I Like Thursday #133

First I Like Thurs post of 2024. This year is starting off with a bang!!! The day after Christmas, we had company consisting of 7 adults and 2 dogs. That made my house a total of 10 adults, 3 large dogs, and a kitty. Quite the zoo around here. We snapped a quick picture of the dogs resting because it was a rarity. That's our 71# Gracie in the foreground, next is my brother's 80#, 1-year-old German Shepherd "puppy", and finally, laying at the front door is my niece's 3-year-old, 85# Golden Retreiver Mac. That's a lot of dog in this photo!

This sweet picture is my 90-year-old mother on the right. Next to her in the middle is Mom's daughter-in-law Karen (married to Mom's son), and then on the left is Katharine, Karen's future daughter-in-law (who will be marrying Karen's son). Three generations of daughter-in-laws!

Fred tried to get a picture of all of us, except himself of course. We missed our niece this year, who probably could have gotten a shot of all of us including her selfie!

So the house settled down for a  day or two and then came a little renovation. Note in the picture above how the wall on the right is partially painted, partially not. I'd removed the wallpaper quite some time ago and decided I didn't like that job. Haha! On the left you can see the very dark wallpaper is still in tact. I decided to contract out the wallpaper removal and repainting of the dining room, entryway/hall, and front wall of my sewing room. Here are a couple of pictures after Fred & I cleared out the dining room.

HD Painting & Stain LLC showed up to begin the job January 2 at 6:45am. They stayed until 5pm and returned at 7am on the 3rd to complete the entire job. Here are a couple of in-progress pictures. YAY! The wallpaper has been removed. Don't you love how the previous homeowners painted that merlot red only down to where the wallpaper was going? That deep red was actually previously painted from there up to the ceiling. So very dark!

Of course, during the process Gracie wanted to be part of all the excitement going on. She managed to rub against a wall sometime during the job.

Gracie still wearing her paint souvenir!

Then Mom supported herself going down the hall and got fresh paint on her hand one time and then again on the outside of her hand up to her wrist later. So you see, the zoo continued well after the company left! Lol!

My kitty Polly was traumatized during the entire process.

Polly checking out the situation

What the heck is this all about?

Yikes! They're coming back!

A couple "finished" pictures. Next step, get things put back.

Light bulbs replaced while they were up there!

Worth every penny spent!!!

I put my sewing room pretty much back together first and quickly finished off my two Twilight Stars blocks for the week.

There was a lot of sitting time with embroidery in hand, waiting to see if anyone needed anything during the renovation. I ended up finishing the current Red Threads embroidery block during Mom's P/T appointment yesterday. I really like this fuchsia block.

New Year's Day we enjoyed the Rose Bowl Parade. We just love hearing & seeing the marching bands and admiring the beautiful floral floats.

This has gone on long enough. Suffice it to say that we are liking the "new look" in the front of the house, we enjoyed our company but are glad to return to normal, and we're looking forward to the next home improvement project. Stay tuned!

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Post

Just stopping by for a quick post. It's been quite a while since I posted my blog on RSC but I've been sewing as much as possible. Things have really taken a turn around here. We've been dealing with my mother's cognitive issues for a while and, since she moved in, it affects all of us. I've got her back in P/T for balance, strength, and mental well-being. I have to say she's pretty easy to deal with since she doesn't resist much of what I ask of her. In general, she's a cheerful, funny gal and for that we're grateful!

I wanted to share a finish with you today. Awesome Land is a pattern by Lissa Alexander that is in her book "Oh, Scrap!" I started it in January 2020 and here is a link to my very first post of Awesome Land. We've had quite a ride with it for sure but it is now finished.

She finished up about 72"x72" so she'd make a great lap quilt or even a picnic quilt. Instead of Warm & Natural batting, I used Quilter's Dream this time and it is so soft & squishy. This one will be a joy to cuddle up in.

A peek at the backing I used and a bit of the quilting. I've since learned that circular quilting pantographs are much quicker to do than pointy ones. Maybe that's what happened here because this pointy panto took FOREVER to quilt!

At a local quilt shop, they give a monthly pattern for a doll quilt which they will later donate. We are encourage to use our scraps so last month that's what I used for my leaders & enders. It needs to be quilted & bound and then I can turn it in for donation. It is about 12"x18".

I'm keeping up with Twilight Stars QAL. Here are a few of the latest from this week. I still have about 5 weeks left to make up to be totally caught up which I plan to do by the end of January -- you know, after the holidays!

