The Quilt

A couple of years ago, Cameron asked if I'd make him a quilt out of jeans.  A year ago, he asked again and then quit asking since no quilt was forthcoming.  I felt so guilty that I decided to not only make the quilt for him and Serena but to make it large enough to completely cover their queen-size bed.   

I came up with a design but wasn't sure how I wanted to finish it.  I knew I couldn't quilt it because I don't have a quilting machine and wasn't willing to pay for someone else to do it.  I don't really like the yarn tied quilts and was stumped on what to to.  Since this was my first quilt I've ever made, I brought the quilt top to Mom's 80th birthday celebration and asked my far more experienced family members for advice.  Because of the size ( 85" x 105") and the weight (12 pounds), I wondered if it would be too much to put any kind of batting in it.  I'd originally thought to use a micro-fiber blanket for the batting with a sheet backing but after listening to all the experts, I decided to make it a duvet cover - that is, make a pocket on the back where a blanket can be inserted.

This is the finished product.  It took sixteen of Mike's worn-out 501 Levis and two more pairs of jeans I had to buy from a second-hand store.

A closer look...

The lines are the outside leg seams cut on the diagonal.  The little pocket in the center is the coin pocket.  I only broke four needles sewing it all together and I learned I had to turn the flywheel by hand going through the thicker seams.

I love the story told by those patches.  Some of them are far more faded than others; wear spots on every left pocket where Mike puts his work gloves each day he's at the mill; marks from the glue they use in the mill to make the plywood;  grease stains from working on the vehicles...

Preparing Breakfast with Bradlee

Let me state from the beginning that I love twins.  Especially baby twins.  The sight of two little ones the same size, dressed alike, is one my eyes feast upon.  And if they're identical, I have to be firm with myself not to be rude with the feasting.

Having said that, I'm glad Bradlee isn't twins.  It takes all my attention to stay ahead of him and most days I feel successful when I stay even.

Like this morning, for instance.  We had the privilege of having Bradlee overnight and he slept soundly from ten until five-thirty this morning when Mike's showering woke him.  Mike led him by the hand to me and I woke up to the sight of a smiling baby at my bedside.  I patted the pillow and he happily climbed up and rested for about ten minutes before deciding he was quite finished with this sleeping stuff and felt it was time to get on with living the new day.

In due course of time, I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast.  Every time I opened the fridge, Bradlee hijacked something from the door.  In short order, I had half a dozen jars and bottles scattered about my kitchen floor.  Shaking a jar of yeast while sucking on the lid of the soy sauce pales after a bit so he turned to the drawers.  By the time I could finish turning a piece of bacon and put down my fork, he'd wielded the salad tongs like a pair of loppers, tossed them to the floor and was reaching for the can opener.  I firmly discouraged him and closed the drawer so he went to the cabinet farthest away from me and started dragging out kettles.  He can't hurt kettles - not yet, anyway - so I let him play in peace.

His stillness caught my attention after a while.  I turned to see him standing above a kettle, an open squeeze-bottle of caramel syrup upside-down in his hand, making swirls, curlicues, and other fancy stuff in the kettle.  He seemed somewhat mesmerized by his creation and the method thereof and didn't make a sound when I removed both bottle and kettle.  Indeed, he didn't move until I had the floor cleaned up.  Not that there was much to clean up. He'd drizzled maybe two tablespoons of syrup and only about one teaspoon landed on the floor.

My thought at that point was, "Bradlee, I'm so thankful you're not twins!"

What I Did This Summer

This seems a fairly familiar title...perhaps I've used it before?  I spent the months of July and August doing something I've never done before.  I staffed for our Boy Scout summer camp located on the coast of Oregon about an hour and a half from our house.  Richelle was also on staff, teaching the Woodcarving and Indian Lore merit badges.  She feels she's gained a few more brothers (as if she needed more!) and I'm pretty sure there are a few boys that feel they've gained a little sister.

We were there for one camp set-up week, five weeks of Boy Scout camp, and seven days (two sessions) of Cub Scout camp.  Richelle attended a week of National Youth Leadership Training just prior to staff development week so she was gone a total of eight weeks.

