppose I can get something. (walking toward the hallway) I think I have an old...

Joyce to sisters: I suppose I'll get an old army blanket or something...that'll itch.

I came down the hall with the black and white quilt (I know, you haven't seen it, yet...be patient!) and tossed it into her lap. She looked at it and asked if I had made it. Told her I did...she noticed the patch of purple on the back (her fave color) and we told her to look at the label. She did.

It read: "To Joyce, From Jacque. Heart, 2009."

She sobbed. Not kidding! See?

And, sobbed.

For 10 minutes!

She finally calmed down and looked it over.

I think she likes it. 

And, here it is...the black and white quilt I made for her.

I bought the fabric last spring and made it
in 4 days a few weeks ago.

It's Joyce's birthday/Christmas gift.

See the text pieces? They are verses from Psalms.

Here's the back. See the purple?

She LOVES purple, so I had to put a piece in there for her.

I didn't want to have any quilting in the text blocks,

so I just quilted it in straight lines on both sides of each horizontal seam.

After all the excitement died down, we settled down to watch the movie.

The pups got comfy, too.

We stayed up late, chatting and laughing and having a good time.

The next day, Saturday, I made breakfast for everyone.

We showered, etc., and went shopping at Gordman's

(a discount department store that is Julie's all time fave store!).

Joyce and I talked about the doll quilts she wants me to make...

so we ended up at Stitcher's Crossing to look for some fabric.

Went in with Joyce saying she wanted purples and pinks.

Here's what we ended up with.

They are gonna be so dang cute! {grin})

Julie bought some fabric for a quilted kitty blanket. More on that later.

We ate lunch here...

(left to right: Joyce, Julie, Me, Jill)

Salute! To the 4 J's!

Of course, time for them to leave came all too soon.

I love them & miss them very much.

Allegra and Sisters

Update on Allegra: she's doing about the same. No better, but no worse. We're hanging in there.

Other news: I am trying to get everything done this weekend...my sisters are coming. Several years ago, I read Nicholas Sparks' book, "Three Weeks With My Brother". It's an exploration of relationships between the two brothers (Nicholas & his brother, Micah), & how life has influenced them, etc., as they go on a trip around the world. I loved it! And, I have an autographed copy!

At any rate, I determined then and there that time spent with my family was the most important thing in my life. Sisters Weekend resulted from that. Joyce lives in Alaska. Julie lives in Colorado (though she still lived here by me when I instigated this idea), and Jill lives about 2 hours away here in Wisconsin. Once a year, when Joyce comes to Wisconsin to see family and friends, we set aside 2 days for the 4 of us to get together. It's not always a weekend, and it's usually only one overnight. But, we spend time together, just the 4 of us...the 4 J's. We don't do anything special. Sometimes we shop, sometimes we just hang out. The one thing we always do is eat well! Julie missed the first year after she had moved to CO, and we didn't have the opportunity last year, so this year is very special. We each buy 4 gifts...not birthday or Christmas...just a special something for each of us to have from our time together. I've been busy, but I cannot tell you what I'm giving...you'll have to wait until next week when this is over.

Julie and Joyce are flying to WI today. They'll stay in Eau Claire where our Mom lives. Julie will come to Madison on Tuesday, while Joyce takes more time to spend with her youngest daughter, her grandson, & friends. Julie will spend time visiting friends in this area, bathing my dogs, and just hang out with me. I only work Monday & Tuesday. We will probably do a bit of shopping...I know Julie needs a digital camera. On Friday, Joyce and Jill will come down. It'll be a great time and I am so looking forward to it!!! It'll come slowly, but will be over much too soon. They'll all leave Saturday night. I hope to have lots and lots of photos to show you!

Here's what I'm working on right now...just need to hand sew the binding...trying to get it done before my sisters are here. Nooooo, it's not for any of them. Just want to get it done. Look at all the quilting on this one...I had some serious fun! Random lines in the center, stippling in the first border, zigzag lines in the floating squares, then just some lazy lines on the outside border (which you cannot see too well because the binding hasn't been turned to the back, yet). I used a brown/cream variegated thread...so pretty!
Have a great weekend.

2 Days with my SISTERS...the Visit!

As the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end"...but what a good visit my sisters and I had! I love my sisters...though we live apart from the others, we are all close in heart...and always so appreciative of the time we have together.

Here is the arrival of 2 of my 3 sisters in the late afternoon on Thursday. Joyce (14 mos older) is on the left, and Jill (7 years younger) is the driver. Julie, who moved to Colorado earlier this year, did not come.

After unloading the vehicle, meeting the dogs and getting settled...and after I showed Joyce and Jill my house, we sat down and chatted for a bit and then exchanged gifts. Our Mom had sent along a few things for us to open, too...and we called Julie (at work in Colorado) while we opened everything.

Here's Joyce on the phone with Julie...

Here's Jill on the phone with Julie...

She's holding up a framed sketch our Mom did of a piece of our childhood...the brick wall at the end of our driveway. At least 1/2 of us had mishaps which involved this wall...can you say, "OUCH"? Here's a better photo of the sketch. Good job, Mom!!

Jill has a longtime friend who sings & plays guitar in small venues (bars) and he was in Madison that night, playing at Babes American Bar & Grill. Joyce had never seen Tuck perform, so we went out for the evening. I call him a hillbilly, just cuz he's a good ole country boy. He sings some Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Badfinger...as well as his own music. He's pretty good and fun to listen to.

Here's Tuck - at the end of his night - with Joyce and Jill...

By the time we got home and went to bed, it was about 2:00...{yawn}. The dogs and I got up at 5:30 and spent a very quiet time together until my sisters got their lazy butts out of bed around 8:00. I made breakfast and we spent a nice chatty morning together until it was time to get moving and ready to go SHOPPING! We went to Kohl's, which is one of my most favorite stores...

Jill wanted to know, "Does this color look good on me???" Joyce and I both thought so, so she bought this jacket...

We ate at Perkins, a favorite place to eat...we all had the famous BLT Chicken Breast Salad.

Though none of us needed it, we split a chocolate malt 3 ways...ohyummy~

We were so full, we could barely smile! haha!

Yes, this is the only picture of me with either of my sisters.

After rolling out of the booth and getting back into the car...Joyce wanted to buy souvenirs. Off we went to Wisconsin Active Sportswear where she bought t-shirts and sweatshirts and magnets, keychains and a shot glass! Good job, Joyce!

One more stop...Harley Davidson! Jill and Joyce have long been associated with Harley Davidson bikes & men.

Finally, we are DONE with shopping! YAY! We came back home to my house, chatted while they got ready to leave and then Joyce and Jill had a quick bite to eat. Just before they were ready to go, my son showed up with his family. Joyce and Jill had never met Paul's fiance, Rachel, or her son, Devin...or his daughter, Kaylynn, so it was good that they had some time with them before taking off for Jill's house. (more about Paul's family in another post)

Great Aunts Joyce and Jill with Kaylynn...

Joyce and Jill must get going...

BYE!

I love you~

and miss you already~