Gifts...

There were a few gifts that were made around here during the last few weeks here.  Gifts that were very loved when completed.

This was a quilt that Em gifted to herself for all the hard work and thoughtfulness she has passed on to others this year.  She had been patiently gathering all the right bits for this quilt since the beginning of the year.  After all the creating and giving to others she finally has her wonderful snuggly quilt she has been dreaming about.  Well done Em!

Then the next day she started on another for her little sister B.  Little B asked what she was doing and how wonderful it would be to have her very own quilt like Em made for herself.  That is when Em told her it was another quilt for herself and would B love to help her pick out colors.  B helped happily always saying that it would be a very beautiful quilt with those wonderful colors she helped Em pick out.  B watched patiently for a week and a half as the quilt was put together always admiring it.  Then when Em was finished sewing the binding and signed the back of the quilt, it was quickly washed and dried so that B would get her very special Christmas present early from her big sis.  Let's just say she carries it everywhere in the house and is never seen without it.

I was finally able to start and finish a gift to Mom just in the nick of time for me to get it mailed off in time for Christmas.  Nothing like waiting till the last minute.  A nice big hot pad trivet for her table.  The pictures are terrible with the lack of light that was going on the morning it was sent off. 

Now there is another special request that has come in from one special little niece that needs something for her special princess baby doll after she saw Mom's table trivet.  Apparently it is just the perfect size for a special baby doll.  Better get moving on that now.

~*~

Memories...

Christmas was quite wonderful with our special little guy staying with us a few days this year.  Such beautiful moments with this little man.  Making cookies and sneaking a bit of dough here and there.  Eating a chocolate ornament or two off of the tree just because.

Looking at his favorite dog book with Auntie B.

Always stopping for a quick moment to look at what seemed to be his favorite ornament, Santa.

And his most favorite thing to do with the tree, blowing on the tinsel.  The absolute cutest thing ever!  Fun to see that the tradition continues as it did with my three.  :)

Then the all important reindeer food.  Even if he didn't quite understand why the girls were doing this, he had fun throwing stuff around.

These kind of memories are the best.  There is nothing in the world more magical or important than times like these.

My Mom shared a fond memory with me last week that nearly made me cry about her childhood.  She was born in Germany and I tend to think that she has the greatest memories ever from a time that was much simpler and less materialistic.  We were speaking about making Christmas cookies and all the baking that I still needed to do.  She started to tell me about when she was 6 years old or so and how her Mom would pay a small little fee each Christmas to use the big bakery in town to do all her Christmas baking all in one day instead of days on end in her kitchen.  My Oma would make sure all 10 kids were bundled up, pack the sleigh with all their needed supplies and head down for the day to do the all important Christmas baking.  Then when everything was finished everyone bundled up again, packed the sleigh with all the goodies and headed home at the end of the day all happy and tired.  To listen to my Mom speak of all the smells she remembers, the warmness of the bakery, the time with her Mom and siblings was absolutely beautiful.  To imagine all the goings on on those days, trying to envision all those kids bundled up, walking in the snow and just enjoying one another just melts my heart.  I hear all kinds of stories of the simple, loving  things my Oma did for her children and each one makes me so proud and humbled to be related to someone who was so kind and loving to her family.

These are the memories that are the most important in life.  And I'm so glad that I try to make an honest effort to do simple memorable things with my children and now my grandchild.  Life is not about material things at all.  It's all about the smiles you put on your kids faces, the things that make them dance and twirl, and the love you put into their hearts.

I hope you and your family had a very memorable, lovely Christmas just as we did.

Now I must be off to go make waffles with the girls for lunch just because we can.

~*~

Merry Christmas!!!

All the special request cookies have been made.

A special batch of personally decorated sugar cookies were completed this morning with a special little helper on the side.  Lots of jabbering, laughing and dough tasting was going on in the kitchen.

The certain special little helper couldn't keep his fingers off of cookies that we thought were finished with all their sugars and sprinkles

and kept adding his own little touches here and there. 

Now we are all sitting back waiting for tonight.  Sharing time with family and friends, eating yummy little snacks and sharing presents with one another.  Keeping things simple and making memories.  That's what it is all about.

Merry Christmas to you all!

~*~

My wall quilt...

I woke up very early this morning just so I could get working on finishing my quilt for the dining room.  It was a nice surprise to open the blinds and see snow.  There was a wonderful feeling that settled in as I was stitching the last bit of binding down while peeking out at the snow every few minutes.  That is my kind of Sunday.  Just plain wonderful.  Simple.

Now that the quilt is in its new home, there is more cutting to be done for a smallish person so she can get a project finished.

And then I'm starting on another project in which I was inspired by this wonderful book.

But first I need another mug of hot chocolate to get me through more of this snowy little day of ours.

~*~

Binding...

Moving on to the scrappy binding.  My most favorite kind of binding.

What to say?

What is there to say about the things that have been happening with me in well over a month.

I've been so completely disgusted with the path this country is going down.  So utterly pathetic to say the least without ranting and raving for days on end.  I could just spit.

Heavy hearts have been the norm around here all due to a child who is suppose to be an adult, age wise at least, but refuses to be one.  It had me questioning everything I had ever done for this child to try and understand why they are the person they are at the moment.  But after much thought and discussion with dear family and friends, it is all due to the unwise, irresponsible choices that has lead this child down the road he is on.  Not due to anything I have done.  I can do no more.  I am tired of 'banging my head on a wall' trying to get through to someone who could really care less about how hard he is making life for himself.  I have to move on in order to save my sanity and the rest of the family's.

So with that I am really trying to get out of this funk and focus more on myself and the rest of the family who cares about making the most out of life.  Thanksgiving was a bust around here but Christmas will not be the same way.  Routines will be put back in place.  Traditions will be celebrated with nothing but happiness and joy.  And focus will be put on those who matter the most.

Here's to happier days ahead!

I need it.

~*~