I know I'm surely more fortunate than quite a few people in this world but right now I'm having a pity party ;o) The moose is doing better and has come back from the vet but needs 24 hour care, as does my sister. The kids and I have settled in to stay awhile, but I have no life, and we are 9 days from the wedding. I keep stopping myself from panicking. Chase is having 10 boys over for a slumber party on Friday so I need to somehow prepare for that (read CLEAN, bake, and buy) and arrange for someone to be there for the dog/sister while we're gone that night. The dog requires intensive care and I was up till the wee hours bathing and keeping him comfortable. The good news is he's able to get up sometimes without assistance. We're not sure what the prognosis is, but for now he's comfortable and happy (I know this because he was well enough to swipe my tuna sandwich yesterday and also a loaf of bread, lol).

It's really stressful to be away from my house during all this, I have SO MUCH to do at home before I have a new person and 2 step-dogs moving in! I have models that I wanted to kit and get out before the holiday season really hits, paperwork galore, etc. I am glad I decided not to do any new releases till January so at least that's not more stress for me.

I can't believe it's time (or past time?) to be thinking of tiaras, flowers, hair and nail appointments, etc. At this point I've only had time to care for the sick, help with homework, and clean my parents' house, usually all at the same time ;o) I'm missing my gym workout and my stitching, but at least the workout I'm getting with the dog makes up for no treadmill.

Since last Friday time has stretched endlessly, leaving me plenty of time to think about all the things that are not getting done! And I miss my doggies!!!

Whine, whine, whine....

When weekends make you wish for Monday, you know there's a problem! It started out innocently enough...Seran had a friend to spend the night, we went to the Family Safety Fair, and then we got a phone call. My sister was very sick, and my parents' dog that she was dog-sitting was very ill as well. All the rest of the plans went out the window, we spent the weekend at my parents tending both of them. I did learn that I never want to work at a vet clinic ;o) I got some stitching in while at Urgent Care with my sister (don't know about you but I do my best stitching there! LOL), worked on that gift I was talking about earlier for a member of the wedding party. It's coming along well and I hope to have it done by the end of this week for sure, although I can't post it till after the wedding of course. My sister either has the first case of flu in Tucson this flu season, or she has pneumonia, etc. I need to take her for x-rays this afternoon to find out. By 11pm last night it was apparent that my parents' dog was not getting better so I had to figure out how to move a 150 pound (or more?) St. Bernard. My brother called and saved the day, he came right over and between us and my oldest son we got the dog into the back of my brother's new Scion. I found this morning I have strained (sprained?) my stitching arm and pinky finger so stitching is difficult. The dog is under observation, will definitely be staying overnight again as he can't move his back legs. We are praying he does not have to be put down.

As you can imagine, all thoughts of the wedding are on hold, and I'll be living at my parents' for at least another day or two.

I threw in a pic of my BC Summer Row progress of 3 days, haven't worked on it since mid-last week, the gift has taken precedence.

The one fun place we did get this weekend--the Red Cross Family Safety Fair. Lots of free food, information booths with plenty of fun give-aways, the Fire department practice drill trailer, etc.

Spent most of the weekend taking care of the Moose for my parents. He wasn't well and finally last night my brother and I had to load him up and take him to the vet hospital. I surely hope he will be ok.

I have to say this may be one of my most treasured stitched pieces ever. It turned out so nicely although I had my doubts!! Now where to hang it?? The living room definitely, and it's on the required fabric and in the proper colored frame to fit the living room decor but not sure where it should go. I have big empty white walls in there and need some BIG pieces to keep my little pieces like this one from feeling dwarfed. I would have more in there if I didn't keep lending things to my LNS, lol.

News on the wedding front:
The rings are being made and sent from Ireland. The cake is ordered AND we have a cake topper that doesn't make me nauseous! After a lot of thought we imported a glass slipper from Disneyland last weekend so that not only will it be the cake topper but it will also become a treasured keepsake and not sit in a dusty drawer. Besides, now I can officially think about collecting glass slippers ;o) Geesh, the ridiculous things you have to worry about for weddings!! And we're not even having a fancy or large one! I registered finally after much prompting from family and friends. I figured with a second marriage gifts were taboo but apparently not considering all the grief I was getting about not! So for those of you who wanted to know, we are registered at Target.com. And if one more person complains I have not registered for ENOUGH things, I'm going to cancel the wedding and elope *very big evil grin*. I cannot see how people do weddings for hundreds, this is insanity ;o)

Started a new project that for now I'm doing at home and at work: Bent Creek's Summer Row to cover the big naked spot on my guest bathroom wall that I've wanted to cover for two years now. Just cross your fingers I can find and get a frame within two weeks!!