My other SAL is Red Threads, an embroidery block-of-the-week. Here are a few pictures of my latest blocks. I am 100% caught up with this one.

That catches you up on my sewing and my mother. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

Linking up with Angela on SoScrappy.

I Like Thurs #132

Good morning! Are you all set for Christmas? Have you settled down to enjoy the upcoming holidays? We're mostly set but we have a couple extra days to prepare. My brother, his wife, and daughter will be stopping through here for dinner tonight and then continuing their travels to my SIL's parents' house. Everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE!) will be back on Tuesday for a couple of days/nights. "Everyone" will include the original three plus 4 more! It'll be jolly around here, for sure.

Yesterday was "Dress Like an Elf" day at Brody's school. Here he is getting ready for school and then on his way. Wonder if he's eating a Keebler cookie there in the back seat? Lol!

His elfin outfit was worn over the weekend when he got to enjoy The Polar Express. For real! He rode on a train to see Santa, eating a cookie & having a cup of hot cocoa too. He also learned the chicken dance while waiting his turn to see Santa.

Ok, enough Christmas! Haha!

Gracie & I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise Wednesday. Just look at that color!

Still in the subdivision

Just getting to the bike trail

About a minute later. Stunning, right?

Mom & I have been enjoying Christmas music in the car on our way to appointments. Christmas CDs from Dolly Parton, Gene Autrey, Toby Keith, The Starlight Singers (?),  and my favorite CD by Jim Brickman. Do you know him? He plays the most beautiful piano music and the holiday songs are especially lovely.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season. If you don't hear from me next week it's because my house is full and so is my heart. Besides all the human company, I may have forgotten to mention two big dogs will be here also -- a 4-year-old Golden Retriever and a 1-year-old German Shepherd. Gracie's Christmas will be complete! Lol!

Thank you, blog friends, for making time to visit my blog. I enjoy all your comments. That is ONE BIG LIKE! Merry Christmas to all of you!

Linking up with other "Thursday Likers" on LeeAnna's blog HERE.

I Like Thursday #131

Hope to make a quick I Like Thursday post. With Christmas around the corner I for sure wanted to share a "Grandsons with Santa" picture and this one just cracks me up. I LOVE IT!!!

At the risk of making Jacob look like he's on the "naughty list", here's a picture of Gracie "greeting" the Amazon driver. I'm surprised she's not pressed up hard against the glass! Of course she feels like she's doing her job of protecting us from danger. Definitely going on the "naughty list"! Hahaha!

I finished my two Twilight Stars blocks for this week. That definitely makes me very happy. I've got 6 weeks to make up to be entirely caught up. I'll get there one day! This has been a fun QAL with Primitive Gatherings.

I've tried a few new recipes. First one was this Cheddar Bacon Quiche with Spinach from What's Gaby Cooking. It was good and we would like  more spinach and I would definitely make sure to "finely chop" it even better next time.

Last night I made this Cheese and Sausage Quiche from Southern Living. Easy and delicious! Definitely on a quiche kick!

Another easy and delicious dinner was this Tuna Noodle Casserole from Mary Berg on Food Network. I made a half-batch and cooked it in an 8"x8" dish. It worked perfectly. I also only used potato chips on top, no extra cheese as Mr. H is not a big cheese-lover. Definitely would recommend it.

A hearty dinner another night was this One-Pot Florentine Pasta from our local grocery store, Schnucks. We loved it and would've loved it even more with more spinach! Two cups of fresh spinach was just not enough. Can hardly believe we would like it more healthier! Ha!

There you go! No excuses for not making a delicious, homemade dinner. Next week I may have a couple of dessert recipes. Stay tuned!

I'm linking up with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color to share these good things and to see what others are also sharing. I hope you have a great week!

I Like Thursday #130

It's been another week and of course I found things to appreciate. I'll be sharing on LeeAnna's blog with others. You can read & enjoy too if you click right HERE. In the meantime, let's see what I found to enjoy.

Thanksgiving was just last week and I have a few pictures to share from that day. My niece participated in her first Turkey Trot. She was very proud to finish the 5K. Here she is with her fiancé who also ran.

Thanksgiving is all about the bird, right? Here's a shot of ours this year while resting. Maybe this turkey should have trotted away!

We also had another special guest on Thanksgiving. This hawk was looking for his own bird to enjoy for dinner. Here he is just sitting on our deck where you can see my peanut feeder hanging. There are usually plenty of birds grabbing seeds but they seem to have flown away. Ha!

A side story here: Do you know what a junco bird looks like?

