Top 10 reason I love Christmas time

Number 10 Terry's chocolate oranges

Number 9 fires in the fireplace

Number 8 I don't have to get up to take the kids to school

Number 7 treats given to and received from the neighbors

Number 6 Christmas lights everywhere

Number 5 gifts under the tree to squeeze, shake and smell to guess what they are

Number 4 yummy food at a party almost every weekend

Number 3 National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

Number 2 the spirit of giving I see everywhere, people who look like I should be giving them money for food are giving to the change they have to the bell ringers.

and finally Number 1 I love the Christmas season because it reminds me every day of the month what a wonderful gift our Savior Jesus Christ did for us by coming here, gaining a body and finally atoning for our sins by dying for us.

I hope that everyone is having a blessed Christmas.
(also for my Jewish friends I hope your Hanukkah was wonderful!)

HUGS,

Christmas is NEXT week ?!?!?!?!

HOLY COW!I was going along thinking I had time, I picked my boys up from school yesterday and they are all excited that they don't have school again until the 4th of January. WHAT! NO I thought they had school next week, I thought I had more time to finish shopping, to do the sewing I haven't done, the baking I haven't started.

GOOD GRIEF!

I hope you are all ready and haven't been a procrastinator like me :O)!


HUGS!

Santa had to make an early delivery

So Santa is bringing the kids sleds and being that Santa is a very logical kinda guy he was also bringing them new hats, gloves and in DD's case a new coat. WELLLLL this morning it is -3 degrees Fahrenheit(-19 to the Celsius people out there) SOOOO Santa felt it would be in the kids best interest to have said items now.
To that end he was dragged out of bed early to find where he had hidden the gifts the kids needed (by my sweet hubby who goes to work before dawn and didn't know where I, I mean Santa had the gloves and things)
I hope those of you in the Mid-West where I hear it is even colder stay warm (sending warm thoughts your way) and those of you down under don't melt as I am informed it has been in the mid 40's (that's well over 100 degrees for us state side)
Everyone be safe and enjoy yourselves getting ready for Chritmas, Hanukkah or what ever Holiday you celebrate this time of year!
HUGS!

Its Utah people it snows every year!

Why do people forget how to drive in the snow? I swear it snows every year for at least 3 months if not more. Do you fill up that section of your memory with who is on American Idol or what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jole are going to name the next kid the have?
Why is it that the second it snows people either drive way to fast or way to slow? It took my DH 3 hours and 15 minutes to drive what usually takes about 50 minutes yesterday because of accidents and people afraid of the snow. SIGH!

How hot is it down under right now? I may need to look into moving LOL!

HUGS,

Shock and amazement it's me !

Wow what a crazy couple of weeks!
Some updates...

Mom got her results her tumor was benign (THANK YOU LORD!)
I sent my SSCS package half way around the world about a week ago so soon I can post pictures of my projects.

I received my SSCS gifts and have been a good girl and placed them under the tree, the ornament is adorable


Well when not taking care or mom or my cute nephew that she is the chief babysitter and has had trouble because of the surgery (so I got to play baby for a while then give him back, I think I like that even better than having my own ;O) )

I have managed to get about 4 Christmas presents shopped for and then had to return 2 of them SIGH!

We got our tree up, with the sectional pre-lit tree it almost feels like cheating it was so easy.
It's totally cold enough to be December (it was 8 degrees this morning UGG!) but still no snow that has stuck around. I think I am glad of that LOL!

Thank you for all your well wishes for my mom and I am sorry I wasn't able to respond to everyone.

Just remember I am exceedingly grateful for each and everyone of you!

HUGS!

Just a quick post

Sorry I wanted to let you all know I hadn't dropped dead or fallen of the face of the earth, my mom had to have surgery to remove one of her adrenal glands on Monday because they found that she had a tumor larger than the gland.
She came through well and is just mostly sore. We are still waiting on the lab reports but they don't think it is cancer.
For my sweet winners I am doubly sorry your prizes just went in today's mail. With the Thanksgiving holiday it may slow them down even further. I have just been trying to take care of mom and haven't had a spare minute until now.
HUGS to all, more soon!
oh to clarify not yesterday Monday

Home and Much More Sane (and some blogoversary fun)

See how happy I am to be away and playing at Gardner Village,
I even got a shot of Mike with a half smile pretending he doesn't mind shopping with me.

