Orphanage in Mexico

This is where I will be going for my trip to the orphanage in Mexico. This is not the complete building but it gives you an idea of what it looks like. The home is really clean and the rooms we stay in are very comfortable. Two weeks from today is when I fly out. I have all my homework and plans for how I will get it done figured out. I will need to work on some biology when I am there but I think things should go well. It will be crazy until then but I just have to tackle one thing at a time and I will get through it. I am excited to be going back as I was there 3 1/2 years ago and most of the same kids are there only 3 years older! It will be nice to be someplace where I do not have to bundle up. There was an addition put on the backside of the building and we are going to finish up the space by decorating and such. Don't know if that involves painting or not but I am ready for whatever it may be. I wanted to brush up on the little bit of spanish I learned but I just won't have time to do that with all the homework this semester. I have a biology class along with a lab and they really load on the work! Fun, Fun.....

Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby

My Son had his pinewood derby at Cub Scouts yesterday. He did a great job and came in 4th place in speed out of 17 cars racing. But the big thing is that he came in First Place for Design and that is what this very large trophy is for. He was very proud of himself and had a great time at the race. He can now go to the District races to race against the top people in the district. He is excited about it.

1 week down 15 to go!

Well school started this week and my computer decided to accept some nasty malware on it. I spent the whole week seeing if I could get my computer going and finally decided to buy a new one and deal with the old one at a later date. So here is my new lap top that I can use to do my online college classes with. I thought it smarter to get the lap top as it would have more uses in the future. If my old one gets running then the kids can use it to play games or whatever. Now here is an important warning. The computer manufacturers are not selling computers with the discs to restore onto your computer if something bad happens (like what happened to me). I did not make my own restore discs as I was suppose to(I really do know better than this!). So now I have to purchase the Windows XP software in order to restore my old computer and get it running. The fix would have been so much easier if I had had these discs. So, if you have not made these discs yet DO IT NOW!!!!!!! That is my gentle warning to everyone reading this so that you do not have to go through what I have gone through in the last week. Now luckily I was able to save all my documents and pictures so I did not lose those but this was also a reminder that I need to back these up on a regular basis.

I like my new laptop and will get used to it but I really did not want to have to buy a new computer when mine served its purpose just fine. A definite lesson learned this week.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Receipe

Someone asked me for my chocolate chip receipe if I wanted to share. I have used the same receipe for years and I would love to share my receipe as they make us really soft and chewy cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Better Homes and Gardens
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup Shortening(I use butter flavor crisco)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/1 tsp vanilla
1 12 oz. chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I don't use the nuts)

Stir together flour, soda, and salt. In a mixer bowl beat butter and shortening on medium speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture., beating till well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop from a teaspoon 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 min. Remove; cool.

There you have it. These are the best, softest cookies and I get alot of compliments when I share them.

Baby Quilt

Yesterday I worked on a baby quilt for a friend. It is for her grandson. She had her family design and color in quilt blocks and sign them for the new baby. The baby is actually about 6 months old by now but she was not in a hurry to get the project done. I figured with college classes starting up again tomorrow that I should probably get it done for her as the next four months will be very busy. It feels good to be done with it. I still have to call her and let her know that it is done. I hope she likes the work I did. I think it came out pretty good and I did not have problems sewing or quilting it.

I got some reading assignments early so I am working on homework today. And so begins the next semester's journey.....Biology of Women, Intro to Theatre, Wilderness Survival (in one weekend) and a Human biology lab class on Friday's. So this should be interesting to say the least!

Quilting progress

I decided to spend some time in the sewing room seeing what I had in my orphan blocks and to try to clean up some of my unfinished projects. School starts on Monday so this is some of my last few days off. (Actually one of my teachers posted her stuff online early so I may start working on that this afternoon. I have the day off today and have been enjoying my morning at home with all the family gone immensely. All of these quilts will be sent to a quilting angel at Sunshine quilt guild and then will be forwarded to Wrap them in Love for the orphanages.
Most of these blocks came from members from the Sunshine guild over the last year or so. So this is what I came up with. My creative energy is very low right now so I was going more for speed sewing and getting things completed. Needless to say I still have tons of blocks waiting to be sewn into quilt tops. They are the disappearing nine patch blocks that I rec'd at least 1,000 of from the Sunshine quilt guild.

Sunrise

This is a picture out my bedroom window looking to the east. My window faces south but standing at an angle I can see to the east. I thought this view was nice this particular morning. Not much quilting getting done at my place. I have a few more days off until school starts but will be gone Friday evening into Saturday afternoon. I did start working on a top with some blocks from the Sunshine guild that I still have to finish putting together. I have the rows done and just need to sew them together. I think I need to start getting realistic and try to make blocks only. I need to start thinking smaller, I guess. I do have Friday off during the day and I think maybe this will be my goal for tomorrow, to get some tops together and to sort through what I have in my sewing room to get forwarded on to someone that will be able to finish them up and get them to the kids! They are not doing any good sitting in my sewing room. Well off to work for today!

Short term Mission Trip

I am going to the orphanage in Morelia, Mexico in February. The last time I was there was in summer of 2005. I have been looking for the opportunity to go back ever since. I visited the orphanage in the Baja in Oct. of 2007 but it was not the same as being in Morelia. They have about 30 kids currently. They have added an addition that is just about complete. I believe one of the goals is to decorate the finished areas to get ready for them to be used. It is going to be hectic with school and work but I am so looking forward to going for a week. The dates are Feb. 7 - 14th. I am not sure which airlines we are flying out on yet so I don't know how many bags I can take with me. My initial plan is to collect twin size sheet sets to bring with me as they always have a need for sheets. I guess the quality of sheets in Mexico is not as good as ours here in the USA. I also think I am going to make some chocolate chip cookies to take with me. They don't bake much in Mexico so the kids will really enjoy homemade cookies. Last time we went down we baked them there but the ingredients are different in Mexico so they did not turn out as good as when I make them at home. (I have a really good recipe for chocolate chip cookies)