The Things I Get Myself Into

   Well, Christmas is getting closer and I'm still cutting out bear pieces and crocheting Michaela's bunny for her birthday. I had to take a break from it all yesterday, so I'll be extra busy today.
   Little did I know when I decided to make these bears x 5, I would be cutting out 125 pieces. I just thought, without reading the directions of course, that 11 pattern pieces isn't bad. Everything is cut 2 except for the muzzle and nose, which is just cut one, because who wants a bear with 2 muzzles and noses. The ears are cut 4.
    Anyway, I have one more bear to cut out. The first bear took the longest because I am making it striped and I had to cut it to line up the stripes. Three bears are made from dresses that no longer fit, and I wish I could honestly say they shrunk while in storage or they are now too big, but I can't.
   I see on my weather thing on my blog it's 17 with a real feel of 2. Yeah, it's cold outside. The freezing fog doesn't help matters any, either. I have to be mean and really force Jake out in the mornings. The cold hurts his 3 toed foot. Poor dog. He's acting more and more like a grumpy old man. He's around 8 or 9 years old now, but sometimes he acts so much older until he sees something to chase, and then he's off like a shot and you can't catch him.
   Both Jake and Chip are banished to our room now when Michaela eats. They really know about babies in high chairs now, and Michaela thinks it's fun to throw food at the dogs.
   Poor Michaela is still confused about what she is. Baby or dog. Yesterday, she was walking around until she got to the laundry room, having a good old time hitting the metal folding chair we have there to sit on to take off our muddy shoes, when she decided to crawl over to the dogs' water. I heard a sharp intake of breath as she stuck her face the dish to get a drink. We were all in the kitchen, but she's a sneaking fast little critter. Now, Amy tells me that she gets on her knees and begs like their dog, Sadie. Just imagine what she would do if we had lizards or snakes.
   I'm about done with my morning glass of chocolate milk, so I'd better get busy. I'll be washing clothes for fun, too. Chances are, these bears will be finished in time for Christmas, but mailed too close to Christmas to get there in time. I'll just be known and the grandmother who sends late gifts. The kids will just have more days to open things this way.
   Well, my chocolate milk is gone, so, see ya later.

Wow, Two Nice days In A Row

  We had 2 nice days in a row, but alas, all good things must come to an end. More rain and temperatures in the upper 40's to 50's for highs. At least the night are suppose to be above freezing with lows in the mid to upper 30's.
   There is a birdhouse disagreement going on. The nutcatchers had it first, yesterday, the bluebirds had it, and the nutcathcers have it again today. I guess we definitely need more birdhouses. I wonder if the birds would sit on the others' eggs?
   Tim has been very busy clearing up downed trees where the constructions workers put them when they were making our house. The cherry trees and the peach tree will go in that area.
   It's probably wishful thinking, but I put the hummingbird feeders out today. I need to get more hummingbird feeders, too.
   Tim and I have decided both dogs would rather look at the world through the big picture windows we have than go outside to look at the world. They know it's safer in the house. Hopefully this summer, we can have a nice, fenced in yard for them.
   So much to do and so much rotten weather makes it hard to get it all done. I have so much to do in the house, too. I think I need more hours in the day.

This Winter's First Snow

   I saw snow on Mt. Spokane today. Well, briefly, I saw snow on Mt. Spokane. I can usually see Mt. Spokane from our windows, but, for the most part lately, it's hiding behind low clouds and fog. We even had a few tiny snow flakes this morning, but they didn't stick. Tim stuck the snow gauge in the ground, so I'm ready. I have plenty to keep me busy, and I'm really good at wasting lots of time on the internet.We are getting rained on right now. We have had almost nonstop rain since Sunday. Tomorrow looks like the only non rainy day for awhile.
   Poor Jake doesn't like getting his feet muddy, so getting him to go out is a battle. That dog must have a huge bladder. Chip, on the other hand, tromps through every puddle he sees. Last winter, since Chip was still a puppy, we didn't let him play in the snow much. I bet he'll have a blast in it this year. Jake used to like snow, but he's turning into an old man dog. Either that, or he got smarter. Both dogs like to eat snow off of the floor, and Chip really liked eating snow outside. So much so, that he forgot why he was outside.
   I finally finished putting up all the onions and corn. I have lots of carrots and potatoes left. I need to do something with most of the carrots before Dec. Our oldest daughter is having a baby and I will be in CA for the event, if the baby cooperates. This will be my first trip anywhere all by myself.
   I made chunky cinnamon apples and some chunky apple butter using pumpkin pie spice. Both turned out really good. I still have 7 apples left. I haven't decided what to do with them yet. I used Jonagold apples. I really like them. They are a very juicy, all purpose apple.
   Today, I made a chocolate cake that uses leftover mashed potatoes. It's pretty good. I have been making cherry cobbler lately with some of the cherries I have stashed away in the freezer. I have 3 gallon bags of cherries left. I thought I only had 2. I wonder why I don't seem to be loosing a lot of weight lately?
   I finally finished crocheting my sister-in-laws hats and scarves. Now, I need to finish a baby blanket and make 1 more bootie for the upcoming granddaughter. I'm slowly making progress. I'm also going to make Michaela a crocheted bunting doll. I really don't think she'll care if they aren't all done when she's born.
   I do have another load of towels in the clothes basket waiting for me to fold them. I bet you couldn't tell I don't like to fold towels. I don't know why. They aren't hard to fold. I guess I'm waiting for the clothes dryer that fold, hangs up and puts away clothes.