Baseball is almost over!

This is my oldest son's 10 and under baseball team this year.  They ended up #9 in the league.  Tuesday, they played the #2 team and won 6-0.  They made a huge improvement from the beginning of the year.  

Handsome group of young men, don't you think?

Then there's my youngest son's 8 and under team.  All I can do is give kudos to the coaches.  As one of them put it, coaching this team is like herding cats.  Some of those kids do not listen.  But, the cute factor makes up for it.

Here's Summer Knotgarden the last time I had it off the q-snaps during one of the games at a baseball tournament last Sunday.

Then progress made Monday.  

And my other project which has been slow going between baseball games and practices.  It's the new chicken house.  I just need another sheet of plywood to build the roof, another sheet of insulation and it needs a door and some paint and it will be ready for wheels so I can move the chickens around the yard easier.

Tonight is the team picnic for the 10U team.  The plan is everybody bring a side dish and a dessert.  But there's been no communication about what everybody's bringing.  Could be interesting with lots and lots of potato salad.  Then the kids are playing their parents.  Yay!

Since last weekend was a long weekend, we took the boys out to see my parents.  You'd think since they're only 100 miles away, we'd get there more often.  Doesn't seem to work out that way though.  First thing my dad shows me is a floor stand he's working on.  I sent him a link about two years ago of what I was interested in.  It was just a little bitty picture on the website.  But, he's been working on one.  He just can't decide how I'm going to be able to attach my fabric to the huge dowell he bought to go with it.  

Sunday, we went to the Nebraska State Fair.  We hadn't gone since it moved to a more central location in the state last year.  Heck, we hadn't gone in years when it was in Lincoln.  These are my favorite handsome young men riding the ferris wheel for the first time.   They had a ball!  It's too bad that ticket prices are so high.  They could have ridden more rides!  

We also walked through the Open Class exhibits.  I was terribly dissappointed by the entries.  I guess next year, I will have to get motivated and get some framing done so I can enter lots of stuff!

Here's the other ride they went on.  If you look closely, you can see Jakob's green shirt!  Josh is right beside him. 

This project started out as a travel project.  There is no way I was going to be able to stitch over one on 28 ct fabric riding down the highway.  So I had this one all kitted up and ready to go.  When I checked my e-mail a little while ago, the announcement had shown up that part 2 is due to come out so it seems I'm just in  time.

Since I finished this part, I pulled Winter Watergarden back out of the black hole all my WIPs reside in and finished beading part 8.  I've started one of the little birds on part 9 but haven't gotten very far yet.  For the most part part 9 is 2 little birds and a bunch of back stitched leaves.  Shouldn't take very long to stitch them up and move onto the next project.  That will probably be part 8 of Purple Garden.  That one just goes through part 9 so it is very close to being done. 

I should probably go stitch!

Winter Watergarden and other updates

It's been a busy week since my last update.  Last week, my baby started Kindergarten.  Isn't he cute?  No his hair isn't red and it isn't in a mohawk.  My photography skills are what's lacking there.

Then you've got handsome big brother. who started third grade and is ever so protective of his little brother.

Don't they look cute together?

 

Friday night I finished painting my cabinet and added my hardware.  They're just simple chrome.  The drawers are painted the same color as Joshua's room.  I still have lots left so this will probably be the paint scheme in the office.  The white isn't white white, it's a color called silk lace.  It's just the slightest shade of gray.  I like it.  I sent a picture to my dad who has all the woodworking toys in his barn.  I was complaining that I couldn't make straight cuts with the saws I've got...that I want to get a table saw.  He offered me a table saw he got at an auction several years ago with a new fence that he put on.  He hasn't used it in a few years since he bought a bigger and better version that currently resides in the barn.  Only catch is I have to be very careful and make sure all my fingers and thumbs stay attached.  Not a problem...all my hobbies require those digits!!

Sunday, Ed picked tomatoes.  I tried roasting them, then canning.  Just making tomato juice year after year gets old.  These are just Roma tomatoes that were washed, halved, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with some salt and pepper and put in the oven under the broiler till they looked just like this.  I've got six and a half quarts we're going to have to try now.

And finally, Winter Watergarden.  I got behind last month.  The border is part 7 which I'm half way through.  If I can get this part done in the next week, I'll move onto part 8 which is the gates.  Otherwise, there are other things starting to call.  Thankfully, Herbularius isn't an option...yet.  My silks haven't shipped yet and Vikki is away getting her daughter ready for school.  She'll be back Thursday and it is a few days from there to here even if she ships right away.