Christmas Day at Mom and Dads
January 12, 2010 
Dad spent Christmas Eve putting together the Little Tikes Car for Tory. When Misty and the family showed up Christmas, Tory ran straight for her car, threw open the door and hopped on in it…successful Christmas gift giving!!
My brother, Erik and his crew showed up shortly after and we had a houseful! 
Melissa:
Louis:
Jennifer:
Joe:
James:
Holly:
brother Erik:
my darlin Doug:
Mama:
Daddy:
Kylie:
Misty:
George:
Erik & Holly after 5 children and many years together – aren’t they too cute:
ya know there is always at least one in every crowd and this time they are all in the same family 
I tell ya there’s just no respect for the photographer in my family
Christmas Eve at Donna’s
Since Donna and Tim were going out of town after Christmas we headed to their home on Christmas Eve. It was a lot of fun even without Douglas who had to work all except Christmas Eve and Day and he couldn’t make the trip there and back in two days.
The more I look at the indoor pictures the more I hate this camera. I can see a new one in my future….
Andrew, Noah, Donna & Tim
Doug Jr, Doug Sr, Donna
Mei, Dad & Walter
New Year New Look
Happy New Year to all! I haven’t blogged since the end of November and lots has happened since then! I worked madly (crazily) on a quilt for my sister-in-law Holly and shopped like a crazy woman while feeling awful but it all got done, I made my trip to Maryland for Christmas and life was wonderful and included a snowstorm!!! Hallelujah I’ve wanted to see snow for a while now and my wish was granted It was beautiful, it was cold and it only lasted for a few days – perfect!!
The 17th Timothy and I headed to Maryland. I stayed with my sister for the first week and hung out with the nieces and my favorite doberman, Vegas. Friday Tory and I headed to Mom and Dad’s while Misty and Kylie went to the last day of school for the holidays. Of course, Auntie Kim isn’t used to dressing little cherubs for the winter so this is what Tory looked like, she’s such a darling and is just too cute isn’t she?
That night the snow started and continued on until Saturday night, 
(I just love the statue of liberty hat Tory has on)
Misty and the girls back from sledding...
24 hours more or less and 21+ inches later
Birthday Quilt for Margaret
Guild members made blocks for Margaret for her birthday quilt. It was themed from the movie How To Make An American Quilt using blocks that reminded us of Margaret. I made 2 blocks from pics that I got from Margarets blog of Jazz the Jack Russell and Bella the lab. Connie, Dana and I went to Ille’s to work on the quilt. Ille and I had fun the day before going to Intown Quilters to find fabrics for sashing and borders. Kathy from Quilt Shop on the Corner
Augusta Canal
Last Saturday Tim and I took a short boat tour of the Augusta Canal but my camera wasn’t charged so this is the only picture I could get:
So Thursday Tim, the pups and I headed to the canal from the Savannah Rapids side. We walked for 2 miles and turned around for the 2 mile walk back which is farther than I’ve walked it before. It had been awhile too so it was good to see all the natural beauty of the area. One day the pics will be inspiration for a quilt I hope.
your guess is as good as mine. no roof but a locked door go figure…
DOT Post – walking at the canal
Mom is having allergies and is letting me (Charlotte) do this weeks DOT post. These pics were taken last week when we (Charlotte, Wilbur, big brother Tim and mom) went to the Augusta Canal to walk. We walked for 4 whole miles!! Our tongues were hanging out almost to the ground and everybody was limping when we got done!! But we had fun!!
We had fun seeing new sites and smelling new smells and just hanging out with our people. We found a cool stick in the road and we saw birds and turtles but we kept scaring them so mom didn’t get many pictures. We didn’t mind though. Wilbur got excited when he saw the people on bikes, he likes to bite wheels (vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, etc) so Tim had to reign him in when they would go by. He also peed on a lot of stuff but he’s a boy and like that you know. I hope you enjoy our post, maybe mom will let me write again sometime. ~charlotte
In the Kitchen & Late DOT
Tried a couple of new recipes out today. The first is from Earth Fares October Flyer and is called Pasteli:
Pasteli with pistachios
2 cups sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups honey
(optional: ¼ cup of chopped almonds or pistachios)
In a heavy pan, cook the honey and sesame seeds together gently for
about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is golden
brown. Test in cold water – when a soft ball is formed, the sweet is
ready. Pour onto a marble slab or greased pan. Cover with waxed paper.
