Christmas Ornament

I stitched this cute little ornament...little being the optimum word here...for an ornie exchange on the CrossStitchCrazy board. This is the over 1 ornament I talked about in one of my earlier posts. If I'd known it was going to end up this small I would have stitched it over two and saved myself alot of heartache. I'm not sure what's up with it but I followed the instructions and it clearly stated to stitch it over 1 on 32ct fabric which is what I did. This design, called Fa La La by Twisted Thread, is from the 2000 JCS Ornament Magazine and is stitched on 32ct Vintage Navy Bean by Lakeside Linens & Designs.

Busy Day

Andy took Alex to the Gunston Open House. Alex really liked it...they both said the place was beautiful. Too bad it costs $18,000 to go there for a year. Yikes! I don't see that happening but we are going to go ahead and fill out the financial aid form just to see what we might get. Can't hurt any.

Bekah had her speech evaluation appt today. I was very impressed with how the ladies did the evaluation. They even taught Bekah how to sign "more" which she still remembers. That's so amazing to me that she can be shown the sign a couple of times and she is still retaining it. Makes me want to learn more signs that can be taught to her. They were totally impressed with her motor skills...she's actually doing a number of things above age level. She is delayed in her speech area so she does qualify for the program. The next steps are for them to write up their report to figure out exactly where she falls, then we'll get together to discuss the findings. During that meeting, we'll decide on how best to proceed with getting her additional speech help. The good news is...actually there are two...1) it's free and 2) they'll come to the house to everything so that will make things easier on us.

Kenzie's softball practices have started back up again. They are only optional at this point but do you think my girl would miss any kind of practice?? No way! LOL So Andy and she made the trek to Trappe to the indoor facility for the practice tonight.

Connor is impatiently waiting for the Ravens game to start. This child loves football!

I've seen so many beautiful pictures of sunrises and sunsets lately...Velda's and Andy's...I thought I would post one that I took tonight as I went out to turn on our outside Christmas lights. I realize now after looking at the picture that I should have walked out farther on the deck so our rain spout and satellite wires weren't in it. Oops! LOL

Headache

Whew, I have had the worst headache for most of the day today. It hurt to think so needless to say I didn't accomplish anything today. I started feeling better around dinner time...just about the time that Andy started getting a headache. Hmm, wonder if I gave mine to him somehow. Now I'm waiting for Kearsyn to wake up to eat. She's been sleeping for a long time now and if I'd known she was going to be asleep for this long, I would have gone to bed hours ago. I know if I go to bed now she'll wake up 10 minutes after I lay down but if I stay up she'll probably sleep for another hour or see. I see it as a no win situation. LOL

SBQ - To Knot or Not

Today's SBQ is:

How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically,
do you or have you ever used a waste knot?

When stitching with two threads, I almost always use the loop method. When not using hte loop method, I'll leave a tail long enough to weave under the stitches or I use a waste knot. When stitching with one strand, I always use a waste knot.

To perform the loop method you cut the strand twice as long as desired for stitching. Fold the strand in half, and insert the cut ends in the eye of your needle. The folded end is at the opposite end of the strand. Come up through the fabric, leaving the loop on the underside. Make your first stitch. Bring the needle down through the loop in the folded end of the strand, and pull until loop lies flat against the fabric.

To perform the waste knot method you tie a knot in the end of the floss. Thread the needle and draw the floss through the top of the fabric near the edge. Bring the floss up through the back of the fabric in the desired starting spot and begin stitching.

Too Good to be True

I knew it was too good to be true. Kearsyn was back to her normal nonsleeping pattern last night. At least I know she can sleep when she wants to. ;)

What beautiful weather we have been having here the past couple of days. You sure wouldn't know that it's the last week in November by being outside. Now if we could just get our yard to dry out after all that rain we had last week. It's still extremely soggy out there.

I did some Christmas shopping yesterday and actually went to a store to do it. That's a rarity for me. LOL I usually do most shopping online cause I hate having to hunt for things in the store and they rarely have want I want anyway. I was pleasantly surprised because I actually found most of what I wanted to get for my sister and her DH so they are pretty much done at this point. Yay! The kids presents have all been ordered and are starting to arrive. The only ones left to buy for now are our parents. I also still need to get a birthday present for my dad whose b'day is 12/20. We're going to try and get the family together on the 17th to celebrate. It's always hard with Dad's b'day being so close to Christmas especially now that my sister alternates the holidays with her inlaws.

Thusday is going to be a busy day. We're going to look at a private school that is having an open house in the morning. Not sure that we can actually avoid it, even though they do offer some financial aid to go there, but it can't hurt to check it out. In the afternoon, there is a Homeschoolers Open House at the college. Alex is going to be taking a Composition class there which will be good for him plus it will help lighted the load a little for Andy in the spring since he won't have to cover that subject. Also Thursday afternoon, Bekah has her speech evaluation appointment so we'll see how that goes. She's been in a terrible two's mood here lately. Hope she gets out of it soon cause she's driving me crazy. She thinks she can make up for it by flashing me her cute grin and giving me a kiss...which of course works. LOL

Haven't done any stitching lately although I really need to get a move on finishing up my Christmas ornament. I've had it stitched up for weeks...just can't figure out how to finish it. I wanted to do something different but I can't figure out what so I haven't done anything. :(

Recently Read Books

Beyond the Shadows by Robin Lee Hatcher: Deborah Haskin's world is shattered when her husband, Andy, dies in the Korean War. As much as she wants to fall to pieces, she knows that he would want her to try to keep the Idaho farm that had been his life's dream. When Andy's war buddy, Gideon Clermont, shows up on her doorstep after the funeral, Deborah doesn't know what to make of him, especially when she learns that he is an alcoholic. But God uses Gideon to help Deborah work through her grief to a new place of hope and faith.

