A Better Sitting

I decided to try another go at getting a Christmas picture of Treasure. So the other day I persuaded her to settle in under the Christmas tree, next to the pretty red packages, and then "smile" for a picture! Not so fast! And not so easy. At first she was all Terrier and not in the mood to comply.



So I tried another angle - literally. If she won't move toward me, then I'll just scoot over in front of her and photograph her sweet little face! Not! Her body language is saying "I'm just not interested in your ole Christmas picture!"



Okay. Honesty is not working here. So I'm forced to come up with a little white lie. There are two things in this life that Treasure will not pass up - going outside "walking" and going for a "ride in the car" - and she knows both of those phrases very well! So-o-o-o, I lied a little and told her we'd go ride in the car and then, SNAP!, we get a good Christmas picture!



So Merry Christmas to one and all!

It's Done!

Yes, brothers and sisters, it's all done. It's all wrapped. It's all boxed. And it's on its way to Wichita Falls! Hallelujah!

I think the reason I was so frustrated with this quilt has to do with my sewing machines. My little 1968 Touch & Sew model had served me so well and got me through quilting class and a multitude of quilts this summer. So when the flannel clogged its little innerds, I thought it may be time for a new machine.

For whatever reason, the new Singer just didn't take to the quilting foot I put on it, and I could never properly adjust the tension for quilting. As soon as I realized there was a problem, I should have taken my old machine in immediately for a checkup. Alas, oh well, you know the rest of that story.

I'm happy to say that the reworked seams look very good. I didn't rip out every single one, most were acceptable. And hopefully Bill will always fold it with the front facing out!

Merry Christmas, dear Brother, with much love from your Baby Sister!

Christmas Picture

Here's my "Christmas Baby". I don't know why it's so hard to get this darling Westie to "smile" for her picture! I know other Westies in my Ebay community who have the same "photophobia". Must come with the breed.

Because of the Christmas pageant at church and the energy spent preparing for it, I am decorating minimally this year - just enough that Adrian will have some sparkly lights to enjoy.

Speaking of pageant, the big show is this weekend. Graham and I participated in Malcolm Grainger's extravaganza pageants at Castle Hills Baptist all throughout the 1980's. We were younger then, had a little more stamina, and got caught up in the excitement of the pageantry and costumes and "big music". Thankfully, both Malcolm and we are older now, a little less stamina, gait a little slower, and enjoying the pageantry on a much smaller scale at Village Parkway Baptist.

Pray for us! These next five days will be very intense, but Sunday's coming!

Saturday Afternoon

We had a little "canine identity crisis" today. Thus far Treasure has been very accepting of Adrian, ignoring him when he cries, glancing over him at playtime, even seeming okay when I sit in a chair holding him. But today she was feeling very insecure and couldn't quite leave me alone as I held the baby. She was very persistent, maintaining her objection long enough for Murphy to snap a pic from his phone.

I think part of the reason for her insecurity has been the increased frequency of our choir rehearsals. We are away from the house 3 - 4 hours at a stretch, several days (or nights) a week. I remember watching the AKC dog show one year after we acquired Maggie and the announcer introduced the Westie by saying that Westies "will not be ignored." That has certainly proved true for both of my Westies. So Treasure will be as happy as we to have the Christmas pageant over and done with next Sunday!

I'll try not to stay away too long. But everything I'm working on right now will be Christmas presents and I don't want to give away a surprise by posting a photo on my blog!

thanksgiving day

Meredith's lovely table - check out Adrian's "dinner" at the head of the table!















Adrian gets to enjoy his dinner at the table with the rest of us!


Today is Thanksgiving and, my goodness, do we have much to be thankful for. Where do I begin? Well, let's start with my heart and move outward. And that would be our precious, healthy, beautiful grandson, Adrian! He is just over three months old on this Thanksgiving. You will see in the pictures how much he has grown in just ten days!

My neice Barbaranne called me this morning as she was preparing Mimmie's Oyster Dressing for her Thanksgiving dinner. I said to her that her house must be quieter with only three of their five children home. And, guess what! Nathaniel and Kate were both right there in the kitchen with her! Another praise that her two oldest children were safely home from overseas.

We were planning to go to the coast on Sunday with Bill. But he came down with a bad cold and Texas is coming down with a bad cold front! So I'm thankful that we were able to cancel our reservations and stay in the warmth of our homes instead. We will have another chance to go.

So here are some pictures from Adrian's first Thanksgiving. Looks like Grandpa got first dibs on holding him! Even Murphy and Treasure joined in the activities of eating and napping.

We're wishing you all a Happy thanksgiving. Stay ever mindful that all our blessings come from God above.

Play Time

Adrian was in the mood to play the other night and I quickly switched my camera over to video to catch some of his precious interaction with his playful puppy toy. I wish this had been the camera with sound because he was talking away to the puppy! So cute!

Meredith reminded me that this blog is also about quilts, so I'm announcing that I'm making headway with Bill's quilt! This is one of those projects that gets ten minutes here, twenty minutes there and hopefully we'll come to the end of it soon! I am still not very happy with the new sewing machine. I think I'll take my old one to be cleaned and repaired. I have enough small projects I want to work on and I think the new machine will be okay for those.

Life is full as November moves into December. My Bible study will take a break after this week so that all the Christmas activities won't get in the way of study time. And then there's the Christmas pageant! We've been having extra rehearsals all month. Before you know it Dress Rehearsal is upon us, then the pageant, and Christmas is over! Well, not exactly, but it sure feels that way. Of course, this year will be special because of one very special little boy. One other special little boy, I should say. We should never forget that Jesus is the reason for Christmas.

A Happy Tuesday Night

Our little Adrian was in a very good mood Tuesday night. I think he knew we were going out to the Cracker Barrel after supper!

In an effort to knit together my two favorite subjects, I'm introducing Adrian to Westies! In addition to my two live specimens I have plush Westies from all over the world. In just about every country we have visited I have purchased at least one Westie. (Imagine the fun I had in Great Britain!) Hallmark and Ebay are two great sources of indulgence.


Anyway, Adrian will have ample opportunity to develop a love for westies when he visits his Ludee. Here he is, getting a great start!

While we had him in a happy frame of mind, Meredith caught him interacting with the toys in the Pack 'n Play. When Adrian's happy, everybody's happy!