Still Holiday-ing

Isn't this the funniest picture???? Martina checking out the wreath.



My new baby! Glen and I got ourselves matching HP Mini netbooks!


I received my gift from my secret "Holiday swap" person! Yea! It was fun getting a gift in the mail from a person that you don't even know. The gifts were perfect. The knitting mag. was one that I didn't have. There are a couple sweaters in there I like. I love pens, I have already tried them out. They are so pretty and bright. I also love Debbie Macomber, and I have not read this one yet! So they were all so perfect. Thank you Hope's Bookshelf for the gifts!


What's happening - Hope you all had a great Christmas, we sure did. I received some really nice stuff! Couple of sweaters, Coffee cup, candy, movie, candle holders, egg poacher (like my grandma used to have), a new purse (which I picked out myself), gift cards to Barnes and Nobel. And probably lots more I am forgetting.

The rest of my family - sister, nieces and their families are all coming on Jan. 9th. to celebrate Christmas. So we get to do it all over again. I will make a dinner. They will all bring food and we will party all day. We decided, this year, to not buy gifts. We would make gifts, food crafts etc. a little easier on the pocketbook.

The day after Christmas I always go "day after Christmas shopping" My hubby was home so he went with me. When we were almost done at Walmart he got called in to work! So we finished up there and came straight home so he could pack up to leave for PA. He ended up coming back home that night. He will have to go back down there for a while , we are just waiting for the call. He will have to be in PA for New Years day, so... I am a party just waiting to happen! Anyone interested? I've got the wine.

Knitting - I am searching through my patterns to find something to knit for myself now! Any ideas? I got some rally beautiful yarn from Ruth at The Yarnarian, I would like to make something with that. It is a superwash merino wool, fingering weight, about 400 yds. Different shades of navy blue.

Books I have read - "Girls in Trouble" by Caroline Leavitt, I liked this book alot, I gave it 4 stars. It was about a 16 yr. old girl who gave her baby up for adoption only to regret it years later. It seemed a little long to me. That was really the only problem I had with it.

Another book challenge for 2010 I will do is - Reading through 12 countries.
In 2009 I did a reading through the states challenge - I read one book that took place in each of the United States , 50 states in 9 months!. In 2010 I would like to do a countries challenge. Each month I will read a book that takes place in a different country (or countries). So instead of 50 books I will read 12 for this one.


Top 5 - things you are ready to get back to after Christmas.
1. After Christmas shopping!
2. Reg. TV shows, instead of reruns!
3. Getting the house back in order
4. Playing with all the new toys
5. Knitting for myself!!!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Yeah, that's me making cookies. Wanna make something of it?

What's happening - Ashley came over on Sunday and we baked cookies, over 500 of them! Good thing we only do this once a year! I am coming along with the Christmas prep. Shopping all done - check!, House decorated - check!, Wrapping done - 1/2 a check (I will be done tomorrow), House clean - Ha, not even close! and I still have to get salad stuff for Christmas dinner.
At least everything I ordered over the internet has come in! A couple things were on backorder, but everything's in now! Wed. is the last day with the kids. We will have our little party that day afterschool.

Darcy's Knotty Knitter had this quiz on her blog (she was "Vacuuming"). I commented and joked that I would probably be "Dirty dishes" well... look what I am!!!! That was so funny! Actually it does fit me to a tee!

You Are Washing Dishes

You are a dreamy, thoughtful, and slow paced person. You enjoy getting lost in a mindless chore. You can take on any task as long as you're able to mentally check out while doing it. In fact, you enjoy any excuse to let your mind drift a little. You are the consummate multi-tasker, and you actually perform better when you're given multiple tasks. In your opinion, focus is extremely overrated. Why have one ball going in the air when you can have six?

What Household Chore Are You?

Knitting - Ahhhhhh, I am almost done, really I am! I am going to make it by Christmas!

Books I have read - Haven't finished the one I am reading yet, too much to do!


