mainely stitching

Big presents come in small packages, as the saying goes, and this is no exception. Please meet our new nephew, Daan Tomas. I can’t wait to meet him in person! Congratulations to the very happy parents.

It’s not nearly as momentous, but here’s another small start – my attempt to get back to stitching. This is a very small design by Handwork from their Sampler Ornaments 8 leaflet.

And to encourage me even more to get stitching, I experimented with a piece of 35 ct white HDF linen and my Chinese herb dregs, coming up with this. Isn’t it fabulous? I only wish I’d done a large piece….

There are, of course, other small packages that figure importantly in my life. Like small, quiet girls on rainy November afternoons.

And small boys who are happily missing both their front teeth.

And other little boys who are finally feeling good again. (In a sweater knit by his great grandma!)

This is a rather big package, but what funny wrapping it has!

And finally, some furry packages that will soon be underway to America.

This woman is 89 1/2 years old. Seriously!

I know it doesn’t seem possible, but it’s true. This is Oma Sanders, the kids’ great-grandmother. Like my Dad, she’s proof positve that living life with enjoyment will keep you young.

We had a great day with Over-Oma (great-grandma). Arden warmed up to her remarkably quickly, and Nicky and Rowen just picked right up where they last left off with her. (I have to say they are two remarkably outgoing kids, and I’m not just saying that because they’re mine.) We hung out at her place for awhile, then headed over to our usual pancake house for a huge lunch. There’s an indoor play area so the kids could bounce off some of their pent-up energies. Arden, unfortunately, fell and cut his mouth but he’s okay. As always, the day passed far too fast and before we knew it, it was time to brave the traffic jams once again. Here are some very happy photos of our day.

I hope your weekend will be great. Mine is going to involve a whole lot of relaxing!

We’ve been busily and happily celebrating Niek’s birthday this weekend. Hip-hip-hooray!

The Dutch have a tradition (among children, but Niek’s certainly a child-at-heart) of making and wearing a birthday crown. So on Friday, after school, the kids got creative making their Daddy’s birthday crown.

Saturday was The Birthday so we had a very special breakfast that started with birthday cake – I figure that life’s uncertain, so we really should eat dessert first! The kids loved it. Niek also opened his gifts.

The day itself was full of regular activities including Scouting and shopping for some new school clothes, but we got back into the party mood Saturday evening. The special birthday dinner was tapas – what a perfect party food. We all enjoyed delicious little tidbits of this & that. Our kids are adventurous eaters, perhaps Arden most of all. LOL! Max even tried the snails ….

Niek wanted a 2nd birthday day, so on Sunday his parents came for a visit and we all got to enjoy homemade cake and homemade ice cream for a second time. No real hardship, I can assure you.  

And before bedtime, all four kids got a haircut! Do you still recognize Arden? His beautiful baby curls are tied in silk and sealed away. Boo hoo. He was a very wiggly worm, so his hair will need some snipping to even it out, but it didn’t come out too badly.

And my eldest and youngest looking adorable together.

I’ll tell you about my weekend if you’ll tell me about yours!

On Saturday we had two family birthday parties – in opposite directions, naturally. So getting ready on Saturday morning was a little hectic … till Niek surprised me with a stunning bouquet of flowers!

We went out of our way to relax and unwind on Sunday. It seems like it’s just been a whirlwind since we returned from Maine a  mere 10 days ago, and we just needed to chill. Around Chateau Chaos on a day with iffy weather, that means lots of board games, Wii fun (kids large and small are fans of Mario Karts), afternoon cookies, and group hugs to name a few major activities.

Bug captures

Playing Mario Karts on the Wii

Group “hug” (aka pig pile!)

Pause for refreshments and amusement

Gratuitous cute-kid photo

And here and there I was able to put in a few stitches on my newest project. My little hedgie, purchased from this etsy shop, keeps me very good company when I’m playing with my needle and floss.

Monday, in contrast to the fun and relaxing weekend, began with a 9 am appointment at the dentist for fillings. Luckily, there are no pictures to subject you to! Wishing you a wonderful new week full of smiles and laughter!

