Christmas Carol Countdown: 10 Days to Go!

The school kids are hyper all the time now. They're bouncing off the walls and can't wait for vacation. Whenever one of my students says to me, "I can't wait for Christmas!" I have to chuckle inwardly. You think the kids are anxious...the teachers are chomping at the bit!

School is like a massive sugar high these days! Lots of high spirits and squirrely-ness and exuberant behavior. If we can only survive eight more days!

One of the activities in our family's advent countdown was the Balloon Stomp. It would definitely fit the activity level I see at school. It easy peasy too! Every player gets a balloon and blows it up. I think there was a rule of not putting so much air in it that it pops when you look at it! Get some yarn and cut a 18-inch length. Tie one end loosely around your ankle and tie the other to your balloon. Each person can decide the length of yarn between ankle and balloon, the only rule being that the balloon has to touch the ground. Experience has taught that the closer the balloon is to your ankle, the easier it is to defend.

The goal of the Stomp is to break everyone's balloon by stepping on it with your foot. At the same time, you must protect your own balloon. The winner is the last person who has an unpopped balloon. 

One person yells "Go!" and the madness begins. It's wild, it's crazy, it's a madhouse. Boy, is it fun! My kids have fond memories of this game and that's the idea. Memories and traditions. Glue that holds us together.

Amazingly enough, I just heard this song two years ago. The great Louis Armstrong originally did it. I actually heard it done by Garth Brooks, but when I went to find it on iTunes the only version I could find was Louis Armstrong. And what a version!

Searching for it on YouTube, I found this incredible video someone put together. It has fantastic editing. There are clips of Armstrong himself singing the song interspersed with period cartoons. It's a treat! Sit back and enjoy: "Zat You Santa Claus"

Christmas Carol Countdown: 11 Days to Go!

Disclaimer: I originally wrote a Christmas Carol Countdown in 2010 when I first started this blog. I had no followers, my family were the only ones who read it. I didn't know anything about blogging or linky parties, etc. So I wrote a Countdown. This year, I decided to do "The Best of..." and re-post those blogs. I wasn't good at doing it every day, so I will also write original posts. The original set of blogs can be found in the subject list in the right hand column. Just click "Christmas."

I promised to tell you about traditions our young family had at Christmas time. My mom made each of my children an advent calendar. The one she made for my second daughter had a Christmas tree with lots of little pockets below for the countdown. It was 1980 and the girls were one- and three-years-old. That was when the most delightful Christmas tradition idea sprouted in my head.

I used the advent calendar with the pockets and in each pocket I put a slip of paper with a Christmasey thing to do. Some were traditional: go get the tree, decorate the tree, and the others ranged from the boisterous to giving service. Before December, I would map out when the Christmas shows would be on TV. Watching "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and "Frosty the Snowman" were a must. A slip of paper would go in the proper day when we would watch them on TV. I might remind you right here that this was pre-video player and videos. It was just in its infancy and hardly anyone had them. We watched what we wanted to watch on TV when it was on TV at the exact time.

Next I would put in the slips for Setting Up The Manger, Reading the Christmas Story from the Bible, and also the traditional: Write Letters To Santa.

Two of the most anticipated days were for Slurping Jello and the Balloon Game. To prepare for Slurping Jello, make a regular, fruit-free jello, but add a little more water. About a quarter cup. Jello should still set up, but be a little soft. When ready, give everyone a paper plate with an equal amount of Jello on it and a straw. It helps if the straws are wider, if possible. Sitting at the table, wait for the signal: Ready, Set, Go! Everyone slurps Jello through the straw! It might be quite an easy task, I never found out. Invariably, the sound of slurped jello busted everyone out in laughter. We soldiered on until the first person slurped up all their jello and was declared Winner!

The kids LOVED it, we all had fun and it was a short little activity too. Not every one of our things took loads of time.

A couple of hints I have for Advent Activity Countdown is:
1. The slips are secret. No one knows until the pull the slip and read it aloud.
2. I would usually end up moving slips around to fit our days. Sometimes I would need a quick activity and so I would swap a longer one with a shorter one.

Tomorrow, more activities from the Advent Countdown Calendar!

