The leaf melted away from the ice. During the peak, this leave was encased in ice.

The leaf melted away from the ice. During the peak, this leave was encased in ice.
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

The ice has since melted away. (Last weeked was "warm" in comparison.) They are calling for sleet/ice/snow tonight into tomorrow morning.

So I can admit that I LOVE to see trees coated in ice, right?

(This bush became icy in one section from the run off from the roof. pretty nonetheless & I wanted to take pictures of it for days - I finally succeeded the day before it all melted off. I know, I just repeated myself.)

If we get snowed/iced/sleeted in I am making stuffed shells tomorrow! (If not, I am making them on Friday. YUM.)

Away we go

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

We get to go bowling & there will be ice cream - maybe being strapped in this contraption is not so bad after all.

This series of posts is a bit old, but we had fun, so here ya go.

WOW

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

That looks like fun - or was it "I WANT ICE CREAM TOO!"

All pooped out!

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

He loved the ice cream (& the toddler snacks before he knew that ice cream was an option) but the bowling tuckered him out!

New toy!

New toy!
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Yes, it is another video. (The girl cat is encouraging him in the background!) I had a hard time capturing this one. I would grab the baby & hte push toy & put them at one end of the hallway - run down to the other end & he would have kept up with me, so we would do it again - which he LOVED!

I can catch the kitty

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Right before I grabbed the camera, Jacob & RB were on the floor together & Jacob actually caught the cat.

In this video, I love how Jacob was willing to help the cat with the tape on the box. Both of my cats love to bite on tape - I have no idea why, but the noise is grating, so that tape is now in the trash - where my husband should have deposited it right away when he opened the box!

Jail!

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

The cat is saying, "How did I get stuck on this side with him?"

I've said it before, & I'll say it again, "RB is pretty so he doesn't have to be smart."

AKA He has not figured out how to get through/over/around the baby gates...

Luckily he can get under the one that blocks the cat room off.

(Love those overalls!)

I am particularly fond of this photo - that sky blue is awesome!

I am particularly fond of this photo - that sky blue is awesome!
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

After that title, I'll call this Wordless Wednesday. :o)

kitties in a tree fabrics

kitties in a tree fabrics
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

I know I chatted about this bunch of fabric not to long ago, but....

Instead of "just" making large (9 inches cut) half square triangles, what about "Roman Stripes?"

Do you know of any "on-line" aka free patterns/tutorials for Roman Stripes.

I kind-of know how the block works, but, I'd really like to read/see it before whacking into this fabric.

Hey, you over there - quit laughing, I will cut into this "eventually."

Do Roman Stripes blocks have bias edges?

This one is a bit long, but we needed to capture this "routine."

This one is a bit long, but we needed to capture this "routine."
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

If you need a giggle, give this a listen to. (It is only 1 & a half minues - that is all that flickr would upload - I recorded a bit more than 2 minutes.)

Happiness is....

Happiness is....
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Now we can run the errands that we did not get to run yesterday...

& I managed to cut out 1 block & 1 block only. I almost worked on some binding - but my sewing kit was not where it is supposed to be...

The gift giver!

The gift giver!
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

We finally got our acts together & wrote out the cards to go with the gift cards for our day care workers. Jacob loved playing with them. Is he a born shopper?

That's how much snow we got!

That's how much snow we got!
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

About 22 inches!

The weather outside is frightful.

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

This does not really show it, but according to the news we have already had 17 inches of snow fall.

There are only 5 things that would have made this nicer... For the snow to have fallen on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday!

I baked cookies & made a casserole for Jacob.

Tonight I hope to get cinnamon rolls ready so that I can bake them tomorrow morning.

Now I am going to go cut some fabric for a block. I might cut more, but my goal is to cut for one block.

gift wrap

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

I guess they all prefer the paper & the boxes to the actual gift.

Although the push & go train still gets laughs. We sit opposite each other & I make the train go - it runs into Jacob who in turn giggles!

The other box holds a George Foreman grill - someone was sending a hint... Now if I had a place to store it... (Not to mention the fact that we already have a small one. But my husband is convinced that this one will be easier to clean.)

A boy & his cat

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Or just a stubborn cat...

Please ignore the "this needs to be donated" box of clothes. I hope to take care of that this weekend.

Seriously, the cat really liked that snowsuit!

candles

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

This photo was taken a few days ago, but I was really happy with how it turned out. Yes, I cropped it, added a "matte" frame, rounded the edges & added some text, but other than those enhancements, this came straight out of my camera. I turned the dial to the candle flame... pretty cool huh?

Chanukah Wonderland

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

This was taken inside the Chanukah Wonderland. This was the first time that I saw a blow up Menorah...

Hanukkah quilt-let

Hanukkah quilt-let
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

On my front door - last year. I never quite got there this year. I think the quilt-let is on my fridge...

Corner shot of my Chanukah Quilt.

Corner shot of my Chanukah Quilt.
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

The corner show the "go with" fabric. I was so happy to have some of each. I was also happy that my borders all ended up facing the right way without my haveing to unsew & try again.

I completed this quilt in December 2006 - I think, so you can probably read more about it back then in my archives.