This is a picture of the entire staff.  Richelle is directly behind the fourth boy in front from the left and I'm also on the left wearing a black jacket and cap with a CB on the front....    Our esteemed Camp Director is the tall guy in the center back next to the flag pole.

One of the activities we put on each week was a Moonlight Canoe Race.   You can see scouts waiting to be allowed onto the beach for their turn.  The object was to race a canoe - two boys to a canoe - out around an anchored rowboat and back.  The three canoes with the fastest times received a medal at a special ceremony the next day.

Sunset from the west side of the peninsula.

Opening campfire at the campfire bowl.  We may not have floodlights, microphones, or a wooden stage but we make up for that with energy, cool ways of lighting the fires, and the opportunity to get downright filthy.

Another weekly event was dune diving.  Yes, they really dove off the top of the sand dunes!

Another sample of how to creatively get to the bottom of a sand dune.  The boys came back to camp with sand everywhere.  I watched a boy slide down the dune sitting down and when he paused at the bottom, the sand continued to slide (as sand tends to do) and filled the little space between his back and the waistband of his pants.  It didn't seem to bother him because he jumped up and continued with his horseplay as if nothing had happened.

Richelle and her area director helping the Cub Scouts with their leather work project.  Richelle worked in the handicraft area all summer and always wore several layers.  I couldn't figure it out until I helped out a few hours one morning.  The Handicraft Lodge is always in the shade, open on all sides, and has a concrete floor.  No wonder she was always chilled!  Notice the flag on the right.  It is made entirely of Duct tape except for the scotch tape to hold the stars in place.  I guess the troop who made it for them couldn't figure out how to make the star shape and still have enough sticky to attach it to the blue background.

Camp Director and myself with the Aquatics Director.  I have no idea what we were discussing, I don't even remember why we were both at the waterfront, and I certainly don't remember a picture being taken!  I included this picture because it's one of me that I don't violently dislike.

I had a great time but it felt as if I was away from home far longer than seven weeks.  We came home three times but with only twenty-four hours off each weekend, it wasn't for very long.  People have asked Mike if he enjoyed the peace and quiet and he said that at first it was nice but it got old pretty fast and he was quite ready for us to get home the last couple of weeks.

I was sitting at the computer beside the big picture window concentrating on some research when I heard Richelle call from outside, "Mom!  Look!  Quick!!"

There was a quality of urgency in her voice that I looked, quick.  And found the air had turned golden.  Inside and outside the house, the air was a warm golden glow that made us stretch into it as if into a cozy blanket.

The sunset was one I do not think I've ever seen in my life.  I have seen the air golden as well as pink, rose, and yellow but never so vibrantly gold.

Tyee Mountain almost looks volcanic.

We saw this double rainbow just as the glow was fading and the fat raindrops began splatting around us.

 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork."

Bradlee

Here's a couple videos of Bradlee.  I sure hope they play for everyone.  The second video is more than a minute long because Richelle's at the control and I don't know how to edit video yet.

In the first one, he's just discovered that the little flap on the toy moves but he can't always pick it up once it's flush to the toy.  He'd get frustrated and switch hands - as if one can do what the other can't (perhaps it can, who knows?  It certainly has a different angle of attack) - and finally squall until someone lifts it for him.  He figured it out rather quickly and doesn't have much problem anymore.  That's Richelle laughing in the background.

This second video is the first time he played the piano while standing on the floor.  The lid is usually closed but I opened it and plinked a few notes to see what he'd do.  What he did was immediately climb up the piano leg and make his own music.  He was quite pleased with himself.

Latin Class

Richelle is in her second year of taking Latin as a language.  She wasn't keen at first but when I offered her the choice between taking Latin and taking English, she happily chose Latin and cheerfully agreed to a second year.  There were fifteen in the beginning class last year but she has only three classmates this year.

The homeschooling mother who is teaching it added in a lot of culture studies this year.  They have a snack that is as close as a typical Roman food as she can find (lots of breads, cheeses, and fruits) and they study the duties of family members, geography, customs, money, dress, trade, etc.

