Pick Up Sticks

In Memory

Usually I knit quite a few gifts for Christmas.  This year I made a decision to concentrate on only 3 gifts - and I had some disappointed people - my niece for one.  I asked her on New Year's if she noticed there were no handknits...and she stated "But of course...."

My decision was so I could make gifts in memory of my grandmother who passed away this summer after years in a nursing home with Alzheimer's.  She was the person who taught me to knit as a child and because of this I feel like I have her with me everyday...as I knit every day.  Unfortunately she did not really know this as I only took up knitting again in the past 6 years or so.  For the past 8 years she did not know any of us...lost in her world of Alzheimer's.

I decided to knit my dad and his two sisters gifts in her memory...of their mother.  My aunts were easy as I decided to make scarves - an Irish Hiking scarf for one and a Feather and Fan for another...both in lovely blue wools...the color of my grandmother's eyes.  My dad was harder...he lives in the south and doesn't really have the need for too many handknits.  My mom talked me into a vest...one he could wear golfing on cooler days.  I found a yarn that is a wool blend that was lovely to knit with. 

We celebrated Christmas early with my parents and when he opened up his gift and read the note I enclosed - about it being in memory of his mother - he got up and ran from the room.  I knew he was teary eyed...but he surprised me by coming back into the room proudly wearing the new vest...with a huge smile on his face.  He loved it!  And it fit perfectly!

I haven't sent off the scarves yet...I just haven't made it to the post office when it was open...but hopefully my aunts will be pleased with their presents as well.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

We had a successful Christmas eve dinner...filled with the traditional foods of our Ukranian heritage.  My husband and I are both part Ukranian and we blend our own traditional foods with our own.  This included homemade pierogies.  We haven't made them homemade in about 5 years - since before my sister got sick.  Weds. we made about 5 dozen in a team effort - our son peeled the potatoes, hubby mashed them, I made to dough and rolled it and made the pierogies and hubby cooked them and cleaned up.  We always open a bottle of wine and make a huge mess in the kitchen.

Last night we ate them...so good!

This morning we were up early and exchanged presents.  Lots of laughs and fun and thoughtful presents.  Our crazy little dog loves to open presents - really!  We have to keep him away from the pile or he would open them all himself...it is too funny!

I have to assemble two gift bags to take along today - filled with wine, homemade pesto and sweet and spicy almonds.  As long as the weather holds up - they are calling for freezing rain today - we are headed to my BIL's house.  It will be a fun day filled with family and good food!  My husband's family is so much fun!

So Merry Christmas to All!

Fabulous Weekend

I had one of my most enjoyable weekends ever!  We had a houseful of people - and celebrated Christmas with my side of the family.  There was lots of fun, good food, wonderful presents, lots of snow and a house filled with family...what more can you ask for.

Sunday we woke up to a spectacular winter day - bright sunshine, cold brisk weather and a winter wonderland - the storm on Saturday left us with 10 inches of snow.  Everything was bright and clean looking.  We were supposed to drive an hour south to see our son but they had 16 inches of snow and weren't sure we could make it to their house.  They have an SUV and braved the roads and came to us instead.  So we had a houseful...including three dogs.

My parents aren't use to such chaos...especially the dogs...but they were relatively behaved...only one brief stint with the tree sliding precariously...but in the end no damage!

As the day progressed my cousin/god-daughter made it in from Vermont.  Despite seeing lots of snow along the way she found the roads clear.  Then three of my nephews rolled in...they were on the last leg of a cross country road trip...from California...in a Mustang...not sure how they all fit.  But we had a great - but short visit.  They are great kids...not really kids now...but they will always seem that way.

Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow.....

I Love Snow!!!!  Looks like we may have a white Christmas after all.

This is the weekend we are celebrating Christmas with my parents.  We have always had Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas with my hubby's family...it just always worked out that way....for a variety of reasons.

So my parents drove up from NC to spend a long weekend with us.  They left high 60 degree weather...and are going to share a very snowy weekend with us!  We are expecting any where from 6-12 inches depending on how the storm hits.  We were all going to drive to our son and DIL's house today to exchange presents...not going to happen...unless it miraculously stops snowing and the storm shifts east.

This isn't a bad thing...it will be a relaxing day with some cookie baking and some board games...maybe a movie.  Mom mentioned that she wasn't planning on doing any cookie baking at home and my dad was fine with that (they are both watching what they eat) but that he would miss his snowball cookies...also know as russian tea cakes.  I plan on making a batch for him today!  I just checked and I have all the ingredients.  I don't bake that many cookies any more...I am trying to watch what I eat and my family really only eats the chocolate chip ones and the peanut blossoms.  My son and I were planning on doing some baking on Monday.

My goddaughter is supposed to be coming from Vermont tomorrow...she has an interview at Hershey Med for a Pathology residency on Monday...her trip should be interesting....

But for now I am up early on this Saturday morning and watching the snow fall...we have about 2 inches already...let it snow...let it snow...let it snow.....

Christmas Pictures

I thought I'd post some pictures from Christmas - from home and at my BIL's.

This picture is fom my BIL's house in VA.  It is my parents with their grandkids.  My two sons are in the middle and on the right along with my DIL.  The two on the left are my sister's children.

Next is a picture of our tree.  This is my favorite Christmas tree we've ever had.  It is a Frasier and fits perfectly in our tiny living room. I bought a new tree skirt this year and really like it.  It is very simple - red felt with a white scalloped border and appliqued snowflakes.  You'll also notice a stuffed elephant under the tree.  Our dog kept putting this raggedy toy under the tree.

Our dog also helped open every present on Christmas day as well as all his own.  His favorite toy was a stuffed santa which he sleeps on like a pillow.

The cutie pie is my hubby!

Dallas the dog opening presents.

It was a quiet Christmas morning since only three of us were home - our first without our oldest son.  Here is our youngest opening his presents. He's wrapped in his favorite present from his girlfriend - a University of DE fleece blanket she made.

Merry Christmas

We have always celebrated Christmas with my family either a little before Christmas or a little after.  For me, it's not about the day as much as it is spending time with family.  Today was our day to celebrate Christmas.

We all met up in VA at the home of my brother-in-law. My parents drove up from NC and we came from PA - all of us my hubby youngest son older son and daughter-in-law.  And celebrate Christmas we did - with love and hugs and presents and laughs.  It was great to be together - as we don't all get together often enough.  My niece and nephew were there - they've grown so much since the summer - so tall.

And after our celebration we all drove to the cemetery.  Today was the day of another celebration - the celebration of my sister Lynn's life.  This is the first Christmas without her.  She passed away Jan.31.  We held a memorial service at that time.  But her ashes were not placed in the cemetery until today.  It took this long to get everything settled.  So after our morning of family celebration we met in the cemetery and held a small family service.  It was bittersweet - to say good bye again on a day of celebration.  At first I was upset that we would combine these two events into one day - they seemed at such odds to one another.  But as my brother-in-law said - she would want us to continue to grow as a family and continue our traditions.  So we met in the rain and held one another and cried one more time - for our loss - my beautiful sister who lost her battle with lung cancer at 41.

I will always remember today - seeing my 18 year old son racked with emotion and laying a kiss on the tiny plaque with her name - devoted mother, wife, daughter and sister - and whispering good bye - I love you Aunt Lynn.  Almost too much for me to handle.

So goodbye once more - Merry Christmas Lynn - we love you and miss you!

(This picture was taken 3 years ago - the last Christmas that my sister was healthy.  She is with her children - Jon and Allie)