Sunday, December 31, 2023

Wine, Friends and more celebrations

 

Back in October I made some quilted post cards and I'm going to try to continue making them. Buying store bought cards is crazy expensive. I made this one for Pamela's future sister in law Sarah for her birthday. I have the fabric and I have the embellishments so why not make my own cards. A little more personal I think. I hope the recipients think so.  

Pamela and a few of her other nursing friends went to fredericksburg for the weekend. Some of the prettiest nurses I know.  She of course has many more but these nurses saved wine from a bottle one glass at a time.  LOL  Nurses deserve their R&R time for sure.    



Speaking of wine. (Dec 17)                                                                     David and I are club members at the Rising Sun Vineyards in McDade and it was time to pick up our wine. We asked John and Kelli to join us so they could try out another winery they'd never been too but first we went to have lunch at Southside Market in Elgin for some tasty BBQ.  It ended up being a beautiful day.

(Dec 21) We finally got to meet up with our friends Pam and Kevin in Georgetown. I was under the weather the last time we tried. We met at Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill for a bite to eat before walking the square and doing some shopping. A variety of choices and tasty. I got shrimp tacos. A little different from what I was expecting but the flavor was good. 

Once we filled our tummies we headed to the square and went in the shops. One of the shops had ladies actually doing handwork on a clients quilt top. For me it was fun to watch and talk with them. Of course the others kept on going around the shop. 

None of us actually bought anything until Pam found some red reading glasses but we were getting thirsty. So we continued around the square to stop at maybe Grape Creek Winery tasting room only it was stand outside which was misty and chilly or stand at the bar so walked a couple doors down and stopped in at the Black Sugar Caffe. They had sitting areas and a wide variety of drink options.  From Coffee, wine, beer and spiked coffee, frappes, beer..... you name it they seemed to have it. They also had pastries and other bites to eat. We found a comfy spot to sit and chat while sipping our drinks.  We decided to go try a winery outside of Georgetown. And we ended up in Liberty Hill at the Thirsty Mule, Schitz Creek Distillery & Brewry.  All on the same property.  It was a fun place and most of the decor was Mule related. LOL
Okay so I couldn't pass on a couple of T-shirts. I mean my 3x T-shirts are too big so I need to get the XL to fit me now right.... That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Of course I had to have one with the mule on it and the 2nd one is a favorite song that Pamela (daughter) like by Morgan Wallen. Silly but fun song.
 
We're so cute. Good Friends, Good Times.
We said our goodbyes after I got a final picture and went our separate ways to get home. It's always fun to see and hang out with Pam and Kevin.
Christmas Eve Kaleb and Pamela drove to Cypress to celebrate with Kaleb's family. And wait something is missing in this picture.... He trimmed most of his beard off. Wow. 


Christmas morning David, I and the pups got up and opened our presents and dug in our stockings. He got creative on wrapping this present.  He didn't want to waste the paper. LOL    The pups got bully sticks that they love and some soft chewy treats. Bruno wasted no time in enjoying his stick.
David got a new T-Shirt he saw on Facebook so I ordered it for him. 
 
I also found a ball cap that said "I'm always right. I'm Dave"

It's time to celebrate more Christmas and David's birthday. He's a Christmas baby.   This year Pamela & Kaleb hosted Christmas at their house with the twins, Kaleb's Mom and Dad and Kaleb's sister and her finance'.  This was Pamela's first time to do this so my presence was requested to help her cook and prep. By the time everyone got there the tree was loaded with presents.        Pamela made a cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip for crackers that was really tasty. And my friend Kelli sent a cheese log she made for Pamela to share.

Tori brought mashed potatoes, a southwest potato mix and another appetizer to share. I ate and it was good but the life of me I can't remember what was in it and I didn't get a picture. Ashley and Sarah brought sausage balls and I had broccoli, cheese and rice, plus Pamela asked for my dressing. She and Kaleb supplied the ham and rolls. And something got left in the fridge and I don't remember what it was.  Oh and Tori brought Oreo Cookie pie. OMG it was so good. She also brought bread pudding and I meant to ask if I could steal a piece to bring to eat the next day and forgot. Dang it.
Braxton was so ready to open presents and it was taking too long. Poor Killian started off his day not feeling well but he napped until dinner time and seemed to be feeling a tad better thank goodness.     Sarah (Kaleb's sister) and Ashley were the good little elves and passed out all the presents to everyone.
Tori and the girls were helping the boys open their presents as fast as they could

Before you knew all the presents were opened and the boys put Sarah to work putting some of the toys together. The boys were playing and checking out their new cool stuff.

