Jenny's Christmas box 2024 days 1-11.

 This is my second year of the MSQC Jenny's Christmas box. I have to say, I have been surprised by all the fun gifts she selects for us. I enjoy watching the video each morning and then checking to see what is in my present. I might actually make one or two of them this year! 

I guess a bunch of the measuring cups were broken for some people, but they offered a new batch shipped next year or a credit. Mine were fine so I just get to use them! They might become candy bowls or notion holders. The embroidery scissors tucked into the wood case have chuck the duck on them! How cute is that. I just realized the snowflakes are not in the photo.

We got 2 snowflakes - one with christmas theme and one with sewing and notions theme for the cutouts. They each have a white light set with them to light them up. 

I need to move these to the front windows!

Tuesday already?

 Boy, does age catch up to you quickly! It was lots of shuttling on Saturday. It was chilly at the drive in camp out and the girl was tired, so we only did 2 movies at the drive in before heading home around 10:30. We saw Moana 2 and Red One. Both were good. I need to take Emily to see Wicked sometime soon. Sunday, I watched the F1 race with Aidan and had Greg drop Emily to the parade. I headed out a little later and watched most of it before she wanted to go home. Note to self, get there earlier as they closed the roads sooner than they said and it was a bear to find my way to the pick up zone area since it was blocked off! They were towards the front this year instead of the back. At least it didn't rain! Sunny and low 70s which was much nicer than the 40 degrees overnight.

I finally stitched the pin holder from last years MSQC Christmas box. Those 2 spools of YLI are for hand quilting on the purple 1857 quilt. I've had them for a few years waiting now!

Aidan has been moving the elf around for me to find. Guess he wanted to see Santa!

The kid with the long hair on the left... yup, that's my Emily!

The high school has the middle school join them for parades. They do this one and then the longer one in Ocala on Saturday night.

The chickens are alive... despite only one giving me eggs. Thank you Buttercup - my Rhode Island Red. I have them out roaming today since Bear is sleeping on Emily's bed with her. She has a head cold and her eyes look tired and sick so I let her stay home. She is out straight, so I'm not surprised she got sick. 

Saturday riding Doc

He got a lot of attention and brushing before their ride. Her partner in crime did not ride so she had a lesson all to herself. 

I am enjoying the MSQC Christmas box countdown this year. I will get some photo's and share those tomorrow. 

The start of a busy weekend.

 Thursday, after visiting my FIL and doing a Sam's run for his protein shakes, juice and apple turnovers and a side run through Arbys for a Jamocha Shake for him, we headed home. He is doing well and had actually got his little Christmas tree out and up and his wreath on the door. 

After lunch I headed into the sewing room and cleared off the banquet table I sew on. Yup, that took a bit! Then I got the 2 boards the quilt and top was rolled on, out and onto the table. The batting package opened - 90x108. Ok, the quilt is about 86 inches square. It worked, kinda. A wee bit close on the last edge but I think it will be ok. It was a leftover night for dinner, so people were on their own. I did the Emily late pickup and had Greg throw Berber Kiev Chickens into the oven so they would be ready when Emily got home a little before 8 from Winter Guard practice. I put the huge quilt onto the floor to find the middle and wrangled the hoop onto this block. Note to self, trim the extra off one end and flip the backing onto the front to protect the edge. I plan to do that today. I did add one line of thread into it to start but my hands were tired, so I stopped. 

This is the whole quilt. 

I had a quilting design in mind, but I am waffling. I know I want to outline the applique parts with hand quilting. I was thinking a grid in the background but now I'm not sure how that will look. I might just get the ruler out and mark the lines on one block and then I should be able to mark it as I go. That would be in the inner lighter part. The fleur de lis will be echo outlined I think. I have not figured out the outer 2 borders but those are a long way off! 

So, the busy weekend. Both kids are late this afternoon, but one drives so he will be home sometime between 5-6. The girl is a late pick up with marching band practice then winter guard JV reveal of their program. She is buying them pizza for dinner. Saturday - winter guard practice 9-12, with a team lunch at the end. Then horses at 1PM, her partner in crime switched her time as well so they will ride together. Last time until January. Then Emily and I have the girl scout drive in Saturday night to Sunday. She wants to see movies #2+3, and has determined they should be done after 2AM. This is a tenting overnight - year 10 and I've been to all of them. Emily missed 1 year. We are opting to park outside the gate this year and will head home after the movie Wicked is over. She would prefer to sleep in her bed and then shower before heading to the local parade where her school is for noon Sunday.  Honestly, I'm good with going home to my warm house and bed too! Temps in the 44 degree range overnight and the humidity makes it damp and cold! 

I've got horses today and hopefully I survive the weekend!

A little stitching

 Instead of basting a quilt (which I totally meant to do yesterday afternoon!) I did a little stitching.

Well, after I made dinner.

Excuse the ugly crusts. The stoneware did a much better job with the bottom crust than the glass one. Spinach and onion with swiss and cheddar cheese. The other is onion and a package of 4 frozen jimmy dean breakfast round sausages. I could not find ham in the freezer! This one just has cheddar cheese for Emily. (Greg does this one too, because the other has 'green' in it!). I do have newer sheet pans... but these were out on the counter!

