Christmas Projects & Fun

We started a tradition, long ago, of making homemade Christmas tags using stamps, glitter, fabric, ribbon, etc. Usually, this tradition takes place at the kitchen table, however; this year, we were able to use the new craft room - joy!! When we were finished, I just closed the door.

I have 4 little nieces that love doing craft projects, as well as my daughter, Madison.

Our family Christmas party was held Saturday evening. I wanted a party where my family could "step back in time". My cousins' made cookies/breads from recipes that my Nana always used. A little tree adorned old pictures and a recreated tin foil star. The star was something I remember on my Grandparent's tree, as my Nana made a star from cardboard/tinfoil and a red light after her original star broke. Fresh cedar, white lights, candy canes & old pictures decorated the tables.

My favorite decoration was taken from an idea in a magazine. I took and old window frame, painted it white and hung different sized snowflakes & black/white vintage pictures, using fishing line.

Wishing everyone a peaceful & relaxing week.

*CozY for ChrisTmaS*

My decorations may not be perfect, my shopping may not be quite done and my baking..not even started...BUT, we are cozy in our home! Just enough decorations up to enlighten the house. Christmas movies are being watched, hot cocoa is being drank, family room is full of family and blessings are being counted.

As a nurse, I have witnessed many situations that sting the heart. Each time, making me more & more aware of how precious this life is and what it holds. Don't sweat the small stuff, it's not important in the big picture.

Knitting? A little. Evangeline Christmas Red Fingerless Mitts.

Make time for an old Christmas movie and some cocoa & enjoy the coziness of your home, too!

A little B&N therapy..

A cozy table, a mile high pile of books, a pumpkin spiced latte = a happy nurse. Spent last Friday at Barnes & Nobles in Vestal, NY. One of the more sprawling versions of this wonderful place that I call "bliss". Of course, I am always drawn to the knitting section, as well as the magazines, but I did make myself spend some time looking at the reference books for RN's. I actually spent 40 minutes, reading about detailed gastrointestinal surgeries, (very popular surgeries that the patients on my floor are involved in). As always, I also love the "bargain section"...always a nice selection of big, hardcover, "coffee table" type books.


I finished and delivered the cashmere/merino wool sweater set for my friend's grandson, Carter. Hands down, the most fun sweater I have knitted, thus far. Debbie Bliss, baby ribbed jacket. The pattern didn't come with a hat, so I checked ravelry and came up with a version.











Next project, a pullover sweater for a little, active 15 month old boy. We don't get to see him much, but from the pictures that his mommy posts, he loves to be outside in the fresh air. Finishing it up in time for a Thanksgiving delivery. Also, knitting up a quick pair of "toast" warmers. Madison is in the Halloween parade this weekend, and thought she might like these. Designed by my blogger friend, Leslie, these are fun & quick to knit up..and are the perfect accessory when you don't need the big, heavy mittens.


These cookies were a hit, last weekend. I have a cupboard full of cookbooks, but it seems I have been "googling" recipes, lately..instead of searching through my books. Found this great recipe for some wonderful oatmeal, peanut butter, choc chip cookies.












That's all I got, friends! This weekend's agenda: a Saturday afternoon photo shoot..I have been trying to get my family together for the past two weekends, before the leaves all fall off. We have spent the weekends together..but no one has wanted to have Mom take pictures! Planning on heading to some neat spots, including a covered bridge, here in Bradford County. Saturday night, we are all headed to the Halloween parade, in Towanda. Madison will be dancing with her dance school. Making some crockpots of comfort food & some appetizers and having people back to the house, following the parade. Wishing the month of October would stay a bit longer!

October fun

Again, it's been awhile...although I have thought of my blog often, I have not made it here to update in a long time. I almost thought of ending it, but I do enjoy posting and just need to get back with it! Just a few days ago, I received a note from a friend, stating she really enjoyed a previous recipe that I posted. I'm hoping to add more recipes, knitting projects, upcoming holiday projects, etc. My mind is spinning with many projects that I can't wait to start, including decorating.

