Boots and Family Joy

 It's a snowy "boot day" today!  I like my boots.

 Here!  Have a handful!

 I have to point out the drawer of hand knit winter wear to Bill.  He always remembers a mitten I made years ago that was fit for a giant.  He thinks it's funny. 

 There is soup in the crockpot today.  I accidentally bought shredded carrots and I think there might be too many green beans in the pot.  Oh well.

 We had a lot of fun last night at Advent and Appetizers.  The food was a hit.  Yay.  Now, what should we have next week.  Any ideas?

 Our Brad in far away Ft. Collins hung fairy lights!  He's an elf!

 They had their own advent last night.  Doesn't the hot chocolate look delicious?

 Here they are gathered around their table!  Aw!  I miss them.

 Christie noticed that James is holding his mitten instead of wearing it.  Little Bear!

 I saved you a cookie or two.

 James wanted to help Grampy play carols.

 Here's Bootsie Birdie!

 And Sam and her sweet daddy!

 Plum Cake liked putting sprinkles on cookies.  She was very careful and did not dump the whole container at once.  Progress!

The last day of November.  Millie Rose is turning 5 on Thursday so we'll have a pizza dinner here to celebrate!
If I was the sledding sort I'd go sledding today.  It's white and gorgeous outside.
Thank you for popping in to check on me.  

Pause in Advent: Advent and Appetizers

 Tonight the local kids and grands are coming over for our first 2015 "Advent and Appetizers".  Bill will play the guitar and the grands will dance and jump.  We'll read from God's Word.  We'll eat turkey and beef on cocktail rolls, cheese dip, veggies, and cookies. We'll be off to a good start and the season will begin to roll pleasantly along.  (This is the hope and the first Sunday in advent is all about hope.)

 It seems as if the Christmas baubles have multiplied in the box over the past year.  I'm halfway through the decorating.  

 Greens are pricey but worth it.  The scent is Christmas.

 We use the same advent wreath my family used when I was growing up.  I do not know how I managed to inherit it because I know my four siblings loved advent, too.  
Holy, holy, holy.  

Pause in Advent was started by Floss from France and Angela from Tracing Rainbows is carrying it on.  It's one of the very sweet highlights of the blogging year.  The people are so good, so dear, so thoughtful.  Click over if you have time!  
(BIG ADVENT HUG!)

(In the crockpot is a tasty appetizer:  hotdogs cut into four pieces, bacon wrapped around each piece and secured with a toothpick, a bag of brown sugar poured over all.  All day on low.  I know they are super unhealthy but irresistibly delicious!)

Gravy for Breakfast

 The morning before the feast I had intended to bake and clean, but instead I spent and hour or two with these cutie pies.  Kelli was busy getting ready to go to the mountains and she and Bryan picked them up on their way out of town.  We zipped through the donut store drive-thru with plans to accompany our treats with hot chocolate.  The donut store was out of almost all the pretty donuts.  After hearing, "We're out of those, too!" so many times I asked, "Do you have ANY donuts?"  They had some.  Is that weird to YOU? No donuts at a store with DONUT in the name?  After our second breakfast we walked up to the park.  Don't you love the look on Miss Bug's face?  Pure glee! When I was pushing Millie Rose on the swing she threw her head back and bonked my head so hard I had to "have a moment" to sort through the pain.  Right in the sinus.  Ouch!  Miss Bug asked, "Do we need to go home?"  We didn't but I have a tender bump above my eyebrow.  

 Pie baking (only 2 and some soft rolls) took a long time.  It does.  My first pastry attempt was sorry indeed.  No more shortening for me.  When I used butter and ice water for the apple pie the pastry turned out perfectly.  All my flub ups are hidden under the pumpkin custard.  

 I forgot to tell everyone to eat slowly.  Our children's spouses ate slowly anyway.  Thank you.

 The dressing/stuffing was horrible.  I made it in the crockpot and I did follow directions but I think I should have put in more bread cubes.  I drowned it in gravy but it was very sub par.  We ate the meal, Bill cleaned up, we had pie.  It goes so quickly, this feasting.  I am not sure I want to do it the same way at Christmas.  I am putting on my thinking cap and hoping for a revelation.  My friend Kim (Field of Dreams) served hamburgers last Christmas.  Now, she does live in California where it is warmer, but I think hamburgers are a good idea.  Don't tell the kids.  We'll see.