Smoke and Mirrors by Barbara Michaels: The fast-paced world of politics was both exhilarating and daunting to young Erin Hartsock - she came to Washington, D.C., to join the campaign of a charismatic congresswoman. But Erin's enthusiasm turned to dread as the campaign took a dark turn. A chilling secret threatened Erin and her colleagues, causing a series of strange fires and a seemingly accidental death, and showing Erin the shocking truth behind the political game. The next candidate for death would soon be chosen....

Return by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley: A Shattered Relationship - Luke, golden boy and the Baxter family's only son, has walked away from everything that mattered most to him: his faith, his family, and Reagan, his only love. Devastated by the events of September 11, 2001, Luke decides that life is random, faith a fraud, and God a fantasy.

A Secret - A baby is about to be born, but with Reagan a thousand miles away in New York City, Luke has no idea he's the father. Now, though, someone in his family learns the truth. The problem? She has a secret of her own, one that will change the Baxters' lives forever.

A Revelation - What will it take for Luke to return to the family who loves and aches for him? And what extremes will a certain young firefighter take to help bring the Baxters together again, and in the process, find his place in the family?

A story of tenacious love and longing for a lost son.

The Forgiving Hour by Robin Lee Hatcher: After years of bitterness and anger over her ex-husband’s betrayal, Claire Conway’s life finally seems to be on track. She has raised a fine son, Dakota. Her work is going well, and for the first time in years she finds herself attracted to a man once again! Then Dakota brings home his fiancée, Sara Jennings, and everything falls apart. For Sara turns out to be the same woman Claire’s husband had an affair with twelve years before. Forgiving Sara seems impossible. Yet only in that hour of forgiveness can the three of them be truly set free.

Book info from BarnesandNoble.com

Recital

Connor, Kenzie and Tyler did at great job when they played piano at the Festival of Trees on Saturday. Kenzie was a little concerned that she messed up slightly on one song but she didn't stop playing...just skipped to where she needed to be to get back on track and kept playing. What a big girl to not lose her composure. I'm so impressed with all three of their playing ability. I love sitting back and watching them play...watching their hands and fingers move across the keyboard, the look of concentration and joy on their faces as they play. They truly love playing the piano...even Tyler who will fight us tooth and nail sometimes to practice. On the way home from the festival, they had to stop for their traditional ice cream treat although they didn't stay to eat it because Terps football was on and that takes precedence over almost everything. LOL



Andy has more details of the night on his site but here's a pic of the huge poinsetta tree they do there every year. It's gorgeous!







I've actually been able to get some sleep the past couple of nights. Kearsyn slept from 1 - 5:45 last night and from 11:30 - 5:15 the night before. Of course Bekah was up sick that night about 4 but thankfully Kenzie got Andy up to help with her so I got to stay asleep. I'm not sure what to do with myself after getting that much uninterrupted sleep. LOL I'm not counting on it lasting though. Kearsyn is going through a growth spurt so that's making her sleeping. I can barely get her to stay awake long enough to eat before she's back out out again. She's such a sweetie. She's starting to coo and will smile at you now. How fun!

Unconscious Mutterings - Week 199

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Rhyme :: Nursery
   
2. Substantial :: Significant
   
3. Instant :: Gratification
   
4. Greed :: Gluttony
   
5. Brad :: Pitt
   
6. Season :: Fall
   
7. Accomplished :: Done
   
8. Invite :: Party
   
9. Sparkle :: Shine
   
10. Rainbow :: Colors
    

Click here to join Unconscious Mutterings

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt Theme: Time

This is a clock that I cross stitched soon after my husband and I got married...over 17 yrs ago. And it actually still tells time. =)

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Festival of Trees

Tomorrow is a big night as Connor, Kenzie and Tyler have a piano recital at the Festival of Trees. They'll play in this huge room that is filled with tons of differently decorated Christmas trees. All the trees are awesome! It was great fun looking at all the decorations on the different trees. Last year they also created a huge poinsetta tree out of smaller plants in the middle of the room that was gorgeous. Hopefully Andy will be able to get some pics of the kids and of some of the trees.

Family Time

Yesterday was a lovely family day. It was really nice having my parents and my sister & her DH over for the day. We all ate way too much and we even forgot to put a couple of things out on the table. Oops! That just meant we got to snack on them later. LOL We cooked two turkey's yesterday...one in a roasting oven which cooked extremely fast. The turkey was done 1 1/2 hrs before we were expecting it to be. We didn't take into account that the standalone oven would cook faster than a regular oven. Oh well, we just kept it warming until everything else was done. We also deep fried a turkey. Yummy! My BIL introduced us to deep frying as that's how he's always had his turkeys done so now we have to do one that way too. We also deep fried some shrimp after the turkey was cooked. I can't imagine anything better than deep fried shrimp. The rest of the meal consisted of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans, corn, rolls, gravy and cranberry sauce. The items we forgot were meatballs and watergate salad. And for dessert we had pumpkin pie, apple pie and coconut custard pie. I was soooo full last night but it was all delicious. And we've got tons of left overs so we'll be eating well today. :) I just wish I had remembered to take a picture of the everyone at the table.


