Favorite things about Christmas

Boyd's list of Christmas favorites....
* warm toasty fire place that we don't have, we use candles instead
* being home with my wife and dogs on the Christmas's when I don't have to work (every other year).
* watching my wife open her presents
* I love how my wife decorates the house for Christmas it makes it feel more homey.
* Two words....Egg Nog

Karen's list of Christmas favorites....
* sitting in the light of the Christmas tree, sipping on a cup of something warm and relaxing or reading a book. And falling asleep to the light of the Christmas tree.
* listening to Christmas carols
* unwrapping presents - sometimes I even buy stuff for myself and wrap it just so I have more gifts to unwrap.
* Reading some of my favorite Christmas books - I try to find one new book every year. I like the sappy romance ones where people fall in love over the holidays. Probably because Boyd and I met in October. Went on our first date in December and talked all the time through the holiday season.
* driving around and looking at the Christmas lights. I like it when neighborhoods go together to decorate the entire block.

The top three things I want to do this year....
1. Spend the weekend at home, relaxing in flannel jammies, enjoying Christmas movies, looking at the lights twinkling off a Christmas tree and drinking hot cocoa or Egg Nog.
2. Going through the decorating boxes and pulling out my favorite decorations to decorate our house while listening to christmas music.
3. Driving around town looking at all the decorated houses.

The top three things Boyd wants to do this year....
1. Having the house decorated for Christmas
2. Have a nice day together opening presents.
3. Take pictures of the dogs playing in the snow
4. Making a nice pot of chili on a cold winter day.

This post was inspired by this blog Making Christmas Traditions you like. It's helping me to realize I do love Christmas and I do want to decorate but I don't want 'rules' around what I do.

Projects due:
* necklace for S
* bags for S, D
* quilts for A, J
* stockings for A, E, M, B
* coats for A, E, M, B
* finish quilt for M

Gratitude on Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends and family. I wish you all full tummies and safe travels!

Today I am thankful that we are able to enjoy a nice dinner with my mom, my brother, his boys and a family friend.

Gratitude Day 23 & 24

Today I am grateful that Boyd ended up being on call last night and was able to come home early. I am also grateful that the weather wasn't as bad as predicted and I had a safe drive to and from work.

Gratitude Day 22

Today I am thankful to hear my friends in Illinois are all ok after the tornado went through.

Gratitude Day 21

Today I am thankful for the crazy, lazy day at home and the heated mattress pad. Makes for a toasty spot to nap on a cold drizzly day. :)

Gratitude Day 18, 19, 20

To sum up my last three days. I'm grateful for happy dogs, an understanding husband and a friend who loves quilting too.

The dogs, while I don't like standing outside in the cold have the ability to make me laugh each and every day. Plus they are great cuddlers and help to keep me warm at night or warm up my seat in the living room.

Boyd is so understanding and just takes every day in turn. We are back to finishing each others sentences ... life is so much better when this happens. The other night I was ready to have tomato soup and grilled cheese. We were in the kitchen and looked at each other and said I don't really want grilled cheese. lol :-)

Linda and I finally met up to go on our own quilt shop hop. Considering I was 30-40 mins late to meet I'm thankful she stuck around. Then I took us on an indirect route since the phone navigation didn't show the gravel road connecting to the good black top. Of course after all of our shopping we realized that we didn't make it to the 'GOOD' quilt store in one town. Not really sure how we missed it but we'll make it back again someday.

I came away with inspiration on finishing a table runner and working on another table runner. All in all a fun girl friend kind of day. Those are the best!

Gratitude Day 17

Today I am grateful for Martha. I've been having a personal pity party about Christmas and how I was going to be all alone. Now I so don't feel like decorating - that breaks my heart cause I'm all about decorating for Christmas.

This is what Ms. Martha emailed me....

Aw, I'm sorry about Christmas Day.

But remember, that's just A day.
You love the Holiday season, you enjoy the anticipation and the sense of family that Christmas brings to you. Don't focus on December 25th and what your plans are...look to the whole month and the general season, ok?

Me? I can't even look at a box of Devil's food cake mix without thinking of you and your Chocolate Crinkle cookie recipe.

You, Mrs. 1000 plus Christmas trees, cannot go all scrooge on the rest of us...it simply will not be allowed!

Martha

......

It brought a smile to my face and is making me rethink the whole decorating plan. If someone could help me pick up and rearrange the living room first that would help a bunch. hehehehe.

Oh and I was cleaning my pantry this weekend looking for white cake ... none to be found but I have 4 boxes of devils food cake, guess I should be making some cookies huh. :-)

Gratitude Day 16

Today I am grateful for an understanding boss and team. There's construction going on at work and it had the potential for being very dusty. I stopped in and talked to my boss yesterday and got permission to work from home today.

It was interesting, we just started a new project on Monday and I'm not as familiar with this code set so I was asking a lot of questions. I'm lucky that my coworkers are very understanding and don't have a problem with me working from home under these circumstances.

Tomorrow will be interesting, I'm taking the neb with me just in case.

Gratitude Day 15

Today I am grateful for my doctor. He gets me and is honest with me. He pulled the I know you don't like it but you need these pills and you need to use the neb every hour today and every two hours tomorrow.

While I don't like the treatment, I do like how much better I'm feeling.

Gratitude Day 12, 13, 14

The weekend edition.

Day 12 I am grateful for my dog loving neighbor. She loves our dogs like her own and I feel the same for hers. She trusted us to take care of her pups this weekend while they were out of town. We had fun visiting and playing with them. Emma met their cat twice and wasn't afraid - not sure if that's a good thing.

Day 13 I'm grateful for my extended family and that we still make a point to get together every year. I grew up with some of my cousins as my best friends. We've grown apart now but we always reconnect at the family Christmas.