This is how we started the day on Saturday, it was about 45 degrees and sunny.

5 MINUTES LATER...



SNOW!

Who ordered the snow on MY weekend! It's all good, we finished up shopping quickly and got some lovely food and played in the hot tub at the hotel instead.

In all we had a great couple days and not having to scream "If you touch your brother again..." once during dinner left me much more sane.

NOW I know you have been holding your breath for the blogoversary giveaway results so without further ado,

no more beating about the bush,

dragging my feet,

teasing you unmercifully,

The winners are...






In drawing 1 the FQ's are going to Karen over at Karen's hopes in the UK

Drawing 2 the star book is headed to Greg at Flat out quilting
in the wilds of Kansas!

Drawing 3 for the 4 patterns is going to Melissa from Ardeasnest in Ohio.

And for our grand prize, the quilt kit
in the cute pink box
to make a adorable wall hanging

okay I will stop GregFlat out quilting you should be buying Lotto tickets because the quilt kit is also headed to Kansas, Maybe you better share with your cute wife ;O)

So Thank you again for coming with me this far and listening to my rambling.
HUGS!

Need to clarify...

I wanted to clarify that while I have pictures I have taken of Weber canyon here by my house this is not one of them. Mine are currently hiding on the hard drive to our old laptop that went to laptop heaven.
This is one I found on a HOA website called Aspen Acres they have cabins in the cayon.

I am off for my child free, weekend. I plan to relax and not even check my blog LOL! So when I get home on Sunday I will have my my drawings for my blogversary!
Good luck to everyone, see you Sunday with the results.
HUGS,

Baby it's cold outside!

This is Weber canyon right here by my house. I wanted you to see the lovely fall leaves before it snows today. UGGG yes snow! I am so not ready for it to snow.

Thank you!

Today is Veterans Day here in the US, I want to thank all veterans!

Thank you to my grandfathers one who was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed that started WWII for us and one who worked stateside to build the atomic bomb that ended it.

I want to thank my father who left to serve in an unpopular war when so many his age didn't or wouldn't

I want to thank my Uncle for serving in the war in Korea that is all but forgotten.

I want to thank my cousin who joined the Navy to see the world and saw the Aleutian Islands instead.

I want to thank the men and women at Ft Hood who had no idea that they could be the victims of a terrorist attack while on base in Texas.

I want to thank all the young men and women who have chosen to serve even when we are in the midst of the war on terror.

Thank you, I pray for you! God Bless you!

The Green Fairy giveaway

I just can't help myself I need to share the fun giveaways I find
So Hereis another
Judi is amazing!

Ginger and Inch Worms

My lovely friend Barb is having a giveaway of an amazing ginger jars quilt HEREThat in and of itself is pretty exciting, However the giveaway if for the launch of he nieces new online fabric store Inch Worm fabrics She has some beautiful stuff. In addition if you pop in to Inch Worm Fabrics the blog you will be rewarded with a secret code to get a discount on your purchase.
What could be better, lovely fabrics on sale and a chance to win a beautiful quilt!
rush over and check it out.

The good, the bad and the ugly...

This is the good, I won a drawing from Kelly @ I have a notion Her blog is wonderful if you haven't been there, she has a shop and she always explains why I need the wonderful things she is getting in for her shop :O) Stop by and buy cause Kelly is awesome lol!

The bad (I searched my whole computer for a pic of my grandma but she HATED to have her picture taken) I spent the better part of the day Saturday finishing the clean out of my grandma's condo so it can go on the market. Not only physically exhausting but emotionally as well.

As for the ugly you will be glad no pictures of this one ;O) I woke up yesterday barfing up my toenails! I spent yesterday working up to diet coke and toast. I am feeling somewhat better today. I will keep you posted.

One update to the giveaway, my sweet hubby who knows after 3 kids with H1N1 I needed a break has made plans for us to get away for the weekend the 13th and the 14th that means that I will have to pull the winners on the 15th. One extra day for you :O)

another great giveaway out there

Here at Jaybirdquilts
Check out the wonderful stuff being given away.