Last night as I was trying to get Kearsyn to sleep, I sat down in the rocking chair and happened to look on the floor and saw what the pictures shows...apparantley Bekah has been hoarding Christmas ornaments. LOL




Today should be an easy day. Traditionally it's our day for Christmas decorating but since we did it early this year, that doesn't need to be done...although our outside lights do need a little repair work done to them after the huge wind storm we had. And since we just did a major cleaning job of the house, that also doesn't need to be done. Maybe I'll try to get some stitching time in between loads of laundry but I haven't been much in the mood for stitching lately. Most likely I will just sit back and read a book. =)

Friday Feast #119 - 11/24/06

Appetizer
Have you ever changed a flat tire by yourself?
I've had two flat tires since I've been driving...the first one I tried to change by myself but couldn't get the hubcap off...I was excited that I could actually get the car jacked up. ;) Thankfully about that time, a good samaritan and a cop both showed up to help me. The second time I was pregnant and I figured if I couldn't change a tire when I wasn't pregnant, there was no way that I'd be able to do it when I was pregnant so I didn't even bother to try. A state highway truck came by about 5 minutes after I had stopped on the side of the road and changed the tire for me.

Soup
Do you have an "innie" or an "outie" belly button?
Innie...except when I'm pregnant. ;)

Salad
Name a new paint color and describe it.
Hmm...haven't a clue.

Main Course
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
For Thanksgiving it would be having the normal meal each year...turkey (both oven baked and deep fried), stuffing, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, watergate salad, veggies, rolls and lots of yummy desserts...pumpkin pie & apple pie.

For Christmas it would be setting up our Christmas village. DH sets up the village each year and I love how he makes it in layers.

At the request of several people, I've updated to include a picture of our village.

Dessert
If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be, and why?
Chocolate chip because they tend to be a nice comfort cookie...at least in my view.

Click here to join the Friday Feast

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey is cooking so preparations are well on their way for Thanksgiving dinner at our house. My parents and my sister and her husband are coming over for dinner today. Should be a good time and I'm determined not to get stressed out and just enjoy things as there are so many things to be thankful for this year but most especially our new daughter, Kearsyn. Hopefully things will clear up as it's been awful rainy and dreary here lately. The kids always enjoy a good game of football with their aunt and uncle but it might be too soggy outside for them to play.

Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning

Whew, I'm tired. I've come to the conclusion that we have entirely too big a house when it comes time for a major cleaning. Either that or there are too many people in this house to mess it up. LOL The kids did a great job helping with the cleaning. We did major amounts of purging and their rooms look awesome. I took the route of dumping everything loose into a box and then sorting through that box for things that were to be kept in the room, things that belonged in other rooms and things that were trash. By doing this, we were able to eliminate the majority of the clutter that had been stacked around all the rooms. It's amazing how big the rooms look once this is done. Now I really need to take some pictures so that we all remember how things are supposed to look.

Oops!

Andy decided to do some work inside the chicken coop today and ended up locking himself inside the coop. ROFL The door latches by a slide bolt that slips into a hole in the floor. When he closed the door behind him he hadn't turned the bolt so that it wouldn't slip into the hole. There's no way to open the door from the inside once the bolt is in. Luckily he had his cell phone on him so he called our home phone and asked McKenzie to come out and let him out. Of course, he told her not to tell me what he'd done...which she didn't, he ended up telling. It's a good thing he had his cell phone on him otherwise he would have been keeping those chickens company for quite awhile before we would have gone looking for him. LOL

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Teacher :: Student
   
2. Fifty :: MPH
   
3. Crossword :: Puzzle
   
4. Stuffed :: Animal
   
5. Family :: Ties
   
6. Purr :: Cat
   
7. Toad :: Warts
   
8. Cocktail :: Dress
   
9. Insecurity :: Shy
   
10. Magical :: Wizard
    

Click here to join Unconscious Mutterings

Picture Day

We had our family pictures taken today. That's always an adventure. It took us about an hour and 40 minutes from the time we signed in to when we went back to get our pictures done. We can't really complain though as the guy who takes the pictures is fabulous, they don't charge a sitting fee (which for us would be enormous) and since it's done through our local fire house, part of the proceeds from the pictures goes to them. I just hope I didn't mess them up because for some reason the kids were cracking me up this year and I spent more time watching them than I did watching the photographer. He kept having to tell me to look at the camera. Oops! LOL Guess we'll find out when we go to pick them up in two weeks.

I'm thinking there was something else I wanted to talk about but it's escaping me right now. If I think of it I'll come back and update but for now I'm off to bed...or not since Kearsyn just woke up. Guess I'll go feed her instead. ;)

I remembered what else it was that I wanted to say...I can fit into a pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans. I was looking for something to wear for the picture today and tried them on basically as a lark thinking there was no way I'd fit into them as I still have 15lbs to lose but to my surprise they actually fit. Yay!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt Theme: Plush

This is a picture of our daughter Rebekah holding her very plush teddy bear. =)

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Decorating

Since I was up late last night, this is what I got accomplished...I replaced our regular hanging quilts with our Christmas ones (Andy did the one by the tree). We added the ornaments to the tree today but I did the fluffing, lights and garland last night. The kids added the ornaments today. Because we only have half a tree to put ornaments on it's somewhat overloaded. LOL


Andy set up our Christmas village, as well as, the nativity scene today...with some help from Kenzie.







I also papered our front door and hung the wreath today.








I still need to take a picture of the lights that Andy hung on the roof the other day. It's fun to have lights outside...it's been a few years since we've had them. :)



Editing to add the outside pic. Looks a little creepy with just the lights on the roof line illuminating only the top half of the house. LOL



The first picture below shows an angel that my mom made from scratch...actually had to draw, cut out and assemble all the pieces and then paint it. The two snowmen decorations came as kits that she painted and assembled. Every year, she's gives us something new that she makes. I wonder what we'll get this year.


