The day after the day after...

Good morning friends. Christmas is over.  Jamie and the kids went home yesterday and through my tears, I decided the best way to cope would be cleaning.  I washed all the sheets and towels and remade beds.  I vacuumed and swept all of the floors.  I cleaned bathrooms. Then I took down the tree and last night Dennis carried everything to the storage closet for me.  This morning I packed up the last of the decorations.  The only thing I have left out is my snowmen collection and they stay out until the middle of February or so.  I would much rather look at stuffed snowmen than the cold, white stuff outside. It's easier for me to  cope with an empty house if all signs of the visit are gone quickly.  That may seem an odd way of coping but it's what I've found works best for me.

Mandy and Piper face-timed a couple of times through the day yesterday and Alex face-timed from Tokyo, I think the calls were because they knew I was feeling really lonely after the grandbabies left.  They both face-timed every single day over the holiday weekend which I know isn't easy for either of them.  Mandy had family obligations at various places and just the time difference makes talking with Alex a challenge even when it's not a holiday.  Oh. How I miss my kids and tears are falling as I write this, but at least we know they love us.  And...we're flying to Omaha next weekend to have a late Christmas with our Omaha family.  Dennis will be there for his birthday with his Mom for the first time in years, so it's all good.  I'll get over the tears.  I always do until I think to much about the fact that none of them are here. :-)

I forgot to show you this yummy lotion that Cheryl, ( Homespun Devotions blog), sent me last week.  It smells like Peppermint and it's wonderful.  Please say a prayer for Cheryl's family, especially her sister Debbie and nephew Mark, as Debbie's husband LD passed away yesterday from cancer.  The family is devastated and grieving deeply during this season where everyone else seems to be so joyful.

 I bought this apple pie at a gluten free bakery and it was a hit with Kyleigh and Caleb.  They said it was really delicious but I can't for the life of me figure out why gluten free foods cost so much.  This one pie was $17.99!  They always go without when others are eating pie though, so I bought it anyway.  For those of you that eat gluten free, do the ingredients REALLY cost that much more?  It wasn't just the pie.  I bought bread, crackers, cereal and hot dog buns too and they all cost much more than "normal" food.  Don't get me wrong.  I didn't mind getting these foods for them at all, I just can't figure out how people can afford to eat like this all of the time. :-)  Isn't it a pretty pie?

 Our tree on Christmas morning.  It was definitely a white Christmas here and the snow is still falling!

I managed to make four matching dishcloths over the weekend for some girlfriends of mine that I'll see next week.

Two...

 and two more.

 I made my friend Teresa another hat a couple of weeks ago that I forgot to show you.  She texted me yesterday and asked if I would make her another one as she gave it to a homeless woman yesterday.  Well of course I will!  That makes 6 since last winter that I've made her.  She gives them away and I make more!  A great collaboration in my mind!  Teresa is a school teacher and an amazing one at that.  I would have loved to have a teacher like her when I was a child.

The sun was coming up over Mt. Spokane yesterday morning when I looked out the patio door.  I thought the pink was beautiful.

 Snow fell, and fell and fell yesterday.  It wasn't even in the forecast!  More is on the way. I need to go shovel the driveway again, but Dennis has forbidden me.  I shoveled yesterday and got into big trouble when he got home last night.  Tomorrow another 6-8 inches is forecast and then freezing rain after the snow.  Yuck.

Well, I'm off to finish some cleaning and then I need to knit on a scarf for a co-worker of Dennis.  I'm trying to find a nice easy one that will go fast!

I hope you're all having some relaxing time after all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday.  I'll be back soon and popping around to visit your blogs too.

Suddenly a great company of the Heavenly Host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peach to those on whom His favor rests."

Luke 2:13-14

Blessings,
Betsy

Merry Christmas and a Thank You!

Merry Christmas just a bit early to all of my friends in blogland!  I know I won't be posting again before Christmas day because I'll be a bit busy with my grandchildren! Yes, Jamie and the kids just crossed McDonald Pass on their way here today.  Two more mountain passes to go, so we're definitely praying for safe roads.  More snow fell yesterday and that translates into slick roads.  The skies are a beautiful blue today though, so hopefully travel will be safe for them and all others who are driving today.  I'm praying for any family members you may have on the roads this weekend too.

But I just had to stop in an tell you something.  I went to the mailbox yesterday and there was a surprise in it!  Look who came to stay at my house.

Isn't she sweet?  She was in a box from an Etsy shop with just a note that said, "Merry Christmas, Betsy!" and nothing else.  I have no idea who's flock she's from, but I am ever so thankful.  I suspect one of you sent her to me and I am just so grateful.  She even has a PURPLE heart on her side.  Thank you so much to whoever you are.

She joins a sheepy friend that arrived a few Christmas's ago from some other bloggy pals.  I'll soon have a flock of my own. :-)  I love them and they definitely make me smile.

I also received this sweet snowman card, handmade by Debra at "Araignee's Tangled Web" on my sidebar.  She makes the nicest soaps and lotions and shares them with everyone.  Instead of sending this out to someone else, I was selfish and framed it in a shadowbox.  He will stay out all winter and help brighten the long, dark and cold days.

 Piper had "pajama day" at preschool last week.  She wore her princess nightgown and so did her friend and her friends little sister.  Three matching sweethearts.  Aren't they precious?

This picture came by text yesterday.  Mandy and Piper were making Papa's favorite Christmas cookies.  Cut out sugar cookies!  Piper did most of the work herself according to Mommy.

It's a good thing yesterday was such a good day because apparently she woke up upchucking during the  night.  Is there a nice way to say that?  Anyway, we face-timed this morning and she asked Grandma what would make her tummy feel better?  I suggested sucking on a peppermint stick.  That's what we did with our kids and it seemed to help.  Hopefully it will help Miss Piper.  She has a busy weekend ahead of her.  There sure seems to be a lot of bugs out there this winter.