Sentimental journey and blogoversary give away info

So last night I did some time travel
(no it has nothing to do with stupid daylight savings time)
I spend an hour or two going back and reading my blog from the last four years.
I found that when I started my blog I had a 1 year old, a 7 year old and an 11 year old. I still worked at the IRS and we were still making 2 house payments. In the course if those four years I have lost 35 pounds, gained 20 back and lost 17 of the 20 again, I have lost my tonsils, a length of tendon in my big toe, a bunch of bone in my nose and the hole in my heart.

I went through the pain of my grandmother getting sick and passing away all over again, I had the joy of seeing my kids grow and change. I found that I was much more insightful then (at least it seems that way), I read as I started this journey from "gosh I feel crudy all the time" to a final diagnoses of CFS.

I started this blog as an avid scrapbooker with a handful of close friends have become and a rabid quilter with friends all over the world.

Thank you for letting me share my ups and downs, my rants and my rambling, thank you for being there for me when I needed an ear and a shoulder (even a virtual shoulder has helped so much)
You have lifted me up in your prayers and I have found many reasons to thank the Lord for you and to ask for things on your behalf.


NOW on to the part you are really reading this about...
The Blog-o-palusa 4 year blogoversary give away, I thought since it was 4 years we would have 4 prizes and because I like do be different we are going to have 4 separate drawings.

So here is how its going to work to enter drawing 1 for these 5 FQ's of lovely fairy frost fabrics ( I decided the 4 year blogoversary is the metallic fabric blogoversary maybe when its 25 years I will give away something silver) Leave a comment on this post you will be entered into the 1st drawing.
For our second drawing for this awesome book become follower or if you already are a follower on my blog leave me a comment here (a separate comment please) telling me you are a follower, bingo you are now entered into the second giveaway.
For the 3rd drawing please blog about my giveaway, and yes leave a (separate) comment ON THIS post telling me you did (I will be checking) and you could win a collection of 4 patterns that cover different aspects of fabric crafting ( a quilt pattern, a wallet pattern, a stitchery pattern and an applique pattern.
Now for the fourth and final giveaway
(this one will require a little, just a little effort on your part)
to have your name in the drawing for the fourth giveaway item, please go back in my archives and tell me what your favorite old post is, what it was about or who and why you liked it. Again post that comment here on this post so it will count towards the drawing.
Oh you want to know what the prize is of course well here you go

Its a kit for a darling wall hanging 34x40, fabric, pattern and adorable pink box included.
So four prizes, four (separate)comments on this post telling me what you did, to be entered into the 4 separate drawings. Drawing to be held on my Blogoversary November 14th.

Oh and I have been busy this morning I also updated my quilts and stuff slide show at the bottom of my blog if you are at all interested in what I have done over the last few years ;O)
HUGS!

SO I have 15 days

15 days until my 4 year blogoversary!
I can't believe it has been that long. I started blogging as a way to have someplace to vent my rambling and sorta keep a journal of what was going on in my life.
WOW! I had no idea that I would "meet" so many wonderful people all over the world. 4 years ago I would have never started a sentence saying "My friend in Australia or My friend in Wales..." Now I think nothing of that.

So I want to do something big for the 4 year mark a giveaway X4 or to the 4th power or something. I am still working on the details
(heck I have 15 days why rush it LOL!)
HUGS!

Halloween Fingers anyone?

 

As a fun Halloween party treat I made peanut butter fudge fingers.

recipe to make your own:
1 C peanut butter smooth
1 C butter cut into chunks
1 lb powder sugar
1 t vanilla

Melt PB and butter together in a microwave for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes then stir, microwave another 60 to 90 seconds. add vanilla and powder sugar and stir with a wooden spoon.

At this point if you just want peanut butter fudge press it into a 8x8 or 9x9 pan that has been greased with butter.
To make the fingers take a stick pretzel and form the fudge into a finger shape around it, add a sliced almond for the nail and use a tooth pick to make the knuckle creases, add a little raspberry jam to the ends for the bloody bit and throw on a spider ring for fun.
Let set up in the fridge for at least an hour.

Happy Halloween