Happy New Year!

It doesn't seem possible that tomorrow will start a new year. This year has just flown past so fast! I guess that's what happens as you get older. I'm looking forward to the new year with anxious anticipation. There will be a lot of different things happening this year and I'm looking forward to the challenges that will confront me.

I plan on trying to do more knitting in the new year. I taught myself to knit in my 20's and did quite a bit back then. Since then however, I've been doing crocheting which I consider myself an expert at doing. That's why I want to get back to some knitting. I want to learn to follow the directions and learn new stitches. I'm sure this will be fun. A new friend of mine sent me the 2008 knitting calendar, so I will be attempting some of those patterns first.

I've lost 50 pounds in 2007 and I want to lose at least 50 more this year! I'm hoping that my knee heals so that I can get back to my walking routine again.

I hope that anyone reading this has a wonderful new year!

Christmas is over already?

After all the hustle and bussel and getting everything ready, Christmas didn't last nearly long enough for me. But it did tire me out! LOL

I actually slept later than normal on Christmas morning, because the girls didn't wake us up early. When I got up, Becca greated me in the hall. ( She's 19 and my youngest.) I went out and put on the coffee, then proceeded to get the onions and celery ready to put into my stuffing. I hadn't been able to do it the night before because Denise was baking cookies. Whe the coffe was ready, my dh came out and after his first cup, started handing out the presents. That's our tradition. Becca had decided to spend the night, because her truck was being fixed and didn't get returned to her until late.

We had fun opening everything, and the girls had gotten together to give their dad and me some very nice things. After all the openings, I went out and stuffed the turkey and got it into the oven which had been heating. Then, as our tradition mandates, I proceeded to cook breakfast for everyone! To appreciate this, you have to understand that I NEVER make breakfast! Only on Christmas to I break my tradition! lol I made hash browns, link sausage, maple sausage, toasted English muffins, and eggs! I had a bowl of orange and grapefruit sections that I had prepared the day before and an English muffin with one small patty of maple sausage!

Our kids started arriving around 1 pm. Denise went to get her brother Sam, because he didn't have a ride. Becca went to get her bf. Then my oldest gd, Jackie, and her bf, Rob, arrived with her sister, Cindy. Jackie is 6 months older than Becca! lol I haven't seen her for quite awhile, so seeing her was a real treat! Shortly after they arrived, her mother, my odd, Ann, and her dh, Bill, arrived. Next came Chris, with his girlfriend, and his brother, Jimmy. Before I knew it, the apartment was full and very loud! It was wonderful! None of us had much money this year, but that didn't bother us at all. Everyone got something, no matter. Denise had baked cookies for everyone to take home.

Before I knew it, the day was nearly over and we were all watching "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation", another family tradition! Then slowly, everyone started leaving. The day was done!

It didn't seem to last very long. It seems to me that Christmas used to be longer! Could I possibly be getting older? Never!

Hope you all had a great day too!

Photos with Santa

Today the Historical Society had Photos with Santa and stories with Mrs. Claus. This is the first year of our doing this, so we had no idea how many kids to expect. We had about 12! Not very many, but at least a few. I played Mrs. Claus. It was such fun reading to the kids while they had their cookies and punch! They wanted to know who made the cookies, and I told them that me and the elves made them. hehe

I love seeing how children react to Santa and Mrs. Claus. Their eyes get so big and they're full of questions. One little girl had to sit on my lap while I read the story! She was so cute! One little boy sat on Santa's lap for over 5 minutes talking to him, then after hearing the story and talking to me, he had to go back to talk to Santa some more. He even whispered in his ear! What a cutie he was!

Christmas is wonderful when you see it through the eyes of children. It's magic to them. Most of these children came for pictures after church, so they are learning the reason for the season too!

I hope everyone has a magical Christmas!

Pass it on

In Aunt Kathy's blog, I read about an idea for not so random acts of kindness. All you have to do is respond to my blog, and I will send you a handmade gift. It won't be sent until after Christmas, because I'm way to busy right now to send things out, not to mention too poor! So if you would like to receive a handmade gift from me, just be one of the first 3 to respond to my blog. Sounds like fun, don't you think?

Well, this week is the Historical Society Christmas party that I've been planning. This weekend, I was busy making sure that we had enough tables and chairs to seat the 85 people who have paid to come. Then I was out gathering pine branches that we will be using to decorate the tables. The vice president of the society was helping me. On Wednesday, some ladies from my craft club will be helping me to sweep and wipe off the tables for the dinner, since I couldn't get all of that done this weekend. Then on Wednesday evening, some members of the society will be helping me to set up the tables and put the pine branches in place. We will also be doing a little more decorating.

I talked to the chorus director this week and she is planning on printing up some sheets with the words to carols, so that everyone can join in singing them. It sounds like a great idea to me. They will also be doing some other songs.

Then I found out this weekend that I will be playing Mrs. Claus for Cookies with Mrs. Claus and photos with Santa, that the society is hosting. We looked at the flea market for a wig, but ended up ordering one online. It will be here Friday. We even found some reading glasses that she might wear. This will be interesting.

If you've read my blog before, you know that the Historical Society was in the local Christmas parade with our entry of the 5 Rings of History. I'm happy to say that we won the Presidents Trophy for our efforts. Everyone had a great time at the parade.

Everyone in my craft club loved the crocheted satin ornaments that I gave to them at our Christmas party. We all had such a great time, and the handmade gifts that were brought for our exchange were even better than they were last year.

Right now, I'm crocheting a capelet in white for Mrs. Claus to wear while reading the stories. The vice president of the society is going to purchase some Paton's Divine yarn for me to use as an edging for it. I discovered after starting it that the yarn I had was actually a light pink instead of white.

Guess that's it for today. Have a great evening.

Christmas Parade is over!!

On Sunday, Belleview held their Christmas Parade. The temp was in the 80's!! Our Historical Society float (if that's what you want to call it) came together nicely! In the front for the 1800's we had two pony carts surrounded by Indians and settlers. (One of my dd's was an 1890 woman and her bf was Chief Osceola) Next came the 1920's with a vintage car with flappers and a golfer walking ( my oldest dd was one of the flappers ). The next era was the 1930's with a vintage car with two ladies from the society dressed like gangsters riding and gangsters walking (my ydd and her bf were part of this group). For the 1940's, we had a jeep filled with veterns with people dressed in vintage military costumes walking along. Last but not least was the 1950's. My dh drove our PT Cruiser with the flames and he wore his leather jacket and I dressed like a bobby socker. Of course there were greasers and bobby sockers walking with us.

We found out today that we won the President's Trophy! Not bad for our first time!