Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear HappyLab!!!!
Happy Birthday to you!
And many more!

You can open your candies now :-)

Happy Birthday, Happylab! Your turn to blow out the candles and open the candies!

https://external-content.duckduckgo....4dc&ipo=images

I have posted the 2023 swap page and will add the names of those who have indicated they want to continue to the 2023 list shortly. 2022 swappers there is still time to join the 2023 group if you are still deciding. The sign-up for next year will close on January 1. I would love to see you all back again.

Pass the word on to your friends, on and off the Quiltingboard. It would be grand to build our group to 20 or 25.

Have the twins arrived? Inquiring minds want to know. :) A quick update sentence would suffice. Praying that all is going smoothly for the whole family.

Hi everyone! No twins yet, and - despite being so uncomfortable and in pain - I am glad. I really don't want them to spend any NICU time! I'm almost 34 weeks, and both babies are measuring the size a of single baby at this time, so I feel bigger than full term. This pregnancy has been my hardest by far. I can't believe it won't be long before I'm a normal size again and will be able to walk probably without limping. My varicose veins have been really bad and I limp everywhere. (We had one scare where the pain was so bad, we thought it might be a blood clot and rushed to the hospital to get it looked at. Thank heavens it wasn't... Just bad varicose veins!) I'll be able to see my feet again soon, lol! Still no bed rest, either, which I am so glad for! I think the house would totally come apart if my doctor ordered bed rest. My DH has been needing to work out of State, 3 hours away, for the past four months and only coming home on the weekends. (This inflation and economy really hit his career hard. Topeka doesn't have any new job sites and there are 300 guys in Kansas City IBEW local in the books before DH, waiting for work to pick up.) So I've been keeping this ship afloat with four kids and pregnant with twins by myself. I pray I never have to do this again!!!! I've saved up enough money that DH will hopefully be able to take two weeks off when the babies arrive. Poor guy, he is starting to stress about missing their birth. I'm going to give him all the warning I can. Right now it looks like I'll need a C-section because Baby A is breached and I don't think there is room for her to flip anymore.

I'll let you all know when the twins arrive. I'm hoping they arrive no sooner than Christmas, maybe even into January.

What a stressful time NZquilter! I'm praying that all works out the best way for everyone, and that you get much needed support from family and friends.

NZ... wishing more help would come your way. You are a strong woman!

My daughter is pretty miserable too. Her (one) baby is due mid January, if she makes it that long. She is only 5 feet tall and this is the second baby. She has been BIG for a long time. Back problems too. It's tough right at the end, but so worth it! She will have a C Section too, because she couldn't deliver her first. I think the C section is the safest option for both of you. Wow... you'll have 6 children soon. Imagine that! Praying this last month goes as smoothly as possible. And Merry Christmas to you and your family of 'littles'...

Good to hear from you, NZ. Keeping those little one in place as long as you can is important for them. Please call on your friends when you need help. Strong women know how to call for assistance. I bet your oldest children are pitching in to life as easy as possible by complete small tasks on their own for the good of the whole and their mum.

Wish I could swoop in to mop floors, clean bathrooms, and play with the older children. But distance is a factor I just can't change. I bet you are much more ready with the practicalities of daily living than you think. You seem so organized.

Prayers for you family, doctor's wisdom and grace and peace for you. Twins are such an unexpected blessing. We will all be waiting to hear names, date and how you and Papa are doing when the time arrives and you begin to juggle family in a new way.

Ideas! If you've done a few of these birthday swaps, you can always use new ideas for all those little squares you have collected. I saw this design and thought how cute it would be in our candies.... This is a 'for pay' pattern, but I bet we can get some ideas just from the picture.
https://bearcreekquiltingcompany.com...lusions-quilt/

Oh goodness, yes! That would be easy peasy and the tiny little sashing would be a good precision challenge.....for me any way! Thanks, SBG. Always ready for new ideas. Saved the photo of the pattern the source. Wouldn't it be fun as a random scrappy piece, though I do like the single color way also. I keep looking at it and have some ideas. It is not unlike the "ups and downs of Covid" that I designed and my local quilting group made in 2020. Love it! Thank you so much.

NZ -- thank you for the update. Sweethearts arriving soon! Hang in there. Hubby will be by your side and those babies will be so treasured by all of us! One foot in front of the other is all we can do. Lots of love and prayers from my house to yours. --ibex94