10th Anniversary Piece

I Will Love You by Annie Beez Folk Art

Stitched 2 over 2 on 25 ct. mystery linen with recommended threads

I finished up my anniversary piece for Mr. SweetPea. (We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in April).  As I mentioned before, I went to my LNS about 2 weeks before our anniversary to figure out what I was going to stitch for this milestone.  Because I enjoy waiting till the last minute....

Nothing was really doing it for me, until I spotted this one and remembered I had purchased it a few years ago and it was sitting in my stash.  I think I probably even bought it intending to stitch it for an anniversary.  So I picked up the fabric I needed, going a little larger than the recommended 32 count because I wanted to frame this finish.

For the most part, this was a super easy stitch, except for all those damn little confetti stitch stars.  I love how the look on the front, but they were kind of a pain in the butt to stitch.  I considered using seed beads but decided to stitch as designed.  Eventually I'll get this framed and hung on the wall.  Maybe even before our 20th anniversary.

And if you must have it RIGHT NOW, you can check out Annie's Etsy Shop for an instant download.

A return to blogging. Again.

The last time I posted was back in September, and before that, it was the end of March 2013. Life with a toddler, now preschooler, gets in the way of blogging, I guess.

What brought me out in September was a tribute for Cathey's blogoversary, and it's part of what brought me out again. Sadly, Cathey passed away in October and our stitching community mourned her loss.  I still keep up with many stitching blogs, and I watched the ripple of sadness as the news spread.  It's taken me a while to get back to blogging, and I feel the need to make it more of a priority for the sense of community and friendship among stitchers.  Many of these stitchers will never be in the same room with each other, but still develop and nurture these bonds through our shared craft.  So many people came together to celebrate Cathey's blogoversary, to mourn her loss, and to help keep her memory alive for her husband and young son, people brought together by the love of stitching.

I want to make a contribution to that community, and I need to make a better effort to remain a part of it.  I've made some truly wonderful friends through stitching - some I've met in person, and many more that I haven't, and the sole reason our paths have crossed has been blogging.  Those relationships are important to me, and what brought us together should be more of a priority, especially since stitching is something I enjoy doing on a near daily basis.

Back in November, my friend Lee the Lake Stitcher wrote a post called "Why have we stopped writing?"  I put a great deal of thought into it, then failed to do anything.  I could probably blame it on November and December being busy times with the holidays.  We have family obligations, a four year old in preschool, loads of baking and cooking, etc.  If I'm being honest, though, I must admit things like Pinterest and Facebook have also cut into the time I normally would have spent blogging.  They're easier distractions, not really requiring me to put the effort into taking photos and writing a post.  By the time I've gotten through doing what I need (want) to do on those sites, I've hit a wall and am ready to get offline, without updating my stitching blog.

I'm lucky that a few of my stitching friends are on Facebook, but many more are not, and sometimes those relationships don't get the attention they deserve.  I tend not to share my stitching on Facebook either, because I've compartmentalized it.  I have Facebook friends from all aspects of my life and while it may be unfounded, I have this notion that people just aren't interested in my craft.  Which is ridiculous, I know, because I am proud of what I do, and I've actually changed the perceptions of a few people who thought cross stitch  was "those country looking pictures with geese wearing bonnets".

I want to put myself out there more than just following the blogs and making a few comments here and there.  I want to share more of my work, even if it's just for me to be able to say "I made a contribution".  I also need to keep up with my blog because it's my record of what I've done.  I've stitched many pieces that have been given away as gifts, and this is my way of remembering those pieces.  Knowing that I will eventually be blogging about my work also makes me more conscious of what I'm stitching, who I'm stitching it for, and the materials and time I put into it.  Right now, there are at least two dozen pieces of completed stitching sitting in a drawer, waiting to be finished and displayed.  Those pieces represent hundreds (maybe thousands?) of dollars and hours spent working on them, and I need to find some way to honor that effort until we can get them framed or finished and on display. It's not just my work that deserves to be on display either.  I have been the lucky and grateful recipient of some lovely pieces from fellow stitchers, and their work should be on display as well.

In a nutshell, I quit blogging because I'm a little bit lazy, a little bit crunched for time, and a little bit too involved with other forms of social media.  (Lee wrote a follow up post about why other bloggers have quit / fallen behind on posting).  I want to make it a priority to return to blogging because the relationships I've developed from it are important, contributing to this community is important, and honoring and sharing my craft is important.

Refreshing the blog...

So I know I haven't posted a whole lot, but I've been working on some new posts over the last few days and I've come to realize that I'm kind of tired of how my blog looks. In the last year or so I've spent more time READING blogs than I have maintaining one and I think it's probably time for a refresh.

Here's the thing. Most of my blog reading is done through Google Reader and I LOVE it. It enables me to keep up with over 700 blogs. Yes, 700 blogs. Most of them are food, parenting, craft or DIY blogs, with a healthy dose of stitching thrown in there. Do I read every single word of every single blog post? No. I am a fast reader anyway - always have been. And I do admit to scrolling through posts quickly if the subject matter doesn't interest me or apply to me.