Day 14 I'm grateful for a day that I can spend in the recliner watching the Hallmark Holiday count down. I've seen most of the movies but it's helped to get me in the mood for Christmas.

Gratitude Day 11

Today I am grateful for so many things. Having a job where I can make up time rather than using up my vacation. Being able to take my mom to see my nephew play in the semi final state football game. Just wish we could be grateful that they won.

I talked to my nephew after the game and asked how he thought they did. He is becoming such an adult. His answer "we didn't play to our full potential". I teared up because it was true.

I'm grateful that my nephew called me when he needed help with something. I made sure to get Mom's permission before I bought my 16.4 year old nephew an M for mature game. While it's just a little thing I know it's a sign that he knows I'll help him out when I can.

Most of all today on Veterans day I'm thankful for the past, present and future veterans who defend our freedom.

Gratitude Day 10

Today I am grateful for Miss Emma. Today she turned one, and Momma didn't plan a party. Over the summer I had dreams of planning an afternoon tea party for Miss Em. Even picked up some vintage pink wild roses, and some sherbet glasses and .....

I still hope to plan a party and have friends over, hopefully sometime before Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday baby girl! We love you and you still make us laugh everyday! We can't believe how big you are getting and how well mannered you are - definitely mastered that before your big brother. We love you and hopefully this weekend we'll have some frosty paws for you.

Gratitude Day 9

Today I am thankful for ..... so many things. I guess I'll settle on the wonderful weather we've been experiencing 68* on my drive home. Sitting outside in flip flops and not having cold toes at 10 pm at night. Enjoying watching the dogs play .... although we really need to get some glow in the dark toys. All when it's almost mid November ... rumor is November weather is coming this weekend so I'm spending as much time as I can outside now.

Gratitude Day 8

Today I am thankful for considerate coworkers. They are installing a new air conditioner in my room and all of the coworkers in my room basically kicked me out. :-) I have a dust allergy and my room is in one of the wood mills - taking out the ceiling means lots of dust.

I'm also thankful for my IT coworker who got my machine setup in the new location.

Everyone laughed when they saw me go past with my paper box full of stuff. I figure I'll be out of the room for a week and rather than go back in when I need something I brought a lot of it with me. :-)

Gratitude Day 7

Today I am thankful for the circle of life as odd as it may sound.

We learned today that my great aunt is not doing very well and is not expected to make it. I also learned that a friend and her husband are expecting their first baby in April - I am so excited for them as they will make excellent parents - even if they are green bay fans.

This was another excellent day it was in mid 60s in November which is generally unheard of here. I was able to finish a few more outdoor tasks and the dogs loved being outside. I also opened the shades in the bedroom window and enjoyed napping in the sun shine. The dogs kept coming up and curling up next to me. I love lazy days like this!

Gratitude Day 6

Today I am grateful for the beautiful weather and an all around great day.

We were all able to sleep in - so nice when the house is chilly and I don't want to get out of bed. Buddie even slept in and didn't want to get up when Boyd called him.

Once it warmed up we headed outside, an hour before the Iowa game started we started on the yard work. I'm so happy to have most of the dead plants taken out and the stock pile of leaves bagged. The yard is by no means perfect but it is good enough for me and now ready for winter.

The dogs and I spent the rest of the morning outside, enjoying the sun and playing with Madi. We were surprised by a visit from my cousin and her 2 kids. The dogs were great and the kids had fun playing with them. I think all 4 were tired and ready for a nap when they were done. =)



Then I did something I've been wanting to do for awhile. I took the shutters off the front of the house. All by myself except for disconnecting the door bell.

Before:


After:


Before:


After:

Gratitude Day 5

Today I am grateful that we live close enough to family that I could attend my nephews semi final state football game. We were some lucky fans that got to see the game in the local college dome so we were a toasty 70*. =)

The game ended in our favor, however it was the officiating was the worst I have ever seen possibly at any level. It was so bad I actually booed loudly - I never do that at high school games.

Back to the grateful - we were able to take my mom and it was fun seeing her watch the game and actually being able to see. She had cataract surgery on both eyes in the last month and can now see distances without glasses - she hasn't been able to do that since she was in the fifth grade.

My nephew played on kick offs and I think he was involved in several tackles during the returns. I am so proud of how much he's accomplished over the years. I remember when he was first starting out and didn't want to hit anyone. Now he digs in and does what he needs to.

* today heard that they play on Thursday at 10 AM - what the heck is the state athletic department thinking? Plus their school is in the state volleyball tournament. The girls play Thursday at 1:30 PM ..... the games are 50 mins apart - note to self stay off the road between the games from noon until 2.

Gratitude Day 4

Today I am grateful that my husband made it home safely. He worked 24 of the last 48 hours and had an hour plus drive home. I'm really happy he's here since a smoke alarm started chirping as soon as he walked in the door and because the front porch light burnt out. :-)

The puppies are really happy to have him home too. Last night was hard as they wanted out every five minutes and then would stand at the top of the steps looking down the street like Daddy come home....

Gratitude Day 3

Today I am thankful for my quiet and low stress drive to work. It made a great start to my day, which in turn seemed to take FOREVER! I thought it was after three and it was before 2:30 ..... sigh! A well the rest of the after noon went quickly and I had some nice & quiet time with the dogs tonight.

Gratitude Day 2

Today I am grateful for my sorority. It's always fun to get out of the house and met with friends. Tonight it was at my friend M's house, I love her house. It's small, cozy and relaxing. I always leave sleepy!

Gratitude Day 1

Today I am grateful for my job and that we met the latest deadline for my project. It's officially released to the public, lets hope the orders role in! So far 2 responses and they LOVE it.

The VP actually danced when I told her we were officially released.

Only a little late to the party. :)