Christmas Is Here!!

Lauren's home for Christmas!  FINALLY!  It seems as though Beloit wanted to keep her there for ever.... She finally got home about 8:00 on Monday evening.  Here she is talking to a friend.  We waited till she was home to decorate the  Christmas tree.

This was a pretty laid back Christmas this year.  No school concerts to go to, cafeterias to decorate for jazz cafe, or musicals to attend.  Everyone was healthy, unlike last year.  David went into the hospital last year on Dec. 23 and was there thru January.  Marcia was staying with us.
In fact, they were here for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year.  It was lovely. Marcia had to do a little last minute shopping at Artisan's  downtown. (They are giving Lauren pottery). We all went to the Bluebird Cafe for lunch.  It was yummy!
Later, we watched a couple of holiday movies and we had Tuscan Tomato soup that I had gotten from The Bread Garden.  David and Marcia had brought some fabulous bread from a bakery in Des Moines, Le Mie.  OMG!! 6 loaves!! Also, their 'assignment' was to bring bread and dessert for Christmas and a salad for Christmas Eve.  They made the exact same salad I had made!  What are the odds we would both make Strawberry pretzel jello salad???!?  It was great for a laugh....
Christmas morning I had to WAKE Lauren up!!  She's lucky I waited till 7 'cause I was awake at 5!!
So, here's the aftermath...

It was a wonderful Christmas! Everyone got great gifts and it was sooo nice to be together.

Christmas lunch was delightful.  I made a beef tenderloin (David was going to be the grill master until the grill ran out of gas..). Made a fabulous recipe with Brussels sprouts, and a yummy cheesy scalloped potatoes.  I also made eggplant Parmesan since Lauren is vegetarian. For dessert, we had oatmeal spice cake with coconut boiled icing..YUM!!

After David and Marcia headed back to Des Moines, Lauren went over to Sarah's, and Bob and I both fell asleep...

I got a new camera so I hope I remember to take more pictures this year for the blog!

It Was aGreat Thanksgiving!

It was a great Thanksgiving!  Of course, nobody wanted to be in the picture, but it was great just the same!  David and Marcia joined us,  My mom couldn't make it because she wasn't feeling well. (She was fine the next day). And of course, LAUREN WAS HOME!! YAY!!

The turkey turned out just fine, but I overcooked (translate: blackened) the autumn veggies.  Oh well, you can't win 'em all....

We started a jigsaw puzzle that David said he could finish in about an hour...its still on the coffee table.

Then, later we played Wits and Wagers, then Pictionary (always good for a laugh).  It was a fun day for all.

It also was a year ago that David's congestive heart failure started its downward spiral.  The LVAD was put in in February and the heart transplant was done in June!  What a year!  So much to be thankful for...

And Lauren...What can I say?  She is a wonderful daughter, a beautiful young woman, and a smart kid!  How did we do that?!?  We are so very proud of her.  Can't wait till Christmas!! 

Lauren's Home!!

YAHOO!! Lauren's home!  She arrived this afternoon.  I was just rolling up the cinnamon rolls!

She looks great and likes the rolls!  She also liked the scarf and hat (even though they itch a little).

AND, she missed Cooper ...

I was busy today getting ready for tomorrow.  Made some yummy meringue cookies.  They were in the newspaper this morning.  I had some lemon curd from Trader Joe's for the center.  They were quite tasty. But I got tired of making the little nests.  So I mixed pecans and chocolate chips in with the rest of the  meringue. 

I got the autumn veggies chopped, the green bean casserole mixed, and the pumpkin rolls made.  Last night I made the orange jello carrot pineapple salad.  We are going TRADITIONAL this year!
I hope the turkey turns out o.k.  Roasting a turkey has never been my strong suit.  I'm up at 6a.m. tomorrow to accomplish the challenge!

Have a great Thanksgiving! 

Gourmet At My House

Yesterday was Gourmet at my house.  Our group was smaller than usual because 2 members couldn't make it.  The deal is, if it is at your house, you plan the menu and purchase the ingredients.  When everyone arrives, they prepare the meal.  And then we eat, of course.