Aidan got home from their last Academic meet, and they won! Greg was kind and went to retrieve Emily from Winter Guard at 7:30. I stitched!

First, I unpicked and fixed the red boo boo from yesterday.

Then I triple checked against the quilt and sewed these guys into sets of 8. 

Bear was helping to hold them down!

I just need to check the edge they will go against and make sure my colors are not matching along it when I make these into a column. I need 12 sets of 4, so a black and orange are next and then I have a blue set of 4 and working on some reds for the last one. I think I need a couple more columns, but I'll add them to the quilt as I get a column ready.

Then I picked up the knitting needles, which I have added a few rows over the last week. I finished off the green, then checked into the 'to go' bags for the 'ends' of other sugar and cream yarns. I found a yellow, then when that ran out - got a light and royal blue. The light blue made it into this one. 

The dishes won't mind the various colors!

A slice of quiche for breakfast with my coffee and I'm off to work.

I'll walk the dog at lunchtime.... another frosty morning here in Florida.

One step forward... two steps back!

 I stitched my second red hexagon at lunch and figured, I can whip stitch these into a twosie. So I stitched away.

Oops! Guess I get to unstitch these and try it again!

So, this was Sunday night looking over from my recliner. Bear was toasty warm and snoozing. I covered him with the green tumbler quilt, and he promptly got up and laid on it. Aidan came through and covered him up with a quilt and he put his head down and went right to sleep!

Monday night, he requested I be on the couch with him. He snuggled up next to me and I covered him up. After a look, he got up and laid on the quilt instead. Emily came out and covered him up and yup, he went to sleep and was snoring and dreaming of chasing things. Spoiled dog. The cats were snuggled up in the master bedroom on a pile of quilts as well. Peanut might have snuggled under the covers with me last night. Ollie just was close by, he is not as into snuggling as his brother.

I started posting a list on the fridge of meals for the week and pick up times for the girl child, as the boy has a car to use. 

Sunday was the boiled dinner. 

Monday was meatloaf and mashed potato and peas. 

Tuesday is quiche. One spinach and onion and one cheese and ham if I can find some in the freezer. I have some pie shells that need using! Both kids are later today. Em has winter guard until 7:30 and Aidan has their last Academic meet at a different school in the county. 

Wednesday will be using the instapot for mongolean beef and broccoli over rice.

Thursday - they will probably have berber chicken kiev and I'll have either baked scallops or baked cod. I'll come up with some sides based on what veggies I have available. I might try a lentil salad.

Friday - Greg is in charge so it will be pizza!

Slow Sunday Stitching with a F1 race

 
I got a little hand stitching in this morning during the F1 race. I got 2 blue hexagons stitched. Then into a set of 2, and then into a 4 some with their pair I finished earlier this week.

Joining the other groups of 4. I need 12 for one side of the quilt that I am adding to. I have orange and black ready to become sets of 4, and individuals in green and red ready to stitch.

Chili the Elf flew back this year. I had him tucked into a little quilt by the phone, but Aidan changed it. It was freezing temps last night (yes, in Florida!) and this was to keep him warm!

I added ornaments to the tree yesterday. I can't reach the top so the angel is not on yet. The top part is light on ornaments as well. 

Bear was being a lap dog (he is at least 85 pounds) with Aidan. Grumpy boy actually smiled when he first plunked down. It took me too long to snap the photo. 

After not cooking since Thursday on Thanksgiving, I suppose I need to go shopping and plan meals for the week. I'm thinking a Kielbasa boiled dinner tonight. I've got cabbage, potato, carrot and onion to go with that. The kids are back to school this week with their fun schedules. 

I plan to finish decorating a bit and then will pin my 1857 quilt along done with Sentimental Stitches in 2016 for hand quilting in the hoop. I only made 36 of the blocks for my quilt.

Kathy asked about advent countdowns. I opened day 1 of Jenny's Countdown to Christmas box this morning. I loved it last year and it is fun so far this year. I also picked up a candle one from Aldi. 

Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Sunday Stitchers.

Border time

 It feels like I didn't get much done today. Normally I spend the day Christmasing the house. I didn't even do that, but we do have the tree up and it's lights are on. 

I did manage to finally go onto the government healthcare website and fill it out and compare and select my healthcare plan for me and the kids next year. I am essentially a consultant, so don't have an employer who offers insurance. Greg is covered by the VA. So, I have to research and get a yearly plan for me and the kids. All selected and I just have to pay the first month of January by mid next month. At least it is slightly lower this coming year. It's only an arm and a leg instead of both arms and both legs!

I did finally add that butterfly border onto the flower hexagon quilt. I added a 4.5 inch strip to it. I think it is 84x96 now. 

I also added two purple borders to the 1857 quilt. A 2.5 border then a 5.5 inch border. This one is now about 86 inches square. This will hopefully get pinned for hand quilting tomorrow. I miss not having something in the hoop. I have some dark brown and purple hand quilting thread for this one. The batting and backing are all set as well. 

We had a cool front go through this afternoon with some rain. I walked the dog this morning in shorts and a t-shirt. I think it will be jeans and a sweatshirt tomorrow. Maybe a windbreaker. It will be in the 50's in the morning. I'm not complaining as I prefer the cooler weather! I hear it might freeze here on Tuesday morning. Good thing I still have a windshield scraper from up north! The kids are going to need it.