Wystful1 at Thanks for the Memories is having a virtual Holiday Decorations Parade. Click here to join in on all the fun.

Recently Read Books

Key of Light by Nora Roberts: First book in the Key Trilogy - The life of gallery manager Malory Price is stalled when she is invited to a reception at a mansion near her small Pennsylvania town. Upon her arrival, she discovers that she is one of only three guests-all of whom are feisty young women with life challenges just like her own. Their mysterious hosts explain that centuries earlier, they allowed the souls of the three demigoddesses under their care to be stolen by a sorcerer. Legend says the demigoddesses cannot be freed until three mortal women find the keys to the glass box in which they are housed. Should they agree, Malory, Dana Steele and Zoe McCourt will each receive $25,000 to search for the keys, plus a million dollars if they succeed. They nervously accept, and Malory is the first to tackle her task, with the help of Dana's charming but commitment-phobic brother Flynn.

Key of Knowledge by Nora Roberts: This second book in the Key Trilogy continues the story of three contemporary female friends chosen to free the souls of ancient demigoddesses called the Daughters of Glass. This time, the heroine is Dana Steele, a librarian who is sure that the key she's seeking lies in a book. As she begins her search, Dana renovates Indulgence, the gallery-cum-salon-cum-bookstore she is opening with her friends Malory Price and Zoe McCourt. She also spends sometimes passionate, sometimes vexing time with Jordan Hawke, the thriller writer who broke her heart years earlier when he abandoned her and their small Pennsylvania town of Pleasant Valley to seek fame in New York. Dana slowly realizes that the love they once felt for each other has not died-and that Jordan's writing is inextricably entwined with her supernatural quest. In the end, Jordan must join with Dana to fight the spells of the sorcerer Kane and fulfill the terms of her quest. Despite lots of special effects, Kane isn't powerful enough to create much suspense, and Dana is a surprisingly inefficient detective for one so bright.

Key of Valor by Nora Roberts: This book concludes the Key Trilogy, in which mortal women quest to unlock the spellbound souls of ancient demigoddesses. The third and last woman to make the attempt is hairstylist Zoe McCourt. Like her friends Malory and Dana-heroines of the previous installments (Key of Light, Key of Knowledge)-Zoe has a single month and a cryptic set of clues with which to find her key. The angry sorcerer Kane fights her efforts as friends both mortal and immortal lend their support. As she searches, Zoe is courted by Bradley Vane IV, the sexy heir to a home improvement empire. She's not sure which is more difficult: accepting that she's magically linked with Brad or trying to quell her suspicions long enough to accept his love in the here and now. When she finds the courage to do both, the souls of all three goddesses are finally released. Smart but struggling single mom Zoe is an appealing heroine whose working-class grit finds a perfect foil in Brad's patrician confidence.

Book info from BarnesandNoble.com

Big Girl Bed

Bekah got her big girl bed today and she was so excited about it. She had the biggest grin on her face that you could imagine when we finally got it put all together. She's having a hard time staying put in it now that it's time for bed...funny how she had no problem being in it earlier when Taylor and her spent the afternoon playing in it. LOL



This means that I was able to get the crib moved over into Kearsyn's room so now her room is complete other than putting some additional items on the walls. I still need to get frames for my Noah's Ark stitching to hang in there but eventually that will get done.



Kearsyn did excellent while I went to my two appts today. She slept the entire time I was gone both times...approx 1 1/2 - 2 hrs each time...that might have had something to do with me stuffing her full of milk before I left. LOL I got a clean bill of health from my OB with instructions to come back in a few months for my annual. Ugh! Everything checked out at the eye doctor as well and I made it out of there without needing a new prescription. Whew!

Andy and the kids decided it was time to put the Christmas tree up...we're trying to having all the decorations done by the time my family comes over for Thanksgiving. Because we don't have much room this year, Andy decided that we should only put up half a tree. Now when I first heard this, I thought he meant the top half of the tree and couldn't figure out how that was going to help us (just blame that on sleep deprivation) but in reality he meant the front half of tree, leaving the back half off so that it could sit flush against the wall. I have to say it was a good idea and works really well. They were able to get all the branches assembled but I have to say that their grooming ability leaves alot to be desired. But as I was told, their job is to make the tree functional while by job is to make it pretty. LOL Tomorrow I'll work on fluffing up the tree so it doesn't have any holes although Andy claims those holes would be good to put ornaments in. Hmmm...LOL I'll take a picture of it once it's completely decorated.

That's about it for the day...was a long one for me as I'm not used to doing all this running around so I'm going to be tired tonight. Let's hope Kearsyn's goes back to sleep after she's gets her middle of the night feedings...she has a habit of eating and then staying awake for another hour looking around before she drifts back off to sleep.

I'm sure most have read about this already on Andy's blog but just thought I mention it here that we have a hawk making breakfasts out of our chickens. Hopefully the netting that Andy and Kenzie put over the run this morning will keep him, and any of his friends, at bay.

I just went to check on how Bekah was doing in her bed and found what the pic shows. Now that's true sisterly love.

Personality Test

I got this test from Michelle's blog. For the most part, it seems to be pretty accurate for me.

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is low. You're a pretty conservative person, and you favor what's socially acceptable. You think that change for novelty's sake is a very bad idea. While some may see this as boring, many see you as dependable and wise.

The Five Factor Personality Test

Click the link for your own personality test

SBQ: Tis The Season

This weeks SBQ is:

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not?

