Happy 2021!

Hello Friends!

I hope 2021 is off to a good start for you.  

We celebrated Christmas Eve quietly with our oldest daughter, son-in-law and Baby L.  It was so fun to watch Baby L try to open his presents.  He was more interested in the wrapping paper, bows and packaging than the actual gift.

Baby L got this bunny suit (similar to the one worn in the Christmas Story movie) from our youngest daughter.  He wasn't too excited about it on Christmas Eve, but it has been a nice, warm suit to wear when going for a winter ride around the block in his wagon. 

I stitched this for Baby L's first Christmas.  I plan on stitching a special ornament for him each year.

Prairie Schooler - Button Up
Stitched on Perforated Paper with DMC floss.

These are the Christmas ornaments I made for family this year.  The pattern is my adaptation of Christmas Joy by Stitchy Fish Designs from the 2019 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue.  I stitched them on random sparkly fabrics from my stash with DMC floss.  The branches are stitched freehand and I added beads and a button.

I didn't have any trim for the edge and couldn't run out in the middle of the night to buy trim.  Palastrina stitch to the rescue!  I watched a couple tutorial videos, practiced on some scraps and away I went.  I used #8 crochet thread and a big, sharp needle.  I love how it turned out and plan to use it again.

On January 14, we celebrated Baby L's first birthday virtually with a cake smash.  It was mine and Hubby's first time using a virtual meeting site.  Hubby didn't have the settings quite right so we pretty much missed the whole thing.  I did manage to capture one, not very good, picture though.  

After losing my project bag in May, along with the baby sampler I had been working on for Baby L, I couldn't bring myself to restitch that baby sampler.  So instead, I used some of the critters and trees from Welcome to the Forest by Country Cottage Needleworks to create this baby sampler.

This is stitched on 36 count hand-dyed fabric I found in my stash.  The glass and reflection makes it difficult to see the true fabric color in the picture, but the color is light tan with slightly darker tan areas.  I used DMC floss and mounted the stitched piece in a shadowbox frame from Hobby Lobby.  This was given for his first birthday.

We had an ice and snow storm with strong winds over New Year's.  The ice, snow, and frost that coated everything lasted almost 2 weeks because we didn't see the sun for 17 days.  While it looked beautiful, it was very dangerous.  Many trees had been toppled, had limbs that had fallen or had broken limbs ready to fall.  We don't usually have anything like this for more than a day or two.

  

Here's a few photos from my days with Baby L.  

Watching the village backhoe working down the street.

Kicking Hazel's tennis ball from one end of the room to the other.

"Vacuuming" the floor with a toy from Grandpa's childhood.

Swiffering

Re-organizing the canned food cabinet.

"Bubble Guppies" is his favorite cartoon.

Dragging Grandpa's shoes and slippers everywhere.

Watching the dogs in the backyard.

I had a total grandma fail last week.  Baby L was getting into something he shouldn't and I firmly told him NO.  He looked at me with wide eyes and started to smile - just a little at the corners of his mouth.  I covered my mouth with my hand so he couldn't see me fighting to keep a straight face.  Oh! My! Goodness!  He figured it out and let me have his biggest smile with a giggle to go with it.  I couldn't stop myself from smiling and giggling too, which made him giggle even more.

Our youngest daughter graduates from Captain's training on February 5.  Due to COVID, we can't attend and she thinks they won't have a ceremony.  I'm hoping if they do have a ceremony they will either stream it or someone will take pictures.  She has about a week to travel from Virginia back to Texas.  DD was going to come home during that time, but she didn't want to possibly get exposed to the virus while traveling and then bring it here.  It's been over a year since we've seen her.

I hope and pray you are all healthy and safe!

Until next time,

Happy Stitchin' 

December

I hope you are all doing well.   Can you believe we are well in to December?  Are you prepared for the holidays?  We aren't getting together with the whole family this year and DD#2 isn't permitted to come home for Christmas.  

Although we didn't all gather together for Thanksgiving, we were able to prepare and provide a full dinner for my mom and my in-laws.  We packaged everything up and delivered it to their doorsteps.

I haven't been stitching or crafting much, so I have nothing to show.  I need to get in gear and get my annual ornaments stitched and mailed.  At least I've managed to get the Christmas cards mailed already.

Since I'm working from home 90% of the time, I've been watching Baby L several days a week.  What a blessing it has been to babysit him.   He is such a joy and a happy little man!  He turns 11 months old this month and is "almost" walking.  I say "almost" walking because he can and does walk, but he hasn't realized what he's doing yet.     

