Quilt Loving

So I am loving quilts these days.  I have a few in progress including one for Denise that I am hoping to finish any day now for a house warming present. One for my mom that was a christmas present like two years ago (oops)- the top is pieced, so I don't know what my problem is.   And a third one that I just started for Samarah so that I could follow this quilt-a-long.


But what I am really itching to take part in is an online quilting bee like this and this.

You can read all about online quilting bees here.  All of the quilting bees that I've found though are full :(  so that leaves me to start my own (intimidating) or wait until another one opens up.

Does anyone else want to start a quilting bee but is without a group?

Moving Forward....

...One Stitch at a Time

Time brings change,
unpredictable change.
And with blind faith,
we move forward
integrating life's many lessons.
As summer's heat gave way
to the wayward winds
of winter,
hesitancy yields to frustration,
born from the uncertainties
of the future.

And Still,
time brings change,
unpredictable change.
And in silence,
we wait,
incorporating love's many revelations.
As winter's winds give way
to the bountiful beauty
of spring,
frustration yields to optimism,
despite the uncertainties
of the future.

life uncommon

You. You are why I have faith in Gods will, and not government bureaucracy.

And, though we are tired, I, and we, will set down our chains. Until only faith remains. And we will no longer lend our strength to that which we wish to be free from.

Smile babies. Retribution just like redemption is in Gods hands.

God is watching us.




All you unbelievers, there is a new army coming. And we are armed with faith.

I'm Having an Affair

My goodness sex...I mean spinning is fun!! Seriously, I could do this for like, I don't know.... six hours at a time!! I love how soft, and sensual it is. And the love, man the love. I can't get over it. Mix it with some nacho's, chocalate almond, and some size sixteen's for the bottom (18's for the top of course) and I am good to go.

Happy New Year

A predictable new years post of course would include such things like resolutions, and contemplations- all of which I am incredibly good at. I can think of a few. This year especially, is great for contemplation. After all, isn't that what big break-ups, and major life changes are about?




Without digressing into my usual dismay at the amount of waste being produced through confetti, streamers, horn blowers, along with the sheer amount of electricity required to light that damn ball, and the thousands of kilowatt hours required to light every single thing in the country until well past midnight I will attempt to sum up the past and the future succinctly.

Past

1. This year I turned 30, and didn't grow a single whisker!
2. All of my gardening work, blah. Now maybe I can uproot Stepford.
3. Freedom comes with a price, but it is worth paying.
4. Friendship and love change everything.
5. Spinning is seriously adulterous.
6. Anything important is worth the wait.
7. There really is power in saying it out loud.
8. Thank you.


Future

1. More nachos
2. More dreams
3. More fighting
4. More standing
5. More loving
6. More faith
7. More knitting
8. More spinning
9. More belief
10. More eggs


And because I can't resist.......

Less waste, more recycling!!!

130 Days to a New Day

It took exactly 130 days for the county to pick me to mother my amazing children. But who is counting right? Now it is a new day. We are changed forevermore. Healing, loving, and becoming a family. Yay, for we are The Quinns

Thank you God
Thank you Monroe County DHHS
Thank you Denise
Thank you Marie
Thank you Mary
Thank you Sarah
Thank you Stacy
Thank you SPCC
Thank you Syed Children
Thank you Evelyn, Laura, & Irene
Thank you Tiffany & Adam, Dana, Mom, Catherine & John, Jeff & Brooke, Tyna
Thank you Village Yarn Knitters
Thank you Dreams

Fingers crossed, prayers praying for the long and bumpy road ahead (filled still will legal woes and impending visits, but in the end 100% sole custody).

Water Fun

You've got to love a hot summer day!

Happy Birthday

Zakariah and Samarah, I hope you both have a great day!! 

Crunchiness at its best.

