Back

 After one month, my back is almost normal again.

I'm so excited.

I'm going to ease my way into all my usual activities though.

I really do not want to re-injure myself.

Once was bed enough!

I did start quilting again last week, but only in short bursts.

I've been quilting more as my back agrees to it.

This is the section I need to finish so I can roll down the quilt.

That will mean it's at the half-way point.

I wanted to have this done for Connor's birthday in April,

but the bad back threw my time table out the window.

I have already told him it won't be done in time.

I will choose to celebrate what I do have done.

:)

I have also decided to join a quilt block challenge.

It's my first.

It looked simple.

It also meets one of my goals for the year: a half square triangle sampler quilt.

These were not my first color choices but I think they'll still work.

I was trying to use fabrics I already had.

Thankfully they had a color sheet so you could fill in your own colors.

(Yes, I was in a hurry when I colored this.)

It's called Snowy Day Quilt Sampler by Andrea Smith of Happy Cloud Creations.

The block challenge is hosted by National Quilters Circle.

I finished the first block Monday.

A new block will be released each week.

The eggs and clocks will be my background fabric with the newsprint as sashing.
I plan on posting my blocks as I get them done.

Level 43

So Saturday was my birthday.

When the boys play video games, they will announce what level they've most recently achieved.

If I'm in the room, I will almost always announce that I'm level (fill in with my current age).

So Saturday I achieved level 43.

I'm not ashamed to say it.

It's 43 years God has given me.

The birthday cake that Dwayne and Connor made.

(Nolan is greatly missed while he is at a teen retreat this weekend.)

Dwayne usually makes something for me for my birthday.

This year he requested a cake mix.

We're still so incredibly grateful that Connor can eat duck eggs.

Having the ability to use duck eggs in things like a cake mix is a real game changer for us.

We use don't use cake mixes often, but it's nice to have that option!

Oh look! I got some quilting goodies.

The cutting mat rotates.

Super happy quilter.

:)

________________________________________________________________________

We've had incredibly nice weather for February.

I can't remember the last time we were outside without coats this time of year.

So, like everyone else, we took advantage of it.

We've been on a few walks.

Pepper was beside herself to walk in the woods.

She was sitting under this tree that apparently had a critter in it.

She has become quite observant and watches for squirrels in the tree tops.

She knows where they hide and it drives her crazy!

She really wanted to get this critter.

Really, really wanted it!

Dwayne got Pepper to not only sit on this stump but stay so he could take pictures!

This is what happened when I tried to get her to do the same thing.

She lasted 5 seconds.

She was pretty tired by this point in our adventure in the woods.

She tracked and discovered a quail...

then proceeded to chase it all over the woods.

Don't worry, the quail got away.

It was so cool to watch her find it.

We got home and relaxed on the swing for a while.

This crazy chicken decided to join us on the porch.

For some silly reason, she feels the need to lay her eggs in the duck coop...

which is inside the fenced-in yard.

The chicken coop is outside the yard.

Cows think the grass is greener on the other side.

So does this chicken think the nests are softer on the other side?

That's life on the funny farm.

Love

 We're not really ones to go all out for Valentine's Day around here.

We usually do nothing.

(Unless taking advantage of the left-over sales counts!)

Love me some chocolate.

My father-in-law gave us some strawberries the other day.

I didn't have a particular recipe in mind so I dipped them in chocolate.

Love me some more chocolate.

I had just enough left over melted chocolate to fill four frog candy forms.

Perfect for each of us to have one.

The only frog I'll ever willingly eat.

Dwayne and I did end up eating out just the two of us.

We had chocolate covered strawberries for dessert when we came home.

Ouch!

So I did something dumb last week and managed to injure my back. I've done dumb things before but never like this. I was in so much pain I gave in and saw a chiropractor for the first time in my life. Now I'm on the road to recovery. I can get up off a chair and not wince in too much pain. Progress. 

I have a long way to go but at least I'm vertical!

(I opened the door to take some duck pictures and

Pepper mistakenly thought I was letting her inside. Silly dog.)

I was hoping to have a quilt update but I haven't touched the quilt in a week.

I can't wait to get back to quilting.

I can't wait to get back to taking care of my family again.

I'm not a fan of being the patient.
It's hard for me to sit and do nothing.

It's a humbling experience to ask your teen and tween to put your socks on for you.

I'm looking forward to getting back to my "normal".

Dwayne stayed home twice this week to help me.
We even tag-teamed homeschool one day (before I got super bad and gave up for the day).
The men in the house have done an awesome job of taking care of things.
They've been doing all of the food/laundry/dishes... and taking care of me.
I have an awesome family.

I'm off to rest in a rocking chair with an ice pack.
(I was banned from the couch by the chiropractor.)
I'm not going to complain, I'm much better than I was.