Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Happiness is ... time with the family!

On Christmas Eve, I packed the car to the gills with kids, presents, the dog, you name it! Well, everything except the camera. So, no Christmas photos from me. They'd be kinda crowded, anyway. There were 16 of us at my mom's house - the four of us, my twin sister and her crew of 3 more, my brother and his crew of 3 more, my younger sister and her crew of 2 more, and my mom. Oh, and 5 dogs. And one really freaked out cat. And only 1 bathroom. But this will be a Christmas to remember! It was the first time since there have been grandchildren that my siblings and I have all been with my mom at Christmas (yeah, and I FORGOT MY CAMERA!). Plus, Ericka and I had LOTS of well received homemade gifts under the tree. Check out the hat she made me:



(Hubby got a little carried away with the camera, wanted to take a photo from every angle!)

And it appears that posting a Christmas Wish List on your blog works 'cause I got EVERYTHING I asked for. Thank you, family of mine!

I also received this awesome fabric postcard in the mail from Janet. I picked it out of my mailbox on my way to my mom's, and everyone there was so impressed with it, as was I. None of them had ever seen a fabric postcard before!

See Anne of Green Gables on the tree - such a sweet touch, Janet, to have you remember that I loved that story as a child and just listened to it again this summer/fall while quilting.

After two nights at my mom's house, my twin sister came to my house for two days with her two kids and hubby. Day one we just lounged around eating and playing games because it was COLD outside, but today was warmer and absolutely beautiful, so we went outside for some fun. First, we walked about a mile and a half down the road to a cave that we noticed but had never explored.

(walking...)

(still walking...)

(We made it!)

Then, back home, after hot cocoa and a late lunch, we went back outside to build a fire in the firepit and roast marshmallows.

Now that they are gone and the house is settling down, I'd love to go do some sewing, but we leave early in the AM to ride with the basketball team on the bus to Atlanta for their game against Emory on Thursday, and I've not packed yet. (truth be known, I'm still UN-packing from my two nights at mom's house!) The boys and I are super excited. I have prepared some sewing to take with me on the bus - time to sew the center circles onto the dresden plates on my plaid dresden (how did I forget to do that earlier?). My sister also uncovered a small Tree of Life wallhanging that I made from my father's ties and shirts that I can quilt on. I'm so excited to be riding on the bus so I can sew, read and nap to my heart's content!
I'll catch up with you all again this weekend. Happy New Year!

9 comments:

Julie Fukuda said...

Lots of great pictures even without a camera! Enjoy the bus ride (and the game too)! Yesterday we took a friend to Hakone open air museum and my husband asked if I would drive. Well, by the time you pay for gas and tolls the price is about the same and I was really glad for those three hours of quilting time.

Shay said...

Looks like you had a wonderful time (I'm visualising all the things in my head that you didnt have pictures for )

I really like your hat!

Becky said...

What a wonderful holiday! How did the quilt blocks go over with the sibs? Safe travels, and enjoy the stitching!

ms. mindless said...

Cool hat! Have fun on the way to Atlanta :)

Judi said...

Do did they love their framed quilts?

Stephanie Hughes said...

Erin, lots of great fun pictures and I love the homemade hat too! Have a Happy New Year! Steph

joe tulips said...

The outing looked like fun, and the fire pit gathering...our fire pit is under snow...and, that postcard was so so cute!! I loved it. Happy New Year!!

joe tulips said...

tsk tsk....I forgot to say the hat is looking good from all angles!

Char said...

Love the hat. Sure wish I could knit.

Happy New Year to you and your family Erin!