quilts

Cute quilt I made for Sara Nelson one of the primary counselors I worked with, I was one square short, can you believe it, so I stitched a heart so her sweet new baby will know she is loved. I think it turned out good.

If you think back to last year I made Greg a quilt -well my oldest son stole it and claimed it as his own. Greg didn't care so I had to make another one. So here is another one for Greg. Hopefully no other child of mine will claim it as their own. (and yes Andrew has several quilts).

more pictures

Halloween, crazy boys

Scarves I made for work, I think I made 22 they are donated to needy families. Miss Lindsey and Ms. Linda were my models. cute

Andrew looks so handsome, he went to homecoming with a bunch of friends.

Time flying

most of the cousins when we were in Utah.

Greg, Christine, and I  are making noodles. yum

 Me and My mom. I love this picture

Is has been a long time since I have posted anything. Time just seems to be going so fast. There was so many different things I wanted to post about with pictures but time just got away from me. With the two trips out to Utah I wanted to post pictures, the boys playing football, quilts I made, halloween, thanksgiving etc. Sometimes it is easier to get on facebook and just post a quick sentence but I like to do more than that here. With the holidays I have been very thoughtful. Family is so important. I miss Melissa tons and I know the boys and Greg do too. I have been thinking of my dad and mom and I know this is a hard time for her. Wish I could wrap my arms around her and give her a hug. Distance stinks.

ponderings

This summer has been a very busy eventful season.  I look back on everything we have done and many different things stand out to me. I have enjoyed watching my boys play baseball, football, late nights with friends and spending time with the boys. I have missed Melissa too, her quick smile and her passion for life. This summer has also brought me lots of reflections on my family and how important they are. My dad has been battling terminal cancer for a year. He had surgery in June to help him eat better and never left the hospital. We jumped in the car the end of july and headed to utah to say goodbye. Greg drove the 2500 miles in 2 and half days.He is such a wonderful supportive husband. My dad woke up the morning we got there and we were able to spend some wonderful moments with him, I will always remember the feeling of love and peace when i was with him. There were many tears but I am so glad I was there to express my love for him. We were able to spend lots of time with family and howard and russell were able to meet cousins they hadn't met. We made it home on friday and the next Wednesday he passed away. I had not planned on going out as we had just been there but my family wanted me to come back and with the help of a friend and my mom I was able to go out saturday through tuesday for the funeral. I missed greg and the boys immensely but was glad to be there for closure and to help my mom. I am still mourning but am remembering wonderful times. I know I have more in my to say but for know I am still thinking...

Girly girl

I made this quilt for one of the families I have had in head start for the last 3 years. I had 2 of their 3 boys. The parents were awesome and the boys were just like mine in personality. The one boy I had for 2 years. I grew to love this family. This was our last year with them for awhile and the mom was finally getting her girl due this month. I am so excited for them I had to make a cute girly blanket, pink and white on the front and fairies on the back. When the little boy opened the present he gave me a big hug and told me thank you for his sisters blanket she is going to love it. Warms my heart -that kid. Going to miss him. But I think he's right she is going to love it!!

Crushers Basketball

A couple of weeks ago, the 15U Crushers played at 3 and the 9U Crushers played at 4. This never happens so Jeff (the coach) asked the little boys to sit on the bench with the big boys and the big boys sit with the little boys during their game. What a day. They looked so cool. Greg is the assistant coach on both teams too. Howard loved it, not sure how Andrew felt but it looked so neat to see both teams. Some of the boys had left before I took the picture of all of them and the ones across the court aren't the best but it warms my heart. so cute.

Swing batter swing

Howard and Russell are playing baseball this year. With pracices twice a week and games it has been a little crazy.  That is not even counting spring basketball. They are having so much fun. Howard plays pitcher and 1st base, occasionally he plays catcher. I like it when he plays 1st.

 Russell is loving t-ball/baseball. He is able to hit the ball from the pitcher instead of the tee. He looked so cute playing catcher but he did pretty good as short stop. I guess right now we are doing the american thing. I don't necessarily like baseball but I love hanging with my family and watching them have fun.

more misc

This is Andrew before his sinus surgery March 1, it was a very long day, I almost asked for a paycheck from Good Samaritan Hospital. We were there from 9 am until 6 pm.  My cute son did not want to wake up. Surgery went well and he is breathing well.