While I always have the best of intentions each year to stitch ornaments for all the kids each year but somehow it nevers seems to work out...might have something to do with our family expanding every couple of years so there is usually a baby running around which seriously cuts into stitching time. I do participate in the Ornament exchanges at the CrossStitchCrazy board. We do two exchanges a year there...one in July and one now so I always stitch two ornaments a year and receive two surprise ornaments in exchange. I love it!!

Happy Birthday Times 2

Today is Tay's and Ty's 7th birthday and they were very excited about it. Tyler has been asking me for days how many more days it was til his birthday. It was a beautiful day for it. They got to help their dad put up Christmas lights on the roof...for once it got done while it was still warm outside. I think we should have opened their presents earlier because they got skateboards and today would have been a wonderful day to be riding them. I think they are calling for rain tomorrow but maybe they'll get a little bit of time to play with them before it starts. They also got some movies which of course caused some controversy because they each wanted to watch a different. We said for tonight that the oldest one got to choose and that it was Tyler's own fault that he was younger because he had pushed his brother out first so he could have more room. He so hates when we say that! LOL

Connor and Kenzie had choir practice this afternoon so that left me with making dinner. I decide to try a recipe that I'd seen on the Large Families board called Tator Tot Casserole. I don't think the kids were too thrilled with it. I actually liked it although it was a little bland..will need to add something else to it if I make it again to spice it up a little...but it was easy to make and I'm all for that as I hate to cook. =)

Tomorrow will be a busy day as I have my postpartum check up in the morning and then have an eye exam in the afternoon. Makes for a lot of running around but at least I'll get them over with. Let's just hope Kearsyn behaves herself while I'm gone.

Dreary Day

After the beautiful weather we've been experiencing the last couple of days, today was a complete shot to the system as it was downright chilly today. In addition to that, it was rainy, windy and dreary all day. Would have been a nice day to curl up by the fireplace if we had a fireplace. Instead I just stayed inside and was a total bum. When I wasn't taking care of the baby, I was working on my ornament for exchange or reading a book. The kids, on the other hand, were having a great time running around outside in the rain and wind and it's still blowing like crazy outside. Right now the wind is a pretty constant 20 mph and was up to 36 mph at some point today. Anyway, I just got the baby to sleep so I'm off to get a couple hours of sleep, hopefully, before she wakes up again. Maybe by then, the wind will have calmed down. I hate the way it howls around the house.

Pay It Forward

Borrowed this wonderful idea from Velda:

Here's how it works:

The first five people to respond to this post in the comments section will receive, within the next 6 months, a personally hand crafted gift made by me. Please leave your e-mail address so that I may contact you. There is a catch however, your obligation is to post a similar type of offer on your blog -- if you don't have a blog, it's time you made one! Be sure to leave me the link to your blog as well :)

Unconscious Mutterings

Week 197

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Nick :: Razor
   
2. Focus :: Camera
   
3. Police :: Arrest
   
4. Miles :: Run
   
5. Earn :: Money
   
6. Twice :: Baked Potatoes
   
7. Razor :: Shave
   
8. Personality :: Charming
   
9. Dumped :: Abandoned
   
10. Reliable :: Trustworthy

Click here to join Unconscious Mutterings

Company

A good friend of mine and coworker came over to visit today. What a gorgeous day for visiting...weather was perfect. It was fabulous to see her! She has such a sunny disposition, you can't help but smile and laugh when you are around her. It's been years since she's been over to the house and seen all the kids but they warmed right up to her. She got to see all the changes first hand that we've made to the house (she's seen them all through pictures as we were doing them), Kenzie proudly showed off her chickens and we got to hang out and just chat about things. She's got a new granddaughter who was born a couple of weeks after Kearsyn so she's excited about her trip out to Washington to see her next week. I sometimes wish we lived closer to where I work because it would be easier for work friends to come by but I really like the area that we live in and wouldn't trade it for the more congested city life that we'd have if we were closer to my job. I am really starting to hate the hour drive to and from work, though. It wears more and more on me the older I get.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt Theme: Growth

The top picture is the way our house looked when we first bought it 13 yrs ago. It was a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom split foyer. The cars we had at the time were 2 small sedans.

The bottom picture shows what the house looks like today. We've added a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom addition over the garage plus created a master bedroom in the bottom level so our house now has 7 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Over the past 13 yrs, we've turned 3/4 of the garage into a classroom, converted our screened in porch into a tv/family room, changed a sunroom off the kitchen into a room that holds our 16 person table and knocked down the wall between our kitchen and dining room to make a large country kitchen. We've also grown from 2 small sedans to a station wagon, mini van and a 15 passenger van.

We moved into this house as a family of 3 so there has been alot of growth over years to become a family of 9. =)

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

One Month

Hard to believe that Kearsyn's been with us for one month already. It feels like she's always been here. She's such fun to hold and snuggle with...to watch the different expressions on her face as she sleeps. And every now and then, when she's awake and you are talking to her she'll give you a cute baby grin. How sweet is that? Here's a few pictures that I took of her today.

Recently Read Books

The Visitation by Frank Peretti: The sleepy, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural-from sightings of angels and messianic images to a weeping crucifix. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears with an astounding message. The national media and the curious flock to the little town-a great boon for local business, but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that will forever alter the lives of everyone involved.