I've written it before, Christmases that have children involved, around, underfoot and anticipating Santa are the richest of all.

This leads me to today's Countdown Carol. It's a song my mom often sang around Christmas and this version was done by Andrea Bocelli and children on his Christmas Special one year. Andrea is one of my treasures. I own everything he has ever recorded. One magic year, my husband gave me tickets to see him in concert! Probably about 5 years ago, the tickets were $200 a piece. It was tremendous...and all the other superlatives you can think of! Here's my pick for today. Enjoy!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

My sister, on right, and myself at Christmas in 1962.

My mom would always start singing that popular song, "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" around the beginning of December. It has stuck with me through all these years, and although I don't know most of the words, I always have to hum it when I start seeing Christmas lights on houses.

The weather here in California is cooperating for the beginning of December and the Christmas season. It's been cold, very cold, in fact. We've been getting frost!

I love the Christmas season. The joy, the giving, but mostly children. I had so much fun when my children were little. In the coming days, I'm going to share things that we did when my kids were little.

Last year at this time, two of my three children lived on the East coast. My daughter, Nancy Drew, and her family, including my new grandbaby. Curly was 2 years old. My son, TGS, also lived on the East coast with his new bride.

An event that our family had been anticipating for five years finally happened. Nancy Drew and her family moved to Utah! I live in Northern California. We are only 12-14 hours away from each other. Nancy Drew moved at the beginning of September. In the Veteran Admin. where she and her hubby work, they get almost every holiday off. In October, she got Columbus Day off and so did her older daughter. She added a day to the long weekend and came out to visit for the weekend.

Next came Thanksgiving and her family, my oldest daughter and her new hubby came to dinner! I'm heading to Utah for Christmas. This is so much better than a visit once a year. And I get to spend Christmas with children. I'm very excited, to say the least.

Now on to Christmas...

The advent calendar and the Twelve Days of Christmas have always been heartily celebrated in our family. More details in the days to come! My countdown to Christmas for this blog is going to be sharing some of my favorite carols sung by the artist I think did it best! Music has such a wonderful way of bringing the Spirit of Christmas, the Spirit of Christ, into our lives. We feel the warmth of the spirit and it makes us vow to do more, help more, give more.

My first choice for Christmas Carol Countdown is by the Norwegian singer, Sissel. She has a truly incredible voice; it makes you think of angels! A few years back, she was the guest artist on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. It was the first time I had heard her and I was entranced. The selection today is Angels from the Realms of Glory. And don't be too surprised if Sissel shows up later this month in the carol list.

Remember to check every day until Christmas for the Christmas Carol Countdown!

The Common Culprit, or "All Who Wander..."

I recently got a most surprising and sweet email. It was from someone who was reading my blog last summer. When I was writing a blog. She wondered what had happened to me. She was checking, hoping I was fine. Wow.

I can't tell you what a quandary I've been in. I love my blog. I love all the quilty and crafty blogs I read (pronounced red).

But before I get lost! again. I have to inject that I love the movie, You've Got Mail! I cannot count how many times I've watched it--and who would be interest anyway. I command you that if you haven't ever seen this movie, get it, view it, feel happy. Repeat anytime you want to feel happy.

Not my husband...too old.

One more thing, but those who read my blog know, I digress. My husband still gets his email through AOL! It was the big thing in the 80's--1980's not 1880's! I swear sometime my hubby is
buried back in the 1940's, a decade he loves. We just got cell phones. I was getting a newer one, but get this! Hubby was getting his first!

Meanwhile back at the ranch!

I've written a couple of people who posted a lot online at a quilting board. No one ever answered. But I really wondered what happened to them. And now my friend emailed me. And then...the quandary.

One side is I absolutely adore blogging and quilting. Put that together and you've got the charisma of peanut butter and jelly!

On the other side, I teach and am so dang busy and worn out that I hardly quilt during the school year. Now I love blogging almost as much as I love quilting.

My last four months---is that all it's been? It feels like years! I've been like this:

That's me there waving my arm! Help! Help! How do I get out?

So we come to the common culprit of where have I been and why haven't I been blogging.

