November & December

So hard to believe Christmas is next week.  Are you still working like crazy to get your holiday things done like I am?

My priority is, and has always been, to put my family first, so it's no surprise that most of my time has been spent taking care of my mom.  Can you believe it has been seven weeks since she fell?  I have been taking her to two or three doctor appointments every week.  Mom was so disappointed on Wednesday when the ortho said her broken leg was not healed enough to remove the cast and walking boot.  She will still be sporting that lovely ensamble through New Year"s due to the doctor being off for the holidays.  Yes, mom is still sleeping in her chair. She said she was not going to put that dirty walking boot on her bedding.

We celebrated DD and Baby Boy in November.  It was a beautiful day for her baby shower and they got many wonderful gifts.

I made three flannel self-binding baby blankets.  The youtube instructions I followed were easy, but the blankets took quite a bit more time to make than the 10 minutes the youtube video stated it would take.  I'm pleased with how my first attempt at these blankets turned out.

I also made a flannel and minky blanket using the same self-binding technique.

I finished the crochet C2C graphgan in time for the shower and DD said it is her favorite of all the blankets I've ever crocheted.

Hubby and I started looking for a newer vehicle during November.  We have been driving a 15 year old vehicle for 10 years and decided it was time to start looking.  We weren't looking for brand new, but when the dealership showed us a fully loaded 2019 for the same price as the used 2017 we were looking at, Hubby said we should buy the 2019.

It's been 22 years since we've had a new car!  We're still figuring out all the bells and whistles and I still don't have my phone completely connected, but the hardest thing to get used to is not having an ignition key, lol.

 
Hazel(nut) turned 3 years old!  She's such a sweetheart and totally thinks she's the boss.

Our decorations are up as much as they're going to be and the presents are in the process of being wrapped.  DD was supposed to be arriving tomorrow, but she called last night and said she can't come home.  I am so disappointed.  I haven't seen her since she returned from deployment in February and she wasn't able to come home for the baby shower because her unit has been training for their upcoming deployment. 

From our family to yours

Merry Christmas!

October

Hello!

My neighbor's tree was the most brilliant orange this year.  

How is that October started with temps in the 90's and ended with 9+ inches of snow and temps that dropped to 20F Halloween night?  What crazy weather we've had and it sure feels like winter is here.

Tiny snowman built by the little girl next door this morning before the snow started melting.

I haven't done any cross stitching, but I have been counting stitches and squares. 

These are C2C graphgan crochet squares for the baby blanket I'm making for our grandbaby.  I still have to stitch them together and put a border on.  I'm hoping to get it done for the baby shower.

DD #1 and her hubby celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary in September.  My Super-Son-In-Law did the sweetest, most romantic thing for his gift to DD.  He got permission from the new owners of my sister-in-law's farm (where DD and SIL where married) and arranged to have a photographer take photos there.

Many of the photos were taken in the same places on the farm as their wedding photos and they even included Skye, just as she was included in their wedding.

DD #2, the Army Officer, has been busy training with her unit as they prepare to deploy again.  She is not deploying with her unit as she will go into an officer's training program instead.  I haven't seen her since February and I hope it works out that she'll get to come home for Christmas.

Because she was deployed last Christmas, DD #2 already has her tree up!

On October 22, I took my mom to the orthopedic for her final appointment for the wrist fracture from her fall in May.  Mom tripped and fell on a ripple in the carpeting in the hallway outside of the doctor's office.  This time she fractured her right leg and tore open her left knee. 

It feels like a recurring nightmare. 

Her knee required over 20 stitches and she has to wear a knee immobilizing leg brace until the stitches come out.  The doctor thinks the stitches will come out in a couple more weeks.  Mom also has a walking boot on her right leg.  She was hospitalized for several days and is now home with home health care coming a couple times a week and me the rest of the time.  Mom has been sleeping in her electric recliner since she got home because she can't get in and out of bed with the leg brace and walking boot.  It's bad enough to be recovering from another fall, but add a grouchy attitude because of sleeping in a recliner and it makes for difficult days for those of us taking care of mom.

