Sorting Out the Old Year!

Goosey (Woody) started out the day inviting Isaac over to play! This playtime included potty training...so Isaac's little potty accompanied with him on this play date! The three of us spent some time looking for Isaac's favorite book: Old MacDonald. Finally Goosey located it. Isaac was very happy momentarily after the book was found and he climbed up in Goosey's lap and looked at the first page and then promptly climbed down! Woody made cranapple crisp for us for lunch...nice end to the old year! He also went on a four-mile walk. But his biggest achievement of the day was turning in the final galleys for his book! I have spent most of the day sorting the last few months photos of 2013. I have completed sorting the pictures taken on my two interchangeable lens cameras and am now working on the photos taken with the point and shoot camera. When one has three cameras lots of photos accumulate! Woody doesn't think that I am doing the sorting the most efficiently (He says there has to be a better way and a way that would be done quickly), but all I can say is I am doing it thoroughly and the way I like to sort pictures! I am very close to finished...maybe before midnight? I was doing a lot of culling, but I'm now just ready to get them moved to the right month and will worry about culling later. At the moment there are no pictures on any of my cameras! That will last about as long as tomorrow! Well, that said..."see" you next year!

Year is Drawing to a Close!

Woody got busy today and took care of insurance for the new car. Then he did a bit of grocery shopping. I got busy and worked some more on the Christmas ornaments that I have been making. Abigail came over and helped me choose colors and watched an ornament or two sew out. Woody also got tires on the red Tajrus that is going to become a "first car" for our grandson who is about to get his driver's license. This afternoon Woody went next door while Kathy and Nathan went for her OB appointment. They came home with a picture of the new little one. I haven't seen it yet as I stayed here and had Abigail come over to help me make soup. She is a great help in the kitchen. She did a lot of chopping and mashing and pouring and stirring and slicing. Woody and I had the soup for supper. Good cook, Abigail! Woody got a call from his Fellow at NIH yesterday. She agreed that he needed to come in ASAP. She wanted him to get scans, etc. this week. But when the nurse called today with his appointments they are for next week. Glad to have a couple more days to get ready. We will be heading out next Tuesday for appointments on Wednesday and Thursday. He will have CT scans, an MRI of his brain and a PET scan along with lab work. All these are what he would have had at his six month appt. in February except for the PET scan. He hasn't had a PET since his oncologist in Murfreesboro ordered one when he was being diagnosed with Melanona. So looks like we will be getting used to the new car as we head toward MD!

We'll Never Find It!

Look what Woody drove into our driveway this afternoon...a 2014 Ford Fusion! We will NEVER be able to find it in parking lots as we are so used to looking for a red or a green car! Hopefully we can use the remote key thing to make it honk or flash the lights so we can find it! I have been reading the manual...not really sure what it can and cannot do. We drove it over to Nathan and Kathy's driveway and honked, but they didn't respond so Woody went to the door and told Nathan that we needed him to help turn off our windshield wipers. And, thus,Nathan came out to a surprise. Then the three of us rode around the block and then parked in our driveway so Nathan could help us figure out what ALL the buttons do. He went in our house and got my cell phone so it is now all synced...and we...well, I can call hands free. I did drive it around the block so I could get the feel of it. I don't care for driving anyway, and now I will be extra nervous driving something that I am unfamiliar with. Woody went off to run "errands" before I got up this morning...these included a trip to WalMart to buy a few groceries, his weekly library visit, and then to the Ford dealership. When he got home, he came up and told me that he would be picking up our new car this afternoon. We had been talking about getting a new car and looking into what we wanted for a while now...I just didn't know that today would be the day! Nice surprise!

Christmas Losing Color!

I helped to take the color out of our Christmas tree with my camera...made it just show the red. A neat little trick that this camera can do. Yesterday morning I played around with my camera taking pictures of the tree while the sun was shining on it...while I drank my morning cup of tea. Today I have spent most of the day in my sewing room. Yesterday I got started on making Christmas ornaments for next year...trying to get ahead...that "getting ahead" will probably end quickly! I almost always do some Christmas sewing in the week after Christmas...then other things come along and I get behind as always and sometimes, like this year, hardly have anything sewn for Christmas presents. I also got busy on sorting pictures. It is always my goal to have the current year's photos sorted by the end of the year...again...at least I have made a stab at getting that process underway. Woody has read, watched some TV and did take a late afternoon walk. The big news that came from next door today was that Nathan and Graham went hunting and got TWO bucks. I got a warning from Abigail a bit before they got home from their hunt...so I wouldn't look out our window and see them processing the deer! I'm not a big fan of hunting/killing Bambi's mother and/or father! I have never understood how Nathan, who has had a weak stomach all his life, can deal with what has to be dealt with to process the deer...but he says that when he thinks of it as providing food for his family he isn't bothered by it! I kept my distance! Woody did check out what was going on in their back yard when he took his walk. Woody did suggest that I get my camera ready...not for this activity! Glad that the neighbors have cameras to record this event themselves! I saw that they posted a picture of Graham on Facebook...I scrolled by this picture quickly! 'Tis the season (in this instance deer hunting season)! No word from NIH yet. I did email one other person at NIH today trying to get the ball rolling.

Back to Reality!

Woody had an early appointment this morning at the hospital for an MRI. His local orthopedist ordered it as he saw something suspicious in the x-rays that were taken last week. And, when the doctor's office calls you back not very long after you get home from said appointment, probably the news isn't the best. They are pretty sure that the mass that they see in his tibia (near the knee)is cancer. So we have called NIH (leaving a message for his Fellow) and also emailed the radiologist's report to NIH to his Fellow and the head nurse on his team. Probably not good that it is Christmas/New Year's. But once again we are in a waiting game...back to reality! 'Tis the Season?

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

A Few More Chairs ...

Just a few more chairs and the living room will be ready for our family Christmas festivities that will begin in the morning! We have been busy bees today. I've had all kinds of help. Woody has done initial preparations for several recipes and he must have dishpan hands by now! Graham came over this morning and I mentioned that we could use some help putting gifts under the tree, BUT that I needed to vacuum the living room first. Well, it wasn't long after that that he came back over and said that he was ready to vacuum. So he vacuumed the living room and then brought the presents down from upstairs and "arranged" them. Arranging to him was to put all the gifts for the adults at the back of the tree and all those for the children at the front of the tree! We have almost all of the menu items prepared and in the refrigerator just awaiting cooking time tomorrow. I still have two things that I can do tonight. Along with cooking and straightening up the house, I have also put in some time at the sewing machine. I had told Abigail that I would try to have my part of her outfit finished so she could wear it tomorrow if she wanted. And, I managed to get it finished and taken next door. I have made two trips to the car "fix-it shop" today...one time to pick Woody up after he dropped the car off and a little while ago we went to get the car. Woody left a few minutes ago to be a greeter at "Night In Bethlehem." I'm staying home to tie up loose ends...or maybe just rest a bit! 'Tis the Season!

