Itching to get sewing . . .

Life has been so busy for us with the house, the wedding, etc., etc. Now that things are calming down and now that I have actually had 8 hours of sleep last night I am itching to sew. I didn't sleep much up until the wedding so I was in a state of tired, I don't sew well when too tired. The one thing about not sleeping is it gives me time for praying, so the time awake is not wasted.

Anyway on the way back from Maryland at the beginning of October my husband and I stopped at IKEA so I could buy some fabric.






















The fabrics are so much fun. The striped on is from my garage sale hunting son and daughter-in-law, I must have ten yards of that. I love the big prints of the IKEA fabrics, maybe I will make tote bags or some other kind of bags or . . .

My friend Jean from my work gave me this fabulous apron book, no reason, just her thoughtful way of living, giving gifts for no reason. She also sent along two beautiful books for the new baby soon to be born. Thank you Jean!!!

Before I start all this sewing however I need to embroider names on Megan's family's Christmas stockings, and fix a snap on Jason, Jr.'s pants and finish a Christmas stocking that was cross stitched for Jason by an aunt but she didn't feel she could assemble it. There are always things to do and sew.

I wish I had passed on my sewing genes to my daughters. Megan says she can't but I know she can, she is just busy with 3 little ones. Courtney has started to make quilts and is getting braver. Recently she made a baby quilt for her sister-in-law. I taught her how to sew on a binding and she did a fabulous job. She learned that she enjoys handsewing too which she really has never done. I feel like it is therapy sometimes and she now knows how I feel.

Sunny Days make all the difference . . .

Our son Patrick has been painting this house for quite awhile. He has started a painting business and has become very interested in "Painted Ladies", a victorian house painted in many colors. I snapped the after pictures today and unfortunately it is a very gray day so the true colors don't shine through, the house is very lavender now and shines like a gem. All work is not done, but they have made a lot of progress. Painting six colors is a tricky task. I think we see white, two lavenders, blue, and two pinks. If you click on the picture you can see the colors much better. A sunny day would have meant he would have been painting and you would see how truly pretty the house now is, a sunny day makes a difference.

All moved in . . . .

Sunday was a busy day. Our children left one family by one family, which is always the sad part after such a wonderful weekend. We hate to see them go not knowing when we will be together again. This year it will be soon, so that made it easier. Many will be here for Thanksgiving or the day afterward. It's such a long trip for Meg and Jeff and their 3 girls, they are the ones that I feel badly for but I anxiously await their return along with Jason and Holly and Jason,Jr. Of course before then the new baby will be born, what an exciting fall this has been.

So once everyone left that needed to go the rest started to get a second wind and we started packing up the cars and trucks with kitchen stuff, clothes and Charlie the cat who was ready to go, he was really neglected by all of us the day of the wedding, we were just so busy.

So now Pat and Katie are moved in and starting to really unpack. A shower curtain has been hung, the baby's room put in order, it is so cute, and the refrigerator is installed in the kitchen. There are many little things to be done and they will be, one by one but it is now a home not just a house. Katie will be able to cook there now and they will be able to bring their baby home there. I will pray that God will bless their home.

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Fitzgerald . . .

We had a wonderful wedding on Saturday at our house on the lake. Right threatened and happened most of the day but I had asked God for time without rain to have the ceremony and he answered our prayers. It was beautiful and the weekend was just so special all around.

Shenandoah Costume GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Shenandoah Costume GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!
The creator over at Grosgain has made such a beautiful dress. I love the colors, the fabrics, the trims, and to think she will give it away. This would fit my granddaughter Joy and would be prettier than all the Disney Princesses put together. Hope I win!

October weekend . . .

I attended two baby showers, one for my daughter's sister-in-law, and the other for Katie. Katie received this very interesting gift, can you tell what it is a first glance? This was done by a friend from Canada I believe.
Annabelle made a new friend, her name is Emma Rose and she was six months old and very sweet.
I made Katie a wall hanging for the baby's room using some of the theme colors. Katie and Patrick love kittys and I knew this one wouldn't be any trouble for them.

The weather was amazing over the weekend and the moon was almost full. Went out to look at the sunset and caught the moon rising over my shoulder.


The Adirondack chairs will have to be put away soon, they are very old and seem to need a new replacement board each year. They don't do well in the snow. We actually leave some plastic ones out to sit down and put our snowshoes on.

I love that time of day when all the trees look black. Ah autumn, don't you love it, I do?

A Wedding in the Works . . .

So much is going on in our family this month that my heart feels like it is going to beat right out of my chest sometimes. My son Patrick and his fiancee Katie will be married here at the lake on October 25th. We are also working to purchase a house that they will rent from us and fix up, care for and nurture their new family in. I'll have to take another picture without my car in it!

There is a lot of excitement about it and lots of decorating ideas. Hope they let me stitch some curtains,I love doing that. It is a cute house with lots of potential, we just need to get our hands on it, hopefully the closing will be soon.

My cup runneth over . . .

