amazing

You should watch this. I was left stunned . . . and teary. Then, I had to watch it again.

-dana

University of Missouri Tiger Football Ladies and Gentlemen!!

Can you say number one?

Come on. Let me hear you say it?

Louder. I can't hear you!

We beat KU Saturday night. Now we are ranked number one. I think every Mizzou fan in the world owes my husband a big thank you. If it weren't for remembering his lucky Mizzou cup so that he could drink from it over Thanksgiving, we might not have won. Well, that and his bizillion other rituals that did it for us. Chase Daniel? Martin Rucker? Tony Temple? Jeremy Maclin? PAAA -- LEEASE!! Don't even start with the coaching staff. It was all Razor's doing.

M! I! Z!!!!


Z! O! U!!!!!

-dana

Can it be?

How can it be that today you are six years old? In a blink of an eye you transformed from a tiny pink bundle to a courageous, confident, funny, clever, thoughtful, empathetic, smart and beautiful girl that you are today.

I love knowing you.

I love teaching you.

I love learning from you.

I love seeing the world through your eyes.

I love hearing you sing (or hum).

I love watching you dance.

I love seeing you giggle . . . and hearing you laugh.

I love studying your big brown eyes and their many expressions.

I love mothering you.

On your birthday and Thanksgiving, I am humbled and grounded and sometimes mystified by this journey of mothering.

I love you Licious.

-Mom

Quilts and such Part W.R.K.

My mother-in-law, Sara, gave me this quilt top a few years ago. I recently had it quilted. It is bright and sassy and so much like a stained glass window.






Sara is really the woman I can thank for teaching me about quilting and encouraging me when I thought it was most impossible. Thank you Sara. Thank you for the quilt top and thank you for introducing me to the expensive . . . er . . . uh . . . I mean expAnsive world of quilting. Wanna teach me how to applique?

-dana

By the way,
W.R.K. = Who Really Knows

She is me. And, I am her.

Thanksgiving time always makes me nostalgic. So . . . . I've decided to post over the next several weeks about things from my childhood. My purpose in starting this blog in the first place was to have a record of our lives. The day-to-day stuff so that my daughters can look back at it and remember things they may have forgotten. Why my childhood? I don't know, really. I always love hearing about my mother's childhood. I'm hoping that someday my girls will want to know a bit about mine. (hmmmm. Fingers tapping as I'm thinking) Perhaps I'll add posts about my mother's childhood. Perhaps about my mother-in-law's childhood too.




I don't know for sure how old I was in this photo. Maybe 4 or 5. I'm digging the red tights and brown leather shoes. And who knew I ever had such straight, blonde hair? I wonder if my mother made this dress for me. She did that sometimes.

I look like my father in this photo.

Hmm. As I study this photo, I notice how I'm playing with my fingers. Boo does the exact same thing. Hmmmm. . .

-dana

This is it

It has been a busy year for Old Red Barn Co. and I'm glad to say that this weekend will be my last show for the year. Web sales are still going strong but at least for that I can sit at home in my pajamas!

-dana

Over the river and through the woods

I thought I would share some photos of what is behind my house. But, in order to do that we first must head over the river, through the woods, across the pasture and across the road.

First, this is my driveway. Can you see the fence we have to cross? If you look closely you can see a road in the distance. We're gonna go on the other side of that road and take photographs of what is behind my house. Come on.



So we gotta climb this fence. I don't see any cows right now but if I was you I would watch out for cow patties!



Here is the river. It is pretty low right now as we haven't had much rain for months. Just find a low spot that has some rocks to step on. Now, walk across the pasture and up over the road. I'm gonna drive but I'll wait for you over there.



Sheesh. I thought you got lost or something.

Ok. Turn around and see what is my backyard.












Now, scurry on home. I've got stuff to do people!
-dana

Sometimes you just gotta jump in

Fall chores gave Licious an idea.



Boo thought it sounded like a GREAT idea.




And she went for it with pure reckless abandon.



Licious attacked it with gusto as well.




Life is like that. Sometimes you just gotta jump in.

-dana

Splashin' good fun

A birthday party for Licious who turns six next week.



