A new craft

I found a pattern that is basically a 1/2 circle of material sewed together and folded to look like a Christmas tree. It was easy to make. I decided to put a star and ornaments on it so you would know where to fold it to get the desired effect. With all I had to do this season, I only got 6 finished. Maybe I can do more for next year if I start after the first of the year.

Trying something new

I wanted pumpkin pie last night. I got out my favorite recipe that tastes the most like regular pie. As I got into making it, I was out of pumpkin pie spice. I was also out of ginger and cloves which I don't like. I looked up what was in allspice. It comes from a berry plant in Jamacia. It is like cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Interesting.

I loaned out my glass pie pan. It has not been returned yet. The smaller one that I have wouldn't hold all the pie filling. I got out the muffin tin. The whole recipe of filling fit into the 12 cups. After it was cooked, it divided perfectly into 8 servings of a cup and a half each. Very cool. I took one in my lunch today. What a treat.

I love it when I try out new things and it works.

Apple Trip

On the afternoon of October 3 we went for a ride up to Oak Glenn for our annual apple trip. There had been fires a couple of weeks earlier. I heard that they had evacuated homes in Oak Glenn. We called to see if things were open. They said come on up. We are all here and open.

So we had a lovely drive up there and didn't see any fire damage at all. We drove into our favorite place to get the apples and were very discouraged to see cars packed way back up the road. When we got up there we drove around and saw a huge line out the door of the barn. We were lucky to get a very close parking place. We walked in and found the apple guy. They had the 2 bushel of golden delicious to bottle and a bushel of huge jonagolds to eat that we wanted. We waited while they boxed them up and found out that the line out the door was people waiting for donuts. We were able to drive up to the side door and they put the apples in the back.

We went right down to the Little Dumpling restautant. I walked in and got seated immediately. Jeff got the last apple dumpling for the day. That is what he really wanted. He said it was yummy.

After dinner we went to the art gallery. Jeff likes to visit it every time we go. He said it is his mom's fault he likes to look at art. The artist was working on a large painting of ahelicopter dropping water on the fires in the mountains by his house.He picked out a bobcat picture to have framed. We also picked out a pretty picture of floral trees and a house in the background for me. We will go up and get it this weekend. (Oct. 17)

We went home the other way from where we came. We saw alot of fire damage going home. One side of the road was really burnt alot and the other side was not touched. It was the side of the road the houses were on. We wondered if they had started back fires to stop the progress of the fire at the road. Thanks to the firefighters.

All in all it was a great apple trip.

Happy Birthday to me

I have decided that the only number we are going to remember in connection with my birthday is the number 12. That is the day of September that is my birthday. Also my favortie time of year is from April 20 to September 12. During that time Jeffrey and I are the same age. This year for my birthday I went to the reader's festival sponsored by the Mission Viejo Library. They had author's come and talk about their new books. I went to a section with Lisa See talking about historical fiction. Then to a section with illustrators including the creator of the newspaper comic strip Drabble. I grabbed a bit of lunch. Then I went to the section with Mr. Henry Winkler. It was very good. I was a little disappointed when I thought is was going to stop talking after about 20 mintues. He opened it up to the audience to ask questions. It was very interresting. He took questions mostly from children. He is a very big advocate for children. Mr. Winkler has co-authored a series of 127 books about a 4th grade boy, Hank Zipzer, that has dyslexia. After the section. I went and bought the 1st book in the series and stood in line to get it signed. After about 20 minutes they said he was walking around I was bummed, I thought he was done. He was actually walking down the line signing books for everyone in line.
I was tired and so I went home. Curtis and Christine had come. We went to Golden Spoon and then to the Mission Viejo mall for the Apple store and my birthday dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. It was yummy.
After we got home that evening I got to talk to Marjorie, Alex and Scott. I always enjoy talking to my children
All in all it was a wonderful birthday or my own special day as I am now referring to that day.
Next year I want to have a birthday party at home with games and cake and ice cream.

Playing with Aaron

While I was in Utah for Marjorie's bridal shower, I got to play with Aaron. It was fun watching him help with the laundry. We also built block towers, and played peek-a-boo. I certainly enjoyed my time with Aaron, Alex and Jo.

Marjorie's Bridal shower

Genifer Adam Bacher gave Marjorie a bridal shower Saturday, August 1st. I was able to go and be there for the fun. It was great to talk to all of my side of the family and meet James' family. We played a couple of games and each wrote a bit of advice on a paper flower that was put into an arrngement. We all brought our favorite dish and a recipe to build Marjorie's collection. Since I flew in I was not able to make anything so I had an edible arrangement delivered that was full of yummy fruit and some chocolate strawberries. There were some really tasty dishes and we all had a good time. I am so glad I was there. The best part for me was the smile on Marjorie's face and the cute twinkle in her eye when she talked about James.

It pays to check out different airports.

Marjorie is having a bridal shower on August 1st. I have to be there. When I went to get my flight from the closest airport, Orange county, It was $314.00 pkus tax and stuff. So I checked Ontario. It was $282. plus tax. Lax was about the same. Then I checked San Diego. Bingo! The flight I got was $188. plus tax. It pays to check airports.

A Busy Summer

Time is just flying by. I knit alot. when I get a few dishrags done, I promptly find someone to give them to. I found a booklet of Baby wash clothes and have started those. I also got a pattern that is so easy I can just do it from memory. That is the pattern I like to do best. It looks good with varigated yarn and makes up the fastest.

It was great to have the whole family here for Curtis and Christine's wedding the end of May.

