Good Saturday Morning! There was no quilting to be done today- I mailed out one quilt yesterday, and two more are waiting to be picked up sometime next week. Since there was no quilting to be done today, we had plenty of time to do many other “Saturday” activities. Noelle is home for the weekend from Wartburg College, and we hope to get started on her quilt either today or tomorrow.

My day started at about 6 o’clock this morning. Our youngest daughter Gene Anne was up early with me preparing for her ACT test she took today. By 7:15, my husband, Todd, and Gene Anne were out the door after having a breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, sausage, oranges, and coffee. Todd was off to the check on our business (Fredericksburg Plumbing and Heating, and Pump Service), like he normally does on Saturday mornings.

I headed north to Polashek’s Locker in Protivin, IA to stock up on meat for the week. We are hoping to grill tomorrow for lunch! On my way back home, I stopped in Waucoma at the Event Center where there was a spring vendor show. I purchased some homemade kolaches from a local baker who donates all proceeds to the American Cancer Society. I also stopped and chatted with Jo Kramer and her daughter, Kalissa (LuLaRoe) who had a vendor booth at the show.

I made pretty good time as I was back home by about 9:30. While I was gone, Noelle started the laundry, and we did about 4 batches today. The clothes went on the washline right away this morning- it was a perfect day for clothes to dry outside!

Most of the meat from the locker went into the freezer, but we kept out some brats to grill for lunch, and some bologna for the noon meal. Noelle and I packed up meals to send to my homeplace, “the farm,” for my brother and parents. At around 10:00, Noelle and I boiled and dyed two dozen Easter eggs to send to my disabled mother. We know that a little something like this will make her smile.
Ironically, as we were dying the eggs, our oldest daughter, Victoria, who works at Field’s Mini of Daytona, Daytona Beach, Florida, helped put on a company Easter egg hunt. Right around 11:00, the FedEx truck brought a batting shipment from Quilters Dream. It’s good to stay stocked up on this, so I always have materials on hand for my customers.

Todd came through at about 11:30, grabbed a brat to-go, and to the farm he went! He is normally home sooner, but today he had two calls to go on- customers without water, so the well pumps had to be pulled and repaired. Every Saturday, after he goes to Fredericksburg, Todd helps my father with the baby calves, cattle, machinery, and anything else that needs to be done on the farm. He typically arrives back home 8:30 pm at the earliest; it all depends on how things went that day!

Gene Anne came home around 12:30 from testing. She grabbed a snack, we switched laundry, and then all three of us headed out on a walk! We went south on the highway, then took the first gravel to the east. Our highway is very busy, so it is safer to take the gravel. We walked past timbers, cattle, farms, horses, and many fields on this particular route. Nearly three miles and 50 minutes later, we were back home! Our to-do list for today was quite long, but it is very important to get out and enjoy the nice weather, get some exercise, and spend some time in the sun!

Upon returning home, we had some lemonade, and then turned our attention to baking. Something you should know about our family… we REALLY like pie! We started with making the homemade pie crust, which is quite simple for us because we do it so often. Recipe to come in a later blog. The first pie to go into the oven was a two-crust cherry pie, one that we are pros at making. The second pie, which was not so easy, was a coconut cream pie. Within the last year, I have been working on finding the right recipe for a coconut cream pie. We have found one we all like, and we’re sticking with it! This was our second time using this particular meringue recipe, and so far it has turned out almost perfect! Both the filling and meringue recipe have several steps to them, and are a little more complicated. We normally go for simple around here, but this finished product is worth it! As you can see, both pies turned out great… dessert tonight and breakfast tomorrow! Pie for breakfast in our home is totally acceptable, in fact, it is encouraged. Do you have any favorite pie recipes in your home?

While the pies were in the oven, Noelle and Gene Anne practiced for Wartburg College Cheerleading tryouts on Sunday. Noelle will be trying our for her final year, and Gene Anne will be trying out for her first year.

Now, the kitchen is cleaned for the third time today, and our busy Saturday is starting to slow down. Hopefully Noelle and I will start her quilt tonight. It may just be pressing the fabric and getting a start on cutting, but we are both excited to start a new project! We are ALWAYS eager to quilt when we get new fabric. Do you start a project as soon as you get the materials?