Settling In

So I'm just now getting my suitcase unpacked.

I have about 8 loads of laundry to fold.

My youngest is still sick.  No vomit or fever anymore, but he's teething and has the whole congestion/snot thing going on.  I suspect a sore throat.  His voice is scratchy.  And he clings to me constantly.  I secretly enjoy this clinging thing...  I LOVE that my boys are affectionate.  Having a sick baby allows me some leeway on housework...  Allows me to sit and snuggle him all day (and unfortunately often during the night), but realistically, it's not a great plan.  Housework has piled up for days.  I cannot get anything done with the kids around.

Happily, my husband is in town this week and he took them to the in-laws tonight.  I mopped/vacuumed the first floor and got almost all of the laundry clean (but not folded or put away)...  Made brownies (which I'm about to enjoy in peace- they're not home yet) and I did a bunch of dishes.  I still have a good bit more to do, but I'm feeling good.

Why am I bothering to clean, you ask?  Well... Let me tell you!  I've never used a babysitter other than family before.  Not ever.  I suppose childcare (very occasionally) at church and at the gym constitutes non-family babysitters, but I've never hired anyone to watch my kiddos.  That's about to change...

I've got a couple of teenaged sisters coming over tomorrow night to meet the kids, have some pizza and get acquainted with the way we do things around here.

Getting sitters asap is essential because Cherry HOUSE is coming to KCMQG next week and I'm not sure if my husband will be in town or not.  I am sure that my in-laws won't... and they're my go-to sitters when he's out of pocket...

So I MUST get something lined up.

I also realized that a friend at church does babysitting on the side.  Going to utilize her, too.

On the sewing front, what's new, you ask?  A couple of things...

I had my Blue Valley Quilters Guild meeting yesterday.  Very energizing.  The ladies there and I (along with some others) work on Quilts of Valor.  I'm so thrilled to say that in the next month, I anticipate awarding between 50-60 Quilts of Valor to veterans.  Cannot tell you how proud and touched I am that we've been able to pull this off!

I'm dropping a couple of QOVs off at my friend, Shirley's house tomorrow.  She will take the two I have along with 28 more to Ft. Riley next week to be awarded.  (Her 28 are not in the figure of 50-60 that I mentioned in the last paragraph)...  Hopefully if the stars all align, Friday night will be spent with my friend, Elaine trying to get more organized from a paperwork standpoint.  I've got a blog to document our efforts, but it's WAY behind and we have been cranking out quilts like there's no tomorrow.  Time to get a handle on things.

Saturday is an annual quilting day at my church (Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church).  If you're local and you'd like to join us, please let me know.  We are making quilts for the Rose Brook Center, which serves battered women and children.

Hopefully, Saturday night, the stars will once again align and I will go on a double date with my hubby and our friends, Andy and Parthena.  Ideally, this date will be CHILD-FREE!  I don't know where we will go yet, but I know the boys will drink expensive Scotch and Parthena and I will talk entirely too much about our children...

I'm starting a new bee in January.  The Lovely Linen Bee.  Will have more details soon, but we'll be making quilts (one block per month) out of linen and cotton quilting fabric.  Cannot wait.  The possibilities for this one are exciting!  If you're counting, that's 3 bees for me.  The KC Scrappy Bee, Bee Vintage and The Lovely Linen Bee.

I'm also doing a couple of swaps on Flickr.  The Scrappy Mug Rug Swap is almost complete.  I've sent away a mug rug to a nice new friend in TN and soon I'll receive one from my secret partner.  I've also joined a St. Nick Swap.  I've not had time to get started, really.  I've bought some fabric.  I've made a few hexagons.  Needing to get serious!  I'm also in a Christmas Tree Ornament swap.  I'll make 3 and receive 3.

No time to sew for myself, though.  Must get some Quilts of Valor out the door.  Must get my baby well.  Must spend quality time with the hubs.  I need a clone.