Growing!

We went to a rather late 2 year check-up today, look at my happy, growing girl (before they did the vaccinations)!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

A Little Summer Reading

Hello there friends!  I stopped by the library a couple of days ago to let my daughter pick out a few books to read. My mind really wasn't on picking up something for myself,  but the husband talked me into atleast glancing at the fiction.  Tucked into the elevator with a couple older gentleman,  one of which told me the fiction was on the third floor.

The sound of my flip-flops seem to be as loud as canon blasts as I made my way around the corner to start my search for summer reading of my own. It was 10 minutes before I realized I was in the wrong place, though I am sure there is fiction among the foreign language texts!  Embarrassed by a few glares, I couldn't make my way noisily back to the elevator, so I dashed into one of the book filled aisles.

A deep breath, then my eyes opened onto the bountiful goodness, quilt books! Contentment filled me as I clutched my treasures,  no glares could pierce my excitement as my bouncing step made its way to freedom (and the check out counter downstairs). Where should I start from this pile?  What is on your side table for reading this summer?

Ciao!  Shanna

Vacation Church Camp

This year was Ziona's first year attending Vacation Church Camp, she had quite a bit of fun!

Day 1:  A little unsure, but very excited!

Day 5 when I told her it was time to go, that we would not be coming back today!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

The Day we Had been Waiting For!

After years of schooling, after relocation from Alaska to Texas, last week, the day had finally arrived...

"pink pop" with Grandma at Starbucks

Mr. Sparrow's Graduation hood

Me, Little Sparrow, Mr. Sparrow, and the in-laws

Mr. Sparrow's Graduate studies Adviser

Congratulations to my husband for graduating with High Honors!  We are finally finished and he better not mention the words "Ph.D studies" for atleast 2 years!

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

Back To Work

I disappeared from blogging for the past month; it wasn't a conscious thing for I had no plans to go anywhere. As it happens to all us in life, things come up that grabbed one's focus, it just was diverted more fully than I realized. I have been working on projects here and there, but I got to the point where I really needed to obtain more fabric to continue.

Some of you will look at my fabric stash and wonder how that could of happen with such the collection I already have? <laughter> there alot of smaller pieces on hand, and now I was ready to order the bigger pieces plus the backing fabrics for 3 quilts. I put my order in a week or so ago and received the box on Tuesday. I picked up yesterday and tried to get back into working. Instead of my usual joy I was like a kid who had come back to school after a summer break.  

My mind was a trillion miles away in space, yes a reference to the online video game I play! I know it seems strange to many of you how much that Internet space world means to me, but just like I have found friends among many of you who have followed me through out the years, I have found a kinship among my space pilot friends too. :-)

You will see more of me than you have in the last month, but gone are the days of posting on a schedule! There really is no need and though I have specific work that has deadlines,  the rest was always intended to be for my enjoyment. I have a couple projects I need to complete before the weekend,  but I will snap pictures so you can see.  If you look above you can see what my work area looked like about 15 minutes ago!

Thank you all, my dear friends!
*\0/* cheers 

Shanna

RRT: What's in a Name?

Have you ever wondered who owns or makes the products you buy at the store?  I was surprised by how many rival products were owned by the same company.  It doesn't show up here but what used to surprise me was that Starbucks owns its rivals Seattle's Best & the Teavana Stores, but that is a subject for another day!

For those of you that are my regular readers, you might remember that my name is "Shanna." Recently I entered my name into a website that does a historical name Analysis.  I had to laugh at the graphs that showed up for my name.  Among them is a graph that shows the peak of the popularity of when children were named "Shanna" at birth.  You may notice that is there is not a large range as perhaps the name "Mary" would be if you looked it up on the site HERE.  That is because I happen to be named after a romance novel my mother found in the waiting room; the book was published in 1977.  (I don't recommend if if you are curious! ;-D)

Have you ever done a Google search on your name before?  My favorite thing to come up was a comic book!  I mean that is totally me, right?!

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to stop by Really Random Thursday to enjoy some more randomness!

