They're Calling for Snow and Sleet

Yes you read that right...and yes I do live in Florida. Now it's certainly not going to be a significant amount of snow, we'll probably have to be standing out in the middle of the yard when the flurries come, but it's snow none the less. I've lived here for 43 years and can't think of too many times that the weatherman has "Snow and sleet in the forecast for tomorrow"...crazy, crazy!

We had the most wonderful visit in Birmingham with the kids...very relaxed, never had to be anywhere at any special time, just lots of good time with the children. Mom had the best time...Little Miss Camden liked mom the best...she wanted mom to play with her and feed her...she liked Grandy almost as much...they had lots of staring contests...she loved sitting with him...look at that static in her hair, what a hoot. She would sit with me if her Nana and Grandy weren't available...Hampton was another story...he and I spent lots of time playing games, doing jigsaw puzzles, reading books, and playing with Thomas and his friends...oh he loves those trains...he's developed quite a sense of humor and had us laughing all the time. Couldn't have been more fun and I can't wait to get back there.

When we got back, and I had a chance to get caught up on blogs I read about a wonderful group on Emily's blog ...Cancer Is Sew Done...a virtual quilting bee...they are asking for blocks, they provide the pattern on their site, sew whatever you want and they put the quilts together and the quilts are auctioned. I did 4 blocks to send them on Wednesday...I've decided that every Wednesday is going to be my day to sew for charity...there are so many people in need and my family and I are so blessed to have good health...I feel like I want to give back.

Before I went away I played Holly Jolly Blog Bingo on The Quilt Shoppe's blog...I won this wonderful little MODA box...squares of 3 Sister's Aster Manor and
Holly Taylor's Migration. What a wonderful prize...thank you so much.

I'm heading to bed so I can get up nice and early in the morning to watch for the snow...I have my camera ready...if it happens I'll be back with pictures tomorrow.

December is Just About Over

Well December has just about come and gone and I'm happy to say that I got my last 2 Charming Girls goals finished. I got a couple of Tuffets done and finished my Picnic top...I am just in love with these Schnibble patterns. They are so fun!

My January goals are...1. Make 6 more Tuffets for gifts...I'm going on a retreat the end of January and these will be wonderful. 2. Cut out a baby quilt 3. Cut out a project to take to work on at the retreat.

This will be my last post for 2009...I'm picking mom up tomorrow and we are leaving Thursday morning at 6:30 for Birmingham... I can't wait to get there. We'll be back next week...wishing all of you a wonderful, happy, healthy, safe New Year...now if we can just figure out how to slow down 2010...I think 2009 was the fastest year of my life.

We Love UPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UPS did not disappoint...we just LOVE them!!!!!!!!!!!! You guessed it...we just got a call from Katie and Josh...the train arrived on their front porch a few minutes ago. UPS has made my Christmas...there is no better feeling for a grandma or a Mamie in my case. I made Josh promise to make sure he had that camera ready to go when Hampton finds that Santa present. He said he would...so as soon as I get it I'll post it. Thank you all for your good thoughts and all those fingers and toes crossed. Blogland is the BEST!

Kelly asked us to tell a favorite Christmas memory...well I have to tell you this S.C. Ruffey Train adventure will probably go down in the books as a great memory...but my very favorite one was when Josh was just Hampton's age and he said we had to put carrots out for Santa's reindeer along with Santa's cookies. So a large bunch of carrots was placed on a plate. After Josh went to bed Andy and I ate the cookies, left some crumbs behind...drank the glass of milk and broke most of the carrots off and chewed on the ends...the carrots were very gnawed on. Christmas morning Josh nearly exploded with excitement...we thought he was excited about Santa...well, he was but he was more excited that the reindeer were in his house and they ate the carrots he left out. Every year after that we had to leave cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. The joy of Christmas through the eyes of a child...my favorite thing.

Merry, Merry Christmas to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ready or Not...

Well, I thought I was ready...that's what I get for thinking...About 2 weeks ago Katie called and said that they had taken Hampton and Camden to see Santa and that Hampton had told Santa that the only thing he wanted for Christmas was SC Ruffey...Yes, it's one of Thomas the Train's friends and it's RETIRED! Recently retired, but retired none the less. So what does Mamie do? Go online...I spent about 2 hours online and finally found one...it cost almost twice what it cost when they were available everywhere and the shipping was more than that...but it was for Hampton and that's all he wanted from Santa. I put in the comment section that it was very important that they not send it to the billing address, that I needed them to send it to the shipping address, which was Katie and Josh's address...I explained how very important this was, they were going to make a little boy's Christmas...their response was "No problem"...yes you know where this is going. I came home from my day with mom yesterday and what was in my stack of mail...the train. So this morning I was at UPS the moment the opened and spent another small fortune to overnight this little train to Hampton so it would get there for Christmas. Fingers crossed...please UPS come through for me!