Top 5 - Things you need to finish before Christmas -

1. The last knitting project
2. Get salad fixins
3. Finish wrapping
4. Clean house
5. Relax?????

I hope everyone has a great Christmas! Happy Birthday Jesus!

Its begining to look alot like Christmas

Is this really a Goldfinch... in December????


This is the Christmas project I made with the kids. They all got to make their own. They turned out beautiful and they loved doing them. First we took a walk and collected all the "outdoor stuff" we needed.



This our Christmas tree! Our little 4', dollar store, cheap, Christmas tree!


Guess who loves the Christmas tree? Mind you, the tree is up on a table, that she is not allowed on! I guess she figures if the tree is allowed up there she is too???


Decorating the house. Is this what the call "Deck the halls"?

What's happening - My new header picture was taken at our cabin (in the Adirondacks) last year. That is our back yard there! It is beautiful.

Wow! Has it been cold!!!!! Thursday night, with the wind chill it was -11. On Friday morning it was 14 degrees. On Sunday we had freezing rain, it was very slippery walking to church.

My husband was gone from Sat. until Sat., this was the longest he has been away! He calls me everyday sometimes twice a day. I try to take notes throughout the day of things to talk about when he calls. He has been working in N.E. PA. He says there is alot of work down there. He thinks they are going to start drilling here in NY again but we don't know when.

Saturday we went out to breakfast, spent the day decorating the tree and house, went to Gimme coffee in the afternoon, and watched Jeremiah Johnson in the evening (one of my favorite movies).

Knitting - I am on my very last Knitted Christmas gift! I am not even sure if it will be done in time. If not it will have to be an IOU.

Books I have read - I finished "Carpe Demon - Adventures of a Demon Hunting Soccer Mom" by Julie Kenner. I gave this book 2 stars. Not a book to be taken seriously (if you couldn't already tell that by the title). It was fun, quirky, but didn't I didn't really get into it till 1/2 way.

There are a few "Book Challenges" I would like to do for 2010. I was thinking I would like to re-read a few books that I have loved or hated in the past and I could make a challenge out of it. Then I found that exact challenge!

Here is the link if you would like to join - Flashback Challenge
It will run from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010.
You can sign up for the following levels:
Bookworm - Up to three books
Scholar - Four to six books - I am going to do this level
Literati - Over six books

Within these levels, we have mini-challenges! These are:
1. Re-read a favorite book from your childhood - "Heidi" I loved this when I read it long ago.

2. Re-read a book assigned to you in high school - "Flowers for Algernon" my favorite high school book

3. Re-read a book you loved as an adult - "Tilting at Windmills" I loved this so much that I said it was my favorite book of all time. I want to see if it still is.
- 2 others - "The Sitting Duck" I read this as a teenager and remember really liking it. It is out of print and unable to get it from the library I had to order a used copy off the internet.
"Valley of the Dolls" I read this as a young adult. I don't remember exactly what it was about except, Hollywood, drugs and sex. I was so angry whenI finished I literally threw the book across my apartment. I want to re-read it to see if after all these years it will still have the same affect on me. I will not read these one after the other, just sometime during the year.

Contests - Holy contests Dar!!!! Peeking between the pages is have a ton giveaways (well at least 3) - Julie Powell's new book - Cleaving (3 copies), Will there be Good News, by Kate Atkinson (3 copies), and The Little Giant of Aberdeen County , by Tiffany Baker (3 copies). Sooo head on over to Dar's and spend 1/2 an hour signing up for these great giveaways!

Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio, By Diamond Rio

Six different guys from 4 different states with 6 different musical backgrounds come together to form what started out as "The Tennessee River Boys" and ended up as the Popular Country Group known today as "Diamond Rio". A true behind-the-scenes look into the life of the band as a unit as well as their individual lives. In A Beautiful Mess, Marty Roe, Dan Truman, Jimmy Olander, Brian Prout, Gene Johnson, and Dana Williams each has an entire chapter devoted to his personal and professional life. Learn how each member was introduced into the band, struggled financially, but with faith held on to achieve their dream.

