Monday, December 21, 2015

ANOTHER BIG CATCH UP AND MERRY CHRISTMAS WISHES!

Well it's the 21st of December and Christmas is almost upon us....It seems as if I have been preparing for this day FOREVER, considering I started my Christmas sewing in JULY, lol, and yet, believe it or not I am not quite done.  I have tried to analyze what on earth my problem has been this year as to why I have been sooo far behind, but I guess all I can come up with is I kept adding to my list...grin. I am not complaining, and honestly can tell you I am SOO grateful for the ability to do anything at all that I do, and the joy I feel doing so.  I will try to catch up the last several days as quickly as I can.....I sat at the machine and sewed really about sums most of it up, lol.   But let's see...last Sat. we hosted what has become our "new" annual brother/sister Christmas celebration at our home.  It started the first Christmas after my mom passed away, as an attempt to all gather together and remember mom and honor her, and this was the third one. We keep it to adults only because if we include all of our kids and grandkids in this celebration we need to rent a clubhouse or restaurant to accommodate us all, and it takes on a completely different feel.  I came from a family of six kids, and all but one of us lives close enough to get together which is really pretty good I am thinking.  So there are 10 of us all together...which is perfect.  Large enough to feel like a party, but small enough to be pretty easy. Since I have been sooo behind this year and had started to feel a little overwhelmed, I decided to NOT have a sit down prime rib dinner [as we have the last two years!] complete with my Christmas china and crystal and name cards, and made it instead a everybody bring your favorite dessert and hors d'oeuvres, and figured we would just graze our way through the evening on paper plates.  It worked out really well and was a lot simpler for me.  It was discussed however that God willing we will return to the dinner next year, but ALL of them would bring something leaving only the meat for me to prepare, lol.  Anyway, at these gatherings we all exchange simple little gifts, and this year I made them all several of my Christmas ornaments.  I am really VERY close to all 3 of my sisters and talk to them all a few times a week generally, so I knew they ALL were in love with the gingerbread ornaments I had made so I wanted to give them all some of those.  Plus, I REALLY loved the one of the nativity that I had made and wanted to give them all one of those too.  Now none of these ornaments are the least bit difficult to make, and I thoroughly enjoy making them all.  But they DO take me quite a bit of time to make.  So I spent Mon right through to some of Wed getting them done. I did not take ANY pictures of these new ornaments, so I will just remind you of what ones I am talking about with some old pictures.

THESE WERE FUN TO MAKE AND I DID ENJOY MAKING SOME MORE OF THEM!  GUESS I MADE 12 OF THEM ALTOGETHER LAST WEEK!   BUT I DID CHANGE UP THE COLORS IN SOME OF THEM

AND THIS ONE IS MADE WITH THE METALLIC SILVER AND GOLD THREADS WHICH I ONLY MADE ONE OF AS A GIFT....THE OTHERS WERE MADE WITH DIFFERENT COLORS THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BEST SUIT THEIR TREES AND COLORS ETC.  
The night was a big success and we all had a really good time together.  We had WAY more food then we could eat, and ate way more then we should, but hey, we don't do that very often which is a good thing, lol.  It was a cool night for California, and we even got some rain,  so we were able to light the fireplace and enjoy a roaring fire too which always makes it feel more Christmasy.  I am soo grateful that we were able to enjoy this time together and only wish mom could have been there with us, how she would have loved it.   I forgot to take any pictures at all...

Then let's see...what else was I up to last week?  Last Monday evening hubby and I went over and picked up our grand daughter Lindsey and took her to dinner before dropping her off at school for her Christmas choir performance.  What a good time we had catching up with her and just spending time enjoying each other.  I know I have mentioned MANY times how much I enjoy one on one time with any of my grands, and this as always no exception.  Anyway, we also THOROUGHLY enjoyed the choir performance.  Melody belonged to this particular choir when she was in that high school too, and I had forgotten just how good they are and how much I enjoyed those performances.  It was really good!  I tried really hard to video some of the performance, but failed, and only got one pretty crummy picture, [where you can't even really SEE her, lol] but I will share that at least as it gives you the idea..

THEY WERE SOO GOOD....LINDSEY IS IN THE FRONT ROW FAR LEFT..