Just went out to check the garden since I have been away a week, thought the veggies were done, but there was a gift of tomatoes and broccoli. Oh don't want to forget the peppers also, although small still useable, I find it funny that they are growing now, they are such a hot weather plant and they are producing now while they just sat there all summer. The tomatoes will have to ripen indoors but there were so many left I was thrilled and the broccolli doesn't want to quit. Need to take the garden fence down and when I do the deer arrive quickly.




















This is October and it is always the month that when I am at the lake I walk around outside on a beautiful October day with the blue sky and changing trees and sing, "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the world thy hands has made,". It's a good thing I am by myself because it is definately a joy noise but I can't help myself.

Ah Smocking . . . .

One of my great loves is English smocking, up there with sewing, embroidery, quilting, crocheting . . .what it comes down to is I just love to hand sew I guess. Well for the last month or so I have been doing quite a bit of sewing but some has been for Katie so I had to keep it secret, now I get to show you girls and get back a bit to being a sewing blog not just a Nana blog, hehe. Below is a dress I made for granchild #6, can't wait to meet her. This is the first thing I have pintucked (on the sleeves and bodice) with my new double needle and pintucking attachment, can't wait to do more. So much to sew,so little time.

Home again, home again . . . .

I am back from my week in Maryland with my daughter's family. I had a great time with all of them, was very busy but of course loved it. I got to bond with Trinity which was really great for me, haven't seen her too much since she was born. When we are with all of the family she is passed around and cuddled by all but this was my chance to have her to myself (except of course when she was with her Mommy and Daddy). She is a sweet and easy baby who smiles readily and at the age of not quite four months thinks she can just try to sit up, she doesn't really but she lifts up her head and back when you hold her and in her car seat.

I had a great time with the big sisters Joy and Tessa too. We played, laughed, sang and read lots of books. It was a special time for me.
My daughter is healing well, I am so thankful for that. Of course I have inconvenienced them with the fender bender but fortunately their car will be ready on Tuesday, phew!

Fabulous Five . . . . Grandkids

Jason,Jr., Annabelle, Joy, Tessa, and Trinity taken by Megan and given to us this past weekend. Thanks so much! I of course love it! If you are family and have seen it already I'm sorry, and the non-family bloggers, I hope you enjoy it! But then again all faithful bloggers are family. By the way, this is how Jason and Holly revealed to us that they are pregnant, they added a couple sticker (baby stickers) on the glass of the frame (one to represent Pat and Katie's and one to surprise us and represent theirs).

Blog Award from a Sweet Person . . .

Rosemarie gave me this award. I am very touched. Rosemarie is a sweet young Mom with lovely twin girls. She likes a lot of the stuff I like especially blogging. If you want to read a fun blog go there. Thank you Rosemarie!

Busy, busy, busy . . . .

As I wrote last week we had a wonderful trip to New York City to see a Broadway show. My brother-in-law Christian did the organizing and the trip was enjoyed by all.


This is Christian up front on the bus, you can tell by his smile how excited he was for all of us.



This is my niece Tara and my son Jason.







This is myself, my sister-in-laws, Peggy and Audrey,who is the amazing photographer.


This is my daughter-in-law Holly holding our newest member Joseph.





This is my granddaughter Joy and Maura, Tara's daughter dressed as Glinda.






























My sister-in-law Audrey took all these fabulous photos. I wish I could post every one that she took, they are so great. Please go use the link to see more of these pictures. You will also enjoy a visit to Audrey's blog at any time to see great photos.


While we were at Christian's house my children took my husband and I aside to give us a gift of a photo of all five of my grandchildren. Little did we know that our son Jason and his wife Holly wanted to also tell our family that their second baby is on the way, we were all so excited, they surprised me this time around for sure. They are parents to Jason, Jr. who is almost 17 months old and now in May they will have another baby. I need to change my profile on this blog!!!

The next morning we had a lovely time showering Katie with gifts for the new baby.






The day was so special from the devotion Holly, Megan and Courtney shared to the yummy food, beautiful gifts, etc. It was really something! I hope Katie felt loved, I think she did. Family came from many directions and as always I didn't get to chat enough with everyone. I am so thankful for each of these relatives, I hope they know how much it means to me as a Mom.

While this was going on the men in the family showered my son Patrick at a nearby restaurant in a manner of speaking. They gave him a surprise Tool Party. Patrick has started a painting business and they gave him many tools of the trade plus lots of other great tools and some other gag gifts. I think Patrick was very touched by the special time with all the guys in the family.

Now I am down in Maryland where I have been since Sunday night. Our daughter Megan had knee surgery on Wednesday and I have been here to help where I can with some care of their children Joy, Tessa and Trinity, and to do some housework and cooking. I have also been trying to help Megan with her care too. It has been a busy time but I am so thankful to be here to help. Unfortunately earlier today I backed their car into a neighbor's car that was parked adjacent from their driveway. I am embarrassed and feel so bad that they will have to have their car repaired (hope their insurance doesn't go up!) The neighbor was more than gracious and now she is also going to have to take her car in to be repaired. This was kinda a bummer after all the great things that have been going on lately.

Can ya stand it???