I also want to thank each and every one of you for your sweet comments and prayers this week.  My CT scan came back normal which was wonderful news.  Everyone who knows me made comments about really having a brain in there!  I had my regular eye exam yesterday and the eye doctor gave me steroid eye drops to see if that will bring the swelling down by my nose.  He said if it is going to work it will be by the end of today and it could be inflamed glands from my eyes that are next to my nose.  So far, no change, but at least I know it's not a tumor or something like that!  I still have a headache too, but nothing that I'm going to let stop me from having a wonderful time with Jamie and the kids.

I am so very, very blessed to have such compassionate and kind friends like you all.  Although I know the internet can be used for bad things, I'm so grateful for it because without it, I probably wouldn't have met any of you in "real" life. 

I have made several dishcloths since I last wrote to you, but haven't taken any photos of them yet.  I'll try to do that for my next post.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend of celebration.  If I don't comment much on your posts this weekend, it's because I'm busy playing and talking with my family that we see so rarely.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

Merry, Merry Christmas to each of you.  You have truly been a wonderful gift given to me.

Blessings,
Betsy

Ever Closer...

Are you ready?  I think Christmas is almost here whether you are ready or not.  It has been a very low key preparation time for me.  For the most part, I finished everything pretty early.  I just have the actual food to make on Christmas.  We're having a very easy meal of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans because I can make nothing that has gluten in it because of Kyleigh and Caleb having Celiac's.  It does simplify cooking and you go back to the basics.  It seems gluten is in everything.  I did buy an Apple pie for them at a gluten free bakery.  I'll pick that up on Friday so they can have it all weekend, not just for Christmas.  They arrive Saturday and the fun will commence!

We have received about 16 inches of snow since I last blogged.  Yes really!  And then yesterday it was 40F and poured down rain.  All around us people got snow but we had rain and it melted a lot of the snow away.  Now it's supposed to be very, very cold through next week.  As in single digits cold!  Brrrr.  Here are a few photos for you snow lovers after the first round fell last weekend.  Merry Christmas!

The dots are more snow falling as we drove home from church on Sunday.  The first two were taken as we drove down our street and the last is our house.  We just keep shoveling the stuff, or to be more exact, Dennis shovels.  He won't let me touch the shovel this year after last years fall.  Yuck!

The next photo is an ornament that has been on our tree every year since I was five.  I don't think I've shown it to you yet this year.  It was given to me by my kindergarten Sunday school teacher and has been one of our favorite family ornaments.

Can you believe it still has glitter on it after 52 years?  Yep.  I'm 57, at least for another month or so.

Piper was in a program at  her preschool last week.  Mandy sent us a photo of her ready to take part at school.  Brad's parents were there too.  I'm so glad that she has family close by now to celebrate all of these fun events with them.

We also had our children's program at church on Sunday.  It was wonderful.  They enacted the traditional Nativity, down to a 3 year old innkeeper!  It really was wonderful!  I laughed and I cried.

There is nothing like children telling the greatest story that has ever been told.

We lit the third candle on the advent wreath at home on Sunday.  I've always wanted to have a wreath at home and Dennis and I are really enjoying it together this year.  Each night for the month of December, there are scriptures we read, reminding us of why we are celebrating Christmas.  Even though Christ's birth wasn't really on Christmas, it has been the day chosen to celebrate this wonderful day.  Three candles were lit last Sunday.

I finished this cross stitch earlier in the year and have decided to leave it out all year long as a reminder.  It looks small but it is framed in an 11x14" frame.

Through the week I have managed to finish some things.  First up is Marilyn's blanket.  I love, love, love how it turned out.  It's almost big enough for a twin size bed and the yellow color is so soft!

I just did a single crochet border and then some chain stitches.  I think it was a nice finish.

I also finished another Pimpelliese Shawl made with Knit Picks Stroll tonal yarn in fingering weight.  I plan to give it as a gift to a co-worker of Dennis.  I've known her almost 24 years and I know she will appreciate it.  This is a free pattern on Ravelry if you're interested.  I've made lots of them over the years.  I played "yarn chicken" and lost.  That has never happened to me before.  See the right edge of the shawl?  I had weighed the skein before I began, but I still ran out. I only needed about a yard more to complete it properly.  I don't think it will be noticeable when she's wearing it and it would be a LOT of work to rip out clear back to where the decreases began.  What do you think?  I haven't given it to her yet.  Should I rip it out?  Now I'm second thinking it all! :-)  I hate giving things away that aren't right.  Let me know in the comments what you think please.

With some of the mitten scraps I have, I made a simple toddler sized granny stripe blanket for the Crisis Nursery.  Nice, mindless crochet to use up little bits of yarn.

I also finished a doily I had started in November and then let languish in the basket.

I received a gift in the mail from my friend Becky in Portland.  She takes the most beautiful photos and she sent me a calendar with some of her photos and a beautiful ornament.  She's "GrandmaBecklyL" over on my sidebar.  Thank you so much Becky!

I hope you are all ready to celebrate and are not too stressed.  Slow down and take a deep breath.  The day will come and go just like any other whether you are ready or not, so I hope you can enjoy it and be thankful for the greatest gift ever given.

(Edited to add that the hospital just called and I have a CT scan of my head scheduled for 7:00 tonight. Please pray that answers would be found...finally. I have had a headache for almost 2 weeks and swelling around my nose that hasn't gone down at all.  Both sides of my nose and the doctors don't know why.  Sinus xrays have been clear.  The antibiotics I've been on for 8 days now have done nothing. Thank you all.)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." Romans 1:16

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

Merry Christmas and many blessings to you all.

Betsy