GOOGLE READER TIP: Using the "J" and "K" keys, you can quickly scroll forwards and backwards through posts. Click "J" for the next post, "K" for the previous post.

But back to using a Reader for blog feeds. I wonder how many people do this, and how many people visit the actual blog. I've been reading blogging articles on page views and things of that nature, and apparently reading through a feed doesn't contribute towards page views, which in turn, enable bloggers that monetize their blogs to make more money. I realize in the stitching community, there are very few, if any, bloggers that make money from their blogs themselves. (I'm not talking about stitchers that make money through their craft or finishing services). And some of you reading this are thinking, "What ON EARTH is she talking about?" Let me clarify a little.

My question is - do you visit the blogs you read on an individual basis, and if so, how do you do it? Do you have a list of bookmarks you go through, one by one? How often do you do this - daily? weekly? Or do you use a reader and click on each blog to go to the blog itself when there is new content - or stay in the reader? How many blogs do you read / subscribe to - stitching and otherwise?

I don't care about money or page stats, at least as far as my blog is concerned. I am never, ever going to make money on this blog - the market is not big enough and that's not really my goal anyway. If I can be a member of a helpful, interesting, informative community focused on a craft that I love doing, that fulfills my goal for this blog. I'm just wondering how other stitchers approach blogging and blog reading and trying to figure out what would work as I think about re-working my blog, so thank you in advance for your help!

My gift from the bride

I love it when a gift is given with care and thoughtfulness, and my gift from the bride this past weekend really hit the nail on the head. She and I are close, and we emailed quite a bit about everyone else's gift - she wanted to make sure that she picked something that would be meaningful to each of her bridesmaids, and she did just that. She put together a scrapbook of old photos, letters, ticket stubs, etc., for her maid of honor. For another, she made a lamp filled with shells from their trips to the beach, and for another, she bought a boxed set of a movie adaptation of a favorite childhood book.

For my gift, she tracked down my online wishlist (she never asked for it directly, so she's a pretty smart cookie) and picked several stitching pieces that I really wanted, but never managed to purchase for myself. I love that two of the charts she picked are for ornaments - I am ridiculously sentimental when it comes to Christmas ornaments, and every ornament on our tree has special meaning to us. Now when I stitch these up, they will forever remind me of Kerri and Mark's wedding.

She chose

• Imaginating's Nutcrackers II (Germany, Ireland and France)
• The Sweetheart Tree's Irish Shamrocks Chubby Nutcracker
• Little House Needlework's Snowflakes

She also included a package of bobbins that I use for winding threads, and some Thread Heaven. I was so touched that she'd take the time to track down my list and find items that would have special meaning to me. All she really knows about stitching is that I do it - she's not a stitcher herself.

Of course, now this probably means I should a) put down the computer and do a little stitching, and b) finish up the piece I stitched in honor of my cousin's wedding!

Who do you stitch for?

I've stitched and framed a number of pieces for other people, and I'm always happy to see them hanging on their walls. I'm very careful about who stitch for and what I stitch for them, as so many hours go into each piece, and the cost of the materials adds up. I want to make sure that the gift fits the recipient, that I pick something meaningful to them, and that it ends up being something they WANT hanging in their home. As you all well know, it ain't easy.

So you'd think I'd have more pieces of my own hanging on our walls. Surprisingly, we don't. The Rocky Point lighthouse my husband stitched and had framed is still floating around, waiting for the perfect spot to hang it. The wedding record my husband and I both stitched? In a drawer, along with a Peas in a Pod piece I stitched and framed for his Valentine's gift one year, also waiting for a home.

Part of the problem is renting for so many years. We never hung a lot of stuff up on the walls, and even though we've been in our house for over two years, we've yet to hang up any of our stitching. Mind you, I have grand plans for several pieces, including some fruits and roosters in the kitchen (it's not as country as it sounds), more birds in the stairwell, some Celtic pieces in the front entry, and some other pieces upstairs. Some of it's stitched, some of it's just ideas in my head. With the exception of the pieces I mentioned aboved, none of it's really come to fruition. Yet. I'm getting there.

So, my point. I have a whole lot of questions.

• Who do you stitch for? Do you stitch more for yourself, or for gifts?
• Do you stitch with a finishing idea in mind, and do you favor one technique more than any other? (For instance, do you mostly stitch ornaments, or are you more of a framed piece person?)
• Do you display your finished pieces in your environment (home, office, etc.)?
• Do you automatically think "stitch" when it comes to a gift, or are you particular about who you will stitch for?
• How do you choose what to stitch for someone else?
  
• Have you ever had a gift rejected, or received in a way that hurt your feelings or surprised you?
• Is there someone you enjoy stitching for, or someone you will never stitch for again?

Something that's been bugging me....

"Oh, I don't have time for that. I'm too busy."

