Happy New Year's Eve

Here we are, Paul and I, watching "Fred Claus" and eating cookies. New Year's Eve isn't about partying anymore, it's about being together and trying to stay awake until midnight....which probably won't happen for me. A week ago we were celebrating Christmas Eve with my cousin and her family in sunny Florida.
The evening Shamu show at Sea World was called "Miracles." The show was amazing, though Chris didn't think we should have waited an hour for a 20 minute show....but what does he know.

Happy New Year to all................I for one will be working in my scrap room tomorrow and doing some stitching. I don't think I started a new stitching project last New Year's Day, but I had for many years before that. So tomorrow I'm reinstating that tradition. Oh, I'm also making White Chicken Chili for the boy---before he goes back to school on Friday night.

Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas to you all!!!


What do you want to bet he's asked him for something John Deere.

Party with the girls

Donna had a party last week since she was in town. We had a great time!!! I had a salad that Donna made with spinach....yes, that's right, I ate spinach.(it didn't kill me, either) It had orzo pasta, Zia's dressing, black olives, pomegranate seeds, and feta cheese. I may have to make this myself, though the pomegranate seeds sound hard.

We had a gift exchange doing "rob your neighbor." Sabrina's son was there with his own gift and he was a great player. It was hard to choose---all the gifts were good. So glad to see all of these girls and can't wait to do it again.

Hot rolls....get your hot rolls here!

My aunt makes the BEST hot rolls. She called and said to stop by because she had some for us. She had 9 in the bag for us, so that was 3 for each of us---good thing Chris wasn't home from college yet. We had to have them with supper, because I wasn't going to wait. I tried to buy some from Caleb, but he wasn't selling. He told her they were better than Lamberts. I'm going to have her teach me. I've only tried yeast once and it wasn't a pretty picture, but I might need to try harder in order to make these rolls.

Wishing for snow.....or have shovel, will travel

Caleb couldn't wait to get outside and shovel the snow....or what little snow there was on Tuesday night. I said there wasn't enough snow to get out the tractor, so he used the snow shovel. Notice his new bibs(thanks, Grandpa) that keep him nice and warm.

Late presents are the best

I got a box today from my friend Monica and guess what I got? A late birthday present that was sooooo cool. She knows me too well. She stitched me this beautiful Queen Bee picture that I love. I also got some awesome Christmas presents. Friend gifts are the best....that's all I can say.

I also got a Christmas present from Connie yesterday.....a cool spoon necklace with my initial. I have worn it since then, so no picture.

I think his tractor's SEXY!!!

Out with the old (the mower) and in with the new....the snow blade! However, Caleb really wanted more snow and all we got was ice. Thank goodness he didn't get his wish.

Too much time on your hands

Several years ago, we found an awesome house with great lights that are synchronized to music. We actually missed them last year, but found them the other night. Luckily, the video turned out good enough for you to get the picture....or video. We love looking at Christmas lights, somehow Chris hates it. I guess he just grew out of it. But we used to critique them and use our viewing as research for our own lights. Enjoy this light display! He has more time on his hands than we do.

Outside Christmas Decorations

Many years ago, I saw a plastic snowman that was different than others I had seen. I thought it was very cool......well, I was a good girl and Santa brought the snowman for me that year for Christmas. He's out every year at our house. We also have a reindeer with lights on his antlers. We've had him for a long time, too. But, a couple years ago, when my parents moved, we inherited mom's Santa. He's tall and stiff (as Paul says), but very regal looking. Since we re-did things in the front, and got new siding & windows, I lost my big bushes--not that I loved them. But, little bushes do not grow big that fast. Therefore, the Christmas lights are more sparse in the front than in the last 15+ years.

Christmas Sugar & Bows

This week, Sugar got a bath and a haircut. Mom sent pictures of her with her bows.....what a big sweetie!

A Couple Paul-isms

No pictures.......but a funny from my husband. He said he didn't have something done because he was going all "Betsy Ross" on his pants earlier last night. A button had come off of his pants and he had to sew it back on.

Another Paul funny....Tuesday morning was really cold and kind of drizzly. I went out and got the paper, carefully straddling the driveway and the grass. Paul had said that it wasn't slick, but I wasn't taking any chances. He called me later when I got to work and said I forgot to tell him that the driveway was "slick as snot," and he had to scrape ice off the window of his work car.

Happy Birthday Becky!

Happy Birthday to you..... Happy Birthday to you..... Happy Birthday dear Becky.... Happy Birthday to you! And many more!!!! It's nice to know you are now an "adult" like the rest of us.

