National Puzzle Day

Who knew they have a national holiday for this?

One of my favorite things to do...

They say there are more adults than kids into puzzle fixing. I'm just glad my grandkids are not two of them. We fix a lot of puzzles together. We are now up to 300-500 pieces.

Luke fixing one of Bryan's old puzzles

I'm OK!

I think it is so cute when the Flory boys are rough housing around and one takes a tumble and shouts I'm OK.

Well, this is a shout out just to say I'm OK.
I have been sharing my life stories here for 12 years now and I'm wondering if what I have to say is of any importance to anyone.
Anyway....
Things are pretty steady here at the Millikan household.
We have been busy laying flooring in Steve's new house. Lumber liquidators wanted $4000 to do it.  Mike and I are pretty handy so we offered. Steve is not moving back here till July so we have plenty of time. We got the 2 bedrooms and a hallway done and had to take a break till the guys installing the new bathrooms finish. Can't work without a working toilet.
Mike in the mean time has the new kitchen sink and light fixtures done. Working on Steve's house has been good for Mike. He is keeping busy and helping a friend at the same time.

We had a cold start to the new year and I got a quilt top done staying indoors.

It was a Christmas gift from Bryan and Mary - another kit. A miniature wall hanging that I'm gonna add a border too and use as a table cloth.

I finally got my longarm sewing machine back from the shop - I took it in for a tune up. I can't wait to get back into doing the quilting on my projects.

The weather has been warm and cold. One day Sharen and I are walking in the snow catching snowflakes on our tongues and eyelashes and the next day the snow is all gone and the sun is shining. I go from wanting to go sledding to going golfing.

I'm gonna get back to bragging about my grandkids and writing stupid stuff about me - I promise.

Mom was There

Everywhere I turned this Holiday season Mom was there.
It all started with Thanksgiving. Mike and I had no plans with our immediate family so Sharen invited us down to theirs.

We sat around the family dining table for one last time.  The same table that Mom used to heap with so much food when we were growing up. It's on it's last leg and Sharen is replacing it.
Carrie showed up with homemade rolls using Mom's recipe of course. Mom would love to know that she has inspired Carrie into an awesome cook.

 I only made 2 kinds of Christmas cookies this year. One being Mom's bird nest.

Brian and Stacy lost their maternal Grandmother in September. I offered to make them keepsake teddy bears out of her bathrobes. I also make one for Mike's ex-wife. Yes we are friends and yes I really do like her.

But it got me thinking about my Mom and her cardinal sheets that I still had setting in my closet.
It's been 5 years. I got them out and made me a lap quilt for Christmas. I really don't know why it took me so long. I heard you loud and clear Mom.

Instead of going out for our traditional Christmas Eve breakfast, Erica offered to host it (it was right at Averie's nap time). I got out Mom's cinnamon roll recipe. I haven't made them in way too long.

Just like Mom's they were a big hit.

I sat around and watched the confusion and destruction of all the present and remember the Christmas spent in the basement of Kirk Ave. I understand now Mom!

Then I opened one of my presents from Mary. She had taken one of my favorite recipe from Mom and made me a coaster/spoon rest/serving dish with it. Her buttercream frosting that I still use. Yup, that brought tears. It's in Mom's handwriting.

Just like Mom, I want my kids to be home on Christmas day and make family memories to last. Mike and I had the Dupplers down for a quiet ham dinner.

Sharen told me I made to much food - just like Mom.

She even showed up in the wine we drank. She drank a wine high ball once in a while, but she was NOT a drinker.

I had a pretty good holiday season this year - Thanks for coming Mom.

Hallmark Books?

I'm really enjoying the Hallmark movies this year. My favorite so far is "The Christmas Train". Most of these movies are one time viewings, but I think I could watch that one again.

With our Christmas tree taking up the space of my jigsaw puzzle table (Yes, me without a puzzle to fix) I have been reading more. I know - I should be exercising not sitting.
I usually order my books online and go and pick them up at the Rakow branch down the street when they email me that they are ready.

