HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND REMINISCING

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted.  I have some explaining to do!  I took a trip to Florida to get together with some of my cousins, the oldest of which just turned 91.  There were 5 of us and we spent about 5 days talking and reminiscing non-stop!!

Which brings me to the first picture, which is of me and my older brother on a horse named Red at our great-uncle's farm in Minnesota circa 1950.  This picture displays something that the 5 of us cousins had in common as an important remembrance of our childhood.  I grew up in the Chicago area, but in 1950 my grandmother's brothers & sisters were just about all farming in Minnesota and we loved to go there to visit.

The first day of the cousins' visit we went to see the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse.

A couple days later we went to the Jupiter Lighthouse.

Cousins at the Jupiter lighthouse

The cousin missing in the Jupiter picture is shown with me below.  We were 2 weeks apart in age, so we were very close as children.  We are in Jupiter and that is the Atlantic Ocean behind us.

After my wonderful visit with cousins, I traveled to Pensacola to visit DS, DIL and DGD Abby.  They now have 15 chickens and Abby loves them.  It was great to have some quality time with Abby!

She will be 10 in December and is into all things girly and blingy!  She loves to polish her fingernails, so we did that one day.

We saw these ducklings on our way to the fabric store one day and had to stop to get some pictures.

A & E Fabric Store in Pensacola, Florida is wonderful!  I went there a few times - it's only about a mile from my son's home.

They have several orange trees in their yard as well as a huge grapefruit tree, so DS is picking some oranges for us to bring home.

We had our Christmas gift exchange and I gave Abby her quilt.

I visited the Pensacola Light House at the Naval Air Station with my DIL and Abby.  Oh, and BTW, I climbed to the top of all three lighthouses!

Since I came home, I have been getting ready for 3 craft shows.  After they are over, I will be getting ready for Christmas, as all of you will be doing.  Our 3rd son and his family will be coming to Oregon for Christmas - for the first time!  We are excited to show them where we live, etc.

Now I better get back to cooking for our Thanksgiving dinner.  We do have so much to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to your and your families!

COUSINS AND SOME PROJECTS WORKED ON

 Saturday was a very busy day.  DS#3/DIL were scheduled to run in a marathon, but since Eli was sick, only DS ran.  Jonah stayed with us for the day and Abby, her Mom, Jonah and I went to a local park where the kids had a blast.  They literally ran the whole time the were there (just about).  Four year olds seem to have unending energy!

A snack to replenish the energy!

Walking to the car together.

 Jonah spent the night in our camper and played with some toys that he hadn't seen before, such as the marble maze below.  That has always been a real hit with the grandkids!  You put the marble in the top and it rolls down through all the curves, bridges and bumps to the bottom.

Uncle Sam is always fun too.  You put your penny in Uncle Sam's hand and when you press the button, Uncle Sam's hand drops the penny in his satchel.  In this bank, you can retrieve the pennies to do it all over again.  It's a heavy metal replica of an antique toy/bank.
 

Pressing the button for Uncle Sam.

 I have been sewing every day.  Some things I'm not showing on this blog, so it doesn't seem like much.  I was able to finish this panel from the Winter Wonderland pattern.  Two panels down and one to go, then they will get set into a quilted wall hanging.

Close-up of the left side.

Close-up of the right side.

I worked on the appliqué pieces for this wall hanging, which I am making two of, and had hoped to get them all ironed on, but decided I better wait until I get home to iron them on the background because the iron I have in the camper has some gunk stuck on it and I don't have a pressing cloth with me.  All the pieces are ready, though and they will be machine appliquéd when I get around to it.  The wall hanging was so cute when I saw it at the LQS that I just couldn't resist!

We will be back home in about a week.  Yea!!  We're ready to get back to normal living again.  I think I'll work on a UFO list and maybe set some goals for 2013.  I'm afraid it will be a long list!