11-26-2015 It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

After eating some Thanksgiving leftovers from noon 

for our evening dinner,

our four grandchildren decorated our small Christmas tree

with new shatterproof ornaments

(which our oldest granddaughter suggested we buy

and helped us pick out the 'right ones' to purchase)

"because we don't want da babies to bwake deez old ones

and get a cut on der fingahs!"

After the Christmas tree is all decorated,

(which doesn't take long since it is so small)

we take a pix of our four grandchildren,

and then papa brings out the Christmas presents to unwrap!

11-25-2015 Cooking Together

We received this wonderful cookbook

and Thanksgiving card

from my dear sister-in-law today.

Thank you soooooo much, my dear!

The GDs and I will enjoy 'reading' this book

and picking out things to cook and bake together.

They love putting on their aprons

and 'helping' Oma in the kitchen!

11-24-2015 Snowmen

 Our first snow of the winter

was very wet and heavy...

perfect for making snowmen 

with the GDs.

11-23-2015 Runzas

Mmmmm...

homemade Runzas!

By request from my dear son

who's coming to visit at Thanksgiving!

Wish he could smell the house right now.

11-22-2015 Scarf Weather!

13*F...and headed down to 8*F later tonight...Brrrr!!!!

Remember the "Sky Scarf" I started months ago?

(See post of April 8, 2015)

Here's what my sky scarf looks like

after 7 months of knitting one row/day!

Today I get to start a new color 

for yesterday's snow... Amber...

in keeping with the jewel tones.

Also, here is a look at my Green Bay Packers

scoreboard scarf KAL.

I don't have yesterday's win over the Vikings  knit up yet.

11-21-2015 First Snow of Winter

 The TV said we (Bettendorf) got 9"...

my ruler outside said 12"+...

Whew! 

I finished my Norwegian Ski Sweater

(and hat and mittens) 

just in time!

11-20-2015 GGN and 1898 Hat Finished!

My GGN (Global Gathering Norway) Norwegian Ski Sweater

(a 'dropped shoulder' design,

and my very first adult sweater!)

is finished and ready to wear before the first

snows of winter arrive this evening!

YAY!

I also finished the 1898 Seaman's Hat

for my son.

Hope he likes it!

Outside...

Inside...

11-19-2015 Gingerbread Men

GDs helping Oma make 

some gingerbread men

Christmas Cookies

for our Christmas family gathering.

11-18-2015 What Time Is It????

Left click on photo to enlarge it

and you can read the clocks.

11-17-2015 Haircuts

Why is it that haircuts make my GSs

look so much more grown up?

(Maybe because the ARE growing up!?!?!)

Here's GS#1 after his haircut this weekend...

And here are pix of GS#2

BEFORE haircut...

and AFTER haircut...

11-16-2015 Oasis

Yesterday,

DH & I attended a performance

by the "Oasis Saxophone Quartet"

and one of the four had all his music

on an iPad (see the music stand above?)

with Blue tooth foot peddles on the floor

which he used to "turn the pages" hands-free.

It scared the bejeezus out of me!!!

The other three musicians had the traditional 

paper hard-copies of their music.

It worked perfectly for him

throughout the performance

but had me on the edge of my seat

waiting for a mishap!

That being said,

if this group is ever performing near you,

GO HEAR THEM!

11-15-2015 EEEEK! Steek!!!

Well, this weekend

I bit the bullet

and cut armholes into the sweater

I have been knitting for the past 2 months!

It's called "steeking"

and it is scary!

After steeking the armholes,

I sewed up the shoulder seams

and sewed in the sleeves...

Now all that remains

is to knit the facing for the neckline

and this beauty is ready to wear

when the winter winds blow!

This is the very first ADULT sweater I've knitted

and it fits me nicely.

I'm so excited!

11-14-2015 Having Fun with GD

 GD (in pink and gray jacket)

went on a field trip to the grocery store this week

with her 3-year-old preschool class.

When asked about her favorite part,

she spoke about going into a big freezer,

and about the live lobsters with

black rubber bands on their claws

so they won't pinch anybody.

GD Playing dress-up in mommy's sweatshirt!

11-13-2015 Falling To Pieces

My 50-year-old amalgam dental fillings

are finally falling to pieces

and slowly being replaced with new crowns

that will hopefully last another 50 years!

Here's a pix of my new crown

that my dentist installed yesterday!

Having a degree as a dental hygienist,

I find it fascinating...

a thing of beauty!

I remember the good ol' days in dental school

when we had to make crown molds 

using wax. Fun times!

11-12-2015 Snickerdoodles

Started Christmas baking yesterday

since we celebrate Christmas with our family

at Thanksgiving!

The GDs helped Oma

roll the balls of cookie dough

 in sugar, cinnamon, cloves and sprinkles.

Mmmm... it's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

11-11-2015 Spooning

My husband's latest thing...

hand-carving spoons.

I think they are amazing!

- - - - - 

And a big THANK YOU

to all our veterans on this Veterans' Day!

11-10-2015 Hemispheres Bistro

My lunch today:

Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad

(with curry oil and chopped cashews)

at Hemispheres Bistro.

Mmmmm.....

DH had a pastrami sandwich

with potato salad.

It was our first trip to this new Bistro in town...

but it won't be our last!

11-9-2015 Spectre ~ 007

DH & I went to see

the new James Bond movie this afternoon.

IMHO... it was Daniel Craig's best

Bond movie to date.

11-7-2015 Snags

Not sure how these big snags happened

in my GD's baby blanket that I made her?!?!

(Did mommy and daddy throw it in the washer/dryer...

with clothing that had buttons and zippers?

Or did little fingers pull them out?)

And not sure that I can FIX ithe snags

so short of ripping it out and 

knitting another blanket from the same yarn,

I think my only option is to take a yarn needle

and weave in the snags.

Anyone else have any suggestions

on how to fix it?

11-6-2015 Chocolate Tarts

Reading Mother Goose nursery rhymes at bedtime

last night, we came to

"The Queen of Hearts

made some tarts,

all on a summer's day..."

GD: "Oma, what are tarts?"

Oma: "Well, they are like little pies or cakes,

but not like cupcakes."

GD: "I want to make some tarts.

I want to make some tarts RIGHT NOW!"

Oma: "It's time for bed right now,

but I promise, we will make some tomorrow morning!

 She was very proud of her chocolate tarts!

11-5-2015 Monkey See, Monkey Do

Anything big sister does (like climbing under the crib),

baby sister has to do too!

Brings back memories of my two children...

little brother always had to do whatever

big sister was doing.

11-4-2015 Wandering Moon

 Finished my KAL 
Wandering Moon Shawl
on 10/31/2015...

forgot to post a pix of it!

Here it is before I blocked it.

Now I have it blocked and ready to wear!!!

Tho it photographs somewhat blue,

think primary purple.

11-3-2015 Look At This Bib

Oma, look at this Bib I made!!!

And check out these pretty sugar sculls!!!

11-2-2015 Raking Leaves

GDs 'helping' Papa rake leaves...

11-1-2015 Fan-tastc

Enjoyed watching this fan-shaped cloud

and the beautiful autumn colors

during my morning walk today.