I woke up this last Sunday morning like I do every Sunday... I got on the elliptical for 20 minutes, showered, started breakfast, got the kids clothes laid out and then went to dry my hair and put on my make-up. As I stood looking into the mirror and putting on my make-up I realized completely out of the blue, that I had missed the anniversary of my Grandmother's death. My grandma passed away 7 years ago this last January 6th. This was the first year that I didn't remember her on that day, and I felt so horrible. Then it just hit me, I could honor her on this very Sunday morning by wearing one of her hats to church. So, I got dressed and went and picked out a hat to wear. I took great pride that morning walking into church wearing HER hat. I miss my grandma all year long, every year...
About the hat - my grandma wore a hat to church every Sunday. And she wore a different hat every Sunday for a year. When she passed away she owned almost 100 hats... which we divided between my mom, 2 aunts and 6 of us granddaughters. I think that every January from now on I will wear a hat to church in honor of my grandma.
I started sewing curtains for our Master bedroom back in September, but I put them on hold to sew all my baby blankets. Then with the holidays I didn't do any of my "project "stuff. Well, as January is a slow and boring month with cold days that you spend indoors I have started to finish some of my projects I didn't finish in the fall.
The first project to finish was the curtains in my room. I think they turned out pretty good - considering I didn't use a pattern. :) Next I plan on painting the walls a light blue in the room and bathroom. Oh, and I've started to do a little remodel with PAINT in the bathroom as well, I now have WHITE cabinets like the kitchen. Busy, Busy!
I started some Holiday baking today. When I started I had a hard time finding all of my recipe cards. Most of the recipes that I like I've gotten from other people, and I NEVER get out a cook book. But it occurred to me today that I should take some time as I cook or bake put these recipes together into a book of my own including pictures. Creative Memories Storybook has a recipe book template to even help me. I'm so excited to get all my recipes down into a book... even some of my mom's and grandma's that I love. And then I will use a book to cook, my book.
These are a couple of the cookies that I made today. I had to do some baking for Josh and I this weekend... so these aren't for US to eat... but I sure do love this time of year - just for the BAKING!
When I was a kid my family drove up into the Montana mountains and we walked through the snow(most years) and we picked out our tree in the forest and cut it down, and put it on my dad's trailer and drove it home.
I have wanted to do this with my own kids for a few years, but they've always seemed to little to do it. I decided that this was the year to start. So, I found out where to get a permit and I bought three, one for us and the other's for friends. Now, it's actually very cheap to do this. It costs $5 for a permit, and then just the cost of gas to drive up the mountain, which with falling gas prices, isn't to much.
I think that my kids enjoyed this, and I hope we do this for many years to come. I did learn that as a kid I remember the trees being big and full and so pretty... and I was always so proud of our tree. When we drove up the mountain this last Saturday the trees didn't look like I thought they would, they were more "Charlie Brown" like. So, after coming down the mountain, I called my mom. And she let me know what the trees really looked like when I was a kid, and they too were "Charlie Brown" like. But to a kid, I think that the journey up the mountain, and looking for the "best" tree is all part of it, and is much more meaningful then finding a full and expensive tree in a tree lot. (the picture of the car with a tree on top is one of our friends driving down the mountain in front of us... I thought it was a cool picture.)
All of us wives... holding the chainsaw!
Back home in the living room stands our tree that we picked in the wild and cut down and brought home... this is taken with no decorations.

So, I've done this one before, but with a darker blue satin trim, and the strip on the other side was a little different. This blanket also has 3 matching burp cloths.

For the little princess. :) This is very cute with Crowns on both sides and a very light pink satin trim.

For the fireman in every little boy. :) I had this blanket almost done for months, but I couldn't decide on the silk trim, and then I thought... RED. :) I think this turned out really cute.