Thanks to Marita, I can finally put a name to my formerly nameless foe – the destructor of so many carefully-laid plans, the literal monkey wrench in the machinery. Know thy enemy. LOL.

Today it was a tie, 1:1, between me and the Baboons of Chaos. On the one hand, while searching high and low for my Clover cutter, I finally found my New England NRR. Honestly, folks, I’d given up on finding this anytime before my 85th birthday. I had scoured the place looking for it to no avail, when suddenly it was ‘right there’ yesterday. Guess what I’ll be working on after our vacation!

But the Baboons seem to have won a slight victory in regard to our upcoming travel plans. Our plane is scheduled to land at 5:37 pm in one city and I must be in the neighboring city by 6:00 pm to pick up our rental car. Otherwise, the doors close and we’re basically stranded till the following day. Not a huge upset, but definitely an inconvenience. And before you ask, yes, I’ve called and pleaded with the nice folks to please stay open till I get there, but the answer was a firm ‘ no’.

Otherwise, preparations for the trip are going along as well as can be expected. The refrigerator is clean, inside and out, and even behind. Gasp! Clothing is packed, passports are in place, etcetera, etcetera. We’ve paid our visit to Niek’s Oma, and that was nice. We’ve also managed a kids-and-dogs walk in a nearby nature area. Basically, at this point, I’m just waiting and hoping that no one breaks anything or becomes terribly ill before we leave. Baboons of Chaos, stay away!

Whew. Now that was a week! Thank you all so much for sticking with me! So, since we last sat down and spent any time together, the cast & crew of Chateau Chaos has:

played
No extra words are really necessary, are they?

experienced both thunder and sunshine

We’ve had some extreme weather during this extreme week, with everything from high winds and T&L storms to streaming sunshine. Guess which I prefer… LOL!

spent quality time with the family

Last weekend we visited with Niek’s parents, who’d recently returned from a vacation in Scotland. The kids had an absolute blast with their Opa and Oma.

eaten well

All the kids are very keen on the fresh produce available this time of year, but this picture of Rowen hamstering baby tomatoes in her cheeks was just too cute to keep to myself!

visited the dentist

At our recent checkup, we discovered that Max  is overly sensitive to the fluoride treatment (thus the blisters on his gums) and will need braces, just like his Mom did those many years ago.

engaged in the slightly naughty

When Lola saw me taking this picture, she got right off the couch - she knows it’s not allowed. But hey, rules are made to be broken now & again, aren’t they?

learned to sit in chairs

Arden seems to have finally mastered the art of sitting in a chair without tipping the whole thing over.

and stitched

I finished this round of the Quaker RR and sent it on, and promptly started on the next round. Doesn’t everyone have lovely taste in colors?

I also finished a charity quilt square in record time. Not my finest effort, but certainly my fastest, this is going to a lady with advanced breast cancer who enjoys horse riding. The motifs are taken from an old JCS issue.

In parting, I wish you more sunshine than rain, unhurried stitches, lots of playtime, and an absence of cavities. Take a little time to be naughty – and to enjoy it!

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

Thank you all for your wonderful wishes yesterday!! We had a great time wandering around, hitting a couple of books stores, and lingering over a delicious outdoor lunch. Aaahhh. Michele asked about stitched anniversary gifts to Niek from the past and it got me wondering, “What have I done in years past?” We actually celebrate two anniversaries each year – our wedding anniversary in May, and our first-date anniversary in October. I don’t stitch for him each time – gotta give the guy a break sometimes, right? Actually, our May anniversary is a hard one to stitch for as it’s close to so many other Big Events, including my father & step-mother’s anniversary, mom and dad’s birthdays, etc. I usually try to arrange a practical “gift” along the lines of repainting the living room (that’s one that’s due for a repeat!) or re-doing the front garden (this year’s “surprise”). October is a slightly less crazy time of year, and there’s also something extra pleasurable about stitching in the autumn.