Night In Bethlehem

Busy day for the Dorrell's...both families. Getting ready for the Night in Bethlehem and for our family Christmas. I have one of the recipes done for our Christmas feast. After making the one recipe, I just did various things around the house and even started to do a little sewing...which reminds me I must shut off my machine and unplug it as we are supposed to have strong storms pass through sometime in the night...so far just a lot of wind and a little rain and very warm temperatures (72 at the moment!). We are under a tornado watch (a watch means that conditions are right for a tornado to form). The Night in Bethlehem was able to proceed on despite wind and a little rain. Nathan and family's program was once again quite innovative! Tonight's photo is Elijah as Joseph, Esther as Mary and Joy as a shepherd...so sweet! Mid afternoon Kathy called and asked if I could take her to the hospital that she was having contractions and just needed to make sure that she wasn't in labor. She was dehydrated and felt much better by the time they gave her a bag of fluid! She went to the Dazzling Dorrell's performances tonight, but only as an observer and movie taker. Woody was a greeter for Night in Bethlehem...so he spent the evening out in the wind and sprinkles and with the smoke from the various fires that are lighted throughout Bethlehem. I stayed inside up in the balcony and took pictures of the Dazzling Dorrell's. We are now home and I need to go put the final touches on the Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. 'Tis the season...never a dull moment!

You're Invited!

Starting tomorrow night First Baptist Church, Tullahoma is presenting their annual A Night In Bethlehem: A Living Nativity. It will be the 21, 22, 23 from 6:30 till 9pm. It will definitely help you to define what Christmas is all about! Along with the town of Bethlehem there will be other entertainment and refreshments. Nathan and family will be juggling the Christmas story in a very unique way at intervals during the evening. We have had a pretty busy day. I ended up sleeping in later than I had planned because I had awakened in the night and couldn't get back to sleep so I worked on the Sunday School lesson for Sunday and did some other Christmas planning. Then I got sleepy and went back to sleep about the time that Woody got up. It is never a good idea for me to go back to sleep as I always seem to sleep longer than I mean to...oh, well! I did some major planning on the project that will be a promise to Isaac for his Christmas present once I woke up. I had planned to then get the grocery list together for our family Christmas feast, but at this point the pencil hasn't written anything on the list! Nathan asked if I could do a little altering on some costumes that the children will be wearing in their program tomorrow night. So I have been "hemming" (really just basting) hems into sleeves of several of the costumes and hemline of one of the garments. They were just given the costumes today. I still have one sleeve to go. I started hemming after lunch and then went next door mid afternoon to sit with the children while Woody, Nathan and Kathy went to a funeral. I continued to hem while I was over there and got Elijah's costume figured out as to how much I needed to hem up. Then I came home hemmed some more and then fixed our supper. Woody said that we ate high off the hog tonight and didn't even eat pork! We had surf and turf...pretty good! Woody did the dishes and I have come back upstairs now to blog and do some more hemming. The lack of days before our family Christmas is starting to make me gulp! 'Tis the Season!

School's Out!

The children have been waiting patiently to get into the items that had been brought to my house as possibly being of interest to them. Today as soon as they finished with their school work, they started drifting over to check out what was in the box...not that several hadn't already checked out said contents! Graham and Elijah set to work on making a couple of wooden items. Graham got the parts all sorted as to which object they would build. Then they each chose one to work on. Joy came over and she decided to work on the third after she finished up a potholder. They had great fun. When it was time to glue said items together and then paint them we headed to the kitchen. I have a little wooden birdhouse, bird feeder and a race car on my kitchen table waiting for all the paint to dry. Elijah was quite liberal with his paint application! Before school time this morning, Woody walked next door and invited Isaac to come over to play. They read for a while and then Goosey (Woody)tried to teach Isaac how to play hide and seek! It was funny. Isaac would get in a hiding place and as soon as he heard Woody say "here I come" he would pop up and run to Goosey! Such a cute age! I had school with Isaac and then Elijah. Graham and then Abigail came over to read to me. Graham and I started reading a book that is all about snowflakes. Esther came over and cross stitched for a while. And, then we could declare that school was over for this year! Woody had an appointment with an orthopedist today to see what the problem might be with his knee. He had x-rays taken and he has an appointment for an MRI next week to be able to see his knee problems a little more clearly. He was offered a steroid shot in his knee...but steroids are a big "no-no" with the protocol that he had for his melanoma. This doctor knows a bit about Woody's history as he was the doctor who operated on him after his bicycle accident. We have been making menu plans today for our family Christmas dinner next Tuesday. Now to get the ingredients that we need on the grocery list! 'Tis the Season!

Joy Was Right!

Last week Joy asked me how old Goosey was going to be today. I told her "67." And, she said, "I was right! I told them that he was going to either be 67 or 76!" Ha! Ha! You can tell that he is getting old as he needed Esther to help him blow out the candles!

We took the cake and ice cream next door for Goosey's (Woody) big celebration. It's hard to get the whole group in one picture...but here's one that only lacks the photographer and only has Nathan's back...but an attempt at getting all! Nathan had the important job of the moment...serving the cake and ice cream...I hated to distract him and ask him to look at the camera!

I love this picture! Can you tell that he got something good? Note all the little hands! He got a bag of Jelly Bellies! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WOODY!!!!

The Cake Is Out!

I just took Woody's birthday cake out of the oven so I will blog while it is cooling. Then I will get started on the frosting. It has been quite a busy day. It started out like a "normal" Tuesday...Woody did Isaac's school lessons while I listened to Esther read. Then he took them back home and hollered in the door for Joy. She came over to read and then we called everyone over except Isaac for art. They made Christmas collages using old Christmas cards. Then Abigail had her sewing time. She finished her skirt today and she tried it and the leggings that I had made her on to check the fit. I got going on her top last night. While Abigail and I were sewing, Nathan came over and got Woody and they went to the hospital to check on the father of one of his childhood friends. Nathan's friend had called not knowing exactly was going on with his father except that there was an emergency and he had been taken to the hospital. He asked Nathan to go sit with his mother at the hospital till he could get to Tullahoma. Woody went with him. When they got there, they found he had died. Such sad news at any time of the year, but it seems even sadder at this time of the year. I got my hair cut this afternoon and then went shopping...had to get a birthday present...managed to get a Christmas present too, but was not able to get something that I had planned on getting...one of the "perils" of living in little Tullahoma...not the best shopping! I have done most of my shopping online this year, but wanted to do some in Tullahoma and "thought" that I had left things that I would be able to get here...oh, well! Woody drove to the prayer room a while ago and is now home. We are settling in for a quiet evening...he--watching TV and reading and me--frosting a cake! 'Tis the Season!

