Waiting

for the new year. 

Gary is blowing a horn to practice.

We just got a text from the Dan, and they are a couple of hours from home.  There were many kindnesses extended to them in their stay in Rifle.  A man at the car rental place gave them $50 dollars because he wanted to.  Misty tried to say she didn't need it, but he wanted her to take it. They had been talking about what was happening and he had a son Jackson's age and just wanted to do something to help.  There is goodness in people.  The local LDS Bishop took them back to the totaled car to gather all their belongings and helped them carry them in to sort through and clean out. 

Misty said today that they were eating peanut butter sandwiches they had made and that they both said, "These taste like smoke."  Then they realized that the smoky smell from the airbags deploying had penetrated the bread.   Dan sent a picture of the car, and it really is a miracle they were not injured.

Well, it's time to go blow a horn and then go to bed!  I have lots of pictures and memories of our wonderful week long visit with the family, but there has been no time to post them.  Later. 

Happy New Year! 

A very sick

feeling,

but also a feeling of gratitude.

Misty and Dan headed home today.

She kept us informed with texts as they went through various places.

All was well until we got one that said they were in an accident

And the car was totaled.

It was one of those heart dropping moments.

Tiffany quickly texted back and asked if they were all OK.

She texted back, "yes."

My first thought is to get in the car to go get them and give them our Suburban.

Since they are in Rifle, Colorado, that was really not a good option.

So as of now, two hours later, they are sitting in the cab of a diesel

waiting for a ride into town.

We've made a hotel reservation for them and lined up a rental car to get home.

They did not need this at this point in their lives.

But it is definitely a time to count our blessings.

All seven of them.

The house is no longer

peaceful, quiet, or clean.

But it is very joyful.

Someone asked what I wanted for Christmas.

I've got it.
It's this.

Country store tokens
dispensed

Grand Opening of the Country Store

These next four pictures were of the map (????)

I'm not sure where it's heading, but Harrison and Annie did.

Nothing sweeter . . .

The house is

much too peaceful and calm. 

I thought I better take some pictures of the decorations before they become a thing of the past. Marshall is crawling, so I think that there will be quite a bit of rearranging once they get here. That is something I will gladly do!  

We thought Tiffany and Justin might be here today, but I'm glad they held off because of the bad weather.  Misty and Dan are also heading this way tomorrow. I'm really hoping the weather will cooperate for both of them.  I don't want them taking any risks.  I will be saying lots of prayers while they travel.

So the shade on the G&G Country Store is closed for the time being. 

(Although, I came downstairs a minute ago and found the shade half way open).

Since there is only one other person in the house besides me,

I have a pretty good idea who opened it.

If you are in the nearby vicinity,

please stop by the store for a bag of treats.

Please, Please do. 

I've never worked in a candy store before,

and I'm excited to share.

Free tokens will be given.

You'd think all I do

is eat.

Ward Breakfast at 9 this morning.

Football Banquet at 11:00 this morning.

Extended Ashton party at 5 pm.

I think that says it all.

"Have you noticed

that we live our lives around time?

What time is it?

Time to get up,

Time to take care of the kids.

Time to work.

Oh, Heaven, forbid.

Put things in their place,

No time to search.

Time to fix dinner.

Hurry to church.

Time is the essence

Of our existence.

Twelve years with friends.

Kept through our persistence.

Luncheon each month.

Has kept us all near,

Let's have a Merry Christmas,

And another good Year."

That is poem written by and Maisel about this group of ladies who have been called the "lunch bunch."  We meet monthly at a restaurant for lunch, though today it was at Helen's house.  I love these ladies.

I had volunteered to have it here at our house, but then Helen wanted to do it. I am so glad she did! I barely had time to get my cupcakes together and get over there. 

I

I've had work every day this week.  Which is a curse and a blessing.  A curse because I have so many projects I want to get done.  A blessing because it will help me pay for all the projects I want to get done. 

Twelve Days of Christmas

Last night we got together for dinner with our friends, Barbara and Ron, to exchange our 12 Days of Christmas gifts.  I blogged about the history of this tradition last year (12 Day Tradition).  It is something we both look forward to each year.

That tradition started me collecting all my Twelve Day of Christmas decorations.  One of these days I'll take pictures of all of those.  But, not tonight.  I've been pulling too many late nights this last week, and I'm headed off to bed.

And the winner is . . .

Sharilyn!

(I promise I'll get it to you on Monday)

Tiffany mentioned ears, but Sharilyn was right on the money.

(Besides, Tiffany is getting one anyway).

