Back Home Again!

Hello! Hello! Hello!

It's so good to be back home! We had a great time with my sister and her family, but still...there's no place like home (to take a quote from Dorothy...lol). It was lovely to sleep in my own bed last night and I have to admit that I really, really missed our computer too. :) I have had a good time catching up on all of my favorite blogs as well as reading all of my emails. Now, I just have to sit down and write some replies soon.

We were very busy at my sister's....with some last minute shopping, a lot of cooking, and constant laundry. I didn't get much time to crochet, but I did manage to sneak in some of it one day. I started working on an Artist's Satchel. (photos to come...along with a link to the free pattern)

Her holiday celebrations are a bit different than ours, but we had a lot of fun opening gifts on Christmas Eve and then seeing what Santa brought Christmas morning. Small T said she was really surprised by her gifts and she really liked them all. Big Daddy was VERY surprised at the number of gifts that he received as well as the contents of those packages. He said he almost starting crying. Big C hasn't said much about his gifts other than this..."you sure bought me a lot of sweatpants". LOL He got 2, count them, 2...pairs. I don't know how that's A LOT. I was also very blessed. I liked each and every gift I received and I am very thankful to be so blessed. My favorite gifts were:

1. an arthritis bracelet from Big Daddy and the kids (I put it on and haven't taken it off yet)

2. a crystal rooster painted in a folk art manner (I will try to remember to take a photo)

3. a Barnes and Noble gift card (that I used to purchase a needlepoint doodling pattern book)

4. yarn (don't you just love getting yarn as a gift? I do)

I must say that I was happy to spend almost an entire week with my sister and her extended family of friends. I am glad that I was able to help out with all of the cooking and other preparations for the big Christmas dinner. My sister was surprised to see how easy it is when you bake the homemade bread and rolls the day before (and re-heat the next day), and then make the potato salad, all the pies, the deviled eggs, the turkey, the ham, and everything else that can be made ahead. On Christmas day, all we had to do was cook the noodles, the gravy, the mashed potatoes, corn and dressing. I made the noodles, corn and gravy early in the day and put them in crock pots to keep warm. Then the mashed potatoes and dressing were all that was left and they were easily taken care of right before the dinner was to be served. I lucked out and had a lot of help with all of this too. Big Daddy took care of the meats and my sister's friend, Jessie, came over and helped with all of the other prep on Christmas Eve. Jessie says she doesn't cook, but she did a great job helping me out. I think she cooks more than she lets on. :)

Anyway, the holidays are over and we are back home and getting ready to start the daily grind again. I'm working this Fri., Sat., and Sun. and also those same three days next week for a business here in town while some of the owners are out of state to celebrate a new birth in the family. The kids go back to school on the 2nd. (They aren't too thrilled, in my opinion...but this is a normal thing after vacation.)

After a little time away from blogging, I'm ready to get back to it. Hope you all had a great holiday season! I did. And I'm already planning some new projects for 2012.

Shelly