We had mushroom Wellingtons, Orange/Almond Salad, Maple glazed autumn vegetables, and poached pears with cinnamon ice cream  and chocolate ganache.  It was quite tasty, if I do say so myself! Check the recipe page for the Orange-Almond salad.

This last Friday I went to Dubuque with Miss Jackie for a quilt retreat at the Shalom Center.  It used to be a Catholic girls school many years ago and then the nuns convent.  The nuns still live there but it is also available for people to rent the rooms for events.  Its a charming setting in Dubuque (between the Catholic cemetery on one side and the Lutheran on the other). I didn't get a lot of quilting done, but I got started on a project and took my knitting and worked on that, also. On Saturday I met Lauren and her friend Julia in Monroe Wi.( about an hour from Dubuque ). We had lunch and roamed around.  It was a lovely town with THE BEST CHOCOLATE SHOP!  Chocolate Temptations was the name...absolutely worth the trip!!
Jackie and I came home on Sunday afternoon.

Saying 'good-bye' to Lauren and Julia...:- (  But, we'll see her next week for Thanksgiving!: -)

New Picture

I've been searching for the perfect picture for a spot in  my living room.  I found a great picture at Ben Franklin's in Iowa City, but it was over $2000.00!!!  So I opted NOT to get it.  A few weeks ago, I found a print at ReVisit, a second hand shop in North Liberty.  I liked it, but it wasn't as large as I hoped for.  But, what the heck, $65.00 vs. $2000.00.  Guess which one won the match?

So, I got it framed at Hudson River Frame Company on Gilbert Street in Iowa City.  Nick really does lovely work (and his boy Cole and my Lauren went to Willowwind!).

Its a Monet print, and I love the colors, but I don't think its bug enough.  Maybe, I should hang more pictures.  Any thoughts?

I

Happy Birthday, MOM!!

Here's my mother at our house yesterday.  We helped her celebrate her 92nd birthday!  It was just Bob and me.  I Skyped Lauren and she wished grandma a happy birthday from school.  Ah, the wonders of modern technology!

Bob's still not feeling up to par.  He's not contagious but just doesn't feel his old self  yet.  I'm hoping I don't get this nasty thing, I have a quilt retreat to go to next weekend!! 

How 'bout those Hawks!!?!  Have a great Sunday!

  

Still blogging!!

Yes, I'm blogging again!  I am trying to keep this up a little more frequently.  Even though I really have very little to blog about!  I did finish a knitting project, a hat and scarf.  My first attempt at cables.  I used a yummy alpaca for both. It turned out OK. I won't tell you where the errors are!

Bob has been sick the last several days.  Don't know if its flu or food poison.  But whatever it is, he has been down for 3 days!  So not like Bob. (If it's flu, hope I don't get it...)

Finally got all my dyed hair grown out.  I told Lauren that as soon as she graduated from high school, I was 'going gray'.  So I started NOT dying it in June and finally cut away what was left last week.  Here is the end result.

Yikes!  Who knew?!  I had to cut it pretty short to get rid of the brown, but at least its all me..

Almost Halloween!!

Yikes!  Its almost Halloween and I haven't blogged FOR EVER!!!  I was doing a little blog surfing today and was reading a friend's.  Sally has such a nice blog Less is More.  She has sweet pictures, recipes and pix of all her projects.  I asked myself, "What's my excuse?"  So, I'm going to work at this, again... (I know, I always say this.)

Lauren was home from Beloit College last week. She is doing well and really seems to enjoy Beloit.  It was fun having her home, but I'm so relieved that things are going so well for her!!  I sure miss her...

I managed to get the Halloween decorations up before Lauren arrived. I made a really cute little quilt and it is hanging in the living room.  Its not very big, but looks sweet.  I also hung a cute door hanger from Patrick Lose Poster Quilts. The one on the left is on my door.  The witch is hanging at Capitol View Elementary School in Des Moines.