*\0/* Cheers
Shanna
Linking to: Really random Thursday @ Live A Colorful Life

Murder Simply Brewed: A Book Review

Murder Simply Brewed

By Vannetta Chapman
Published by Zondervan

Publisher Book Description:  What will happen when two amateur sleuths, one Amish and one English, combine forces to solve the string of crimes happening in the Amish Artisan Village? Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright can see profits in sight for her collection of Amish artisan shops—until she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a single hole in the front window and Mr. Gray dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register. Hannah Troyer takes over the shop’s duties, and she and Amber become fast friends as well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Gray’s death to be a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah aren't so easily convinced. Old Testament clues that don't add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and blossoming romance—all will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to solve a mystery and bring peace to the Amish community.

My Thoughts:  This is the second Amish themed book I have picked up this month, so being more familiar with the culture from my last read, I was able to get into the book right away.  I am a big fan of mysteries in books, so I was rather delighted by how well the author continued the mystery without making me feel like it was dragging on.  I liked that the mystery was the main bit of the story, but built upon the friendships between several of the characters.  There was a bit of a romance weaving through the story, but not in a way that detracted from the story as a whole, nor did it seemed tacked on like some mysteries has been guilty of in the past.   Personally the story made me think of my interactions with both my friends and my acquaintances; how quickly one can go from only ones name to someone you would depend on & trust.  I would recommend this sweet story with a Mysterious bent; as for myself, I will be looking for more stories from this author.

*\0/* Cheers

Shanna

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Ten Years!

It has been 10 years since I married my husband...sometimes it is surreal how fast the time has flown by!

(Only Wedding picture I can get to--Hubby in middle, and I am the bride on the right!)

We have Lived in 2 States,
3 Cities
5 Apartments
4 cell phone providers

We have owned 3 cars
2 cats
1 digital camera
2 sewing machines

We have given birth to 1 child (Ziona)
and lost 6 children (Aaron, Bethany, Charlotte, David, Elinor, & Franklin)

My husband is about to obtain 1 Master's Degree (In A Month *\0/*)

We have had our struggles at times in the past 10 years, but there is no one else I would have wanted to walk this journey with than my Husband and partner!  I look forward to many more years together!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

A Step Further

I have done a little more work on my quilt blocks from yesterday.  It's my favorite Jacob's ladder block of course!

I need to still add an inner & outer border, sandwich, quilt, and bind and it shall be completed!  Do you think I can get it completed by Friday?

We shall see!  Stop by the Hive to Bee a little social...
*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

The Kissing Bridge: A Book Review

The Kissing Bridge

By Tricia Goyer
Published by Zondervan

Publisher Book Description:  In the third book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series, award-winning author Tricia Goyer introduces a surprising new resident to West Kootenai as a young woman escapes from her stifling conservative Amish community to find a new life. Rebecca is an Amish woman whose pained past compels her to leave everything to become a nurse—abandoning her family and community. Caleb is an Amish man who is counting down the days until hunting season. At a crossroads in his own life, the excitement of hunting game is all he looks forward to. All the while he wonders what to do with the rest of his life. Even though he likes the Amish lifestyle, what good is an Amish man without faith in God?

My Thoughts:  I wish to say right off that I have not read the first 2 books in this series, nevertheless I think the book can stand on its own so I shall review it as it's own entity.   I ended up liking the main character of Rebecca right from the beginning;  I felt she had layers to her personality and real flaws I could Identify with.  Right from the start you are along Rebecca's journey with her as she makes decisions and wrestles with her relationship with God.  Though it is fiction I think it makes one turn inward to look at their own heart.  I have to admit that my heart is uplifted when an author can capture with their words a self-reflection of the reader's own heart.

I don't actually know how much of the Amish community characteristics are correctly portrayed, but it didn't seem that outlandish what was described.  This book was very enjoyable, so much so that I am looking forward to purchasing the first two books so I might be able to follow this series from the beginning.  So I would say that I would highly recommend this book.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  If you check back tomorrow I will have an update to the project I was working on earlier today!

*\0/* Cheers

Shanna

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255  <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”