Pre-Advent Catch-up!

I guess we're due for a little update!  I wonder if I can keep up this blog (not that I really do, but at all!)

Remember the peg doll exchange I joined?  I volunteered to do the "purple wiseman".  I wanted him to look oriental ("from the East") and I wanted him to be ornate as possible (for a wooden peg doll).  Of course, my imagination usually outstrips my talents.  But I did manage a pretty jewel on the turban.

And I had some glitter glue for the turban and cloak, which was given a layer of mod podge along with the rest of the doll.

The way it worked was we made 10, and then at the exchange kept one of our own and got 9 other pieces to the set.

Wanna see them?

I'm pretty in love with the angels!

I'm a little mad at myself for not painting a GIFT like the other two wise men thought to do!  I had actually hoped to find a little chunk of gold rock to super glue to the doll, but hadn't gotten that done.

Anyway, it's been fun to look at pre-Advent without my other nativity sets out yet.

-2-

As Thanksgiving approached I knew my husband had a little hankering to head to his home land...  

I think it had been a good 4-5 years since we last had Thanksgiving with my in-laws.  It might have been longer than that!  But there was one week of a break before the basketball season began, the weather looked good, so we decided to try. 

The night before we were supposed to leave, Legolas came down with a bad fever.  My husband was up all night with him and we couldn't leave.  Everyone was in tears (well, the kids).  But that day Legolas woke up feeling much better and as the day progressed, it seemed that the illness was a short one.  We kept open the possibility of going if no one else got sick that night.  The next morning, all seemed well.  Everyone still wanted to give it a try, even though we'd be a day shorter for our visit.

We were off!

I texted this picture to my Mother-in-Law to tell her we were on our way!

First pit stop: cones at Burger King!

My kids have such a great attitude towards traveling.  It is sort of like tagging along with a traveling circus.  They make it easy.

balloons from a dinner at "Red Robin" on the trip home

So, here's a random photo dump to give you an idea of the trip!

My husband always comments on the layers you can see in the rocks...his original plan was to be a geologist.  

A duet on Gramz's amazing grand piano:

Have you ever run into someone from the Southwest who complains of feeling claustrophobic in the Midwest with all of our trees?

That's because it's ALL about the SKY out there!

I bought this Christmas cactus with my Mother-in-Law probably 7 years ago.  She feeds it for me when I'm gone.  I am pretty much in love.  It's huge!

 In the one week we were there, we landed no less than THREE family birthdays and the birth of a great-grandson on Thanksgiving Day!!

So, we had cake

Cake,

Eowyn celebrated her 4th birthday the Monday before Thanksgiving, my little turkey!

And more cake (and pies)



We headed home on Sunday morning.

Thankfully we had wonderful weather and safe travels!

It was such a joyful visit and I miss my in-laws already.  But...there really is something to being HOME!  

 I got to see these little friends again!  Must have twins in your life!  I'm positively daffy over my niece and nephew.  I should probably dial it back...but I don't really see why.

 And this little guy had been taken care of by my long-suffering mother, dear woman!  Nothing like house sitting a turtle in your spare time!  They're kindof a pain because their lights need to be turned on in the morning and off at night, so, I was grateful!

And finally, the St. Andrew Novena began!! I think this must be my very favorite time of year!