More pictures form this quilt to follow...

Very close up of the border

Very close up of the border
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Probably too close... Hanukkah Sameach - in Hebrew no less on Fabric! (Jewish fabric that is not just blue & white.) (I used this fabric - this section on Jacob's I SPY quilt too.) Also on this fabric - a ner tamid.

a couple quilt blocks

a couple quilt blocks
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

The blocks - I used a Nickel Quilts pattern (Book by Pat Speth) but I changed it a bit...

A peek of the quilt back

A peek of the quilt back
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

The back! It's flannel... & It's kitties.

Hanukkah Bed Quilt

Hanukkah Bed Quilt
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

The whole thing!

Picking fabric is hard work.

Picking fabric is hard work.
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Well you can see what Jacob & I did on Sunday! We pulled fabric for a scrappy back. (For that blue cat with scrappy browns quilt that I have planned.) I am working on the theory that maybe I can sew up the back first... a 10 x 10 layout (10 inch cut squares) should be a good size to start with... My husband should be happy that I am using what I have... (Yeah, I am not holding my breath either.)

Before I grabbed the camera, this little guy was picking up pieces of fabric. :o)

Yes Karen, that is a dog print - there are a few cats mixed in. & I saw that as a print (poster) in the vets office... Everyone of those dogs is very well behaved too. All sitting on cue - like no one knows a cat is hiding amongst them. It is a great print - realistic dog breeds & all.

And Someone else should be able to recognize that cats in the grass print. Paula sent that to me when I was half way to the looney bin collecting cat prints. I already had the bright cats in bright green grass, so I was super stoked to get the "same print in a different color!"

& Yes, I have moved one of my fabric storage shelves into my bedroom, so I can toss the fabric I pull onto my bed as I go. Which was also great fun for Jacob, especially when they landed on him!

At the Hanukkah Parade in Gaithersburg, Md.

At the Hanukkah parade in Gaithersburg, Md.
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

This is how we celebrated Hanukkah tonight. That must be the best part of a holiday that last 8 days, you have enough time to savor it & you have many opportunities to celebrate.

Dancing!

Dancing!
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

This is during the do-si-do part of the chicken dance. From what I heard, he really liked the wing flap part... But alas the photos are what the photos are... Hey & I did not have to wing flap because I was holding the baby. :o) Who bytheway loves to dance in general!

Scenes from the party

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

At the outset, we thought that we would be eating & running - someone had been unhappy for a while. We went to the Pediatrician in the a.m. - new ear infection - but caught early... Our only clue was the ear touching. Later in the day he turned into a crank-pot. Hungry? Tired? We weren't 100% sure, but he was clingy & teary for a while before the party started. & He was still not himself. Then he had a BM & then was quite happy... Go figure. This morning he had prunes & oatmeal for breakfast...

One more Hanukkah post.

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

One more Hanukkah photo. This one was taken in September 2006 when we just moved into our condo. My helper jumped into the china hutch while I was unpacking. The funniest part... The letter showing on that dreidel is a "Hay" so when I captioned this photo in a 2006 blogpost, I said, "Hey there!"

Jacob's ready!

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

He is holding onto his plush dreidel. (I have better photos of him playing with the dreidel, but the expresion in his face in this photograph is priceless!)

Pure joy!

Hanukkah

work party 2
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Well Hanukkah starts tonight (at sunset - so that is actually late afternoon)... Am I ready? NO FREAKING WAY! I got a gift for each of my men & I got candles, but the food is missing in action...

Oh well, I always knew that I was going to have fried chicken & they make it better at the store... & While I can make latkes, why bother with all of the oil splatter... I'll buy those too.

What else do we need?

Another shot from our snow day

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

So Paula can see the scarf in action!

They are forcasting more snow for the mid-Atlantic region - on Saturday. GRRR

Don't get me wrong

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

I am in love with the 10 toes that are hiden by these socks. BUT Yesterday I got probably replaced a sock or two half a dozen times. My last thought:

Do I want to find a "sock on the foot" or a "foot in the sock?"

You see I took the day off & took my son out o fday care to visit my grandmother who is in a rehab unit after having surgery last week.

So in addition to his outfit & socks, I put him in a bunting. Socks stayed in the footies. Once he was out of the bunting & crawling, he managed to loosen the socks that then were easily pulled off. After lunch - where he crawled on the floor as I tried to gather all of our stuff & where he wore a good portion of his apple sauce, I changed his whole outfit including the socks. The legs on the second outfit were not as snug as the first, so the socks & momma never had a chance from there...

I was rather amazed to find the socks on his feet this morning when I went in to see him before departing to the salt mines...

Yes, I am a socks person. I wear socks 90% of the time year round. So My son gets to wear them too. I even bought him a pair of socks for Hanukkah - yes, I have turned into my mother. (Wait till you see them!)

What you never got socks as a gift? (Undies are far more embarassing - trust me.)

The photo was from a birthday party last Sunday. The birthday boy got the tent & some tunnels as a gift.

Office Party - can you help?

