Christmas Day Fun

Gram came out and spent the day with us--she was very helpful in our mitten making. I loved the fact that we cut up old felted sweaters to make these mittens.

Here are the sweaters that our friend Brooke was able to purchase at $5.00 bag days. We still have lots a fabric and will be sewing lots of items. My mind is running a mile a minute thinking up ideas.

Sorting through buttons is so fun. It always reminds me of Aunt Donita--she has a great button stash

Brooks mittens progressing along

First finished pair--Gram and I figured out a few ways to make the pattern fit better.

Fun in the sun and snow

Brooke was laughing so hard at my ability to run the camera she fell over in the snow. It was a great day to head out in the mountains and play in the snow.

I am looking forward to being out on the snow shoes lots more this winter as I am much better shape than I have been for years.

Brooke and me

I want to be this excited

I want to be this excited about putting up our tree!! This makes me smile to see how excited he is. I love that his mom makes special memories for him. Our son will be home this Christmas and we hope to make some memories while he is here. He has his elk tag, that would be a great thing for him to get one to fill his freezer. I have lots of great memories with our time together with Keenan and Callee in November. One of my favorite was going on walks with them to the park--she is doing such a good job being a mom.

For the first time in 7 years I took the turkey Trail West gave me for Christmas!! As of today this is hooked up and going. Mike heated his tea water on it--he is excited to have some fresh bakes biscuits soon. I have mom's sourdough going so we will be having biscuits by Saturday. I just want to say how happy I am to have a stove, what a great gift some fine folks gave to the Martin house. Now if you stop by I will have some of Grandma Lois's ginger snaps baked up for us to snack on.

Missing this new buddy

I can't tell you all how much Cash enjoyed playing with Keenan. I miss him calling me Nana and he loves his Papa too. We had a wonderful time celebrating his birthday--he is 5 now.

Teaching Cash to go down the slide with Keenan. I never knew how much fun it is to go to the park.

Waiting for Keenan to surprize me. Someday I hope to get back out to California and go to the park there before he gets to old to enjoy the whole deal.

Wow, Mike and I recieved such a great gift.

Here are the green mittens after some felting, they are very warm. I wore them the other night when I took Cash for a walk.
This showed up at my house on Saturday morning. For 7 years I have cooked on a hot plate. Ruby (the car) hauled this over to the house, Mike and I were supposed to me among the missing. I was home awaiting Brooks arrival to go knit with friends. What a surprize to get this big of a box, oh my, what could it be????

Here it is, a great fit, seems like our little kitchen was just made for it. Now all we have to do is run some power to it. I hope that does not take another 7 years!!!

Still thinking Green

My friend purchased this sweater for me at a thrift store and I did not like the neck design plus it made me itch. Soooooo.... I asked can I cut this up??

I took some measurements

Got out some scissors and cut the neck out after stitching around the placement linesHere it is and I love it. I will try that again.

These mittens will fit the golly green giant--they are now felted and I am ready to make another pair.

Thinking Green

I have been thinking green lots as of late. I am teaching a felted mitten class in the morning and these are the samples. I will whip up the rest while friends are over watching the PBR--we love that bull riding!! I bet someone in Alaska could use some very warm felted mitten this winter.

This is my winter knit, it is a sweater designed by my friend Marilyn King. If you are saying, didn't you start a sweater last year out of this same yarn? You are so very correct, I ripped it out and put it away for a while until I found the perfect sweater. This is it. I will keep you posted on the progress.

One other green note, every time I throw a can, some glass, plastic, etc in the trash something inside tells me that is just not right. So I am on a recycling kick. It is not as easy as for our daughter in CA. I have to haul my stuff a few miles. We will see how long I can keep it up for.

Until next time, keep thinking green.

What a great fall day

Mike took Brooke and I to the shooting range after our hike. I loved it right up to the part where I whacked my eye with the scope!! I will be ready to go again next time he gets out the guns. It was a great activity for us both to do and I have been searching for something we can do together besides work!!

How cool our shadows look in this photo, right in front of our own targets.

We made it to the top of Sleeping Indian--me signing the page in the canister

Brooke takes great pictures

My Helpers

Jenny--it took her over an hour to sort all my card stock and cards so I can find them quickly now.