Out of curiosity, I took a look at gifts from the past and came up with this trip down memory lane:

In 2004, I bought artwork for him from a real gallery. Gulp. As you can imagine, this was before we had four kids!

In October 2005 (5 years together), I outdid  myself by making him a silk and linen pillow with a silk cord and tassle. (Quite a test of my abilities at the time!) The design is one of my favorites from Kathy Barrick-Dieter, Hearts and Flowers. Sadly, the poor thing has faded quite a lot over the years but it’s still a cherished piece.

In 2006, I got him a leather wallet in May and in October I stitched him a tiny sampler using motifs from an very old Dutch book of sampler motifs. I had this professionally framed using UV-resistant glass so it still looks like we just hung it up yesterday.

I didn’t make note of what I did for either anniversary in 2007 – a busy year.

In October 2008, I stitched BOAF’s Love design and finished it as a funky little pillow. It hasn’t had a chance to fade much yet.

On his end, he used to arrange for a fancy dinner out (especially in October, as we’re both very fond of autumn menus) and flowers, but recent years have seen us stealing away for a short day out together like we enjoyed yesterday. Truly, time together is the most cherished gift.

On to current affairs, while Niek was at chess last night (last competition of the season; couldn’t be missed) I tried to stitch. I say tried because it really was a comedy of errors. I botched the simple border of my PS exchange piece six times and had to frog it. I seriously could not believe it. What should’ve taken no longer than 30 minutes took me an entire evening, but the darn thing was done before I allowed myself to go to bed. Now to figure out exactly how to finish-finish this one and get it posted. My BBD exchange is coming along nicely and I think I know how I want to finish-finish it, if only I can find the materials I need.

I’ve also purchased a new kit for what will become a family sampler and it just cracks me up to think about it. In May’s issue of TGOSM, Kirsten featured a fab Adam & Eve design by Dames of the Needle. Close examination revealed that there’s plenty of room above Adam & Eve for our kids’ initials (leaving us to pose as Adam & Eve, LOL). Kirsten has the kits on sale for this design right now for JUST $18 including shipping. For those who don’t subscribe to TGOSM (and why don’t you??), you can also purchase a color copy of the chart for an additional $3 with the kit. Seriously, this was such a no-brainer, and I simply can’t wait to get it done. Can’t you just see it in the center of a wall adorned with all the kids’ birth samplers? I can hardly wait!

Speaking of the kids, they’ve been too busy to get a picture of lately, even using the action setting on my camera - they’re going in every direction at once, I swear. Today their school is having a sponsored walk so the kids can raise money for some technical stuff (a digiboard, whatever that may be) and to donate to a good cause. I went ’round with them last night to collect coins and signatures from neighbors – not one of my favorite pastimes, but the kids were enthusiastic. Nick’s convinced he’ll burn up the track, he’ll do his rounds so fast. Rowen’s still expecting that she’ll get a prize, despite multiple explanations to the contrary. LOL. Max is busy with his increasingly secret life – puberty, here we come! – and I feel some serious pangs about my first baby growing up and away. He received a really special compliment from his guitar tutor last week – Max is the best of his new crop of pupils, and one of his fastest (= most dedicated) students ever. I think Max is still glowing from that heady praise! Arden is growing, growing, growing. He’s in his own room now, although we are all still getting used to that. He’s a remarkably cheery fellow … until he wants something he can’t have, and then look out! They’re all very excited about the trip to Maine and finally getting to see their grandparents – it comes up nearly daily in conversations.  And speaking of my parents, my Daddy just got a clean bill of health from his doctor and my Mom’s surgeon said she’s doing great with her hip-replacement surgery. Hooray!

You might want to get yourself a cup of tea or coffee before you sit down to read this post, because it’s a doozie!

Today we visited Niek’s Oma to celebrate her 89th birthday. Her party was actually 2 weeks ago, but I wrote it down wrong and we missed it. (Major error, but I’ve been forgiven.) When we visit her, we usually take her out for lunch to a nearby pancake restaurant that has both an indoor and an outdoor play area – her house is a bit on the small side for my four wild animals, and we have a chance to talk while the kids tear apart fully utilize the restaurant’s play area. It was especially fun today because Niek was also with us. In these pictures, Rowen’s looking serious with her clown nose because her brothers got better toys with their pancakes (in her opinion). And Nick looks serious in one because it was just before we left and he wanted to stay longer.  Other than those two minor issues, we had a great time.

