Happy Anniversary Abby & Dan!

Our youngest daughter Abby and her husband Dan are celebrating their "3rd" wedding anniversary today August 18th. Enjoy your day, Ab & Dan!

Journey to the BHQR

Karen & I left rather early on Tuesday to visit 6 quilt shops on our way to the cabin stopping at Foley, St. Cloud, Alex, Perham, Detroit Lakes, and Jenkins! 400 miles later we arrived at the cabin. Karen & I always enjoy extra time for quilting so this year we we enjoyed some extra days! We added a new member - Hannah, Laura's youngest daughter. Emma (Laura's older daughter) showed us how she can design and sew her own projects and Natalie kept her Mom busy as well with a project. We think this is a great way to share our love of a very old craft - keeping the next generation interested. My hope is that we are creating a "remember when" memory for the girls. As always the weather lived up to our name "Beat the Heat Quilt Retreat". It was hot but did end up to be very pleasant on Saturday to make sleeping wonderful with bright stars in the evening. Above are pictures of two favorite shops - Bay View in Perham and the Back Porch Quilts in Detroit Lakes. This is a part of the Minnesota Quilt Hop - the state is divided into 7 Sections. There is a group of fabrics designed by Moda specifically for this event. The different quilt shops design quilt blocks which highlight the fabrics. Such fun!

4th Annual "Beat the Heat Quilt Retreat"

This year our theme for the quilt retreat was "Potatoes". Karen and I made bags for microwaving potatoes. Notice the potato fabric --- and along with this each group was given a name. We were the "Russet" group - (kinda old and rusty? ---- just kidding, but we were not new potatoes). We featured a "potato bar" for dinner along with "sweet potato shortcake" for dessert - it was very tasty. We also enjoyed a game of Potato Trivia and musical hot potato with Silly Songs as the music. Following are pictures of the other groups.

Sweet Potato Team

This is our "Sweet Potato Team" - need I write more. Mr. Potato Head was our centerpiece and at each meal the girls created a new face for him. Also we played "Potato Trivia" - complements of Karen - just ask anyone a question and they will know the answer! The winners were "Yukon Gold".

BHQR (cont)

Red Potato Team- Danielle & Laura; Yukon Gold Team - Abby & Liz and

Friends visit the cabin -

Sandy and Dennis Quigley made a visit to Tamarack. They are our friends from church and Dennis is a Lion member with Jeff. Their daughter Chantel was our babysitter when the kids were little. Denny had been to the cabin during the building - Jeff had wanted his opinion on some things since he is a carpenter, although has since retired! Denny chuckled and said things had changed since then! We also visit with them in AZ when we make our winter journey south.

Happy "Golden Anniversary"!

On Friday July 23rd my Uncle Tony & Aunt Linda (my Mom's youngest brother) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Jeff and I made a surprise visit (sort of) to help them celebrate. We drove to the cabin Thursday evening and then Friday morning I called and asked if they were ready to go to church - ( we had requested a mass be held to commemorate their 50th at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia, MN, they were married there). Linda's comment was "I thought you might be there :)" Through the years Jeff and I have remained very close to them. During the winter we visit them in Phoenix and they are god parents to our daughter Noelle.
Along with attending mass with them we were able to take them out to lunch. This is a photo with Fr. O'Donelle - the mass was also the last day of a week long Vacation Bible School so there were many children there to applaud them on 5o years. Father was able to congratulate them during his sermon about the wedding at Canaan.
With our love, Congratulations to you both!