Getting back to normal

Life is returning to a normal routine now. This is the third morning of waking up to a house with none of the family in it. I still don’t like that, but it is our normal.  Alex and Tara just sent me a video of Sunrise at the Grand Canyon this morning. Oh my goodness! It was gorgeous. They drove there in white out conditions last night though and I was very glad to know when they were safe at their hotel. They found a place right on the south rim of the Canyon.  Today they’re heading back to Las Vegas to see a show at Cirque du Soleil tonight. Tomorrow they will fly to Omaha to spend the weekend with Mandy before going home Monday.

I can finally show you the cross stitch ornaments I made a couple of months ago for all of the kids. The cross stitch itself was the easy part. Handsewing the backing on took longer than the cross stitch! I lightly stuffed them with fiberfill and put a hanger on. Everyone seemed very happy with them.

Yesterday I delivered the mini stockings to the veterans home. There are 100 of them in the box and each one has an LED, easy-on flashlight. They were so excited when I took the box in. I have to admit, this was one of the more expensive endeavors I have taken on. Those little flashlights weren’t cheap! The stockings were fun to make though.

As I told you in my last post, Dennis and the boys put the outside lights up last week. Of course, one string stopped working a couple of days ago. I guess since we bought them 18 years ago when we first moved into the house, it was time! Last night Dennis and I went to Lowe’s and bought some new lights and a timer. Now I don’t have to go outside in my nightgown at 10:30 at night to unplug the lights! I thought the timers were very expensive but it was only $10! Well worth the money.  We don’t put the lights up in the peak of the house anymore like we used to. I’m terrified of heights and it scares me to see him up on a ladder so high. We can put the ones above the garage and along the railing by just using a small step ladder and it’s enough. It still gives off a cheerful glow and I think they’re beautiful.

I went to the knitting group at the retirement village  yesterday and I really enjoyed it. It is just my second time going because having been sick, I didn’t want to share my germs with these ladies. Since they all live at the facility they all know each other well. Some live in the cottages which are single living homes surrounding the main building. Some live in apartments that are detached from the facility and some live at the facility itself. It is really a nice place, but hearing them talk yesterday about how much it costs to live there I’m rethinking my desire to get an apartment there someday.  One lady has lived there for 27 years!  Some of them are paying over $6000 a month rent and then you have utilities on top of that. Who can afford that?  Apparently the rate for the one bedroom apartment is $5500 per month and it’s going up almost $300 more in January! I think will be staying in our house a while longer. It’s paid for and that is worth something.

Now for a few more family pictures. Friday evening all four of the kids went out together for some sibling time. Grandpa and Grandma got to babysit, although Kyleigh and Caleb are technically old enough to stay by themselves.  I absolutely love all of those smiles.

Mandy,  Piper and I rode together in the backseat of the truck while Alex, Tara and Dennis were in the front on our way to church Sunday.  Here I am with two of my girls.  Piper’s hat was in my donation box but she claimed it as her own. It is the C.C. Hat. (Copy Cat Hat) and is a free pattern online.  I even saw machine made version of it at Hobby Lobby yesterday. I made one for Mandy on Tuesday and mailed it to her yesterday forgetting to take a photo. I asked her to take a picture of it when she receives it so I can show you. I liked how it turned out so much that I actually started one for myself last night. Would you believe with all the hats I’ve made, I have not kept one for myself?  I always end up giving them away. This one I’m keeping!

I love this one. It sums up Mandy and Jamie‘s relationship very well. He cracks her up. :-)

The gifts are all unwrapped but I’m still enjoying looking at the tree. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite ornaments with you over the next few weeks. Do you see the elf on the shelf on top of the cabinet? He followed Piper here so he could report her activities to Santa.  I sure hope he found his way back to her house because she was very concerned about that! Ha!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful week and staying warm wherever you may be.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”  First Chronicles 16:34

Blessings,

Betsy