Oh Christmas Tree!

Go ahead and admit it.... how many of you have your Christmas tree up already? I do not! However, on a good year, I would definitely have my tree up by now. When I was growing up, we always put our tree up on Thanksgiving afternoon. Thanksgiving was such a big day for me, as I loved helping "mix" the dressing and I loved decorating the tree!

I still love mixing the dressing and I still like decorating the tree, but it seems a whole lot more difficult to get it all done these days. No wonder my mom let me do those things... I'll be she was tired too!

We had a traditional Thanksgiving meal at my house on Thurday. Then it was back to work for me ... 12 hour shifts ... Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

When we got back to work on Friday, the activity department was busy ripping down Thanksgiving decorations, packing them up, and bringing out Christmas decorations. By the time I left work on Friday night, we had four Christmas trees up, as well as lots of other miscellaneous decorations. Even though it was pretty to look at all weekend, I was a little sad because I still had the Thanksgiving frame of mind going on in my heart. (not to mention the Thanksgiving leftovers in the refrigerator)

I'm not even sure I'm going to put up my big tree this year. More and more, I'm thinking of getting a small tree for my kitchen table and skipping the big tree. Years ago I would have never dreamed I'd be doing this! I have found that the older I get, it feels as if Christmas comes every six months, instead of every five years like it seemed when I was a child. I feel as if I just packed all that Christmas stuff a few months ago! I'm sure by next Christmas, I'll be ready to see the big tree again.

I hope to work on my Christmas shopping this week. I've picked up a few things so far, but I have a lot more to do. I also have to get a blanket made for one of my patients by Christmas. I need to buy groceries today. I will be traveling six hours on Saturday for my daughter's wedding shower. I have two more 12 hour shifts to work this week. I have several loads of laundry that need attention. Whew! I'm so tired! Just thinking about all that makes me need a nap.

No wonder I'm skipping the big tree this year. I do, however, want to see pictures of yours! So don't forget to post them on your blog.

And no, the picture above, is not my tree. It is, however, the tree I would have this year.... if I was going to have one.

Being Thankful

Thank you, Lord, for your blessings on me! God has truly been so good to me and my family. Not only do I thank Him for what he has done for us already, but also for what He is going to do. Even though I grumble and complain way too often, I have a wonderful life .... a life so much easier than a lot of people have. It's a joy to be a child of the King!

Great Friday Gifts!

After my day started kind of weird, (see post below) it just got better and better as the day went by. The mailman drove into my driveway and blew the horn for me to come out. This has never happened in my whole three years at this house. (I got to meet my mailman today!) He had not one, not two, but THREE packages for me! The first was from my dear blog friend Nancy Jo http://www.nancy-jo.blogspot.com/ (sorry I don't know how to do the fancy link thing) who embroidered this cute puppy and made this darling little bag. Inside my bag was a wonderful cinnamon smelling sachet with a silver piece of jewelry attached and a piece of lace with several wonderful old brooches attached. (I couldn't get a good picture of these... I tried) I have been on the lookout for old jewelry because I have this idea of making a little feminine wall hanging for my sewing room that I want to cover in old jewelry. Thanks so much Nancy Jo; you made my day terrific! I participated in a fall swap recently hosted by "Whatsoever Things...." (see link on sidebar) My new friend, Amy, sent this beautiful assortment of gifts. She made the beautiful little pillow which I absolutely adore, as I love primitive art. This box also smelled very yummy when I opened it. Everything was wrapped so sweetly in autumn colored wrap. (I should have taken a picture of the wrappings, but I got ahead of myself because I have no patience. I just had to see what was in the box!) Thank you, Amy, for a wonderful treat!



My other box was a mistake ... I recently ordered a piece of jewelry from a friend's home party. I had already received my bracelet and today I received the same bracelet all over again. I will send it back, as I think keeping it would be wrong. (even though my little evil heart did think about it!)


I did my grocery shopping today and I think I'm all ready to cook my Thanksgiving meal. What a great feeling to know that the shopping is already done. I hope your day was a good one too!

What is happening here?