Stitches in Time by Barbara Michaels: The quilt captured Rachel Grant's imagination. An antique bridal quilt, which appeared under mysterious circumstances in the vintage clothing shop where Rachel worked, it drew her as if it had been made for her. It was beautiful, mesmerizing ... almost eerily fascinating. She little dreamed that it might hold secrets better left undisturbed. Rachel had never been able to resist the allure of finely crafted textiles from times gone by. Her research into women's crafts led her to believe that through the ages women had woven protective magic into the fabric of all they fashioned for their rites of passage: birth, marriage, and death. It never occurred to Rachel that the same power used to protect could also be used to harm. But day by day she saw and felt the power grow - the quilt was influencing her thoughts, her actions. And this was not the benign white magic of her imagination. Much as Rachel's rational mind longed to deny such an uncanny phenomenon, the aura of evil emanating from the quilt was all too frighteningly real. The carefully crafted heirloom carried a sinister legacy into the present, something that threatened to destroy the people Rachel loved.

The Flanders Panel by Auturo Perez-Reverte: A fifteenth-century painting by a Flemish master is about to be auctioned when Julia, a young art restorer, discovers a peculiar inscription hidden in a corner: Who killed the knight? In the painting, the Duke of Flanders and his knight are locked in a game of chess, and a dark lady lurks mysteriously in the background. Julia is determined to solve the five-hundred-year-old murder, but as she begins to look for clues, several of her friends in the art world are brutally murdered in quick succession. Messages left with the bodies suggest a crucial connection between the chess game in the painting, the knight's murder, the sordid underside of the contemporary art world, and the latest deaths. Just when all of the players in the mystery seem to be pawns themselves, events race toward a shocking conclusion. A thriller like no other, The Flanders Panel presents a tantalizing puzzle for any connoisseur of mystery, chess, art, and history.

Search the Shadows by Barbara Michaels:Haskell Maloney's mother named her after an Oriental museum, and three months later died, leaving the baby girl, whose father had already been killed in Vietnam, in the care of a loving aunt. Grown up and engaged to be married, Haskell discovers she is a carrier of Tay-Sachs disease, most unlikely for the offspring of an Irish Catholic father and a Pennsylvania Dutch mother. She breaks off her engagement to begin the quest to learn her true paternity. Before becoming pregnant, her mother had been a student at the Oriental Institute in Chicago; Haskell's treasured possessions include snapshots taken there of her mother, Kevin Maloney, the man she married, and other friends. Haskell persuades one of the men in the pictures, now a professor, to take her on as unpaid summer help at the Institute, which still is in the unyielding grip of Victor Nazarian, a profoundly wealthy, ill and elderly eccentric, whose only son, also in the photos, died in the late '60s in an explosion caused by a home-made bomb. Her paternity now seriously in doubt, Haskell thinks she could be Nazarian's heir along with his daughter, who is married to another of the men in the pictures. Haskell's suppositions mount as does the danger she finds herself ina drink is poisoned and the cottage she lives in is rifled, then set afire. Finally she must also question who it is that wants her dead. A rousing chase through dark museum halls brings surprising facts to light, and helps Haskell decide where true love lies.

There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber: Emma Collins has always believed that the world is divided into two kinds of people: those who love fruitcake and those who don't. She's firmly in the second category, so it's ironic that her major assignment for the Puyallup, Washington, Examiner is a series of articles about . . . fruitcake. At least it's a step up from writing obituaries. Her task is to interview the finalists in a fruitcake recipe contest, and that means traveling around the state. Actually . . . flying around the state. Local pilot Oliver Hamilton, who's starting an airfreight business, has agreed to take her wherever she needs to go, in exchange for free advertising. Unfortunately Emma hates small planes -- almost as much as she hates fruitcake. But in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Emma falls for Oliver (who's not quite the Scrooge he sometimes seems) and his mutt, Oscar (who's allergic to her perfume, which makes him sneeze repeatedly). And she meets three wise women who know a lot about fruitcake -- and even more about life.

Book info from BarnesandNoble.com

Flown the Coop

Our foster roosters have left their temporary home and will be on their way to the butchers bright and early tomorrow morning. Kenzie was quite sad that she had to let her favorite rooster go. The coop didn't stay empty for long, though. Andy and Kenzie cleaned out the coop to get it ready for it's new inhabitants. Our chickens our now happily nesting away in there new home. You can read more details about the transfer here.

I've been tagged...

by Velda

Explain what ended your last relationship?
Distance and the fact that he didn't really want to commit.

When was the last time you shaved?
Two days ago

What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
Sleeping

What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Sleeping (I was awake for awhile in between, though)

Are you any good at math?
Yes

Your prom night?
I went with a good friend. We had a really nice time even though I don't really like dances. I drive by the restuarant we ate at everyday when I go to work...or at least I did until it burned down and they rebuilt gas stations in it's place.

Do you have any famous ancestors?
Not that I know of

Have you had to take a loan out for school?
Yes. Had to...grants and scholarships weren't enough to cover the cost.

Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile?
I don't have a myspace account

Last thing received in the mail?
Stitchy items and Our Daily Bread for next month

How many different beverages have you had today?
Just one...water

Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?
Sometimes

Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to?
The Moody Blues. I enjoyed it but they were soooo late getting started that we left halfway through it. If I'm remembering correctly, there was terrible storms that night which delayed the band getting in.

Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
Yes

What was the most painful dental procedure you have had?
Having all 4 wisdom teeth pulled at the same time.

What is out your back door?
Um, my backyard. LOL Pool, soccer goal that needs to be fixed, trampoline, shed, playground

Any plans for Friday night?
No...at least not that I know of.

Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
No

Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
Yes

Have you ever been to a planetarium?
Yes

Do you re-use towels after you shower?
Yes

Some things you are excited about?
My cross stitch, taking walks with DH and the kiddos (when they aren't fighting LOL)

What is your favorite flavor of JELLO?
Ugh...don't like jello ever since hubby told what it's made out of

Describe your keychain(s):
It's a leather id holder. Flips open...one side holds my license, credit card, insurance card...other side has a zippered compartment for money.

