Reflective thoughts

It seems as we get older, time speeds up. The years that seemed so far in the distant future are now upon us. I know in my brain that time is a constant but my heart has a different idea.

I get very nostalgic at years end. It has extra special significance for me. Mr. G and I reconnected and made plans for our future on New Years Eve 24 years ago. And our daughter, Mini-me, was born New Years Eve eve.

As I was creating my mind began to wander. Thinking about how life has changed over the past year.

It feels as if my baby girl has been 14 for about a minute. How can she be about to take her permit test.

What happened to the cute little dresses she wore while playing rough and tumble with her brother and the neighbor boys.

See what I mean…nostalgic. Not that I’d want to start over by any stretch of the imagination but I do wish that for a moment I could step back into that time and bottle it up.

Art | Blog | Creativity

art journal

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halleday

201712/18201712/18201712/18

T Tuesday: half of December edition

I admit it…I’ve been neglecting my blog again. I haven’t had anything artsy or craftsy to share so I figured I wouldn’t bore you to tears with nothingness. As I began to pull photos together for this post I realized that I have a multitude of things to share, with many different facets.

Last week I skipped T Tuesday entirely both posting and visiting….in fact, I hardly touched my computer all week. I realized how truly close to Christmas we were getting. With something on the calendar every night after work, I couldn’t quite wrap my brain around blogging too. Gosh I miss it though. Sitting at the keyboard typing away is so soothing…it’s like therapy without paying someone to listen to you bare your soul. No, there will be no soul baring today.

Where should I start since I can’t remember what order things came in anymore. Ok…first of all…I’ve abandoned my December photo challenge. As I got further into my list I was just not loving it or getting inspired for that matter. It’s supposed to be fun…not work. I’m sure I’ll do another at a later date but for right now…I’m good with my occasional random Instagram posts.

Speaking of Instagram…I posted this the other day…after getting it from Fitbit.

I thought that was pretty cool! I can’t wait to see what my next badge will be.

We had some beautiful weather so I decided one of our favorite summertime meals was in store.

Crab boil or Low Country boil complete with a Corona beer. See how I snuck that beverage in there. :)

We attended the kids Holiday choir concert.

And got to hear the boy sing up close and personal.

The weekend was spent in the kitchen….

J and I made Krumkake…his favorite. My ~~old~~ vintage Nordic Ware iron is well seasoned….it may not look pretty anymore but it makes the best krumkake. Way better than the electric one my mom had given me a couple years ago.

Mini-me and I tackled lefse making. Neither of us have perfected rolling them out round but they taste the same no matter the shape.

After we got the majority of the flour swept up…(trust me…its everywhere…ugh.) I was recruited to help out with a mouse trap car. Thankfully Mr. G was available to lend a hand as well. That wire is tough!!

It’s not the prettiest thing but it definitely moves!

I have made some progress on the hat I am knitting but I set that aside after work today to make this little hat for a very special early delivery.

It’s hard to believe that will actually fit on a little ones head. Hopefully not for long!!

I’d also like to take this time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

What are you doing today??

Around home | Blog | Crafts | Creativity | Kitchen

Christmas, Holidays, kitchen, knitting, T Tuesday

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halleday

201712/08201712/08201712/08

Funny Face Friday #5

201712/04201712/04201712/04

T Tuesday: November into December edition

I can’t believe we are into December already!! I think its because we have no snow that I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around it. Although that is supposed to change in the next couple hours as I write this. I am happy to say that we at least have the tree up and the house decorated…as much as we do. We aren’t outside light people. I admire those who do…it’s just not us.

Last year after the holidays I bought a tree on clearance at our grocery store of all places….totally sight unseen. All I knew was it was pre-lit with white lights. It was such a steal that I couldn’t pass it up especially since out old pre-lit tree had a band of dead lights smack in the middle.Isn’t it pretty!?!? Not bad for $34.

Mini-me put together some new hanging decor for a bare corner of the livingroom. I gave her a little springboard idea and she ran with it while I was busy. It turned out really cute.

Last Friday I had the privilege of supporting a couple of students on a field trip to Orchestra Hall. I hadn’t been there since Mini-me was in preschool.

It is so unique inside…and beautiful, not that my quick phone picture really captured the beauty.

I spent a good share of Saturday trying to decide between designing a photo card and writing a Christmas letter to send out this year. Who knows…I may do both.

