Christmas Memories

Hello my new blogging friends! I am so happy that you stopped by for a visit, please leave a comment and let me know you were here.

I am sitting t my computer looking out the window at a nice heavy snow is coming down. It is just beautiful. I am a lover of snow! I think it is so pretty and makes everything look better. I love how it clings to the trees and covers the brown dead ground. My feeling is this...if it is going to be cold we may as well have the snow to go with it.

We had just barely a covering for Christmas but this is making up for it. Speaking of Christmas it was a great time. My SIL Judy had to work on Christmas eve so Jon brought the boys and we just visited and reminisced of Christmas' from our youth. The memory we all had and shared the most were of Christmas Eves when we would all get into the car and travel a half an hour to my Grandparent's house. We would celebrate with my Grandparents and my dad's brother and his family. There were 7 kids and 6 adults in a pretty small house. We would have a little supper first, then take family pictures and then finally get to open our presents. The thing my brother, sister and I remember the most though was the ride back home. We always got to see Christmas lights, we would sing Christmas carols and we would always look for Santa's sleigh in the sky. Funny how those little things make the biggest impression.

On Christmas day everyone was at my mom and dad's except for my oldest nephew who is in Arizona. I have to be honest and say that Isaiah was the main attraction. He loved tearing the wrapping paper off and he was very excited about the new things he got.

 Stacking and restacking the drinking cups for Grandma.

 Ian and Logan...both 17 and full of trouble! LOL

Isaiah wanted to play with everything he opened right away..here the blocks from me.

 Michelle reading Iasiahhis new book.

 More block play later that night.

Redecorating Grandma's tree.

 Logan helping with a puzzle

 Saying good bye to my buddy!

It was a great time and many memories were made. I do hope you all made great memories with your families and that you all keep them in your hearts!

 

Christmas swap...

Hello friends...still no snow here, hence the picture. There is a chance for a bit on Wednesday so we shall see if it gets cold enough. I am done with my decorating and even got my tree up thanks to help from my sister.

On Saturday I got a nice package in the mail. Amy from Bumble Bee Lane hurried and got a quick Christmas swap organized. I was so happy that she did because it is my favorite one of the year! I was blessed to get Danice from Homespun Hannah's Blog for the second year in a row. Danice is such a great seamstress and I admire her sewing talent. Here are the treasures I received.

 I got a set of beautiful coasters, a darling tree, a can with great smelling fillings in it and a set of clothespins.

I got a neat Christmas pillow, a cute stocking and a framed "December" photo.

But I have to say this little guy stole my heart...he is just the cutest!

Thank you so much Danice and thank you again Amy for giving us the opportunity to swap!

Merry Christmas!

Two Weeks???

Hello blogging friends, I hope that this post finds you all well and not too stressed for the coming celebration. If you are stressed I hate to bring this up but can you believe it is two weeks from today? I have been having pain in my foot and so I do not have hardly anything done. I have the outside decorated, I have the tree u with the lights on but not decorated, I have some things decorated but not nearly all I like to put out. I have decided to give money because I can't go shopping and just am not really in the spirit. I think part of the reason is that we have not had any snow. Our temps have been 20 to 25 degrees above normal. We have gotten a lot of rain but no snow. I sure hope we have a white Christmas. If not well at least I will have my family around me and I really that is all that matters.

I am still babysitting my nephew 2-3 days a week and he is at the age where he is just starting to get a little of the excitement of Christmas. He doesn't get the whole thing but he loves the lights and the decorated Christmas tree and stuff like that. It is so fun to be able to watch him grow and change so much. I got a felt tree and made some shape "ornaments" and he was so excited to decorate his own tree and we also worked on colors and shapes.

Well I guess that is it for now, I sure have enjoyed Wendi's 12 Days of Christmas and also have enjoyed all of your decorating pictures! Hopefully I will get some up here before Christmas.

Be blessed, not stressed.

Ornament Swap and Thanksgiving

Hello friends...It again has been awhile since I have blogged...Life happens, daily events, some small excitements, some small tears but it just seems like life, day by day, not a lot to share or write about. Maybe it is just a block I have but as I say each time, I will try to get better. It is hard to believe it is almost December. I am so excited to entering this time of year. It is so full of love and sharing and family time.