I can't even tell you how many times I've heard that over the last few weeks and it's been grating on my nerves. I know most people probably don't mean anything by it other than they are really busy, but I also don't think they realize how condescending it sounds. As if their time is more valuable than anyone else's, or that the things they're engaged in are somehow more worthwhile than your pursuits.

Guess what? We're ALL busy in different ways. Sure, I am a stay at home mom, but I'm still busy taking care of my son, taking care of the house, and taking care of my husband. I am our social director, appointment scheduler, personal shopper, etc. I am also the one that nurtures our connections to the world outside our immediate family - I talk to my in-laws several times a week, and make sure that cards and emails get sent out to the extended family on a regular basis. My job is 24/7, and I am in no way complaining - I am just pointing out that I'm busy too and what I do has value.

But sometimes when I mention facebook or email or some other social activity that takes place on line, it's viewed as less important than other people's activities. I know not everyone is as connected as I am, and that's fine. But it's driving me nuts to hear people say, "Oh, I don't have time for email or Facebook or whatever." I don't expect them to sit in front of their computer all day long, but whenever someone says that, what I'm really hearing is, "Communication is not important."

Email is not that hard. Type a sentence or two, hit send and you're all done. And I'm not even asking you to send an email out of the blue - I'd do a freaking jig if you'd just RESPOND TO A QUESTION I HAVE ASKED YOU. I don't expect immediate answers, but if you can't check your email and respond every few days (barring any extenuating circumstances like vacations or whatever), then maybe you shouldn't give out your email address. And yes, I know I can pick up the phone and call if it's that important, but I don't see the big deal about people responding to emails either.

I just had a discussion with someone who cancelled their facebook account, and while I understand the reasons for doing so, part of me was a little annoyed when this person said, "Oh, I don't have time for that, and if people want to get in touch with me, they know how to find me." First, I think it's a little self centered that people have to track YOU down if they want to have a relationship with you. And second, when I mentioned that thanks to Facebook, I've found some common ground with people I hadn't previously been all that close to, and developed some really nice friendships, it seemed as if that was immediately dismissed as unimportant. I'm sorry this person didn't have the same positive experiences I've had, but then again, I don't think she was trying very hard either.

Now before anyone gets on me about privacy and such, believe me, I know. Facebook isn't for everyone, and yes, it can be a time consuming pursuit. Anything online can be a time consuming pursuit, and some people are just uncomfortable with it. I understand that, but I do think that the "I'm too busy" excuse is just that - an excuse - most of the time. I think people are so conditioned to be busy, busy, busy all the time and make sure people know how busy they are that they don't stop to realize they have more free time than they know. It's always go, go, go, and yes, some of that is driven by technology and the ability to be "connected" 24/7. Some people want to disconnect, I get that. But I also think that maybe everyone's lives would be a little better if we turned that technology to our advantage and stopped to respond to an email or a facebook post and demonstrated we are interested in something other than our own lives.

End of rant.

Help a girl out, please!

As most of you know, my husband and I are expecting our first child in October, and we've been getting things ready for his arrival. Sure, we've got the big stuff like the crib and the stroller, but what I am in need of is nearly impossible to find here in the suburban Philadelphia area.... Dallas Cowboys gear.

Yep. Dallas Cowboys stuff. I've been hitting Babies R Us, plus the department and sporting goods stores, and sure, there's a ton of Eagles (gack) and Phillies stuff, and even some Steelers stuff, but not a whole lot in the way of Dallas Cowboys gear. I'm guessing that most of these things are only locally availble in the teams' home markets, which is probably why I can't find them online either.

Yes, we have already purchased the Tony Romo Hallmark ornament on the condition that he not be placed on the tree until he gets his December act together... He may not join our collection of Cowboys ornaments until he can get through the playoffs without blowing it. LOL

I'd love to have his first picture taken in a Cowboys outfit (and bring him home in one), and of course, he's going to need a Cowboys outfit for Thanksgiving. I can order stuff online, but I've seen different things in places like Wal-Mart and Target, and I am sure they are probably way less expensive there than they are on some of these sites.

We're already expecting our boy to be over 8 lbs at birth, so newborn stuff isn't going to work, but 0-3 months and especially 3-6 months will. Mostly I am looking for some onesies (long or short sleeve), sleepers, or outfits like the warm up suit. We've seen a few jerseys around, but most of them seem to be too big (we're planning on getting him a Jason Witten jersey for Christmas).

I'm also looking for a few little Cowboy related things like pacifiers, a hooded towel, a picture frame, etc. And if you see anything cool that I haven't mentioned, please let me know. I know that there are usually things only available locally that I might not have even considered. So if you live in Texas or an area where you have access to Cowboys baby gear, I would be eternally grateful if you could help us out. Let me know ahead of time (so I can avoid multiples of the same item) and I will happily reimburse you for the cost of the item and the shipping to PA.

