Some finishes and some snow

Happy Monday! I’ve been hanging out at home quite a bit. The weather has been cool and damp with rain, then snow, then rain, then snow!

I was able to make a few pair of mittens and I’m on track for my weekly schedule so far. Thursday I received a phone call from a first grade teacher who goes to our church.  She used to teach in the school that I donate all of the mittens to. In fact, she was the one who let me know of the dire need of the students. Well, she’s reading a book to her students today about red mittens and she asked if I happened to have a pair she could borrow. It was hilarious because I had just knitted a pair of adult sized red mittens and mailed them off that morning to Piper for her teacher. She had called a few nights before and asked me to make her teacher some red mittens because her hands were cold. :-) Well, what’s a grandma to do? Of course I made them the very next day. Unfortunately I mailed the mittens without taking a photo of them for you. Just imagine the red mittens in the picture below much, much bigger for a grown-up!  I dug through the mittens I’ve made for next year and would you believe I didn’t have one pair of red ones made? So I made a pair and delivered them to Lindsay yesterday at church.  That pair is included in the photos below along with five more pair. I think I need to make sure I always have a pair of red mittens in my bag!

I have made four more hats for the retirement centers knitting group that I will deliver on Wednesday.

I finished another nine patch square for my cozy memories blanket.  I also put a few rows on a pair of socks but forgot to take a photo for you.

We woke up to some completely unpredicted snow yesterday morning which made an interesting drive to church. When I checked my weather app it showed a 0% chance of precipitation and at that point we had about 3 inches in our driveway and it was still coming down!  So much for the experts! Ha!

A few years ago Dennis bought me this sweet little camper that sits on the table under our television. I’ve had it for a few years now and I love it. It gives me hope that summer will return and so will lake time.

This was a dollar store find for me this year. I do miss our trailer in the wintertime.

When Mandy moved out to her first place of her own we gave her the family tree skirt that she had always loved. I had made it years before using the candlewick embroidery stitch.  I crocheted a new one and I just love it.  I can throw it into the washer and dryer after Christmas and it’s like brand new.

We went to Dennis’ company Christmas party Saturday night. Afterwards we walked across the street to “The Grand Hotel” and tried taking a selfie in front of one of the Christmas trees in the lobby. Obviously we are not selfie people! Ha!  It was fun to get dressed up and see the beautiful lights downtown. But boy, oh boy, it was cold and we had to walk almost 8 blocks to where we parked the car. Brrr!

Mandy sent me this picture of her wearing a scarf to work this morning that I had knitted for her several years ago. It’s the “Pimpleisse” pattern that I got free on Ravelry along time ago.  Now, I may be a bit biased, but I think she is absolutely gorgeous.

I hope you are all doing well even in the hustle and bustle that is December. I know many of you are dealing with difficult situations right now and I am keeping you all in my prayers. I’m wishing for all of you time to slow down and remember the reason we’re celebrating this holiday season.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

Blessings,

Betsy

December Sunshine

We are having a beautiful sunshiny day today and I’m trying to enjoy every second of it because rain is supposed to come back tomorrow and then snow showers for the foreseeable forecast. I do know that that is the norm for December and I’m trying to embrace it. But you all know how I feel about snow!  :-)

I received a beautiful beaded Christmas tree ornament in the mail from Dee (Little Stone Schoolhouse) on my sidebar.  Isn’t it lovely?  Thank you so much Dee.  It’s hanging on the tree where I can see it often.

I’m currently working on a nine patch square. I think I have nineteen squares done and I’m now knitting the border on this one.  They are quite time consuming and it’s all I have worked on since I last posted.

I thought I would share some of my favorite Christmas decorations and ornaments with you and why they are important to me.

Many of you have seen these decorations before as I talk about them often because they mean so much to me.

First of all is the ornament I got when I was five years old from my Sunday school teacher. It always gets pride of place on the tree.  It’s been on the tree for 54 years now!

The star is from the very first Christmas tree after Dennis was born. His Mom gave it to us when we first got married for our tree, so that makes 63 years for the star!  I cherish it.

This nativity in a jar is from Teresa, (Teresa Kasner) on my side bar, she made it for me several years ago and I love it.  I received the card this week from Sharon who is (calligraphy cards-Shaz in Oz) on my side bar. She makes all of her own cards and does an amazing job. Isn’t it beautiful?

