In It to Spin It

a.k.a.  I knew my callipygous build would be useful one day.

This past Sunday, I went a little farther than my previous record distance.  I am beginning to think that 100 miles by the end of the summer is totally attainable!  So proud of myself!

My time wasn't that grand, considering my stop at the harbor to enjoy the afternoon, but I am mainly focused on increasing my distance-not decreasing my time.

Friday night, René and I had a hot date...we took a ride together.  It was fun to try to keep pace with him and even better to draft behind him into the headwind.  :)

(Isn't he adorable?)
Want to see something else adorable?  My bike!  (Actually, I am thinking about an upgrade... we shall see.)

Quilts for Kaitlyn's Promise

For the last two years, I have been able to create two quilts each year that I donated to Kaitlyn's Promise, in the hopes that Cheri could raffle them off to earn some money for their scholarship fund in Kaitlyn's honor.  

It was important to me to be able to continue to honor that commitment this year.  I got a bit of a late start this year and really had to put a rush on these two quilts, but was able to get them completed and in the mail two days before the event!  Whew!

I actually pieced the first quilt at our Cabin Fever Quilt Retreat; however, I had not found time to actually quilt it.  With the lazy summer days, I was able to get it finished pretty quickly.  (One of the quilts that I donated last year, Sunkissed Sherbet, used the same fabric, by the way.)  It is lap-sized and measures 43" x 57.5"


This quilt is titled Sunkissed Parallelograms because I used Moda's Sunkissed fabric line and...well...it has parallelograms.  The quilt is machine-quilted, by me, using a free-motion, meandering/stipple pattern.

I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with the second quilt that I donated.  It is a lap-sized decorative quilt that measures 41" x 49.5" and is titled "Tweet! Tweet! Tumbler." It featured Moda's "Tweet! Tweet" fabric line and I pieced this quilt in a tumbler pattern.

When I bought the fabric, I LOVED it and couldn't wait to find the perfect project to use it.  As soon as I started to piece this quilt, I hated this fabric.  I didn't like the way that the prints worked together and had a hard time coordinating placement of the pieces that didn't feel "heavy."  Yet, once it was pieced and I began quilting it, I fell in love with it again.  The final project was fairly pleasing.  I machine-quilted this quilt using a free-motion, stipple pattern.

Enjoy.

To pass the time...

I have a few quilts to post, but I am not ready to do so, but probably will later this afternoon...or tomorrow...or a week from now...you never know.

Yesterday, I went on a bike ride and had a few firsts.  First of all, I went farther than I have before which is awesome.

Here is a screenshot from my map my ride log:

Woot!  I have decided that I will ride 100 miles in one shot by the end of the summer.  Considering that yesterday was a breeze, I don't think that should be a problem.  I never in a million years thought that I would be a distance rider, but....you never know.

The other "first" that I had was my first battle wound.  I earned a road gash, not rash....gash.  Let's just say that my cleat would not clip out fast enough.  Ok, let's just say that *I* didn't clip out fast enough.  Fortunately, there wasn't a lot of traffic on the road because it could have been worse.  Here she is...the baby gash:

Sidenote:  It is amazingly difficult to take a picture of your elbow, especially when your adrenaline is flowing like the Mississippi River.   

When I stopped to clean the cut out at a water fountain and to fill my water bottles, I called René and told him what happened.  He asked, "Do you want me to come pick you up?"  I answered, "Of course not, but thank you."  I just wanted to be sure that he knew why I wasn't moving, if he was monitoring my ride with an app we use to keep track of each other on long rides.

As soon as I got home, he greeted me at the door with a broad grin on his face.  He was so proud of my first crash.  Ha!  See why I love this man?!?!?  He numbered off the reasons that he was proud of me and my epic ride.  (You see he has been cycling forever and I have only recently become serious about it.)

My boo-boo has now been properly treated with TLC and neosporin and my ego has been properly stroked by my sweetie.

I can't wait to get on my bike and go a little farther.  :)

Sagan for the stage win!

I love this kid!  

A Work of Heart

During the second semester, I was chosen to have a student teacher in my classroom.  To be honest, I was reluctant to accept another student teacher.  I have had nothing but wonderful experiences, but to mentor a beginning teacher, in a sincere and reflective manner, takes a lot of time and that is something of which I find I have only a little.  My principal was persuasive (READ-relentless) and I accepted the student teacher.  I am so glad that I did.

Ms. Nelson turned out to be a fantastic teacher with whom the students bonded easily and responded to willingly!  It was such a joy to watch her "come into her own" in the classroom and gain confidence in her teaching ability and style.  

We also had many things to talk outside of education because she is crafty-type person.  What the?? What?  Happy day!  

Well, all in all, I am so glad that I was blessed with Ms. Nelson in my class and I do hope that she gets to hang this quilt in a classroom of her own sooner, rather than later.  

Here is the quilt that the students helped me make for her.  They each decorated a square and I put them all together.  :)  Good luck, Ms. Nelson!