Look a little different than the other photo I posted?? LOL I changed my mind :o) I really wanted to be a diamond kind of girl, but I could see myself catching that dang diamond everywhere. I think in trying to get as far away as possible from the choices of my last marriage I lost track of what I *really* wanted ;o) So we went with this one because I want to be able to wear all my silver jewelry still and besides this is much more pretty in silver!! We decided on the Celtic ribbon design because John is of Irish heritage and the rings will be very meaningful to both of us. Symbolic as well since this particular design stands for eternity (or so I've been told!).

I finished HE, or really I am about to add the embellishments and be done! I had taken a photo last friday to post my progress but never got it up here, and now it's not relevant. This really went fast! Now what to do??? I am feeling at a standstill! My RR group had some problems and closed so I'm not sure what to do with the two RR's I have now, one of which was my at home stitching. I do want to start and finish BC's Summer Row to dress up my bathroom before the wedding (it has a big blank spot on the wall, lol) however I don't really want that kind of pressure right now, and also then I'd have to have an odd sized frame for it! Seems like my long frames are either not quite long enough or way too long for the BC rows. Also I wanted to stitch a little something for my new sister-in-law for being so kind as to help my fiance move down here and for volunteering to be the wedding photographer. The problem is do I have enough time and what can I do that she would like in that time frame? I don't think she's too much of a "cute" design kind of person, more of a tribal or??? Anyone who has any thoughts let me know please!!

Thanks to all who have left comments, I hope to link back to some of your blogs soon and will respond to comments (when I know where to respond to, lol, some of you are anonymous) ASAP!!!

HE pic to come tomorrow I hope, just have to figure out a frame!! This one is going in the living room FOR SURE!!

Thought it would be fun to send a photo of the kids with the invitation. After many many photos where two out of three had their eyes closed, we settled on this. The invitation photo says "Congratulations Mom and John" across the top. Seri drew a sign but couldn't seem to hold it where the camera could see it.

Now that Kris has received it I can post my hard work :o) The fabric in the background is also on the back of the ornie.

My new at work project, been working on it a week or so maybe? I can't remember, lol. Stitched on Sugar Maple fabric and using DMC (yes, I know, *me* using DMC without being forced?? LOL).

Still not feeling well, definitely some fun hot and cold flashes. Now that my stomach is almost better I feel like I'm getting a sinus infection, joy. I've gotten nothing done since I got sick and the work is piling around me: orders, book-keeping, yardwork, housework, etc. I finally got to the newest Hoffman order last night only to find the printer only printed one sides of the charts!! So off I go this afternoon to fix that and try again tonight. I also hope to pick up the wedding invites. So much to do for the wedding, plus getting the house ready for a new person and my 2 new step-dogs to move in, and we also have both my boys birthdays coming within the next month. Wedding is 25 days away---PANIC TIME!!!

Doesn't everyone need one of these to nap with?? I've been really sick for over a week now, finally got some rest yesterday with my woogies by my side. Nothing better than a nap with snuggly warm bodies that love you! Feeling a little better today, did a bit of stitching last night on Julie's BC RR. I may actually live till the wedding!!

Kris sent me the cutest Beat the Heat exchange! She included packages of Kool-aid, some adorable hand-made buttons (like popsicles, ice cream cones, watermelon, etc.) which is some of my favorite stash ever! She also sent a gorgeous dimensions potpourri pillow kit that you satin stitch shells onto. I feel so spoiled!! I can't wait to use the buttons and I've alreayd monkeyed with the kit, I think it would be really pretty quick! I'm going to hang this cutie in my hall bathroom where I have a beach/fish theme, he fits perfectly!! Thanks so much Kris

My blog has sat empty for over a week now. I haven't felt motivated to chat on about whatever when there are so many more important things going on. I haven't done much stitching either. I have helped get food and water supplies together for World Care and many bags of clothing, toys, and needlework kits for the evacuees coming to live in the Tucson Convention Center. It's not much but I am glad I am blessed enough to be able to do these things. There are so many good things being done by so many people it surely must be overwhelming some of the bad.

If you are a stitcher who would like to help----

Silkweaver in MS is taking donations for their local shelter. They have updates and photos on their website:

http://www.silkweaver.com

Vikki at Hand-Dyed fibers is carrying lovely sampler charts that require only a donation to receive them. I believe she is offering the packs of her lovely threads separately for those of you who would like to kit:

http://www.hand-dyedfibers.com