Happy Between the Holidays!

We've been a whirlwind of busy-ness here. It seems like the days go by before I even know what hit me. I've been working on some new patterns and have the sample top ready for the first one, I hope to have the first one written and ready by sometime in January and, hopefully, getting through the nuts and bolts of writing/publishing the first one will make the others much easier.

We had a lovely, though quiet, Thanksgiving. Rebekah was with her husband's family, and Rachel was with her boyfriend's family. Joshua's girlfriend did join us after dinner and spent the evening and Rachel and Marshall came back here for dessert, so we had a bit larger group for the evening.

We just got done with hunting weekend. I didn't get my usual long weekend of sewing (which usually happens the weekend before Thanksgiving) because only Jonathan went to Wisconsin this year. Their group of 3 only got one and were a little disappointed.

This past weekend was the Illinois hunt, 4 days and my husband and both older boys were out as much of those four days as possible. My husband got one on the morning of day one and another just about quitting time of day 3. His tags were full and his hunt over.

The boys saw a few each day, but didn't really get any good shots until just minutes before the season was over for the year, Jonathan got two, one right after the other, we'll have a full freezer with 4 to process.

Ruthie had her 6th birthday in the middle of November. She knows birthdays mean presents and was quite excited. Rebekah and her husband came for the afternoon, we set up a soup and snack bar on the breakfast bar and then it was present time. She sure did enjoy it!

The highlight ended up being this digital camera. We showed her how to take pictures and she took 119 of them in the first 20 minutes! I uploaded them to the computer and weeded through them and ended up with 20 that were pretty good. By the end of that night, she'd taken 500 more. Most of these were too close to the object and just blank, but by the next day she let me show her how to use the screen to see what she was photographing.

It doesn't take the best pictures, but we figure if she takes care of it and enjoys being able to take her own pictures that we might upgrade to one that is better in a couple of years. Here she is taking pictures of the computer screen...she took them of everything and everyone. As of late, she uses the game mode more than anything, but is still taking pictures.

Soon pictures she takes will find their way here, too.

Mostly, I've been quilting. Working on Rachel's quilt without her knowing has proven a challenge. I have a couple more table runners to round out Rebekah's set of holiday runners, and I'm going to sew together a precut set of fleece squares for a new blanket for Ruthie. The holiday baking starts soon, as do play practices for Christmas Eve and my many lists of menus, needed ingredients, items to bake, etc., are under way.

Part of me is longing for the New Year, when I can jump head first into designing and making samples along with working on commissioned work...well..once the Wedding Tablecloth quilt is done!

Never a dull moment!

For now, I'm enjoying the fact that this is the least stressful holiday we've had, financially, in a very, very long time. We've been truly blessed, and hope the same for you!

Happy Quilting...if you have time!

Sue