Showing posts with label Disneyland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disneyland. Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2019

Goofin' Off With a Little Bit of Time

The year is coming to a close real soon here.  I can't believe how long it's been since I posted.  The past year has been pretty good with my travel advisor job really taking off last summer.  I feel lucky and grateful for that and have been able to check a couple of items off my bucket list this past year in addition to planning vacations for clients.

We had a new addition to the family in 2019..thanks to Mr. Goofin' Off.  Hubby knew the minute he saw it that he wanted it and what he wanted to name it (yes hubby likes to name his cars).  It has been named Nemo.  Although we've had Nemo for a number of months now, he's actually only been driven a few times.  Nemo has needed a lot of tinkering and Mr. Goofin' Off loves to tinker with cars.  It's a win-win!

Image may contain: car and outdoor
Welcome to the family, Nemo!


As I write this post and reflect back on this past year, I am reminded of a little whimsical prose written by Dr. Seuss:


How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?
--Dr. Seuss

The year has flown by.  The holidays are upon us.  As I have pondered the past 11 months, I am grateful for all the wonderful things that have happened.  But I have also felt a large hole in my life where my quilting, stitching, charity work and blogging were.  My time has been limited by my new career as well as helping in taking care of my dad.  

Since my mother passed away last year, my dad has needed a lot of extra time.  Early in the year we moved him into assisted living.  Then we began the task of getting his home ready for sale.  This was a monumental job because my parents had lived there for over 50 years and raised five kids there.  I like to tell people my mother was an organized hoarder.  It was unbelievable how much stuff she had managed to tuck away under beds and oozing out the dozens of closets throughout the 2700 sq. ft. house.  It was all good stuff and in brand new condition.  She liked to purchase clothing and knitting and sewing projects through catalogs.  It would have taken her several lifetimes to complete all the projects that she had bought.  I guess a lot of us quilters, cross stitchers, or whatever type of crafter you are, can relate to this (I write as I stare into my closet overstuffed with fabric).  It literally took us weeks of working 20 to 40 hours a week to go through everything and get all the items that were donate-able donated.  

Then this fall my father fell in his assisted living apartment and broke a hip.  He spent time at the hospital, then three weeks at a rehab center.  This time, he really needed more help when he left, so we found a fantastic group home for him.  My brother and I had toured a number of homes and this was the only one we felt good about.  We were so grateful that they were able to take my dad on and for the care and compassion he receives there.  

Professionally, this year has been great, too.  The month of July I booked more travel for people than I had the entire year before.  I now have money coming in each month.  I have met people at conferences and through my travels that have become great new friends.

I've even checked some things off my bucket list.  For Halloween, I went to Disneyland with my two sisters.  I dressed up as Edna Mode to go trick-or-treating at Disneyland.  What a fun experience!


BUT...


...there has been next to no time to quilt or cross stitch or work on charity projects.  I just don't feel complete at the moment.  I am committed to doing better in the coming year.  I'm coming at 2020 with full steam ahead.  I'm so excited to see what I can accomplish this coming year.  

All About My Time and Priorities

I know that in order to give myself more time for things that are important to me--and absolutely necessary for me to keep my sanity when things get insane--I must start making some time for myself to do the things that I enjoy.

I've already gone and purchased my planner for next year.  I understand that everyone's day has 24 hours...that's 1,440 minutes...which is 86,400 second.  Once a day is gone, we can't borrow against yesterday's hours...or trade for tomorrow's minutes.  I need to make be sure to prioritize my days to get the most out of my time for them.  I've got to plan better to be sure that the things I want to get done have the time allotted for them and not just wait for "spare time" to magically appear.  

My 2020 Planner and Pretty Pens to Get Me Started
In the past, I've been able to reshuffle priorities to be able to accomplish what I want to...like charity quilts and cross stitch projects...especially Disney projects.  It's time to get back to that.  I know if I'm willing to invest more to quilting and stitching that I'll be able to get some sanity back in my life.  