So, as most of you know, or could probably guess, I am anti-plastic bag. For these reasons.  The last time I went to the grocery store, I was completely crushed to realize how many produce bags I still use used, despite using reusable grocery bags. As vegetarians, you can imagine that we buy a lot of vegetables, which means upwards to 15 produce bags or more.  This totally negated the whole purpose of reusable grocery bags. 

Exciting news!!! I found someone on etsy who makes reusable bags for produce, and I bought a whole bunch. Now I can't wait to go grocery shopping!!! Finally, bag free!!!  Aren't they pretty?

Birthday Fun!

My little hula hoop pro!

Is He a boy, or a fish?      

Arturo and his new fish. Our family's first fish tank, wish us luck!

Happy 5th Birthday Baby-Man!

Now that is a whole bunch of ....

Purpose.

I never was very good at tag....

Apparently I was tagged by Ms Denise.

It could be worse, I could have been tagged....

I digress.

Maybe that is why I was never

         very good at that game.    

What was I doing 10 years ago?

Maybe it was this.......

 It was definitely this.

Headed 

        

           

 toward

                    

                    

        this......

and wanting lots of these....................

But somehow, despite being a little like this....

knew to wait for this 

and along the way, when the time was right, somehow ended up lucky enough to have this...





What are the five things on my list to do today?
Five? Oh, right this is a game, (play along Channyn!)

1. Go to church
   
2. Go to a family picnic 
3. Wash laundry
4. Get ready for Monday
5. Love my children

Snacks I enjoy

1. Cheese
   
2. Almonds
3. Chocolate 
4. Cheese
5. Ice cream
6. Cheese
7. Chips with green salsa
8. Cheese
9. Cappuccino
10. Oh, and cheese now and then.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire.

Probably this....

don't forget this...

and, come on fitting into these wouldn't be to bad.....

5 people that I would like to learn more about:

1. Alanna 
   
2. L2
3. Tyna, and
4. Brooke.  Get a blog will ya........
5. Alexandra, who is also bloggless

you are all it.........

Weekend Fun

This weekend we took the kids to a school picnic. Lots and lots of fun....





Cute babies......




















Bouncing.....










Horseback riding....












All the boys even volunteered as dunkee's in the dunking booth













Even Arturo, my brave boy.....










All this makes for some very tired babies.....



Yes, he really is asleep!

Lights Out

So, yesterday was lights out day for us. Here are a few thoughts to get you thinking....

1. It is so fun.  It makes all the mundane daily activities exciting, if you can believe it (think-going to the bathroom in the dark).
   
2. Should we be using battery operated electronics?  Alicia and I have been thinking about this.  Especially with the computer.  I argued that if I didn't charge it intentionally for lights out that it was okay (not sure if I agree with my own argument there).
3. The boys want to trade the day because celebrity circus is on Wednesday nights.  Should we change it, or is that part of the sacrifice? 
4. Yesterday we forgot until about 3:00 in the afternoon, so we decided to extend it into today until 3.  What do you think we could do so that we wouldn't forget?  Maybe turn the power off last thing the night before?
5. I love the extra time we get to share as a family together because no T.V.   I love this most because I'm not a T.V. person, much to the chagrin of everyone else.  I vote for a no T.V. rule all the time, think I'll win?
6. No lights, and now no candles, means an earlier bedtime.  This one is a tough one for me because I have the worst insomnia ever.  I laid there last night and listened to everyone sleep (fun in its own right) from about 915 until 2am.  Which, is better than my normal 3am fall asleep time.  
7. Mostly, I miss being able to use my sewing machine.  I wanted to finish a quilt top but couldn't because of the no electricity rule... Which makes me think, what is good and bad electricity usage?
8. What I've learned most from this experience is to be aware of all of the other times I flip the switch, or turn something on.  How much of what we use, do we really need, or, are we just using mindlessly?  I think the impact on our mindless electricity usage will be what is effected most of all.  

p.s.  We ordered our envirocycle composter.  It should take one to two weeks to get here, I can't wait.