A Day Closer!

Another busy day as Christmas draws nearer. Woody went to the chiropractor this morning. Then he went to the grocery store and picked up a couple of things that we needed. He came home and made Italian Cauliflower. I didn't have school today as Nathan and Kathy and family went to church to pack White Christmas food boxes and then delivered quite a few boxes to families. So I finished a book while drinking a cup of tea in our living room. Enjoying the sunshine coming in "lighting up" our tree. Then I went upstairs and cleaned up the school room...an art explosion had happened! Then I quickly ran the vacuum in the rooms upstairs. Then after lunch I had planned to go do a bit of shopping, but just didn't have the energy...so another day...but that day had better come soon! I have taken a couple of naps today...dozed off if I sat down for any length of time! I did make a big pot of soup late this afternoon...so lots of slicing, chopping, etc. Then I came upstairs and took another unplanned nap after supper. At this rate I'm not getting a lot done. I sat down a while ago with a holiday recipe book trying to decide what we will have for our family Christmas on the 24th. I'm in the mood to try some different recipes, but it would probably be easier to just go with some of our old tried and true recipes! I had planned to come in and sew this evening...I'm ready to get started on Abigail's top. I finished her leggings over the weekend except for putting the elastic in and adjusting it. Abigail has her sewing lesson tomorrow. We will do the finishing touches on her skirt then.

Christmas In Black and White

Children's Choir Christmas Musical at First Baptist Church, Tullahoma, TN December 15, 2014. We had three "starring" in it: Abigail, Joy, and Esther-Noel. Abigail sang a solo and Joy was in a penguin trio. It was Esther's first musical as a member of this choir. She was a bit disappointed that she didn't get a special part. They all did a super job.

Above was Abigail's spot to sit except when she was singing her solo...right smack in front of one of the penguins. The next picture is of Joy taking her bows and then the last two are of Esther. I thought that she needed two pictures since it was her first year! This choir is for first thru fifth grades. I took movies during the singing part and haven't looked at those yet. I will be able to get some stills of the girls from the videos. I realized as I was choosing these photos for the blog that I don't blog on Sundays these days. But decided that tonight's performance was worthy of an extra blog this week! 'Tis the Season!

Huntin' Season is Open at 106

We have had quite a day today. It started out with Elijah doing target practice. Woody printed off some bullseyes off the internet. Later in the day a whole herd of elk, deer, and moose got chased through the house by a couple of bears. They hid all over the house and hunter Elijah came to our rescue and tried to find them and shoot them! In the end he brought over Graham and then Joy to finish finding all of them. Woody made our chex mix today. I have sewn most of the day. Woody and I got a treat at lunch. We went to the Dairy Queen and got Blizzards...we had a coupon for "buy one, get one free" and took advantage of it. I had their Candy Cane Blizzard...a flavor of Christmas past! I have to have peppermint ice cream at least once during the holidays! Woody is next door taking care of six of our grandchildren. Nathan and Kathy have gone to their Sunday School Christmas party. I'm getting ready to head over their and help with reading them bedtime stories, etc. 'Tis the Season--both hunting and Christmas in our household!!!

'Tis the Thirteenth of December

I have probably posted tonight's photo before, but it is such a classic that I want to share it again. This is my mother, sister and me trimming the tree back in 1956. When I was looking through old pictures and came across this one, is when I realized that I really did grow up in "Leave It To Beaver" times! I didn't sleep very well last night so I was awake early and decided that I needed a snooze fairly early this morning. When I woke up from my little two-hour nap, I was greeted with the very happy face of Elijah. He had gone with Goosey (Woody) to the grocery store and he had come home with a couple of nerf guns with suction cup "bullets!" He was so VERY excited and happy. His daddy and Graham had gone hunting this morning and I think that this was a good substitute for not getting to go along with the hunters! He had more fun having target practice shooting at the door in our family room. After lunch he brought Esther back and they both had target practice for a while and after a while Joy joined them. They did a very good job of sharing and taking turns. He left the two guns here as he knew that Isaac shouldn't play with them. But later this afternoon, he came back over and got them when Isaac went down for a nap! I enlisted Graham to help me shop for a nine-year-old boy. He shopped with me in between hunting trips. Still no deer for them...but they are trying! I made one of our favorite pasta sauces for our supper. I did manage in the early hours of the morning to complete an online order...so several more of our grandchildren will have presents as long as the mail comes through! I still have a couple to buy for, but I think that I can accomplish that here in town. Time is growing shorter and shorter. I did talk to Cheryl this afternoon and she seems to be progressing in her recovery...not quite as quickly as she would like...but hopefully improving every day. 'Tis the Season!

Less Than Two Weeks!

Time is flying...having fun or not! As soon as the Post Office was open this morning, Woody was mailing the AZ packages. This is the latest that we have ever mailed their packages. I try to mail them no later than Dec. 10th. But later or not, it does look like they should get there before the big day. I had school with Isaac and then Elijah read to me and then I read a Christmas book to Elijah. Elijah started reading the Bob Series of early readers about a week ago. He is doing great! Then Graham came over for his reading time and then Abigail for hers. Esther came over and cross stitched while I read some Christmas stories to her. She is nearing the finish line on her cross stitched rainbow. She just has indigo and violet to go. I have spent time today trying to figure out gifts for our grandchildren. Again, really late in making these decisions too. I ended up taking a fairly long nap...guess the intense shopping (online!) wore me out. I woke up and went back to looking and I don't think that I am any closer to making decisions than I was before! Time is definitely getting short if we are going to order them and have the items get here on time. We had a nice mid afternoon treat...mini Frosties were delivered to our door for us and the Dorrell neighbors. Yummy. The children were quite happy when I walked up to their door with a Wendy's bag! Thanks Lindy and Doyle! I talked to my sister for the first time since her surgery on Monday. She is doing as well as can be expected so soon after surgery and spending an extra day in the hospital due to complications. She had just showered and was ready to head back to her comfy bed.

I'm Late For a Very Important Date!

