12-18-2012 Aidan Mugs

WOWZA... We love them/him!!!!!!

Thank you so much!

12-17-2012 Yippee!!!

12-16-2012 Remembering

Remembering Mom's passing

3 years ago today.

Nothing can replace a mother's love.

Not a day goes by

that I don't miss you!

12-15-2012 LEGO Robots @ IMAX

Today DH & I went to the Putnum IMAX theatre

to see "The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey" in 3D...

and found the parking lot completely full.

We thought since it was opening weekend for the movie

that all the cars were for the movie

and it may be sold out. 

We came to find out the Putnum was having 

a LEGO ROBOTS competition...

teams of up to 10 people had to make LEGO robots

that assist Senior Citizens in some way...

and most of the people and cars in the lot

were for this competition, and not the movie.

Whew!!!

The movie was quite an adrenaline rush

but we both thought the volume was WAY too loud!!!

Wish I had brought some earplugs!

- - - - - - -

Tonight we attended our favorite 

annual Christmas concert

at First Presbyterian Church

and I'm hoping my eardrums weren't blow out 

by the Hobbit movie!

12-14-2012 Eagles & Options

The eagles have started arriving in our neck of the woods.

Yippee!!!

(Time to keep my cat indoors!)

Also, finished this pair of Options Slippers

for my dear D-I-L.

:*)

Hope they keep her feet toasty warm this winter!

12-13-2012 Happy 5 Months!

My son's smirk lives on

in my 5 month old grandson...

12-12-2012 Under

12-11-2012 Going Rogue

A happy ~ sad day...

saying goodbye to my 2002 Subaru Outback was sad...

saying hello to my new ride was happy.

After test driving half a dozen crossover vehicles

I'm going Rogue...Nissan Rogue!

Here's a pix of my new wheels:

12-10-2012 Flats

DH had yet another flat tire this morning

so I drove him to work and will pick him up.

I never get flats.

I wonder where he is driving that I am not?!?!?

12-9-2012 sans pigtails

DH tried on and loved my warm up hat

and asked if I would make him one too...

sans the pigtails.

12-8-2012 Misc

The guys who installed our new deck

came and put on a safety gate

at the top of the stairs

this past week.

My first "Granny Square"

After breakfasting on bagels

with DD & family,

DH & I took a bunch of cars out for test drives today.

As much as I LOVE my Subaru,

it is now 10 years old and going on 170,000 miles,

so I may be saying goodbye to my old friend

and hello to a new one

one of these days soon!

12-7-2012 Eye Exam

Today I drove to LeClaire,  IA

for my annual eye exam.

My eye doc has a view

of the Mississippi River from her office.

I was surprised (and delighted!)

that she did NOT dilate my eyes this year,

so after my appt. I did some shopping

up and down main street...

...stopped in this wine and coffee emporium

for a cuppa foo-foo java

and sat at this table (above) to write a note to my 

dear sister-in-law in California...

... then on my way out of town

I drove past the Antique Archeology bldg.

made famous by the TV show "American Pickers."

It was actually a fun and relaxing morning!

12-6-2012 Smiles

My Christmas Pookie

(see 12-2-2012 post)

went with me to

"Sit & Knit" at the LYS

last night...

and brought smiles

around the table.

Here is Pookie 

with the youngest member

of our "Sit & Knit" group.  

12-5-2012 Cup o' Cheer

Today DH & I mixed up our egg nog

for Christmas Eve.

12-4-2012 Crocodile

Learned a new stitch today...

Crocodile Stitch...

to make these fingerless gloves.

12-3-2012 Four Hours After Sundown

Uncharacteristic 

record breaking 

high temps today (72-73*F) 

for December 3rd!

I think the previous record was 65*F.

I took this pix 4 hours after sundown

while we were driving around town.

12-2-2012 Emerged

Today this Christmas Pookie

emerged from the sticks

and decided to sit on the front entry table

(see photo below)

to greet people who come visit our house!

I wonder if it will play with my cat

during the night?!?!?

It will have to stay VERY quiet and still

to remain undetected by kitty!

12-1-2012 Galena

DH & I both had the day off work today

so we took a road trip to Galena!

I know someone who would be envious

that I shopped at Poopsies today!

You know who you are!

11-30-2012 Crocodile

I'm trying to learn how to do the 

so I can make these fingerless gloves !

11-29-2012 On Its Way...

This pumpkin/Jack-O-Lantern

is on its way

to the Mississippi River...

...seen on my walk this morning.

I bet he never thought his life 

would end this way!

11-28-2012 Deck Finished

11-27-2012 Adrenaline Rush

11-26-2012 For JP

...finished up these projects for JP today...

11-25-2012 Christ the King

Today is "Christ the King" Sunday at our church.

I found the above "Christ the King" icon at

Monastery Icons

and this beautiful icon at

Christ the King Russian Icon

and here is a picture of the 

oldest surviving icon panel of Christ

c. 6th century.

and another beautiful icon !

and you can find this

magnificent icon here .

For more information about icons,

visit this informative site.

Is Christ your King?

10-24-2012 Santa's Elf

The night B4 Thanksgiving

my son texted me from Chicago with this pix

and asked if I thought I could make this hat

(that they had seen on the www)

for his baby son...

 Using yarns I already had at home

(a kelly green instead of a lime green)

and no pattern but my imagination

I think I came pretty close

(just by looking at the above pix

that son texted to me)...

 We tried it on the baby

when they arrived for Thanksgiving

and it fit him nicely!  YAY!

I love it when that happens!

Now, with his new elf hat

to go with his "Santa's Elf" costume

he will be ready for his Christmas pictures!

11-23-2012 A Nice Surprise

 My dear sister

sent this beautiful flower arrangement

and six pack of wines

for our Thanksgiving celebration yesterday.

Thank you so much, dear one!