They made it!!!

I am so excited we finally got the kids and grandson up to celebrate Christmas. Today was the first day that the roads were passable. Our interstates are finally open! Wonderful Merry Christmas(sunday)! We opened presents..ate...played in the snow...here is my snow boy(not a baby anymore)! Of course it took 10 minutes to get ready and 5 minutes to get cold...but so worth it.

What a cutie!

Crazee kids!

We found a snow cave slide next door...

It's hard to tell in the picture but the snow is about 5 feet tall.

All in all it was a great day!

I made it...through Christmas

without my family. I have to say I have been on the phone and have Skyped alot with them today. I hope this storm is about done and we can have Christmas tomorrow. In the mean time  Merry Christmas to all! Hope yours was fabulous!

Christmas Blizzard of '09

that is what the news media has dubbed our storm. I think that this will be the most snow at one time that we have ever seen. We only came to South Dakota in 1991. It used to be the Halloween snow storm of 91 but I think this storm will overtake the title. We are completely ringed in by snow There is about a 4-5 foot drift all around the house and they say we will have over 20" by the time its over.  All of our interstates are closed and we are staying put! Obviously I have nothing better to do than blog. Ho~Ho~Ho! Here's the latest pictures. The vehicles look like Rhinos with horns.

We just ate the breakfast casserole..and I think I will start a new stitching project in honor of the "Christmas Blizzard of '09! Wow...crazy.  

Wow...it's starting to blow..

Here's the latest. Look how the snow made real colored icicles from our Christmas lights. Then it really started to get windy.

Pity Party's over..

almost, I had a good cry and...I have come to grips with the fact that the storm is coming and we cannot be together with our family for Christmas.  I know everyone is safe and tucked in, I am so thankful for that..it could be so much worse.  So I am taking the time to stitch..and cook and  watching a movies with my hubby. Life is good. Heres is what it looks like now. We are expecting about 10 more inches and 50-60 mile an hour winds.  Can you say BLIZZARD...well what can you expect in South Dakota...DUH!....

Here are the snowman cookies that I made for the cookie exchange at my moms. I saw these on the net and I don't remember where or I would post a link cuz I think they are so cute. 

Well gotta stitch some more....We'll see what it looks like outside in a little while. The snow has begun in earnest now. Be back soon.

Stupid snow storm...

Don't get me wrong...I really love snow. Its one the reasons we moved here. I love to be hunkered down, bundled up and stitching in my nice warm home! But not 18"+ at Christmas so no one can travel. We are not going to be able to go to parents for Christmas and my Son, DIL and Grandson won't be able to come here Christmas morning. I am bummed. Grampa and I went today before the storm started and took all of the presents, our traditional Christmas morning breakfast casserole and Christmas dinner to the kids.  I know that it is only one day and we can celebrate a different day but I am so so bummed. I just thought it might help to get on here and whine a little bit. I will miss seeing my sister and her family from WY and my brother was coming from Phoenix but he can't make it either...  :(...stupid, stupid snow storm. They are actually predicting the storm of the decade, maybe the worst storm Eastern South Dakota has ever seen. I really hope that doesn't happen. We are definitely gonna have a very white Christmas!

I hope your Christmas..wherever you are is Merry and Bright!

An HP Touchsmart giveaway...

no kidding ...check this out...

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Christmas is getting ever closer..

I have been stitching and finishing like a crazee woman. I really shouldn't procrastinate but what fun would it be without all of the pressure...lol..Here is the ornament that I made for the HOE board. Lucy was kind enough to email me pictures since I forgot until it was all wrapped. I didn't want to take it all apart so...she sent me pictures. Thank you, Lucy. I made a three sided ornament from the Prairie Schooler Redwork Santas. It was really fun. My hubby thought it up actually. I wasn't sure how to go about getting it all together, but it turned out really well..(IMHO). What do you think?

The most beautiful Ornament..

arrived at my door yesterday. It is from Jayne and is absolutely gorgeous. It is the first biscornu that I have ever had and I am so excited. The stitchwork is beautiful and I love the color and silver is my favorite. She also stitched on the back our names and HOE for Hooked on Exchanging.  I am so fortunate to have her as my partner. I am off to post it on the hoe board now. What a Merry Christmas...ornament. Love it!

Thank you so much, Jayne...it looks so pretty on my tree!

Merry Christmas All! Lotsa pictures..

It's not exactly tomorrow..but oh well. I wanted to finish posting pictures of my decorating and some new stitching pictures.. I haven't finished all of them completely but all of them are recently finished stitchings. I had so many wips..I just had to get to stitching. When I get on this darn computer and start reading all of your wonderful blogs I get lost and get nothing done. On to the pics. Remember I am not claiming to be a good photo taker...but here they are..

This is for my sister. She was born on Thanksgiving in 1969..so I stitched this for her big 40!

This is my tree skirt that I made. I still have to finish the tree appliques.

My tree...

I had previously posted this Merry Christmas and have ordered the frame (a shabby white one) but it hasn't arrived yet..so I just hung it as is...ready for the frame.

This is a seed cabinet that I have had forever...love it!

and close up of Santa..

another Santa..

Now..since we are a stitching blog..

this is for my sis for Christmas..A Lizzie Kate design with a great

coffee bean backing fabric which I did not take pic of..I think I will add

some ricrak to the edges and get a great easel for it to sit on..

Love this cabinet that my father made for me last Christmas. It is awesome!

Design is from Bent Creek (I know it an oldie but I always wanted to stitch it)

I must be in a Bent Creek frame of mind. I really like their designs.

This is Yule.

This design is from Homespun Elegance. Delivering Snow.  I finished it into a great stand up box with

little feet I love the fabric on the back.

and last but not least for today is from my fave..Blackbird Designs..

Peace on Earth , Loose Feathers #28 with recommended fabric and threads.

I really had to worry if my circle was going to meet up on the trip around but it turned out really well.

I have ordered a frame but haven't gotten it yet and I will have to show

it again with the frame but was so excited just to finish it.

Okay I have over loaded my blog with pictures. I hope some people come to visit!

Please leave a comment I would love that...thanks Blyn

Finally some new pictures...

Camera working...check...computer working...check now we will see how long both last. Hopefully a long time now. Here are some pictures of my Christmas decorations. I have been stitching..an exchange which I forgot to take pictures of..bummer :(. and a birthday present for my sister. I will post that soon. I also have some stitchy stash to show you so ...off we go..  had to use a flash so they are brighter than they are in real life..

Stitchies and more pictures tomorrow. Gotta sleep!

...since I REALLY struggle adding pictures ..

I thought that it would be easier to post these in another post. Here is the Halloween exchange that I received from Cindy D. What a cute witch and the fabric matches. She also sent along great goodies... I think it is all awesome! I will show what I sent to my person next. ....

I'm a little behind in posting these...

I wanted to show some of the things that I have received recently from the Hooked on Exchanging blog. This was the Autumn needle roll that I received from Diana. The specialty stitching and finishing are beautiful. Thank you so much Diana. I love it. It was my very first exchange and it was so much fun. Here is the autumn needleroll that I sent to Ina. This was also my first finish as a needleroll. I really enjoyed it. I love finishing things and trying new techniques.

What do a monkey a zookeeper

and a tiger have in common...why its Halloween at my house! We love halloween! We decorated the porch in our traditional skelaton decor! We played scary music and it was such fun. We have lots of trick or treaters and the weather here in South Dakota was fabulous..cool but not cold so we were getting worried that we hadn't purchased enough candy, we only had a few pieces left.(I am sure they won't go to waste) Here's my littly monkey. His daddy was , of course the zookeeper and mommy a tiger. What a zoo!