Tree Hunting, Thanksgiving & Tiramisu

Oh my gosh - my daughter is such a nut EVERY SINGLE YEAR she requests a year as tall as our ceiling.  

Well - this year she teamed up with Bruce !

He's also a nut.

Or maybe "big tree lover" is a better description.

And bought the biggest tree on the lot!

Oh yes!  That's a big tree - probably 12 1/2 foot.

We had to move furniture and even remove furniture to fit it into the house. 

We started putting on lights and had to go buy another couple strands.

We bought candy canes too - and when the grand kids come over they get one.  When we run out we just buy more.

It took ALL our ornaments to fill that tree.  

Silly - Silly but oh so fun.

Working on the cross-stitch still.

Thanksgiving was wonderful.

This is our first year and Bruce insisted on taking Serena and me out of dinner.  I loved it!  And then the next day we got together with the rest of the family and had leftovers and played games.  Since we didn't have leftovers, I made a bunch of food.

I want to share with you the dessert.

Tiramisu

I had this dessert in Italy - it's coffee flavored and oh, so, so good!

Serena found a new recipe for it and we made it together.

This is Chef Dennis Littley's recipe. 

And it's the Best Tiramisu You Will Ever Make.

Look at that messy kitchen!  Egads - you would think the dessert was complicated.  It's not, it's easy.  Yes, it's the best Tiramisu. And he has tips to make this and other desserts great.

Happy Stitching and baking,

Linda 

Giving Thanks - More Quilting on the Doggie Quilt

Each day, before the sun even thinks about rising, I take my dogs for a walk.

I use this time to talk to God.  Ever since Mark passed, I've made a point of thanking God for at least 3 things. 

The first thing is always Mark. I'm so grateful to God for giving me Mark to love and teaching me more about love through Mark.

Then sometimes I thank him for my job - that keeps me sane (and provides an income).  Or maybe it's my daughters that are so much fun and entertaining.  Or Serena that she's still at home and is wonderfully energetic.  Or just the fact that I have two legs that can walk each day.  

Today it was for my little doggies because without them I wouldn't be out there walking and praising God. 

I thank him for Bruce - it's strange to be adjusting to someone new.  And of course it's fun to be starting a new life.

As I'm out there walking, I often pray for you guys, my internet friends. 

This Thanksgiving I'm praying for those without friends or family to share with, that God will provide them with some companionship.  

I have been working on my quilt.  YAY!!

I did decide to cross-hatch the center.  I like it much better.

I actually have the top finished enough to quit quilting.

 Except for the borders.

I'm not quite sure how I'll quilt them, but I'm going to use this pink thread.  White is just too stark against the black.  This pink will be softer.

My ideas so far are:

1. Feathers 

2. Doing a flower design around the bigger blossoms

3. Vine and leaves

or ???

To each of you, my cyber-buddies,

And don't eat too much pumpkin pie!

Linda

Found that Freemotion Groove

 How's this for getting in the groove?

Nice little tear drops echoed about on the background.

I'm loving doing the free-motion.

This quilt just laid on my table for weeks!  I finally just got desperate.  I just wanted it DONE!  I started quilting around the cherries, the hearts etc. then did some straight lines.

I think I'll cross-hatch this one.

The back is looking pretty good too. 

  I'm really looking forward to getting to it again this weekend.

Happy Stitching,

In-the-Groove-Linda

Friday Night Sew In

Our New Guy - Stephen, Pumpkin & The Pumpkin Patch

I know, I know I ought to be done quilting my DOG BOM

But...we had this cutie pie come visit.

And so I had to remove my quilting from the dining room table.

Stephen is the guy that is about to take my daughter away. Yep, I know it deep down, but I'm in denial. hahaha

He's from the Denver area, and she plans to move to there to get to know him better.  He came out for a few days, and fit perfectly into our family.  He's wonderful, and he's wonderful to my little girl.

So in the morning we had waffles and then the WHOLE family met at Banducci's Pumpkin Patch. This was our 10th year!  I think that makes it a family tradition.  We were happy to have Stephen there for the first time. 

And it was Bruce's first time too.

Bruce: What do you do at the pumpkin patch?

Me: Uh, look at pumpkins (thinking that sounds lame!)

But we meander around in the fresh morning air and they have a pond with ducks and animals, and it's decorated so cute. Oh and the kids dress up.

 Also, new is this precious baby pony named Pumpkin. What a cute name.

She was only 3 weeks old...and so soft!  She got tired from being pet and went to lay down.

When she laid her little head down, she bonked it on the railing.  

Awww...She was so sweet.

Pumpkin and my littlest grand daughter Elora.

Sometimes - it's more fun to just stand back and watch everything.

And I liked standing back and watching Bruce watch everything.

Bruce with his new granddaughter, Scarlett

And highlight of the day - As 4 year old Lily says: Getting Lost! (in the Corn Maze)

We all made it out!

And lastly, I have been working on the cross stitch.

And really enjoying it.

Happy Stitching,

Linda