 Here is the Dottie Angel pattern and my fabric.  Tif (Dottie Angel) calls it a frock.  I don't really wear a lot of harvest shades, so mine is going to be blue.  I will not wear ankle boots or mid-length leggings and slouchy socks with mine.  I have some blue linen wide-legged pants that I will wear under my Dottie dress.  

 Last night when Bill and I had said good bye to our two youngest kids and their families, I watched White Christmas.  I kept remembering the first time I watched it with our Brad.  He thought Danny Kaye was so funny!  Aw.  It's so sweet and the time period is so jazzy with all that nightclub action and fancy clothing.  The inn in Vermont is lovely.  Today I watched The Family Man.  Again, it's the house and family living that I like about this favorite.  Next up, While You Were Sleeping, You've Got Mail, The Holiday, and Elf.
I didn't think I savored my gravy enough yesterday so I had potatoes and gravy (and sparkling cider) for breakfast.  Tasty.

I'll be back for Pause in Advent on Sunday.  I was recovering today, so I hope that I feel very elfish tomorrow.  I think I'll put up our old tree anyway.  I think it I spend enough time bending the branches to look less crunched it'll be okay.  
More than festive, I want this December to be holy and rich with learning.  I have a lot to learn about the baby in the manger. There's always more to learn.  
I hope this Friday finds you well.  I'll be back on Sunday.  

Today's Yarn Doings and Lovely Books

 I am still working on the little golden triangle.  I finished Bill's beanie and have clicked a few rows on my vest.  

 I'm reading a few books at once again.  This book is well-written, but for me it lacks some punch.  Are you picky about depth when you read?  I wanted this book to ooze "cozy" and I guess my cozy standards are getting a bit too demanding.  Doesn't it have a lovely cover?  

 I gave Bill this book for his birthday and I thought he'd just look through the pictures because he's read the Harry Potters so many times, but he's really savoring the illustrations and rereading it.  

 I want perfect pies.  Sometimes my pastry turns out borderline ugly.  I'm going to make the turkey stuffing in my crockpot.  

I will show you the Dottie Angel pattern on Friday.  Many of you asked about it.  Dottie Angel is a super blogger and she's on Instagram, too.  She's very clever and artsy.  I've been sewing since I was a pup and I learned the old fashioned way, so the instructions are not completely agreeable to me, but I might just line the torso part instead of fiddling around with bias tape.  I like Dottie Angel's gutsy bravery and her style is funky and fun.

I have one piece of unasked for advice for all Thanksgiving merry makers:  Eat very slow.  Savor the flavors and dwell in great thankfulness.

Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm joining Ginny for today's Yarn Along.
Thank you very much for looking in on me today!

Back With Gusto

(Please pop over to Lisa's!  Mr. Badger is on the move again!)

 My bloggy break has come to an end!  Yay!  It was a good discipline for me to spend less time clicking and typing.  I missed this space and I missed all my favorite spaces, too. I did write on real paper and read real books, so that's sorted for now.  Ha!
It's been so pretty here in our neck of the woods!  Pink!    

 Last Tuesday we had a snow day.  The girls came over and we had a happy day together, drinking tea and enjoying each other's company.  

 James says, "On a sour scale of 0-10, I give this pickle an 8!"

 Guess what happened?  Bill got bitten BIG TIME by a flu bug ON HIS 60th birthday!  Can I get a round of "POOR BABY!"?  We all felt so bad for him.  He missed his party at Kelli's.  He is feeling better now but still has the head cold part of the nasty flu and a cough.  He did have the flu jab so NO FAIR!   Anyway, the girls came over and sang to him.  They didn't want to get too close (germs germs no returns).

We just had a two-day retreat with Bill's ministry people.  It is always life-giving.  The people are such a rich group of good souls.

Now, to prepare for Thanksgiving.  I bought a free range turkey that I'm hoping did not get treated badly.  I shall bake pies on Wednesday.  I am so looking forward to the potatoes and turkey gravy.  There is nothing as tasty as golden gravy.
I am all ready to sew my Dottie Angel dress.  I have the fabric and the notions.  I'll take a photo when I finish it.  Prepare for a glimpse of a nice round white haired granny.  I have a feeling that on ME, it might look like a fancy apron.  
Tomorrow is our Samantha's sixth birthday.  It is grandparents day at her school so we'll take her out for a birthday lunch before afternoon kindergarten and then enjoy her classroom. She'll show us around.
I hope you are feeling fine and enjoying a peaceful state of mind.  
God be with you, sweet visitor.