And if you happen to be looking for Eagles / Phillies / Flyers stuff, or Steelers or Giants, let me know and I can help you out (baby, child and adult sizes). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I have a really good reason for being behind on stitching

You see, my husband and I are expecting our first child, a son, in October. Yep, I'm pregnant. I've kept it quiet for so long because I have some complicated issues with my family and didn't need the additonal stress of dealing with that. But the cat seems to be out of the bag for the most part, so I thought I would share our happy news with my stitching friends.

So far, so good with this pregnancy, except for a ridiculous amount of exhaustion in the first trimester. I have never been so tired in my life! And dizzy to boot, but most of that seems to have passed, and I am into my third trimester now. Baby has been very active lately, and according to his ultrasounds, right on target for growth and development. We're very excited to meet him.

But being so tired and dizzy made it very hard to concentrate on stitching, and I really slacked off for a while, only managing to get in the bare minimum, which is why you haven't seen much from me lately. (I especially want to apologize to my two remaining PIFs - Deirdre and Tammie. I didn't forget about you ladies, I swear!!! I have your pieces stitched up, I just have to finish them!)

Since my DH and I both love the beach and lighthouses, we knew we were going with a nautical theme for his room. This is the bedding we selected, Nautica William.


We'll be painting the walls a light blue, coincidentally called Sailboat (okay, maybe the color name did have something to do with my selection) and going with cherry furniture, including the crib my in-laws bought for their grandson.

I, or rather my husband, did pick the sampler for the baby. It's from Seguin Designs and it's called A Fishing Village Sampler.

Maine is one of our favorite places, and this was the sampler that DH liked the best of about a dozen different ones that I had found. I'm making some modifications to the piece to include his name and vital information. I haven't started stitching yet, but I do have the fabric and the threads.

So if you've been wondering why my posting has been sporadic this year, now you know why. :-)

5th Annual Long Island Lighthouse Challenge

Fire Island Lighthouse, Long Island, NY

This weekend, DH and I are headed back to Long Island for the 5th Annual Long Island Lighthouse Challenge. We missed it last year because we were in the process of buying a house and moving.

The Long Island Challenge is the newest of the Challenges, and they're still working out the kinks here and there, but overall, it's a fun experience and a nice way to spend the weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with the "Challenge" concept, basically it involves visiting selected lighthouses over a 2 day period and collecting a souvenier (provided by the challenge sponsors). When you've collected all your souveniers, you present them at the last lighthouse you visit and you'll be given a completer souvenier. Past souveniers have included postcards, bookmarks, pins and wooden coins. There's no cost to participate in the Challenge itself, although some sites have nominal admission or parking fees. Of course, any donations you'd like to make towards lighthouse preservation are always accepted and greatly appreciated.

If you happen to be in the Long Island, NY, area, and are looking for something to do, check out the challenge. You can download a brochure with directions from the LI Lighthouse Society's webpage, and you're not required to visit all the sites. The nice thing about the challenge is that lighthouses that may not normally be open to the public are open this weekend and staffed by some pretty knowledgable volunteers.

And if you can't make it this weekend, there are challenges in both Maryland (September) and New Jersey (October). DH and I have done both of those as well, and always have a great time.

5th Anniversary Gift for my Husband

Always and Forever by Little House Needleworks (LHNPC-18)
Stitched 2 over 2 on China Pearl Jobelan with Dinky Dyes Silk in Midnight

DH and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary a few weeks ago. I've had this stitched up for a while, but I never know if he reads my blog or not, so I thought it best to keep it under wraps. I've seen this design on a few blogs and decided it would be just perfect, so I picked it up and selected my fabric and thread colors based on our wedding colors of blue and silver (of course they were blue and silver. We ARE Cowboys fans, after all!)

I picked a pale grey for the fabric and the most delicious Dinky Dyes silk. It's the first time I stitched with the Dinky Dyes, but it won't be the last. I don't generally stitch with silk because it can get expensive, but for an anniversary gift, I wanted to do something special. The Dinky Dyes was just lovely to stitch with, and I was actually a little sad when I finished the piece.

As you can see, I did make some modifications to it. I didn't decide until I got the precut fabric home that I wanted to extend the pattern just a little to include our wedding date, so it was a good thing I opted for a 3 inch border instead of my usual 2 inches! Luckily, what I had in mind fit, and I'm going to frame it in a slightly more ornate carved black frame so this piece won't need a mat. I was able to extend the border by adding in extra loops near the hearts in the center of the sides, and I carried the hearts over to fill in the space between the words and our wedding date. All in all, I am very pleased with how this turned out, and my husband loved it as well. Once I get it framed up, we'll hang it in our front hallway along with our collection of family photos.

As for the anniversary itself, we decided to do a weekend trip to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. DH and I are into lighthouses and things of a nautical nature, so this was a nice trip for us. We drove up on Friday, which was our anniversary, spent Saturday in Mystic and Stonington, then took a long, scenic drive home on Sunday, checking out lighthouses along the coast on our way back. We had wonderful weather, and it was just a very relaxing, peaceful trip.

