We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
Amanda sent us this pic of Garrett and Amary helping her bake cookies.
Our beautiful Julianna made honor roll!
Presents were opened and enjoyed.
The table looked beautiful and filled with yumminess! The wine was sweet and not too strong.
Even the Instant Pot got a wintery jacket! And Amanda sent me a springy one!
I made a breakfast casserole on Christmas morning in the Instant Pot! It was so good, and warmed up so well the next day (today) in the microwave!
Christmas afternoon we went to Sharon and Jim's house for dinner with the family. I got to spend some time with nephew David, showing him pictures of my girls and their spouses and kids. Living 3 hours away, he hasn't got to see them for a while. We were at Sharon's til almost 9, and had a lovely time!
And now the holiday is over, and real life comes back! Not a bad thing. I've been listening to Christmas music since November 1, and I will miss it when it stops in the next few days. I like the hype and excitement leading up to Christmas. I didn't decorate this year. After the kitchen renovation, I was not up to moving another piece of furniture. The good thing is, now I don't have to take it all down!
This weekend we're going to my cousin's daughter's wedding, and the following weekend I'm going to a baby shower, both fun things.
And 2018 is almost history!
Rainy and dreary, but at least it's not snow! It's in the 40's today, not typical mid December weather.
We're loving the redesigned kitchen! The last pieces of trim went in this week, and we're waiting to hear from Lowe's about picking up materials not used so we can get the money back for them. Four months for a six week renovation! As my brother Mike said, he could have built me a whole house in that time! Lowe's Sicklerville kitchen department sucks.
I saw these hats when I was at Manda's, and had to buy them for Eddie and Julie! They of course loved them!
I knew I wanted an instant pot. Steph got one from us last Christmas, at her request, and Manda got one on prime day. Manda taught me how to use it when I was at her house, so I ordered it Cyber Monday. I did the water test, then my first project was the cheesecake, which was fabulous! I googled instant pot cheesecake, and it gave me cheesecake #17 on a blog. It was not hard, and it was so good!
Heather gave Ed a 51st birthday party. Everyone brought something, and it was all wonderful. My contribution was a crockpot full of kielbasi and sauerkraut, and I put a pack of hot dogs in at the end, which made the kids at the party happy.
While in Washington, we went to Snohomish on Black Friday to do some shopping. The girls got matching hats, and got Heather one. It's a cute little town with lots of little stores.
Amanda made Amary and Garrett matching pj's. It's hard to believe she's only been sewing for a year!
Amanda made Amary an adorable dress to go see Santa. Garrett looks like he was being a fireman. He's such a picture of Ralph at that age!
While I was putting things away, I came across a marble rolling pin that I'd forgotten about. I showed it to Heather, who said Julie has been telling her they need one. So it went to a good home!
And that's us, up to date!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went to Amanda and Ben's house, near Seattle. The weather was terrible on Thanksgiving day. Steph and Dan's usual four hour trip to Manda's took them six hours, due to heavy rain, heavy traffic, and accidents. I didn't even take any pix that day! Manda worked very hard over a few days and made a wonderful feast for twelve!
Amary is getting so tall! Heather sent her this shirt that was Julianna's, thinking it would be too big, but since I was going anyway, she sent it. It's roomy, but she'll probably get two years out of it.
Squeaky is a blue eyed demon! She likes toes! I told her that I was cheating on Sly with her- she wasn't impressed.
Amanda, Amary and Garrett decorated a gingerbread turkey! Amanda had to insist that they not eat the pieces until the turkey was completed.
I came home Saturday. The flight was wonderful, very smooth, and the middle seat in my row was empty so I could spread out a bit. As we landed in Philly it started to rain, and poured for several hours. Tina looked so sad that I sat in Ralph's chair and she sat with me for about ten minutes, which is a first. He'll be home very shortly, and she'll be so happy! Sly jumps on my lap every time I sit down!
It was such a nice week at Manda's, but it's also nice to sleep in my own bed.
Welcome to November! And the kitchen still is not totally done! Almost, but not quite. We're missing a couple of pieces of trim, and that should be it. But we're using it, and loving it, and the trim is ordered.
It's looking so good! Right now I have the crockpot going, with kielbasi and sauerkraut in it.
I also inventoried the cabinets and freezer, so I have an idea of what I have! It's been so long, that I wasn't sure.
Of course, Sly pix! He's so clingy anymore, always wants to be on my lap.
The new kitchen set is great! It's round, with a leaf to make it oval. The bar stools will match, just higher.
And Winter Impressions just needs the backstitching, and I need the mojo to finish it!
We're spending Thanksgiving with Amanda, Ben, Amary, Garrett, Stephanie and Dan! Not looking forward to the plane ride, but eager to see them all. Heather and Ed are hosting his parents.
And it's cold! A freeze last night! I guess summer is finally over! Flannel sheet time!
Last week when we got the rain from the hurricane, we went from using the AC one day, to fall the next! And we went to turn the heat on this weekend, only to find that the new thermostat only had setting for cool and off! Called the HVAC company, who came right out. It was a setting that hadn't been enabled by the crew who installed the thermostat. We've actually been running the heat due to pressure from the cats.
I need another pic, this is done except for the (boring) backstitching.
I was up in the middle of the night, didn't see Tina, sat down at the computer, and she moved and startled me. Wacky cat, she's on the corner of the computer desk, tucked away in the back.
New kitchen set comes this afternoon! Bar stools are ordered, will match the chairs. The table collapses down to a round one, and the leaf is self storing!
The countertop people will be here this morning to make a template! And the countertop will be installed in two weeks! The project manager is ordering a piece of trim for above the range hood, below the cabinet. They couldn't attach the range hood because of where the vent is.
The corner cabinet that was ordered wrong couldn't be sent back because it had been installed, so we repurposed it! The toe kicks have been ordered, and the trim has to be installed. It'll either be where the microwave lives, or where the keurig lives, we haven't decided yet.
Cruises! We booked them! In June, Ralph and I are going from Vancouver to Whittier Alaska on the Coral Princess! And since he won't fly, we're staying on board and cruising back to Vancouver! And yesterday we booked the Norwegian Gem for October, from Quebec to Boston! Steph and Dan are doing that cruise with us. So three weeks of cruises for us next year!
Soon I'll be able to put my kitchen back in the kitchen, and cook again! Soup, I want to make soup!
It was hot, hot, hot, and suddenly it was cool! It's so nice to sleep with the windows open and being snuggled under a quilt!
Steph was here for a few days after being in meetings. She helped Heather out at a craft fair in Clementon before flying home. It was great to see her! She spend one night here, then relocated to Heather's for some sister time.
September was also Ralph and Eddie's birthdays. How did Eddie get to be 15 already! I only have about a quarter inch on him now!
Winter Impressions is moving right along! I stress cross stitch!
It's deja vu all over again. The replacement cabinets have arrived. I had enough of getting no info from Lowe's, so I made a time line based on my notes and texts. I contacted the store mgr, who referred me to the sales mgr. who's name is Ed. I faxed Ed my time line, and he has shared it with Lowe's management. As of Friday, it was 7 weeks since the original start date for the project, and it's no where near done. I'm totally out of patience. Every time the ball has been dropped, it's been by Lowe's. The contractor can't do the job without materials! I'm tired of having my kitchen stuff strewn all over the house! I'm tired of not cooking! It's fall, and I want to make soup!
Now the flooring is in and the replacement cabinets are here, we'll see how this week goes.
