A Long List and a Revision

Over the past couple of months, I've been building up projects and ideas and planning to finish (and actually, for many, start) them over Christmas break.  I finally wrote up a list the other day so I could see what I'll be working on.  Here's what I came up with:

• Three paintings (one almost done)
• Two quilts (one mostly done, the other... not so much)
• One dress 
• One hat (half-way done)
• Two pair of mittens (A Norwegian honey-comb design, one pair in wool, one in something less itchy)
• Six dish towels (it's a set)
• One linoleum block design (for cards)

Hah!  In order to finish all those in the time I'll have, I'd have to be an extra industrious member of the Swiss Family Robinson!  They always seemed to finish large numbers of tasks in impossibly short periods of time, don't you think?  

What shouldn't I do?  I really want to do them all.  Sigh. 

Forget one of the paintings. The other two are promised to people. As is the almost-finished quilt. The mittens aren't necessary.  The dress is almost.  The block print won't take too long.  Adieu! to the dishtowels - they can wait.  The hat is almost done.  

So, new list:

• Two paintings (one is almost done)
• Finishing one quilt (probably two hours worth of work left)
• One dress
• One linoleum block (also almost done)
• Finishing one hat 

Maybe a non-itchy pair of mittens.  Maybe.  That list doesn't look as bad - I cut out ten items! I guess I can do more if I have time.

If.

Thanksgiving

We headed up to North Dakota to spend Thanksgiving with Mama's parents.  This is what part of the trip looked like.  David did not remember seeing this much snow before, so he kept asking me if we were in a blizzard.  I had a hard time convincing him that we weren't! While it was pretty cold (the high during the week was around 20 and the low was -7), it did not feel as uncomfortable up there as it does here, because of the difference in humidity.

It snowed most of the time we were there, so Grandpa was busy shoveling the deck and sidewalk. 

Chrissy enjoyed having a reason to wear her matching coat and beret and drink many cups of coffee and cider (and apparently she likes making strange faces).

 My Mama with her Mama.

The view from my Grandparents' house.  My uncle's family lives on the same farm, so that's their house.

     It was a very fun trip!  On the way home, our car broke down while we stopped for lunch at our previous pastor's house.  We were so blessed that it happened there, and not in the middle of nowhere, and that a mechanic was able to fix it in just a few hours!  We have so, so much to be thankful for.  This trip gave us more.

And we went hay bale jumping, in the snow.  I highly recommend it!

Over the River and Though the Woods

We're off to the Great State for Thanksgiving with Mama's family!  I hoping for snow and hay bale jumping.  Have a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving!

A Recipe for Fall

     If you are a relative of mine in the North country, and it is not yet Thanksgiving, please do not read this.  You could spoil a surprise.

If you are still reading, stop it!

If you are not a relative, keep reading.  

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

     In a bowl, stir together 1 egg white and 1 teaspoon of water.  Using a fork, whip it until it is frothy.  Add 4 cups of shelled almonds and stir to coat.  In a small bowl, mix 1/2-3/4 cup sugar with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  Dump the sugar on top of the almonds and stir well.  Cook on a greased jelly roll pan at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

I think this recipe is from Allrecipes.com.

Hustle and Bustle

     A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks.  I'm now a licensed driver (you wouldn't happen to have a 2002 Buick Lesabre for sale, would you?),  David and Chrissy participated in a speech and debate tournament, Mama ran the judges' hospitality room for said tournament, Dad finished up a lengthy project at work, and Beth is singing in a choir concert today.  The idea of Thanksgiving and Christmas break a few short weeks later has us all crazy with anticipation!

     It's been hard to slow down and make time for the day-do-day things that I want and need to do, but I know it's worth it, and I need to make it more of a priority.  

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

(Psalm 118:24)

Seasons of Music

     One of the things I look forward to each Fall is listening to jazz music.  I started thinking about this, and realized that each season has its own genre.  Here's the way I like it:

• Early Fall - fast jazz, like Keith Jarrett
• Late Fall (towards Thanksgiving) - Slow jazz, such as Vince Guaraldi
• Immediately following Thanksgiving - slow Christmas jazz (see above composer)
• Early December - it switches to completely Christmas music of any sort!  I love this part!
• After Christmas - instrumentals of the same style
• Late Winter - classical and Big Band.  Maybe some opera (not that I understand what they're saying...)
• Spring - some classical, some Big Band, some 60's, like Peter, Paul and Mary
• Summer - Anything goes! Fun Indie songs, or songs in different languages are good here (excepting the Czechoslovakian polka.  That doesn't fit in anywhere).  

Rinse and repeat.  

I think Sovereign Grace music is good at any time, as are Keith Green's songs. 

That's how I like it.  You?

Ms. Doggy

She's in the shop!

A Doggy Tail

All of him (lots of flowers... maybe her) will be in the shop later this week, but I had to share the cute tail.  It flops so well.