My daughter Courtney told me recently she was taking her daughter to get her picture taken, she had delayed it due to a scratch on her face, and waiting for it to heal. I remember that kind of thing when my kids were little, a bruise the day they were visiting grandma or a bump on the head, a black eye, you name it, any of those things that make you feel like, "What kind of Mom am I?" Of course the truth is Grandmas just love their grandkids so much that they see past those little things to the cute little turned up nose, the beautiful eyes, the sweet little face. So I posted the picture above, I love it and think Annabelle looks like a angel, just look at that little mouth, so sweet! Scratch, what scratch???

Broadway Bound . . .

On Saturday about 30 people in the Fitzgerald Family will be off to Broadway to see the play Wicked. Going to a Broadway play together became a family tradition after my husband's Mom passed away as something we did in memory of her. She loved NY City and Broadway shows. It has become more difficult as the family has grown but Walter's brother Christian organizes the whole night for us. We take a chartered bus into NY City from his house in NJ and have dinner at a restaurant of his choosing. Chris always finds us a good one! Then we go to the play and afterwards we stop in Greenwich Village for ice cream. It has gotten more difficult as the generations have expanded so not everyone is able to attend but we do our best. This year my daughter Megan and her husband Jeff are going to stay back at Christian's house and help watch babies, including their own and our niece Molly has a newborn son and a two year old daughter she needs to care for. Our niece Erin and her hubby Corey recently moved to Singapore so they will not be able to be with us. This is our first Mom's Night in 4 years and Walter's Dad was with us at the last one, we will miss him also! The baby shower is the next day at Christian's house where we will be joined by some of my extended family, we are truly blessed!

Didn't fall off the earth. . . .

Been really busy lately and with so much going on, (some I can post,some I cannot, surprises, surprises). One thing I have busy with is refurbishing the rocker above, we picked up at a garage sale. (Katie's colors for the babies room are black and white like the fabric, white with black polka dots and pink, really cool!)

We are giving my soon-to-be daughter-in-law Katie a shower on Sunday so I cannot reveal all of what I have been up to. Not only that but Katie comes to our house often and so I am always hiding things, hehe. Actually our family is giving her shower this weekend and in two weeks her family is giving her a shower so some of the secrets will continue.

Katie and Patrick, have gotten engaged and are pretty much glowing these days when they are not tired from work and pregnancy. They only have one childbirth class left and then one child first aid class! The time is starting to fly! If that is not enough and it really is, my husband and I are in the process of purchasing a sweet little old house which Pat and Katie intend to rent from us. I don't think I have ever said, "Could ya hurry?" to lawyers, house inspectors, etc. etc. as much as I have lately. They all say yes but life is a little laid back up her at the lake and I am not sure they know what hurry means.

We would like to see Patrick and Katie settled by the time the baby comes. That gives us about 40 days!!! Oh did I leave one detail out, Patrick and Katie will be married on October 25th, at our lakehouse, a date which was possible for every one of the four parents, one grandparent, 7 siblings, 3 spouses of siblings, and 5 grandchildren to be there. The wedding will be small with just our two families, but lovely I am sure. Katie is very organized where that is concerned so that helps immensely. It is very close to Katie's due date so we will pray they make it to their wedding, October 26th is a great day to go into labor! So in the month of October there will be a bit of extreme makeover things done to the house to make it wonderful and cozy for this family to be. (Anyone want to help?)

Afterward I may return to normalcy on this blog with more pictures and less chatter. As I sit here typing this we are going to have another beautiful day in the Adirondacks, the leaves are changing, this blog is definitely due for a picture!!!

Enjoying the last days of summer . . .

The weather is gorgeous, chilly at night (great for sleeping) but when the sun comes up and out it is warm and beautiful. The lake was glistening in my eyes yesterday as I tried to sew, couldn't stop looking at it. Most of the flowers in my yard are still pretty although some have faded as has some of the garden. I took some pictures yesterday and thought I would share, I will save the sewing ones for later.

An award was sent my way . . . .

Valerie at Life's Little Garden gave me this award. Thank you so much Valerie!!!

It certainly makes me feel special. I wish I kept up with my blog as well as Valerie does but I will keep trying. Stop by and see Valerie's blog because it is so special and will give a lift to your day.

And now my nominees:
Audrey
Rose
Erin

Here's how it works.

(1) You put the logo on your blog if you are nominated copying it from the one who nominated you.
(2) Link the person you received your award from.
(3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs ( I don't know that many yet so I nominated those that I visit often).
(4) Their blogs are linked on mine.
(5) I sent a message to these people on their blogs to let them know I nominated them.

A day trip up North . . . .

Walt and I took a ride up to Blue Mountain Lake to the Adirondack Museum. What a beautiful place, perennials blooming everywhere (all have little signs to tell you what they are). The Rustic Furniture Fair was going on and so that was an added treat, getting to see all of that beautiful furniture. Those that construct it are just getting more creative all the time. I took this picture of Walt out front in the big chair, thought he looked funny.

While Walt was inside reading about logging I was enjoying the beautiful day and wandering around to see if anything was new. I found a gorgeous lean-to all decked out with bright curtains, a fisherman's platform tent, another place where I could while away many hours and a beautiful garden fence as was once used in the early 1900's around the gardens in the Adirondacks.