And if you happen to be in the Mystic area, I'd recommend checking out the following restaurants:

• Mirch Masala - Groton, CT. It's a converted bar in the Ramada Hotel, but the food is excellent. It's one of the few places I've found meat samosas (which I love), but really, everything we had was just wonderful, and the service was great. It wasn't far from our hotel, which was good because we were both tired of being in the car! (Warning - there is music on the website)
• Noah's - Stonington, CT. The menu changes based on what's in season and what's fresh, so don't expect everything listed on their website to be available. If scallops are on the menu, I'd recommend ordering them - they're absolutely divine. And the clam chowder? Mostly clam, with a little chowder scoop them up with. Soooo good!
• Kitchen Little - Mystic, CT. They're not kidding when they say "little". The food is good, but the quarters are QUITE close. We ended up practically sitting with another couple (their table was about 4 inches from ours. But it's right down the road from the Seaport, and the view of the Mystic River is lovely.

Six More Random Things About Me

Tammie tagged me to name six random things about myself. I've already done it, but I don't mind doing it again, so here goes:

1. I love magazines, but not the clutter. I am fairly diligent about cutting out and filing pictures, articles, recipes, etc., that I want and recycling the rest. However, once I file them, they rarely ever see the light of day again until I purge. Which isn't often. I also like mailing articles to people I think would be interested. I have done this for years, and yes, I know it's weird.

2. Even when it is stinkin hot outside, I have to sleep with at least a sheet on me.

3. I never pay full retail if I can help it. I am a champion bargain hunter and almost always have a coupon code and/or a rebate program. If you are interested in the ones I use, email me.

4. If I have ever acknowledged or celebrated your birthday in any meaningful way, I probably remember it. I remember birthdays of people I haven't spoken to in YEARS as well as pretty much everyone in my current circle.

5. I cannot, however, remember phone numbers. There are exactly 9 phone numbers I can recall off the top of my head: our home and cells, my ILs home and FIL's cell. I can also recall my childhood home number, my grandparents (who have been deceased for ~25 years), my aunt, and my best friend's father's home number. I do not know my DH's work #, the numbers of any of my closest friends or family members. I only know their speed dial location on my cellphone.

6. For luck on my wedding day, I had a silver sixpence taped onto my shoe (I wore sandals) and a tiny horseshoe charm on my ankle bracelet. Our wedding colors, blue and silver, and our theme, stars, were selected because we're just that devoted to our Dallas Cowboys. (DH's uncle, a longtime Redskins fan, made a face when he figured this out.)

Because I can't show you any of my stitching...

I borrowed this from Anna and CinDC

1. Political show - Countdown with Keith Olberman. I like Hardball too. (It seems I'm getting slightly less conservative in my old age)

2. Picnic food - DH's smoked brisket

3. Mixed drink – gin and grapefruit juice

4. U.S. President – George Washington (all because of Barry Bostwick)

5. Kind of student to teach – ones that listen

6. Hobby you do or wish you still did - I stitch, I take pictures, and I travel

7. Sports commentator – Bob Costas, and sometimes Cris Collinsworth. Troy Aikman, when he's NOT with Joe Buck. Least favorite? Tony Kornheiser, who has singlehandly ruined MNF, a feat I didn't think possible after Dennis Miller and Rush Limbaugh.

8. Sport to watch on TV – Dallas Cowboys football. Okay, football in general. I am a junkie

9. Animal to have as a pet - cat, dog, fish, pony

10. Halloween costume you have worn – I haven't worn a costume since childhood. I don't like Halloween

11. Kind of dessert - anything involving chocolate and raspberries

12. Comic strip - Baby Blues

13. Style or make of footwear - Reebok. I'd like to be the girl with cute shoes, but let's face it. They don't make cute shoes in size 10.

14. Ice cream flavor - Cotton Candy with Poprocks, marshmallows and sprinkles. Yes, I am a child when it comes to ice cream

15. College or university president – What? Seriously?

16. Internet news source – NYTimes.com

17. Vacation spot - Maine

18. Wine – Pinot Noir, or wines with clever names and/or animals on the bottle (except for Yellowtail). My current favorite is Pinot Evil, featuring the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak no Evil monkeys on the label. Funny AND tasty. Or perhaps Goats do Roam, a South African wine. I'm also a big fan of Frei Brothers Reserve Pinot Noir. As wine and food go together, yes, I can go on all day about this.

19. Way to waste time instead of working – I have many

20. Student excuse for late work – Somehow I am getting the impression that this meme is teacher-centric.

21. Reality show – Survivor. And here's something I can't believe I am going to admit publically. We've watched the Making of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, followed by My Big Redneck Wedding. And for a real trainwreck, Bridezillas. Even if these girls are playing it up for the cameras, they still all need to be slapped.

22. Jewelry on a man – A watch. DH is not big on jewelry - he wears his watch, wedding ring and engagement band. That's it.

23. Pizza topping – bacon, pineapple and hot peppers (banana peppers)

24. Children's movie - The Princess Bride. Although I don't think it's really a children's movie.

25. Celebrity you wish would retire - Jessica Simpson. I hate her.

Six Random Things

I have been tagged by the lovely Meari to share six random things about myself, according to the rules.

