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.

10-31-2015 Happy Halloween

O the Boov loves skeletons!!!

10-30-2015 Buzz Lightyear and Spiderman

GS#2...Buzz Lightyear!

GS#1...Spiderman!

Thanks for sending me these pix, dear daughter-in-law!

You are the best!

10-29-2015 O the Boov

Today was the Halloween party

at the 3-year-old preschool

so GD#1 got to wear her costume to school...

so exciting!

She is "O, the Boov" for Halloween this year,

from Disney's movie, "Home."

And check out this cute Halloween card

from my dear Sister-In-Law!!!

Thank you, my dear!

Happy Halloween to your and yours too!

You are always so good about sending cards.

I used to be, sigh,

but since moving to Iowa a decade ago,

I've just kind of quit writing to everyone.

Remember all those 'monthly family newsletters'

I wrote for so many years?

Now everyone is lucky to get one 

Christmas card a year.

Good grief. 

I think I have succumbed to social media

(my blog, email, eCards and FaceBook)

and do everything digitally now...

and I don't even do that well.

You rock!!!

10-28-2015 Scooter and Witch's Brew

GDs riding their scooters in the basement...

The 3-wheeled scooter in front is new

and GD#1 figured it out immediately

and spent the entire morning riding it

and saying, "Papa, dis is FUN!"

 Oma and girls

thinking up names for our treats

that we are putting in our Witch's Brew...

frog eyes, blood drops, cat's tongue, etc...

 Stirring the brew before eating it.

The GDs decided that after you eat it

you turn into a Halloween kitty.

10-27-2015 Arts and Crafts

A pix of GD (on the right)

playing at the art table at preschool.

10-26-2015 Holiday Lights

GD helping Papa 

decorate her playhouse

with some Christmas Lights.

10-25-2015 Buddha's Hand is now "Gobblin's Fingers"

 Back home from our road trip 

and restocking the fridge for the upcoming week...

Had to buy this for the GDs

to add to their Witches Brew!!!

What a fun-looking fruit!

10-24-2015 Jonah and Six

Next stop on our road trip... Branson, MO

where we saw the shows

Jonah, SIX, and the light and fire show

in historic downtown on the riverfront.

We also spent a day at Silver Dollar City.

We enjoyed walking around all day

at Silver Dollar City

but did not ride any of the rides

or buy anything from the vendors

except some bottled water.

10-23-2015 DH's Favorite Hike

 DH's favorite hike 

is to the natural stone bridge

and along the "Devil's Kitchen" trail...

the trail itself is a bit sketchy

but the bluffs are beautiful.