Russells birthday was in January, somehow this picture was on my other camera and did not get down loaded. I can hardly believe he is now 6. Of course he is getting big and wants to do everything his brothers do. So he did football in the fall, basketball in the winter and now is doing t-ball. whew.

 I found these on my camera, this was all of our snow this winter.If you look close Russell has a football in his hand. lol.  Of course I should have known, the little boys got snow pants for christmas. Russell kept asking me all of January and February where the snow was.He loves to sled and we needed a little more snow before I would let them go down the hill in back. I believe this was the snow for the year, the end of February(?). Crazy winter.

Just wanted to add these pictures, mostly caught up now.

Work/ Karen's L's

When I was married I always knew I would be a mom and I hoped I would get to stay home but sometimes life doesn't always go the way you think it will. I have been so blessed to get to do both. I love the times I was able to stay home and be the best mom I could. Earlier in our marriage I worked and it was hard and my attitude was not the best, I was perhaps a little bitter.  And now for the last 5 years I have worked in a job I love== working with kids. I am an assistant teacher in a head start classroom. I have the opportunity to work with kids that have tough lives and I love (almost) each one.  I have worked with 3 different teachers and have loved each one.  Right now, the past 2 years I have worked with Lindsey and Linda. We have the best time, we are always laughing, singing, and having fun. Here we are being "Karens L's". Karen is our boss. we were laughing so hard it was hard to get a picture but I am so glad at this time in my life when I do work that I work with great people. I am glad to because it makes it easier to work. I am thankful for inlaws who help by putting the little munchkins on the bus for school and getting them off. This time around I have a better attitude and feel better about the things I do do.I don't get everything done I think I should but Greg always tells me we are raising kids and not to worry about the house and when I remember this I am not so stressed, always crazy but not stressed. :) So if you come to my house remember I am raising good kids and just ignore the laundry on the couch. Just be glad it is clean.

Few quilts

I finally found my camera chord. it was interesting to see what was on the camera.  It will take me several posts to catch up. I made this quilt for Melissa, first I was going to give it to her for graduation, didn't finish in time, then it was her birthday in July not done, then it was christmas nope. Finally it was finished before she moved to Utah in January. I think it is so bright and cheery.                                     

 A girl at work had a baby they named Genesis. I made this pink one for her.Look how cute the flowers/butterflies turned out.

 This is a baby quilt I made for some friends. Of course if you are looking at these you probably think I quilt all the time. I wish. This is several months of projects. And many more are right behind. 

Family Pictures

If you know my honey, he does not like his picture taken, but with Melissa graduated and moving to Utah to go to school - we don't know when we will all be back together so ta-da. Here they are. These are my favorites. Melissa had the chicken pox right before she moved, craziness. She was supposed to get another booster, but I didn't know that because she was a first generation of the vaccine. The boys have all had boosters so they will be pox free. Poor Melissa had it bad. My friend Melissa took our pictures and her daughter Rebecca edited them so Melissa looks pox free.I love the pictures. I have a feeling I will be the shortest as you can see Melissa and Andrew have passed me by and I am sure the younger 2 will too. It seems so weird to just have the boys around, they do miss their sister and love to call her on the phone.

continued

Greg read my post and reminded me he had knee surgery in there. oops, yes he did. ( I am still looking for my camera chord-melissa did you take it to utah with you?)

Craziness

Have you wondered what the Binghams are up to? or why I haven't posted in forever. Well it has been crazy around here. In November Melissa went out to Utah and looked at cosmetology schools. The rest of us went down to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Beautiful area- reminds me of the Utah mountains - I do miss them. Then Christmas came super quick and we were busy packing up Melissa for her to move out west. She moved out January 10th. We miss her tons but she is loving school and she gets the opportunity to see all the family. Greg went to a football conference in Pittsburg and I did manage to finish 2 quilts in there.  The boys are all busy with Basketball. Craziness is what it seems. I love basketball but with all 3 playing it seems like we are never home. And in all this craziness I have taken tons of pictures but have misplaced my camera chord. Hopefully I find it soon. Take care.