ICE Storm

I come from a land of a lot of snow...the greatest snow on earth, actually..... UTAH!!

Snow has never intimidated me, or kept me from going out and getting things done.
However, the ice that we experience in Missouri is not snow! It's a death defying roller coaster with no brakes!! Just leaving the driveway is near impossible! You would think this would be a problem, but nope!! I just soak it in. We play games, watch movies, sew, and craft! The Redford's look forward to a good ice storm or freezing rain because it helps us slow down and enjoy each other!!
The last two weekends we have been "iced in" and I have ZERO complaints!!

2020...welcome!!

2020 began wonderfully with sunny skies, time with family and some quilting!!

We are excited for all the new adventures 2020 will bring us and all the new guests and familiar faces too!

Expect to see a few things from us in 2020

• Cameron will head out on his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - he reports to the mission on February 19th and will serve 2 years in the Czech Slovak Mission!
• Phase 2 of the Pond Project
• A brand new garden spot and some delicious fruits from our trees!
• A zipline in the backyard
• A dirt bike track (way out back)
• Dakota is hoping to complete a few quilts!
• She is also hoping for a little bit of renovation on a treehouse closet!
• More baby animals-hoping for puppies!!
• Phase 2 of the Missouri Quilt Museum --so excited!

Here we go-join us!!

The businesses in Hamilton have a lot planned as well. Here are just a few of the activities planned:
VISIT HAMILTON MISSOURI 2020

JANUARY    18            “Snowed In” Craft Day- Hamilton Event Center
                       1-31     “Snowed In” Quilt Show- Missouri Quilt Mus.
FEBRUARY 15 th         Lakeview Mouse Races
                      29 th         Men’s Chili Cookoff
MARCH       13th       “Feeling Lucky” Pot of Gold Treasure Hunt
                     1-31       Good as Gold Quilt Show- Missouri Quilt Mus.
APRIL          4 th       Pothole Festival
                     11th       Easter Hunt & Celebration
MAY            16 th           Butterfly Festival
                     1-31       Butterfly Quilt Show – Missouri Quilt Museum
JUNE           11-12 th     Missouri Star Academy
                     10-13th   Chalk the Block -Missouri Quilt Museum
JULY            4 th         Hamilton Celebrates 4 th of July
                     3rd       Old Glory Craft Day - Hamilton Event Center
                    1-31   Land that I Love Quilt Show – Missouri Quilt Museum
AUGUST    14-16 th   NW MO Steam and Gas Engine Show
                    1-31st    Block the Block Quilt Show - Missouri Quilt Mus.
SEPTEMBER 24-25 th     Missouri Star Quilt Birthday Bash
                    25-26 th     J. C. Penney Days
                    26 th     Hamilton .1K Marathon
                    26 th     Hamilton “Anything Goes” Car Show
OCTOBER 1-31     Scarecrow Festival/Contest
                   17-18 th   Steam & Gas Engine Fall Festival
                    5-31       “Pumpkin Patch” Quilt Exhibit
NOVEMBER 1-30       Scarecrow Festival
                    1-14       “Pumpkin Patch” Quilt Exhibit
DECEMBER 5 th Christmas Expo
                       5 th Hamilton Holiday Home Tour
                    5th, 12, 19th Christmas Quilt Show – Missouri Quilt Museum
                    16-20th Hamilton Christmas Creche Display - Hamilton Event Center


Visit Hamilton at: www.visithamiltonmo.com

ATTRACTIONS: Missouri Star Quilt Company – 12 different quilt shops!

J. C. Penney Museum

J. C. Penney Boyhood Home
Missouri Quilt Museum
NW MO Steam & Gas Engine Grounds
Hamilton Butterfly Park
Highway 13 Butterfly Trail
World’s Largest Spool of Thread

A gift from the heart!

I have the best guests! FOR REAL!! I enjoy what I do every day because of the people I do it for! My family and I are so blessed to rub shoulders with really good people, every day of our lives, in our own home. They come in as strangers and leave as family. We really enjoy our guests.

