Git er Done!

I barely even saw Mary over the weekend.

She was hanging with her 2 favorite guys...

Phoenix and Baby Sean!

While she was gone, I took full advantage of all the "FREE" time.

I finished listing all the pieces that I plan on putting on my 

Greengourd Etsy Shop

  

or at least all that are finished right now.

I may get a few more pieces completed for the shop.

However, I have a feeling that the majority of time I have between now and Christmas for making gifts may be reserved for 

family and friends.

We will see...

I am feeling pretty motivated lately.

I got 3 new purses listed.

 Bill's Lamp

And the rest of the doll cloths that I have that are finished.

I may get a few more of these pieces finished and listed before 

Christmas.

As well as still taking custom orders.

Mary has already received her first present of the 

Christmas Season.

LOVE IT!

Her best bud, Nat sent her this awesome handmade journal set.

Mary is writing up a storm!

I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to see that.

Writing is her #1 problem subject this year in school.

Thanks Baum Squad, ya'll are awesome!

Every Christmas is the same!

The FIRST decoration to be set out for the holiday season is...

The Nativity

The rest is sure to follow...

and usually I am slow to the gate.

I will admit that I usually dread dragging all the Christmas boxes down from the attic and putting everything out.

But for some reason, this year has been different.

Mary and I actually got the majority of our decorations put up this morning before school started.

I'm shocked!

BILL's Stocking

 

The Animal's Stocking

It was mine...

before my very first stocking found it's way 

HOME

I can't believe how good this thing still looks after all these years.

One of these days I am going to knit one for Mary and Bill and maybe even the rest of our animal family.

The girls with the red toe and heel and boys with a green toe and heel as it was in my family of origin.

We downsized this year and put up one of Bill's metal trees.

Then picked out a handful of our favorite handmade and sentimental ornaments.

Ahhh... it sure was nice not having to completely rearrange the house to set up a tree.

Now I know it's Christmas Season...

Elvis and Nat King Cole on Pandora

We started class off this morning with an 

Advent Wreath worksheets

and then started a daily project that we will work on till Christmas.

An Advent Chain

Every morning after her Bible readings, she will cut out a link in the chain and write a Christmas prayer.

Then attach it to the chain.

This will be a nice school project to get her rolling in the morning!

She didn't even complain once about having to do it.

I like it when school goes like that.

Last week I received something that I have not seen in a very long time,

A Thank You Card!

It is a courtesy that I am afraid might be lost in this new age of technology.

It was so nice to receive this note.

I remember my mother making me sit down after a birthday party or  Christmas and writing Thank You notes to everyone who gave me a gift.

I use to HATE doing this.

And I am embarrassed to say that it is a habit that I have fallen out of.

But THANKS to a friend that is pleasantly out of fashion,

I think I will try to make more of an effort and get back into the habit.

And have Mary do the same.

I use to make her when she was much younger and it was much more difficult for her to write.

Now that she is older and quite capable of doing this on her own...

Why shouldn't she do it.

There is no time like the present.

It isn't chestnuts roasting...

it is our first batch of peanuts that we grew this summer.

I had forgotten all about them.

Til Bill came in with a bucket of raw peanuts from the garden.

I haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Maybe, I will use them to make some homemade peanut butter.

Pretty cool!

We didn't get a huge harvest...

but it was a nice surprise for a first time crop.

I do have some great news to share.

I have been free from white flour and sugar for ...

9 Days!

And I haven't eaten 

that round flat cheesy thing in over 

2 months.

I can't believe it!

And I have to say that I feel amazing.

I still have a long way to go and many alterations to make to my always changing lifestyle

but today 
I am going to bask in my accomplishments!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!