Beginning a New Year

We began our New Years Eve celebration with take out from Red Robin.  Take out is something new to us, we started this last year.  We used to take everyone out to an early dinner but with the addition of several sweet grandchildren, take out has become a much more relaxing time for the parents of these sweeties.

After dinner we played some board games and had the usual fun of watching little ones run through the house.

They all enjoyed ice cream sundaes and a little extra whipped cream for dessert.

At midnight, eastern time of course, nine o'clock our time we celebrated with hats, horns sparkling cider and much jumping up and down.

Matt and Cammie with their little ones escaping.

Matt and Cammie without little ones

Micah and Lyndie and boys

Kevin and Amy and family

David and Michele and our newest grandbaby

We thought about our children and grandchildren far from us and missed them.  

We wish you all a Happy New Year!

A Little Bit of Christmas Joy

Merry Christmas to all!

Joy to the World

The Lord is come.

Let earth receive her King.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

Fun Finds and a Finish

While visiting our daughter Julie we did a little thrift store shopping.  Actually, we did a lot of thrift store shopping.  There is a very unique shop in a town very close to their home that is always fun to spend some time at.  I head to the sewing section first.  This is what I found this time. 

Two fat quarters, a yard and a half of yellow fabric, some fun buttons and a stack of charm squares. There are about 120 charm squares.  The squares are from different fabric lines but work well together.  They will make a great scrappy quilt top.  The squares were all in a baggies marked 3 dollars.  I snapped it right up.

The picture below is of a quilt I made and the important thing about this is that it is finally complete.  

I completed the binding!  It has been quilted a while now but had no binding, I have had six quilts quilted in the past year or so and this is the first to have binding on it.  I hope this means I will keep working and get them all done!

This "Pandora's Box" quilt made from a French General jelly roll is all wrapped and ready for a special person's Christmas gift.

Merry Christmas ?  I can't tell who it is for quite yet.

A Little Snow and Some Decorating

When we looked out our front door this morning, this is what we saw.  This meant no school and much excitement for most of the children in our area.  Me, I had to make a choice, get in my car and drive slowly and carefully or stay inside and do a little work from home.  I chose the later.

I worked for a few hours and then did a little blog reading.  I saw so many wonderful pictures and posts about decorating and decided to take a few pictures of what has been happening here because 

"Tis the Season"

I love my little Snow Family

Just a bit of our little white village

Out lighted house and white trees

And of course our  Nativity Scene, hand painted by my sister Becky, showing us the reason for the season.

I hope you are enjoying this time, don't get too busy and miss those special moments.

Thanksgiving Happenings

We had a very busy but blessed time at Thanksgiving.

We are thankful that we were able to travel to Wisconsin and spend the week with our daughter and her family.   We had not spent Thanksgiving with Julie since she went away to college what seems like many years ago. 

Here we are at the table ready to begin our wonderful meal.

The burlap pumpkins we made together were our center piece.

We all had a great day.

Family photo #1

Family Photo #2

I think we took at least 10 pictures, each with varied expressions on the children's faces.

On another day that week we took time out for a game of Monopoly.  We aren't sure of the winner but Tony did have the most money and property value when we put the game away.

It was a bit cold outside while we were there.

It snowed the night we arrived so we had the chance to take walks and throw a few snowballs.

It was hard to come home but I remind myself that we are blessed to have airplanes for travel and the means to make the trip.  I am already thinking about when we should make our next visit.  This post has been waiting to be posted for quite some time, it just needed a few comments added.  I guess I have been a little distracted.  I plan to share a little Christmas very soon. 

November Sit and Sew

I always enjoy spending the day in Coupeville a the Sit and Sews sponsored by Melanie at Fabric Chicks.  It is fun to get together with ladies who love to sew.  We also laugh a lot and have great food too.  I am always inspired by the projects everyone is working on and get the help I need on whatever project I am working on.

I packed up a basket with several projects I thought I might get to.  I had thought that I might get two or three completed.  

This is what it looks like out my car window on my drive across the Skagit valley on my way to Coupeville.  It is always so beautiful when the sky is clear.

Mount Baker is just visible in the background.  My pictures are a little blurry because the road is narrow and not much room for pulling over and taking clear pictures.

I had a great day at the sit and sew and I felt refreshed as I drove home that evening.  I was able to complete one project.  I completed the embroidery on my "Stitching Betsy's Closet" project a few months ago.  I decided it was going to be my first project at the sit and sew.  It is now sewn together.  

I hope to get it quilted soon, it is on my list!

I am already looking forward to monthly Sit and Sews starting again in January.

Sugar Block Club Blocks

I just received the pattern for the November Sugar Block Club block.  I was sorting through fabrics choosing the colors I want to use in the November block and though I would take a picture of the blocks I have completed so far.  It is very different from things I have made in the past but I think I am liking it.

Two more blocks to complete and then putting it all together.

It is a stormy Saturday here and I would love to sew but think I'll do a little housework and get ready for a baby shower for our newest expected grandson.