Rogue Dandelions-Rogue Baby

Aaliyah took a bath today, and then promptly ran out the door after Alicia and began collecting dandelions before we even knew what happened. Couldn't resist getting a few shots.

A Testimony to All that is Good

The smile of a child.


It helps that they are sitting on the Quilt I made for sweet Olivia (right). My littlest cousins, Elizabeth, & Olivia, oh, how I love thee.

And I’ve Loved

I’ve been a Mother
to newborn crack addicts,
victims,
and survivors.
And I’ve loved.
I’ve been a Mother
to punch throwers,
back talkers,
promiscuous young girls
on flights of fancy
who have incurred
the fury
of teachers,
caseworkers,
police, and
judges.
And I’ve loved.
As the crack addicts,
victims,
survivors,
punch throwers,
back talkers,
and promiscuous young girls
grow into
loving,
upstanding—healed—
members of society
that sometimes want
to talk back
and throw a punch
or two,
I love.

Hello, my name is Channyn...

and I am a crier.  Growing up, my mother always said I was sensitive, or more accurately, too sensitive.  Regardless, I cry.  A lot.  

Sometimes I cry about myself.  More often though, I cry about almost anything, and anyone else.  Most times, my cries are a lot like an alcoholics swig from a bottle of liquor, long and hard.  I sometimes wish that I wasn't "too sensitive."  Sometimes I wonder what all the tears add up to.  Don't get me wrong, I don't hate crying, honestly I can enjoy a good hard cry.  Which, I think contributes to the answer.  Crying for me is like a long expected rain in a dry summer.  It refreshes me, it feeds me, to be better, to do better, and to be what Gandhi called, "the change that I want to see in the world."

I woke up this morning and not 45 minutes later I was in tears.  It all started much like many of our mornings start, with Arturo, slowly, sllllllowly getting ready for school.  My sweet Arturo, my boy who came to me so young, just 20 months old, and already changed for life from abuse.  My sweet Arturo who has, so slowly, grown from a frightened, angry, non-communicative baby into a sweet, loving, inspirational example of resiliency.  Mind you, now, almost five, still with so much catching up to do, he teaches me so much more than I even realize.  

So, as I said, like many mornings, Arturo was getting ready for school, but more accurately, pestering his older two brothers.  I could hear it from my room, the bickering back and forth.  "Arturo, your supposed to wear this,"  and then his, "no, I'm wearing this." Then me, frustration.  "Arturo, come here."  The lecture already formed inside my head.  As he rounded the corner into my doorway, his small expectant face peered up into mine, and my heart melted.  Still dressed in mismatched pajamas (almost 45 minutes after getting up) my boy looked at me with eyes full of expectation.  "Come give me a hug."  I say.  His body curled up into mine (no tears yet)  I began kissing his face all over.  "Mommy!!"  

"I could kiss you all day."  I could.  I was sad as he squirmed away, expecting him to run off, and the day to continue on its way.  Instead, he crawled up next to his still sleeping sister (yeah, sleeping in my bed) and began slowly, gently rubbing her back, waking her (still no tears, amazing).  Aaliyah, typically wakes up cranky, but today, instead, she woke up and gave Arturo the biggest hug.  And, as my boy, sat, hugging his little sister, and facing me he said, "Mommy, I can see myself in your eyes."  

No, baby.  I see myself through your eyes.

(Tears)

Oh, and Some Before and After

My tomatoes before.......

            

and almost exactly one month after...

If any of you knew my tomato saga, you would be as excited as I am. Let me just say, big sigh, "finally".

My Talented Children

Last week our boys had their first art show. Not just any art show mind you, but both boys, Jonathan and Luis had their art chosen to be included in a citywide school art show. This means, that out of hundreds of children, my babies art pieces were picked. I always knew they were talented, but now you know too.....


This is Luis (a second grader) with his ultra cool pinch pot....





...and this is Jonathan (a kindergartener),





and this is Jonathan's self portrait




Hello!!! I won't brag......