Maniac Monday

Well the cooler days have come, which brings me joy.  I took the morning to indulge in hot tea, warm bubble bath and knitting time.  A morning walk would have done well also but after an emotional draining weekend having a no hurry morning is just what was needed. I finished my required knitting last night and started on extra knitting today.

 I have some goals both knitting and personal ones for November, so let the fun begin!

Off the needles this morning

Making head way on my Christmas knitting by finishing Turkish Bedsocks for my mother in law. Christmas Green for her!

Friday Knitting Kickoff

Let the weekend knitting start...my goal complete this sock and cast on the 2nd sock...Christmas is coming fast!

Winter Break 2011

Winter Break started for me on December 19th at 6pm. It has been a fun filled adventure ever since.

Hike on December 21 -Pipeline Trail in Millcreek Canyon

Peppermint Fudge!

Hair Cuts for Xmas

For hiking in icy conditions

Very Cold Xmas Eve Morning

Band Practice on Christmas Eve Morning for that evening

My favorite - hot wassill

My own special dessert at my in laws - raspberries and cream

Toy in hubby's stocking

Tran-siberian Orchestra Concert on 12/28

Waiting for the concert to begin

It has begun! What fun!

Prime Rib dinner after Concert - so good

China our youngest cat

Hike on 12/29

No snow but lots of mud and ice

My trail shoes - made it much easier

Tacos from LST - after hike food

Fergie has decided to become a lap cat

China snoozing while I am on the computer.

I can't believe how quickly this break has gone. It was been a lot of fun.  The hike before Christmas with our friends seems like a month ago instead of just over a week ago.  The next day they flew to Washington to spend the holidays with family.  We have missed them a ton.  Then on Christmas Eve morning hubby took our other friends - H and J to the airport so they could fly to Kansas to spend the holidays with her mom and step-dad.  It has been quite different around here without all of them. Not quiet but different. 

Just before the holidays we went from a three cat home to a two cat home.  We have missed our older cat but as she was the wire chewer since she has been gone it has allowed us to open up more of our home to the other two cats.  The personalities in the two cats has also changed, they are more social and more vocal.  I have been able to get more photographs of them.  It has been really nice. We have moved several things around in our house as we no longer have to worry about cords being eaten.

We are getting ready to go to a friends home for the New Year's. We are looking forward to H and J coming home tomorrow afternoon. We are picking them up from the airport!  Woo hoo!!!!  I am so excited to see them. Then on Monday, late, Bear and A and E come home.  I sense a major dinner party and debriefing sometime in the upcoming week.

I have had a good 2011 overall.  I am looking forward to the adventures of 2012.

a little update

Well it has been 10 days since I have posted.  While I have been sidelined to do illness I am going to focus on what I have done instead of what I haven't done. I enjoyed the movie Blind Side with friends on the 20th after going out to lunch with them.  I was entertained by a friend's 1st grade performance at the library on the 21st. I was up and around to enjoy the afternoon of Christmas Eve at my MIL's and got to see my SIL and nephews.  Christmas Eve service was awesome and I enjoyed it completely. Christmas Eve night at my parents was fun and full of cheer.  Christmas Day was fun with my hubby and the afternoon back at my parents was fun with watching Star Trek with them.  Yesterday I was up and about to run errands with my hubby and do somethings for the office (more on that later). I managed to get to my favorite LYS yesterday and bought yarn for a project for next Christmas.

I am very thankful for my winter break and will be enjoying it more today as Mr80grit and I are off to see a movie this afternoon. It is snowing lightly here and hope it continues all day. I did finish one project during this time and it is the pink mitts above. They are a belated birthday gift for my boss' wife.  I think she will enjoy them. 

Christmas Cheesecake and Chat along with more fun

This afternoon was a lovely time with the event of cheesecake and chat with my mom at church for a ladies party. It was a lot of fun with even gluten free cheesecake and gluten free key lime pie.  So very, very yummy.
Even Mr80grit got to go to the event as he ran sound.  I was so happy to go as in the past I always worked on Saturdays and couldn't go to the Christmas party each December.

After we went to do a little shopping before meeting up with Dad at our favorite restaurant. While there I got a chance to met Margene.  We had met years ago and have talked on the blogs and via email.  She was there for dinner and it was so great to see her.  She looks great!

I think this was a great way to kick off my winter break! Two weeks off at Christmas. I don't think I have had this much time off at Christmas since college. I have a few things scheduled but I have left a few days opened. I plan at least one of those days as a pajama/movie/knit day.  Maybe if I am lucky it will snow too! 

Our Christmas Tree

Mr80grit and I set up our new Christmas tree yesterday after a wonderful afternoon nap. It is a fiber optic one and it is really pretty.



I made mini socks for our advent calendar this year and after we take out the goody we are now putting the sock on the tree.



Sometimes just laying them on the branch.

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Meme

I grabbed this meme from Bea and added pictures I took on my way home. I am still fighting that awful cold but this was fun!


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Usually wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial?
This year it is a artificial as we are putting in our bedroom which is cat free (helps with sleeping). It is a fiber optic one. But love the real ones.
3. When do you put up the tree?
As soon as we clean the corner in the bedroom, probably this weekend.
4. When do you take the tree down?
End of January or Valentines (we are that lazy)
5. Do you like eggnog?
Yes! We have a local dairy that makes it almost as good as our mom's. Both mom make different but good eggnog.
6. Favorite gift received as a child.
Toss up between my Winnie the Pooh at age 3 or the Snoopy at age 7.

7. Hardest people to buy for?
MrHarleyDude
8. Easiest person to buy for?
My mom
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, it is one that my mom's mom made years ago. That is the main one. My mom has a collection of Nativity scenes and so do I.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mainly Mail them and then also send eCards to the same people.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A bright yellow sweater- looked like big bird.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Mumpet's Christmas Carole and White Christmas


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
All year long
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes, but I was very sure that they didn't know each other.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Cherry Candy Canes.
16. Lights on the tree?
Yes, but only if Isabelle can't get to the tree as she eats the wires.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
What Child is this? Do you hear what I hear? Silent Night
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay in town, both sets of in laws live in Salt Lake Valley. But one year I would mind being at Disneyland, Disneyworld or on a cruise for Christmas.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yes, but the cold medicine is messing with my brain.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel normal but sometimes a star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Both. Christmas eve at my mom's. Christmas Day at his mom's.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
People who forget what the season is really about and become grumpy.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Red and Gold or Blue and Silver or Maroon with silver or gold, but normal just Red and Green
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Ham

Waiting

Okay I waited as long as I could....but I had to do it. Time to change to Christmas!

Thinking of Trees......

Christmas trees that is. I have started to work on ornaments for the Salt Lake Knitting Guild's tree for the Festival of Trees. I have volunteered to help put up the tree and even volunteered the help of my husband (was that nice of me?). So I thought I should make sure to make a few mini stockings to go on to the tree. So since I finished some socks for myself, I decided to do a small pair for the tree. I am in meetings for the next two days in which I can knit, so many this one will get a mate and maybe even some additional friends.