I'm amazed how worn out I am at the beginning of a school day.
It takes me an hour to hour-and-a-half to write an average sized blog.
That's too much time.
All summer I kept thinking of how I can continue blogging for 10 months of the year.
I thought of a plan, but August came, and the big tsunami wave hit me and I did have a brain cell left to think of the plan.

Then the email.
Somebody cared.
Someone who actually liked my blog.

It's all you really need, you know. I was so energized that I decided to put the plan in to action. I have time in the evening if I don't watch all the hours of TV. Actually I don't watch that much and most of it is from Netflix or Amazon. Then there's baseball and basketball. But I digress.

Thank you, my blogging friend. You got me going.

Maybe someday I will share how miserable teaching school is. Actually I love my students, it's all the other stuff.

But here I am! I could give all of you a great big hug.

Now to make it official:

I can't display what I'm working on right now because it's a secret.

But I have been doing a L/E with it. L/E = Leader/Ender. Bonnie Hunter is one of two of my quilting muses. While you're working on one quilt, you start each block (etc) at the sewing machine with a piece of another project, then end with another piece of project. You're making two quilts at a time.

I'm working on a Bonnie quilt called Sister's Choice. It's scrappy. I started out with colors I had used in another quilt: Log Cabin Neighborhood.

It's 20x20.

Then as I started pulling out scraps and sewing them into nine-patches, I thought: I shouldn't make something in the same colors. I decided to liven it up! I added turquoise and purple into the mix. Now I don't know how it's going to turn out. But in for a dime, in for a dollar!

Here's Bonnie's Sister's Choice Quilt:

Ain't it purty?

Here are 5 of my blocks. It takes 140 nine patches that are 10" finished with the outer part of the block. I've got 145 done. Chug, chug, chug.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Boy Howdy. If you ever want to know if you've gotten all the little threads off a nine-patch, just scan it in on your computer. Those little buggers show up mud on a white carpet!

Now proudly announcing:
I'm hooking up with these wonderful blogs to share my stuff. Mosey over and look at their stuff!
(Badges in right column!)

Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday
Show and Tell Tuesday
Linky Tuesday
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
We Did It Wednesday

Bread, Lovely, Fantastical Bread

Homemade German Bread Recipes

I follow the blog: Mum's Cookbook of Authentic German Recipes. I'm trying to get in touch with my "German side." (such a hackneyed phrase!) A recipe for Kartoffelbrott German Potato Bread showed up, along with this commentary:

Source: German Recipe Blog

There are many delicious German bread recipes. Walk into any baker in Germany and you are spoilt for choice. Germans are the biggest consumers of bread worldwide and pride themselves on having the largest variety available. It is not surprising as the Germans eat bread for breakfast, lunch and for their Brotzeit in the evening. Not forgetting the children taking it in their lunchbox for their mid morning snack.


I'm German!
I love bread!
I love lots of bread!
I could live on bread!
Hail to my German ancestors!
Hail to the Boshs!
Hail to the Becksteads!
I love thee my fore-bearers, for bread, bread, lovely bread!
Joining with others celebrating: Really Random Thursday (click on badge on right)

Quilts from My Sewing Machine #4, Chris the Fireman

Okay, so it's a day before Really Random Thursday, but here's a post to add to the few I've written about quilts I have made. Today on the docket is the first "quilt" I made! As I remarked in a earlier post, I had made quilts before this, but all were the basic one piece of fabric sandwiched with another and tied.

And without further ado....My First Quilt!

Me, a sophomore in college, in a dress I made!

I had sewn clothes from my first 4-H class through to when I was 30. I never really enjoyed it, but I was competent enough to make clothing. It was cheaper than buying clothes back then. Also, my mom said, you could have just the right fit, right color and the lines would match along the seams! I gave it up finally because it got more expensive, but really because I didn't enjoy it.

Noel Heart asked me to make a quilt for Firstest’s second Christmas. I had already decided to make a baby quilt; the type I'd done before with two pieces of fabric. But Noel Heart had different ideas.

We found a book with the cutest quilt made of panels of fire trucks and Dalmatians. It didn’t look too bad, so I decided I could make it.

