Small Success Thursday 12-19

4 days between now and Christmas Eve, 2 quilts to finish and I work 3 of those days. ..

1. Woke early this morning so I got up and made the guest room bed for my Mom and Dad who arrive later today.

2. Started over from scratch Tuesday on my nephew's quilt. In one day I managed to sketch a simple design, acquire the fabric from the fabric store on my lunch hour, then that evening piece the top, the back and got it mostly pin basted.

3. Managed to whip up 2 mug rugs and a batch of cookies as some teacher gifts.

Tune in next week. Will I finish the quilts? Will I have a melt down over my 18yo's lack of interest in his continuing education?
Linking up with Catholic Mom

Small Success Thursday

1. My employment contract (I work in IT) has been extended for another 3 months. The problem is there are 3 other contractors on my team that did not get extended. I am hoping I handled it with grace and compassion personally talking to each to tell them so they did not overhear the news. I am saying prayers they find another position by the first of the year.

2.  Hear I was thinking I would not get renewed and as of Monday would have a lot of time on my hands. So I made plans to make three (more) quilts as Christmas presents. I finished the first on Sunday. I have the second top about half done. They are going quickly but I need to work on them everyday.

3. I was being very conservative about my Christmas shopping. I was notified of the contract renewal Tuesday afternoon. I finished shopping for Hubby with a few online purchases.

Linking up with Catholic Mom.

Advent wreath link up

Here is my DIY advent wreath. Simply some baby food jars with tissue paper decoupaged on it and tea lights. The wreath is a remnant of artificial greenery shaped into a wreath. We just started a ritual of Sunday night diners with the recently-move-out 18YO and his Girlfriend. As a direct result of the 18 YO moving out, we moved the home office from the dining room to the newly spare-bedroom. So we have a formal dining room and can dust off my Mother-In-Law's China. So we not have the advent wreath as our center piece and light the appropriate candles during dinner this year.

 Linking up with Sarah's Advent wreath link up.

7 Quick takes Snowy Feast of St. Nicholas edition

--- 1 ---

St. Nicholas filled our stocking with about 3 pieces of candy and left a full candy dish sitting on the hearth. I told the 14YO that his new USB Power Pack should have come in his stocking.

--- 2 ---

So we are in the path of the big ice storm. My workplace is about 20 miles north and issued a 2- hour delay. Fortunately, as a contractor, I can work from home. So I am set up in the bedroom as Hubby, too is working from home and drew the office.

--- 3 ---

The freezing rain came, but still waiting for the snow. 4-7 inches is being predicted for my area.

--- 4 ---

Looking for the roads to be clear by tomorrow morning. We are headed to the state championship football game. It will be a 3 hour drive North. If you can see the header of my blog, we are involved with the high school band. Our older boy graduated last year. The younger will enroll next year but he marched with the band at the football games (Band director is no fool, he did not want to lose 2 of his most reliable parent boosters.)

--- 5 ---

So in preparing for the frigid weather and the (outdoor!) football game, I picked up some snow pant on Monday.

--- 6 ---

But the 14 YO still turns down offers of long underwear/runner's tights. He prides himself on wearing shorts in all but the coldest/snowiest weather. (He walks home from school)Last night he did say that if he had to go to school today it might be worth wearing long pants

--- 7 ---

Next year, at the Catholic High School, he will have a dress code. Can't wait.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Small Success Thursday

Another Thursday and my small successes. 

-1-

Keeping a good attitude with the job uncertainty. My Contract expired a week form tomorrow. There were some signs of a possible extension again, buy this week it has been crickets. So I am trying to finish up any loose ends I have and keeping a smile on my face. (And I do keep getting emails about open opportunities)

-2-

Over the weekend I completed a simple quilt top for a Christmas gift. The backing is also ready to go. It is all waiting to be pin basted. It is looking like I will have plenty to time to complete 2 more.(See #1) 

-3-

Seasonal Affective disorder is an issue in our house this time of the year. An affected person is resisting sitting in from of the "Happy" light. I gently and calmly got the 15 minutes in this morning. 