I try to blog around 7pm every night and here it is 9pm...guess better late than never? I was waiting to hear whether Cheryl made it home from the hospital and I was also getting the packages taped up and addressed for AZ and then I got a call from Melany and she needed me to send her something over the computer. There are my excuses! Cheryl did get to come home from the hospital. I did get the packages ready to mail to AZ. And, I managed to get what Melany needed sent to her. Now for the blog! I overslept this morning so in order to keep things on schedule I let Woody do Isaac's school time while I did Elijah's. Then Abigail read with me and then Joy came over for her Grammy sewing time. She finished her "top secret" Christmas present for Esther. We even got it wrapped and hidden away...now to make sure that she remembers to get it to give to her! I took pictures, but I told her that I wouldn't let anyone see them till after Esther opens her present. I am pretty sure that it will be Esther's favorite present. After I ate a quick lunch. Woody and I headed out to run an errand, then to take him to the brake fixing place to pick up our other car. Then I went on to the church to work in the library for a couple of hours. I stopped on the way home and bought some thread and bobbins and then have been home for the rest of the evening. Woody and Graham went to the youth Sunday School Christmas party. Graham won one of the prizes due to the fact that he brought something to eat that he had made! I'm so glad that he took the initiative to ask to help me make the sausage balls! Paid off for him!

More 'Tis The Season!

Busy! Busy! I got up a bit earlier than usual trying to get going on the Arizona packages...wrapping, etc. Then I had school...well, Woody did Isaac's school while I read with Esther. After Esther, came Joy to read. Then the group of five came over for art. Today they had fun making Christmas ornaments. After lunch I worked some more on the Arizona presents. Then mid afternoon Graham came over and we made sausage balls. Tomorrow is the youth Christmas party at church. Woody was asked to bring something for snacks and since Graham is in his class, Graham decided that he would like to help me make them. We had a good time together. He was a great help...he pretty much did them all. We were both happy that the food processor did a good portion of the mixing (not an easy job if done by hand!). We got them baked. He sampled one and then he headed home. I cleaned up the kitchen (sort of)...I need to go back and finish. Woody drove to the prayer room at church rather than walking. He is still resting his leg/knee. I'm now back to working on getting the AZ presents ready. My sister is still in the hospital. She didn't get released today as she had a complication early this morning. The doctor wanted her to stay until tomorrow. When I messaged with my niece tonight, Cheryl had been up walking...like a good patient! Well, on to wrapping presents! 'Tis the season!

Party! Party! 'Tis the Season!

Yesterday a party...and today a party. We had better be careful or we will turn into party animals (doubt that very much!). Our party was a big success yesterday. We had nineteen ladies (20 if you count my friend who showed up after the party! Long story!). We had lots of good fellowship, good laughs (thanks Right Family!), good food, and good Bible Study. I'm not in this year's picture as I didn't have time to get the camera set up on the tripod prior to the party. Last week while I was getting ready for yesterday's party, one of my friend's thoughts on parties kept coming into my head..."once you are ready for one party, you might as well have several since the house, etc. are all ready!" Well, I got an email from said friend of above philosophy suggesting that we meet and go out for lunch today. I counter offered and suggested that they come here since I was making a big pot of turkey soup. So we had lunch here together today. Such a nice afternoon of visiting and, of course, eating! This morning Isaac, Elijah, Joy and Graham came over for a time of school. Graham read for a while and then he helped me make gingerbread for our lunch. Woody has made an appointment to see a doctor next week to try to find out just exactly might be wrong with his knee (part of his sciatic pain or tendinitis or ?????)...hopefully he will find out what is wrong with it and what he should be doing for his knee pain. I did a little Christmas shopping late this afternoon. I "think" that has our AZ shopping finished. Now to get the presents ready to ship off so they will arrive in time for Christmas. My sister had surgery this afternoon in AZ. My niece just messaged me that she was now in my sister's hospital room and that all appeared well...no contact with the/a doctor yet...so don't know any details about how the surgery went. Well, off to do "something" for Christmas...after all 'tis the season!

Here We Come a Wassailing!

My first task of the day was to make the wassail for our party. That has sat all day and I will be bringing it back to the boiling point just before bedtime. Then all that will have to be done in the morning is to warm it up. Party "to-do" tasks are winding down (I hope!). Woody did the rest of our weekly grocery shopping this morning. Then he had to run another errand which he added on to his weekly trip to the library. Nathan assisted us in changing one of the florescent bulbs in the kitchen, which "kindly" decided to go out this morning. But I am thankful that it chose to go out this morning rather than tomorrow morning! And, we have a really clean kitchen overhead light fixture...which wasn't on my list to clean! Woody has read and watched football this afternoon and evening. Well, it is time for me to head back downstairs and finish up the party preparations. Not much time in the morning since the party starts at 8 am!

Odds and Ends

I've spent the day doing "this and that" getting ready for the Sunday School party that will happen on Sunday...if I'm ready or not! I've even done a bit of sewing (as in using the embroidery part of my sewing machine). This evening I polished silver spoons and bells while watching NBC's "The Sound of Music." I have to watch it a day late as our TV antenna doesn't pick up NBC, but I can watch their programming a day later on my iPad. I have been checking things off my "to-do" list at a pretty good rate. The way my list looks now, I might actually be ready when my friends start arriving at 8 am Sunday morning for brunch. We will eat, have an ornament exchange and then have Sunday School in my living room. Then we'll head back to church to go to the 11 am service. This has been a tradition for some years now. We have a great time together. In the morning I will be making Wassail using a recipe from my college days...my expected contribution to the eats at the party. Woody ran an errand and did part of our weekly grocery shopping this morning. He has spent quite a bit of time on the computer today. Yesterday one of my jobs on the "to-do" list was straighten up the coat closet (how it can become the mess that it does is beyond me). Graham volunteered to help me. There is a shelf at the back of the closet that holds all our board games and we decided that we would organize them too. Well, we got them out but not back in before Graham needed to head back home. He planned to come over today and get them organized the way he wanted them...board games, word games, etc. But before he got over here, I started hearing thumping and thunking coming from the family room. I went in to check and Woody was putting the games away (He said he was playing when I asked him what he was doing!). So they are organized Woody's way and not Graham's, but whatever way, it is nice to have them back in neat stacks rather than stacks leaning this way and that! When Graham came over, he arranged the Fisher Price manger scene instead of organizing the game shelf...which was also a help. I think that I am through with readying for the party for tonight. I'm ready to rest for a while. My cough is definitely better, but not entirely gone.

Four Word Day!

Today can be summed up in four words: 1)babysitting (Woody), 2)school (me), (3,4)Deacon/Widow Banquet (Woody and me)

Three Weeks From Today!