Today, they learned about coming-of-age, marriage, and death customs.  Then they had a go at wrapping a deceased loved one using a doll and a roll of toilet paper.  That was quickly done and they turned their active imaginations to more challenging victims, er,  loved ones.

Their half-grown cat was handy and, surprisingly, willing.  Gales of laughter and a long length of toilet paper later, they had a very lively kitten wrapped for burial.

A Budding Pianist

One of Bradlee's favorite pastimes - playing Grandma's giant noisemaker.  He will amuse himself for quite a while making a 6-month-old's version of music.

Working on the treble notes...

Grand finale.

Four Generations

At Christmas, I realized I was looking across the table at four generations of Millers with Bradlee on Nick's lap, flanked by Mike and Mike's dad Ray.  So I demanded a photo.

They're going to get so tired of me lining them up whenever we all get together...

Fun With Family

     Last week, we had the privilege of hosting two of my cousins when they stayed in town for a short time.  Actually, to be strictly accurate, Chris and Robyn are my kids' third cousins, but who's strictly accurate except in my family?  Anyway, after supper, we pulled out the Trivial Pursuit game and had a hilarious time.  Robyn kept rolling sixes and got a tad disgruntled with her slow progress, especially when Chris habitually rolled twos and fours.

     Here, Robyn is reading Cameron's question while Chris tries to figure out the answer.  I knew a lot of the answers...unfortunately, they were to other players' questions.

I read Chris' card at this point and so missed his incredulous expression as the question unfolded.  It ran something like:  "What French president adopted a boat person refugee that he'd found crying in the Charles de Gaulle Airport?"
     "There's been so many French presidents, even the French wouldn't know this answer!" he exclaimed.
    
    

"The first name will be either Jacques or Pierre," Robyn suggested helpfully.  But after several minutes of agonizing thought, he decided he simply couldn't answer correctly and so gave in.  

     Although she didn't know the president's name, Robyn's guess was correct.  It was Jacques Chirac.  Chris groaned, shook his head, and passed the dice on.

We knew Chris and Robyn but not well, so it was a real treat to have them spend time with us and get to know them better.  

For Kimberly

Kimberly, Nick took these pictures just for you...

And for a closer look...

Christmas

Due to work schedules and extended families, we celebrated Christmas together on Christmas Eve morning.  Nick, Jenn, Bradlee, Cameron, and Serena gathered at our house around 8am and exchanged gifts.   

Bradlee gained experience opening presents thanks to Nick and Jenn wrapping several and putting them under their tree a few days before Christmas.  Their front room is small and Bradlee didn't have to squirm far to reach the pretty paper.

 A few years ago I started a tradition of finding some off-the-wall gift for the kids still at home, wrapping it up and giving it to them a week or so before Christmas.  They were allowed to handle it as much as they wanted and if they guessed it, they could open it on the spot.  Otherwise, they had to wait until Christmas.  The first couple of years, I fell into the 20 Questions trap and they had the gift in hand in a matter of minutes.  This year, I faithfully stuck to the "You must ask specifically" rule and Richelle couldn't guess it.  It was killing her with frustration after six days of wrong guesses so I let her open it with her other gifts Christmas Eve after everyone else made helpful suggestions.  Only Cameron knew what it was and he was giving broad hints.

 Richelle loves all things earth science and I'd gotten her a set of BuckyBalls.  There are 216 extremely strong magnets the size and shape of BBs.  As you can see, she was thrilled with the gift.  It's amazing what you can make with 216 magnetic BBs!  We first saw and played with BuckyBalls at my brother Steve's house last June.  Richelle wanted to go right out and get some immediately.

My favorite part of the entire day.  We all worked together to put on a breakfast feast:  Cameron made Belgian waffles, Serena manned the bacon, Jenn saw to the biscuits and gravy, I whipped the cream, sliced the strawberries and assisted with the scrambled eggs, Richelle arranged the table and ran errands, while Nick and Mike entertained Bradlee.

I think we're going to make it a tradition.