Vida

When I first fell in funny love with "What does the Fox say?" I introduced it to my family at Charlie's birthday.  Charlie loves and is very knowledgeable about animal sounds.  So I went through a bunch of animals he knows and then said, "Charlie, what does the fox say?" Obviously, he said nothing.  Then my family pauses and says, "What does the fox say?" One of my co-workers lived in Norway for awhile, where the creators have a talk show.  We started talking about them while waiting in the hotel lobby and one thing led to another before we were watching youtube video after video of their pranks.  Hilarious.

I love cards.  Possibly more than a person should. So what do you do with the Christmas cards you receive after you are done enjoying them for the season? This year I saw an excellent idea on A Beautiful Mess .  To put them in the back of a scrapbook using protective sheets.   I remember when I started a scrapbook earlier in the year, & I wondered why I was starting one.  Now, I have a full binder with photos and memories from 2013 and I'm so happy I made it.  And what way to have a perfect ending to the scrapbook than the Christmas cards I received!

Merry Christmas, everyone! We are spending the day at my grandma's to celebrate with my family! I miss these stockings every year.  They were a casualty in the fire we had in 1999 and now, we have nice ones, but I still love those little bears. The (New York) Sun September 21, 1897 This evening Karen & I are heading to her place because I have a very early flight tomorrow...not to Chicago.  To Europe!  (Full disclosure:  my connecting flight is in Chicago, so sort-of Chicago.)  I'm going on a single-ladies getaway.  Judging by the rate my friends are getting in serious relationships (and the number of them that already are), this will not be a possibility for much longer.   Take advantage of life and time when it happens.

I do not like fake trees.  Maybe it’s because I grew up with real ones and I am spoiled.  I still enjoy my parents’ real tree every year, but I think I’m going to have to get my own because I look at my fake trees and love them, but there’s a small pang of blah. I walk by the nearby Christmas tree lot and take big breaths in through my nose.  Or, this year, I took deep breaths through my nose when passing the corner tree places in NYC. Moral of the story:  my tree was enough for my short time at home this year, but I'm happy to be at my parents' enjoying the real tree we picked out at the tree farm.

Oh I'm so happy to see Brandon Stanton on this list!!! I heart HONY I'm only a tiny bit embarrassed to admit I kept my eyes open for him when I was in NYC.  I didn't see him. Oh how I wish I thought of this project and it was mine...  I love it all

Today, 7 years ago, my grandpa died. Today, 7 years ago, Mom, Jeff, Karen & I rushed back from NYC. This may be one of the many reasons I was so unhappy in NYC this month.   Mom, Jeff, Karen, & I had a holiday trip planned for NYC in 2006 when my grandpa went back to the hospital.  We were debating canceling the trip when he seemed to make a turn for the better so we headed off to New York.  Just as we were finishing up the trip, we found out Grandpa made a turn for the worse, instead of better. We changed our flights to get back quicker.  I remember so clearly sitting in the lobby of our hotel uncontrollably crying. I walked by the hotel last week and had to quickly look away to keep it together. We got back and headed straight to ICU, which at this point we were pretty familiar with, and all briefly said our goodbyes.  I will always remember how strong my grandma was that night & through the whole thing. Then last week I had to trai...

This year it was time to make my own Christmas tree skirt.  I literally have a bag of fabrics from my grandma and wanted to use a variety and then I set out on my search for inspiration via the internet.   I settled on this idea . I only had a day to make the whole thing so I simplified it a bit, but here's what I did. I decided I wanted 10 blocks so I made my pattern for 35º. After cutting out all the fabric I laid it together to do some adjusting with the fabrics until I liked the arrangement. I had some nice red fabric from my grandma for the backing. While I was there over Thanksgiving I picked up some quilt batting from her closet.  (The middle part of the quilt, which gives it some fluff.)  I stuffed it in the middle and got to quilting.  I've only ever quilted by hand so quilting on my sewing machine was a new experience for me.  Especially since you are supposed to use a walking foot... apparently I do not have one...