This afternoon when I turned the library date stamp two weeks ahead, I realized that in two weeks would be Woody's birthday and that meant that in three weeks it would be Christmas. I may just as well just close my eyes and let it arrive!!! I have had a busy day...I'm not sure about Woody. When I just asked Woody what he had done today all he could think that he had done was "get up!" I had school with Isaac, Elijah, Abigail and Joy. Graham missed his time as he and his daddy were off hunting. Joy and I got busy with her secret Christmas present making for Esther. Then after lunch I went to the church to work in the library. We did just the normal jobs...check in books, check out books and shelve books and then...we decorated for Christmas. I must admit that I have just about had enough of decorating. Abigail and I put a few of the "fallen ornaments" on the tree after she and I read a Christmas story. But I haven't had time to finish getting them on the tree...it just isn't fun putting ornaments BACK on a tree that was already decorated! In the process I have found a couple more that are broken. I'm in the midst of putting out snowman pillows on our front porch. That meant bringing in the floral pillows and putting them through the drier with a damp cloth...trying to get as much of the dust, etc. off of them as possible. I took one of them out just before coming upstairs to blog and found a small start to a mud dobber nest on one of them...Woody thinks that I need a picture...I'm not so sure! Shortly after supper I was so sleepy/tired/exhausted (or whatever) from my busy day that I came upstairs and took what I hope is a power nap so I can accomplish a little more this evening. Tomorrow evening will be taken up with the Deacon/Widow banquet so I'd best make hay while the sun shines! Speaking of sun shining. It was a really balmy day today...even muggy...felt like Spring had arrived in TN! We have a cold front approaching which means rain and colder temps are just around the corner. For now...I'm heading downstairs and I am determined that I WILL have the ornaments on the tree before I go to bed tonight. I "think" that my cough is getting better/going away slowly but surely. I'm ready to bid it adieu!

Positive Thinking? 'Tis the Season!

I'm trying not to take on the mood of the character in the center of tonight's photo! I was hoping that I could say tonight that all ornaments are back on the tree...but it seems to be a slow process! Nathan and Kathy came over this morning and we got the tree straightened...so I am much happier! We had school this morning. Woody did Isaac's school while the rest had art including Elijah. Usually Elijah and Isaac are at the church with Kathy on Tuesday's when Kathy has Bible Study...but the Bible Study has taken a break for December. So the little boys were at home this morning. Isaac had trouble understanding why he wasn't coming over to our house first like most days. So Woody decided that he could do his school time this morning. Esther came first this morning to read and Joy came to read after her. The girls and I are reading from our Christmas books...we take turns...they read some and I read some. We're having fun getting into the spirit of Christmas! After the two reading sessions it was time for art. We were finishing up the card ball ornaments today. Graham had finished his so he helped Joy and I helped Abigail and Esther. Esther still has some more to go and we will finish on Thursday when she has her long time with me. She can cross stitch a little and glue the rest of the time! After art Abigail and I got underway with her skirt. She did great and she is getting close to finished with it. That means that I need to get busy and get my part done...a top and leggings. But that sewing will have to wait till next week...after my party! After lunch I got back to the tree. Then I took a break and came upstairs to work on a present that I am making. So a little sewing and a little tree trimming. Woody surprised me by getting all the leaves off the porch early this morning (a party job done!)...now to get the snowman pillows out there. I did get some of the Christmas dishes washed in the dishwasher and ready for the party...even on the table with a towel over them...another step. Woody spent a good part of the day folding Christmas letters, addressing and stamping the envelopes. He drove to the prayer room tonight and I believe that he planned to mail the Christmas letters...anyway I don't see the stack of them downstairs. That's a good job done! Tonight I am feeling the front that is coming...not good for accomplishing "things" for the party. I'm so glad that I did so much cleaning, etc. when I was decorating! I must make a to-do list for the party! 'Tis the season!

December Has Arrived--'Tis The Season!

I keep thinking and reminding myself that I have a party (annual J.O.Y. Sunday School Class) at the house this coming Sunday...but I seem to be in a lull...can't seem to get motivated to accomplish various tasks. I still haven't put ornaments back on the tree...I think that Nathan needs to come over and look at it and straighten it a bit more by placing books or something under one side of the board that the tree sits on. Yesterday I took the Christmas letter that Woody had written and added pictures to it. Today we started printing the letters. Woody has been addressing envelopes and folding letters and stuffing the envelopes...a big step for our 'tis the season activities...getting the Christmas letters ready to mail. Today I have spent time sending out a couple of emails to my Sunday School class members and then I actually ordered a Christmas present for Woody to give (mine!). The way things have gone lately I will probably have forgotten what it is by Christmas! We also received a Christmas order in the mail...two presents here! I feel so behind this year with our gift choices. I always feel this way when I don't make presents...but this year hasn't been a present making year. After all that I decided that I should come into the sewing room and make my niece's birthday present that I had promised...a bit of a late gift. I plan to have it made to include in the Christmas box that we will send to AZ. I feel behind in everything! I had school with Isaac, Elijah, Esther, Joy and Graham today. I am still coughing much to my dismay (And, I'm sure those to around me!) I keep thinking that my coughing is getting better...that is until a "coughing fit" hits! We are enjoying the leftovers from Saturday's Thanksgiving feast...and, enjoying the memories of the fun day we had as a family. Now onward to enjoy the Christmas season that is upon us. Tonight's photo is my favorite of all our decorations...our Precious Moments Nativity. Graham put the pieces out for us this year.

Before or After?

I have heard it questioned several times this past week whether it is better to decorate for Christmas before or after Thanksgiving. Ummmmmmmmmmmmm I'm thinking that perhaps I should have decorated after! As tonight's picture shows our tree came crashing down this morning before we had our family Thanksgiving. Elijah was looking at an ornament on the back of the tree and several others were on the floor in front of the tree playing slap jack when the tree tumbled over. I was in the family room asking Nathan and Wade to look at the tree sometime today as it seemed to be leaning and I wanted to make sure that it wasn't going to tumble over when we heard the crash! The main thing is that no children were hurt since they were so close. And, Elijah was looking at an ornament at the time of the crash, but Nathan and Wade discovered that the tree hadn't been put in the stand correctly so the cause of the fall lies with Woody and me...not Elijah! What a mess...but no where near as many ornaments were broken as I expected and not as many came off as I expected. I'm just untangling and making them hang straight once again. There are probably a hundred or more that need to be put back on the tree...that will happen another day! We had a great family day...all fourteen of us. Here is a funny...Woody came in when we were getting all the food lined up and ready so we could fill our plates...he had just been filling the water glasses. He said that I hadn't set enough places that we needed sixteen places...four Proctor's, eight neighbor Dorrell's, and four of us...oops looks like he counted Melany and Nathan in our family and in their own! Before the Proctor's arrived Graham came over and helped me peel potatoes and set the tables...a great help. We asked Elijah to come over and help Goosey (Woody) put the leaves in the kitchen table. After we ate, all the adults pitched in to clean up the kitchen mess. Talk about a LOT of dishes. Woody, Kathy, and Nathan took turns washing the dishes, Wade and I put food away, I put dishes away, Melany took all the meat off the turkey carcass,and I started the carcass simmering to make turkey broth for turkey soup. Wade, Melany, Erin and Alex decided not to stay for turkey leftovers. But the two Dorrell families spread out the food again and we enjoyed leftovers. I won't say that there weren't any electronic games/phones, etc. out and being used...but it was nice to see the children running around outside playing for part of the time (a beautiful day!) and they also played card and board games. Woody and I looked through Melany's Master of Art book that she has put together about her art show (her thesis). We both proofed it for her. Our family members aren't huge football fans, but towards the end of the day a football game was turned on but without the sound. Well, all is quiet here now. And, now I need to go down and finish taking bones, etc. out of the turkey broth...oh, boy! I would rather crash...but will be glad I did when we have turkey soup!