This gift from one of our guests, Rae from Colorado Springs, arrived in the mail the other day. This beautiful artwork was custom created for our family after her stay with us. The back says "Made with love for the Redford Family. Love Rae. Sego Lilly-Utah State Flower & White Hawthorn-Missouri State Flower" 

Rae and her husband Nate stayed with us for her birthday. He spoiled her while she was here with cute flowers from Tracy at Twig's Rust & Dust and Chocolate covered strawberries from Nellie's Sweet Shoppe. Then, she spoils me with this beautiful artwork!

I will be completely Honest with you...I cried, a lot. What a thoughtful gift! I am searching for the perfect frame because I will TREASURE IT ALWAYS!

Lego Sewing Machine Fundraiser

Missouri Quilt Museum is the official museum for quilts in the State of Missouri. It is located at 300 East Bird Street in Hamilton, Missouri.

The building was erected in the early 1900's then taken down by fire in 1917. It was reconstructed and opened again in 1921 and was used as a school house until 2009.

Ryan and Dakota Redford purchased the building in 2018 with the intention of opening the quilt museum. In addition to 3 Quilt Galleries it will also house a SAD iron exhibit, Toy Sewing Machine exhibit, Antique Machine exhibit including treadles, a thimble exhibit-donated by RV Quilters, and other notions as well as Spinning Wheels, Looms and other textile novelties.

Also planned is a sewing themed miniature golf course, Hummingbird Garden, and already on site The World's Largest Spool of Thread sponsored by Aurifil Thread. The museum is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019.

As with any other non-profit organization the museum will rely on public donations and corporate sponsorships to cover its construction and operating costs. Look for fundraising opportunities on Hamilton's Community Calendar.

There is no question that the Redford boys are entrepreneurs. They love to come up with business ideas and ways to earn extra money for their activities. When they decided to build Lego Sewing Machines to raise funds for the Missouri Quilt Museum, I have to say I was pretty proud! What a great idea!

After many prototypes and a lot of fun in the Lego bins, they designed a beautiful machine!

Each machine is roughly 2.5 x 2.5 inches in size. They are made up of  22 Lego Bricks. They can be purchased loose to build it yourself or already constructed for a DONATION of $25 or more to the Missouri Quilt Museum

To purchase a Lego Sewing Machine or for other donations to the Missouri Quilt Museum please visit www.missouriquiltmuseum.com

Thoughtful gift

Today in the mail I received this beauty!

This piece of art was designed with my family in mind. The inscription on the back says 

" Made with love for the Redford Family. 

Sego Lilly- Utah State Flower

White Hawthorn- Missouri State Flower"

I have said and always will say "I have the best guests". But, it's not just something I say. I wholeheartedly believe that I do. They prove it every day! They are kind, thoughtful, generous, funny, good people. 

Rae and her husband Nate stayed with us two weeks ago. They are absolutely delightful! 

I am so grateful Rae decided to create this for us. And I am grateful that God knew it would be a good day for me to receive it. He is good. 

Thank you Rae, this I will treasure always, along with your friendship!

True LOVE

Les & Joyce Schroeppel

THIS!! These two people right here. THIS is what life is ALL about! 

Do you know that my grandparents have 11 children, 51 grandchildren and pushing 100 great grands? WHAT!? How? I will tell you how, LOVE. 

My grandparents share LOVE with each other and everyone else too. They serve. They give. Why? Their love for their Savior, Jesus Christ. That's it!

If I learn anything in this life is to love the Lord they way they showed thru word and action. 

Grandpa has been gone almost 8 years now, but grandma just keeps plugging along. She knows that Christ will bring her back with her husband again someday. So she keeps loving, she keeps serving and we are blessed to have her example, laugh and embrace each day of this journey. Love you Grandpa and Grandma and Thank You!

Melt my momma heart!

Missouri Star Quilt Company prints a wonderful publication multiple times a year called Block Magazine. Block is AMAZING!!! Not only is it printed on quality paper, it is full color, it has 10 quilt patterns and stories about quilting, life and happiness! 

Every so often, I get a call from the Photography team asking if they can shoot at the B&B, hotel, etc. for Block. I always say "yes!" how fun! There have been two such occasions that they didn't want the location, but my kids!! And of course, that is a resounding YES!

Charlie and Jack had the opportunity to be in the most recent BLOCK. 

I absolutely LOVE how Mike captured their expressions in this picture. 

ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS!!!

