Around The House November 2018

Wow November blew by. It was a very, very cloudy month, and we had more little daily dusting's of snow than I can ever remember for this time of the year.

We celebrated two birthdays, Alivia was 6 and Ralph was 2. And of course we celebrated Thanksgiving.

All the grandchildren at Ralph's birthday party

I am keeping up on my reading and have a stack of books to keep me reading for several more weeks. I am knitting again, and recently finished a sweater and hat for Dolly Dingle and started a sweater for Masen and plan to knit a sweater for Peter, George, and Ralph. All that knitting will keep me busy for a while.

Dolly Dingle in her new sweater and hat

A sweater my talented mother knitted years ago.

Every Wednesday Masen, Ralph, and any other grandchildren who are over enjoy a trip to story time at our local branch library in Grabill, it is a nice little outing with story time, a craft and some playtime, and grandma can pick up any books that I may have on hold.

Masen and Ralph all bundled up to go to story time

I am busy getting ready for Christmas. I baked a fruit cake, traditional English fruit cake, for my parents, I purchased the marzipan for it yesterday and will put that on the cake in another week. I decided to make our Christmas crackers, they are expensive and I need twenty-four, so far it has gone well, eight made and they look alright.

Homemade Christmas Crackers

We have planned a Breakfast with Santa on December 16th. My dad gave his Santa suit to my oldest son Matt when my parents moved to Florida. On the big day everyone will show up for breakfast at ten-thirty (brunch really), this way no one need miss Mass. After a fun breakfast, sausage, hash browns, waffles and eggs, with orange juice and chocolate milk, my son Matt will disappear and Santa will appear! WOW how magical is that? We will have a small gift for each grandchild. The younger kids are so excited that Santa is coming to grandpa and grandma's house, it warms my heart.

Peter the marshmallow king

Tonight, December 5th, St. Nicholas comes, I made little treat bags for all grandchildren, with chocolate coins and candy canes, the treat bags are going home with the parents and the children have all been instructed to put their shoe outside their bedroom door before going to bed. My kids loved this tradition growing up. Best to be a good kid, because naughty children get a lump of coal.

We put our tree up a week ago, I purchased a real one, it is short needled and I really like it. To remember to water it I re-purposed a wine bottle to be a tree waterer. I keep the bottle next to the sink as a reminder. The wine bottle is the perfect shape to reach through the branches to the water container beneath the tree.

And finally, a couple miscellaneous pictures.

Found this in the junk drawer, oh how long ago.

One Eye the Cat, the stray who adopted our family.