Baking Day!

Today I am running on not much sleep. It seemed last night that every time I fell asleep I was awakened due to coughing. I am ready for the cough to go away. I got up early as I figured that I might as well! I first did some cleaning and then got underway with my cooking. I started out with baking two pecan pies. I figured that heating up the oven would help heat up the kitchen so that rolls could rise. Everything that I did today seemed to take an extremely long time! I don't know how it is this time and I have no more done than I have! Sweet Abigail came over after lunch and offered to be my cooking assistant. She helped me shape the rolls and then make the pie crusts for the two pumpkin pies and stirred the pumpkin mixture as I added ingredients. After the pies were in the oven, she used the rest of the leftover pastry dough to make some tree and star pastry treats for her family to have after their supper. After those came out of the oven we put them on a pretty angel plate and I helped her carry them back to her house (it was dark by this time). I have put away a load of clothes and gotten the dish washer loaded and running and then washed the dishes that didn't fit in by hand as I need to get to the sink to let the turkey sit in a cold water "bath" to make sure that it is thawed the whole way for in the morning. I also still have the broccoli to prepare...I thought that it would be good not to have to cut up the broccoli tomorrow. Woody has worked on writing out Christmas letter today. He also went to the store to get more milk, butter, and eggs! It never ceases to amaze me how many eggs I use when making Thanksgiving dinner. And, this year we didn't count up as to how many we needed...I just put eggs on the grocery list and he got a dozen and I "thought" that would be sufficient with what we already had...well...not so! I often have a box of dry milk on hand, but don't at the moment so I have been going through the milk pretty fast too...especially with the pumpkin pies and the whole wheat rolls' liquid happens to be milk and we definitely need plenty of milk for the mashed potatoes tomorrow! By the end of the day we hardly have any left in the 1/2 gallon that we had so it was good that he went to the store. He helped with the pumpkin pies too...he opened up the evaporated milk when I went upstairs to help Kathy find some thread! He is still experiencing a lot of sciatica pain. So he sort of tries to stay put as much as he can. I came upstairs a little while ago to recoup. I sat in my recliner and dozed "slightly" so maybe it was a power nap?!? I surely hope so as I still have several things to do on my "to-do" list. I knew that today's list was going to be almost impossible to accomplish...but these tasks needed to be done today. My main problem today was remembering to start the timer! I would set it before the item went into the oven, but after I got it in the oven I forgot to start it! That happened with both sets of pies and the rolls...guess you could say I am on a roll. One batch of rolls got a bit overdone...and I just had to keep an eye on the pies. I have made these pies so many times that I know how they "shake" if they are done or not done! So nothing too drastic happened due to my forgetfulness...guess I was multitasking a bit too much! Well, off to see if I can accomplish another task or two or...I keep thinking that tomorrow at this time Thanksgiving festivities will probably be behind us for another year! It takes so long to prepare and is over in a blink of an eye! Time does fly when one is having fun!

Gobble! Gobble!

I know that I woke up waaaaaaaaay too early...probably due to coughing! But it was too cold to get up and get busy around the house so I just stayed snug under my covers for quite a while and read. It got down to 17 in the night. Brrrrr! We have pretty much stayed inside today. I'm not sure if Woody went outside for any reason or not. I do know that he opened the front door long enough to toss a lady bug outside. Woody and the dishwasher have helped me keep up with cooking dishes. Today I sliced the bread that I made for the stuffing/dressing (whichever you prefer to call it!). Ours never gets stuffed into the bird...does that make it dressing?!? After slicing the bread, I put it in a slow oven for it to dry. When it was dried enough then I cubed it and stored it for Saturday morning when I make the dressing. I also sliced and chopped mushrooms, celery and onion and sauteed it so it would be ready when I stir all the ingredients together for the dressing on Saturday. I also made the brown sugar/pecan topping for our sweet potato casserole. The flour is out ready for me to make rolls tomorrow. The pumpkin is thawed for our pumpkin pies that I will make tomorrow along with pecan pies. Tomorrow is pie and roll day! At a point I had to go rest since I had awakened so early this morning, plus all the coughing that I am doing really wears me out. So I ended up taking a pretty good nap this afternoon. I am now getting ready to do a couple of cleaning jobs that need to be done before Saturday...trying to choose cleaning jobs that will stay clean and won't have to be done again...so not vacuuming tonight...maybe dust since I don't have much area to dust when the Christmas decorations are out...so that won't take me long. Woody has taken it easy icing his knee at intervals and watching football, etc. during the day and evening. Now if my cough would just go away before Saturday...but if it is the way it has been in years when my allergies hit me this way, the cough will linger. I feel sorry for Woody having to listen to my hacking. And, I am getting so sore from coughing that I really dread each time that a coughing "fit" comes on! My voice is mostly back...just sort of gravelly at this point. Happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends! Hope that you have had a wonderful day! We are looking forward to our day of celebration on Saturday!

Twas The Night Before...

At least for some this is the night before Thanksgiving. But for us we still have several days till our Thanksgiving. Today has been a day of "borrowing" between neighbors (Nathan & Kathy and us). First I couldn't find the right sized dish that I wanted to make our Autumn Salad in. So I went next door and got one the size that I needed. Then a little later Abigail came over to our house and borrowed a cup of sugar. And, then a little later she came back for some more. Not long after that Joy showed up with a tear in one of her pairs of pants. After I got our supper casserole in the oven, she and I went upstairs and I did a quick fix on it. She said that they were going to have a Pilgrim play and that Pilgrim's wear black and white and this was her only pair of black pants!!! Then this evening Graham showed up needing to borrow the turkey roasting pan. They are having one of Kathy's sisters and her family for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. I did a little more for our Saturday Thanksgiving feast this morning--made the gelatin salad. And, I made a casserole for our supper tonight. Woody helped me keep up with dishes in the kitchen...he has done the dishes that don't go in the dishwasher. I think that I am through in the kitchen for tonight. Woody did go to the chiropractor this morning. It is pretty brrrrrrrrrrrrry around here. It is 21 deg. at the moment and by morning it is supposed to be in the teens. I plan to stay in and try to stay warm. More tasks to make Saturday easier are planned for tomorrow. I still am croaky and coughing.

