Good-bye 2017!

One year ago today I spent my first night in this house!

Much has happened since then.

Cataract surgery,

finished 6 quilts,

Tanya Graduated College!

Ethan started Kindergarten,

Camping, floating and an eclipse,

return to volunteering at the Trails Museum,

Semi-finished the basement into my studio.

I really love this house!

The openness of the great room (behind those really tall windows on the left) is great when the family is here. I can cook and still be a part of everything going on.

I do wish the garage was long enough for the truck-I only need about 6 more inches!

There are, of course, things to be done.

I pulled out all the carpet on the first floor and hope to put down hardwood in 2018.

Both bathrooms need new counters and lights.

The hot water heater needs replacing-going tankless!

Some gardening to give the place more curb-appeal.

Still not so much when I compare it to the never ending list at the old house!

I don't make resolutions but I do make a list of intentions and a list of things I hope to accomplish.

I never complete the lists, sigh.

It just gives a framework for the coming year.

With what they call Inattentive ADHD a framework is helpful along with lots of timers/alarms.

Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project suggests choosing a word for the year-

for me that word will be FINISH.

So many things to finish.

Once again it is my intention to blog every day!

Here's hoping 2018 is better on the political front (so I can quit being disgusted), that the weather will be agreeable-not too wet/dry; hot/cold, that good health is enjoyed by all.

Most of all that love and peace will visit us all.

UN-time Days 3 and 4

Yesterday,

I phoned the hospital, again, to get copies of a CT scan done early in the month.

Was to have been sent to my MD.

Was sent to some MD but not mine.

Paper reports came, no CD.

Wait, what?!

You can't get then from medical records you have to go to radiology!

Called them.

Left message.

Picked up the CD today.

Life is very complicated.

And frustrating.

After all that I went to the studio and worked on Trip quilts.

I might finish the quilting on Brayden's tonight,

I might actually finish it before the end of the year-probably NOT!

After the trip to the hospital,

one stop off at Lowes for a board

one stop off at Red Robin (YUMM) where the fries are delish

one stop at the grocery store

Finally, home.

and a nap.

Now, I'm going to play around on Ancestry for a bit.

Oh, about the photo.

This was taken in the fall but that geranium is blooming in the window of my office.

They usually get all leggy in the winter house and I've never had one bloom before.

I only brought them in to take cutting from them late next month for the yard in the spring.

Surprise!

Un-time Day Two

First, what I sent to Janimary in the Secret Santa Swap!

I also sent some goodies from Missouri Star Quilt Company 

(fancy sewing pins, bookmark and to do pad)

Cause everyone seems to know about the place!

Also a fat quarter of Kokopelli fabric, 

And some tourist information about Missouri as well as a small map showing my location.

She like it! Yay!

For Un-time I actually took a shower and got dressed.

Did some boring computer stuff.

Set up my gift membership at Ancestry 

and just now filled a tube with spit for the DNA test.

I'm going to the studio to work on Brayden's quilt next!

Un-time Day One

First, I want to share my gifts from Chookyblue's Secret Santa Swap!

Coming all the way to me from Chookyblue herself!

Love the bag-think my own English Paper Piecing just found a home!

The needle case-just amazingly beautiful.

Such a tiny Lucy Boston block.

Love it all!

As well as the Australia Calendar (which didn't make the photos-oops)

The family all had a look at the Outback.

I can't show a post of what I sent to Janimary as I don't know if she's opened it!

I do know she liked the ornament though!

Next, about this post's title.

I always think of the week between Christmas and New Year's as

Un-time.

It just doesn't seem to fit in the current year and yet isn't in the new one either.

A Quirk of mine.

I do have a list of things to accomplish this week, but it's mostly about relaxing and doing as I please.

Today, I've been reading and working at the disaster that was my house.

I have a small kitchen.

That's fine when it's just me but it's very easy to destroy it's tidiness!

Since I had 11 here for dinner, yeah a big mess.

The dishwasher is running for the third time since we ate last night.

A few things will need washed up by hand a bit later.

I've gotten the folding chairs and table taken down (but not stored)

 and the main table returned to it's rightful place.

Progress.

But for now I'm going to curl up on the sofa 

under a quilt

in front of the fire

while it snows a bit outside

and read!

Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

As a small gift!

One of my favorite Christmas carols.

In This Very Room.

Always sung at my children's high school!

More Christmas Cuteness

Thought you might be getting tired of Santas!

So North Pole Cottages today.

L-R: The Antler Inn, 

Frosty Pines Outfitters,

And the Christmas Bread Bakers (because I like to bake bread.)

You can also see a couple of the funky trees in the collection.

Over the years I've collected,

Small trees,

Funky trees,

Nesting dolls, 

Small animals.

Santas.

Sometimes, I believe the collection multiplies over the summer.

At any rate I'll not be buying any more as I really have

too much as it is.

Which is the true reason I found it so difficult to put things out.

Today was my last volunteer day of this year.