I also made a little 12" quilt from Patrick Lose in Quilting Celebrations magazine'

 

My brother was here today for a monthly doctor appt.  He is doing remarkably well since his heart transplant!  I am so happy for him.  So many things could have gone terribly wrong, but he is a great patient and has followed instructions well and I believe that's part of the reason for his success.  That and alot of prayer and support from family and friends!

These are the wonderful folks who have saved David's life.  (except for the sleeping baby!)

Survived Grad Party and more...

Bob helps Lauren and Sarah get ready for the party.

Wow, I survived the Graduation Party!  Lauren and her friend Sarah had a party together.  It was a Circus Theme, so we had popcorn, sno-cones and cotton candy!  Everyone was on a sugar high by the end of day!


Lilly making popcorn.



Sarah's sister Lilly helped and dressed in a clown outfit.  What a hoot!! Sarah and Lauren had a great time.  Soon they will both be off to their own big adventure.

Lauren, Sarah and Sue

Other fabulous news...my brother David had a heart transplant a few days after the party!!!  He is doing wonderfully well and is back home in Des Moines.  He will be coming back here a couple times a week for the next few weeks for check ups.  We are all so happy, relieved and thankful.  What an incredible gift.

Lauren's Graduation!!

She did it!! Actually, I never doubted it for a minute.  But she graduated from West High with Highest honors! It was a lovely ceremony and the weather was perfect. Bob's mom, sister and brother-in-law were able to be here from Chicago and my brother David and sister-in-law Marcia came from Des Moines.

Now the graduation parties begin.  Lauren is having hers with her friend Sarah.  It won't be until June 11.  Plenty of time to get in all the rest of the several hundred that are going on in the next few weeks.

Lauren is officially a 'Beloiter'.  Got a packet of info in the mail.  She leaves for college August 17...YIKES!  I'm not sure I'm ready for this.

Our Trip To Beloit

This weekend Bob, Lauren and I went to Beloit, Wi to visit Beloit College.  We arrived about 1:30 Sunday afternoon.  It only took 3 1/2 hours via I-80 to I-88.  Beloit is a nice town (30,000) in southern Wisconsin.

The college setting was very "New England-y".  Lauren spent the night in a dorm with a host student.  Then on Monday she visited the college and talked to a couple of professors.  Bottom line: She's going to Beloit.

So, now we are on to the next event...Disney World!  The West High marching band leaves the Monday after Easter for Disney World (24 hours on a bus...no thanks).  They will be gone for the a week.  Maybe I can actually get some sewing done on her quilt.

Graduation is fast approaching.  Lauren and her friend, Sarah, are having a grad party together.   Circus theme...popcorn, sno-cone, and cotton candy machines!  Maybe we will dress Cooper up as a lion.  I could work at making 'balloon animals'!  So many possibilities...

I'm A Liar!!

I am a liar! I said I would blog more and then I didn't. SORRY!
Here it is April 16, 2011 and I haven't even tried to write anything for months.

We are fast approaching graduation day. Lauren graduates May 26 from West High School. OMG! Where has the time gone?
tomorrow we go to Beloit Wisconsin to visit Beloit College. She has been accepted there and I guess we should pay them a visit before we send her off to go to school there!!!

Bob and I are so proud of our lovely daughter! She is bright and has a thirst for knowledge. She is planning on archeology, at this point. I know she will do well in whatever she pursues.

Earlier this week we attended the performance of the West High Jazz Ensemble at the Iowa Championship Jazz Competition.  Lauren plays tenor sax.  They really did a wonderful job and finished second in Class 4A.  They were thrilled!  It was a great finish to their senior year. (There is no video because I couldn't wait for it to load).
This morning I woke up to SNOW!!!  What the heck?   Thankfully it all melted, but it snowed for about 2 hours!!!

Our yard is looking springy.. daffodils are popping up all over and the bleeding hearts are starting to bloom. I hope this morning's snow didn't hurt them.