Ahead of the Game!

At least I am attempting to stay ahead of the game. Today I made two more things that need to be done before our Thanksgiving feast. I made a special herb bread that is for dressing (we do bread rather than cornbread dressing...New England heritage). I found this recipe on a cooking website a couple of weeks ago and thought that it would be a good idea to try it. We are going away from prepackaged items and my recipe for dressing calls for packaged herb flavored bread crumbs. Last year I used our whole wheat bread and went from there attempting to add the correct amounts of herbs. And, it did taste pretty good. So when I found this yeast herb bread that was specifically made for dressing, I decided that I needed to try it. So I made two loaves today. Time will tell how it does in our dressing...really I guess our taste buds will be the judge on Saturday! After I got the bread rising, I got busy making condensed cream of chicken soup (trying to no longer use canned soups). Our Holiday Broccoli recipe calls for cream of chicken soup. This recipe has worked great when used in some of our soups as a base. I'm not sure how it will do as a sauce over broccoli. There are still a couple of things to add...so maybe then? For me it is a texture thing...not sure that I will like the texture of this by itself with not much more added. Guess we will find out unless I chicken out and end up using canned instead...a can still resides with our canned goods. Woody got the upstairs hallway all clear of all the Christmas boxes...what a job! I am very glad that it is done. This afternoon after they finished their school work till after Thanksgiving, the children came over and had a rousing game of Monopoly! Their cousin who is Abigail's age is visiting with them. I guess they are finding out what life will be like with seven! Their plumbing problem got solved this afternoon so they can once again have running water. I did run a load of dishes for them. Three meals was about the max they could go with nine people using dishes and not being able to wash them. I am still just croaking (and coughing). This evening I heard the door open and a voice say "hello." It was Graham, but I had to go downstairs in order for him to hear me. He had dragged our garbage can around to the front of the house and was coming in to help me empty our waste baskets. Woody had already left to walk to the church for his time in the prayer room. So I gladly gathered up our trash and let him take it out to our garbage can and then he rolled it to the curb. Now I am ready to rest for a while! Today I made a list dividing up the food preparations that need to be done between now and Saturday. Each day has at least one task...and as we get closer to Saturday the list gets longer!

Silence is Golden!

Silence is golden = Woody being the luckiest husband in Tullahoma = Lois has lost her voice! It started Saturday night and most of the day yesterday I couldn't even squeak, but today I can croak once in a while! Woody did our Thanksgiving week grocery shopping this morning. That means that we have quite a large bird in our refrigerator hopefully thawing! Yesterday I cleaned the fridge since it was fairly empty. Today...it is not empty...but still clean! Woody also blew leaves. The leaf truck is in the neighborhood so Woody, Nathan, Kathy and most of the children pitched in and really worked hard on getting leaves to the edge of our yards. Being littlest Isaac just watched all the work and wandered around. Several got rides to the road on the leaf tarp...lots of giggles and laughter! I took a "leave of absence" from teaching because of my voice and have begged off for tomorrow too. I went shopping with a friend this afternoon and we had fun despite my coughing and whispering! Our neighbors (Nathan and Kathy and crew) have a water leak so have had to turn off their water at the street till they can get the leak fixed...so every so often we have several little ones come in to use our bathrooms! Several just left and said that they would be back to brush teeth in a little while! Well, off to dance with the stars! Oh, almost forgot...the tree is finished!!!! The decorating has been turned over to Woody. His job is to get all the boxes stored back into the Christmas closet...not an easy job...really a puzzle!

So Close!

I came so close to having the tree completely decorated. But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades! I had so hoped that I could report tonight that I was finished...but alas...I still have the three boxes that you see on the cutting table and they are crammed full of ornaments. The other picture shows the boxes that I have emptied. Woody headed next door pretty early as Nathan and Graham had gone hunting and Kathy needed to head in another direction and could only take two of the children. I got up and headed down to the church to deliver the breakfast cookies that I had made for the Night In Bethlehem workers. After I got back home I made myself a cup of tea and toasted a slice of homemade bread. Then I got started on the tree and I have worked pretty steadily on it for most of the day. I did take several rests and once Elijah came over and said that he needed some mittens. So I stopped long enough to find a piece of fleece and traced his hand for a pattern and then headed to the serger and whipped them up pretty quickly. I had set several ornaments aside for him to put on the tree and he did that before heading home. The tree now has an official "Elijah branch!" He has one more that he remembers from last year that he wants to hang...a mitten ornament. I haven't unearthed that ornament yet, but told him that I would keep it off the tree so he could put it on. After babysitting, Woody headed out to run some errands. The rest of the day we have stayed in trying to keep warm. It is supposed to get really cold tonight--predicting 23. Brrrrrrrrrrr! It has also been rather windy today so that makes it feel even colder. Right now it is 36, but it feels like 27...so no telling what it will "feel like" when it is in the low 20's in the morning! Maybe the winds will have calmed down, but it will still be very cold as we head off to church for the early service.

Progress Report!

The first ornament on the tree (other than the tree topper that I put on as I was putting the tree together) was this little red bird. This little bird has resided for many years on our tree and always adds a bright spot! The picture of the tree is as it looks now after one large box of ornaments has been emptied. I had to stop decorating and make some breakfast cookies to take to the church in the morning. Tomorrow is another day of getting ready for The Night In Bethlehem/A Living Nativity. My Sunday School class was asked to help provide refreshments for the workers. After I got those done I was pretty tired so came upstairs to rest and wait for Woody to finish on the computer so I could blog. It wasn't long after I sat down that I dozed off for a bit of a "power nap!" Now maybe I'll have enough energy to hang a few more ornaments this evening! Woody got up this morning and went on a six-mile-walk...it took him a bit longer than usual to walk that distance...he's slower in movement these days due to his sciatic pain, etc. He is trying to not let what ails him keep him from his exercise. Wonder what the tree will look like tomorrow night when it is time to blog!

Preparing for Thanksgiving & Christmas!

