Family Togetherness

 We hope everyone had as nice a Thanksgiving as we did!!  It was also Frank's birthday, so we did the festivities for him first with presents and a card...he looks pretty happy!

 Peter and his girlfriend Catherine...

 William...

 My beautiful mom was glowing with her entire family around her...

 Kara with her Oma...

 Kara with her Opa...

 Frank and me...

 And the turkey...

 Frank carving the turkey with a hopeful Maggi doggy that something will drop...

 Peter, Kara's boyfriend Ben, Kara and Will enjoying the feast...

 More than enough food to go around, and the turkey that Will brined was so tender and delicious...

After dinner, the kids decided to play a game, while the rest of us relaxed in the living room...after a bit of break, we ate homemade pumpkin pie made by Catherine and Peter...then we were stuffed for sure!!  Such a nice Thanksgiving had by us all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whether you need to travel far or near, here's hoping you share the day with family and friends and be thankful for one another.

You Have to Have One of These...

From coffee house It's A Grind, the new Tea Latte Press!!!  So delicious that I can't wait to go back and try another one!!  Flavors are Black tea, Green tea, and Chai tea.  I had the Chai, and it was so aromatic!!  The cup acts like a coffee press...after about 3 or 4 minutes, depending how strong you like it, you push in the plunger until it "clicks" into the lid.  Then WITHOUT taking the lid off, enjoy!!!  The best Chai tea I've ever had!!!

Shabbat Table Topper Progress

Third square completed!!!  I'm enjoying the stitching and love the results with the hand dyed Watercolor thread.  I'm usually faster in completing these table toppers, but with an indefinite substitute instructional assistant job, I'm a bit slower.  I come home completely drained from dealing with my boys as well as helping many from the rest of the class.  It's very satisfying, but does cut into my stitching and knitting time!!  Oh, well...life is good!!  It will be done eventually!!

Opa and Oma's Visit to Peter's Place

 Yesterday, I took my parents over to visit my son Peter's place...it was the first time they got to see it.  Also, got a chance to see the rented washer and dryer, and his new bike which he uses as transportation to school.

 Opa thought the kitchen looked pretty good...the boys are keeping the place neat!

 We had a nice chance to visit, and we had fun with Peter's roommate's little doggy...he's part weiner dog and Russell Terrier, so he's a lot of fun and active!

 I'm surprised Spiro the doggy sat long enough for a couple pictures!!!

 Peter showed off his room...he's got it fairly organized and full...wants another organizer for his school books and homework...so told him Target was the place to go and to check out the sales.

 Oma enjoyed the tour of the townhome and Peter's room.

Peter looks very happy in his little independent life!!  His girlfriend Catherine came along with us to Souplantation for a bite to eat.  Of course, we stuffed ourselves!!  We had a great time!

A New Project...

 I finally got started on the Dutch Treat's Shabbat table topper.  I've had it kitted up for a couple of years, but just wasn't satisfied with the dye lot of the variegated Watercolour thread called Mediterranean.  Just had too much turquoise over powering the palette.  So tried to make substitutions, but still wasn't quite hitting the mark.

 Finally, I made a remark about this at the Dutch Treat's yahoo group to which designer Claudia kindly emailed me and said she had some of the old dye lot originally intended for this chart, and would I like to have some??  Oh, golly yes!!  And now I'm loving the results...just the right touch of turquoise with the darker blues...

I love stitching these table toppers...done on large count Anne Cloth afghan fabric which is easy on the eyes and nerves!!  And now the results are most pleasing with the right thread!

Ten years...

We will remember...