Christmas

Mr. Outdoors and I celebrating 48 Christmas' together, so Blessed to have each other.  A very laid back Christmas for us this year, I only put up a small tree.  The gifts are wrapped and baking will be happening tomorrow...Merry Christmas 2012!

Necktie pillow

Love this necktie pillow from pinterest.....also this Christmas tree skirt!  Amazing what ideas people come up with...such creative minds.

I do not like it

This is a very different Christmas for Mr. Outdoors and I. Normally our Christmas' are fun filled and intense with shopping, cooking and being excited for all the fun Christmas holds. We are losing his youngest brother to bone cancer.  He has fought the fight for 14 years and it just keeps coming back.  Brother Bill retired from the Highway patrol as a Major, retired from the Marines also as a Major and worked for a branch of the Government in charge of personnel.  Acquired his Masters degree at middle age, raised 2 boys and a daughter who have turned out to be not only great people but the sweetest kids you could ever meet.  The first wife and Mother of his children did not have any interest in raising the children, enter second wife.  She has been and continues to be such an awesome woman and member of our family.  Has taken such good care of our brother all these 30 years, and we applaud her for all she has done.  Compassion knows no one greater than Elaine.  So we are spending days by brothers bedside, telling lots of fun stories of Mr. Outdoors and his childhood,sitting there ever watchful should he need something, all the while knowing these are his last days here on earth.  Such an unreal feeling...losing ones siblings.  I do not like it.  I do take comfort knowing he will be in the arms of our Father and joined with his parents in Heaven.  God Bless our Brother.

Our hearts are sad tonight as we mourn those precious children and adults who were killed in Newtown, Ct.  What a sorrowful time for all of us, especially all those parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters who have lost their loved ones.  We have to take comfort that they are now in the arms of our Lord.

Delicious December

 We have had a great 5 day retreat with our son and Grandchildren up in Colorado.  The ski resort is making snow every day, they , like the rest of us simply have no moisture whatsoever.  Granddaughter and son Mark, she has been skiing since she was a little thing.

 Grandson gearing up to go snowboarding.

 Mr. Outdoors and our son, love that they all ski together.

 Granddaughter so lovely.

 I have lots of kitchen help!

Mr. Outdoors and I, our 48th Christmas together, such a lucky woman I am!

Early Christmas picture........love my family.

Thanksgiving with family

Our Thanksgiving celebration was so much fun and so great to see all of our family on Mr. Outdoors side.  We are so Blessed to have such a close and happy family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the good old USA!  I have so much to be Thankful for, our sweet little family that enjoys good health and happiness, a husband who takes such good care of me, space in our surroundings to enjoy the land and all it has to offer.  Our Blessings are many...we are so Thankful.  We are traveling to a nephews for our celebration, there will be around 40 of us, pictures will follow.  Happy Thanksgiving!

An afternoon @ the park.

Mr. Outdoors and I spent a good afternoon @ the park today...me roller skating and him bike riding.  And this creature (I have no idea what it is)  was so busy upending lots of dirt, no doubt making a nest?  Our high temperature today was 70degrees...not too shabby for November 19th!  

Another Birthday!

Well another birthday has come and gone...how on Gods earth did I get to be 64?  The years seem to be flying by....I am so Thankful for my good health and good life and a wonderful partner to share it all with!  We had Birthday cake for breakfast...because we can...LOL and preceded to make our favorite late breakfast of bacon, biscuits, gravy, eggs and smashed potatoes.  Mr. Outdoors helped with the cooking and we enjoyed it immensely.

Colorado has snow!

We have snow in Colorado this morning!  Temp. was 4 degrees F. this morning.......love a snowy morning!  

Chocolate gravy

 Biscuits and chocolate gravy are from my husbands childhood.  A breakfast treat when he was a little boy.  I have blogged about finding the recipe and finally got to make it for him.

It is truly a joy to cook for this man, he enjoys everything I cook...I am a lucky woman!  The recipe is as follows.......4 T. cocoa, 2 T. flour, 1 c. sugar, 1 1/2c. milk,  mix with wisk and cook until thickened.  Remove from heat and add 2T. butter and 1 t. vanilla.  Serve over warm biscuits and enjoy!

Houston Quilt Festival 2012

 Ready to load up and hit the road. We all brought snacks to share and one seat on the bus was designated the "snack" seat.

 My sis Linda and I ready for Houston, Texas

 Our arrival in Houston

 Many lovely quilts, I have posted a few of my favorites here.

 This looks like machine quilting ,actually is hand quilted.

 This floral is my fav of all!

 Book case quilt,,very unique!

 Southwestern lizard...how different!

 The quilts from Japan blew me away...such fine detail and stitching.

 Tiny hexagons

Quilt from Japan with the cutest border g cabins and barns...detail!

Cute ABC quilt

Linda made her backpack from a skirt she found at Goodwill for $2.00...too cute.

Cute wool purse.

The Moda booth, handing out the cutest samples!

Sweet little needle case in felt.

 Just part of a very large Houston skyline

 View from the second floor of George Brown arena, over 1,000 vendors selling their wares.

 The arenas second floor offers comfy chairs and footstools...much appreciated!

Texas proud.

On our way to the quilt festival.

Another quilt from Japan...such detail...simply beautiful!

 Our friend Dawn who lives in Houston met up with us on Saturday.  Such a sweet friend and we were so glad to see her.

Park across from quilt show was having a benefit for the Houston homeless.

Tumble block, paper pieced.  I will be making a small quilt of this method.

Our diggs @ Holiday Inn Express...great free breakfast and coffee, tea and fruit anytime.

 On our way home visited the Dallas Arboretum...beautiful!