In order to feel like I've had a successful 2020, I know I'll need to find a better balance that will keep me on track to finish some projects and start some new ones.  I'll try to keep you updated on this journey (although blog posts will probably be the best indicator).  I look forward to jumping back into the swing of things.  Now for a pictorial show of how much I have (or maybe "haven't" is a better word) accomplished this year.  

Time for Quilting in 2019?


This is where I left off at the beginning of the year.  I had picked out these fabrics for my first (and apparently only) quilt of 2019.  I had cut out all 624 pieces and...that's where I stopped until about June when we finished getting my Dad's house ready for sale.  

By the end of June I had managed to sew a few pieces together:  

Where I left off last summer.

It felt great to sit behind the sewing machine and piece together these triangles.  But that was the last time I sat behind my sewing machine.  Because in mid-July, my business really took off.  I'm not complaining about my business.  I have lots of fun helping people plan their vacations.  It's a real win-win for both my clients and myself.  

As things quieted down a little at the beginning of Fall, I had my first conference to attend (in Florida, of course), a wedding to attend in Portland, Oregon, my dad took a tumble and broke his hip, we had to find a new place for my dad and get him moved in, and then hubby had a conference (back to Florida).  I just haven't managed to get my sewing machine back out.  It's time to take back control of my life and get back in the sewing room.  

Stitching Time...


Now I have managed to get a little stitching in.  And this is where I am now with my Mickey and Pirate friends cross stitch piece.  Hey, any progress is still progress in my book.  Right?  


So thanks a million for following me through this journey of my 2019.  Now it's time for me to put some time management skills to work and find more hours for the activities that will bring me some sanity.

I look forward to reconnecting and keeping up with all of you, my friends.  Wishing you all a Happy Holidays for all of the great things that you are celebrating this coming month and into 2020.  

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Goofin' Off into 2019

I was just looking back at my last post way back in August, and I once again realize how precious my blogging family is to me.  It's been a surreal few months since I last posted, but the Goofin' Offs are back in business and ready to reconnect.

Quick update on my projects for those that come here just for the cross stitching and quilting eye candy.  I am looking forward to having more time this coming year to work on my projects.  I really, really missed having a lack of time last year.

Here is where I left off my last post with Mickey and Pirate Friends Cross Stitch:

Mickey & Pirate Friends CS 08/02/2018
and here is where I am today:
Mickey & Pirate Friends CS 01/08/2018
Yay!  We have a skull and crossbones.

I'm afraid to say I didn't take pictures of my last quilt finish.  I have begun being better about taking pictures again.  So here are the fabrics I picked out for my current project.  Sorry, there aren't any Disney fabrics in this one.  All but one of the fabrics were graciously gifted to me by my mother-in-law.  

Fabrics for Quilt #1 of 2019

I spent some time during the holidays cutting out all of these pieces for the quilt center--all 624 of them.  I'm not sure if this will be a record for me or not.  I know many of you do centers with thousands of pieces, but I am just not there yet.  It's not a competition, right?  It's about the journey.

Quilt #1 of 2019 - 624 Pieces Cut for Center of Quilt

Now for a quick update on the happenings of the Goofin' Offs.  My last post found me spending time with my mother who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  At that time, she had been given about another month and a half.  Mr. Goofin' Off had a conference being held at the Disneyland Hotel, so of course I decided to join him.  My mother insisted that I not miss the trip.  She loved to travel and made it clear that no matter what happened, no one was to cancel a trip during her illness.

While Mr. Goofin' Off was in classes the first morning, I headed off to check out the Pixar Fest goings on.  Here is the entrance to the newly themed Pixar Pier.  

New Entrance to Pixar Pier

It was really well done.  I spent the morning there taking pictures and journaling.  I found a nice quiet corner and enjoyed the Pixar music in the background and watching the families spending time playing together.  It was a beautiful morning.  Here is a video I put together with the pictures that I took that morning of the new Pixar Pier area.



When I got back to the hotel later that morning, I received a call from my younger sister who was up staying with my parents for a long weekend to help my mom.  My mom had taken a turn for the worse that morning.  They were taking her up to the hospice center to see if they could stabilize her.  From that moment on during the trip, things were pretty somber for us Goofin' Offs.  I debated whether or not to fly back to Seattle to be with my parents and siblings, but whenever I talked to my mother on the phone she insisted I not come home early.  