And then Wednesday we had our bible study here.  We have only 1 more left in the series we are doing, and we will finish that up this week.  Can't tell you how much I have enjoyed having that
bible study here, and watching these gals begin to grow in their walk with the Lord.  Such a privilege to be a part of.

Then Thursday and Friday were spent at that machine making ONE Christmas apron.  And yes you read that right!  ONE apron, lol!  I agreed weeks ago to make an apron for my niece Katie to enjoy and so her mama had bought the pattern and all the fabric and supplies for me to do so.  I did warn them in advance that it might be close to Christmas before I got to it, but I didn't dream it would be quite as close as it is.  But let me tell you BRIEFLY about that apron.  First of all it is adorable, but I was under NO illusions that there was going to be anything quick or easy about it.  First of all it is a full skirted apron, meaning it goes all the way around the hips and bottom and almost comes together in the back.  Then it has a DOUBLE skirt, is completely lined, has a bib and shoulder straps, ties in the back with a BIG bow, has buttons and buttonholes, has eyelet and ric rac, TWO huge ruffles, AND! was going to have to be altered to fit her tiny 4 ft. 11 frame!  lol.  I asked myself more then once what on earth I was thinking let me tell you.  But not because I didn't WANT to make it, but because I appeared a few times to be in over my head.  Yes, I have sewn for years and years and years.  And yes, I have made many complicated, involved garments as well as quilts.  But most of what I have made I have made many of, and so they are really no longer a challenge and I seldom even glance at directions.  But other then an occasional bodice I have never lined a thing, [which was no biggie btw!] and I have NEVER altered a pattern to that degree for anything! And for some reason I struggled with a couple other things on this apron as well.  Don't ask me why.  I had the waist band upside down, inside out, and on and off 4 times, before it was FINALLY on there right, lol.  I was REALLY REALLY challenged with this for some reason.  My goal was to have it all done to give to her mother to take home on Sat., but I didn't quite make it.  I needed to try it on her to adjust the straps BEFORE I made the buttonholes and put on the buttons, and we have decided to add her name on the top, and two appliqued hearts on the top skirt.  I won't lie....I am scared to do this, lol.  If I should ruin it with a mistake in any way, there is NO WAY I am re-doing this apron.  So trust me I will take my time [on today's agenda right after this post!] and hopefully it will come out just right.  I will show you what I have right now, but when it is done with the name and hearts and all and she is WEARING it, I will show you again no doubt, lol

TA DA lol IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT BIG OF A DEAL I KNOW.  THE TIES TIE IN A BIG BOW IN THE BACK, AND THE STRAPS CROSS IN THE BACK AND BUTTON ONTO THE WAIST BAND.  THE RUFFLE ON THE BOTTOM IS 4 YARDS LONG, AND THE UPPER ONE IS 3 YARDS LONG!  AND 3 FULL PACKAGES OF RIC RACK, AND 2 YARDS OF EYELET.  THE LINING IS IN THE SAME FABRIC AS THE RUFFLES

JUST A LITTLE CLOSER OF A LOOK
Soo we are almost caught up, lol.  Yesterday my youngest sister invited us to go to church with their family and we decided to go.  We were SOO glad we did.  The service was very good, and the special Christmas music was very, VERY enjoyable.  After service we all went out to breakfast and then over to their house to see their new furniture, and measure Katie in her apron.  While we were there their 12 year old son Blake began asking questions, and the next thing we knew we were leading him through the sinners prayer, and he gave his heart to the Lord!  Sooo exciting!  And what a privilege to be a part of that as well.  And what a good time of the year to begin your walk with the Lord.  They will all be getting baptized soon as a family, but more about that later.  Then!! if this wasn't a busy enough week-end already, hubby and I left there and decided to stop by our local theater and see if by any chance we might be able to get into a showing of Star Wars, and ten minutes later we were in a PACKED theater in PERFECT seats seeing Star Wars.  Oh my goodness....it was REALLY good.  I am a fan of Star Wars but certainly don't have it as large as thousands obviously do, or my own sons for that matter, but I was not disappointed.  We both thoroughly enjoyed it.  We came home after that and had a quick, simple dinner and I was in my bed no doubt snoring by nine thirty! lol.

