Friday

My day has been spent doing various sewing tasks. I actually got the pattern traced to make Isaac a flannel shirt and got it cut out. I have also made some more Christmas ornaments for gifts. Christmas sewing is definitely underway. Woody did our weekly grocery shopping this morning. While he was doing that, Graham came over to show me his latest robot creation and also to go over his lines for the musical that he and two of his sisters are in on Sunday evening. Woody went for a four-mile walk after lunch and also blew leaves out of the front yard...once again. He just told me that the city leaf truck got the leaves that he and Nathan and Graham have been dragging out to the road over the last weeks...LOTS of leaves. Last night Kathy called saying that she and Graham were outside looking at the sky...looking for meteor showers. She was calling to ask me to use the new app, Star Walk, on my iPad (an early Christmas present to me from Woody). It lets you see what star formations are overhead when you are standing right in your own yard. Last night Kathy and Graham were able to find out exactly where the meteor showers should be and they did see some and then when I went outside, Kathy and I saw a really bright meteor. Fun! Now we can study the stars, constellations and planets, etc. Just before blogging I finished mending one of Elijah's favorite t-shirts. Well, now back to Christmas sewing for little Isaac. 'Tis the season!

Way to go, Abigail!

Abigail was so excited today when we put that last stitch into the apron and she was able to slip it over her head and tie it behind her! When I saw her last, she hadn't taken it off! She did a very good job and learned a lot of patience as it took quite a while since we sew not much more than two hours a week. I had school with Elijah, Esther, Joy and Abigail. Then I spent a good part of the afternoon trying to order something for Alex for Christmas. I found the item at a very good price and attempted to purchase it and found out that we would have to go to the store to pick it up rather than have it shipped to us...which was okay...EXCEPT...when I looked at possible stores they all said that the item was unavailable. So I found it elsewhere and it gave a date when it would be delivered...in time for Christmas...sounded good! So I placed that order and when I got the receipt, it said that it would be mailed when it was available. Hmmmmmmmmmmm this may turn into a "Promise" in the end. Oh, well...we have tried and he is 15 so he will understand (I hope!)! Woody walked four miles today. He ended up cooking our supper as I got a call from Janie's Sewing Center that my machine was ready to be picked up. So I left Woody with the Red Clam Sauce and hopped in the car to retrieve it! Now, to say something about sewing machines these days...last week when it started having a problem, I just stopped the machine and removed the hoop and shut down the machine in the middle of an embroidery design. I took the hoop off and set it aside. When I brought it home tonight, I turned on the machine and opened up the embroidery part of the machine. It went right back to the design that I had been stitching...right back to the place where I had to stop the machine...and I put the hoop back on and finished up the design that I had been doing! It still held onto that info in its computer "brain" and was able to finish that design. So...another Christmas ornament stitched! 'Tis the Season!

12-12-12

Once again, it has been a busy day...guessing that most will be busy right up to and through December 24 (our family Christmas). Today I had school with Elijah, Esther, Joy and Abigail. Agigail got to take Graham's time slot today as he was off hunting with his daddy. Abigail is just two steps away from finishing her apron...tomorrow if all goes as planned she will complete it. Today my usual Wednesday afternoon veered off a little as I didn't go to church to work in the library...instead headed off to the eye doctor for a check-up. My eyes are still a bit dilated and just feel tired after all the bright lights, etc. that came along with the check-up. Woody headed off to walk four miles just before I headed out the door to go to the eye doctor. That about sums up our day. 'Tis the Season!

Look Who's 11 Months!

Little Isaac is trying to grow up on us! He will be one next month...doesn't seem possible. He has the sweetest disposition and still loves to cuddle into you! I got some sweet loves this afternoon when I went over to take his picture. He can make a kissing noise now. Just too cute! I am really a day late as he turned 11 months yesterday...but close enough to count for an eleven month photo! I had school with five today...in and out...in and out on this very chilly (read that cold) day. On Tuesdays Elijah and Esther come after lunch. When Esther was finished, I took pictures of Isaac and then headed downtown to the shoe store. I had a problem with the pair that they had ordered for me...problem will be taken care of, as I knew it would be. The owner wasn't there this afternoon, but her sweet daughter helped me. That sweet daughter was one of my Montessori students many years ago. She is now a mommy of two! Woody has walked to and from the church twice today. Once after lunch to take a form to them and then again this evening to go to the prayer room. I sort of settled in to rest and relax this afternoon and evening. I have been reading and dozing and doing a bit on my iPad. I was so settled in and warm under a fleece throw that it was hard to get up to come in here to blog...just lazy, I guess! 'Tis the season!

Party's Over!

