Starting the year off right!

To bring in the New Year, we heading to Deep Creek Lake to meet up with DH's extended family.  There was an addition to the family - Harley!

Ming wasn't too impressed with him, she was just a little puffy tailed and Max stayed upstairs under our bed most of the time!

Harley and Toby got along fine.

After Ming put him in his place, she ignored him.

Then he ignored her!

And then she just teased him!

Game time, Apples to Apples, I had Harley helping me.

He was so funny, he loved chasing shadows!

We went snow tubing on New Year's Day.  Luckily the sun was shining and it wasn't too cold. 

Nathan did go down on his own, but he liked having company too.

In stitching news, I had a finish in Dec '14 AND a finish in Jan '15!  The gmen were supposed to get these for Christmas, but I didn't quite make it.  Besides, I think they'll keep it in their rooms year round anyway!
They'll get the same numbers next year, so I won't have to make another set.

The team actually has at least four different jerseys to wear for games, but I like the dark blue ones the best.  

These "pink" ones were for breast cancer awareness - socks too!

In the beginning of the season, they started a small prayer group before each game.

By the end of the season, it had grown.
I LOVE THIS! 
 

Forgot about this one... while in NY, I looked to see if I could find a cross stitch shop and found "Stitch".  I thought the hours were a little late and then found out why!

The last of December and Scenes from a... bus, ferry, walking

For Christmas this year, the boys really didn't ask for much.  So since we've told them for a couple of years that we would take them to New York, we finally did.  We decided to take the bus, about a three hour ride, not so bad and no driving for us!  We woke up way early and got the bus in Baltimore at 6:30am.  Once we arrived, we were able to drop our things off at the condo we rented before we became tourists!

We had tickets to see the Statue of Liberty, so we headed in that direction via the subway.  We went to the 9/11 Memorial first - Wow, you just can't even imagine what was once there and what was lost.  So many names, such a terrible loss. 

From there we walked over to catch the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.  We had tickets to access the pedestal, unfortunately the crown was sold out.  We could have gone to Ellis Island, but the boys weren't too interested and we wouldn't have had much time.  Besides, I know we flew over in 1969!

 

Then there was the night life - the characters in Times Square!

We tried to get up close to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, but it seemed like everyone else in NY had the same idea!  Oh well, at least we got a picture. 

We had a great time but Nathan was disappointed we didn't get to Chinatown, so I think another trip is in our future.  Let's see if we can top our walking over 13 miles that Saturday!
And while we were waiting for the bus to go home, I had a hot flash!

Our next adventure was on Boxing Day.  We headed to my parents to celebrate Christmas with them.  Here's my Mom's chapel, decorated for Christmas. 

 I didn't know this, but my Oma made this years ago.  I guess that's where I got my stitichiness!

Dad decked out the table for us for our Christmas dinner, even if we were a little late.

Then came the Christmas pudding.  More for my parents and I - none of the boys like it!

Of course we had to have our family pictures taken - twice.

It wasn't too cold, so we had our last fire of the year outside.

And yum, I got my fix of Quality Street!

I bought this pattern on one of the fb stash groups, I thought it was perfect for my Mom's chapel.  Not sure if I should keep it as is or change it to look like hers.  But I think there will be too much white if I do.
Thoughts, suggestions?

Memories of December

Just a little behind from December, here's part of it...
  

 My Rudolph and misfit collection.

Still too many bare walls, next year should be different.

Nana gave this to us years ago and we finally had the room to display it.

My goodies from DJ - awesome!  She found out I love polar bears and made me this.

 

Of course she couldn't forget my love of mermaids, she even stitched the backside of them!

Nathan went with the cub scouts and sang at a nursing home - they sang "Must be Santa", love that one!

Can't forget decorating Christmas cookies on Christmas eve.

Santa left the boys new PJ's Christmas eve.

Christmas morning excitement!

I've been waiting for this since summer, my stained glass mermaid!  She will hopefully be hung in my craft room THIS weekend.

This is John Pacheco, who made my beautiful mermaid.  I found this piece on Pinterest and stalked tracked him down!  He was in our area during the summer and delivered her to me.  Come back and visit, John!

 My gmen know me too well, they added to my Doctor Who collection!  The paper will be a poster, just waiting to receive it in the post.

Next up, our adventures in December...



Day 8 of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop

It's that time of year again for Jo @ Serendipitous Stitching to host her Online Advent Calendar! 

This is an oldie, but a goodie.  I made this for my parents many years ago, it was one of my first "big" ones.  

This was a quick stitch I made last year, but I'm not quite sure I like the framing for it.  It's not entirely finished, so I can still change it.

As for my best present ever?  I don't really recall having one specific present, but growing up I couldn't wait to get my annuals from Britain.  I went from the little kids books, up to the "big" girl books - Bunty, Judy, misc others, and then My Guy.  I also got to read my brother's Beano and Dandy books.  Christmas day was spending doing a lot of reading!

And now, my boys read the Beano and Dandy so the tradition continues.

And for fun, the misfit toys have found a home!

Be sure to head over to Gracie @ Needles Pins and Dragonflies for tomorrow's door.

I'm not a turkey...

Last year, Nathan and friends in 1st grade made these - I am not a turkey...

Here's this year's 1st grade turkeys and they are just as cute!

 I am not a turkey, I am a Washington Redskin.  I do not say, "Gobble, Gobble", I shout, "Hike, Hike!"

  I am not a turkey, I am a ballerina.  I can dance all over the floor.  I go to dance class.  I go to church.  Since I am not a turkey please do not eat me.

I did it, I broke down...

 ...I've been listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving!

It's been so cold and windy here, even without snow, that it just seemed appropriate.  Anyone else guilty?

Last Friday the gmen had a playoff football game and boy was it cold!  I had on my long johns, lined jeans, and a blanket along with my super warm coat. The foot warmers were a big help too.  It was a "little" breezy, as you can see the flags look a slightly wind blown!

They won that game and so they have another one tonight.  This time I'm sitting in a sleeping bag to keep warm as suggested by another team mom. 

Whoa, it's November?

Even though we had some snow flurries last week, I still can't grasp that it's November already.  When did that happen?  I didn't even get to decorate for Halloween the way I like to, bummer.

Moving was a priority over decorating - what a mess!  

One of the first areas I organized was the coffee/tea "station".  Morning refreshments were a must!

Just before we moved, the boys had their high school homecoming to attend with their girlfriends.  I thought they all looked great and they had a good time.

Since one of the girls went to another school, there was another one to go to.  Nathan didn't want to miss out!

Isn't this awesome?!  My chosen sister, Karen, came to visit and help me organize and made me this.  I LOVE it!  Her Mom helped her finish it and I think it looks great.

It went beautifully with what I did find to decorate with.

And hey, here's the little ceramic spider I made with Nathan!

Karen also made this for Nathan.  He loves the colour orange - and an alien, even better!

Karen loving Max.

Ming's turn.

Karen with the gmen.

My craft room, what a disaster and it's not all mine!
"Where does this box belong? I don't know, put it in Astrid's room."

Before I knew it, it was Halloween!  Nathan was originally supposed to be a ninja, but we couldn't find his costume in the move.  Luckily, we did have a box with old costumes and so he was Darth Vader instead.

Star Wars buddies everywhere!

I really think our friends need to feed their dogs a little more.

So now you know where to find me, still sorting out the stitching, card making, knitting, jewelry and other misc crafts... I keep finding more!

But thanks to Karen and DJ who helped me through this mess, I'm almost ready to have a stitching date in there.