Use a rolling pin to flatten to about 1/2-inch thickness. As the candy
cools, cut into sticks about 3-inches long and 1/2-inch wide. Wrap the
sticks individually in waxed paper and store in a tin box.
For Halloween: use sturdy metal cookie cutters to create fun shapes.
Get creative!
Note: You can also toast the sesame seeds (and optional nuts) in the oven for an added flavor. Spread them on a baking sheet and place in a moderately pre-heated oven (350°F) for about 5 minutes. Then use in the recipe as noted.
First off, I used pistachios (that’s what I had on hand) and then had to block off the stove from Wilbur (the magician who makes food disappear from the counter tops) and then had to cover it with tinfoil when the cat tried to get into it. You would think we never fed these goofballs but they eat more than any of the rest of us do!!
barricading the treat
I also started my first pot of boiled peanuts! The recipe I used came from simply recipes and follows:
Boiled Peanuts- 1 pound of raw “green” peanuts (not the color green, but fresh raw peanuts which are called green peanuts)
- 1/4 cup kosher salt (or 2 Tbsp table salt)
- 4 cups water
- 2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning, smoked paprika, shrimp boil mix, or even star anise
boiled peanuts in the crock pot
I added Old Bay (a Maryland favorite!) and used the crock pot. I can hardly wait for the finished product
leave the room so i can get to the nuts
does this face look like it would steal food off the counter?
gee Charlotte tell us how you really feel
HAPPY DOT EVERYONE!!
Pieceful Hearts Quilt Show
Every 2 years our guild Pieceful Hearts in N. Augusta, SC has a quilt show at the Activities Center. Here are some pics from the show last weekend.
A few of the Breast Cancer Awareness Bra Challenge, The Blue Footed Booby is Betty Ann Williams and the one next to it is Sandie Duerksens 
more bra challenge entries. Shawntel’s Lily Pad won the viewers choice ribbon
My birthday quilt hanging…I love the WWWQ girls from Monday nights! They did an awesome job!!!
Dallas’ quilt hanging. I have to get it into the mail for her now!! 
Barbara Albrights
Dana Wagner 
Rachael Thomas
Rachel Watson
Margaret Hunt
Peggy Kelly's Road Kill for her grandson
Sharron Walls
Barbara Rose and Sharron Walls at the Members Table
Pat Wooke
Marie Atkinson
Margaret Hunt
Margaret Hunt
Some of our guild members work very hard on quilts for the VA for soldiers, many in wheelchairs. They take the finished quilts down themselves and pass them out and visit with them monthly. I know the soldiers are happy to see their smiling faces
Betty Ann watches Pat Hinkle sew soldiers quilts for the VA in Augusta, GA
Angie Faircloth working on soldiers quilts
Judy Crumpler and Buzzy work on soldier quilts too
Off to Memaws
Tory and I set out early to pick up Tim in Cape St Claire and head back to the eastern shore to Mom & Daddy’s to visit.
Here are pics of Sandy Point State Park on my way west over the bridge
Tory’s new word is ‘I stuck’. It happens when she climbs on chairs and can’t get down or when she is in the car seat and can’t get out…she’s so funny! I heard all the way over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and back ‘I stuck’ of course life was so much better once we went to KMart and she talked Auntie Kim into the big honking pink sucker her mommy always says no to…
How could anyone possibly say no to this precious little face???
ps i bathed her that evening too and boy was she sticky
Brandy, Kristopher and Shawn came down to visit too. I love when I get the grands together and get to hang out. They are growing up so fast and I can’t believe Kristopher is in the 9th grade and taller than Brandy!!
Mom, Dad & Tim…food is always involved in family get togethers!!
Off to Misty’s
After leaving mom and dad’s we headed to Misty’s and Tory, Kristopher and Shawn played bubbles outside while waiting for Kylie to get off the bus from school. 
Then there was swinging
and inside there was chatting
Tim
Brandy
Misty
Later in the day Tory was vegging watching tv in the girls playroom