And one Failure: 

Hubby gave me a card and gift this morning for a our 21st Anniversary. My success will be getting something small for him before I arrive home from work. 

Join Catholic Mom for more. 

Look, another post. And another MEME from a Catholic Mom.

--- 1 ---

My 14Yo Son had his first Bass guitar lesson last night. He's been taking percussion lessons for several years. Even though he's an 8th grader, he's marched with the High School band this year. Mostly because Hubby did not want to give up being the lead Truck Crew Dad in the year after the Older son graduated and the younger one started. But now playing the bass guitar, he can be a part of the Jazz band next year and not have to fight for a spot among the percussionist. After his lesson we could hear him picking out the leading bass guitar note to a popular song played by the marching band.

--- 2 ---

I will be setting up my dining room this weekend and we will eat a pre-Thanksgiving dinner in it Sunday night. When we moved into this house with the formal dining room, we did not have proper furniture and used the room more as a home office. Since then we acquired a buffet and the 18YO moved out. So that freed up a bedroom for the home office and with three of us, I have a small table we can put in the breakfast nook and the big table can go into the living room. I mentioned getting out the china. Neither son remembered we even have china.

--- 3 ---

And speaking of my china, which had been my MILs, to go with it I have a set of goldplated silverware. It is a hysterical story of how Hubby's grandmother won them playing BINGO. She was so excited that she could give the set to us. Gold is not my style, and it clashed with the silver rim on the china, but the memory of that gift makes me smile, so i will use it.

--- 4 ---

Refer to number 1 and the 14yo marching with the high school band. They don't do many competitions, they are there to support the football team. And the football team is deep into post-season play. Last year the team won the state tournament. So we could be playing in December. I volunteered to help with the truck crew that gets the equipment to the game and on and off the field. It's supposed to be cold tomorrow.

--- 5 ---

Is it a bad thing to complain that your winter jacket is too warm? I will be thankful for it at the football game, but it is too warm for this spoiled suburbanite who goes from garage to car to parking lot to building. I got it towards the end of last year. The zipper on my old one was separating too often for my liking. I ordered this one from LLBean. I am thinking that I'd love to have a short wool coat for when the air is merely cold as opposed to arctic. But what about those people who don't even have warm coats... Oh the guilt.

--- 6 ---

Every Thanksgiving we get together with my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins on my Dad's side every Thanksgiving. Many years ago, my reluctant-leftover-eating husband said the only problem is not having Thanksgiving leftovers. Well, I could certainly fix that. So I fix a big dinner the Sunday before with Turkey and traditional sides. Hubby gets his leftovers, I get to take advantage of cheap turkey prices.

--- 7 ---

I need a sign "Caution: Busy weekend ahead" and not try to do too much. DS14 is taking his Catholic High School entrance exam, football game, cooking a big meal, moving furniture and dished around... I do too much. My feet and my back will hate me if I am not careful.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Small Successes Link up - Nov 21, 2013

My poor, neglected blog. It has been awhile. But as my kids grow older, they are a bit more particular about what Mom shares. But today I want to participate in the Small Successes at Catholic Mom

1. Monday when the 14 YO failed once again to bring the trash can and the recycle bin up from the curb when he came home, he knew. He heard me pull into the garage and he flew out the door to get them. I just quietly made meatloaf for dinner (It's not his favorite and I postponed our trip to the music store for a Bass Guitar. All done very quietly and without lecture. (I usually rant or lecture - or both).

2. Silently agreed to Hubby's plan to finish cleaning up the tarps and equipment form painting the dining room on Friday - rather than last night or tonight and found another project to complete, even though I am tired of the crammed furniture in the living room.

3. I am doing well at improving my health by sticking to the eating plan recommended by my doctor, my blood sugar testing is showing the results as is the scale. It was really hard with lots of candy and donuts sitting around at the office.