Brooke and Jenny, they are way to much fun for this GrandmaWe cooked up this witches brew for Brooke to help her get better--don't worry Dr. J sent it home in a brown paper bag and she drank the first half cup. We had to listen to her gag and spit for a bit but she got it down!! Mike and I both have been through this and we are still alive!!!

Clean Sweep

Mike and I had an old friend come and stay with us a couple weeks ago--his name is Zeke Shoop. To make a long story short I had no place but the couch for him to stay--he did not mind one bit.

I have been thinking about a trundle bed and one of my friends on Monday night knitting just had one to give away!! What a treasure. So two of my friends came over and we did a clean sweep which took one whole evening. Now we have a craft room/guest room so if your party is not larger than 2 you are welcome and we have a place for you to lay your head. I am excited about the prospect of it all.

I can knit, make cards, or any other craft I wish plus have a place to rest and can shut the door. The best part of the whole experience is spending time with Brooke and Jenny--I love how they make me smile.

My Sunday Work Day

This is such a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon. We put away lots of yarn and played with friends. Fun was had by all.

I like popcorn--oh yes I do

Mike is teaching Cash to beg for food!! Bud taught Max to catch popcorn so Mike is trying to get Cash to do the same. Cash is not quite fast enough to get the tasty kernels yet. He get so excited when he knows Mike is going to pop up some for them.

Those two went to Fowler Colorado for Uncle Cletus's nut fry. (some of you will know what that is) Mike was looking forward to visiting with lots of old neighbors. I will say I am not having to much fun being home alone. I forgot what that is like as usually someone is here rattling around in this house with me. Mike's idea of a great place to live is off in some cow camp miles from town. He is having to rethink that married to me for 30 years now. I don't do so great without lots of people around.

We moved my mom back in her apartment on Saturday after the fire. Her apartment survived in great shape--some people on the 3rd floor can not say the same. She is very happy to be back home.


I have been doing lots a knitting but I will save those pictures for the next update. My goal is to blog way more that once every 3 months!! Some of my new friends will keep me accountable for that I am sure of it.

Oh, just a little note for our son--your mom is letting her hair go back to it natural color which has some grey in it!! When you see me next time remember you caused some of those and don't tease me to much!

Until next time--be looking next week I promise.

Bunny Butt

This Bunny Butt has cut into my knitting time!!! He is a hand full and I am pouring over the "Dog Whisper" as quickly as possible!! For an 8# little animal he is very head strong. We are enjoying spending time with Cash, he now can fetch, we are working not chewing up our household items. I was in the shower for about 5 minutes and he managed to get my latest sock out of the rocking chair and chew on some things. I was thankful I caught him before he ate my new wooden knitting needles. Summer is flying by way to quickly for me. I only have 4 more weeks of summer camp, when that is over I hope to spend so time playing. A friend and I are planning a trip to Durango. We will see where we end up. Until next time.

I'm in the can

Cash likes to sleep in this can in his crate!! So tonight I have walked him, (not far enough) played for another hour and a half and he is still hell on wheels. Mike is taking over. I have taught him to fetch a toy, he loves to play tug of war. This first photo was taken 3 days ago. Now his ears are up like a corgi's ears should be. I am not giving up we will get him worn down before bed time.

Show me the Money

For a 4 plus pound dog he can eat some food. He goes after it like a little pig!! Mike and I decided to call him "Cash"--because we spent more cash than we ever have before on this dog. I can't wait till his ears stay up-they do sometimes. Most the time they flop down, maybe next week. Anyhoo, there is our update. He is cutting into my knitting time. :)

The latest memeber of the Martin Clan has arrived

Here he is, so much for Mike not wanting a puppy. Oso and Mike are now watching the Rockies play some baseball. Oso is a 7 week old Corgi. He is a very rare blue color. He has already provided lots of fun and giggles. It may be a bit of a long night as Oso has 6 bothers and sisters that did not come along with him. We are going to crate him at night so he won't have the run of my knitting and other items!! I will need to do a bit of research on this whole new training method for us. We will keep you posted on the pooch.