The rules are as follows:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

So, here are six random things about myself:

1. I collect short story anthologies - in particular, the "Best American Short Story" editions put out on a yearly basis, each featuring a guest editor. I just picked up the 2008 edition edited by Salman Rushdie.

2. In 1989, I participated in the inaugural parade for the first President Bush with my high school marching band.

3. Tom Petty is my favorite singer. I've seen him in concert over a dozen times. I own most, if not all of his albums (I'm missing a live album or two)

4. In second grade, my class hatched baby chickens and ducks in an incubator. I've loved baby animals ever since.

5. I still love the Little House on the Prairie books. I can take or leave the television series.

6. I don't usually eat the bottom bun of a hamburger, and I dip my fries in mayonnaise.

I have tagged:

1. Rachel (Does the Noise in my Head Bother You?)
2. Rachel (Willing Hands)
3. Rachel (What Looks Like Crazy)
4. Laura (Maude & Mozart)
5. Julie (Julie's Stitching Journal)
6. Sue Fitz (Fitz's Stitching)

Friday Feast #3... um # 175? Okay, #4.

As I was reading the questions for Friday's Feast #3, I thought they sounded very familiar. As it turns out, they were recycled into Friday's Feast #175, which I've already answered. So it's on to Feast #4.

From Friday's Feast: A Buffet for Your Brain

Appetizer: What kind of car do you drive? If you could make an even trade for any other car, what would you want to drive?

I currently drive a Toyota that is soon to be replaced by a Nissan Altima. Originally, I wanted the Xterra, but we just can't justify it with the price of gas. Maybe someday.

Soup: Take your phone number and add each number together separately (example: 8+6+7+5+3+0+9=38) - what's the total?

This is a dumb question, but I'll answer it. 40. Which includes area code. Because that's how we dial.

Salad: When were you last outside, and what were you doing?

I went out to get the mail last night.

Main Course: What is your favorite restaurant, and what do you usually order there?

I don't think I really have a favorite restaurant. I definitely don't have one here, since we just moved here a little while ago, though DH and I are big fans of breakfasts and have tried out a few in the area. For breakfasts, I like combination plates because I am usually in the mood for French Toast or pancakes, but I know that I will be hungry again a little while after eating, so I like something with eggs as well. Scrambled, if you please. With bacon. Oh, speaking of breakfast, I do have a favorite breakfast place, which I know I've mentioned before, on the coast of Maine at Pemaquid Point. Naturally, I order the blueberry pancakes.

We try to avoid chain restaurants, especially when we travel. I like to go on Chowhound.com ahead of time and look for recommendations. I've never been steered wrong there yet.

When it comes to Chinese food, I generally never stray far from the General Tso's chicken (which I know isn't real chinese food), and I love spicy tuna rolls and Philadelphia rolls when it comes to sushi. Yeah, I can pretty much talk about food all day.

Dessert: Name 3 things in which you occasionally indulge.

• Chocolate desserts - chocolate cheesecake, brownies, etc. Especially with raspberry sauce.
• Day long movie marathons, usually with one of my closest friends who loves the same movies and we know all the lines.
• Spa manicures. Most of the time I do my own, but there's something satisfying about having someone else do it for you.

8th Annual New Jersey Light House Challenge

Navesink Twin Lights, Highlands, NJ

DH and I will be doing the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge again. We started doing it the first year we were married, and this is the 5th consecutive year this weekend. According to the challenge site:

The New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge® is a not-for-profit event presented by The New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc. for the purpose of raising public awareness of lighthouses in general and New Jersey’s lighthouses, specifically. It is a rain or shine, two-day event held during the 3rd weekend in October when 11 land-based lighthouses are open for visitation and climbing. During this weekend, the public is invited to visit any or all of the sites along the Challenge route.

We always have a great time doing it, and last year, we invited DH's parents to go along with us. They were unsure at first, but ended up having a wonderful time, especially my FIL. They loved all the history and lighthouse information, but since the weather was so spectacular, they enjoyed the scenery as well.

If you're within driving distance to the New Jersey area, I would definitely recommend participating in the challenge. There's no participation fees, no sign ups and no requirements. You don't even have to visit all of the sites on the challenge. Many people visit just a few sites, but the nicest thing about the Challenge weekend is that the lights are open and there are guides and plenty of information, and you have opportunities to learn and explore that aren't always available the rest of the year.

East Point Lighthouse, Maurice River Township, NJ

We've also done challenges in Long Island and Maryland, both of which we missed this year, unfortunately. Last year was our third Triple Crown, meaning we did all three challenges (few people complete all three). This year, we had to pass because of moving and other events going on, but I'd like to get back to doing all three next year. Maybe even add a few more, as other lighthouse societies are taking an interest in challenges and planning their own. If you are interested in the Challenges, check out the various Lighthouse Societies

• Chesapeake Chapter, Maryland
• Long Island Lighthouse Society
• Lights Across the Border (Maine and Canada)
• Mid-Coast Maine
• Martha's Vineyard
• Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival

I'd love to be able to do the Lights Across the Border one, and I'm always looking for a good excuse to head back to Maine, so that may be in our plans at some point.

