Flying Home

I will be flying home tomorrow morning. Watertown got snow overnight, and I am hoping we can get to Syracuse Airport in the morning before the next snowfall comes.
They are supposed to get it again tomorrow afternoon. It is a non stop short flight to Cleveland, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Mitch is still on leave so I want to get out while he is home to go with Kristy so she doesn't have to drive with her back.
My next entry should be from my home computer. Once again, I wish you all a
Very Happy New Year.

Have a Happy New Year

I am not able to put a picture on today, I am still in New York,
I didn't bring my own computer. When I try to get on my pictures,
I get Kristy's instead.
I just wanted to come on to be sure to wish everyone a Happy
New Year. It seems impossible that the new year is here already.
I so remember the year it was going to turn 2000 and how everyone
was so worried about what would happen.
I am still having a fun family time with my Grandaughters and their
families. The three kids are a treat to be with.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

I'm sure by now, you all know I will be flying to New York on Christmas Eve. I am going to be with Kristy and her family, and Mandie and Zoe. We will be thinking of Jason, Mandie's husband, who is deployed in Quatar. We pray he stays safe while he has to be away. Mitch is also in the Army, and we also want to wish him the very best while he serves our country.

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. It is so hard to believe it is almost here and now we have to remember to write 2008 on checks. That is always hard for me, so i put it on several checks ahead of time.

I got the suitcases closed which was a big deal. I almost had to just leave my clothes at home.

I will try to catch up with everyone when I get back. Thanks everyone for all the nice comments.

A Most Wonderful Picture

I have to admit, I didn't find this picture on my own. Robin at Bittersweet Pumpkin had it on her blog today, and I think it is about the cutest Santa picture I have ever seen. I told Heidi she had to go over to the blog to see it, then I decided Robin might not mind if I used it too.
I want to say hello to Elly in Holland. She adds the nicest comments to my blog and I really enjoy her comments. Sonja also from Holland comments. They are very special friends to Heidi. Have a Merry Christmas both of you. Another new person commenting on my blog is Carolien, she is from the same city Heidi lives in. Merry Christmas to you too, and to everyone who has left such nice comments.

A Christmas Present

Today I picked up my sister to go to lunch and some shopping, We exchanged our Christmas gifts, so she got her red mittens and the other things I got for her. She gave me three books. Her daughter is a manager for Books Are Fun and she found these there for me.

The first one, Sewing looks like some projects Heidi will love to make. I will probably take it with me to Holland in the spring for her to look at. This one is Crochet which I do but not as often as Knitting.

This one will be my favorite I am sure. I have already gone upstairs to my yarn stash for two projects I want to make before I go to New York. I might have to post them from there if they work out as I hope they will. Sorry for the flash back in the photos.

I Was Given An Award

My daughter, Heidi, just gave me the Nice Matters Award on her blog. Now I am going to pass it on to three people who always make the nicest comments on my blog. Two bloggers I want to give it
to, are Robin at Bittersweet Pumpkin and Five Ferns Fibreholic at My Hidden Stash. I have so enjoyed their blogs and I think they deserve a nice award.
Next I am giving it to my Grandaughter, Kristen at Christian Crafter. She is one of the most caring girls in this world. She is always thinking of others in her words and actions. She sometimes makes herself sick worrying about everything. I love her very much.
Heidi definitely deserved this award, just ask her quilt group, her friends in Holland and her friends online. She is one in a million.

Red Christmas Mittens

Night before last my sister called me to ask if I would knit her red mittens for Christmas.

Several years ago I made her grey ones and she still wears them and says they are wearing out.

She has arthritis and gloves bother her fingers.

She and I are the only ones left in our immediate family.

When my Grandaughters were small, they used to sing "We are famblie, I got my sister and me"

They were too small to sing the words right and we never forgot it. Heidi and I talk about it a lot. So now, I have my sister and me. Here are your mittens Ruthie. Hope they keep you warm.

Christmas Market

We went to Akron on Friday to see the Christmas Market, on this day the grass was green, but not yesterday. Everyone in the booths were from Germany.

When Heidi took me to Seiffen, in Germany, I saw the items I saw here. They actually brought these things over from Germany for this market. They were ice skating behind this.

This is the table the glass blowers were working, but they were not there. There was a girl there painting ornaments that had been blown there.

