Getting to Know Annabelle

One of the sweetest things about grand babies is getting to know their precious little selves! Annabelle and I had just such a time tonight. She lay in my arms and looked around, then she would just gaze into my soul. What a precious gift to know that families are eternal. 

Big Brother (of the Riley-kind)

Riley got to come to meet his new little sister tonight. What a wonderful occasion... you don't get a little sister every day, you know!

I feel so happy when I see the love that they have one for another. You can never have too many people who love you.

We are so funny... we take turns soaking up the baby-Annabelle love. I'd been holding her for about an hour when I asked Deb if she wanted her baby back. Spencer asked so sweetly, "Can I have a turn first?"

And speaking of love-

I've never been big on using the term *step*-mom/child; it's just always meant more people to love. I'm grateful for that great capacity to love.

And since we are on the subject of love... it makes me happy to see these two funny-feline-sisters. I can hardly tell where one ends and the other begins!

Annabelle Goes Home

Already! It seems soon but I was always anxious to get home too.

I got to have a few minutes to change Annabelle's diaper and get her dressed for her trip home. I just love that they have so many darling clothes for newborns!

Here is the new family... they've waited a long time for this precious little baby-girl.

Deborah is already such a good Mommy! She is thrilled to have her very own baby.

I couldn't be more thrilled that Annabelle arrived on her Daddy's 30th birthday. What a wonderful memory for both of them. There are so many similarities between the arrival of these two much anticipated and waited for babies. I think that Spencer and Annabelle are even more loved and appreciated because of the loss of an older sibling[s].

The. Best. Birthday. Present. EVER!!

Just what Spencer said about his little baby Annabelle.

Annabelle was born today at 2:10 PM. She weighs 8 lbs. 1 oz. and just 20 and three-quarter inches long.

It has been such a long day... even longer for mommy, daddy and baby than it was for Grammie! For this night this is all Grammie has to post. 

I will be back tomorrow with many happy memories of this very special double birthday.

Day 20- Twenty Dottie Digits

In previous years I've numbered my posts but really hadn't thought about it this year...

until today when the coincidence caught me.

But I'm still not tricky enough to figure out how to take a photo of all 20 digits at once!

Oops!

I've had TMJ for years and have had a variety of mouthguards to try to alleviate the problem at night. Most recently my dental hygienist told me about her mouthguard that only covers the front six teeth on the bottom and worked really well. So I asked her make me one. 

When I saw it and how small it really is I thought *oh my stinking heck* this teeny-tiny! How will I ever keep from losing it? So I had her make me a second/extra one. This was over a year ago.

I usually take my mouthguard out first thing in the morning, rinse it and put it in a tiny little case in my nightstand drawer. But yesterday morning I put it in my drinking cup to soak for a few minutes (can you see where this is headed?)

Last night I got ready for bed as usual and took my whole handful of pills and supplements but I was feeling a little bit distracted because were waiting for baby Annabelle any day now. By the time I finished the rest of my bedtime routine, adding notes to my list for things I don't want to forget to take to California, reading my scriptures and saying my prayers I looked in my nightstand drawer for my night guard. But it wasn't there...

I looked in vain on the counter, on the floor, behind the toilet, in the drawers; I even got out my high-powered LED flashlight and finally came to one very sad conclusion...

I guess I'm going to have to have my dental hygienist make me an extra one again. 

It's not easy being me!

Use It Up

Many years ago I heard a little poem-

Use it up,

Wear it out,

Make it do,

Or do without!

I think it stuck with me because it spoke to my heart- especially my fabric-loving heart. I have small totes of little, seemingly useless, strips of fabric. I've even giving some away for others to use. It pains me to get rid of what might be useable fabric.

I think this beautiful Moda fabric purchased in 2006 demonstrates the reason why I keep saving fabric. 

This is all that's left of one-honkin'-bunch of fabric.

I bought the first cuts of this delicious fabric at some little quilt shoppe up in the Salt Lake Valley. I don't even remember the name now. I also bought a pattern but when I got home I realized that I wanted the fabric to shine. So I got a pattern from Tawna Witney that was just perfect. She'd made a shower curtain with her fabric.

I ended up enlarging the blocks to 200% and made my wonderful Moda super-king quilt. I needed to add more fabric and went down to Corn Wagon (only 2.2 miles from my front door!.) It is so big that I had to put it on my *then* design wall in 4 pieces! (Go big or go home!) I think that I completed this quilt in early 2007 when this photo was taken.

I had some fabric left. So, several years later, when Miss Sophie was going to join our family, I pulled out my delicious fabric and made her this soft and pretty quilt. March 2010

Yes, there was STILL fabric left. I put all of it into a clear plastic bag to await a future project. That project, which will remain nameless *THIS DAY* was completed this evening and is ready to go live with little baby-Annabelle (whose Mama loves this coral-pink color).

I'll be back in a few days with the photo... but for now y'all have to wait patiently with Deborah!

Happy Adoption Day, Harley (**well, kind of)

I've waited all month for this happy day!**

I can hardly believe that it was 6 years ago that we adopted Harley! Time has flown with this funny little *fur-covered-sack-of-trouble*!

Since we *deal in used dogs* we can never be certain how old they really are; but for the sake of assigning an age we think he is 8. He has the most soulful, wonderful, puppy-dog  eyes. (And very soft ear-sies!)

• Harley isn't the smartest dog we've ever owned- that goes to Amber.
• He's not the softest or most loving- that award goes to Buddi. 
• Without a doubt Harley is the dog with  more personality than ANY DOG we've ever known. He is a dog that understands a joke. He's a wonderful companion.

One of my favorite Harley stories is the time he and Stuart were rough-housing. Gordon said, "Stuart, don't get Harley all wound up!"

To which Stuart replied, "He started it!" (and he did!)

**(It's not easy being me! I can never remember the exact day we adopted Harley, but I always remember how many years we've had him. It's easy! It was the same month that we went to Texas to be with Brandon when he was ordained a deacon. Earlier this month I pulled out one of my blog books to check the date and SAW the 17th. I even thought at the time, "Boy that was later in the month than I remembered." I just pulled out a different blog book and saw that, in fact, we got him on the 12 January 2008! Then I check the other books- still the 12th! Oh well, he's just a dog, he doesn't care. Hey, he got 2 treats out of this photo op! Like I said, it's not easy being me!)

Grammie's Little Friend

One of the fortunate thing about living close to grandchildren is that I get to spend one-on-one time with them. Fiona and I get to have a Grammie-afternoon a couple of times a week. Lucky Grammie!

(Apparently Grammie was too busy singing, playing and peek-a-booing to get her camera a little less crooked. I was going for a little edgy!)

I so grateful for these wonderful days.

Star of the East

Tonight is the Wolf Moon, according to Fritz (aka Kevin Eubanks KSL weather- but every weatherman is Fritz since living in So Cal!)

I wanted to capture the moon in all of his beauty; but you know what? I never can. All I get is lens reflection and blurry, over or under exposed photos. I can see that I will need to study up on how the *big boys* get those awesome photos with all of the craters etc.

So, for tonight, you get to see the beautiful Star of the East. I've always loved that term. It evokes visions of wise men seeking the young child Jesus, come from afar.

(A quick internet search indicates that this star might actually be Jupiter.)

OK... and because I am basically a sunset-addict I had to share this one from earlier this evening.

Truly our Heavenly Father has created a beautiful world for us.