Today I need to finish up that apron, and make an ornament or two for my girlfriend whom I am meeting tomorrow for lunch.  Then tomorrow I will meet and spend time with her [which I am soo looking forward to!] and from there I am driving out to my youngest sister's house again to go to dinner and see the Nutcracker with her and her daughter.  Wed will be our last bible study and we will have a little lunch for that as well.  Thursday is Christmas Eve and we are going to my youngest son's house for the day.  We will spend the day with them, go to Christmas Eve service,  and have Christmas dinner and exchange our gifts.  And Friday is Christmas Day and we will spend that whole day doing very similar things with my oldest son's family and my middle son's as well.  Then on the day after Christmas we will be attending a wedding reception for my niece who lives in Washington but will be in California for this event.  She belongs to my brother who lives in Arizona so of course he and the rest of his family will be here as well.  I have not seen some of them since my mothers' funeral almost 3 years ago, and my brother only once since then so I am really looking forward to that too.   whew...lots happening this week.

I was thinking about all of this during my devotional time this morning and my heart swelled with gratitude to how blessed I really am.  A large family and wonderful friends to celebrate and enjoy during this season, and good health and a warm comfortable home to do it in.  Many are not this fortunate and I never want to take anything for granted.  It could all change in a blink of an eye.  But the gift of Jesus we were ALL given soo many years ago continues to be the best gift of all, and one we can count on no matter what, and that we can never lose.  Irregardless of what this life gives us here, we who belong to Him KNOW we have all eternity together, and someone we can turn to, lean on, trust in, and count on for EVERYTHING until that eternity begins.  I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!  Blessings to you all!  Debbie

Some more seasonal pictures I couldn't resist

SWEET VINNY.  LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PICTURE!

SAM ENJOYING HIS PRE-SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PARTY.  LOVE HIS FACE IN THE ONE WITH THE LITTLE GIRL, LOL

SWEET VINNY AND CAPRI HELPING GRANDMA REARRANGE ORNAMENTS

ONE OF THE ADVENT CALENDARS I MADE A FEW DAYS AGO.  I LOVED SEEING HOW THEY WERE PUT TO USE IN THEIR PROSPECTIVE HOMES

SAM, LUKE AND LITTLE CLAIRE WITH THEIR TEXAS COUSINS.  WHAT A GROUP THEY HAVE WHEN THEY ALL GET TOGETHER..  SIX OF THEM 4 AND UNDER, LOL

DECORATING CHRISTMAS TREES, MINUS THE TWO BABY GIRLS, LOL  LOOKS LIKE SAM AND LUKE ATE MORE THEN THEY PUT ON THEIR TREES, LOL









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6 comments:

  1. Oh, me, I'm worn out after reading this, you are the busiest woman I know and do such beautiful sewing. The apron is just gorgeous but I can see where it is labor intensive. I got my gifts wrapped today and thought that was a feat. Blessings to you my friend this Christmas week!

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  2. Oh the story of your nephew coming to The Lord blessed me. That's what it's all about and you are so right. What a great time of year to begin that journey. That apron is beautiful as are all the ornaments. So glad that you were able to gather with your siblings once again this year. Merry Christmas!

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  3. From My heart and home to you and yours, Christmas blessings to you! You aren't the only one who isn't quite ready-I got my cards for the girls done but decided to make a photo calendar for both families. I haven't made one before, with the program I'm using so it is a challenge. May your days be filled with love and joy dear friend!
    Hugs,
    Noreen

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  4. I loved this post so much. Seeing and hearing about your family times together is so fun. I love that apron and look forward to seeing her wearing it.

    Such wonderful family times. They take effort, but are so worth it. We lost mom in August and our oldest brother last year. We didn't get together for Thanksgiving, but we are all going to be together on Christmas Eve. I so much don't want to lose this tradition. I know it won't be easy this first time, but I'm so glad everyone is willing to come and then as many as can are going after that to visit dad at the senior center.

    If I don't get to talk to you again before Christmas, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!!

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  5. Popping in to wish you and yours the merriest of Christmases!! (Not surprised that you have been busy working and celebrating! ~smile~)

    Isn't it amazing that He came?!

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  6. What an exciting week! I enjoyed this post so much!!! Your siblings gathering sounds like what we do - although we get together every other month!
    Your little Blake meeting Jesus for real was a Christmas blessing none of you will ever forget!!!
    It's Christmas Eve as I write and I am wishing you a very MERRY Christmas all the way from Texas to California!!!

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!