Christmas holiday traditions....

 Canadian Needle Nana had a great post yesterday of 10 things on her Christmas To-Do list. Knowing that this year is a little different from other years... less gathering and parties, etc. Are there some traditions that are 'must do's' on your list or will you be adding some new one's this year?

As 2020 has been an interesting year, I  eased my 'no decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving' this year and we have a tree in the house 3 days before Thanksgiving! All decorated as of last night. Knowing we all love  the cheerful decorations around the house, we might as well put them out now and enjoy them. I will be so ready to pack them up January 1st though!

Here is my list of 10 things I want to do this holiday season.

1.) Baking Christmas cookies. This is always fun and reminds me of baking as a girl with  the 8 - track Christmas music playing in the background.... right Mom? The kids love decorating sugar cookies and I might try to make homemade gingerbread this year.... we will see! 

2.) Family movie nights - for the Home Alone series, Polar Express, the standard 'kid' tv Christmas specials. These movies always make me laugh and laughter is the best medicine. We always get hot cocoa during that scene in the Polar Express, too!

3.) Read Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol'.  I have always loved Dickens.... my first cat was named Oliver Twist after all! I am debating on reading this myself.... or out loud to the kids. We have not read a book together since last summer. I just need to finish off the one I am reading right now first.

4.) Go hiking with the family on the trails near our house. It is finally cool enough to enjoy it!

5.) Help out a family in need. This changes year to year in what is done but I always try to find a way to give back.... usually anonymous. 

6.) Gingerbread houses - the kids make them every year since we moved down here and it has become quite the tradition.

7.) lighting candles every evening and enjoying the lit Christmas tree and decorations. I might have spent some Birthday money to purchase some Partylite tealights and a few votives. I love how they burn and I have lots of Partylite holders that they work well in. (mostly all my snow globes)

8.) Go visit the house 1/4 a mile from us that does an outdoor display to music every year. We enjoy going and just watching the lights move to the music a few times during the season.

9.) The elf on the shelf..... so, the kids now know.... but still get a kick out of searching for him every morning. I can tell you he will be put in a jar with a quarantine sign Friday morning..... hehehehe.... can't be too careful you know!

10.) Drive around and see all the Christmas lights and houses and lawn decorations. People tend to go a wee bit crazy on the lights front down here in Florida but it is so nice to drive around and see them. We are lucky and have a neighbor who goes all out right across the street from us for all the holidays. 

I am sure there are other things - the kids love their Christmas countdown snakes which have been requested again this year. Just a version of an advent calendar to unwrap each day - something little like a chocolate or a hand sanitizer for their backpack. They are getting older so the standard things I used to get they are growing out of....It used to be easy to get it all at the dollar tree store - the washcloth that gets bigger in water, all the little toys, silly putty, jacks games, etc. 

I'm a little sad I can't do the cookie exchange this year... but the host just went out of state with a friend for a birthday celebration and was visiting various restaurants and bars and has admitted it will be a mask optional event as she has not worn one in months. Calculated risks have me declining this year. 

What special things do you do every year? I'd love to hear about your special traditions.

The decorated tree. The kids humored me this year knowing I love the white lights, white garland and my maroon and white hanging candles onto the tree. It is so fun to see their faces as they unwrap all the ornaments - mine, their Dad's from growing up and theirs from the last 11+12 years. This year Emily's is a chicken coop with chickens and Aidan's is an old Christmas car with a tree on top. Guess she could not find a spaceX one! He did watch the launch last night... I hear it was the best one yet to see across the clear sky in the dark last night.

Emily had just come home from riding when they decided to start on the tree while I started dinner. Homemade sweet potato fries, cooked zucchini with scallions and kielbassa. 

Christmas Tree...

 

So the discussion yesterday in our house was real tree or artificial tree.  The kids were split. The last few years we have been alternating. We have had years when we have 2 big tree's up in the house. The place we got the last real one from has been built up (now a Zaxby's and Southern Pig and Cattle restaurant). We drove around that stretch on the way home from the kids Dentist appointment yesterday. Nothing set up. Further search and they are not set up this year in our area.  Bummer. We headed to Lowes last night just to look at both.... and came home with this real tree. The house smells nice. The cats have inspected it. I have already overfilled the base - you knew it had to happen! Good thing hubby found the waterproof base for underneath it. 