Until next time,

Take care, my friends!

September

Hello Dear Friends!  

I can't believe summer is nearly over.  I've been so busy taking care of my mom.  She's still getting physical therapy 3 times a week and being treated at the wound clinic.  The large laceration is finally starting to close and heal.  Mom is getting super impatient with the doctors and their restrictions like no driving.  

Big News...

I'm going to be a grandma!

Our oldest daughter and her husband are expecting their first and we just found out they're having a boy.  We are so excited!

Dottie Dog had her annual vet visit last week.  Last year, when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, I honestly didn't think she'd still be with us a year later.  We're thankful for each day with her.

Hazel and Hollie have enjoyed their pool all summer.  Like me, they will be sad when summer ends.

Until next time,

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'

 

  

  

May & June

Sorry to be MIA for so long.  My mom had a nasty fall the night of May 15.  Fractures, head injury, lacerations, staples, sutures, congestive heart failure and kidney failure all lead to a week in ICU and 3 weeks in a rehab facility.  She's home now, but still needing extra care from me as well as a home health nurse.  One of the lacerations isn't healing well and requires extensive care from the wound clinic to avoid infection of her artificial knee.  The doctor says we should expect that the laceration will take at least 12-14 weeks to heal completely. 

We have a new family member!  My nephew and his wife welcomed their third baby boy the end of May.  I crocheted a baby blanket for him.

Moss Stitch in a Square Blanket

Design by Sarah Zimmerman - Repeat Crafter Me

Lion Brand Mandala Yarn

Colorway - Genie

Thank you for your continued concern for me and my family.  I'm happy to tell you that I've had some relief from the severe migraines.  After having additional tests done, it was discovered that my thyroid medication dose was too high.  I've been on the higher dose for 20+ years and tested every year to ensure the dosage was correct.  Both my doctor and I were surprised that the dosage needed to be lowered after being stable for so long.  I still have some bad days, but the severity of the migraines had decreased significantly.  WooHoo!

Until next time,

Happy Stitchin'

April

Wow!  I started trying to write this post a couple weeks ago...next thing I know, it's the end of April! 

Have you had crazy weather like we've had here in Illinois?  One day it's sunny and warm, and the next it's a snowstorm.

This was April 14, it snowed for over 12 hours and we ended up with nearly 9 inches of heavy, wet snow.

Hazel and Hollie loved playing in the snow most of the day.

A week later, the tulips were in bloom.  Notice the snow shovel is still on the front porch.  We had more snow last Saturday, but nothing like we had on April 14.

As I'm writing this, it's raining and we're in a flash flood warning.  We've already had almost 5 inches of rain in 2 days and more rain is forecast through the rest of the week.

Dottie Dog turned 14 and enjoyed one of her favorite treats.  Last September, when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, I wasn't sure we'd get to celebrate another birthday with Dottie.  We're thankful for each day she's still with us.

I have no stitching to show, but I did do some organizing in my craft room.  I've been trying to come up with some sort of plan for projects I'd like to stitch this year, if I can get the migraine under control.  I have been using the X-Stitch app and entering all my charts and kits so I have an idea of what I have.  I need suggestions for storing my charts and kits.  How do you store your charts and kits?  Do you have them sorted by designer or some other way?

That's all I have for now. 

Until next time,

Happy Stitchin'

   

March

Is March going out like a lamb or lion in your area?  Here in my part of Illinois, we had a calm, sunny day with temps in the 40's. 

Between both Hubby and DD#1 having medical procedures, my own doctor appointments with more tests and the non-stop migraine, it has been a rough month.   Unfortunately, the migraine is still just as bad and nothing is breaking the cycle of pain. 