Lone Bird of Paradise Flower at Disneyland Hotel
Back at The Disneyland Hotel, I found this lone Bird of Paradise flower blooming.  My mother loved this type of flower as it reminded her of some our happiest family vacations to Hawaii.  In some odd way, it provided me comfort throughout the week.  

When we flew home at the end of the week, I went to visit my mother at the hospice center.  She looked extremely weak but wanted to know what new things we had seen.  When we came back the next day, she had lost consciousness.  I am grateful I had that one last conversation with her in person.  The next week was spent waiting with various family members in her hospital room at the hospice center.  They moved her to a nice large room to accommodate our large family.  It had a beautiful view of the the Puget Sound.  My mom always liked a good upgrade, so we embraced this room change as her final upgrade.  She passed away on August 18th.  

My father has Parkinson's and is legally blind.  As you can imagine, we have been spending a lot of time helping with things around his house and making sure he gets dinner every day.  He has finally agreed to get an apartment in an assisted living building.  I am glad he came to this conclusion on his own.  We have to wait for an opening which may take a few months.  However, this gives us a chance to start helping him clean and prepare for the move.  We are hoping his move will help take some of the pressure off of the family and help things get back to a normal state of being.  

So now you have all the updates.  I am excited be back and am glad that things are getting back to a new "normal."  I can't wait to re-engage with all of you.  

Love,  Mrs. Goofin' Off

Linking Up With:  




Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Goofin' Off and Wondering Where Did October Go?

I can't believe we're closing in on the end of October already. The Goofin' Offs have been having a great month and staying busy. It has definitely cut into my project time, but that's life I suppose.

Thanks to all of those who wished me well on my last post about an exciting possibility for me. I have had several magical opportunities present themselves lately. But the one I am most excited about...well, I got a call and have made it to the next level of interview. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that it all goes well.

I have not had as much time to sew lately, but I have managed to get the first two sets of borders on the Woody/Toy Story Quilt.

Woody/Toy Story Quilt With First Set of Borders

Woody/Toy Story Quilt With Second Set of Borders

The colors are coming together so well. It's such fun fabric to be working with. I love all the new Disney fabric lines that Camelot Fabrics has been coming out with lately...so many fabrics, so little time.

I managed to get another section completed on the Mickey and Pirate friends cross stitch. 

Mickey and Pirate Friends Cross Stitch as of 10/25/2017

Looking at Goofy's bright eyes never, ever, ever gets old.

Mr. Goofin' Off and I haven't had a chance to carve pumpkins yet. I was thinking about this the other day and looking up some fun designs on Pinterest. There are so many cool designs. But I found some really fantastic Disney designs with carving templates right on Disney's family.disney.com website.

Check out this Goofy pumpkin!

Image Credit:  Family.Disney.Com

Hope I can talk Mr. Goofin' off into carving this one.

It reminds me of the pumpkins we saw at Disneyland a few weeks ago. Oh, how I miss my Disney right now. So let me share a few more pictures of the Disneyland pumpkins.

Donald Pumpkin Greeting Guests at Disneyland

Minnie and Pluto Pumpkins Greeting Guests at Disneyland

Mickey Pumpkin Greeting Guests at Disneyland

Thanks again for letting me indulge myself with my Disney goofiness.  Are you carving pumpkins this year? If so, what will your pumpkin look like? I'd love to know in the comments. I'd enjoy some pumpkin-carving inspiration.

Have a magical day, my friends!

For more stitching, quilting, and crafting inspiration, I'm linking up to:
Needle and Thread Thursday

Friday, October 6, 2017

Goofin' Off With a Splash of Color and Some Disneyland Pics

October has begun. This year, I feel it's kicking off the holiday season...beginning with Halloween. When we got to play at Disneyland a few weeks ago, they were beginning to decorate for Halloween. I've been going through my pictures and decided to share a few at the end to kick off the Halloween season here in the Goofin' Off house.