Last time they did a shoot they got to eat donuts during the shoot. This time, play video games. They were much obliged! Hard work!!

What a fun opportunity for these boys. Jenny signed their copies of Block and they love them. Thank you MSQC and their photography team! 

Oh and Natalie edits the Block and I absolutely adore her. So there's that!!

Jenny on the Road to Texas!

Jenny on the Road!! Waco, Texas

It was so fun having all the kids with us on this trip. These littles had a blast together and of course, were completly enamoured with Jaylynn. She is the best!

Smart enough to take a quick picture of Meg with the boys. I don't know how, though, that these are the only pictures I captured all day!?! We were hopping, it was awesome!

So, we drove down to Waco to volunteer with Missouri Star Quilt Company for Jenny's on the Road trunk show. Two packed houses of guests! Jackson and Charlie were greeters to hold the doors and say hello! Cameron, Brandon and Ryan were parking attendants. ( A TON OF CARS!) and I helped with Registration. I had a small panic attack mid-day when I counted the tshirts and we were short nearly 75 shirts!! Then, Meg calmed me down, said the Lord always makes it work out, and walked away! WHAT!? How could she be so calm. About 30 minutes later we found another case of shirts and the crisis was averted. How does she do that!? 

Between the two shows we helped clean the theater and restock the pop up shop for the next group of attendees. I really like helping stock the merchandise. After the second show, I helped shout out the daily deal and sell "on the road exclusive" quilt kits. SO FUN!

After all the guests had gone we began the task of take down. The boys were a ton of help with this and we were so glad to have their young energetic souls to push us to get it done and of course their muscles to haul it out. All the MSQ employees kept commenting on how much faster it went with the boys help!

I am so glad that I could go help. I am SOOO glad when we get to volunteer and see Meg in action, she is amazing! And of course, watching Jenny in her trunk shows is absolutely a blast! So, yes, we had a great time and were glad we could go and volunteer!

Texas Waffles

It may sound silly but finding a hotel with waffles shaped like TEXAS!?! One of the highlights of our trip!! LOL.

 As you can see we made quite a few of these beauties. We couldn't get enough! Is it possible that Texas shaped waffles taste better than regular waffles? Maybe!!

 We surely enjoyed continental breakfast at our hotels for the first few days. Then we were ready for a larger variety of cereal, haha!! Either way, having someone make breakfast for me for a change was WEIRD!! Ryan makes breakfast often, especially when we don't have guests at the house, but having someone else make it all together just felt nuts~ most days I just ate a yogurt and granola or a piece of fruit. I was ready to get home to Croissant French Toast and REAL biscuits and gravy..the stuff from the can is nasty, y'all!

Cathedral of Junk

Cameron's Heaven on Earth!

One the list of things to do in Austin Texas, was the Cathedral of Junk.

Right away, we knew this was right up our alley!

Quite literally, this man began stacking and welding junk together in his backyard. Not without a plan, though, as it has openings to come and go throughout. 

There is a section of all yellow items.

I loved that he found enough stuff for color coded sections!

You know me, searching for the sewing machine that has to be in this old stack somewhere!

How did I get a selfie of Nick? I dunno, but I am glad that I did!!

This section is where you can go upstairs to the second and third floors. Yes, this stands 3 stories tall!!

We were just astonished by his totally eclectic and cool tower of junk. He has been amassing the items for years. What started out a lot smaller grew over time. Eventually the city of Austin made him submit plans for the structure and he has to keep a current business license. It is by appointment only, cash donations accepted and appreciated. A fun and quirky touristy stop!

Amazed by You!!

Happy Valentine's Day to my sweetheart!!

There is no question that I am absolutely spoiled rotten! Every day he shows me how someone is supposed to be loved. He treats me the way God see's me, and he helps me to see my own potential. I am so grateful to Ryan for taking a chance on the immature, a little bratty, extremely emotional young lady. He has helped me become who I am today. 

A long way to go but look how far we have come!!

This is a picture of our wedding day, February 5, 2000 at the Mount Timpanogos Temple, American Fork, Utah.

So, now I have to brag on him a little more!! 

Fast forward to February 5, 2019

Here we are, 19 years to the day later! Same temple, same spot, same two hearts that have grown a lot larger and fonder for one another and for God.