O.K., so I volunteered to be on the office holiday party planning board.
We want to relive parties of old where people liked the idea of pot luck & participation.
We are going to take what we get.
The big bosses are getting the big (aka expensive) stuff like ham & turkey, so the rest of us can get away with chips & dip or a cake. (But they are not signing up - I've started the strong arm tactic.)

So one of the party games that I am going to propose is "bingo" where there are questions & you find the people who have that answer. For example: Do you have 4 or more siblings? (In the past I played this at quilt guild & the questions were like: Have you made a Baltimore Album Quilt?) With the idea being that you can choose to run around asking the questions or you can just choose to answer them without really participating...

So I am asking all of you to help me gather for "simple office party acceptable yes/no" questions.
Or any other suitable games...

The crunch, crunch, crunch slays me

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Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

I know that this is about as intersting as watching paint dry, but this is where we are & boy is someone loving every minute of it! (Might be a scosh over 1 minute in length.)

What's not on your design wall?

What is that red bit around the edge? a FINISHED binding!
Here we are living with it...
From the bottom of the viney quilting to the top.
The bottoms of the vines.
Rhapsody, the girl cat. She is a Tonkinese.
RB, the boy cat. He is also a Tonkinese. & not very happy - I moved him for the photoshoot - off of a warm pile of laundry.
Jacob - not a cat...
That awful "brown decorative stripe." (Which BTW is on their new fabric line as well - I saw it in my magazine...)
Mommy's Helper.
The tops of the vines.
What? You don't "live" with your quilts?
Don't tell me most of them are hanging like these:
Three of six on my quilt ladder, the binding is finished on the top two... Yes, I do feel guilty - then I get over it.

Grilled Cheese - a hit!

Grilled Cheese - a hit!
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

Someone likes grilled cheese... I guess now he can try the pumpernickel with onion cheddar grilled cheese.

Knowing this guy, he would eat it without batting an eye. He eats everything & cleans his plate!

So we are introducing the idea of a d*i*e*t...
When we went to the pediatrician's ooffice for his 1 year well baby check-up, his heights was in the 13th percentile while his weight was in thr 50th - so we have a bit of a height to weight ratio issue going on... (Oh & his head circumfrnce is in the 89th percentile - so that might mitigate it a tiny bit...)

Van Cliburn?

Van Cliburn
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

I am not sure why I know about Van Cliburn & his award - but I do... Here is our submission.
Thanks again to Vicki - she tie dyed Jacob's onesie. (Sorry to hyperlink - I am blogging from flickr.)

COOKIE THIEF

COOKIE THIEF
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

What do you do when it is snowy outside? Bake? We do to. So we had a batch of chocolate chunk on the cooling rack on the dining room table.

Instead of a traditional high chair, we have a chair that is pushed up to the table so that the baby eats at the table with the family.

I set him in his chair with a couple snacks while I heated up our soup for dinner (That is why I freeze a portion of what I make!) - he stole a cookie off of the cooling rack.

Cheeky!

The weather right now.

The weather right now.
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

I know I asked for snow - but not on Saturday....

41 - no that is not my age yet...

Rather that was my number (the comments are numbered on some blogs) when the Pioneer woman was giving away some more of these lovelies:
POST
Oh well for being stoked about having a comment number under 1,000 - yes, I was happy to be under 1,000 let alone 100! & yet that random number thingy still hates me...

Let the Festivities begin - tonight is the first holiday party of the season at my husband's work.
That means that I (He/we) get to show off this guy - in that outfit!


Throw in a birthday party & the unsocialist family out there has - in some variation of attendance - 6 holiday parties to attend! (Yes, honey at my office, we have 3 parties planned - all for the week of the 14th!) make that 7 - I forgot about my sewing groups holiday fete.

kitties in a tree fabrics

kitties in a tree fabrics
Originally uploaded by aviva_hadas

O.k., say you were going to abandon idea one - not really worth mentioning - but I probably first blogged about it in February 2007! (I did, but I am not going to link directly to is because there is some pretty cool quilty stuff back there. Go & look. Remeber that the Mid-Altantic quilt show is held in February. This link goes to February 2007 - all 28 posts.)

Idea two is to just make scrappy Half Square Triangles - cat print & scrappy browns. (I plan on using the draw a line down the center & sew on either side method - getting two for one out of my sewing.)

What size would you make the Half Square Triangles? The cats are small - they would probably fit under a quarter - for scale. The fabric is still wrapped on a standard bolt core - another scale reference.

& this is a rhetorical question - should I add some solid kona browns? YES! (how many?)

In general, I am going to lay this out like a barn raising log cabin - or straight furrows - or I will play more with the blocks once they are pieced... (I once read - probably in a Mary Ellen Hopkins book that Half Square Triangles are Log Cabin blocks when you are designing - or vice versa. Can anyone corroborate - or am I experiencing faulty memory again?) I would probably like to make at least 100 (10 x 10 setting) maybe 144 blocks so that the layout will have a chance to develop.

To answer my own darn question - 5 inches? Maybe I should look at the fabric again & see how big it would need to be to get kitties in both Half Square Triangles & if that looks funky tree wise. If you know what I mean...