60

Today is Tom's BD and he is 60. I have been 60 since back in October, so now we are even again being the same age - that makes me feel better. I don't want to be 60 alone!! Now that were at this age it doesn't really seem that old to me. As I was trying to decide what to say here today I just kept thinking back all those years ago - say like 16 when we started dating, 20 when we got married, 20s and 30s when we had kids, 30s and 40s when we were farming, 50s when he got his own horse, etc. I think he will agree with me that we have had a pretty good life and most of it would not do over. So here is to the next years of our life together and hopefully many more birthday celebrations. Love you!!

P.S. I will be back with pictures of the cheese cake I'm making for tonight. Mine are usually out of a box, but not this one. You have to have something special for 60.

January

Even though we are in the thick of Winter - the calendar could slow down a bit - don't you think. Seems like we were just beginning a new year and now we have almost 1 month under our belts.

I did manage to finish my orange socks - Yeah!! Not perfect - a little big- maybe they will shrink - but now I have a pair of my own. Besides I had to get that last sock done - I needed the needles to start another pair that will hopefully fit better.

Tom got a new horse last weekend. We still have Cooper but he was really in need of a friend to share his days with. He was literally chewing down our barn - no kidding. This seems to have done the trick. I would like you all to meet Zoe. So far they seem to be getting along just fine and most of the chewing has stopped. Although Tom did put up some metal strips across the spots that he seemed to like the best. She is 6 years old and a breeding stock Paint mare - which basically means she is a Paint horse without color. Besides working and knitting I have been doing some baking and trying out some new recipes. The cinnamon rolls are from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook. You can also gets this off of her blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. They are so good!! A little bit of work to start with but 1 recipe makes between 30 and 40 rolls depending on how you cut them. I tried to freeze some - which were still just as good as the original baking - but they still only lasted a few days.

We are in for more cold weather starting from today through the weekend - so stay warm and enjoy these last days of January. See you in February!!

Finished, started, Ah Ha moment and of course - snow!

Looking at the calendar - were almost to the middle of the month - seems like we just started this year a day or 2 ago.

Finished - Below is a wool heart that is stuffed, attached to a candlestick holder with a bow tied around it - finished just in time for Valentine's day. Took me awhile to get motivated on this one - but at long last it is done. Started - A pair of socks for Tom - hopefully they will be done before the cold weather is over.

Ah Ha moment!! I finally figured out a heel for a sock that I could do and was so simple it had me questioning why have I been messing around with all those other heels?? I have heard its not a heel that is going to last a long, long time - but really who cares. At the rate I was going there would not even be a pair of socks for a long, long time. I see more socks in my future.

Just had to show you some snow - but also there is sunshine - that blinding sort of winter sunshine and the temperature is on the rise. The weatherman is calling it the January thaw - really I am hoping it continues right through February and March.

Enjoy your day....

First Days of 2010

It is just the first few days into January and already I think cabin fever is setting in around here.
Everyday its snows, most of the day. It is just that light fluffy kind of snow so it accumulates just enough that Tom has to plow the drive out every evening after he gets home. Marley is ready to run for the back field every time we get out - but so far this week we have only made it to the mailbox. It was 25 today - amazing how much warmer that was compared to 7 degrees on Sunday.

Even Tom's horse Cooper is bored. Lets just say yesterday he managed to get the door open to Tom's shop and had a good time exploring farm equipment and checking out the work Tom is doing on the tractor. Tom was left cleaning up the shop - at least he didn't have to clean the stall to - all the manure was in the shop. This is the furtherest he has been out all week.

I have been keeping busy doing little things that need to be done in the house. Today I am tackling my office, knitting room, craft room and whatever else gets dumped in that room. I have my work cut out for me.

Just remember - Spring is right around the corner!!

Before a new year starts

I took this picture the other day as we were seeing the most significant snowfall for this season so far. It didn't amount to much - an inch or 2, but it was pretty - if you don't have to go out in it. Even though winter just started I keep thinking spring isn't far off!!
Before the last day of the year I wanted to get in these 2 pictures from Christmas Eve. That is Jessica below showing off some of her new clothes.

Here's Tyler with probably the most appreciated present of the year - a BB gun. He is definitely his Dad's boy, loves the outdoors, always wanting to go hunting. Todd and Kris came before it got dark on Christmas Eve so there was some early present opening and a trip outside to try out the BB gun (not before BB's were spilled all over the kitchen floor though). From what I hear they have already run out of the BB's we gave him and were going to town to get the biggest box they could. Its so good when someone is so excited about something you give - don't you agree??

Christmas Eve day we spent visiting the neighbors as we all exchange homemade gifts - cookies and candy, one neighbor makes bread for all of us. All the fingerless mitts were most appreciated but one of the guys wanted to know where his were? I said next year I'll knit for the guys. I think I've got my work cut out for me.

Hope you have all enjoyed this week between the holidays and I'm wishing you a happy and healthy New Year.

I'll be back next year!!

Enjoying the days...

These last fews weeks I have been -- taking lots of walks through the snow and the woods...

making chocolate covered pretzels... (Notice the neat quilt talbe topper - that was my Christmas gift from Sara and her family. I am so enjoying it.)

walking through the snow covered fields...

knitting fingerless mitts for my neighbors (just one more pair to finish)...

decorating the tree.. (Just a little one this year - so much easier)

baking Tom's favorite cookies... (which will probably be gone tonight)

and hoping to get some of this in...

From my family to yours - Merry Christmas!!!

Thanksgiving 2009

I know - its December. I just couldn't let all the pictures that I took on Thanksgiving go to waste and not post them. Monday and Tuesday were those nightmare type days at work. In a nut shell - our boss went on vacation, quit, forgot to tell us that there were new changes to the system and if you did not upload a different program you would get "No work available," forgot to send out the instructions, lots of other things she forgot to mention before she left for her new job - or maybe just decided not to tell us. Starting last week Friday there was No Work Available every time you logged in. This went on until Tuesday when someone figured out that 100 people from our group were not typing and there was work. Then it was a mad scramble to get things downloaded - which were not working an finally by 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday I was back to work. Things seem to be getting back to normal but I did see that even yesterday some people were still not working.

Our Thanksgiving was a really great day though - a memorable one.
There was crafting of these cut gingerbread dolls. Todd's Mom brought this with her and while the guys watched football the making of these went on.

There was a lot of sampling the frosting and candy - have to make sure it tastes good before you put it permanently on that cookie.

Lots of eating.

People riding 4 wheelers (Matt and Ashley)

Lots of snacking before dinner was ready, and--

A nice long walk for me and Marley at the park. As you can see it was a gorgeous day, sunny and actually not very cold.

Today is a different story though - nice and sunny but not even 30 yet. Marley and I are off for a walk - if we can get across the creek with all the rain we have had. We are taking an alternate route today to get to the back fields. Hopefully she won't need a bath when we get back.

I will be back this weekend. I have lots of finished things to show you. I tried to take a picture of the vest that Kris made me but wasn't having much luck getting the perfect picture. This vest is way to nice for a crappy picture.

See you later........