This is big, but hard to tell that with no one standing beside it.

This a a recreated town from Germany with two trains going around. It is very well done.

The girl who was painting the ornaments is sitting in the second booth. I bought some things inside and at the outside stalls

This' German Mine Band was very good, my husband bought two CD's. Some of the songs are not what he hoped, they had a lot of big band songs. It was all written in German.

We ate Brats and I had potato pancakes, and George and his brother got sauerkraut.

Making Candy

We have a very famous shop in our town. Anyone who moves away and comes back has to stop by to get candy and nuts. I know, I was one of those people. You can even order online now. It is Heggy's. They roast the nuts in the shop and when you go in, the aroma is wonderful. You can eat in their very small area or at the counter on stools. They have people ordering for everywhere. I have been going there since I was too young to go to go alone. My sister used to take me.

The other day, I went in to buy some nuts for a friend's party we are going to on Sunday. While in line, (yes, a long line) a lady was talking about buying their chocolate in bulk. I never knew you could. Well, I did, and the nuts they use in their peanut clusters, and yesterday I made them. They are soooooo yummy. Wish you could share with me.

Not a Creature Was Stirring---Well Maybe They Were

Many years ago, a very special girl named Fawn, made this family of mice for me. They live in the bottom of my clock right now. I thought they should be allowed out for Christmas. She went into such detail on each little one, they are only about 3 inches high.

These two are going carrolling. Listen closly, and maybe you can hear them sing. I think they might sound a little like the chipmunks. Are they singing "A Little Toy Village?' I bet they are. It was Fawn's song after all.

You can't have Christmas without Santa and Mrs. Claus now can you?

These two look very impressive. They must be going out on the town. They probably like to visit the Amish Cheese factories.

This cross stitch is Heidi's of course. I remember her saying Mom, this is not an easy design. I bet it would be now. She made this many years ago. I hope you enjoy my mouse family.

I've Been Tagged

Becky at Sweet Cottage Dreams tagged me to list 8 things about me, here goes Becky but
I don't know if I can come up with any as good as yours are.

8 things I am passionate about: my family, my country, my friends, my health, my faith,
our military, honesty and love

8 things I want to do before I die: see my Great Grandchildren grown and happy, see my
Army Grandson's safe in their careers, see my children
healthy and happy, keep my Grandaughters healthy,
keep traveling to see more of the world and my family
often, hold Zoe on my lap and read to her often, knit
with Haali as often as possible and play Clue with Mitchell.

8 things I say often: Hi on Skype, you have got to be kidding, good morning how
are you today, are we going to breakfast, what did you do
today, what are your plans for the day, hello on the phone
and of course, bye, love you to my family.

8 books I have read lately: 5 Ladies of Covington series, Friday Night Knitting Club,
J D Robb's latest, 74 in the Cedar Creek series, by Debbie
Macomber and Haali's Decaffeinated Corpse. That's more
than 8 and I could do more. The Bible is a story for another
day so I will not go into detail on that right now..

8 Songs I listen to over and over: Music of the Night (Michael Crawford) My Funny Valentine,
Moonlight Becomes You, What's New, Marshmallow World,
Mary Did You Know, Misty, Chances Are, Andre Rieu songs

8 Things that attract me to my
best friends: Laughter, Honesty, Friendliness in general, mutual interest,
sincerity, that's not 8 but the most important to me.

8 people who should do this: Heidi, Kristen, Mandie, Amy, Mary, Christine, Roberta and
Margaret

My Needlepoint

Today, while talking on Skype, Heidi was telling Nancy and Margaret about our mother/daughter trip to The Cotswolds in England. My penpal from Yorkshire

and her daughter, Heidi and I went for a week to a cottage we rented. It was a

wonderful trip, while there, we all decided to try needlepoint. This is the one I did.

I bought a pillow canvas there, but I haven't done it yet. Maybe we need to return

to that cottage and sit in front of the coal fire Heidi.

Trees Around the World

First of all, a very important tree from Holland. It just happens to be in the livingroom of Miss Pickles the elf (aka Heidi).

This is the Christmas Tree in our Nations Capital, Washington DC. It is decorated with 3000 ornaments made by school children of USA.

In Trafalgar Square, London, this tree is a gift from the people of Norway. Since 1947 they give London a tree.