I've been tagged!

Dianne of Dianne Rambling On fame tagged me to share six random things about myself, following the rules below:

• Link to the person who tagged you.
• Post the rules on your blog.
• Write six random things/unspectacular quirks about yourself.
• Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
• Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog.
• Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

I've done a couple of these before, so I will try to come up with different things.

1. My toenails are almost always painted, usually some shade of red. And I almost never take off the six silver toe rings I wear (three on each foot).

2. I tend to stock up on things - I have an extremely well stocked pantry and linen closet (soaps, shampoo, etc.) I was well know in grad school for having the best stocked tea / coffee cabinet. I don't know why I do this, as I have never "gone without."

3. I love grocery shopping and grocery stores. I even like going to grocery stores when we travel, especially if it is not a familiar chain.

4. I have a small collection of red headed Barbie dolls.

5. At night, when I can't fall asleep, I plan out my dream house and visualize it room by room, detail by detail.

6. I rarely measure when I cook, and I have a very hard time following a recipe, even if I'm making it for the first time. I almost always change it, add something, etc. Great for cooking, not so much for baking. I also have a hard time telling someone else how long it takes to make something. I seem to have an internal timer that tells me when things are done.

And now I tag the following ladies:

• Shel (Stash of Sanity)
• Lynn (Kearnel's Korner)
• Tammie (A Stitch in Time)
• Deirdre (The Stitching Teacher)
• Jennifer (JennX-Stitch)
• Dani (Navy Stitching)

The Return of Friday's Feast

It seems that the Chef is on hiatus on the Friday's Feast website, but there's no reason I can't recycle the old questions and start from the beginning. I tried that once before and answered the first question, and now it's time to move through the rest of the list. And maybe the Chef will come back with new questions.

From Friday's Feast: A Buffet For Your Brain

Appetizer: Where do you plan to go on vacation this year, or where would you want to go?
It's a little late for vacation this year. The holidays are coming up and we do a lot of traveling back and forth to our hometown, although I don't know if that counts as a vacation. We are going to NJ for a weekend, if that counts. For a real vacation though, I'd have to say Maine. I'm pretty much always going to say Maine.

Soup: What color is your bedroom? If you could redecorate it, what would you change?
Right now, it's yellow. It's a somewhat inoffensive yellow, so I can live with it, but it will get changed. The sitting room (attached to the bedroom) is maroon and yellow, and not as McDonald's as it sounds, but still not my taste. We'll probably paint the bedroom some shade of coffee and going with dark brown furniture. DH and I are big fans of using neutral colors on the wall and adding color with accessories you can change out.

Salad: Do you have a bumper sticker on your vehicle? If not, make one up!
I like reading them on other people's cars, but I do not want one on my own. Probably the last sticker sort of thing I had on my car was one of those clear ones with the name of my college that you see in the back windows of cars. DH wants one of those Darwin fish though.

Main Course: What's the worst pain you've ever been in?
Physically, I have a very low threshold of pain, so it's all bad to me, but probably the worst was right after my tonsil surgery. Thankfully, they give you the good stuff at the pharmacy, so it was bearable.

Dessert: Who is your favorite celebrity? What do they do that inspires you?
Russell Crowe is my favorite movie star celebrity, and really all he has to do is NOT be in a movie with Meg Ryan and that's enough for me. DH and I do watch a lot of football, and I have a great appreciation for players such as Jason Witten that are involved in programs to get kids to be more active.

Labor Day Weekend

I had been planning on sneaking in a few last stitches on the Sisterhood pattern, but we had company over the weekend and it was almost non-stop action.

My ILs came down Saturday morning, and while DH and my FIL went to pick up the patio set we bought (there was no way we were getting it in either of our cars, but my FIL has an SUV), my MIL and I finished up the preparations for the party on Sunday. Then Saturday night, my BIL, SIL and the kids came down from NY and we had a pizza party. DH and I make homemade pizza on an almost weekly basis, so the family was treated to three different kinds of pizza and stromboli. I don't mean to brag, but my husband makes a KILLER stromboli. Pretty much everything was devoured, including the white bean dip I made to tide everyone over while the pizza was baking.

And if that wasn't enough, we celebrated our niece and nephew's birthdays with cake and presents on the patio. (No, they're actually not twins. He turned four 2 weeks ago, she'll be six in 2 weeks, so we always celebrate their birthdays on Labor Day Weekend).

Then Sunday, some of the extended family came down for a cookout. DH purchased a smoker this summer, so we invited everyone down for BBQ ribs and brisket.