Two weeks ago, we woke up to more than 5 inches of heavy, wet snow.  My photos don't capture the beauty of the snow and the dramatic looking sky, but as much as I dislike winter weather, I had to admit the snow and sky were beautiful!  It didn't last long and was mostly melted by the next day.

The triplets turned 1 on March 16th! 

Last year, I helped a friend by painting more of the wooden butterfly wings and helped him sell them at several craft markets.  He has spent all winter making more wings, so I've been slowly painting again.

My friend has also made a new style butterfly as well as four different sizes of each.  He is planning on selling at three craft markets this summer and fall. 

I have been stitching a little bit at a time, but have no progress to show.  I was able to knit another baby hat too. 

Snapped this pic of the pups the other day.  They thought I had food and were trying to get some, but all I had was a folded paper, lol.

DD#2 is settling in and just went back to work after several weeks of leave.  She spent most of her leave just relaxing at her new home.  She volunteers at a local shelter and fostered Charlie, a senior dog with special needs, for a couple of weeks while he recovered from surgery.  DD said he was such a sweet, relaxed dog while he stayed with her.

Hollie is still here with us for a while longer.  We're still making plans for visiting DD and taking Hollie to Texas. 

Thanks for all your continued prayers and keeping us in your thoughts.  I owe some of you apologies for not replying to your comments on my last post.  I am sorry, with the constant migraine, I just didn't get much done since my last post.

Until next time,

Take Care & Happy Stitchin!

February

Good Morning, Dear Friends!

I pray you are all doing well.  It has been a rough couple of months for me.  I didn't think my migraines could get any worse, but they have, and it's crippling.  I have been back to my doctor, had more tests done and no issues found.  Unfortunately, there are still no medications or treatments I can take other than OTC pain meds.

During our frigid polar vortex, this frosty, frozen artwork was on one of my windows.  Our weather has been brutal with many snow and ice storms, several power outages and school has been canceled 10 days since January 12.  We've been lucky to have a few days of warmer weather sporadically mixed in and I can't remember ever having such crazy weather in one season.

SHE'S HOME!   SHE'S HOME!   SHE'S HOME! 

DD made it home from deployment on Sunday, Feb 10.  Unfortunately, we weren't there to greet her.  DD had told us to leave for Texas late Feb 11 or early Feb 12.  Got a call from DD at 4:24 am on Monday, Feb 11 asking if we could pick her up from O'Hare airport in Chicago!  What a wonderful surprise!  DD had asked that we not tell her sister that she was in our area because she wanted to surprise her.  Somehow, we managed to pull off organizing a family dinner without my oldest DD finding out until her sister walked in.  There were lots of hugs and lots of happy tears!  We were so thankful and excited to be together that we didn't even think to take photos, lol.

When DD deployed, we brought her vehicle back to IL and DD's plan was to drive back to TX.  Due to the snow and ice predicted for that night and the next day, DD decided to leave for TX right after dinner.  DD also decided to leave Hollie with us until DD gets settled in.  Since DD's lease ended when she deployed, she had to find housing when she returned and is now busy moving in.


Our family celebrated Christmas at my niece's house.  The triplets were very active and such a joy!

Hard to believe the triplets will be celebrating their first birthday next month.

They all weigh about the same now, all are crawling and one is even walking.


I challenged myself to learn new things this year.  I started off by learning to knit a hat.  Big needles and bulky yarn made the learning process easier (and quicker).

Wanderlust Toque

by Lisa Hofelich

Yarn - Lion Brand Hometown

Color - Dallas Grey

US Size 15 - 10.0 mm Circular Needles

I'm happy with the way it turned out, but I can't say I enjoyed knitting it because it was a struggle for me.  I struggled because I can make the knit and purl stitches, but am not comfortable holding the knitting needles.  Being a crocheter, holding the yarn and knitting needles is so different than holding a crochet hook.  I have tons of bulky yarn and I may make more knitted hats to donate.

Stay Safe!

Until next time,

Happy Stitchin!