It is named Chris the Fireman, after my dad who was a fireman. I made it into a double bed size, starting in 2002 and finished in 2005. I found the pattern in 10 * 20 * 30 Minute Quilts, by Nancy Zieman.

Here is what the quilt looked like in the book:

I had to add some rows to make it a double size, so I decided on square-in-a-square, some checkerboard rows and use the smaller dog pictures.

To get started, I went and visited my DMIL. She is a wonderful quilter and I needed lessons. When I showed her the pattern, she looked worried. "Are you sure you want to make this quilt? It's kind of difficult?" I was fearless! Of course I wanted to make it! This was for my first grandchild!

It was my first experience with rotary cutters and real quilting. I actually cut my first piece with scissors, which my DMIL found hilarious. The first step she taught me was to cut strips and sew them together to make a checkerboard. When I sewed that first strip then cut it, I was hooked! I thought this was the most fun I’d had in a long time and a much better use of a sewing machine than for making clothing. 

It took me a long two years, but it did get done. I tied the quilt with red crochet thread and Firstest had it on his bed for years. When he was twelve, Noel Heart told me she had never washed it! Needless to say, I took it home with me to mend some seams and wash it!

Chris the Fireman, finished!

Chris the Fireman Statistics

Life Quilt #1
Started: Winter 2002
Finished: April 2005
Size: Double
Designed, pieced and tied by myself

And It's Design Wall Monday Again! Quilts from My Sewing Machine peek #1

Beware Bloggers! The Learning Curve is Steep!

Before I even begin, I want to issue an apology to all those who viewed Saturday's post and found there were no pictures. Instead of pictures there were grey ovals with a white rectangle in the middle. Shut the door! you thought, what are those gray things? Luckily one of my followers, Susan, from The Bored Zombie, let me know of this travesty!


I had been looking at Google+ (which I am a part of) and found a tab named photos. I checked it out. Omigosh and golly! there were all these pictures in there. I hadn't put any in there either. And there were duplicates. So I deleted duplicates and took out a few I didn't want Google+ friends seeing.

After hours of searching Google, I finally figured out the answer. I had to wade through a gigantic list of back-and-forths in a forum. I deserve a medal for that! You think it would be easy to find the answer to the problem, since Blogger is run by Google!

And that, my gentle listeners, is the mistake I made. Interestingly enough, Blogger (Google) stores the pictures from your Blogger with Picasa. These pictures are displayed in the picture section of Google+. When I deleted pictures, they disappeared from my blog...I didn't know where to blow my stack or to beat my head against the wall.

Soooo, my apologies! I wish Google could issue an apology to y'all, but hey I have better things to do than wait for eternity for that to happen!

I have put back the pictures for that post and for what appears on the sidebars. I'll work on restoring the remainder a bit at a time. Luckily there are still a few there, since I didn't delete those.

Back to business...my design wall. I reported my progress on the Log Cabin and Spool quilts on aforementioned blog post. It's worth reading. (Shameless self-promotion) with lots of pictures and happenings in my life while not posting. Eagerly you can click here to see that high caliber entry.

Meanwhile, here's other projects that are in the crock pot of progress.

I am making an Advent Calendar for Christmas for Curly. I've made each of my grandkids an Advent Calendar. All of them were felt and sequin types and, surprisingly, were fun to make. Until Now.

The previous calendars have been so much fun...I don't know what Bucilla has done. I think the intelligent drones who write the instruction for the calendars in the past have been replaced by evil drones from a wicked planet. The directions are obtuse. As if that's not enough, they skip steps, they don't tell you what embroidery stitch or color to use. I am very sick of looking at directions, consulting diagram, reviewing the key to diagram, and looking at the photo. I would just think I was just dense, but I've done these before.

All this has caused me to avoid the calendar. The progress is not much and the deadline is Thanksgiving. Thank goodness that provides motivation. Up till now that hasn't been much motivation, but I'm sure as the weeks pass by the motivation will increase exponentially!

How It Will Look When Finished

My Progress

Here's a look at quilts that I'm working on block-by-block. I have no deadline. Of course that means they are always pushed aside.

The blocks on the left are for a Blue-and-White Quilt, a sampler type quilt.



Second from the left are blocks for my redwork quilt, Innocence Lost.

