JULY LOTTO - CHRISTMAS! Your CHOICE of Blocks in 3 sizes - All Rec'd - waiting on pictures :)

[maryq]

Minnesota update

I have 4 12.5" blocks done.. and the others ready to finish this weekend. Should be able to get them in the mail on Monday.

Christmas Memory: Every year my Dad would insist on taking a group picture in front of the fireplace. There were 7 of us kids. As the family grew with in-law kids and grand kids, the group got bigger and bigger. And Dad would always say "just one more...just one more" My Mom would heave a heavy sigh and roll her eyes, because there'd been 10 shots already. So one year, while Dad was setting the timer to run back to get in the picture... we all turned out backs... So every year from then on we have a picture of all our of back sides. And it's still kind of a tradition.. when we all get together, we have one picture from the back! Some where around here I have a book or something with all the pictures over the years of the whole family.

[TeresaK]

What a whirlwind it has been around here. Our lives have changed. It has been taken over by 2 rescue kitties. First we had Shadow and now we have Abby. Shadow is very dominant so Abby is in a crate for protection until she gets a bit bigger. We do take her out several times a day but only when shadow is somewhere he can't get to her. They do play very nicely with the bars between them so I am hoping they will be fast friends on even playing ground soon. When Abby is in the crate Shadow is laying outside making her feel at home. Sure do wish this biting stage would end with Shadow!!! Abby's claws though are sharper - LOL - Poor Shadow. Tis a good thing Abby has not taken to biting yet and I hope never.

My life has also been taken over by quilt after quilt arriving at my door that need to be finished for the fair. They need to bring them down for judging on August 7th. 7 finished and 5 more to go. It is very nice that not all are for the fair so I have some breathing room. They have been keeping me busy but not everwhelmed and I am thrilled that Annabelle is BEHAVING!!! I am very excited to be quilting Katy's Blue and White LUB quilt. Can't wait to get it on the frame

Linda - I was SPEECHLESS when I opened your box. I thought that it was a pretty big box to send blocks in. First of all the blocks are Splendidly festive!!! I LOVE all the patterns and the fabrics are simply perfect!!! I sure hope Santa picks my name this month. I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
Last but not least - A HUGE THANK YOU for the special gift of one of your bags you made from the Basket Lotto Blocks. I adore it!! How did you know I LOVE Yellows and Blues???? I am taking it with me everywhere I go to show it off. WOW - WOW - WOW I am sure a very blessed Pal!!!!!

I see alot of stories here but I fear I must end this for now as I need to sew bindings on 2 quilts before bedtime. Rest assured I will be back very soon to read them all. THANK YOU ALL for posting them. I know they are all very SPECIAL
HUGS and BLESSINGS and a VERY MERRY STITCHING TIME!!!

[QuiltGram8]

I just realized that I did not post a Christmas Memory. OMG, there are so many. Christmas is such a special time. So thinking back to years ago: The first big Christmas for our first child. We picked out some nice things and played the Santa and Mrs Santa role on Christmas Eve. Going on midnight and we step back to admire the display under the tree. Sad faces, we both looked at each other and said, we should have purchased a few more small toy trucks or something - it just doesn't look right! And, we forgot to get the batteries for the one toy. Yeeks! Off my DH went to the 24-hour super market to see what he could find. He got the batteries and two really cute trucks to add to the toys under the tree.

We laugh about it now, but it really was a fun memory. We were new parents and this Christmas thing was special to us.

Another funny story was the year I went into the attic to get some seasonal clothing put away in the spring and found two Christmas gifts that I had hidden up there for the two boys. Boy! that was a surprise! They got a Christmas gift in March or April. Can't remember just when it was. But we still laugh about that one, too.

Hugs
Vel

[Oasis]

My Christmas memory is being caught in the “Arctic Blast” of December 2008 which was the most significant snow event in 40 years in Northwest Oregon.

We were going to Baker, Oregon to spend Christmas with my Dad. We always go straight up I-5 and then go east along the Columbia River, on to Baker. We had a mid size Chevy Cavalier with front wheel drive (thank goodness) so we were definitely not prepared for any snow or ice. About mid way through Oregon it started snowing and was soooo cold. We had stopped somewhere to get gas and couldn’t get back on the main road. We were just sitting on the side trying to decide what to do when a large truck pulled up beside us and asked where we were going. We told him and he said you are not in the right kind of vehicle (like we didn’t already know that) and said to follow him close in his tire tracks and he would take us up to where he was headed. So we did. We got into this little town (not sure what it was, possibly Astoria), it was dark and we and the truck driver got the two last rooms in the town. So we bought dinner for him and thanked him heartily for helping us. He said our California license plate was the clue to us being in trouble. Lol. So we called the number for highway reports that he gave us and they said we should stay put, we were not going to make it across east without a 4x vehicle. He advised us to turn around a go back down and cut across to Idaho and up. My Son had a bad asthma attack when the cold air hit him and we were not prepared for the frigid cold so we decided to just go back home. Well we didn’t have any decorations up, no tree and no food since we were planning on 2 weeks away. We went and got a Charlie Brown “branch” and some take out and were glad we were home. After that we bought a 4x truck but never needed it again. And then there was the time I fell asleep at the wheel going up I-5 but that is a whole new story. A semi truck saved us that time also. God Bless Truckers!!!!

[maryq]

My Lotto blocks are done!!!

Too hot to go outside this weekend, so after house chores... I stayed in and sewed all day.


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[Oasis]

Mary........So pretty!! The candle is elegant, and I especially love your Angel!!

[QuiltGram8]

Your blocks are all so beautiful! WOW! So full of Holiday cheer.

Vel

[TeresaK]

WOW - WOW - WOW!!! You have all been sew busy making some BEAUTIFULLY CREATIVE Christmas Blocks!! They are Brilliant and I am sew eager to get to the end of the month to see who the WINNERS will be.

Katy - Oh my the things kids will do that will embarrass us now and be laughed at later. To a youngun it just isn't Christmas without a wrapped present. Happy Belated birthday to him.

Valerie - What a wonderful story from your childhood in Germany and to have some of the ornaments to use now. I am very happy you survived the candles on the tree days. Do you have any pictures to go along with the memories?

Joyce - What a wonderful memory to share. Santa does have his ways to make Chistmas a very happy day for young and old alike. How FUN for your brother to bring joy to you in such a delightful way

Mary - Your blocks are terrifically festive and cheery. I love the candle in the window. Makes me feel at peace. I remember you showing us a picture of you doing this. Maybe it was last year? How FUN to keep a tradition going and have all the pictures to look back on.

Velda - I remember the first Christmas we had with Justin. He was just weeks old and we were at my Mom's. I took the train while hubby came later. Even then we want everything to be just right especially the pictures to have the memories. It is also FUN to find presents you hid. I am surprised they hadn't found them first:)

Linda - I totally agree. God Bless Truckers that keep you safe. What a journey you were all on and how you made the best of a hairy situation. I Love Charlie Brown Trees

So Now PLEASE tell me you have ALL MAILED Your Blocks???? No packages were here when we got back home. Looking forward to seeing them

[AprilShowers]

Hi Teresa,

Well it looks like I won't be able to send blocks this month after all. I was trying something new, and I am just not happy with the result.

Sorry, Everyone.

April

[JayKay]

Teresa,

Blocks mailed priority mail today

Tracking number 9505513256976209008114

Merry Christmas in July

Joyce