We needed to leave and get home to feed our pups but before we did Kaleb and Pamela brought out Santa's big gift. The boys got new red bikes and helmets.             When I got home I realized I had left my apron and my Yeti water cup so I washed out my new cup from Pamela and Kaleb and put it to good use.
This side had my name and the other side had bluebonnets engraved on it. Pretty cool.
Well I believe I better stop. I'll finish off the year on my next post.
Until then... I hope everyone's Christmas was Merry and Bright.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Decorations & Celebrations

 

Well I planned on getting this post completed before Christmas but that didn't happen. So you're gonna be reading about what lead up to the big day. Since I was going to be hosting the book club at the house I wanted to get the tree up and the house decorated. Well I don't necessarily go all out in decorating but I do a little but I wanted to share some of our new tree decor. 
David saw this one on FB and so I went in and customized it and surprised him by ordering it.  I think it's perfect. LOL. I think the people are close to looking like us but the saying definitely works. 
One year while in Missouri visiting family we stopped in at Missouri Star Quilt Co. and Pamela bought me the sewing related Christmas ornaments and I got them on the tree this year.
  
I put my little red truck ornaments on my new lazy Susan
Then while in Fredericksburg David found a new Texas ornament and I found a tool chest ornament that reminded me of David.
 
Finished product with the tree skirt I made for our first Christmas together. Dang that skirt is 45 years old and it's still together. In the background you can see the stockings hung on the book shelf.  Our fire place mantel has the natural shape of the tree so it won't hold the normal stocking holders and I won't let David put hooks on the underside of it.
Saturday Dec 2 I drove into Houston for the WTS Book Club Meeting. I hadn't been or seen many of the ladies in almost a year. Their book was the The Christmas Book Store by Jenny Colgan.  It was about family reconnections and one sister finding herself by helping re-create an aging book store that was failing in business. And at the same time found love. She help the shop owner also overcome his past and learn more about his family.

 On Monday Dec 4th the Sassy Stitchers Quilt Bee I go to in Cameron held our Christmas celebration. We had pot luck and a white elephant gift exchange and some even did some sewing. Judy showed off her finished house quilt top.  Sew cute and colorful.
I snapped a few pictures of the various gifts and people involved. This tea towel was funny as you can see from Nancy's reaction.

We also went around the circle telling a story or a tradition around the holidays.


Tiffany's white elephant gift was Christmas decor and she told us how many of her decorations were destroyed by accident when they moved.  No one stole her happiness by stealing her white elephant gift. But unfortunately Lori wasn't so lucky with her white elephant gift. I stole it. The rug is now in front of my kitchen sink.
 
Thursday Dec 14th rolled around and it was time for the G3 (aka Gause Girl Guild Book Club). We had pot luck and enough food to feed an army. Everyone brought something. And some brought gifts to share with everyone. 
Our book up for discussion was The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais. We didn't much discussing done to be honest. We had too much fun laughing and talking. Plus a white elephant gift exchange. Such a fun group of ladies.
The Monkey's Raincoat is about an LA private detective Elvis Coe who was hired to find Ellen Lang's missing husband who had taken their son. Only he didn't take the son and there was more to the story than she ever thought possible.  Not a bad book but Elvis was very confident in himself. Not totally a bad thing.

Kerry and everyone just learned that the Gnome could grow tall. I bought one for the sewing bee white elephant too. I should have bought one for myself. Oh well maybe next year.  
Gifts from everyone and my white elephant gift the succulent planter. We also collected books to give to a local Nursing Home and Rehab to help refresh their resident library. Maybe a tradition for G3?...
 
Such a fun evening. One year anniversary done and we're ready for another year of reading.
Pamela has finally finished asking the girls to be her bridesmaids. Only two of them actually lived in Bryan/College Station area so getting the task completed took some planning but everyone said Yes.
  

 
Kaleb is almost done. I believe he has one more guy to ask. He'll get it done soon. A picture of Nick is MIA but here's the pictures we have so far.
 
He asked his sister to stand on his side and she said sure thing.

Of course capturing a picture isn't always easy when Kaleb is involved. LOL.  But he's learning pictures are mine and Pamela's thing. Poor guy he doesn't have a chance in escaping.

5 YEARS gone by.                       It's hard to imagine but on December 21st, 2018 I said Goodbye to Cyfair ISD and my friends/co-workers. Retirement at last. And the next day the moving van showed up and moved our debris to the Rock'n K.
 
I've changed and the Rock'n K has changed.
This 'Rock'n K" was made by my friend Sheryl's son Aaron.   We've gone from raw land with only a barn that we added what I called the mini mansion thinking we'd stay in it while the house was built. David stayed in it a couple of times.
We did our version of the American Gothic picture 
We added cows and a donkey that we named Jerry.
Ground was broke, then the foundation was poured weeks later before sunrise.
Up goes the house More fencing and penning area..
We have seen many a beautiful sunsets that buildings obscured in the city
and nights on the patio with a fire and maybe even an adult drink.
We've experienced wildlife of all kinds but this is the cutest. And our babies have made new friends of a different kind from themselves.
The sidewalk entrance and parking area has changed even more than these pictures. Crepe Myrtles are taller than the Welcome sign.
From no landscaping to landscaping and a growing landscape. All thanks to the hard work of David. He works in the 106 degree weather to get it done.
Even since this picture the Belinda's dream roses have been blooming like crazy.
Home sweet home. What will the next 5 years bring....
That's it for now.

Until next blog...May the Good Lord fulfill you with His promises and bestow on you His many blessings