Last night when I came home from work, I came inside to "check" the house to see if the lady who cleans for me had been. I wasn't sure at first, because the kitchen was a mess, and so was the livingroom. I asked my family if she had been and they replied yes, and couldn't I tell? They had cooked pizza for supper, left the mess in the kitchen, and had left many of their belongings all over the livingroom. My husband and I then had a conversation about whether or not I should continue with the housecleaning service, as it is often hard to tell if she has been or not! Plus, my kids put up notes on their bedroom doors before she arrives , telling her not to clean their rooms because they don't want to "straighten" them up before she arrives. Who knows if I'm getting my money's worth or not??? After awhile of discussing this , my eyes were itching and burning, so I gave up and went to bed.

I dreamed last night that when I got home from work, there was a 98 year old lady on our lawnmower, buzzing away and mowing our grass. When I looked closely, I realized she was one of my patients from the nursing home. I was very puzzled and wondered if my camera was charged so I could take a picture of that for my blog. I went inside the house to find another one of my old lady patients unloading my dishwasher! Inside the dishwasher was wet boxes of spaghetti, four of them, on the top rack. When I questioned her as to why she had washed boxes of spaghetti, she didn't understand what the big deal was and why I would be questioning her. I worked my way through my junky house to find my husband relaxing in his chair. He informed me that these ladies had moved into our house without our knowledge and that they were going around our neighborhood telling everyone what a poor housekeeper I am.

I was so upset and could not figure out how to get these old ladies back to the nursing home. Everyone thought it was great that I had taken them in and was caring for them.

I don't remember anymore about my dream, but I woke up this morning with pink eye and a sore throat. Thankfully, we still have antibiotic drops from the last eye infection that we had around here. I did manage to clean my kitchen very well and straighten the livingroom this morning.

Does anyone care to interpret my dream for me?

Believe it or not....

Believe it or not.... I have finally finished embroidering the little dresses that I started two years ago! This was a block of the month project from an online site: "Bobby Socks Quilt Company." The patterns were free each month and I could hardly wait to see and print a new one each month. I never dreamed it would take me so long to complete them. I would pick them up and worked on them here and there, but just couldn't sit down and devote a lot of time to them all at once. Now, we will see how long it takes to put the little quilt together. I plan to hang this on the wall of my sewing room that I will be getting soon. My daughter is getting married next month and I have plans to take ownership of her room as soon as she leaves. Yes, I'll miss her, but I look forward to having my own room!

8 Random Things about Me

I was tagged by Debbie J. from Homemaking Dreams to list eight random things about me. I thought about this off and on while at work today, and decided I am a very boring person. But here goes:

1. I am the youngest child and the only girl of three children. My two older brothers say I was spoiled while growing up. I don't agree.

2. I have lived in Eastern NC, Western NC, and now in Central NC. I currently live two miles from the king of Nascar: Richard Petty.

3. I have very blue eyes. When I was a small child, I had a fleck of metal get into one of my eyes. We had to take a trip to the eye doctor to have it removed. It scarred the edge my eye and if you look very closely, there is a small section of "blue" missing.

3. My favorite job ever was working in the school cafeteria when I was in high school. I was the cashier who collected everyone's money when they came through the lunch line.

4. I always dreamed of being a teacher when I grew up. I played school all the time when I was a kid. When it came time to go to college, I didn't think a four year college was an option for me financially, so I went along with my friends to a two year college for nursing. They flunked out and I was the only one who made it through nursing school at that time. I sometimes still dream of being a teacher. Nursing has been a good career, but I sometimes feel the joke was on me!

5. When I was in the seventh grade, my teacher taught me to make yo yo's for a yo yo quilt. The quilt bug bit me then, and I've been sick with it ever since. I dream of the day that I can really concentrate on sewing and make all those wonderful quilts that I now dream about!

6. Governor Easley's brother was my OB/gyn and I also used to assist him at work with circumcisions. So, I "almost" know the governor. ha ha

7. I burned my foot one time when I was in nursing school. I was trying to take a roast out of the oven while talking on the telephone. I spilled the hot roast on my left foot and suffered a serious burn. I remember taking care of patients while my own foot was bandaged up with no shoe on it!