The Bold & The Beautiful----in the Nativity

Paul put up the nativity on Sunday. I noticed that he had put the baby Jesus out. He always said that the baby Jesus could not go out until Christmas. So I hid the baby on the next shelf down. When I told Paul what I had done, he wanted to know about the Wise Men, because they had to make the journey and were not at the manger yet. He moved them down as well. When he was little, he would move the Wise Men on their journey, closer and closer to the manger.

Fast forward to this morning. I wanted to take a picture of the nativity set to put in my "25 Days of December" book. Paul's sister gave us the set 20 years ago when we got married. As I took the pictures, I noticed that Mary was hanging out with a Wise Man.....not Joseph. I would not have expected that of her. I put Joseph back where he belongs, the Wise Man got demoted back to the shelf below......and all is well in the nativity. Whew....glad I put a stop to that business!

25 Days of December

Here is my "25 Days of December" book, inspired by Ali Edwards. I used Glimmer Mist, grunge board, crackle paint, and masks on the cover. I started the book with pictures of my Christmas Village. Mom gave me pieces over several years for Christmas. She got me the New England Village series because her and I had gone on a needlework retreat to Nantucket and we both loved the area. This is the first year the village made it upstairs, and all because I'm downsizing on the amount of decorations I put out this year. Love the village with the lights on.

Blackbird wool mat completed

I finished a wool mat from a Blackbird class that I took at Primitives of the Midwest in June. I did it with the wool threads that my friend Monica loaned me. It is AWESOME. It just needs to be backed with another piece of wool. Monica got me motivated to finish this since she posted hers on her blog.I finished my "25 Days of December" book today....just in time. So tomorrow I will post a picture. Since the boys are older, we won't have any Santa visits, but I do want to capture some other memories and favorites of the season.

Thanksgiving Notes

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Here are a couple notes from a great day spent with family and good food.

• Grandpa thankful for all he has.
• Caleb thankful for a family that loves him and takes care of him.
• Grandma points her finger at Chris while playing ping pong and says ...."I'm going to beat the pants off of you."
• trying to get the birth dates off of the new steers, and one has a birth date of March 8th----Caleb's own birthday
• Chris starting to sing the Barney song at the table after a miscommunication with Grandpa
• leaves......leaves.....and more leaves! While burning them, the smoke is very white and Chris says, "we have a new pope"
• pie that was "ok" , "just ok?"
• new tv for Grandma and Grandpa, more room in my basement since new tv needed tv stand
• I sewed!!!!! yes, you read that, daughter of a previous quilt shop owner, and someone who flunked 4-H sewing, did sew tonight on paper and some page protectors

I am thankful for my family and all that God has given me. Happy Thanksgiving to all.......may your gratitude be remembered every day.

My book is awesome in my head

So.....I was telling Becky today that I was not finished with my "25 Days of December" book inspired by Ali Edwards (my favorite scrapbook celebrity). And we were talking about how cool Missy's book was......she's a favorite scrapbook celebrity too! And I was telling Becky about all my ideas, and I said, "My book is awesome in my head." A big thank you to Tina for challenging me to do the book and have worthy things to document for the "25 Days of December."

Overheard

Dad to son: What happened to that little boy? (while pointing to picture of son at an early age)

Son: He discovered rock 'n roll and roller coasters.

Dad: Just keep the sex and drugs out of it and you'll be ok.


To quote a friend of mine......I LOVE MY LIFE!

Blah, blah, blah

I was getting ready this morning, and this is what I heard....."I'm 19, I'm in college, I live by myself, and I can get myself up." Guess who said that? And guess who was whipping the covers off of him from head to toes? It's so good to have the boy home!

And the younger boy is starting out on his steer project for 4-H. He's shopping with his cousins, uncle and Grandpa. Somehow, I could think of lots more fun things to shop for than cattle.

My 3 Boys

My son came home from college today for the Thanksgiving break. He looked a little different with a mustache and semi-beard. And then there is the hair. My aunt says that's what happens when they go away to school. It's so nice to have him home and to see my three boys together. I'm so proud of them all.

Gratitude Class

Just got home from a GREAT class with Sue at FKS......love my local scrapbook store. It was a chipboard Gratitude book with grunge board and cool inks and paints. You didn't really take a class with Sue if your fingers aren't inky!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

My birthday was this week and my husband surprised me with a cake and flowers. I guess if you forget a cake for a big birthday, you never forget again. He also got me a perfect card, for the "Birthday Queen." Today I worked on Jessica Sprague's class, "Stories in Hand." I'm looking forward to putting my binder together....I had one of the suggested binders, which was a good sign.