What a week!

Busy and fun! Summer produce is in full swing here in Illinois and it doesn't wait for an "appropriate" time. Tammy and I canned spaghetti sauce this past week with her lovely fresh tomatoes and some of my overabundance of cucumbers became dill pickle sandwich slices. I had never made pickles before - I am so excited about these! Now I'm hoping the cukes keep producing because I'd love to do more of these. This week we'll be working on apples and grapes . . .

On Thursday Jamie & Preston arrived! They flew into St. Louis, spent that night with Amy at her apartment, then we picked them up on Friday morning and brought them to our home for the weekend. It was our first time to meet Preston and it was a fun and magical time.

Isn't he a cutie? We had so much fun!

Having an expanded household was certainly different though - when everyone was gone on Sunday evening Randy & I said whew! and we headed to the country for a camping night!

It was quite a hectic week - every free moment between canning and preparing for company I spent sewing for Preston. I almost made it! I finished the book gift after they arrived, while he was here sleeping. These are reversible baby bibs -

Doesn't every kid lug around a special pillow? (I'm thinking of you GG and your floppy!) Bright kid colors are so much fun. A one candle cupcake to celebrate Preston's first birthday on December 30th.

Every page on this "quiet book" has respositionable pieces. For instance, the bear's bow can be a bow tie or be moved to between the ears for a girly, momma bear look. The bird and cloud can be moved on the house page, as can the bumble bee and the worms. The front pocket can store the pieces - or something else.

Okay, this one was for Jamie -

I was pleased and relieved when she seemed to like it. (I struggle when I try to guess someone else's taste.) She did say this was her favorite picture of Preston, so that was a good guess!

So -- don't you agree, it was quite a week?! Catch you soon - J