Off they go ....

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood! Well the past two weeks have flown by .... lots of stuff going on here at MBIAJ Headquarters with my Moonbeams Boys Evan and Matt. They've grown up while I wasn't looking (or pretended not to see) and, well, here we are, and off they go ......



......to the prom. (Evan's prom was this past Friday night. Here he is in his VERY bright tux with his VERY understanding date and good friend Emily)




...and here are Evan and Emily with their good friend Tyler. Evan and Tyler have had these goofy tuxes planned since their freshman year .... their version of the tuxes from the movie "Dumb and Dumber" with a little Sponge Bob and Patrick thrown in! (and I must say Tyler's date was also a very understanding gal!)

And that's not all that went on this past Friday. Moonbeams college Boy Matt (who finished up his 3rd year at Penn State 2 weeks ago).......


...packed up his car with his dirtbike and mountain bike (and some clean underwear and socks he assured me) and ....
waived bye bye to his old mom to head south to Florida for the summer for his first grown up internship/job ....



Off he goes ..... (sob)








So..... now that a couple of days have gone by and I've medicated myself with enough chocolate to sink a ship, it's time to get myself together for the next couple of months ..... more stuff .... Evan's All Night Pary (for the senior class given by the parents) is this Friday. Then we have a belated 50th birthday celebration for my sis, Evan's high school graduation, niece's graduation from college/nursing school, Matt's 21st birthday in June and my other niece's wedding at the end of June ! (and you just KNOW I have delusions of grandeur about all the sewing/quilting projects my unrealistic other self has planned for all of these milestone special occasions! Including the apron that did NOT get finished for the bridal shower that was YESTERDAY for the niece who is getting married in June .... oh well ...)
Guess I better get busy!

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Happy Mother's Day !!!!

Happy Mother's Day Blogland Neighborhood !!! I LOVE this picture of my grandmother holding my mother ....so sweet! Hope you all have a lovely and sweet day (that includes only a the bare minimum of stinky laundry ....




(ad included in Mother's Day card from Moonbeams Boy Matt .... Isn't he thoughtful !!!!???? a real comedian !!! ) In his defense he also got his Mama a gift card from JoAnn's cause he KNOWS his Mama LOVES to shop for fabric !!! And Moonbeams Boy Evan is in the process of making me a deck chair in his woodshop class !!! (picture to follow after it's finished) ... AND both boys are planning a cookout later today for me and their two grandmothers !!!! I LOVE MY BOYS !!!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!!!!!

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Spring is springing .... (an ode to dandelions ....)

Well happy spring (FINALY) Blogland Neighborhood ! A slight and unexpected lull in the day job schedule today allowed me some time to go outside and "smell the roses" .... well, not exactly (our roses are far from blooming and in need of some TLC and probably a bit of CPR) .... BUT, violets we've got !!! and, since they're not growing in their designated area (i.e. the flowerbed) but have decided to grow all over the yard, I thought it best to pick them before the lawn mowing dept steps all over them and mows them down in their pretty little tracks !



.....and THESE !!!! We've also got LOADS of these !!! In fact, if it weren't for dandelions (aka known as pista beds around here ) we wouldn't have much of a lawn at all !!!






...and really, I think dandelions get a bad rap ... how can you deny the cheeriness of that happy, sunny yellow flower???





......aaaahhhhhhh lovely spring violets in my favorite little vase my mother gave me !














....and here are those pista beds elevated to a new level of elegance in a wine glass vase ...maybe they'll turn that water into dandelion wine !!!




Hope spring is springing where you are and you're able to sneak outside for a few minutes to "smell the roses" or pick a few weeds !
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Tuscaloosa tornado disaster, The after math - how you can help

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood. Usually this blog is my happy little escape from reality, but the destruction and loss of life from all the recent tornados in this country have been devastating. I've been trying to find out how I can help from here in Pa. The son of a friend of mine from high school is a student at the University of Alabama and was there on the day the tornado hit. She spent a few panicked hours trying to get in touch with him. She finally did and thankfully he is OK. She has a facebook page with links to some of the organizations that are helping in Alabama.
UA Tornado Relief and
Toomers for Tuscaloosa

If any of you know of other oganizations , Comfort Quilt projects, or Blogland Craft Benefits to help the tornado victims not only in Alabama, but Georgia, etc. please feel free to leave a comment with the info or a link.

Thankyou!

Be back soon!
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Countdown to the Royal Wedding ....

Hello out there in Blogland ! Kitty has put on her best dress and hat and is counting down the hours until the Royal Wedding .... (let's not tell her that she's not on the guest list and she's standing in front of the wrong church ....)
Anyway, all the best to the Royal couple ....

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Coloring Easter Eggs ....

Happy Easter weekend Blogland Neighborhood! The MBIAJ Drawing Dept has been "coloring" Easter eggs (well, that middle one looks kind of like a polka dotted baked potato ... oh well) .... anyhow, now they're thinking of handing this little drawing over to the MBIAJ Sewing and Stitching Dept for a quick take along applique and / or stitchery project since we'll be away all weekend at ....



Penn State University to cheer on Moonbeams Boy Matt and his fellow Penn State Cycling Team mates at the ECCC Easterns Bike Races ....









... GO MATT !!! GO PENN STATE !!!! (and we're hoping it doesn't pour the entire weekend .... oh well, we just will have to pack our polka dot rain boots and school bus yellow rain slicker !)











.....So, from Kitty and her hopping friends , and from all of the MBIAJ Depts we wish you all a very Happy Easter !!!!








Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Does mending count? (for the Friday Night Sew In)

Happy VERY rainy and blustery Saturday (I guess if you're a duck you're happy). Anyhow, the MIBAJ Sewing Dept was too pooped and disorganized to get any sewing done last night during the actual Friday Night Sew In (aka FNSI) but today they were ON FIRE ....well, if you count mending a hole in Mr. Moonbeam's stretchy biking britches and ....



....piddling around with colored pencils trying to figure out what to do with that jelly roll and ...


...trying to make earth shattering decisions like what to do with this appliqued block AND if the rick rack should go on the dish or not ....then we are DEFINATELY ON FIRE !!! .....well, OK .... so it wasn't the most productive FNSI but at least it involved the sewing machine (mending .... HATE IT!) .... drawing and pretty fabric (LOVE IT!) ... and playing with rick rack (LOVE IT !) Now run along and visit the blogs of the other much more productive FNSI participants while we get back to that big decision about the red rick rack ....

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Be back soon!
Toodles,