National Audubon Society's Photo
Info on Juncos

Anyway, one of these little birds got trapped in our garage overnight the other night. My husband said I should leave the garage door open after I bring Gracie back from her walk. I went to do that but the poor little thing kept trying to get out through the garage window and was beating his beak time & time again. Then he'd sit on the sill, catch his breath, and then start all over again. Since he couldn't be persuaded to leave with a gentle push with a broom, I went over and actually was able to hold him gently in my hands. I took him over to the bush by the garage and he hopped right in and then promptly flew away. This incident reminded me of the time when the same thing happened with a hummingbird a couple of summers ago.

My neighbor surprised with me with a gift a couple weeks ago. These amaryllis plants were only small buds when I got them. As you can see, we are in FULL BLOOM! Don't they look pretty in front of Frosty McChill? The embroidery blocks were shared last year by Melissa from Pinker 'n' Punkin'. She is amazingly generous with her designs.

Bolero on the left
Minerva on the right

Recently I finished "Someone Else's Shoes" by Jojo Moyes. It was very enjoyable. I thought it was going to be too light for me, too young, but I ended up really liking the characters.

GoodReads synopsis

Earlier I finished "The Engineer's Wife" by Tracey Enerson Wood. A good friend of mine recommended it. It's about the woman behind the man building the Brooklyn Bridge. I enjoyed it and, if you like historical fiction, you might also.

GoodReads Synopsis

Last night I started a new book. It's "Simply Lies" by David Baldacci. He's one of my favorite authors and this promises to be a "psychological thriller". Yikes! I hope it doesn't give me nightmares! Hahaha!

GoodReads synopsis

Now for a laugh: Some of our Black Friday orders arrived today. Here's the picture an Amazon driver took of the delivered package by our front door. Notice the "sweet" dog "welcoming" him. This picture just cracked me up although we are trying to get Gracie to calm down when she sees delivery people in our cul-de-sac. When they walk up to the door to drop something off for us, she really goes berserk!

I hope you have an amazing week. Look around and see how good life is.

I Like Thursday #129

Today is Thanksgiving. I like to think that ALL the I Like Posts are about Thanksgiving. Anything that makes you smile, makes you happy, gives you a warm fuzzy, can be reasons for giving thanks, right? So here's another I Like Thursday/Thanksgiving post from yours truly.

Look at this beautiful clematis that was appreciating our nice weather. Gracie & I were appreciating our beautiful weather on our walk too!

Is this upward view on the trail something? Definitely added to my Thanksgiving List this year!

My friend's daughter had a Friendsgiving get-together last weekend. Charcutier boards were the potluck theme. Here's a picture of my friend's dessert board. Isn't that Rice Krispie Turkey in the middle of the back wonderful??!!??

My daughter sent this picture to me from her local grocery store. She was very impressed (😜) with the marketing on this loaf of bread. She's pretty sure it's just plain ole white bread but I think it has poultry seasoning in it to taste like stuffing but no mushrooms, oysters, or other "different" additives. What do you think?

Last Thursday Mom, Fred, and I went to a Veteran's Day luncheon with the Troy Senior Center. They served ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans with bacon, and for dessert - your choice of pumpkin or apple pie. It was delicious but the best was yet to come! They honored all veterans from all branches of the military and we were entertained by the Scott AFB Airlifter Brass Band! They were magnificent and we certainly were privileged to meet these fine young Air Force musicians.

To say we were razzle-dazzled would be an understatement. They played a little jazz, a little marching music, a little orchestral, and an extraordinary rendition of a medley of all the military branches, including the US Marine Corp, the US Navy, the US Army, the US Air Force, the US Coast Guard, and the newest US Space Force! We didn't even know the last two branches had songs! Man, are we old!!! Lol!

Yesterday's walk, Gracie & I went up and over the bridge to see what our friend Emma was talking about when she said there's a giant Care Bear on the other side. She was right! There's no plaque to explain it but there it is.

Last week we watched (on two recommendations) "All the Light We Cannot See" on Netflix. It has four installments, each about an hour. It took us two nights to watch the whole thing. We all enjoyed it. I can add that I read the book in April 2022. Besides synopses, GoodReads is also good for keeping track of books I've read! You can read about the book HERE but watch it on Netflix.

On top of all this, we seem to be in good health around here so we are all thankful for that as well. Warm Thanksgiving blessings to all of you and your families!

November Progress

All I've manage to accomplish this week is summed up in three pictures:

This week's Twilight Stars

Trying to catch up on a couple more Twilight Stars

Red Threads block this week

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!