finally back at it ...

whew ...... the last of my Christmas company has left and now the rest of my days off until the 5th will be spent cleaning, sorting, organizing and sewing.

We had a great Christmas and enjoyed lots of family time. At some time or another all my brothers and sisters and their families were all together and that means a house full but I love every minute of all the craziness. I am blessed with a large family and wouldn't know what to do without them. Below is a picture of my parents with most of their grandkids and their two great grandkids. There were four grandkids not in the picture.

The kids had fun opening their gifts Christmas morning with me and spent Christmas Eve with their dad and his family. I'm learning how to share these special times.

Here is the string quilt all complete! I did the binding on the morning of the 27th and gave it to my brother. Didn't the quilting turn out so nice!!

I had to work this morning but got off early and did a little shopping for have toos and now I have to get myself into gear and get some stuff done here at home. I'll take some pictures of my organizing stuff when I have it all in place. Slowly but surely I will get it all into place.
I still need to find a way to keep up with how much fabric I use for 2009. I use alot of scraps and pieces so I will just have to guess I suppose. I don't want to buy anything fabric wise in 2009. That is my plan and I hope to stick to it. I also plan on posting my goals for 2009 and finding ways to get them all into place too.

I have found that I am so blessed to have my large crazy family to be with and share the holidays. I am so thankful for the time I have with them and the memories we share and make too. I am so thankful for my job, I am reminded yesterday how wonderful it is to have a job. I helped a friend of mine sort through items to give away and keep as she prepares to move from her house. She has been outta work since February and has lost her house. I know I am so blessed to still have my house, all the things inside it, my wonderful family, my car and my job. May 2009 be the year of good positive changes for us all.

until next time.

Scrappy String Quilt

Another one is complete!! I finished piecing the backing for this one before work this morning and it is in the mail to Tirane to be quilted! This is my scrappy string quilt made from 6.5 inch blocks pieced on a foundation block. I love it and hope one of my brothers and sisters will too as it will be a gift for one of them.

I have one more to piece and then three to bind by Christmas - ish. I am running late with these a bit I know but .... remember me saying I felt like I was getting sick ... well ... I did get sick. In fact me and the kiddos all had strep throat and they have gotten better faster than me. Mine seems to be hangin on for dear life. I am sick of being sick and taking all the medicine I have to to feel okay to work. I have just a couple days left at work before we are off for the Christmas holidays so I am trying not to miss work. I did miss last Friday though .. that was the major start of this stuff and the day we all went to the doctor. I am so looking forward to being off and having some down time and catch up time. I have lots I want to do while I am off and I need some rest.

I have some Christmas shopping done but nowhere near all of it done. I will finish the rest of that up and wrap the presents this weekend while the kiddos are with their dad. I haven't baked one thing which is not like me. Christmas is my holiday and I love it and look forward to it every year but this year I have not felt up to it. With lossing me dear friend and my mother in-law both in November and all the stuff with my ex and me being sick this last week I have not done much in the way of getting ready for Christmas. I haven't even called my family to plan the meal for Christmas day. I tell ya ... time gets away from ya quickly. So lots to do this weekend and lots to plan too. I think I need to start a reminder list to myself so I can remember what all I need to do and buy and who to call and such.
The kids had their Awana Christmas party last night at the skating rink and they had a blast. It was such fun for them. I failed to bring my camera so no pictures of that to share. I need to try and remember to bring my camera to outting like that more often. I miss so many photo ops!

Here are some of the kiddos attempts at the Christmas card picture ... the first one is how they are part of the time and the others are how they are the rest .. don't want to mislead anyone into thinking I have two little angels here ... I think all and all they turned out nicely and I got copies and put them in the Christmas cards that I finally mailed yesterday.

thoughts and blessing ... I am learning how to let it be and let it go and it is not easy to say the least. I am trying to learn to turn things over to God and let him handle my troubles and struggles. Haven't mastered either of these things yet but I am working on it.
I am so thankful that the kids are feeling so much better. With us all sick we were all cranky and life was not fun for us this week. I am so thankful that the temps are rising around here and it is not so cold ... means less gas to heat the house .. which saves me money. I am so blessed to have wonderful parents ... they are simple folks and have a giving heart even though they have less than most. My mother called me at work on Monday and told me to come and get a bag of pecans they had to share with me. I go over yesterday (as I have been sick and didn't want to give it to them) and there was a half of a brown grocery bag full of lovely pecans. Now to get them shelled and into the freezer for baking. YEAH!! Another money saver. I am so blessed to have my dear friends who listen to my struggles and offer their advice and never give up on me even when I want to give up on myself.

didn't mean to write so much ... guess I am making up for the days I was sick and not able to post.

until next time ....