It's beginning to look like Christmas......

Can you keep a secret?  It's almost time for Christmas, just as soon as we eat this veggie turkey! 

My son and his wife hosted Thanksgiving dinner this year and they did a bang up job.  I was most impressed with the turkey veggie platter my son prepared.  You almost hated to eat it!  Adorable!! 

Right after Thanksgiving dinner Charlie the elf made his first appearance of the year, dressed in a "Wolfpack" jersey.  The kids look forward to Charlie's return each year and can't wait to find where he is hidden each day and what mischief he might have caused.  Charlie is new to Joshua this year and I think he is getting into the fun of it all pretty quickly. 

My camera has been broken for several months and I recently got it fixed.  Thus one reason for no blog posting.  Also there is still the hacker problem which I can't seem to get straightened out.  So these pics are from my small camera or the iPad and hardly the best quality.  But at least there are some pictures.  The above picture is from the alcove in my dining room.  I haven't taken any other Christmas "house" pictures but will after this week is over with my "fixed" camera!!  Right now I'm trying to get through 10 classes in 9 days!!  Isn't that a song title or something??!! 

I did find time to make three loaves of banana bread (my husband's favorite treat).  One plain, one with nuts and one with chocolate chips (his very favorite).  It's beginning to look a little like Christmas....... 

Joshua comes to my house every Friday afternoon and last Friday just happened to be about 80 degrees outside.  So we played on the porch and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  He's reading to me about fishes and sharks I believe.  He loves this little board book with pullouts.  Can you believe 80 degrees in December?  We've had some up and down temperatures, but this is certainly not normal.  We'll take it!

Take my picture in the wheelbarrow Mina!!  Oh look at that great smile!  NOT!!  He's getting to be such a big boy.  And talks so much now.  Like non-stop talking!  So cute and sweet and innocent and all BOY!

We had a huge class today for recipe card and then we had a cookie exchange and played Dirty Santa and then a wonderful Potluck lunch.  Hard to tell from the above photo, but there were eleven wrapped gifts in the middle of the room and we each took turns picking presents or stealing presents.   

Joan had #1 so she got the pick of the litter.  And unfortunately, she didn't get to keep her original gift.   

And Tricia didn't get to keep her original gift. 

And Bonnie didn't get to keep any of the ten gifts she picked!!!  Poor Bonnie! 

And Elaine picked the heaviest package! 

And Donna definitely didn't get to keep the gift she chose.  She fought a hard battle, but I'm afraid she lost! 

And Sandra is stealing from Donna in a very nice way!

 

And then I stopped taking pictures.  Darn!  It all got too exciting and frenzied and there was stealing going on left and right and then it was over!  Everyone went home with a beautiful handmade gift and something to treasure for years to come.  I just have to get used to having my camera back and taking more pictures! 

 

I hope you've all found a little time for stitching during this busy holiday season.  I have been stitching on gifts and new class projects and need way more hours than there are in the day.  But in the end, it somehow all gets done (elves maybe!) and life is good. 

 

I want to say a special thank you to all the ladies who were here today (and a couple who weren't) who gave me a very wonderful gift.  You're all just the best and my life wouldn't be the same without each and every one of you!  So thank you from the bottom of my little heart!!

 

Now go stitch something!!  Christmas pictures next week hopefully.