  

Baby L loves to get in the cabinets.  They all have locks on them now though.

Lunch time became play time when Baby L figured out how to "flick" food off the tray.  That is Hazel's nose in this picture.  The dogs loved catching the flying food and Little Man's giggles were adorable.  It was all I could do to keep from giggling too.

Hollie and Baby L are best friends.   She watches for him to come in the mornings and is always by his side during the day.  Hollie even lays outside the bedroom while Baby L naps.

Hubby spent October and November working on an outside house maintenance project.  It was one of those projects that was only supposed to take a weekend or two.  I had to take a photo of the grill because it became his temporary tool box while he was working on the project, lol.  

From our family to yours,  

Happy Holidays!

Summer is Gone

Hello Friends,

Yikes! How has it been three months since I've posted?  What happened to summer?  

Honestly, I've been struggling.  I push myself to keep going and keep up with everything, but anxiety is contributing to a continuous migraine that I haven't been able to break. 

My area, along with many other areas in the midwest, had severe weather on Monday, August 10.  This photo was taken from my front window just as the storm was ending.  

I had the most terrifying experience during this storm as I was walking home when it hit.  I was about halfway home and decided to run for home instead of turning around.  Tree limbs were flying and falling everywhere and I struggled to stay upright in the strong wind.  I got hit with one limb and fell, but was able to narrowly dodge a falling tree.  It occurred to me that I might not make it home.  That one block felt like it was the longest block in the world.   The scariest thing wasn't the flying and falling trees and limbs or the wind; it was the sound.  I have never heard such a sound in my life and I can only describe it as a large, loud train being whirled and whipped around in the sky above me.  It took hours for me to stop shaking.  

After the storm ended and we all emerged from our houses, we discovered just how bad we were hit.  Shingles and debris everywhere, twisted trees toppled every which way, damaged vehicles, and many houses with roof damage or trees on top of them.  

We haven't had any weather service surveys done here, but trained spotters who live in town or have relatives that live in town, have said the twisted trees are indicative of a tornado.  We were without power for over 72 hours and our village water system was down for over 24 hours.   

Almost two months later, our area is still recovering from the damage and we still have utility poles and wires down.  Remarkably, there were no serious injuries in our area.

The pups love the new fan we bought for our deck.  It is amazing how much air it moves and how well it keeps the evening mosquitoes away.

DD#1 and Super Son-in-law celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary on September 6.  This is their homecoming photo from their freshman year of high school.  It feels like their freshman homecoming was just last fall...they both turned 29 this year!

I'm pretty sure the photographer that took Baby L's six month photos took this one just for me so I could share it with you all.  Actually, I think it was taken like this just to show off how cute his Carhartt overalls.  Can you believe Baby L is going to be nine months old?  He is crawling, climbing and pulling himself up.  I won't be surprised if he is an early walker.  He always wants to be standing and walking when he's holding on to something.  

I've been babysitting 2-3 days a week since DD#1 returned to remote teaching in August.  What a joy it is to have this time with Baby L.  Some of my favorite times of the day are when I go in to his room to get him up from his nap. He is so genuinely happy to see me and his huge smile warms my heart.   

In early August, DD#2 and Callie (the sleeping pup) were finally able to travel to Virginia for her Captain's training.  DD#2 says they probably won't be able to travel for the holidays because they would be required to self-quarantine for 14 days when they return to base.  The tentative plan is for graduation on Friday, Feb 5, 2021 with DD#2 required to report back to Texas by Monday, Feb 8. 

Long time readers will remember that DD#2 adopted Hollie while she was still in college and Hollie has lived with Hubby and I most of the past three years.  Last Christmas when DD#2 came home, her intention was to take Hollie back to Texas with her.  When DD#2 saw how close Hollie and Hubby have become, she decided not to take Hollie.  

Shortly after DD#2 returned to Texas, she adopted Callie, a Texas Lacy Dog mix.  Callie and DD#2 have bonded and are inseparable.  

This Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly visited my yard in July.  With a wingspan of 6-7 inches, it is the largest butterfly I have ever seen.  It was so graceful as it fluttered around my flowers.  A couple weeks later another, slightly smaller, Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly visited my yard.  I've had smaller varieties of Swallowtails visit my yard every summer, but this is the first year that I've had the large Eastern Swallowtail butterflies.  I hope they keep coming to my yard.

While I enjoy the fall colors, I am really missing the warm, summer weather.  

We have had spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

Until next time,

Prayers that you all stay safe and healthy!