I have a 2 hour meeting at work today..... so I'll remember to put my crochet afghan and/or the quilt and thread and needles into my office. I can listen and stitch at the same time! I get another 2 hours tomorrow as well =).

So far this week we are getting 2 eggs a day. The other 2 chickens have really red tops so one of these days we will get 3-4 eggs! Speaking of which - time to make a quick veggie omelette before I head into the office for work.

Monday

Well, I did refold and organize one whole shelf in the sewing area yesterday.... and I made a bowl cozy! I need to make another and work on my sewing skills. Maybe change the thread too! I did break a needle so I have a fresh one in for the mystery on Friday now. Greg tested this one out and says it works great! I admit, we use the one we have a lot and it needs a good wash more than what I give it so having another couple in the house will come in handy. No burned fingers when pulling the bowl out of the microwave when you use these!

I did get some slow stitching in yesterday. I finished off the second block and also hand quilted the third as well. 6 more blocks to go before I tackle the sashing and cornerstones.

 Kids have dental cleanings this afternoon... very overdue as they were originally scheduled in March when things got shut down. They are off this week so I figured it was a good time to get it done. I had my physical follow up this morning. The good news is I am down 16 pounds from last year. The numbers are borderline right before pre-diabetic again this year (hey - it didn't go up or over so that was good!)  so I am hoping another 10 pounds will help that number go down for next year and get me out of the danger zone. Cholesterol is still slightly high, sigh. Darn genetics. All in all, pretty healthy so I will keep at it.

Grandma is coming over for Thanksgiving with Papa Andy. Need to see if Grandpa Tom is planning to come over or not. We see Grandma every week since the kids go over on Sundays.... her house is kinda linked to ours as a 'household'! Aidan requested her yams with the sauce and marshmallow on top, Em wants my Mom's orange salad this year instead of Grandma's heavenly hash (similar but a little different). We'll have her pick up the potato rolls from Publix as well and a pie. I've got the turkey, stuffing, potato and gravy with various pickles and olives. I'm opting out of cranberry sauce since no one eats it.... but I do have a can if someone insists. Way too much food for 6-7 people but oh well. Want to take bets on if she will bring appetizers or not? I'm tying to not have them. I made Taco Salad for Em on Saturday and did a cheeseball for the household on Friday so they can get their munching in other than on the one day. I hear the kids want to make macaroons, since the chickens are laying eggs now. We will see if they try that today or tomorrow..... I have requested the car get a total cleaning inside and out as well this week. Wonder how many times I'll need to 'remind' them on that one?

 

Sunday Slow Stitching

Some slow stitching will happen today. I will finish off the hand quilting on this block today so I can move the hoop to the third block. I just have to outline the big curve section. This is the hand pieced quilt from the Book Club sew along earlier this year.

I also pulled out the Endless Diamond blocks which have been sadly neglected lately. I was able to finish one block off and started another one while waiting on Emily at horses yesterday. Some stitching might have tried to happen while out watching the chickens in the afternoon but Emma decided to peck the yellow wrist band attached to the pin cushion so I figured I'd stop. Silly ladies. The second one started laying today - Fred gifted us with an egg first thing this morning - she was laying in the nesting box when Em let the chickens out this morning a little after 7AM. Lily has laid an egg a day since last Friday! We are curious if we will get 2 today or not. **Edited - 2 egg so far... wonder if we will have a 3 day? *** Yesterday the kids went out to check for eggs around 9:30 and when they lifted the lid Lily was in there! They let her be and within 5 minutes Emily came in with a warm egg. It was the first time they both got to feel the just laid egg. Pretty amazing what nature can do. One of the eggs was used in the banana bread Emily made last night. It was deemed the best bread ever!

Linking up with the other Slow Stitchers over at Kathy's Quilts.

RSC ..... collections of blocks....

 I have managed to finish off 2 quilts this year from my RSC sewing. Both should have arrived at their new homes in Vermont. 

This one now lives with my sister Joanne.

This one should arrive today at my Mom's.

That leaves these collections of blocks that should be sewn together at some point. A couple are from previous years.

16 patches. These will probably be added to next year unless I need a quick quilt for something.

Birds in the air - this is half of them from the drawer. I have enough 6 inch blocks to make a 80x80 quilt.

crumb blocks.... some are 10 inches and some are 12 inches.

churn dash. I remember making one quilt out of these blocks already years ago.

The rest of the blocks that didn't go into the top quilt. I see I need to make a yellow one.