It was a rainy, dreary day outside, but that didn't stop us from enjoying friendships that have lasted over many a year. And, since the cat is out of the bag, I can share today's menu: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, cornbread, and peppermint ice cream. By the way, they did read the blog last night and were curious as to what we were going to have. We enjoyed the lunch and catching up with each other. Woody didn't walk today as it was raining when he got up and continued to rain for most of the day. Last night I managed to get the gifts wrapped for AZ and this morning Woody got them into a box and to the Post Office. So they're off! A step closer to it being Christmas! And, the rain did bring much colder temperatures. Brrrrrrrrrr after all the balmy temps! 'Tis the season!

Balmy December Sunday

We had a very mild day once again. Those balmy temperatures are supposed to be a thing of the past in a day or two. There's a front on its way. We are enjoying the warm temps while we can. Woody got up and walked seven miles early this morning. We went to the early service at church and then went to our respective Sunday School classes...he to teach and me to be taught! Instead of going straight home after church we headed out to attempt to find the addresses that Woody had been unable to find yesterday. He used some further directions that he had gotten both on the internet and also from a couple of people at church. We did manage to find the two houses and also found people at home. He left a letter with our phone number at another home and he has received a call back from her. So his visiting responsibilities are about over for our White Christmas food boxes. We came home and had a bite to eat and then I rested for a bit and then got started on what I am making for tomorrow's lunch. We are having friends over for lunch. Since they read the blog, I won't spoil their surprise as to what we are having by telling tonight...will report tomorrow. All I can say is that this is one of those recipes that makes me so hungry for it when I am making it...looking forward to getting to eat it tomorrow! Woody has just gotten home from the evening service at church. I was taking a rest before I attempt to get presents wrapped for AZ. They need to get in the mail. I did finalize my decisions about this year's Pickle Present. It is hard since our grandchildren range from 19 down to almost one. The older ones know that the present is now pretty much for the younger kids...especially since said younger kids live right next door, but I still try to find something that will interest the older two...at least enough to help the younger ones with the gifts that will be found in the gift bag. These gifts stay at Grammy and Goosey's...they find their way into the toy closet or the game closet or the school room. I like to choose at least one thing that will add to our school activities...but still a fun thing...one year it was a geography game and others I have added shape puzzles for different age levels...we now have three of those ranging from easy for the younger children to pretty hard even for the older (well, probably not hard for the 15 and 19 year old...but the six ranging from 1 to almost 11). It is a fun tradition that I started when Erin and Alex were quite small...I think maybe that I started the year before Alex was born...I know that the first pickle present was the Fisher Price Pirate Ship...that has provided hours of fun for all of them...well, not Isaac (yet!). It is fun when they are playing with something to tell them that it was a pickle present. I wonder who will find the pickle this year! That person opens the pickle present and then all dive in to check out and play with what the gifts are for that year. The pickle hunt starts almost the moment that Melany, Wade, Erin and Alex arrive. Nathan and Kathy's crew will be watching for them and be here just about instantly when they pull up on Christmas Eve morning. Then the fun begins! Tonight's ornament was given to me years and years ago by Melany and Nathan. This is a Hallmark ornament...I always loved the little Hallmark ornaments and these were ones that a child could afford to purchase as a gift...not many of those among present day Hallmark ornaments. 'Tis the season!

Sundry Saturday

I have done a little of this and a little of that today...so not much of anything done! I had big plans, but...Now, Woody on the other hand has done a lot of a lot of things...he worked the whole morning blowing and raking leaves (can you tell that we have a lot of leaves?!), he went to the library, ran errands, visited people who are to get a box of food from our church's White Christmas ingathering of food (someone visits each person/family to make sure that addresses are correct, find out numbers in family, dietary restrictions, make sure that someone will be home to receive the box on the day they are delivered, etc.), stopped at the grocery store on one of his times out and about. And, our neighbors were very busy doing their Christmas baking...mmmmmmmmmmmmm! I got to sample some of it. Good cooks! Then for lunch I went next door and ate pizza with them. Woody missed out as he had already had lunch and had gone on errands. He has enjoyed sampling some of the goodies this evening as Kathy brought us a plate. The children were in and out today...some just coming over to borrow things like cookie cooling racks and others to play for a while. I experimented with some settings on my camera for a while this morning taking some of our decorations. I even got out the tripod so I could take longer exposures. Tonight's photo is one that I took of ornaments on our tree. I have also spent time trying to find just the perfect items for our pickle present this year...I think that I have made my decisions...but not absolutely sure about one of the items. I've got to get those ordered so they will get there in time. I also did some preparation work for a recipe that I will make tomorrow...easier to put together when the chopping is done ahead of time. The one thing that I had planned to do today was wrap presents to send off to family in AZ. Got to get those off or they won't have their gifts in time. Seems like I'm lagging this year! 'Tis the season