While browsing for something different I typed in Christmas and it turns out all my favorite authors have written Holiday books. Lots of Holiday Books!!

So now I am reading "Hallmark Books"  - all with a Christmas theme. There was so many to choose from. I'll start with these 5.

Christmas Quilt

I was never too keen on quilt kits. Gasp! someone else tell me what colors and pattern to use. Some of the kits I see I'm like, really! I'm pretty sure I  could do a better job of fabric selection. I'm jealous of the people who get to do this for a job. Dream Job!

One of the most enjoyable part of making a new quilt is finding the right pattern and then go searching for the perfect material. I love that part. I can understand how some quilters have a large stash of different material. Mine is limited by the space in my sewing room and closet.
I am pretty sure I could spend more on fabric "to be used later" if I had more storage space.

Well, I got my first kit from Bryan and Mary for my birthday. A Christmas Quilt. I wanted something to hang in my living room for Christmas. (I did stir him to the correct website. Ha)

It was perfect timing with my birthday in September - plenty of time to get it made, quilted, and hung for this season.

Mike and I hung it yesterday!

My Christmas Quilt!
I found the perfect quilting pattern with poinsettias in it. I only got maybe 20 inches down and my longarm sewing machine started making funny noises. I didn't want to damage anything so I stopped. I called the shop and they couldn't get it in till January.
I wasn't about to go without the quilt hanging this year so I hung it up not completely quilted.  You can't tell it's not complete and I will go back after my machine is fixed and finish it.

Handy Husband

We either have to split the pile of wood in our backyard or I have to stay off of Pinterest.
Now that Mike has stopped his summer job, I have put him to work at home.
He has been a busy little elf in his workshop this pass week.

First let me say it all started with the pumpkins I had made for Sharen for our birthday. I also made some for me, Stacy, and Mary. I did ask Sharen if it was ok for me to make some for the girls. It was a birthday present for her and it didn't seem special if I started making them for everybody else without her permission. She said Go for it!

Mike and I had cut a whole bunch of circles so I needed to do something with the leftovers. I looked on Pinterest and saw some cute little snowmen. Mike drilled some holes and put in a dowel and I got me a snowman to paint for the front porch.

He is still waiting for his hat. I just can't find the right size log/stick. But I will walk around the neighborhood with my eyes open and Mike will make it for him as soon as I find it.

Then of course, I started browsing Pinterest to see what else Mike can make me. He is having a good time and we have been working together pretty good. I tell him what I want and he does it. 

 

I found these Christmas tree made out of pallets. Hummmmm.... We don't have a pallet, but we have a whole bunch of scrap wood. 

We sorted through the wood - I showed him what I wanted and bam. I got me a Christmas tree to paint.

I painted it with leftover paint

Then there it was. The cutest little reindeer made out of logs. I told Mike He had to make one for me. 

And sure enough he comes through again.

Isn't he cute sitting on my front porch?

And it didn't cost us a dime. Everything was recycled from stuff we had at the house.

Excerise Buddy

Everyone says it's easier to get exercising if you have someone to do it with.
2 years ago I lost my buddy.
LA Fitness was screwing with Sharen and her membership so she decided to try something else and she left there for Planet Fitness. I didn't like it but I could totally see her reason behind it. She now went to the gym with Dup. I tried dragging Mike to a couple classes, but he's a person who can get his workouts done without a buddy.

I went to LA and got into the pool more than I thought I would the first year. I could go whenever I wanted or (the big one here) NOT go whenever I wanted.

This summer I slacked big time. I got my frozen shoulder back and was in pain on and off most of the summer. Enough that I didn't go to the gym. I know - just an excuse. Turns out exercise is good for my shoulder. I went and got some ART treatments and my shoulder (and neck) are good to go. I just gotta say this ART stuff is life saving. This is my second time needing it and I would recommend it to everyone. The treatments can hurt, but it is sooooo worth it.

And that is a very good thing because....

After Linda invited us to her pool to exercise out in the fresh air this summer, Sharen realized how much she missed moving around in the water and came back to LA Fitness.
Hallelujah, I have my exercise buddy back.
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