Where do you keep your change?
In the change holder of my keychain

Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
Open

Did you read this far? Consider yourself tagged.
Tag! If you wanna . . .Hey Megan! You're it!! ;)

SBQ: About Floss

Today's SBQ was suggested by Jan and is:

How many different brands of "complete" embroidery floss sets do you own? How do you keep track of it? (i.e., spread sheet program, index cards, palm pilot, etc.)

I have a complete set of Six Strand Sweets. I'm about 20 short of a complete set for DMC. And no where near a complete set for anything else...WDW, GAST, etc. I have spreadsheets where I try to keep track of what I have/don't have but I still can never seem to find the color that I want when I need it even though I know I have it. I think there are floss-raptors in my house that make off with it. LOL

All Boxed Up

The only thing of importance that I did today was wrap all my 12 Days exchange gifts, pack them in a box and actually get them in the mail. They are currently winging their way to their recipient. Sure hope she likes the items I picked out. I love this exchange and look forward to it every year. =)

Refund

Why is it so difficult to get money back from a doctors office when you over pay them? We pay a copayment everytime we go to the drs. When Alex had his broken collarbone earlier this year, he saw the dr 4 times. Based on the insurance payments to the dr, we ended up owing 3 different copays...the first one was our specialist copay, next two were our diagnostic copay and the last visit we didn't owe anything. But because we have to pay up front, we payed the specialist copay each time which means we overpayed for the services. The same thing happened with Kenzie broken collarbone visits. She had 3 appts...according to insurance the first one was our specialist copay, the next two we didn't owe anything but again because we had to pay up front we paid 3 specialist copays. The combined overpayment for both kids ended up being $70. The last appt was early August. Here it is November and we've seen nothing regarding our overpayment. I finally talked to the billing office today and was told that yes indeed, we did have a credit on our account and that she would issue us a refund check. So exactly how long would they have held onto the money if I hadn't called? And how many people don't call and would have lost that money because I'm sure the office wouldn't have refunded it without being prompted? I also think insurance companies contribute to the problem with their screwy copay systems. The kids were seen for the exact same thing each time so why did we end up with three different payments. Makes no sense to me.

Election Day

I hope everyone in the US was able to get out and vote today. I did although it was somewhat of an adventure for me due to the bridge being shut down due to an accident which meant the back road to the school was all backed up...but I made it. =) I think this is the day that my hubby lives for. He LOVES election day and he'll be up all night watching the poll results come in. Guess who's gonna get Kearsyn in between feedings so I can finally get some sleep. LOL

Mean Ole Hiccups

This is what Kearsyn looks like when the mean ole hiccups sneak up on her. She'd been happily sleeping away a few minutes before. She used to get the hiccups all the time when I was pregnant with her. I find it interesting that she still seems to get them just as much and generally around the same time in the evening.



Here's a picture of the crystal cross that my mom and dad got Kearsyn for her baptism. It's engraved with her name and baptism date.

Kearsyn's Baptism

We had a really nice day today. Weather was perfect for having a bunch of people over as it meant the kids could get outside to play and not have to be cooped up in the house all day. Kearsyn was wonderful during the service...she didn't make a peep, not even when the water was poured over her head although it did cause her to jump. I sometimes wonder how wise it is to dress a little baby up in a long satin dress for this event. Babies are hard enough to hold onto in regular clothes because they are so boneless but put them in a long satin dress and they become as slippery as an eel. Thankfully we made it through the ceremony without dropping her. ;) LOL It was really nice having family and friends over...some of whom we don't get to see very often....and it wasn't as chaotic as I imagined it would be. The only downside to the day was that Kearsyn's Godparents couldn't make it back to our house after the ceremony but I know we'll see them again soon.

Kearsyn got some lovely gifts. From family and friends she got: a beautiful personalized crystal cross (I'll have to take a picture of it and post it), a first tooth lost keepsake box, a first curl keepsake container, a linen keepsake bonnet that can be used again on her wedding day, a plush bear that is soooo soft, baby einstein toys, diapers, wipes, socks, baby wash and some money. From us, she got an engraved Catholic Children's Bible. We usually get a crucifix to go over the bed but for some reason we forgot this time. Andy's mom says she has one that was her mom and dad's so she'll give us that one. It's always nice to have something that was in the family.

Birthday Presents

I just realized that I never posted about the presents I got on my birthday. I got more today when mom and dad came down for Kearsyn's baptism. :)

Andy knows how much I love Anne Geddes so the kids and him got me Anne Geddes Thoughts with Love for Mothers, Anne Geddes Thoughts with Love for New Babies and an Anne Geddes 2007 Date Book. I love them!

From my parents I got an mp3 player, Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts cd, Nora Roberts Key trilogy...Key of Light, Key of Knowledge and Key of Valor. From a close family friend, I got a Yankee Candle in Home Sweet Home scent. It smells delighful.

Unconscious Mutterings

Week 196

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Theft :: Stolen
   
2. Storage :: Bin
   
3. Pick :: Up
   
4. Los Angeles :: California
   
5. The one :: Matrix
   
6. Accent :: Highlight
   
7. Rivalry :: Competition
   
8. Process :: Action
   
9. Streets :: City
   
10. Museum :: History

Click here to join Unconscious Mutterings

Soccer Results

Andy got his wish. All the kids lost today so they were home by 11. On a good note, Kenzie ended up scoring the only 2 goals for her team today. To bad she let two balls get by her as goalie and they ended up losing 2 - 4. Connor scored the only goal on his but unfortunately they lost 1 - 2. Only 2 more games to go...1 for Alex and 1 for the twins....and soccer season will be over.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt Theme: Windows

My hubby took this picture of the AirForce Academy Chapel in Colorado during one of his vacations with his dad a few years ago. I love all the windows that it has.

