What I have been doing!

My cross-stitching is finished!

 and hung with all the other stockings I've cross-stitched over the years.

 Bella's Mittens are in progress and I'm loving working on these!

Saroyan is still on the needles and has taken somewhat a back seat to the mittens, but I'll get back to it.


 And I've done a little decorating.........

This little guy I fought for yesterday playing dirty Santa at the cookie exchange. Isn't he cute?

This has been a very busy weekend and I can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This weekend it feels like the Christmas season began.  Saturday morning was the annual Christmas cookie exchange/brunch/secret Santa that a group of friends has every year.  We have a wonderful brunch then play dirty Santa with presents, then exchange cookies.  We happen to all work together but enjoy this time away from work and it is a great way to get Christmas started.

When I got home I finished decorating the tree and DH got our outside lights up and then we had snow, so ready or not - Christmas is coming!

First Snow

First snow of the year and first snow for Sophie (that we have seen her experience at least).  Yesterday started out as a beautiful winter day, but by early afternoon it had started to snow.  I really thought it would melt as it fell, and it did on the roads but we actually got about an inch of light, wet, fluffy snow.

Sophie started out very tentative, although she had been very interested watching it from the house.  Her mom didn't bring her boots so we didn't venture off the sidewalk, but she loved it.  Maybe next time there will be enough for her first snowman! 

After we came inside, my other granddaughters called from Norfolk and it had started snowing there and they were so excited.  Hope they had enough to enjoy it!

I have to share this - before we went out into the snow, Sophie and I were in our bedroom and she opened a drawer where I have old scarves, gloves, and hats.  She loved it.  She tried on many and settled on these

Her mom says she is an accessories girl!  The top picture shows her touching the snow (which led to going outside).

Pre-Thanksgiving Catchup

I am trying to get ready for Thanksgiving here. Lists have been made, in my head and finally some on paper, some groceries have been bought and I have a new list of things to get today.  I heard this week someone say that the Thanksgiving meal is 4 hours of cooking, 1 hour of eating, and 4 hours of cleaning up.  They didn't even take into consideration the planning and shopping!  I think it is worth it though.  I love this time of year.  The beautiful leaves (my husband would probably disagree here as he works in the yard 2-3 times a week just trying to keep up with the leaves as they fall), the cool temperatures, beautiful skies,  fall decorations and most importantly having the family together without worrying about gifts.

**Updated**  Since I started this post this morning I have been back to the store for the second time and probably will be going back again!  Wish I could get my thoughts better organized, but at least it is mostly done. My DIL and granddaughters will be here Wednesday night and stay until Sunday probably so I have lots of other meals to think about too. I will be so glad to see them though.  I don't see them often enough.  Our son is still out to sea, but we are really hoping he will be home by Christmas or at the least the following week.  Six months for a dad to be gone is so hard for everyone, but they have all done great and we're really proud of our DIL and how she has handled the children, home, a break-in, a leaky roof, all the while going to school.  Too many military families go through this and worse.  Our prayers are with them all.

Bear with me, I know this is random - but I have been so lax in writing I have lots to catch up on!

Back in the spring when we planted new shrubs we planted two camellias, which I have never had before.  Who knew they bloom in the late fall!  What a nice surprise to have these beautiful blooms when nothing else is blooming.

I don't think I have posted pictures of the red dress I knitted for Sophie after I finished it.  I found a cute little cat face on another pattern and it turned out really cute.

 The little girl makes the dress!

Speaking of Sophie, yesterday she had on the cutest little mini-skirt and tights.  Getting her picture though is getting harder and harder.  When she sees the camera she runs toward it, so we get a blur!  She is doing so well.  She's talking up a storm, although some of it is a little hard to interpret.  Tonight I got her to tell her mom, I'll be right back.  Just a little hard to understand, but so cute!  I took her to the grocery for the first time yesterday.  She saw this Santa and grabbed on to it.  Here she is feeding him a cracker.  When we checked out she held on tight afraid the checker would take him away!

She can fly up and down the steps, but is not very careful coming down - I think I may have to break out the baby gate.  Notice the bow in her hair. Yesterday I got it at a Christmas bazaar and she actually wore it most of the day.  Today she had little pigtails.

I'm not doing a lot of knitting.  Still slowly working on Sorayan, but have been cross-stitching a Christmas stocking for Sophie.  I started these years ago for my daughter and son, added DIL and first granddaughter, then 3 years ago made one for Nikki.  Years ago I cross stitched a lot and bought them at a wonderful cross stitch store we had back in Kentucky.  There are no such stores anymore, at least not where I live now, but luckily the same company still makes them and I can find them on-line.  Each time I've looked for them they have changed a little, but I'm just glad I can still find them.  I couldn't do it all the time anymore though - too hard on my eyes! 

I hope all of you have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Knitting FO's & More

 Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante - the second in a series of patterns based on the TV show, Bones. knitted in Trekking sock yarn.  I have the third pattern in the series, Saroyan, otn. 

This is a simple little sweater dress I knitted for Sophie.  I still have some sort of applique to add, but can't find something I like.  The pattern is Baby Sweater Dress by Maryann Wu. She added cute little fall leaves to hers, which I like, but want something a little different.  Still looking.

Yesterday was Amy's birthday.  We didn't do anything fancy, just ate at her favorite Mexican restaurant, then had cake and trick or treating at home, but I imagine it was one of her best - her first birthday having Miss Sophie in her life.

She didn't dress Sophie up last night, but she surprised us and willingly gave out candy, putting it right in the bags or pumpkins.  Tonight we are going to a fall festival at a church and will hopefully have pictures of her dressed up later. 

Today in the beautiful sweater knitted by my friend Timmie.

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend all the grandchildren were here and we made a trip to a local farm where they had a great time petting animals, riding ponies, taking a wagon ride, going to the pumpkin patch and corn maze. It was a beautiful fall day, but very hot - wish it had been just a tad cooler.


Nikki loved all the animals and finally got the concept of how to feed them.

I think I now need a farm and some goats and sheep.  Unfortunately, DH doesn't share this thought!

 Nikki was so proud of herself for riding the pony.  There was a really small pony that she had picked out to ride, but when her turn came they said he had had a busy day and was too tired.  She wasn't sure about the bigger pony, but with mom walking along she did great.

 Nikki and Sophie love the bunnies.

 Sophie picked out her first pumpkin with granddaddy.

 This little house is at the back of the farm and Santa is here at Christmas.  While in this area we also saw the horses, most of which are rescue horses.

 Picture before we tackled the corn maze.  With the dry summer we've had there was no worry about getting lost in the maze - we could see over most of the corn!

 The sun was so bright and right overhead so we couldn't escape it.  Here are Bethany and Nikki with their pumpkins.

 The little playground at the end of the tour was a big hit with Sophie and Nikki.

 Looking at the baby pigs.