On To Christmas!

Thanksgiving dinner at Slate was nice - good food, great company and fabulous desserts (plus leftovers in the fridge for later snacking)

and now it’s time for Christmas!

This still makes me laugh, every time I see it, even all these years later. Such a  funny show. 

One of the big benefits of the last stash move was finding and organizing all (I hope this is all…) my UFOs.

Orphan blocks

I pulled out all the Christmas stuff so I can make potholders;

unpin, spray baste and quilt this wallhanging that I’d forgotten about but really like; 

make pillows? something? out of this pretty pre-quilted fabric; 

and finish this table runner that still had the pieces carefully rolled up in a cheap flannel tablecloth to keep them organized.

It worked! A little pressing, a little sewing and voila! new Christmas decor. 

Early Turkey - and Pie

We’re celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow at a local restaurant with Gary and Cheyenne (Gary is very excited about the buffet-style spread and all the fancy desserts)

so you’d think I wouldn’t be doing much cooking,

First try at a lactose-free pie. Not bad!

but Himself said he’d like leftovers… and I like leftovers… so I’ve spent the last two days leisurely cooking the parts of the feast we like best and experimenting with new recipes. 

Pumpkin ‘soufflé’

Tonight we had turkey, stuffing, deviled eggs, gravy (it was a fail - but the second batch was good), zucchini bread, pumpkin pie - and cute little pumpkin soufflés with the extra pie filling. Now we have leftovers for the rest of the weekend - and lots of sewing time for me. Win win! Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate, from our house to yours. 

Thankful

Thankful for many things but especially that most of our kids live nearby and we get to see them - and their kids - often. 

Grateful that the CO branch has a professional quality photographer on the payroll (aka Mom) 

and we get photos often, although it’s mostly of the (very photogenic) teenager. 

It’s a rule - if you have a yarn bowl you are officially a crocheter.

I’m promised a full family shot this weekend… no pressure, Rach…

Picking apples

Sad we had to share Matt’s family with Memaw-on-the-mountain

Santa’s Village

(what Donovan calls Mary’s mom) 

and Leia is in Cabo with her mom (swimming with dolphins!!),

but very happy they are living their best lives.

Grateful for all who take the time to read these posts too.

Wishing all y’all a very happy start to the holiday season. 

Colorado Vacay

I didn’t intend to take the week off from blogging, 

but it’s been so nice, resting, reading, 

and hanging out with the CO branch. 

The gents didn’t get a lot of rest,

at least for the first 4 days,

but both swear they enjoyed

putting up the gorgeous new kitchen backsplash. 

And while they worked, the teenager and I embroidered clocks (from Ikea),

and fish (Addy’s still working on hers);

crocheted - Addy already knew how to chain stitch but now she’s a single-crochet, color-changing wizard

who’s working on her second hat and a blanket. I’m so proud!

We pizza-partied for Addy’s 16th birthday

and for Thanksgiving, 

we collaborated to make my mom’s rolls

Doesn’t the backsplash look nice??

and chocolate chip cookies, both for the first time. 

Tomorrow we head home again. Sure wish we could be in two places at once - we’re going to miss these guys a bunch!

Lazy Turkey Day

Today’s our last day in Colorado and it was a perfect blend of family, food, movies and projects.

Rachel is working on a new Christmas cross-stitch,

I finished a Sashiko project (the first hand-stitching I’ve done in 6 months, thanks to tendinitis),

Addy made rolls

and more yummy rolls (3 batches total),

and this airman was able to call her mom for the first time since boot camp started 6 weeks ago. So proud of her. 

Movie-wise, Cruella is excellent; Black Widow is just as good the 3rd (4th?) time through; and the first 2 episodes of Hawkeye are well worth watching but left us wondering where the show is going. Guess we’ll find out in 4 more episodes.  Hope all y’all had an excellent turkey day too!

Thankful

Donovan: A chicken!

Jac: No, Donvey. It has a hat so it’s a turkey. 

We are thankful for all our grandkids, who make us laugh and keep us on our toes. 

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

Extra Happy T-Day

The original plan had just Marie’s family celebrating the holiday with us.

But snow happens - 

Gary and Shelly’s plans to join her sister in the mountains got washed out - 

as does the flu - 

poor Mary caught Donovan’s stomach bug.

As bad as I feel for Mary, 

I was still pretty pleased 

that all my California tiny people 

were here for the day 

(except Leia, who’s with her mom).

Hope your Thanksgiving was extra happy too.