Thank you Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers for sending me this wonderful book! I gave this book 4 Stars.

When I checked the list of books to be reviewed. This was the first book to jump out at me. I am a huge fan of Diamond Rio! So naturally I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. There were a few slow spots, but for the most part I found this book to be very interesting. I am not sure if it was because I am a fan of the band though. I learned so much about this band that I didn't already know. They have been through some hard times and got a real rough start! I loved reading the chapters of the individual band members and the description of their music and family histories. There are great pictures all throughout the book. I also love how the book not only writes about the history of Diamond Rio but kind of the history of Country music. It mentions several other singers and their connection with the band. I loved the cover! It is a beautiful hard cover book. I only wish some of the pictures were in color as well.

Sorry - but since Diamond Rio is my favorite country group, I think I will keep this book for my collection! I will however, be giving away books in the future.

Who would I recommend this book to -
Diamond Rio fans - definitely!
Country music fans - Yes!
People who do not like country music - Mmmm, maybe not so much.

The Christmas Season

Flashback - This was the first day we had Martina, three years ago. Look how little she was!


This is her today - This can't be comfortable.


Naked Tree waiting to be decorated.

What's happening - Getting ready for Christmas! I have the lights on my porch. I started getting stuff out of the attic (I hate that part). I put up the small tree in the playroom for the kids to decorate. I am starting to plan dinners, cookies and such. AND... I have even made out Christmas cards! Today I will mail them along with my gift for my "Holiday swap" person. I hope they like what I bought. It is really hard to buy for someone you don't even know. I have very little Christmas shopping left to do. I still need to pack up my parents gifts and send them on their way to TN.

I got a call from my husband's brother who lives in WI. He and his family will be here for a week or so during Christmas and they would like to come see us. It has been a very long time since we have seen them. He and his wife are very close to our age and we really get along well with them. Their youngest (son) will be coming too. He is in (hmm) maybe 9th grade??? haha not sure anymore. Anyway they (and my husband's parents) will be coming over Christmas evening! So I will be preparing a dinner, and maybe dessert.

I have no current snow pictures to post because there is NO snow! We are headed into the 2nd week in Dec., I live in upstate NY and have no snow. It is cold - only 23 this morning! I wore my heavy winter coat for the first time this season, that's how warm it has been. My mom said they got 2 inches in TN! Our friends in VA got 3 inches! No really I am not complaining. I hate snow and I hate the cold. I just want some snow pictures. I refuse to use last years pictures.

Knitting - Sorry, nothing new in the knitting dept.

Books I have read - Home Another Way - by Christa Parrish. I gave this 4 stars, but if it were not for the non-ending, I would have givin it 5. I loved this book. Loved the characters. I started liking this book on the second chapter! It ends very open ended, does she get the guy? Come on I have to know! I am a have to know kind of person when it comes to books.
Sarah graham has no money and is led to an incredibly small town of Jonah, New York where her father (whom she hates) has died and left her money and his cabin. She tries to claim her inheritance, but there is a catch - She must live in Jonah for six months before she can claim the money. Sarah understandably has some issues. The world has let her down and nobody loves her, or so she believes. Broke, homeless, and just recently divorced, the last thing Sarah wants to do is spend six months in an isolated mountain hamlet. Sarah is a real brat but the town tries to love her anyway and bring some God into her life. What she ends up gaining in this small town is so much more than money, surprising even her.

* I will be posting my first official book review (hopefully) on Thur or Fri. So come back and check it out! There will be nothing else on that post, just the book review and pictures. Great book too!

Contests - Dar at Peeking between the pages is giving away 2 copies of "Dragon House" by John Shors. This sounds like a wonderful book, check it out on her blog.

Top 5 - loves of Christmas!
1. Christmas music! Love it!
2. Decorating the tree
3. Shopping! I love shopping, so any excuse to go shopping is alright with me.
4. Getting to see all the family
5. Celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!


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