8. I have always been a nail biter. I have broken two teeth in the past year from nail biting. I decided I could go through the rest of my life paying the dentist to fix my teeth or I could get acrylic nails that I could not chew through. For the past six months or so, I've been going to the nail salon every two weeks to have short acrylic nails redone. I'm the only person I know who wears really short acrylic nails!

I don't really know who to tag, but let me know if you participate, so I can read all about YOU!

Sick Friday

I called in sick to work today... the first time I have ever called in sick in four years! I have this headache and sick feeling that has been lingering for the past 24 hours. I'm sure I'll be fine, but am planning a day of rest and relaxation. I am reading a book that I bought from the local thrift store, "Becoming a Vessel God Can Use" by Donna Partow. It is a 10 week study that I cannot hardly put down. I am reading it through quickly and then plan to go back and really "study" it afterwards. I highly recommend it to anyone desiring to have a closer relationship with God. The picture on the left means nothing... other than I thought it was cute. I found this when I was looking for the soup picture a couple posts below. I hope you all have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Happy Birthday to me!

No, it's not my birthday! But I did have one in July and here is one of my gifts. My mom always sends me money for my birthday and I spent it on fabric this year. We took our beach vacation just after my birthday and I had already made up my mind to spend my birthday money at a quilt shop this time. There is a beautiful little shop in Morehead City and I have always wanted some of the 30's reproduction "Aunt Grace" fabrics. Not only did I receive the gift of fabric, but I spent a leisurely afternoon browsing through the shop all by myself that day. No distractions, no one rushing me along! I'm not sure what I will do with these pretty prints, but I sure do like looking at them. Even though I didn't live during that time, I love the nostalgic feeling of old things. I like the beautiful "art" quilts that are being made today, however, I still consider the old timey patchwork quilts the best!

Wednesday

It's a nice cool day here today and I don't have to work! I have a pot of vegetable soup on the stove and the house smells so good. Even though we've had a few cold nights lately, we still haven't turned on our central heating unit. I've been getting up before everyone and turning on the gas fireplace and letting the house warm up before they get out of bed. I'm sure before long I'll give in and turn on the central heat because I got a little chilly last night while sleeping. I'm going to try a heavier quilt first! With the gas prices going up, up, up, I'm trying to be conscious of saving heating fuel. Our fireplace is capable of using firewood, but I'm just not ready to "go there" yet. We've done that before and I have a rough time dealing with all the mess that goes along with wood fire. How do you stay warm without it being too costly?

Weekend's Over ALREADY?

I did a google image search to find a picture of how I feel when I think about going back to work tomorrow. This little boy's face just about sums it up for me! Where did the weekend go???

We had a very nice weekend at our house. Today I prepared a nice lunch and invited a friend of my son's and his girlfriend to join us. This was my sneaky way of getting them to attend church with us. We had a great Sunday service and we all enjoyed stuffing ourselves for lunch until we were miserable. The young couples went off to play golf and the rest of us took naps! It was a great Sunday!

As much as I wish I didn't have to go back to work tomorrow, let me say that I am very thankful for my job and the ability to do my job. There are many who wish they could find work or have the physical ability to work. So, yes, I am truly thankful that I can work. I hope everyone has a great week!

Here Piggy, Piggy!

Look what I found in front of my garage door when I came home from work Tuesday night. A sweet little pig! My sweet aunt and cousin have been reading my blog and discovered that I like pigs in my kitchen. This little pig walks and grunts and plays cute music when his foot is pressed. When I pull his tail, he snorts and grunts and snorts and grunts! Isn't he cute?
Well, Butterbean and Sweet Pea weren't so sure if he was cute or not! Sweet Pea ran away and Butterbean barked and barked and barked! It was hilarious when we introduced them to the new pig.
As you can tell, they got a little more friendly with their new friend after a little bit. Butterbean finally greeted him with the customary dog sniff and began to nibble his ear. Sweet Pea still hasn't made contact, but she is getting a little closer. I will have to keep my new pig friend up high so the dogs don't decide to take care of him. Thank you so much S. and A. for a sweet little gift!