For our anniversary Ryan asked me to dress in church clothes; he was taking me to the temple. A few days prior he said he was taking me "overnight to the city for our anniversary". So I packed a bag, put on a dress and out the door we went. About 45 minutes from the house I said "oh no, I don't think I brought my wallet and my temple recommend is in there" He responded with "uhhh, you are going to need your wallet...for more than one reason.

Well, he took me to "the city" (Kansas City, Missouri) where we promptly got on a plane...definitely needed my wallet (During the flight he showed me a 1 1/2 hour slide show; pictures of our lives together with our children. He is so the BEST!) and flew to "the city" (Salt Lake City, Utah) and then drove to our temple!! 

He took me back to the place where we were sealed for time and all eternity on our anniversary even though it is states away!! 

SPOILED!?!?! YES!!

Ryan had printed names from Family Search to take with us to the temple so that we could do family sealings. This allows other families to be eternal. And we did it in the same place that we started our eternal family 19 years previous, almost to the hour!!

After the temple we headed to my mom and dad's bridal shop, Veronica Michaels Bridal, to say hello to them! Good thing, if mom found out we were in Utah, albeit 36 hours, and didn't stop to say hello...TROUBLE!

After visiting with my parents for a bit we headed back to SLC to our hotel, Anniversary Inn. For years (as long as I can remember) I have dreamed about staying in this cute BnB. It is so romantic and each room is themed, LOVE!! We checked in and then headed to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. I got my mainstay.. Thai Lettuce Wraps--oh they make me so happy! YUM! We also enjoyed bread with vinegar and oil (my favorite) and then of course a piece of cheescake. Mango something or other. It was so good!

The night does not end there, no it does not! WICKED!! Yes, he took me to see WICKED. This is the second time on our anniversary that he has brought me to WICKED. He could repeat it every year and I would never, ever complain. I absolutely love this show!

As we were moving about downtown between dinner and show, etc. the snow was falling so gently. Beautiful, like out of a movie, or fairy tale. My own fairy tale! 

We awoke the next morning to over a foot of the white powdery stuff. It was incredibly beautiful but the roads were terrible! He then surprised me with a little time with my bestie, Cindy  Lou Who. We got pedicures and ate at Cafe Rio. I absolutely LOVE Cafe Rio and we do not have ONE in Missouri! Then he picked me back up and whisked me away to some shopping before heading back to the airport. It was an absolutely beautiful way to spend our anniversary. 

When we were dating Ryan sent me a CD of Lonestar with our song "Amazed". I was shocked and totally enamored. He did not listen to or like country music, but for me, he made it ours!

Every time our eyes meet
This feeling inside me
Is almost more than I can take
Baby, when you touch me
I can feel how much you love me
And it just blows me away
I've never been this close to anyone or anything
I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams

I don't know how you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you

The smell of your skin
The taste of your kiss
The way you whisper in the dark
Your hair all around me
Baby, you surround me
Touch every place in my heart
And it feels like the first time every time
I want to spend the whole night in your eyes

I don't know how you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you

Every little thing that you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do, oh
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you

Want to hear the song? Follow this youTube link to their official music video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-skFgrV59A

Ryan I love you so very much! Thank you for choosing me to be the Queen in your kingdom and treating me as such. I love you, my King!! 

Juan in a Million

So, when you are in Texas you look for good Mexican Food. When we heard the name of this place we knew that we couldn't go wrong. I give you  "Juan in a Million"

We were in what most would call a sketchy neighborhood. (That is when you KNOW its gonna be good!) And, then when we arrived to a hole in the wall (another good sign) place, we are golden!

Next sign for a good mexican restaurant is that you are the only light skinned people there including the staff (not trying to be insensitive, but telling you how to find good food). AND BOY OH BOY it was good food! 

The chips were deep fried, perfectly salty and made from scratch. The tortillas, yummo. The salsa made your nose run...yep, that's what I like! Every dish was well made with good size portions. I don't know when we will be in Austin again, but I will definitely make Juan in a Million a stopping place! 

This is my brother Nick. He and his sweet wife live in Austin and we were so happy to spend some time with them there. Unfortunately Nicole was at work when we went to Juan in a Million. I hope Nick treats her to a date there sometime. She would enjoy it!