I have a few more I’ll be sharing with you over the next couple of weeks. 

Alex’s flight yesterday morning was canceled, he never did find out why they kept delaying it and delaying it and finally just canceled it altogether with the result that he was left for an extra day in Omaha. Tara‘s flight did take-off for New York City and she was already at work in the afternoon when she sent me a message. The airline paid for a very nice hotel room for Alex.  He took an Uber to Grandma’s and spent the afternoon and evening with her. He said it actually was a wonderful gift and he’s glad it happened, although he had to do quite a bit of juggling on his schedule because he was scheduled for meetings in Tokyo today.  They really enjoyed their time together.  As I write this, he is about halfway across the Pacific Ocean. 

The kids have all been gone for a week and I thought I was prepared for them to be so far away again. But as I type this, tears are falling again. I know. I sound like a whiner. Goodness, I do miss our kids.  I think having had such a wonderful time Thanksgiving week makes me realize how much I miss those days of being together. I know life changes and the days move on and for heavens sake, we’ve been empty-nesters for 12 years now! You would really think I would be used to this. Goodbyes never get any easier though do they?  I am so proud of all of our kids and I wouldn’t expect them to change their lives and I hope I never feel make them feel bad for the choices they’ve made. But, I would rather have the tears when they leave than to not care at all. Don’t you think so too?  I think it’s a normal mom thing. At least that’s what I tell myself! Ha!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Tuesday and enjoying the preparations for Christmas without having too much stress. I’m enjoying watching a lot of YouTube knitters/crocheters as they do what is called Vlogmas. Short daily videos of their Christmas preparations.  Lots of fun.

I will leave you with a photo of Alex and Tara at the Grand Canyon at sunrise last Wednesday. Aren’t those colors beautiful?  He sent me a photo this morning when he flew back over the Grand Canyon on his way to Los Angeles. The two different perspectives are amazing.

From his flight this morning.

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.”  Galatians 6:10a

Blessings,

Betsy

Quiet

My goodness our house is quiet.  We have spent most of the weekend just laying low at home. Dennis came down with the cold everyone seems to have on Thursday night so he’s been trying to get over it before starting the work week again.  Although he does sound a bit better, you can still tell he’s sick when he talks. It’s definitely a head cold at this point.

I did make 6 more pair of mittens this weekend.  They have been put into the bag for next fall. So far I’m staying on track with my two pair a week and I’m even a couple of weeks ahead!

This blanket was finished while the kids were all here, but I never took a picture to show you.  I used a Caron Big Cake of yarn plus a little extra out of a second ball. The blanket is about 37 inches square and I used the Every Which Way Filet pattern.

I also finished one hat for the ladies at the retirement homes hat project and started another.

This afternoon I started another square for my cozy memories nine patch quilt.

I apologize for these dark photos but it’s been cloudy here for days.

I received some happy mail this past week. Teresa (Teresa Kasner on my side bar), sent me this sweet little lamb. It’s from a little shop in Vermont. Isn’t it just the cutest?  I love the floppy ears. He is happily hanging on our tree. Thank you so much Teresa. It was so sweet of you to think of me.

I also won one of Connie (Far Side of Fifty on my side bar), and her husband’s coveted yearly Christmas tree ornaments. They are hand carved and hand painted. I am so lucky to have been chosen to receive one of these ornaments this year. Just look at the detailing on this sweet little ornament. She also sent me a handmade scrubby. I love it!

She hand painted my name and the year on the back of the ornament and initialed it.

Look at this sweet little bear and candy cane they made to put inside the stocking. Behind the bear is a little red bead. Thank you so much Connie. It’s  hanging on my tree along with Teresa‘s sheep where I can admire them both every time I look up at the tree.

I am incredibly blessed to have blog friends like all of you. I don’t take your friendships for granted and I’m so grateful that you come and visit me whenever I post.

I’ll leave you with one more photo from our family get together. My favorite ones were pictures where everyone was goofing around and didn’t realize Jenny was actually snapping photos.

I hope you all have a wonderful start to your week.

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”  First Chronicles 16:11

Blessings,

Betsy