But I know many of you just come for all the quilting and stitching goodies, so I'll get started there first. A few weeks ago I decided to participate in my first quilt along. This quilt along is being hosted by Myra at Busy Hands Quilts. The name of this quilt along is Black and White with a Splash of Color. I chose to participate because the rules were pretty easy and progress is only posted every two weeks. It has just begun, so if you want to join in, it's not too late. 

My Splash of Color Fabrics

The only rule is that:  "Your quilt must be black and white with a splash of color, any color." You can see the fabrics I have chosen to use. As you can see, I've chosen blue as my splash of color. The picture is a bit misleading as I will just be using just some scraps and leftovers of blues from previous quilts. However, I will be using almost 3 yards each of the white and black fabrics that I pulled from my stash. This project should be a good stash and scrap buster.

If you're just now finding my blog through the quilt along, please feel free to follow me. I love meeting new people and making new friends.

Mickey Mug Inspiration

This Mickey mug became the inspiration for the fabrics I chose and the pattern I'll be using for the quilt top. The pattern is called "Wine Country" and comes from the December/January 2017 edition of McCall's Quick Quilts.

Mickey and Pirate Friends Cross Stitch as of 10/06/2017

I got another small section finished on Mickey and Pirate Friends. I am beginning to see Goofy's pirate beard begin to take shape. I am still anxiously awaiting to see some of his pirate friends appear. This continues to be a lot of fun to work on despite all the constant changing of thread colors.

Disneyland Halloween Pictures Ahead

This is the first year in a while that I have actually been excited for Halloween. I am guessing it has something to do with the fact that when we were at Disneyland a few weeks ago, they were getting things all gussied up for this fun holiday. I snapped some pictures. Here are some pictures from the Cars Land area at Disney's California Adventure.

Giant Spider Hung Between Power Poles

A Spooky Face Hung Between Power Poles

I love the Cars Land area of the parks. If you have seen the movies, as you walk through this area, it feels as if you are actually walking through the movie itself. It is fantastic. 

Baby Tractor Dressed as Mummy

This adorable baby tractor was all dressed up as a mummy at Mater's Petting Zoo. 

Movie Posters That Have Been Re-Done With a Cars Theme

These Were So Much Fun to Read

Even the characters from the Cars movie were all dressed up for Halloween.

Mater All Dressed Up as Dracula

The small details of the Halloween theme were everywhere. Take a look at this adorable pumpkin patch...all made from gasoline cans. 

Pumpkin Patch of Gasoline Cans

It's given me a few ideas for Halloween decorations at the Goofin' Off house. I have a feeling I will be checking out Pinterest this weekend for a few more ideas.

Do you do anything special for Halloween?  Feel free to leave a comment and let me know. 

For More Stitching, Quilting, and Other Crafting Goodness, Follow the Links Below to Some of My Favorite Link Parties:

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Goofin' Off With the Start of Fall 2017

Mr. Goofin' Off kept telling me earlier this week that he felt like someone had flipped a switch and it had gone from summer to fall in a snap. The weather is cooler, the skies are gray, and the days are definitely getting shorter. Well, I guess officially it is fall now.

With the first days of fall, I am brought back to my days as a little girl. My father worked a late shift, so often my mother would often bake at night after we went to bed while she waited for my dad to get home from work. In the fall, I would sometimes wake up to the smell of pumpkin bread...mmm...pumpkin bread. That memory inspired me to make some of my favorite pumpkin muffins this week.

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
1.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. 
2.  In a second bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and vegetable oil. 
3.  Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened. 
4.  Fold in chocolate chips.  
5.  Fill muffin cups approximately 2/3 full. 
Bake approximately 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. 

Makes approximately 20 to 24 muffins. 

There is just something that smells so good about pumpkin muffins fresh out of the oven. I found a recipe a few years back that tasted very similar to my mother's recipe. I tweaked it a little so that I could add chocolate chips to the recipe. My family loves them, so they don't last very long around here.

Pumpkin Goofy!

I have added a gratuitous Goofy jack-o-lantern picture here from our trip to Disneyland because well...it's Goofy...and it's a pumpkin.

