Saturday, December 27, 2025

Between Christmas and New Year's Day

We've been busy around here -- shock! shock! My son and his family arrived Sunday (21st). With two boys, aged 3 & 6, it's been fun and very active. We had our Christmas turkey dinner the day they arrived and exchanged gifts on Tuesday morning. Jacob (3) got a couple of styrofoam (?) airplanes which gave us great joy throwing them about in the backyard. The weather was perfect -- sunny, 60s with a light breeze. That fun ended when we discovered the neighbor's rocks and we could throw them into the pond out back! Why do boys always NEED to throw things into water??!! Lol! Anyway the family packed it up on Wednesday (24th) and headed to the other grandparent's house. We'll see the group again tomorrow, the 28th, before they head back to Maryland on the 30th.

In the meantime, we've got a family funeral to attend today. Hubby's great-niece's 17-year-old son passed away from an epileptic seizure recently. We'll drive on down today to express condolences. So sad and especially so during to the holidays.

So have you been enjoying the month of December? We started the month with extremely cold temperatures which flipped last week with unbelievably mild temperatures. We're about to get cold-snapped this upcoming week so I hope to get behind my sewing machine a bit. I've got Christmas gifts to finish sewing! ACK!!! And a couple of flannel blankets to put a crocheted edging around. Sounds like a good project for watching all the upcoming football games!

As I'm sure you've noticed, there hasn't been a lot of time for sewing or blogging for me recently. There's lots to  do with doctor appointments and things to get straightened out for selling Mom's house. However, I have made sure that I've gotten in a little handwork most everyday. That's the beauty of cross-stitch & embroidery -- pick it up and go! Time's up? Shove it aside. Hahaha!

Here's my cross-stitch project -- Scarlett. I took a picture last week of where I was. Today I discovered I never even shared it. DOH! So here's my progress in four steps for your enjoyment -- whatever!

November 8th

November 20th

December 19th

Today, December 27

She's definitely coming along, slowly but surely. I feel like I'm in the final stretch anyway.

Since I also mentioned embroidery, during Mom's weekly standing Friday hair appointments and bi-weekly PT appointments, I've been working on Primitive Gatherings Snowman Gatherings panel. You really can't see it but the top half is done and I've only got from about the waist on down. I hope to piece the outer borders this winter/spring. I've got the pattern and the layer cake for it.


That's about it from here. Take some time to enjoy the stillness of Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere or enjoy swimming & boating if you live in the Southern Hemisphere. Wishing eveyone a moment of reflection as we approach 2026.

10 comments:

  1. Busy times! Sounds like a fun visit with your son and family - and, yes, I have noticed that boys like to throw rocks into water, lol! It's nice to have a hand stitching project on the go for those times when you can't get to a quilting project. Scarlett makes me smile!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by. I wish I had more sit-down-and-sew time. In the meantime, I'll enjoy our company and then back to handwork. Happy 2026!

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  2. You must have enjoyed having those little boys staying, noisy and hectic as they were. Such a shame with the young 17 year old passing away suddenly, seems even worse when it happens during the Christmas season.

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    1. It truly was a sad affair. Apparently it was an epileptic seizure. He had a lot of friends drop by for the funeral which was a blessing for his mother. Here's to happier moments in 2026!

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  3. It was fun to watch Scarlett "grow", kind of like time lapse photography! Handwork is great to have on the go, especially in waiting rooms, and yours is lovely. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank you, Sylvia. Scarlett has been fun to work on and I'm hoping to get her finished in the really near future. Happy New Year to you as well!

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  4. I love your header panel. Fun times with your family but such a shame about the young lad's funeral. I love this time of year. It's cold here but dry so no sign of snow, however you can't beat a frosty sunny morning. xx

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    1. I totally agree with you on the frosty, sunny winter mornings. Yesterday we went to 77 degrees F and this morning we are 15F! That'll put a nip on my nose on my morning walk with Gracie! I look forward to spying cardinals in their wintery, bright red feathers! Happy 2026!

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  5. You've had some busy weeks and months. Hopefully 2026 goes more smoothly. Going to a young person's funeral is extra sad. My condolences. Here in SD we had snow early in December and now most of that has melted and it's unseasonably warm again. I'm hoping to get back into my sewing room today for the first time this week.

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    1. I sure hope you managed to get some time in your sewing room as planned. Lately I'm finding it harder and harder to get in my own. As they say, I need to just make an "appointment" to hang out with my sewing machine and make sure I don't cancel that appointment. Maybe you need to do the same?? Let's rock this year!

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