This morning I had school time with Isaac, Elijah, Graham, Abigail, and Esther. Before school, I did get the Christmas mugs out and put away the everyday ones...one more step towards being finished with decorating. Woody did a bit of raking...but it must have been sort of a "Tom Sawyer-type" job as before long he had lots of little helpers and it didn't take too long till he had big helpers, too. Once the "crew" took over, Woody retired to the front porch...he commented, while sitting on the porch, that his raking job was really tough! I put a turkey breast in the oven just before school started this morning. I had read a suggestion about making the gravy for Thanksgiving ahead of time and then freezing it. The recipe called for turkey wings, but none were to be found in the stores that Woody shopped in this past week...so he got a turkey breast instead. After school was over, I made the gravy and it is all safely tucked away in the freezer. If it happens to not to be all that great after it is frozen, then I can always make gravy that day. I just know that when it comes time to make the gravy I am usually pretty tired and that it sort of holds up things for our dinner so thought that I would give this a try. After making gravy, I went upstairs and rested for a little while. Nathan and Graham came over and moved the Christmas tree box downstairs. I had a couple of other things to do before putting the tree together. But my goal was to have it together before I blogged tonight...and I met my goal as tonight's picture shows. It's together not to get underway hanging ALL the ornaments! One box is on the cutting table waiting to be explored and then ornaments hung. Over in the left hand corner of the picture you can see part of the array of boxes that I have that are filled with ornaments. Lots of tree trimming ahead...but at least that is the last decorating job other than putting the boxes back in the Christmas closet...and that job is Woody's! Woody went for a late afternoon four-mile-walk. He left in daylight but returned in darkness. Well, the really fun job of decorating is about to begin...I love to decorate the tree...so many memories as I hang each ornament! I'm not sure that I am up to getting into the ornaments tonight...think that I will at least rest in my chair for a little while before even thinking about starting...and, I may not start till morning. So today has been a bit of a mixture of getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

I Feel Just Like The Big Bad Wolf!

Because I have made so many trips up and down the stairs, I have been huffing and puffing about like The Big Bad Wolf. My goal was to have all the boxes back up in the hallway so I can get Nathan and perhaps Graham to bring down the big Christmas tree box. That goal is met...and the place for the tree has been emptied of furniture making way for the tree. I did just take one more box downstairs...the box of Christmas mugs...but I will wait till tomorrow to make the exchange of daily mugs for the Christmas ones...I'm about done in! Before school this morning, I worked in the kitchen trying to get it finished up...ended up doing more cleaning in there than I had planned. When it was time for school to begin, Isaac came over first. After Isaac finished with his lessons, Goosey (Woody) read to him for a few minutes and then walked him back home. Elijah had his art time this morning since I wasn't home to do it with him yesterday. He made an ornament out of a Christmas card...but not a card ball! Then Graham came over and read out loud to me for a while. Then it was Abigail's turn to come read. After Abigail, Joy had her sewing time with me. She finished her sewing project today--a pin cushion. She did a great job! Next she will be doing a secret sewing project (shhhhhhhh! present for Esther) during her sewing time. After Joy's sewing time, I ate a quick lunch and then headed to church to work in the library for a couple of hours. I got busy as soon as I got home and just finished up a little while ago...only taking a short break to eat supper. Woody continues to take it easy due to his various aches and pains. I am now going to head straight to my recliner and take it easy the rest of the night!

Friendly Tuesday!

I changed things up a bit with school this morning as I was meeting friends to go another friend's home for lunch. Abigail came first for her sewing lesson. Then Graham, Joy, and Esther joined her for art. After art Joy read a story to me and I read one to her. Then it was time for me to gather things together to go meet my friends at our designated spot (Lowe's' parking lot). Then we were off taking lunch to share with one of our friends who has MS and hasn't been doing very well lately. We hoped that we could brighten her day a bit. We had a good visit as we always do. When I got home I found out that I had just missed Abigail. She was looking for some fabric to make something for Esther. So we looked through my scraps and finally found something that appealed to Abigail and Abigail thought Esther would like. Then we worked on getting two rectangles of fabric cut with straight sides! While she was planning, she thought of something else that she wanted to do on this present so we got into planning for that. Now to find the time to execute the second "idea!" Time seems to definitely be of the essence lately! After a quick supper of leftovers, I got underway with getting the kitchen floor ready to mop. My sister sent us an early Christmas present, a snowman runner/rug to put on the floor in front of our kitchen sink...and, I couldn't put it down on our dirty kitchen floor. So I mopped the kitchen floor and then when it was dry I put our new rug down. It looks great...adds to the snowman/tree "theme" of the kitchen and family room. Putting the new rug down is about the only decorating I have done today...too busy to get back to it. I had hoped to have all the decorative items in boxes and ready to be stored away till after Christmas...but I think that will have to wait for another day as my back is telling me that I need to head to the recliner with my cup of tea as soon as I finish this blog! Woody left a while ago to walk to church for his time in the prayer room. He is still having a lot of pain from his sciatic nerve and whatever else might ail him!

Monday Once Again!

Our Japanese maple is absolutely beautiful at the moment--such vivid colors--almost need sunglasses to look at it!!! This has been a very busy day. I had school with Isaac and Elijah. Then Esther followed by Joy came over and spent time reading out loud to me. Then Graham had his Grammy time when we do experiments, sew, or do whatever strikes our fancy! Graham finished his card ball for his Christmas tree.Here's a picture of a card ball that I made many years ago. It's a great use for old Christmas cards.

Card balls are going to be our art lesson tomorrow. Graham has had to use geometry to figure out how to divide the circle up into equal parts. Since he has completed his using a triangle in the center. He plans to make another tomorrow using a pentagon. We'll have to see how that ball turns out! Woody and I many, many years ago tried different shapes--some shapes work and others don't. Graham will have to figure that out. The three girls will be using triangles on their first attempt at card balls. After lunch, I sat down and made up a grocery list. A couple of friends and I are going to meet tomorrow and take lunch to friends. I'm making a salad and bread. The bread is rising as I type this. I am making Pilgrims' Bread. It uses several different grains--whole wheat, stone ground corn meal, rye flour and white bread flour. I thought that Pilgrims' Bread was an appropriate bread for the season! After I got my list completed, Abigail happened to come over so I invited her to accompany me to the store. We had fun and she was very helpful as I don't go to the store very often so really don't know where anything is! We came home and unloaded and put away the groceries and then Abigail headed home to do some chores at home and I got underway with cooking both our supper and my part of tomorrow's lunch. I still have the gelatin salad left to do, but that is easy. I will do that after the bread gets into the oven to bake. I did a bit more decorating yesterday afternoon after church. The kitchen is pretty much finished--Abigail and I bought the last decorative touch for the kitchen this afternoon--two boxes of candy canes to put in a tin snowman hat. This evening while I watch Dancing With the Stars, I plan to do the shadow box in the family room--I did do the one in the kitchen yesterday. I have been diligently putting away everyday decorative items--packing them away in boxes that Christmas decorative items have come out of. Once I have all decorative itmes that are on the sewing table cleared off/packed up, then I will be ready to have Nathan and Graham bring down the big tree box. Oh, boy...Well, I'll just say for the first time on the blog this year...'tis the season!I have one other job before going to bed tonight--do a little clearing in the sewing room as Abigail will be sewing first thing in the morning. Well, I'm off to check to see if the bread dough has risen enough to let rest and then shape into loaves.