Love, The Ester Bunny

I cannot believe that the weekend is almost at a close. My family and I have packed a lot into this past weekend and worked until we couldn't move another muscle. Saturday morning started by yard sale hunting. For some reason here in our little neck of the woods you have to hunt the yard sales. Very rarely are the yard sales in the newspaper. I was on the hunt for teacups. No luck. Headed back home with a few books and a vintage globe. We went to the rock "store" and picked out some natural rock to go around the pond. Trucked on over to Lowe's to pick out some flowers for the yard. After lunch we worked in the yard, building the pond and planting flowers. Dear hubby had to go back to Lowe's for pond pump (the old one stopped working) and pond hose. Got the pond "working". Finished the yard, washed up and then the neighbor children came over (so their parents could celebrate a birthday) for dinner and a movie. What fun! Today we had Son's graduation recognition service at church and boy am I tired this afternoon. We tried to finish up some loose ends in the garden but lightening cut that short! Close flash of lightening and a big clap of thunder and poor D#2 running into the house screaming like a banshee convinced hubby and I it was time to call it a day. D#2 has finally calmed down, it did take a while though.

Photos below for Grandparents and aunts and uncles (I am sure everyone else will find it a tad boring).

He is the tallest.

It took an Act of Congress (or as he use to say when he was little "That took a tot of Congress") to convince him that the recognition service would be fun.

He complained a lot about the collared shirt. Usually he wears a nice "T" or polo shirt to church. I don't like the "T" but it's what most of the teenage boys wear (big sigh.....). 

Shaking hands with the pastor. The minister of youth is in the pulpit calling out the names.

School ends for D#2 this week and I finally finished the teacher's gift and let the children give it to her on Thursday. It is another Dr. Seuss quilt and this year I had the children make cards for her. I put their cards and a photo of them in a scrapbook. I didn't take a picture of the scrapbook because I didn't dress up the pages. I wanted their artwork to shine so I thought simplicity was the best way to go. I also had the children write a 3 sentence letter to the Head of the School (principal) and draw him a picture. I really stressed to the children to: "Make sure to sign your name to the letter and to both pictures. I don't want to get home and find out y'all left your names off and now I have to play the guessing game. Please, please, please don't forget. In fact, write your names on the two papers right now. Because if you don't, I am not going to know whose paper is whose, so I am going to write on there "Love, the Easter Bunny"." A lot of giggling. Great, they thought it was funny so I know they are going to write their names on the papers. Yea!!! I have worked with kids for far too many years to trust they will write their names on stuff without any prompting. I get home and am making the scrapbooks when, what is this?!?! Written on a letter and on a picture is "Love, the Ester Bunny". Oh man, remember, this is first grade after all. After I stopped laughing and promising myself to never again use the Easter Bunny as an example, I set to work figuring out who really was Ester Bunny. Maybe Ester is the Easter Bunny's sister? I <3 children! Now you know the meaning behind the title (>'. '<)

Another Dr. Seuss wonky quilt. This is my own design and the 6th one that I have made! I am now a pro at making these. They do take a little thought to make them wonky. I also do the machine quilting. Since there are only 11 children, the 12th square was a cute Dr. Seuss print. I also bought a book, a collection of many of Seuss' stories, for the children to sign, kind of like a year book that she can keep in her classroom library. 

The back of the quilt. I used some of the left over solids and a fun print for the back piece. I love incorporating my left overs from the quilt into the back piece. This way I am not left with odd shaped pieces taking up valuable space.

Label-all the children signed it. How cute their signatures are!

Our teacher loved this gift. I know it will bring her joy for many years to come. She even talked about using a Dr. Seuss theme for her classroom next year. That would be cute! The principal said that in all of his 30 years teaching and being a principal that he had never received such a gift! I think that he was really surprised. The children worked so hard on the letters and pictures and were so patient with me as I made their hand prints.

I love it when a quilt is completed. There is nothing like putting that final stitch in and knowing that you are finished. But what to do now? It's like when you finish a good book, you are excited to finally know what happens but you also will miss the book. I am glad it is finished but I will miss working on it. Now? On to the barn quilt!!

Have a wonderful night and keep those crafty fingers busy,

Holly