I found myself with some time yesterday and got my next quilt all cut out. Here are the pieces for the blocks.  


Pieces for Block A

Pieces for Block B

Pieces for Block C

Pieces for Block D

I love this fabric of Woody from Toy Story.  This will be one of at least three Toy Story quilts that I'll be making from the Toy Story fabric that I've purchased.  The pattern I am using is from the book Modern View 3 Yard Quilts by Donna Robertson of Fabric Cafe. I ordered it Monday from Amazon, and it arrived on Wednesday. Gotta love Amazon Prime. 

Modern Views with 3-Yard Quilts by Donna Robertson

I already have about half a dozen of Donna's quilt patterns but none of the patterns in this book. Each pattern uses 1 yard each of three different fabrics. These are the perfect size for the charity quilts I make. The bonus of this book that I hadn't expected was that the book gave instructions on enlarging the quilts to twin and queen/king toppers.

Well, it's time to get in gear and work on the fall cleaning, baking, and getting those Christmas checklists started. Yes, I said it. I said "Christmas". It's going to be here before I know it, and I need to be prepared.

Let me know below. Are there any foods that remind you of the fall months? What are your favorites? I'd love to hear about them...and maybe drool a little bit over them.

Link Parties I've Joined - Just Click the Link to See More Crafting Eye Candy

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Goofin' Off With the Winds of Change

I can't believe it has been almost three weeks since my last post. The past three weeks have been crazy, but it all came out great in the end. If you have been following me for some time, you'll know that we have had five weddings of nieces and nephews this summer. Well, the final wedding was a destination wedding...to the Caribbean...on a cruise ship. Well, Hurricane Irma changed those plans a few days before we were to leave. But more about that later...

Because things have been so crazy, I haven't been at my sewing machine much the past few weeks. I did manage, however, to put those last borders on my Gingerbread Square Dance quilt. You can see the finish below. 

Gingerbread Square Dance Completed Top

Now it's time to work on the Toy Story quilts for the happy couple that got married in July with the Toy Story themed wedding. They will be two lap size quilts to keep them warm while studying (or watching TV or playing video games) this winter. 

Here is the first set of fabrics that I've put together. I hope to be cutting into them in the next 24 hours. My rotary cutter is just itching to get picked up and slice through some fabrics. 

Fabrics for Woody/Toy Story Quilt

I did manage to get a bit of stitching on Mickey and Pirate Friends. It seemed an easier project to pick up and put down while all the travel changes were going down. Page 1 of ??? has been completed. I can see all of Goofy's eyes now.

Mickey and Pirate Friends Cross Stitch as of 09/20/2017

As I mentioned above, Hurricane Irma decided to make herself known a few days before we were to leave for our Caribbean cruise. We were given the choice of taking a shortened cruise leaving four days late or canceling and getting our money back in the form of a cruise credit. The entire group that was going on the cruise decided to just cancel as there was no way we would be able to make it into Fort Lauderdale to catch our cruise ship. The flights were all booked up.

That gave us just a few days to make alternative plans. The wedding party was able to come up with an entire new plan in less than 48 hours. We would still be "cruising", only it wouldn't be on a cruise ship, and it wouldn't be to the Caribbean. It was decided that the wedding would be held in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. 

Victoria from the Front of the Fairmont Empress Hotel

We all boarded the Victoria Clipper in Seattle on Monday, September 11th, at way too early of a time in the morning. It was a beautiful three-hour trip up to Victoria and a sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70s. 

Let me just say here that when the Fairmont Empress in Victoria heard the story of the wedding plans being spoiled by Hurricane Irma, they were extremely accommodating. They allowed the wedding to take place in one of their flower gardens for no charge. They upgraded the room of the happy couple and made room for our large group to enjoy lunch together after the wedding. 

The Fairmont Empress is extremely beautiful and exquisite. Here are a couple of pictures I took of the lobby area. 

