Happy Fourth!

Happy Fourth of July!  I finished this little guy in time to enjoy it for the holiday. There are twenty-two appliqued stars since we are in Alabama, the twenty second state.



We've had visitors! Meghan and Justin brought the boys up for a visit this past week. Justin and Allen had a trip to Nashville to some record shops, and both my sons-in-law had some time to hang around together. Meghan and I took the boys to the Space and Rocket Center one day. It's interesting, and it's a great place for little guys to run off some energy. Taplin was an archeologist in the sand brushing off  dino bones.



Bridger and his mom figured out how to make electric circuits. What a cool toy! Elenco. We will have to look for some for Bridger's birthday this fall.



The boys were not totally convinced that the space gear and the moon rock were real, but I think they had a good time. Bridger liked the dehydrated space ice cream.



Ozzie sleeps in his own cage at night, but one night after we tucked the boys in, he invited himself to join them. Bridger tucked him in, but when Grandpa checked on them, Ozzie had to go to his own bed. Poor Oz.



Ozzie loves the boys, and Taplin is his buddy, for sure.



Taplin's not too sure about his baby cousin, but Bridger got to hold her and he even helped feed her.



Little Miss Georgia is blowing bubbles. Such a precious little peach.



This is the Civil War block for week 26 called the Barbara Frietchie Star. Barbara Brackman's instructions include the history of the her: Barbara Frietchie is recalled as an elderly woman who waved a Union flag from her attic while General Stonewall Jackson marched his Confederate troops through town. Jackson ordered his men to fire at the defiant woman. "Shoot if you must, this old gray head, But spare your country's flag,  she said." According to the poem, the embarassed General rescinded the order and Frietchie's Union flag waved over Jackson's short occupation of the town.



The potatoes are boiling right now -- I will be making potato salad to take with us to Nathan's family for a lunch time cook out.

Today will be a very hot Fourth of July here. Good day for a family get together!



I've been in my sewing room working on a project for Shannon for work and a couple of quilt projects for myself. I bought myself a die cutter - a Sizzix Big Shot. I will have to take some pictures and tell more about it. I think I am going to really enjoy this new "toy" in my tool box. Oh - and the advice seems to be that if you want to improve your craft, do something else- try a different medium. So Shannon and I went to one of those painting classes where you can take your own snacks and drinks and take a painting class. We did the Funky Flag class Friday night. Now, she is the artist, and hers looks a bit different, but I had a great time, and mine is not so bad! We will go again, for sure.