I like to stitch in the car (when I’m not driving, LOL) and I made the most of the traffic jams that plagued us. This is a mystery WIP – it’s for an exchange so I really cannot say anything about it, but I had to show a WIP picture. I really love the cheery colors in this piece. I’ll try to finish it fast and mail it, so I can show you the whole thing.

When we got home, there was more stitchy goodness! I had to place an order with Mary-Kathryn during her recent sale. First off, the shipping was next to nothing and that’s just a siren call for me. And secondly, she was offering a buy-4/pay-for-3 sale and I’ve wanted these charts from The Gathering  Place forever. I can see them hanging in the upstairs hallway between the kids’ bedroom doors. And thirdly, I didn’t have this re-release from The Goode Huswife and I wanted it. Plain & simple. The Bent Creek was a gift from Mary-Kathryn, and I love it! Thank you!

And then there was the utterly delightful package from Sharon, who recently had a giveaway that I won. And just look what I won! Ooooooohhhhhh! Lucky me!!! Sharon, I’m just astounded. I’m so happy. I’m so excited. I’m so grateful! And you!!! You’re so generous! And you have such GREAT taste!! Thank you so much!

All these happy happenings make me very happy. But … my Mom’s caretaker has very suddenly decided to leave as of tomorrow morning and I’m torn about what to do. It’s a bad time for us – our finances are shot because of purchasing the tickets for this summer’s visit, Niek has to work a lot of unpaid overtime till at least the middle of the  month, and some other stuff. As much as I want to go to help her (because she still needs help 24/7), I also feel like it’s not right to totally disrupt everything here in Holland. I don’t know what to do with the kids. I don’t know how to pay for it. I just don’t know …. So I’m feeling pretty confused at the moment. Please keep your fingers crossed that a more sensible solution than me flying thousands of miles and leaving a shambles behind me presents itself.

But I do want to end on a positive note, so here is a sweet picture of Max and Arden enjoying some hanging-out time together last night before bedtime.

It’s ironic that we had such glorious weather right up until the kids’ school vacation started. LOL. But we’re happy little critters anyway – lots of fun stuff to learn about the beautiful state of Maine! Here’s a little collage of today’s good times.

Today is also special because my biological father and his wife are celebrating their third wedding anniversary! Dear Jim and Gaby, I hope your day is special from start to finish!! Thinking of you, as always, with LOTS of love!! Your anniversary gift, I fear, will be late. :0

And finally, Mom’s slated for release from the hospital today. She’s far from her usual confident self, but hopefully once she’s home, she’ll feel more like herself and will start making great gains. I cannot thank you all enough for your wonderfully supportive and encouraging comments. Thank you!!

If you have a few moments, do head over to the super-cool Needleprint blog and check out. Not only are there tons of cool articles, but also some droolworthy freebies!

And now … back to some RR stitching. I hope your week is going great!

My Mom’s surgery went well, though it was postponed till late yesterday afternoon (instead of first thing in the morning). Today she’s in a lot of pain, but the doctor has told her that today and tomorrow will be the worst of it, and then it’ll be a gradual improvement.

And we made it to the US Consulate & back today to renew Max and Rowen’s passports. Had a bit of a scare when Max’s father didn’t show up on time (both biological parents are required, thanks to tighter security) but he made it eventually and everything else went off without a hitch. Next year, it’s just me that needs a renewal. So far, they aren’t asking for my biological parents to attend. LOL.

Very, very little stitching has been done lately. I’m still working on the BBD freebie and am really enjoying that. Here’s my last picture before it’s personalized (it’s a gift, though I hope to make one for myself someday!). I took these photos outside this evening and the light was nearly gone – the linen in celery and natural, although it looks more beige in the pics.