Now, as much as we love Alton Brown, I have to give his rib recipe two big thumbs down when doing them on the smoker. They were fine when we used his rib rub recipe and did the ribs in the oven, but we used it the last time we did them on the smoker and it was too salty / spicy. (DH made it, so yes, everything was measured correctly, not like my throw it all in and see how it tastes approach). This time, we went simple. I followed the recipe for Apple City Baby Back Ribs and it was FANTASTIC!!! I highly, highly recommend this recipe. The only thing we skipped was the intermediate rub step (DH had them on the smoker before I could get to them), and with just a touch of salt, the ribs were outstanding. This is a KEEPER recipe.

The brisket turned out great as well, and there was plenty of BBQ food - beans, coleslaw, and corn casserole (like a cornbread with sour cream and cheese). Everyone had a great time, and loved the new house. This was the first time anyone other than my ILs had seen it, so we had fun giving the grand tours. After the extended family left, my ILs helped clean up, and I was on bath duty with the kids. Naturally, they had to check out the great big tub with the jets, and they had a blast in it. (There were bubbles everywhere!) My BIL and SIL wanted to get home that night, so they packed up the kids and left, and the ILs stayed for another night. Since it was all adults, there were a few bottles of wine involved and some funny stories out on the patio. The wine was great. The biting insects? Not so much!

All in all, we had a great time, and thus concludes my explanation as to why I am just getting around to posting my completed Sisterhood pattern..... and picking a winner!

Answers to The Movie Quiz

1. Grosse Pointe Blank - Love this movie. Love the soundtrack (both volumes). I love this movie so much I can almost quote the entire thing. Sometimes those quotes randomly work themselves into my every day conversation. Once, a salesperson asked me what I did for a living. "Professional killer" almost slipped out. LOL

2. 10 Things I Hate About You - Another awesome soundtrack. Fantastic movie. Don't automatically dismiss it as a teen movie. It's quite clever.

3. Mystery, Alaska - Two words. Russell Crowe. I love Russell Crowe.

4. Pretty Woman - A classic.

5. Love, Actually - Fascinating story, wonderful editing.

6. Billy Madison - Another movie I can quote from beginning to end, and often do. Don't ask. It's a sickness. And inevitably, my answer to the question "What's today?" is "October?"

7. A Beautiful Mind - Another Russell Crowe, but it's still an incredible movie. Even once you know what the plot twist is, it still manages to make you believe.

8. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days - Saw this in the theater and laughed so hard I almost hyperventilated. Bought it on DVD the day it came out

9. Empire Records - Another rockin soundtrack, and highly quotable movie. "Veeeee-to!" has been uttered on more than one occasion.

10. The Princess Bride - So much fun to watch

11. Center Stage - Sasha Radetsky. If you don't know who he is, you should. Another movie I saw in the theater and bought the day it came out.

12. Playing By Heart - Gillian Anderson, Sean Connery, Jon Stewart, Jay Mohr, Anthony Edwards, Gena Rowlands and more. Incredible cast, extremely watchable, and how can any Sean Connery movie be bad?

13. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - I've loved this movie since jr. high. It's also one of DH's favorite movies. But we're irreverant like that....

14. Sex and the City Movie - Saw it in the theater, but only after reading spoilers to make sure Carrie and Big ended up together.

15. The Wedding Date - Debra Messing and Dermott Mulroney. Hot, hot, hot.

A movie quiz

I spotted this fun little quiz on both Mindy and Dianne's blogs, so I played along with theirs and made up my own. If you know any of them, leave a quote in the comments.

The rules are as follows:
1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions.
5. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.

If you don't know what IMDB is, definitely check it out. It's one of my favorite sites!

And here come the quotes!

1. Where ya been these last ten years?
Yeah, where ya been, "Marv"?
Ya look great!
Thanks. I work at Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Ya do not!
I do! I sell biscuits and gravy all over the southland.
You're so funny.
He's a funny guy.

2. Hello, Katarina. Make anyone cry today?
Sadly, no. But it's only 4:30.

3. A Zamboni? Wow, I'm getting wet just thinkin' about it.

4. Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.

5. I've come here with a view of asking you to marriage me. I know I seems an insane person - because I hardly knows you - but sometimes things are so transparency, they don't need evidential proof. And I will inhabit here, or you can inhabit with me in England.

6. what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

7. So what's your story? You the poor kid that never got to go to Exeter or Andover?
Despite my privileged upbringing, I'm actually quite well-balanced. I have a chip on both shoulders.

8. If you are gonna name my... member, you have to name it something hyper masculine. Something like Spike, or Butch, or Krull the Warrior King!

9. Well "Sinead O'Rebellion." Shock me shock me shock me with that deviant behavior.
God, that is so clever. I swear you get smarter the shorter your skirt gets.

10. Have fun stormin' da castle.
Think it'll work?
It would take a miracle.

11. I do ballet because it has nothing to do with the people. Give me tiaras and boys in tights any day.

12. Talking about love is like dancing about architecture

13. Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

14. Ever Thine, Ever Mine, Ever Ours

15. Well thank you for including me in this timeless feminine ritual. Here's to the husbands who've won you, the losers who've lost you, and the lucky bastards who've yet to meet you.