December Happenings

The recurring theme is my head is: 'I can't get into the sewing room!' or 'Another day gone by and I didn't get to the sewing room!' ugh BUT~there have been some other goings on that we've enjoyed. There's my graduate. We were able to travel to her graduation last week. She earned her MASTERS in Engineering! How do these kids do it? Needless to say, we are pretty proud of her and what she has accomplished these last several years since graduating from high school. I feel like claiming her as my graduate, but her father and husband both could also say the same.

With both girls gone, I've been relegated to all the decorating for Christmas. This little wooden Nativity is one of my favorites. I have it place on the piano in full view. It was an unfinished project, until two years ago, my friend named Kathy helped me finish the little threesome.

I'm on a Cinnamon Roasted Almonds kick! These little morsels are easy to whip up and nice to have on hand to give in bags tied with sweet ribbon. I love the parchment paper use in making these. So slick to just pick 'em up off the pan and cool, then throw the paper away. Great clean up trick!

While traveling to said graduation, I made these folded paper ornaments. Stolen idea from howaboutorange. They are fun. I don't have them hanging on the tree, just stacked on a cake plate. I wish I could show you every ornament on my tree! They are a collection of 28 years.

There is a story to almost every ornament~they are so cool.

Speaking of tree, Mr. Anonymous and I went up to the hills, picked a tree, cut it down, drug it out, tied it up and brought it home!!! This activity has been a family tradition for the day after Thanksgiving. The kids have really enjoyed it! Here he is "tagging" it.

I have a friend named Mildred, who just celebrated her 100th birthday on November 28. She was able to attend a Christmas Dinner at the church with me. I wasn't sure she'd want to go out in the cold, go out at night or go to a place where she didn't know anyone. She accepted my invitation and off we went. She really had a good time, enjoying the food and program immensely. Mildred gets around really well. She only occasionally uses a walker and pretty much takes care of herself. She is an avid reader. I've know her for about 5 years, she lives in an assisted living facility very close to my home. A funny thing that happened to her recently: she slipped down in the small space between her bed and the wall in her room. She couldn't get herself out and didn't have any way of getting assistance! She had to wait there until one of the employees came looking for her in the morning!!! She just laughs and laughs over that.

For 18 years now, my blonde friend, my energetic friend (me) and friend named Kathy and I have met together for a Christmas luncheon at the beginning of December. Here is a picture of the four of us this year. These are great ladies for whom I have a fond place in my heart. Energetic friend is the hostess for these luncheons. At my request, we repeated the menu from last year ~ this year. It was so so delicious that a repeat was warranted. Menu: French Onion Soup (with bread and cheese-you know...), Macaroni Fruit Salad w/ Cashews, Pomegranate Spinach Salad, and Chocolate Praline Carmel Cheesecake. WOW! Energetic hostess has an awesome Christmas decoration. A green wreath hungs horizontally from the dining light fixture with red and gold bead types of decorations attached. It is so cool, seeing would be believing, but maybe you can get the idea from this photo. It is very unique.

Merry Christmas All!

Take Care~~~