Mr. Goofin' Off on the Lobby Balcony in His Caribbean Wedding Atire

Lobby of the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, BC

The picture doesn't do this chandelier justice. It had to have been one of the most elegant chandeliers I've ever seen. And those fresh flowers just smelled so wonderful. 

After the wedding and lunch, Mr. Goofin' Off wanted to check out the miniature museum which was behind the hotel. We spent about an hour there. I think Mr. Goofin' Off probably could have spent another two hours there, but we had my mom with us, and I don't think her feet and legs would have held out as there was nowhere to sit down. We walked the waterfront for a while, and then went to catch the Victoria Clipper back to Seattle. 

After we got back home, we now had some airline miles that had been refunded back into our account and five days left of vacation that Mr. Goofin' Off had taken off of work. So what do you think the Goofin' Offs did?  I'll give you a hint...

Our Change in Vacation Plans Thanks to Hurricane Irma

You can look forward to a few pictures from our trip over the next couple of posts. As always, thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment or question below. 

*As a side note here, I just want to mention how much my heart hurts for those recovering from all the hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes. The Goofin' Offs send our prayers and good thoughts to anyone suffering from the devastation.*

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Goofin' Off With a Mid-Summer Breather

We've officially passed the mid-summer point here in the Pacific Northwest. We don't measure the summer by school calendars here but by the weather. We generally have sunny weather June through September, so that's what I consider as summer.

If you've been following my blog much, you'll know that we've had a busy summer so far. I decided to take a breather and reflect on what we were doing a year ago before proceeding with the rest of the summer...(spoiler alert:  it involves a destination wedding).

I got to spend some time the past couple of days cutting up the strip sets for my Gingerbread Square Dance quilt. There were a lot of these little blocks, but it was so much quicker than if I had had to sew the strips on each individual block...

Cut Strip Sets for Gingerbread Square Dance

But, then again, now I have to add the strips to the sides of the blocks, so I did make some progress and got one of the sides sewn onto each of the blocks.

Side Strip Sewn to Gingerbread Square Dance Block

I decided it was also time to pull Mickey and Pirate Friends back out and do a little stitching on it. I made a little bit of progress on it. I am working towards a page finish for the chart at the moment.

Mickey and Pirate Friends as of 08/27/2017

As I was going through what was happening a year ago today, I came across these pictures and realized that it had been exactly one year since we had been to Disneyland. It was a great vacation with just me and my two boys. We called it our "first-class vacation." I had been setting aside money from each paycheck to upgrade this vacation.

Mrs. Goofin' Off and Goofin' Off, Jr. - First Class Lounge

I upgraded our seats to first class...which wasn't as expensive as one might think between Seattle and Disneyland. We all enjoyed the first class lounge and grabbed some breakfast while we waited for our flight.

Mr. Goofin' Off and I hunted down the infamous Club 33 doorway. One day...maybe one day...we'll get to eat here and check it off our Disney bucket list. For the time being, a picture will have to do. I've heard of people making vision boards of goals and dreams...maybe I should make one with this at the center. 

Mr. & Mrs. Goofin' Off Outside Club 33 - Somebody Please Let Us In

Mr. Goofin' Off and Goofin' Off, Jr., really enjoy their churros.  Imagine how thrilled they were when we encountered this churro cart. Six different flavors of churros. I don't remember which flavor was purchased, but I do remember it was enjoyed very, very much. 


Some people search out pictures of hidden Mickey's while they're at Disneyland. Not us. Mr. Goofin' Off is always looking for pictures of Goofy. We found one at the Disneyland Hotel. Maybe one day we'll eat here...another Disney bucket list item. 

Mr. Goofin' Off Found a Goofy to Take a Picture With

Going through these pictures has me thinking about vision boards. I had started one a while back and didn't get very far. Maybe it's time to get serious and put one together of just my Disney bucket list items...including Disney projects I'd like to do. Hmm...

Have you ever done a vision board? I'd love to hear if you have and if you have any pointers. The nine months of gray weather will be here soon, and anything I can do to brighten up my office/sewing room will help me through those months. 

Thank you for stopping by today! Please feel free to leave me a comment or send me a message. I consider you all my friends, and I always love hearing from you.