Em was laying them out.... seems she thinks I need to make more!

Sweet Confetti blocks.

Stashbuster blocks. The kids have since moved things around to a more 'pleasing' layout according to them!

Linking up with the RSC Challenge.

Now this weekends job is to attempt to find some order in this mess of my sewing area! If you don't hear from me by Monday.... send in someone to find me! The kids have already been threatened if they even mention they are 'bored' next week I will dump out 3 large rubbermaid buckets of scraps for them to sort into colors.  I do believe they said they would keep themselves entertained! We will see.... They are off school next week for Thanksgiving break.

Another squirrel... maybe?

Has anyone ever done an embroidery wall hanging with this in the middle? I'm intrigued but not sure how I personally would do with embroidery on this. I think I'll try my Fa La La blocks first for embroidery .... but this would be a neat little quilt gifted to a quilter. Maybe with some log cabins, flying geese and bear tracks around the outside.... just the thoughts that run through my head..... 

'Twas the night before Christmas,

And the quilts were not made.

The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.

The stocking weren't hung, the pantry was bare.

The poor weary Quilter, was tearing her hair.

Stacks of fat quarters, tipped over in streams.

Visions of Log Cabins, had turned into dreams.

When what to her wondering eyes should appear,

But a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.

They went straight to work with just a few mutters,

Sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.

The patterns emerged from all of the clutter,

Like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.

Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese & Bear Tracks

Each quilt was a beauty-even the backs.

Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed.

The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.

Their work was all done, so they folded their frames,

And packed up their needles, without giving their names.

They boarded the bus, and checked the next address.

More quilts to be made, another quilter in distress.

She heard one voice echo, as they drove out of sight,

Happy quilting to all and to all a good night!

~Author Unknown

Shopping.....

The next block on Book Club is in progress to being hand quilted.

After dropping the kids to school I headed to Joann's Fabrics. They might have mentioned I was a wee bit too 'happy and cheerful' this morning! Silly kids. Would you believe... this came to under $100! Not too bad. I picked up some Christmas fabrics on sale - 2 green and 1 red (1 yd ea) with some embroidery floss for the Fa La La... Yes, a wee bit late but I do have it all saved off and printed out ready to go. I have white in the stash for the middles.... although I might make it a cream instead. I think white might be too much of a contrast. 

I picked up the last package of wrap-n-zap so I can make a few of the microwave bowl cozies... since mine is always in use and dirty! Darn oatmeal tends to boil over if you don't watch it. I picked up some Guitterman threads on the buy 3 get 3 free. I was missing pink fro some reason and I tend to use blue for binding and I ran out. I figured a purple or two would fit into the open spots of missing colors pretty well. Then a couple of 4 ounces of dish cloth yarn on sale. After that was all picked up it was time to search for the Quiltville mystery fabrics for Grassy Creek. I know I don't have much in my stash in the way of maroon, orange and gold yellow so picked up some half yards of that and one remnant. I opted for 5 yards of a deep lake blue for the main color and I have whites in the stash from an earlier splurge this year. There was a grassy green purchased as well but it must be hiding under one of the other fabrics. I know I have more of those in the stash with other shades of green. It should get me started for next week. I think I'll have the kids dump out the ahem.... cough, cough, 3 big rubbermaid bins of scraps (we won't include the various baskets and buckets of other scraps in the mix) and have them sort them into colors if they should get bored at all over the next week off school! 

A quick trip to Aldi as I am finally feeling like eating again after 19 days and needed some veggies for the crisper. Hubby is picking up a frozen turkey today after work and some cuban bread and sliced ham.... I pulled pork carnitas from the freezer this morning and have dill pickles, swiss cheese and mustard for our cuban sandwiches tonight for dinner. I am working on making a batch of cuban black beans to go with it as well.  I love the black beans from Chili's and eventually I will figure out how to make them taste like that or better! Tomorrow night will be Emily's favorite - roasted italian sausage, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and peppers with penne pasta. See, I really did need to get veggies =). She dislikes the tomato so we tend to leave that out of the recipe I linked to. 

1PM.... Think I'll grab my endless diamond pieces and a cup of water and go let the ladies out of the coop for some free range time. I wonder if there will be 1 egg or 2 when I check? We have had one per day since Friday from Lily we think. She has the red waddle. Emma or Fred or Molly might start laying in the next week we think.