I've been getting a little sewing done...finished another Charming Girls goal for December. I got the binding on last year's Designer BOM from The Fat Quarter Shop. I absolutely love this quilt...the fabrics are wonderful and it's a great size...perfect for snuggling on the couch.

I also got this month's Designer BOM block done...this was a fun one and this Glace fabric is so pretty. This is going to be one gorgeous quilt. Here's my Cindy Lou Who Schnibble from a couple of months ago made from Glace...I got the binding on just in the knick of time.

Last pic for today...this is the picture that the kids used for their Christmas card...Katie's been smocking up a storm.

My wish for all of you is a very Merry Christmas! Take time to enjoy the day!

Howie and Zack are Ready...and a Little Progress

Howie and Zack are ready for Christmas...the groomer came today and gave the boys their baths, clipped their nails and decked them out in their holiday bandannas. They really are not big fans of bandannas so we had to click this picture really fast. Hmm, I wonder if they'll stay this clean until Christmas.

The front yard is ready too...we have 3 camellia bushes out front and they are all full of these beautiful flowers. They start to open Thanksgiving weekend and bloom all the way through New Year's. We've been in this house 5 years in January...the first 3 years we were here these bushes never got a single flower...at the end of the 3rd year I said "If these don't bloom next year, I'm done with them and we're pulling them out, and putting in something that will bloom." Well, I think they understood every word I said...last year they were very pretty, this year they are full of flowers and tons of buds just ready to pop out. Oh I'm so glad I gave them another year! We just love them.

I finished the Sadie Quilt BOM on Sunday and I was singing and dancing. Oh, I am in love with this quilt. There sure are a lot of pieces, lots of seams and tons of thread in this quilt. It's a Lori Smith pattern and it went together perfectly. Her directions could not have been better.

Andy has what he thinks will be his last appointment with the knee surgeon tomorrow. He's doing great...he's back going to the gym again and feeling good. I think I better head back to the gym too...hmmm!

December Charming Girls

Somehow I just can't believe that I'm writing and talking about what I'm doing in December...where in the world did this year go? I truly feel like I was just hanging the new 2009 calendar...and it's time to get ready to hang the 2010 one. I need to learn to sew faster if the years are going to go by faster.

I have 4 things I want to get done this month for my Charming Girls goal:

I want to get the binding on my Designer Block of the Month from Fat Quarter Shop...it's made from Peace on Earth fabric so it's the perfect Christmas quilt. Sorry for the old photo...it's all quilted now...I'll take a new pic with the binding on.

I want to finish the top of the Sadie Quilt by Lori Smith...this is one of the BOM's I've been doing this year and the border kit came so that's all I have to do and it will be done...YIPPEE!

I want to get a few Tuffets made for "A Year in Schnibbles"

And lastly I want to get last month's Picnic Schnibble done.

I better get myself upstairs and start getting busy here...the month will be over before we blink!

A Wonderful Visit...Now the House is So Quiet

Oh what a wonderful visit...We had the best time...the kids arrived Tuesday evening (the best birthday gift I could have gotten), Hampton's birthday was Wednesday. I made his favorite acorn shaped muffinsfor breakfast...oh we had to have candles. Josh and Katie took him out to Disney for the day and we kept Camden...everyone had a blast. Birthday dinner Wednesday night. He loved his cheeseburgers, french fries and carrots...and after dinner out came the cake...this little boy lives and breathes Thomas the Train...so what better than a Thomas cake. I don't think I've ever seen anyone enjoy a cake quite as much as he did. Oh my goodness we laughed and laughed.

Thursday was very fun, nothing better than family home for the holiday. Mom had the best time...she loved her time with Camden... Friday we just hung out all day, played outside a lot. Saturday the kids took Hampton out to the big toy store at Disney and we got Camden to ourselves again...Andy spent a lot of time on the floor with "his little girl"...when they weren't on the floor they were having serious talks...she had lots to tell him.

I didn't get much time on my laptop while they were here...Hampton loved getting on the Thomas the Train website...he is amazing on that computer. He was sitting in my lap and we were "arrowing down" the page and then double clicking on the pictures of the trains, to go to their page. I kept going up to the back arrow to go back to the previous page. He said "Mamie I have a trick...watch!" He pressed the backspace key and sure enough we were back on the previous page...OMG! Now most of you probably already knew that, but I had no clue. Amazing! Can't wait to see what he teaches me next visit.

They left Sunday morning. Hampton was coming down with Josh's cold on Saturday...yes, I came down with it Monday afternoon and Andy got it Monday night. We're both dragging around here, sore throat, sneezing, blowing noses and coughing...but I wouldn't trade the time we had with the kids for anything.