October, my most favorite month of the year! From pumpkin spice to pretty fall leaves..I love it all! Jay and I had our second annual "Octoberfest" party, last weekend. The weather was perfect, which made it even nicer. Jay made excellent b-b-q chicken, and we had many roasters of hot foods to accompany the chicken. The hayride was a hit, as well as the wine table. The kids enjoyed decorating cookies and just enjoying the fresh air. Later in the day, we hired karaoke and heard some very good vocals.

This time of the year is when I enjoy my home so much more. I'm content with staying home more often, enjoying the simple things. A freshly cleaned kitchen, lite candles & some Saturday morning baking..love it! I really "got my Martha on", over the weekend - started with the day off on Friday, making homemade beer bread & a crock of corn/ham/potato chowder. Very much enjoyed by my family, as well as my sister's family, Friday evening. I also baked up 3 butternut squash and made "butternut spiced muffins"..pleasantly surprised how yummy they were, (I added chocolate chips, too!). Saturday, I made homemade pizzas, complete with the homemade pizza crusts. My kids loved the garlic pizzas, the best. I guess we overdosed on carbs this past weekend, but a lot of love went into the baking & cooking.

I have also picked up the knitting needles a little more often, which is also a sure sign of fall! enjoyed making this "Ribbed Baby Jacket", for a friend's grandson.

Knitted in cashmere/wool combo, loved working with this fiber. My next project is a pullover sweater for a little 1 year old guy, can't wait to get that started!

Have a wonderful, fall week, friends! I will be back soon, and that's a promise:)

Tree of Life

It's been a trying few weeks. A three-day hospitalization put a little wrench in last week's plans. Do you ever feel like you have so much going on that your head is spinning? With an upcoming 7 day vacation, a son heading off to college, birthdays, appointments, etc, one sometimes just has to say, "hold on".


My daughter said to me the other night, "Mom, come for a ranger ride with me, I want to show you the neatest tree ever", "it looks like the tree of life". Off we go, enjoying a ranger ride, first looking for blackberries and then down the hill to see the tree. Low and behold, it sure does look like the tree of life.

Good ole' days of summer

Pardon me, for not getting a few posts in since the beginning of June..I'm still trying to understand how we got to July so quickly:)

Summer is in full swing. I'm very much trying to stick to my three 12 hour shifts per week, at work..giving me more time to enjoy summer.

June led us to Cape May, NJ, for a week of camping and playing in the waves. I just love Cape May. Love the laid-back atmosphere of the town, the big old colonial mansions with beautiful blooming hydrangeas. Especially love how many people ride those old fashioned bikes with wicker baskets tied to the front. What I didn't like....being in a pop-up camper with no air condition. Bessie made her last trip to Cape May this summer, I vow to never take her again. Next time, we will be staying in one of those colonials'. Ever so, everyone enjoyed the beach and the waves, we all enjoyed the Washington Street Mall, too. Of course, what is a beach without heading to a board walk..Wildwood was on 15 minutes away.

A picture that I snapped in a yarn shop at the Washington Street Mall.

We just returned from a boating/camping trip to Sampson Park on Seneca Lake. Bessie got a huge campsite, and we parked her right under a big shade tree. This trip was good for the soul. The nights cooled down and were perfect for sleeping. The mornings were early, with fresh ground coffee enjoyed, while Jay made hearty breakfasts' . We boated from one end of Seneca to the other, stopping many times for everyone to swim. Campfires were awesome, we ate everything from pizza filled mountain pies to s'mores of all kinds. My favorite s'more was a chocolate graham with a strawberry marshmallow and a square of Hershey...yum! Tim tried out the new corn popper and made several batches over the fire. Needless to say, I ate way too much on this vacation. I even started/finished, a very good book by Nicholas Sparks, "The Choice." Highly recommended.

Priorities for this week: pick blackcaps before they are dried up..really in the mood to make some jams with Madison, fill out gobs of paperwork for Logan's first semester at LHU..and of course..go to work.