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Cleaning Time

With Kearsyn's baptism on Sunday, that means that the house needs to cleaned which I think is an impossibility around here. I'd get one room clean today, move to another and when I'd go back to the first, it would be destroyed again. How do you control all the stuff that seems to accumulate in a house and keep little one's from pulling out what you've painstakingly put away? I was able to get the tv room, Bekah's room, Kearsyn's room and the twins room picked up although the twins room now needs another pick up. Ugh! Tomorrow I've got to get to Kenzie's room, Alex/Connor's room, the bath rooms, the family room and the kitchen. The kitchen actually isn't too bad...really just needs the floor mopped. The kids have soccer games first thing in the morning. I'm not sure if that will be a good thing to have them out of hte house or not as I'm not generally coherent at 8am so I don't think I'll be doing much cleaning at that time. I also need to go in the closet and pull out my regular clothes that I had boxed up when I got pregnant to see what I can find to wear on Sunday. Not sure what I can fit into yet as I still have to lose 15-20 lbs.

In addition to cleaning, I also went and got my hair cut today. It had been months...actually probably longer than that...I'm not sure I've gotten it cut since I got pregnant...so needless to say it needed it and it was driving me nuts. And since I'm sure someone will ask to see a picture, I've included one. I don't look any different than I normally do...just got several inches cut off the bottom but style is still the same.

And speaking of Kearsyn's baptism, it occurred to me last night that I needed to get out the baptism gown. A good friend of the family made one for McKenzie's baptism which was also used when Rebekah was baptized. I looked in the closet where it had been packaged away and wouldn't you know it wasn't there. Ack!! Trying not to panic when thoughts of where am I going to find another baptism gown only 2 days before the baptism not to mention that gown was special since it had been handmade for us start flying through my head, I decided to check in Kenzie's room and thankfully found it in her closet. I'm not sure why it was in there...I think maybe she thought it was a play dress because I found part of it on the floor and the other piece kind of hanging up. Because it was out of it's packaging, it's gotten extremely yellowed so then I'm freaking out about how awful it looks. The only recourse I have is to try bleaching it although that makes me nervous because it's a combination of silk, lace, ribbon and beads and I'm not sure how the bleach will affect the three pieces. After much soaking the worst of the yellowing is gone...the lace and ribbon is back to a pristine white, the beads don't seem to have been affected and the silk is kind of a light ivory color...it should be white but at least everything is all one shade again and you can only tell that it should be white when the the hat is put next to the gown and jacket (the hat had been packaged separately). It shouldn't be too noticeable though. I do need to make a couple of small repairs to it. One of the ribbon ties on the jacket is hanging on by a thread and there is also a small tear in the sleeve of the gown. That one bums be out a bit but there's not much I can do about it other than to stitch it closed. Here's a pic of what the gown and jacket look like.

Mini RR

I was able to finish up my part on Holly's mini rr today. I stitched the Green Lantern symbol at the request of my hubby since that's his favorite superhero. And since this was the last stop for this rr, it'll be on it's way home in the next few days.

Gift

Kearsyn's great aunt sent us the girls version of this gift today. She hasn't been able to get out to see us yet but wanted to let us know she was thinking of us. Oh, and she hates being called great aunt as she is only 5 yrs older than I am but technically that's what she is. LOL

Colic

Ugh...I really hate that word but I'm pretty sure that's what Kearsyn has even though she doesn't technically meet the "3's" pattern yet....crying for more than 3 hours a day at least 3 days a week for at least 3 consecutive weeks. She's gradually been working into this over the last week. She starts around 9pm each night with excessive crying that lasts until at least midnight if not longer. She's crys throughout the day like all babies do but she can be consoled during that time. It's during the nighttime crying fits that she's unconsolable, poor thing...and she gets soooo mad. Scrunchies her little face up, swings her head back and forth, stiffens her body up. Let me tell you, she's got a nice set of lungs when she yelling in your ear. LOL Andy came up to me last night as he was heading off to bed and gave me a big hug and said he couldn't understand how I could handle that night after night...that being Kearsyn screaming her head off which she was doing at the particular moment. Funny thing is, I'm better able to handle it now than I was with Kenzie...she was really the first one that had any kind of colic symptoms. Maybe the older I get the better I'm able to understand what is going on and the more tolerant I've become. Don't get me wrong...there's still times at 3am where I wish she would just be quiet and go to sleep and sometimes I do have to put her down and walk out of the room for a minute but for the most part it doesn't get on my nerves anywhere near the way it did years ago...and when it does get on my nerves it's usually because I wasn't able to get enough sleep in the morning to compensate for the sleeplessness of the night before. So I guess I got several more weeks of sleepless nights to go through yet. As long as she's got them under control by the new year I'll be good. If she's still doing this when it's time for me to go back to work then we'll be in trouble.

SBQ: What's in a Name

This weeks SBQ was suggested by Lee and is:

How did you decide on the title of your stitching blog? Was it random,
or does it have a special meaning to you or about you?

My blog is not just about stitching, it's about my whole life and what goes on in it. The title of my blog...An Abundance of Blessings...reflects the family aspect of my life in that I have many blessings in my life in the form of my DH, all my kids and all the blessings that He gives us that enable us to live our life the way we do.