If you have good eyes, you might be able to read that this tree in in Karwendel Mountains of Germany. The Chapel is a thing of beauty in itself.

This tree is in Prague, in their Old Town Square.

It Has Begun

This looks like it could be our first big snowfall of the season. It started yesterday but today seems to be non stop. The salt trucks have been out since about 6AM. This tree usually turns all pink in the spring but we had to cut it way back this year because it

was blocking views for the school bus drivers who come out our corner.

This is the top of our garage from the kitchen window. I love to look at snow, but I do not drive in it. After living in Florida for 9 years, I just don't try it. This is Heidi's time of year. She loves Christmas and snow. Sooooooo, where are you Miss Pickles the Elf?
HAPPY SINT DAY HEIDI, be good so you don't get put in his bag to be shipped to Spain.

Of course, you could visit Margaret then. LOL

Dancing Elves

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1151394754
Miss Pickles the Elf (aka Heidi) and my Grandaughters and me would like
to entertain you.

A Gift

I just got a gift from Heidi and Jos. The card is in dutch and very nice. The snowman is another addition to my tree. He is metal and very cute. The napkins are the Dutch kids like our Dick and Jane from school books. I told her I wasn't going to use them. They are just too nice. Thanks Heidi and Jos.

Friendly Site Award

Yesterday, I received the Friendly Site Award from my Grandaughter Kristen (ChristianCrafter). I am so blessed to have my wonderful family. My Grandaughters lost their Mom, Fawn, at such a young age, I try to be Mom and Gramma to them now.They are both beautiful girls and have great families.

I would like to pass this award on to Mary, (Across the Pond). I always called her the front porch lady. I love her porch. She is a really a friendly lady. She even invited Kristy, Mandie and I for tea. She of course also invited Heidi, but I told her nothing is going to get Heidi back on a plane to the USA. Thanks Mary.

Little Toy Village

That title is a song Fawn, my daughter, learned to sing in grade school. I can still hear her singing it. My favorite part of our Christmas Tree was a village and I waited until the sheet went under the tree so I could put it there, when I was very small.

Another fond memory for me was once a year, Ringling Brothers Circus came to town. I never cared about going to the circus, my big excitement was waiting for the Circus train to come. It had a special horn and at 5 AM it arrive at a crossing about 5 blocks from our house. My Dad always took me to watch the train unload. It was so wonderful to see all the animals and the beautiful cages all painted they were then moved in. This is a picture of my special Circus train.

Kristy's husband, a very special Grandson to me, heard my story when Kristy and I made a scrapbook of my life for Heidi and then also Kristy. He bought me this special train. I used to go on the Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger train to my Aunt's. We rode the train from Canton to Pittsburgh. He also bought me that train, also in the picture. I had the freight train. I bought him an N gage railroad set and boy did I ever create a monster. He went crazy and who knows how many he has now. My husband has HO but I liked the N better. I have one in with my

Lilliput houses in a glass top coffee table. The large tree was painted by Bill when he was 14. It was a school project and I treasure it also.

The village and all the people I painted myself. I have painted several villages now. This was the first one I ever painted. Heidi has one and will be showing hers on her blog I am sure. Hope you enjoy seeing my Little Toy Village, underneath the tree. Sweetest little town you will ever see. There's a Little Toy Village underneath the tree and it comes to life on Christmas.
I wish I could remember the entire song.

Night and Day

I put the tree up yesterday, but didn't get the village set up yet. This is the night view.

Here it is in daylight. As you can see, my tree is all snowmen. (Heidi's Idea)

This tree skirt is made by Heidi, and I embroidered Marshmallow World around it. My friend Patty painted the picture on the left, and Heidi cross stitched the other two. I usually hang them each year in the bathroom. I just redid the bathroom in red and white, so I don't know if I will hang them. For now they are on display in front of me TV cabinet.

Snowman Stairs

I started the easy way this morning. Every year most of my stuffed snowmen go up the steps. Believe it or not, George started this by giving me one little key chain snowman. I even have one in my car that Haali gave me.

It's hard to see all of them and I wish I would have tagged them all to know where I got them.

The thin one sitting sort of on its own was made by Heidi.

Most of the snowmen are gifts.

Can anyone tell I am addicted to snowmen?

More and more and more. Should I stop you think

Way on top is one given to me by Eric and he does not do Christmas. He says snowmen are ok.