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.

Great Weekend

Sophie's personality comes out more all the time. We had a great weekend and got to spend some time with her. She's a joy. To think that a month ago she possibly had never heard English and now she is learning new words every day. She loves cars and points them out from the window, our front porch, the car window, etc. Today her granddaddy was watching a Nascar race and she would say, car, fast, fast, fast! Maybe he will have a racing buddy!

Yesterday we went to a children's festival and even though most of the activities were a little too old for her, she enjoyed the atmosphere and watching the activities.

Last night she learned the joys of chips and cheese dip.  She caught on quickly!

When first home from China she was afraid of the grass and wouldn't touch it or put her feet down in it.  Now she loves to be outside and just takes off. 

Happy girl!

We'll Always Remember

Like most of you I remember well this day 9 years ago.  It was a beautiful blue-sky September day, my mother's birthday and I was thinking of her and hoping she had a good day, planning to call her later in the day.  I had just gotten to work when we began to hear the news.  What had  happened?  Was it a freak accident?  Then other tragedies began to happen and we knew it was worse than we could have imagined.

My son was on a ship in the Mediterranean, my daughter-in-law and 4 year old granddaughter on the Navy base in Norfolk which quickly became thought of as one of the next targets.  They called my daughter-in-law at work to pick up B as they were closing the base day care and closing down the base.  She called my husband and he and I left work immediately to go get her.  DIL felt she had to stay to work but wanted B to go with us.  In the four hour drive we listened over and over to the news on the radio in disbelief.  This couldn't have happened here - but it did and we will always remember.

Still a Knitting Blog??

After a hard two-week trip to China where sleep was lost, and a really hard, never-ending trip home, then family visits, going back to work, and a killer sinus infection for the last week, I finally picked my knitting back up again.  I made it back to Monday night knitting and was so glad to see everybody.  Amy brought Sophie by to meet everyone and even though she is a little wary of strangers at first after getting a neat new book from Gaye, Sophie relaxed and they even saw a little of her personality shine through. 

I started the Traveling Woman shawl before I left, but have worked very little on it since then.  Hopefully I will get back in the groove soon.  (Trekking sock yarn)

We had a wonderful, laid back Labor Day weekend.  It was so good to have the few days off and we got to spend a little time with Sophie.  Granddaddy has been worried that she wouldn't ever willingly go to him but that all changed this weekend. 

Just like the other two granddaughters decided long ago, he became a favorite person!

She found my tupperware and cookie cutters!

She went out to eat with us and was so good.  She waved and said hi to all the other children in the restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed her lunch!

And she learned to ride the Care Bears car like a champ.  This little car has the most annoying song you can imagine and she pushed the button at least 100 times.  We are going shopping for a new car I think, either that or this battery is going to die!

Not Another Red Couch Photo!

This weekend our daughter-in-law and granddaughters came in for a visit to meet Sophie.  We were a little worried about how the 3 year old and Sophie would do, but they did just great!  A few episodes of "that is mine", but not many and we were so proud of Nikki for sharing all her toys and being so loving to Sophie.

Sophie enjoyed her first meal in our house.

We tried to get a group photo of the girls but I think Sophie flashed back to the "Red Couch Photos".  She was having nothing to do with Mama putting her down.

Sophie sucks her right thumb to get herself to sleep.  Today it got infected and looked terrible.  I went with Amy to the doctor where we thought it would have to be lanced and might take both of us to hold her.  While we were waiting in the exam room though either Sophie hit it on something or it just opened on its own and drained. She now has an antibiotic and a wrapped thumb. She cried a little in the beginning, but actually sat still and let them dress her thumb.  Don't know how she will make it tonight without that thumb!  I hope she and mama get some sleep.