The Von Soosten girls at Easter - 1960's style (posted by Lorri)

Lorri, Sherry, Kay

I am not sure what year this picture was taken, but I am relatively sure it was at Easter time.  I say that, because we didn't often wear hats, white gloves and store bought dresses.  Can't imagine how long those gloves stayed white that day, but we sure looked spiffy.  You also have to understand that Kay and I have very straight hair.  So, I'm guessing there were some pink sponge rollers involved in the process. 
Having gotten three girls ready for Easter (no white gloves involved), I can remember how much work it took to get everyone ready.  And smiling.

We sure look happy.  Makes me wonder if there was some Easter candy involved. 

Moozilla and Aaron (posted by Kay)

This is my nephew Caedmon's baby quilt.  Even though he is almost l and 1/2, he is still a baby right? Some day I might get something done on time but I won't promise anything.  This quilt was made from a pattern in the book- Out of the Box with easy blocks by Mary Lou Weidman and Melanie Bautista McFarland.  It was fun to make.  Joan Westhoff of Walnut quilted it with stars and loops.   When we were in 4-H, we named all of our 4-H cows.  I had cows named Girlie, Lassie, Eileen, and Barbara plus some other names I can't remember.  (It has been a few years since I have been in 4-H!)  I named this cow Mozilla!  I hope Caedmon likes it!

Kay holding the quilt.  Note the three little chicks on the left (representing the three Crisler kiddos: Adelaide, Atticus and Caedmon)

The back side of the quilt

This is Aaron.  And yes, he is standing next to a diaper cake.  Kelli (the mom-to-be and his lovely wife) had spent the hours previous to the baby shower in the ER, getting IV fluid to combat the stomach flu.  Kelli and little Miss Huser (still in utero) are doing fine now.  Aaron was nice enough to make a guest appearance at the baby shower, as Kelli just wasn't up to it at that point.  Kay is already planning the baby quilt for this newest addition to our family.

Help! I can't stop!!! posted by Sherry

My latest obsession, my first four owls

I need help. I started making something and I can't stop.  Did you ever have this problem?  I saw these  stuffed woolen owls on line and just loved them. They are made with recycled wool from old sweaters, coats, etc.  I ordered the pattern and made one. My original plan was to make one for each of the grandchildren for Valentine's day with a tag saying "Owl love you forever"    Everyone I showed the owl to liked it so I decided to cut out some more. I have been stockpiling and felting wool for a while, picking up sweaters, skirts, blazers, jackets from the thrift store.  I also scored some wool yardage at a retired PSU home economic professor's auction.  I have used some here and there for small projects; wool pincushions, purses, stockings, etc. I do have quite a variety now.  So I drug it all out and started cutting.  It was so much fun, planning out all the  possibilities and different patterns.  Pretty soon I had cut out 10 owl bodies and multiple wings, faces, eyes, ears, etc. And now every night I am sewing together eyes, wings, and hoods on owl bodies.  I get one done and just have to make another one.  Right now I have 8 owls sitting in my living room looking very wise. I have two more bodies ready to be stuffed and one body almost full.  I ran out of stuffing again. I bought 3 bags last Saturday.  Did you know a bunch of owls is called a Parliament? They are so cute. My plan now is to sell them. Don't know whether the grandchildren will get one or not.  I'm not even sure I can part with them.  They are just too cute.   Oh my, I sound like a crazy person don't I?  I told you I needed help.  But if you come to help me, bring a bag of stuffing. 

Aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen? 

Odds and Ends (posted by Lorri)

There is no real theme for this post, just some odds and ends from my camera.

Falling leaves turn into............

 

Snowmen.

Caedmon eating a cheeseburger at McDonalds. He sure does like cheeseburgers. Mark and I got to keep all three grandkids one evening and night.  We all had a good time.

Stephanie (due May 13), me (aka Grandma Lorri), Kelli (due Feb 25)

Family Christmas Photos by Sherry

This good looking bunch of young people are our mom and dad's grandchildren.  Some Christmas's when we could actually all get together, (before jobs, marriages, moves across the country, etc.)  we would try to remember to take a picture of all the kids.  I'm not sure what year this was, maybe 1998?  Its the oldest one I could find. I'm sure we have some of when they were younger, but not that I could find.  This year was a very rare occasion where we had most of the grandkids and all the great grandkids  at Grandma and Grandpa's for Christmas.  So we had to take a picture, right?  Well its a whole lot easier to take a picture of 7 young people ages 9-21 that it is to take one of 7 children ages 6 and under.  I ended up taking 18 different shots, trying to get the best one,  Yes, the first one or two was the best, it all went down hill after that.  But its pretty darn entertaining to see the others.  First let me introduce you to the beautiful children.  My grandchildren include Spencer, age 6, Caroline, age 5, Kendall, age 4, and Gavin, age 20 months.  Lorri's grandchildren are Adelaide, 5, Atticus, 3, and Caedmon, 15 months.  Here they are: Picture #1, and picture # 15. 

Back row:  Carolin, Adelaide Spencer; Front Row:  Atticus, Gavin, Kendall, and Caedmon

I think they're done.  :)

Pinhead - the Sherry version (as told by Lorri)

One of the fun things about having crafty sisters is getting gifts from them at the holidays.  This year, Sherry made us a new kind of pincushion.  It reminds of a dress form - in non-sewing talk, a manikin to try on clothing you are making. 
Here is a picture:

I think Sherry is missing an opportunity here.  She could photoshop the faces of certain politicians and put it on the head of the pin cushion.  Then, every time that politician does something stupid, you could stick a pin in the torso.  Not just any pin, one of the big, honkin' quilt pins. Cut school funding - stick in a pin.  Cut funding to the arts - stick in a pin.  Cut agricultural funding - stick in a pin. Cut services to the disabled - stick in two pins.  You get the idea. 
Might not get much sewing done, but our blood pressures would probably be wonderful. 
Of course, these would be called - Pinheads.

Family Fun posted by Sherry

My dad taught me how to shoot a gun.  One of my most memorable Christmas presents growing up was a 4-10 shotgun. We used to go squirrel hunting whenever he would take me. I don't remember ever actually getting a squirrel or rabbit but surely i did, or else why did I want to keep going?  Maybe to spend a little time with my Dad?  Little did I know how all this would prepare me for my life as a mother of die hard hunters. It started with b.b. guns, then it was shotguns, compound bows and deer rifles.  They have guns to shoot turkeys, coyotes, quail, geese, ducks, deer, and apparently pumpkins and beer cans.  Yes, my family's necks are a little red. 

My oldest son Jeremy decided to fly home from North Carolina this year for firearm deer season the end of November.  He has come in the past, but most recently just at Thanksgiving and has bow hunted.  This year he was determined to get a nice buck.  It just so happened that my second son, Josh, was coming through here that week too on his way to a conference in Iowa and had a couple of days to spend with his brother.  My youngest son was finishing up his last semester of college so he was around a couple of days too.  And so the killing began.  If you're the least bit squeamish, this is where you should stop reading.  Jeremy had not been in Kansas 12 hours and he had killed his buck.  He was so happy! He took lots of pictures of himself with his deer..