Oh that’s right…I need to update you with my photos to finish out the November photo a day.

22. A favorite thing…..Marvin, of course

23. I made this! ……fabric star ornament (shared the tutorial links last week)

24. I need to do this! ……put all this crap away…just keepin’ it real folks.

25. Time……clock I made over a decade ago….likely should change the battery one of these days.

26. Wall…….my favorite wall especially this time of year.

27. I’m thankful for this…… Love

28. Black…….J’s school chrome book

29. So, this happened…..inflation of the new activity dome outside my school (it’s truly immense)

30. I bought this! ……not telling what’s inside though.

And with that…November is done.

This is my new challenge for December. I followed an old version of the October challenge by this same site. I’m enjoying the creative challenge of these photo a day prompts especially since most days this is my only creative outlet.

Want to see what I’ve already gotten for December?

What are you doing today?

Around home | Blog | Crafts | Creativity | Photography

Christmas, Holidays, Instagram, kid crafts, photo challenge, T Tuesday

14 Comments

halleday

201711/27201711/27201711/27

T Tuesday: still full edition

I swear I’m still full from Thanksgiving dinner! Ok…that’s a bit of a stretch but geesh. Too much leftovers and too many days off. Making me soft(er).

I’ll start with a little catch-up on my Photo a day challenge. I got several days behind but have gotten caught up now.

13. Letters….just one important one. UMD acceptance letter for J.

14. For me….just a little treat of apples in caramel dip. YUM!!

15. Hot + Cold…sometimes I’m a two-fisted drinker. :)

16. After…after a long day at work it’s nice to put my feet up a bit.

17. Cooking…I unexpectedly cooked Thanksgiving dinner this year.

18. I love this…Grandma’s dishes.

19. Whole….it was a whole pie….a whole lotta yummy. :)

20. Bright….the setting sun through my window.

21. Shoes….I have a love/hate relationship with these. I love them (so cute) but my feet hate me when I wear them all day at work.

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I discovered mt latest obsession craft on Pinterest yesterday.

Fabric star ornaments. I found the link to the original tutorial but it was in Dutch I believe. It had great photos but I was missing something in my understanding. Then I found the tutorial by Betz White that finally cleared things up for me.

I’m considering putting a button on both sides with either hot glue or tied through with embroidery thread. Not sure but I do know I’ll be making more.

The school I work at is having a holiday boutique for staff so I’ll be bringing my crafts in. I’m so excited both to make a little Christmas cash and to see what crafts my coworkers like to do.

My baby girl starts drivers ed Tuesday…I can hardly fathom it. She’ll get her classroom instruction done just before her 15th birthday but she’ll have to wait until the New Year to take her permit test. That girl is ready to get behind the wheel….me, not so much.

Tuesday holds work of course and a choir concert…at my school. Mini-me’s choir is singing at the middle school. I think they send the high school choirs to perform periodically to keep the younger ones interested in continuing through their school career.

What are you doing today?

Blog | Crafts | Creativity | Photography

Christmas, crafts, photo challenge, T Tuesday

11 Comments

halleday

201711/20201711/20201711/20

T Tuesday: Tuesday people edition

Well T stands for Tuesday friends…here’s a page dedicated to all of you.

I am totally loving this page…basically because the words fell into my lap as I was looking at my teapot and cup rubber stamps.

I didn’t use a filter on the photo and couldn’t figure out why my photos were turning out so soft. Then I got the bright idea…hey…how about I wipe down the lens on my phone camera. It might have a bit of smutz on it. Evidently finger prints, dust and other junk make a nice filter if you want that soft sort of look.

Linking up with AJJ for 101 ways to keep warm theme as well.

See….all clean…and truth be told…different lighting. I’m finding that taking photos in natural light when you get at or after dark is difficult. Hmmm…will have to work on that conundrum.

This is where I’d typically share my photo a day collage. Unfortunately, I’m quite behind. The cold, I’d been fighting, won. I ended up staying home from work on Friday. Totally lost my voice for 3 days, much to the amusement of my family. I am on antibiotics, starting to sound less like a pubescent boy and was able to return to work for my very short week (two days) due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

I had posted this photo on Instagram at the beginning of the month…totally unrelated to the photo a day….saying “run turkeys run” since they’d be on the menu soon.What I think is so funny is that this was taken in an industrial complex adjacent to Paisley Park. Although, I must admit, that there is still a lot of preserved land around the area. Thank goodness.