Welcome to our world! The Conrad Family

These little dandies enable you to pick a roll of coordinating quilting strips and put together an entire quilt top for around $30. My pattern is called Madeira and I loved how fast it came together. Here is a photo of the top.

These fun cookie stix were a snap to make and oh so tasty. Use your regular choc. chip cookie dough recipe cut in half and minus the chips (dough for about 2 dozen cookies). Then, cut a snickers bar into quarters and wrap a blob of dough around each chunk, sealing completely. Stick the stick in the bottom and bake as usual, watching for them to become dry to the touch and flattened out. They look very awkward prior to baking but they will even out. They freeze well and store well if you are going on a road trip.

Cute, fun summer movies we’ve seen…

During my week in Utah, I became interested in quilting through the influence of my mother in Law and sister in law, Dyana. I asked them questions until I ran out of them. We bought books and Dyana took me to JoAnn’s and gave me some basic instructions. Before we left, Maddie chose fat quarters in colours she liked and when I came home, I got started on a basic quilt and have decided to make one for everyone in our family (eventually). Here are Maddie’s (purples) Lorenzo’s (he chose a blanket instead) Josie’s (flowers) and Jon’s (autumn). I will post more as I can.

Well, I am relieved that I am not the only one who is a little behind on the summer blogging. Here is a quick update. The first week of July, we went to Orem where we stayed with Grandma & Grandpa Conrad and all of Jon’s siblings and their kiddies. We had a fantastic time of swimming, fireworks, nickelcade, playing, shopping, books, pottery and singstar. One the way home, we spent an evening at Uncle Bob & Auntie Mickey’s where we had supper and fireworks and visited with Heid, gary, Marky & Mel and the kids before heading home to Canada. We loved every minute of reconnecting with everyone and had such a fun time.

We have had a total and complete downpour here. Every day it keeps on raining and storming and soaking everything. Well, we decided we would camp anyhow until we read the weather advisory last night. Kalispell had a severe alert for 4-6 inches of snow in the pass and dangerous road conditions. It even had 2 photos of overturned logging trucks and we figured we just couldn’t risk it. We planned some other things as a quick rebuttal to the bad news ( a trip to the aqua fun centre, dinner out and the boys could go on the weekend father son camp out on Fri/Sat close by It seemed to only add insult to injury and our morning was one of the worst we have had in a long time. But since I can’t control the weather, there is nothing I can do about it and I am as disappointed as they are. Boo Hoo.

While I was out to lunch with friends today, Jon went to pick up Hans and Josie from kindy & preschool. As they pulled onto our street, Jon noticed a little bird, floundering on the road. They jumped out of the car and went to it. Two other little birds were huddled around it. Jon and the kids picked it up and it seemed to have broken its’ wing. They stroked its feathers and it was breathing heavily. It gave one last weak little chirp and died in Jon’s hand. He said in that moment, he tried to think what I would do with it and he wasn’t sure so he laid it on the grass by my front flower bed. I saw it when I got home and found it a little box. The kids and I made it a little grave under our Pussy Willow bush. The big kids had just come home from school and I was caught off guard when Jon asked me to say a few words for the little bird. So I said something to the effect of, “here lies our sweet little friend who went to Heaven with the kindness of Daddy, Hans and Josie. Now it will have another world to sing in.” The kids all spontaneously said “amen.” It was very sweet. Josie picked some of our pansies and put a little cross in the grave because she said now the little bird was with Jesus.

Here is the video that started it all. After this, we ordered and hatched our own Triops whose name is Flippy. He is fascinating and grows a LOT each day. These little guys predate the dinosaurs and their eggs stay in a period of diapause until they are hatched in water, hence their incredible longevity in the animal kingdom.

When I got the call to come in and meet with the bishop, of course my mind was racing. When I got there, I was asked to be the primary pianist. I explained that I am kind of a “by ear” type of piano player but they needed me and with our ward split, they were desperate. So this means I have been practicing every day and am doing quite well although I depend on my kids to sing me the songs first so I can figure out how to play them. But what a sweet little audience. Fortunately, they are not like me who still giggles when I hear someone hit a wrong note. I don’t know why that is funny but it has been to me my whole life. Gabe said to me one week in church during Called to serve that it was reminiscent of a carnival. A chip off the old block. I sure love being in there with my little kids though and the songs are very sweet. Luckily the special Sacrament program is not until October!