The weekend of the 4th of July we drove to Utah so we could make some of the arrangements for Marjorie's wedding August 15, 2009. She is marrying James Webb in the Mt. Timpanogus Temple. That is in American Fork, The town I graduated from high school in back just after the dinosaurs died off. I am looking forward to having the whole family together then also. there is a possibility that we could get a picture of all Mama and Daddy's descendants together if we are all there at the same time. I hope it happens.

We also had a little birthday thing for Aaron, Alex's son. He is 1year old today. We did his gift while we were there and they also did a little cupcake thing too. He is soo cute. I will include a picture but who knows where this blogger thing will put it. I love blogs!

I'm back!

With all the things going on for Curtis and Christine wedding and all the family here, I have not even been on blogger for several weeks. Today I caught up on all the blogs and could do some more of my own later. I even put on a profile picture from Easter. I Love Blogs!

My magic wand

A balloon lady came to our table last night at dinner. She said she could make anything. I asked for a magic wand. This is what she made. Apparently it works. I used it on the cupboard and see how cleaned off it is. I'll have to try it on a few other things.

Lots of new rags

I have found a new pattern for dish rags that is easy enough that I don't have to make cards to get the pattern right. It goes very fast and I love it. I have only had the pattern a week and I have finished 2 rags. One of them I used up a ball of yarn and successfully tied on another and finished the rag. I thing it looks pretty good. Now I will try and put pictures of them on this post.

Happy 30th Anniversary!

Jeffrey and I went to our favorite beach front hotel for a couple of days. It was in celebration of our 30th wedding anniversary. We walked and sat on the beach, walked around Laguna Beach and ate at many fun places. I even found a new knit shop. It had a new pattern for dishrags. It is so easy I can do it from memory. They also had a book with patterns for baby washrags. It was a good vacation.

Lots going on

I'm glad it is Friday! It is time to rest recharge and get some things done for the future. I am still looking for a dress to wear to Curtis' wedding. Tomorrow is another Saturday so I will go looking again. Hopefully I will find something. It is our last week to clean the church until June so that will get me up and going. I also need to do a Costco run. I have the menu picked out for the Rehearsal dinner and most of the set-up planned. I am rethinking the table arrangement. I am anxiously awaiting the release of the new Elm Creek quilt book on Tuesday. Jeff fixed the resistance on my stationary bike and now he rides it sometimes too. I hope to have a good weekend. I will make it a good weekend.

Looking and finding

I looked through all the drawers in my file cabinet and dresser to find some white handkerchief's I thought I had. I found several things of interest to me. One was the letter I received form President Spencer W. Kimball. There was also a pattern to the afghan I knitted many years ago. There was also a letter from my dad (those were very rare) and my visit teach partner to my mom. It was from many years ago when she did a spotlight on me in Relief Society. How sweet. I never did find the envelopes with white hankies in it but had alot of fun looking through all the stuff from way back. I also saw the baby outfits for Scott, Alex, Marjorie and Curtis. There were plaster of paris with handprints of Curtis and Marjorie from long ago. Surprising what you can find.

Versitile pattern

I am making another dish rag with that cute valentine pattern. It is cream color. I can't wait to finish it and start on green ones that can be lucky 4-leaf clovers for St. Patrick's Day.

Cute Valentine

I tried a new pattern. There were several stitches in it, I didn't know how to do. I found wonderful videos on youtube showing how to do the stitches. All I had to do was google the abbreviation and click. It was like magic. The pattern takes real concentration but turned out really cute I think. You can even see the holes.

A song is a wonderful kind of thing...

I have been dealing with sickness these last 2 days. I have been to the doctor twice and still don't feel I have the things I need to sleep. Anyway, I was feeling a bit better, kinda. I sat down at the piano. My Children's Songbook was there open to Away in the Manger. It is a very easy arrangement, so I played it a couple of times. It felt good. I played Picture a Christmas. That was good too. The for the remainder of the hour I played my favorites from that book, Popcorn Popping, To Be A Pioneer, I Wonder When He Comes Again, Whenever I hear the song of a bird, and Once There was a Snowman.
I should play the piano more often!

Picture a Christmas

Tonight Dad got my Christmas present out and set up. He got me a digital picture frame. I love it! He put pictures from this Christmas on it. I could sit and watch it all day long, but I need to get things done. It is something I've always wanted. Thanks sweetie!

The real story about the sweater

With all the knitting I have done this season, I was curious about the things I have knitted in the past. I went to my file cabinet and found a booklet that I thought my afghan pattern was in. It was not there. There was one like mine though. I found a sheet of paper that I think Gloria's afghan pattern is on.

I remembered the sweater Daddy sent home with me when Mama died. He said it was partly done. I should take it home and see if I could finish it. It has been sitting out in the garage since it came home probably about 16 years ago. I went out and got it out last night for the first time. The sweater is almost totally done. All it needs is a small fix at the back of the neck and the inside of the pockets sewed down. Then it will be done. It also needs a good cleaning. I tried it on last night. I could wear it if I roll up the sleeves 2 or 3 times. It also doesn't quite close. That is ok. There are no buttons or button holes in it.

What a real treasure! It was especially meaningful after I read the Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck this season. My story is nothing like his though.

Now when I get the time I want to get the big box down out of the garage that has my old afghan in it. Some other day.

New Year, New Rag

When I went outside yesterday, New Years day, this is what the tree in our front yard loked like. It looks like fall in the middle of winter.

I also finished a new dishrag yesterday. I think it would be good for Valentines day.

This is still not the order I wanted but I need to go.

Happy New Year to you all!!!