We had the pool to ourselves . . . oh, and 20 kindergarteners and their assorted siblings.









When it was over and she was soaking wet and full of sugar, Licious said, "That was the best party ever!" That makes it all worth it.

-dana

What do you say to a hero

Thank you.

-dana

Wondering

Do you ever have days where you wonder if your doing things right? If your giving all that you can give? If your providing enough lesson, guidance, support, encouragement?




Do you ever wonder if they are getting more from you than just complaints about toothpaste all over the counter? Or, dresser drawers crammed full of clothing? Or, talking when other people are talking?




Do you ever wonder if they have any idea how much you love them? How completely all encompassing your love is for them? How they fill you up? Make you whole? Make every question, doubt and wonder worth it all?




I do.
-dana

Little bugger

The poor little bugger. Tsali was spayed yesterday and is just as pitiful as a dog could be. Jezebel was spayed yesterday as well but she is already climbing trees, jumping off ledges and purring uncontrollably upon my approach.

Wonder how long Tsali will milk this.

-dana

Gourds upon gourds

When we planted our garden last spring we thought we would grow a few gourds. Birdhouse gourds mainly but a few ornamental ones too.

These green ones are neat. I wonder if they will dry out much like the birdhouse gourds.


Yes. Like I said. We decided to grow just a few.


Oh, and there are still at least 75 in the garden.


I think it is safe to say that gourds grow well in our garden. Hmmm. Now what am I going to do with them all?


-dana

To every season

We had our first frost over the weekend. Time to officially close up the greenhouse until spring. Time to hunker down inside and eat warm bowls of soup (beef stew with butternut squash and potatoes from the garden). Time to start new quilts. Time to stay in our pajamas and work on puzzles all day.

I'll miss the flowers but I welcome all the winter activities that we love.

-dana

Say what?

It was chilly today. Well, actually, this morning it was down right cold. Licious came to breakfast in a pair of jeans and long sleeved t-shirt. Here is how our conversation went:

Me: Brrrr. I'm freezing. Licious, why are you wearing jeans instead of a warm, soft, cozy pair of pants.

Licious: I don't have any.

Me: Yes you do! You have a whole drawer full.

Licious: Oh, well. I don't like wearing those kind of pants because they are a little too big and I have to roll the top down a few times so that they fit and then they give me an atomic wedgie.

Me: Huh?? An atomic wedgie? Where do you learn such things?

Licious: I dunno know. But, they do.



Sheesh. An atomic wedgie? Maybe I'm failing at this whole motherhood thing.
-dana

Quilts and such part V

Made with the lovely fabrics from FreeSpirit called Chocolate Lollipop
by Anna Maria Horner. Design inspired by this.

I know that I say this after each new quilt that I make . . . but . . . I think this is my favoritest ever.

-dana

Land sakes!

Land sakes!! What beauties are these!







What beautiful girls you have Ms. K!

-dana

Many treats

Little Red Riding Hood . . . and . . .




a butterfly of course.




I see that sparkle in your eye Licious! Isn't Halloween the best? Treats are magical to receive.




Come on Lil' Red! It's treats for everyone!



Everyone indeed. I must thank you all that have e-mailed, left a comment here, called and prayed. Your actions have touched me deeply. And the treats of yesterday included some improvement in my Dad. Thank you for your prayers. Prayers are truly magical. Keep 'em coming!

-dana

P.S. Blogger does not have a way for me to respond with an email to each comment/commentor. I really wish that it did because I sooo want to personally talk to each person that takes the time to comment here! Becky -- email me so I can try to figure out just who you are!

P.P.S. Trick-or-treating in our small town is so much fun (I swear it is JUST like a Normal Rockwell painting!) because we run into practically everyone we know. Lore, I can't wait to see your Turning Twenty quilt! Kim, can't wait to photograph your girls tonight! Rhonda & Russ, I'm still working on the binding of my Chocolate Lollipop quilt and trying to figure out what to do for the binding of the quilt your working on for me now. Renee & Jason, we love going trick-or-treating with you guys and look forward to it again next year (good parking spot by the way!!). Karen (even though I know you don't read this) I soooo wish you were passing out fat quarters instead of candy! Hmmm. Ok. I think that is it.