Third from left is a BOM from Keepsake Quilting. I got it as a beginner's quilt when I first started quilting. It was way beyond my expertise. I have been able to do all the techniques for years now, but it really is low priority.

The blocks on the right are for a churn dash quilt. Each block will be made out of fabric used on each quilt I make. I got the idea when I was hand quilting a quilt top my Aunt Marie that had made of
six-pointed stars. I realized as I quilted that it was a charm quilt. Thus my idea for the churn dash quilt was born. I'll just make the blocks until I have enough for a quilt. When that one is done, I'll choose another block pattern and continue. I have to catch up on recent quilts, but I don't turn out many quilts a year, so it's not many.

I'm hooking up with other quilters. Wander by and visit their creations! The links are on the right side bar.

Patchwork Times
Show and Tell Tuesday
Fabric Story
WIP Wednesday
It's A Party
We Did It Wednesday

Enjoy the day     AND    Happy Quilting!

Where in the World is Quilting Nonnie?

 Can you believe I'm home every day, all day, on summer vacation and haven't had time to post in my blog?

Me, in earlier years, spending my summer vacation in my favorite past time.

 Dig the crazy couch, the cool hair do--can you guess the year? Answer at bottom of post.

My dog, Bambi, and reading my favorite author, Dick Francis

Well, I didn't spend every day reading...besides that couch is long gone! Where would I read? Okay, down to business. Why, you the faithful reader ask haven't you been in blog land? Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego Quilting Nonnie?

First Excuse Reason:
It's 19 days until I go back to work. And that is not my Whoop Whoop!

Second Excuse:
Somebody "didn't see me" and smacked into my car. We've been valiantly living with one car. Two are being put back in running order by my genius hubby, Wizard of the High Order of Car Repairedness.

Third Excuse:
Kitty! Need I say more? Why yes, I can (and will)! After undergoing four name changes, she has finally been christened Kaiju. Japanese translation: Big Monster. The way she storms with her big paws through the house scattering everything in front of her, she definitely qualifies for Monster. With her paws, it looks like she is going to be Big.

Kaiju! Do not climb the design wall!

Bad Kitty! Do not eat the pins!

Plus, when I sit down and she climbs up in my lap and falls asleep. Then I'm stuck there until she wakes up, so I can't get as much done. (Guess where she's at right now?)

Oh, darn! Here I am stuck here doing nothing till kitty wakes up. Hmm, where's that mahjong game?

Fourth Excuse:
Quilting as much as possible before my halcyon days of summer are through.



Fifth Excuse:
Yummy vegetables and their maintenance.

Lovely tomatoes!

Fantastic Peter Pan Squash!

Sixth Excuse:
Finding a gardener to take care of overgrown bushes and weeding! (see above pictures for proof).

The bush that took over the world!

Step One: Ignore weeds. Step Two: Oooh and ahhh at flowers.

Now the big question is: Does anybody want a yard job??? Very little experience needed except for deathly thoughts towards weeds!

Seventh Excuse:
Correcting mistakes in quilting:

Guess the mistake here!

I found that my spool quilt was supposed to be 6.5 x 4.5. I had made the blocks 4.5 x 4.5. I have to add 2 more strips to each spool. Since the strips are all used, I have to rip apart some spools to add to other spools. And make more white side strips.





Eighth Excuse:
Cleaning, routine-ing and house-ing:

Summer has been split between the Q activity and getting the house in order. My goal is to have everything clutter-free, everything having a place so that I can maintain during school year. I've got the kitchen, my part of cleaning bathrooms and living room done. I'm more than halfway through the spare room. It was (is) a huge task because its real name is: "If you don't know what to do with something, just throw it in the spare room on top of bed or any pile you like!"

I have also been chaining routines so that the first step starts a chain and makes sure many things get done: Get up (which is a gargantuan task), take meds,  feed demanding animals, shower get dressed, eat breakfast whilst reading scriptures, daily prayer, scoop cat litter and the voila! my day has started and all things that were needful got done.

Also trying to habit-ize regular cleaning of house. Can you by any stretch of the imagination see that I am an organizer, a inveterate list maker? Here's the weekly afterschool routine:



It is so difficult, as everyone who lives and breathes will attest, I'm bushed after work. I hope that forming chains will make things run more regularly.

