{Ornaments}

There is no Christmas tradition I enjoy more than exchanging ornaments.  I have been blessed with gifts of ornaments from many special people throughout my life and every year I get to enjoy them during this season.  I finally had some time today to practice photography with some of my favorites.

Yes, I am the crazy person that collects Starbucks ornaments.  I have so many they have their own tree.  Someday, my great-great grandchild will learn they are worth a small fortune on Antiques Roadshow.

 Ok, not an ornament but there are so many Legos around here that it seemed like a great subject.

My Godparents have gifted me ornaments throughout my childhood and this is one of my favorites...

 This is another favorite from my parents, so beautiful!

This Christopher Radko ornament was a gift from my parents when my brother was in the Army and in Afghanistan, 10 years ago already.

Bokeh photo.

This is a handmade hardanger ornament my grandmother made years ago.  I miss her and love finding this every Christmas.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and reminder of the hope and endless love that a tiny baby brought to our world over two thousand years ago.

Merry Christmas 2011

I had to take the blog off the back burner for just one day.  It is 11 pm and I had to take my photo for the Bokeh Party over at Darcy's Blog.  You can find the link here:   Darcy's Bokeh Party!! This is my newest coffee cozy, paper pieced during Twin Cities Suburban Modern Quilt Guild in November.  I finally got it finished up a few days ago and it made my latte even better this morning!  I hope to take more photos on my winter break with the kiddos and post a few.  If I don't get to that, have a very Merry Christmas!

Fall Clean Up, Still No Quilting!

60 degree weather here in Minneapolis helped our fall clean up and we got our Christmas lights up a few weeks earlier than usual.  Still no sewing...I just want to be outside until those flakes start flying!  Adding a few photo updates here....

...Too fast

Wow.  This fall is going too fast.  New job.  Kids in school full time.  Traveling.  Volunteer commitments.  It's all good but it is too fast.  I've had no time to sew and not much time for photography.  I feel like our family has turned another page into the school-aged kids chapter and all that goes along with it.  I like it, I think.

Since time is short, here is October in photos.  Some photos are just as I wanted them and some are snapshots as they happened.  Most of them are from a trip to Detroit that my kids and I took.  We saw my brother's family and their new little one!

I don't have any farmer's wife progress, and that is disappointing, but that is how this chapter goes.

I hope you are enjoying your fall!

Early Fall Nature Walk

Hello.  This fall has been wonderful at times and difficult to breathe at other times.  The kids are doing quite well as they are both in school full time.  I have started a part time job and sometime back in the summer thought that September would be a good month to have a garage sale.  I am well into September and although I have been without a washing machine for two weeks things are looking bright.  My women's bible study has started again.  Waahoo!  I have a new niece, Waahoo again!   The weather in Minnesota looks promising for bike riding for at least another week. ;)  

These photos were taken during a 15 minute walk prior to a lovely haircut a few weeks ago.  I think my husband was taking the kids to taco bell.  Anyway, a good night.  I haven't picked up my camera since but I hope to this weekend, gathering more images of this gorgeous time of year.

I'll start sewing sometime too.  Maybe some Farmer's Wife blocks next week.  That's my plan.