Tom won't get one for sure, because he insulted the mouse

when he said he was a cat.

Well, enough cat and mouse.

We had a treat tonight.  We had invited Gary and Lynn to dinner, and cousin Maisel happened to be walking by and was talking with them.  After twisting Maisel's arm, she agreed to come in and have dinner with us.  Then we called Kay, her sister, who had already eaten, but she came and joined us to visit.  It was great because it had all the benefits of a dinner party, but without the stress. 

I love having Gary and Lynn here.  They had us to dinner last week, and while we were there Santa stopped by to welcome them to the neighborhood.  When we were leaving, another neighbor was outside fixing their street lamp for them.  It's nice to see them welcomed so nicely.

You know how

some blogs host contests and giveaways? 

Well, that is what I'm doing tonight!

The first person who can guess what is wrong with these mice,

 GETS ONE!

You lucky winner, whoever you are.

I finished 16 of these cute little mice tonight,

only to find that I had majorly messed up on about half of them.

Well, have you spotted the problem?

I certainly didn't notice until they were completely done.

And in the process, my machine kept messing up

(total machine error, not human).

Then I remembered that Natalie's was here,

so I took mine to be fixed and finished them with Natalie's machine.

Only to find that I had messed up on the . . . __________?

Have your accute powers of observation

detected the issue?

Sometimes I wonder about myself.

I was thinking

today about how absolutely excited Tiffany must be today.  And Justin, too.  And Eliza, and Ashton, and Annie and Lucy.  And all of the Idiart family.  And us.

Justin (Tiffany's husband, our son-in-law) took his last final for Law School today!  No more commutes to Eugene and days away from home while he was at school.  He has done an amazing job of keeping his family his priority, even with the demands of law school.  And Tiffany has done an amazing job of "holding down the fort" while he was away. 

We are very proud of you, Justin! 

As Gary was helping

me with the "general store" tonight,

I took a second look at the stool he was standing on.

 
When we moved in the house 25 1/2 years ago, it had been left here by the previous owner.  It was the only chair or stool in the empty house, so I used it as I was painting the upstairs bedrooms.    That explains the paint splatters.  I remember Dad was here helping me. 
 
There is also an explanation for why the legs look like they do.  Our bunny, Cotton, chewed them.  It was in his room (yes he had his own room for about 8 of his 12 1/2 years).  Looking back, I really can't believe that I not only allowed it, but instigated it.    He chewed up the walls, through countless cords, the spines of many books, Gary's shoes, and just about everything else in there.  The room was a disaster.  It took some major repairs and replacements when we finally decided we needed the room for when the family came back home.
 

Here is a picture of Cotton under our Christmas tree in 2004.
He was 10 years old then.

 

Here is a picture of Natalie and him in September 2007,

right before he died. 

Interesting how looking at a battered stool can bring

back so many random memories.

The last little

while I've been finishing up lots of these aprons.

In fact, yesterday I finished up the flower pins for 6 more that I've finished.  It feels good to get them done, packaged, and ready to give as gifts.  The only bad thing is that I still have lots more cute fabric (that I just couldn't resist) to make more aprons with. I have fabric with chocolates designs, different cupcake designs, gingerbread men, cookies, peppers, chefs, fall leaves, etc., etc., etc

Oh, if I could only learn "moderation in all things."

And speaking of moderation, or lack thereof, I am having way, way, way too much fun putting together a "G'ma and G'pa General Store" (in other words candy and treat store) for when all the kids are here for Christmas.  I say way too much fun because, as I told Gary, it is distracting me from doing the more essential things. 

 But, hey, life is sweet when you're

envisioning "sugar plums dancing"

in your grandchildren's heads.

Pictures from

the nutty party last night.

I think the flower goes better with Joni's flowing hair

and with the "nut" ensemble than it did on Gary.

 I feel blessed to have had these friends for

for more than 40 years.

(and Santa's been my friend for my whole life )

My Nutty Friend

Party.

Since I was the lucky recipient of the "nut gift" last year, I had the opportunity to make the new addition.  (See history here: The Nut Gift Tradition )

I thought it was only appropriate that it involved the burnt edge flowers, since we made them when we went to St. George.  Here is Gary modeling the finished product.

If you can't tell, it is attached to a headband

and the center is acorns.

Gary was so taken with it that

I'm not sure he will be able to let me give it away.

I may have to make another one.

December 1

and I get to turn over the first day of the Family advent calendar.  Tiffany made it two years ago, and it is one of my favorite decorations.

This picture of Annie from 2 years ago makes me laugh.