Next year I'm sure the director will have a new challenge for me!

Marketing yesterday,

Candy making,

dog sitting.

More marketing today.

I'm tired but

more cooking calls!

And so does Quinn!

Time for a walk!

(and maybe a short nap!)

Christmas Cuteness!

I know, yet another Santa!

I bought this one in Missoula last summer.

Man, I miss Montana!

I've been busy-cause, well Christmas!

Began the baking yesterday.

The super easy Reese's peanut butter cookies.

The only slightly more difficult peanut butter and chocolate kisses cookies.

Chocolate chip cookies-cause Kolby thinks they are the best.

More today after a trip to the store for supplies.

I'm attempting to make a weighted blanket for Ethan.

Interesting.

I understand why they are so expensive now.

If it helps him sleep better then it's worth it.

Brayden's Trip is about half quilted.

Halfway through the third row of Ethan's Trip.

Ryan's green blocks are nearly cut.

I've finished my shopping!

Now, I'm making myself wrap one gift each time I go to the basement.

Knocking them out pretty quickly.

Christmas Cuteness-Day Three

First off, Santa's Sleigh arrived yesterday!

All the way from Down Under and Chookyblue!

I can't open this one until Christmas Day-sigh.

This one I got to open and hang on my tree!

A beautiful handmade ornament!

Thank you Chookyblue!

This is my other Jim Shore.

He's pretty small.

The Santa on the right one of my children gave me YEARS ago!

I have no idea which one, maybe they do?

More sewing done last night on Ethan's Trip.

More cutting on Ryan's.

More sandwiching on Brayden's, think I may have a flat back now.

I certainly hope so!

Thursday's Christmas Cuteness

Brought to you by Jim Shore!

I only have two pieces by him as they are pricey.

This one I bought in Des Moines, IA at the Machine Shed eatery.

Larry and I had driven up to have lunch with our oldest, Steve.

He was working in Minneapolis and drove down from there.

Not long after Steve returned to San Diego and found a new job!

He hates cold weather-his father's child in that respect.

I spent a good amount of time in the studio yesterday.

I'd like to say it was all sewing. 

Sadly, not the case.

One, it looks like a tornado struck my work space!

(Now somewhat better but more to do today)

Two, I had un-sewing to do.

The back of Brayden's trip keeps stretching (Flannel) and that means wrinkles!

So, today I will spray starch that sucker until it's stiff!

Then re-pin the quilt for the 3rd time.

(It's okay though, I really needed to use a larger batt and now I will.)

Meanwhile, Ethan's Trip is taking shape and Ryan's is being cut.

I hope to work on Nora's stocking, cross-stitch, tonight.

I've had that in progress for a couple of years!

Mischef managed. . .

In that I finished putting up all the Christmas stuff!  Yay! Not only that, I've cleaned up the mess.  There will be much sorting of this stuff after the holidays-I have WAY too much and some things did not find homes.

Rather than bury you in photos all at once I'm going to send you one each day!  Of Course, not all of the ones I planned to use are fit so I have to go take more!

Little skaters from the North Pole Village.  This one sits on my piano where you can watch the skaters go round and round.  (Powered by electricity and magnets!)

I have nearly finished my shopping- just Ryan left.   Well,  there are numerous small gifts to buy for the "Big Kids" gift bags.  Cards to write but I'm moving right along.  I don't do any baking until the week of Christmas so it's fresh.

Here's hoping you are enjoying the holidays!

Christmas Chaos reigns

The state of the dining area, sigh.

Those of you who stop in pretty regularly (thank you by the way) know that this time last year I was living in a hotel.

Waiting to close on this house.

I did NO trees, NO other decorations either.

Well, I did buy a poinsettia and a Christmas cactus.

Basically, I haven't seen the Christmas decorations since 2015!

(When I put up 5 trees!)

So.

I've spent weeks trying to figure out where to put my North Pole Village.

Finally, I decided to move these bookcases and the old pie safe from my  bedroom 

into the dining area.

Trading places with the base of the hutch I had in there

(And never liked.)

Unload shelves.

Unload cabinets.

Drag, push and pull furniture.

Reload shelves.

Reload cabinets.

That took all of my energy for last Saturday.

Sunday,

Got out the big tree for the living room.

Brought up the coffee table to set it on.

(I have HUGE windows in the living room-which I love)

Put it together.

Brought in the heavy ladder to use for decorating.

Then it was time for Ethan's 6th birthday bash.

Finally, got the big tree

and the Santa's finished yesterday.

Got out one of the 4' tree for my room only to find that it had broken loose from the base sometime during the move, sigh.

Tried to glue and stabilize it but no luck.

Gave up.

Today, I brought the 2nd 4' tree down and took the broken one out, the lights didn't all work on that one.

Guess I'll be removing those and replacing them.

Tomorrow.

Today,

I'll put up the cottages.

Then do finishing touches on the living area.

Might even get the stockings hung!

Or Not.

I hope your December is going better than mine!

I haven't even begun to shop!