That was a BIG eighth reason!

Ninth Excuse:
Creating budgeting routine. 'Nuff said!

And in the meantime...lovely family!

Noel Heart and Firstest take part in Rugged Maniac

Victory is Ours. Firstest does his version of the Happy Dance. Noel Heart on left, her cousin on right.

What is it about my two daughters that they are drawn to mud? (see post here)

For more whoopty do, check out other adventures at Confessions of A Fabric Addict. The link is in the right sidebar.

** Date of first picture: 1994, but I do believe the couch was from the decade before. I was its third or fourth owner. It's really true, they don't pay teachers very well!

Random Superheroes

We've all known superheroes. In my youth it was Mighty Mouse.

 When I was heading off to college it was The Six Million Dollar Man. Who was the superhero you loved from your childhood?

Of all the superheroes I've known, my favorite is Superhero Curly!

Each year I go East to visit my kids. When I get to Nancy Drew's house I have the most wonderful two days. Sweetie gets to stay home from daycare and I get her all to myself. This year when I arrived, Sweetie said, "On our day, can we make a cape for Curly? She loves being a superhero." This
 is one reason I call her Sweetie. Later that day while we were looking at cool stuff in her room she said with wonderful intensity: "I love Curly. I would step in front of a car to protect her." Excuse me while I wipe my eyes.


On our second day, off we trotted to Joann's to find the perfect material. Sweetie wasn't feeling well, but she was determined. Of course all the fabric was overwhelming and we went through the aisles twice. Sweetie was looking for something bright and cheery. I pulled out some fabrics here and there but they weren't "it." Finally Sweetie sat down on the floor, feeling worse. I started scanning the fabrics right in front of us. Suddenly I saw this fantastic fabric in front of me and drug it out and showed her. She looked at it and said, "I like it." Pause. "I really like it." We had found it! The cape was to be reversible, one down, one to go. Sweetie remembered that I had shown her dotted fabric that had glitter on it. Perfect!

Back at home, we laid out a "pattern" I had gotten from Craft Buds, a blog I found through Google. Instead of goofing around trying to devise my own cape and get the right design, I used her pattern. Sweetie and I laid it out, she cut it out and we pinned it.

I had given Nancy Drew a 1960's Pfaff that my Aunt Marie had. I do not have good mojo with that sewing machine. Yes it was a wonder to see. I had learned to sew on my mother's same machine. With it I had started my quilting journey. Nancy Drew does not sew, but she had this cheap (in both senses of the word) to do basic mending. Hence, the Pfaff found its new home with my second daughter. It was fun taking that 50 pound machine as carry-on luggage, but that's another story!

Four years ago, Sweetie and I made her first quilt. We used the Pfaff. Nancy Drew had inserted the bobbin case incorrectly. When we made the first stitch, the needle got stuck in the down position and wouldn't budge. Exasperation. Tugging. Bother. Tugging. Vexation. Calling hubby. Botheration. Breaking of bobbin case. My "swear" word: Snergen. I finally conceded victory to the pesky machine. Eventually we borrowed a machine from a friend of my daughters.

Hold on to your seats...fast forward. Pfaff all fixed and read to go. I couldn't find where the pedal plugged into the machine. Brilliant idea.  In retrospect, idiotic move. I plugged the pedal into the wall outlet. Press pedal. Pop! Smell of electricity dying. Machine gives a sigh and dies.

However, the machine did work. If you turned the wheel by hand. Which is what we did. Sweetie did the turning of the wheel and got remarkably fast with it. Not before I gave it a try. My wedding ring was hitting the metal wheel. I decided to take off my ring. Snug, no budge. Soap to the rescue! Two weeks later I still can't get the ring back on. Aggravating.

It turned out fantastico!

 Since Curly wasn't there, the only models we had were ourselves!

Up, Up and Away!

I Will Save You!

This is definitely saving the best for last: Superhero Curly!

  Off to save the day!

I don't know for sure, but I think Curly's smile was enough for Sweetie!

Hooking up with Really Random Thursday. Grab badge at right and see how random other people can be.