We had a great Thanksgiving. Most of the family were together and we all shared what we were Thankful for, had a delicious meal and shared many stories and laughs. Everyone went home Friday evening so I have been decorating this weekend. I have a very sore foot so I am doing it just a little at a time.

I am so excited to share that we are suppose to get a plowable snowstorm starting tomorrow and going into Tuesday. I love all of the Christmas decorations when there is snow on the ground. It is also good because I don't have to travel to babysit until Wednesday so it is perfect timing for me.

I have been watching the Christmas ornament swap that Amy at Bumblebee Lane has hosted each year. I was always so impressed with the ornaments that people made for this but I never thought I could make anything as good so I never joined. Well this year I bit the bullet and decided to join in, I am so happy I did.

Here are the oh so beautiful ornament I received....
From Amy I got this awesome star with a pocket full of beauty. Thank you so much Amy!

 I got this adorable wool snowman mitten from Sandi at The Primitive Skate. Thank you Sandi!

 I also got this sweet little cross stitch tree from Diane at Cottage Wishes. Thank you Diane!

And last but certainly not least I got this cute pocket with a snowman and fillings from Becky at Ginger Creme Hollow. Thanks Becky!

I am so in awe of the beautiful work that you all put into these! I can't wait to put them on my tree!

Well that is all for now! Have a great week everyone! Be blessed!

My Harvest Swap.

Happy Autumn my friends! This is one of my favorite times of the year...second only to Christmas. I love everything about it. The colorful leaves, the crisp cool weather, the earlier sunsets and so much more. I told my mom today that I can't wait until daylight saving time ends and she was why? I said because I love the evenings with my candles going, the nice spicy smell and my prim lights and candles on, it is just so cozy. I have been decorating so I will try to share some pictures of that soon.

I was so happy to see when Amy Bumble Bee Lane had the sign up for the Fall swap. I just love Amy's swaps and was ready for this one. I got Sandi from The Primitive Skate as my partner. I was so excited because I had not had her as a partner yet. When I got my package I was even more excited because of all of the special things I received. The picture isn't too good but here it is

I got a wooden crow to hang up which I put on my fall wreath, I got an owl kitchen towel, I got so many neat smelly things, like tarts, puka pods( I think that is what they are called) and spiced smelling corn cobs. I also got a cinnamon rubbed pumpkin, a wooden pumpkin sign and then my favorite was....

This awesome Harvest Thyme sign that Sandi painted...it is painted on a record album, how cool huh?

I want to thank Sandi so so much. I love everything. I would also like to ask you to keep Sandi and her husband in your prayers as he was in the hospital and is now recovering at home. 

Have a great Autumn everyone! Enjoy!

My Birthday....

Hello friends...it has been awhile again since I have written here but not a lot has been going on. As you can see from the picture today is my birthday. I am not celebrating in any way. When you get to my age, you are single and no kids there really isn't anyone to celebrate with. I will be taking my parents out to eat tomorrow night so maybe we can say that is my celebration.

I am ready for fall...today the weather was a chilly 64 degrees and last week we had 2 days like that also so it really gets me in the mood for my favorite season. I don't think I should decorate my apartment yet so I just changed the look of my blog. I will be starting my apartment in the next couple of weeks though.

Our family all got together last month and had a vacation together Everyone was there except my niece and her fiance and my middle nephew Ian who had football camp.

We had beautiful weather and a beautiful place to stay by the water, it was fun just sitting and enjoying eachother and the view

One day we went to a children friendly zoo and Isaiah loved the animals he could feed, here are the goats that knew how to find food.

We also went to a fun place called Elmer's that had go cart racing, 

and a trail ride that Judy, Matthew and Ivan went on...

It was also a place that wore the little one out and he finally gave in to nap on Grandpa

This was my SIL Judy, my sister Tammy, my mom and I outside a restaurant we went to for brunch

And Isaiah enjoying those little merry go rounds...he didn't want to leave! 

We also had fun inside playing Yahtzee and just laughing and talking

It was great to be able to spend time with family and was probably the best vacation I have had in a long time. Nothing is better than spending time with family!

Well that is all I have for now. Enjoy the rest of your summer and if you are like me...BRING ON FALL!!