Make yourself some sun tea and enjoy these hot summer days, friends. I'll be back soon...this time, for sure~

whirlwind..

That is what the last few weeks have felt like..a whirlwind. I worked a little extra time in the past week, finishing up this week and getting back to my three 12's/ week for summer. Still LOVE nursing, sometimes I have a little cry on my drive home...but it's not from the work, it's from the experience of comforting an elderly person that just found out he can't go home to his wife and needs to go to a nursing home...its looking into the eyes of a woman in her 40's who is emancipated from cancer and faces the challenge of surgery for palliative care..it's that little grandma type that is teetering on the fence of Alzheimer's -vs- reality...it's the man that worked hard all his life and finds out that his leg couldn't be saved. Every day is such a reminder to not take life for granted.

On a different note, we enjoyed Madison's dance recital last weekend:) I now know why she is tired & hungry after dance practice. She preformed thee dances, tap, ballet & jazz. The jazz routine was over the top! Dancing to Tina Turner's "Proud Mary", they got to close the show...it was awesome!




Longing for that first camping trip. Our first trip of the season will be to Cape May. Leaving in a few weeks and spending five nights at Seashore Campground. We were there a few years back and just loved it.


I'm still loving the new camera! Here are a few candids that are my favorites:

Happy mid-week, friends. Be back soon with some knitting & recipes.

Welcome to my garden

Some of my first blooms. I've started a perennial journal, and realize that I have lost several plants over the past years. Just purchased some Blue Bells, Pink Garden Phlox and a Japanese Iris. Those will go in the ground today.

My Nana's yellow iris. Nana has been gone for many years but her Iris bulbs continue to bloom each year. The most hardy bloom in my garden.

Tribbles, a quick to finish project that is used all the time in my kitchen. Also is a nice little gift to give along with a scented body wash. Love to knit these in the natural, undyed cotton.

I received this beautiful tropical hibiscus tree for Mother's Day. My task will be to keep in alive. It hosts beautiful blooms. Planning on keeping it in the kitchen and only taking it on the deck for occasions.

Excitement for the week: My son made the dean's list for his second semester of college!!! I'm so very proud of him. Planning a steak dinner for him, in a few weeks, on the shore of Cayuga Lake.

Madison turns 13 on Sunday! I can't believe it! Where has the time gone? Taking her and three friends to the mall, Saturday afternoon, to see "Letters to Juliet" and then to dinner. She had her pick of restaurants and they all decided on Friendlys...works for me! I'm actually taking a friend along, too! She's a brave soul:)

Working tonight. Back to my three 12 hour shifts. Love it. Feels like I am home all the time. Took a break from any OT for the past month. Feeling regenerated. Staffing has gotten better. My patient load has only been 6 or 7 patients, vs the 8-10 when we were short. My time management skills are improving. When a 12 hour shift seems to go by in 6, time management is of essence.

The sun is finally shining, it's time for a walk. Happy upcoming weekend, friends.

No excuses now:)

Now that I have a new laptop and camera, I have no excuses to not be updating my blog. I love to blog, however; my equipment had been on the downfall. Some friends have asked for updates, and my daughter pointed out that I have "snow" pics in my last post. It's my promise to now update my blog at least once a week, as well as start a flickr "picture a day" project. I enjoy reading several blogs, but one of my favs is Leslie's "a friend to knit with" blog. I've been reading it for over two years. And Jules, if you are reading this..I will have recipes again:)




Since Mother's Day weekend is my weekend to work, it was very nice to attend a mother/daughter banquet tonight at our church, the theme being "a purse driven life"..fun!



Besides knitting, Madison and I have been playing with beads. We made two bracelets for the banquet, as door prizes. We will be selling these types of bracelets/rings to benefit the upcoming Relay for Life.

















Knitting...finishing up some baby items at this moment.


For the past two weeks, I have been working just my three 12 hour shifts and have really been enjoying this! I will be able to make it to all of Madison's ball games:)



Logan is just finishing up his second semester, I'm very proud of his accomplishments..for those of you with teenagers..they do finally mature!