Christmas bazaar 2009

For the past few years my mother, myself and grandmother and Autumn of course, have been in charge of the ornament table at our church's Christmas bazaar. This year since we had a lot of rain the Christmas parade was cancelled but we all still had a wonderful time selling ornaments and handmade items for our church.

Every year a woman that belongs to our church hand hooks a large rug to be included in the Chinese auction. This year she chose a beautiful country primitive scene with sheep and rolling hills...of course I didn't win, you would have heard me scream if I did! Here is her artwork...



Oh well, maybe next year!!!

The ornament table was all decked out with our handmade ornies, none of which were cross stitch! It seems that everyone likes the shiny sparkley stuff these days. We decorated trees and sold them that way also.





I thought it would be a good idea to sit at the handmade and stitched linen table...





I also perused the other tables. Look at all of the lovely items I found! I took home some of it too!!









I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

~thyme2sow

Fun in the Snow!

Even though I am sick I still love seeing my little girl have fun. She makes me smile with her toothless grin. I love being her mama and just adore every minute of this. Here is Autumn and her friend having some snowy day fun.







Who has time to sew when you have a 5 year old anyway? I should name this blog AUTUMN...it's all about her isn't it?!

~thyme2sow

Winter is here!

Winter has arrived and I have the flu! The only reason I am posting right now is that I cannot lay down for another minute, my back hurts from being still and I can't stand it anymore!! The snow is falling here on Long Island and it is a blizzard. Not bad for the first snowfall of the year for us. We should have about 20" by the time it is all over, it's been snowing since yesterday about 12noon and should continue till about noon today. Autumn is going to be so surprised when she wakes up...which should be soon.

Anyway, they had to postpone the Christmas pageant at church this morning. I wonder how many people will go out in this weather? I am on Alter guild duty this week too, it's a good thing my mom, my partner, lives right around the corner from the church! She'll have to take care of things...I love you MOM! and owe you one too!

I wish I was hungry and not nauseous. I'd love to eat a Christmas cookie right now. And a cup of coffee, but tea will have to do for now.

I think Autumn is waking up now so I am off to mother her. Too bad I can't kiss her too much, I would hate for her to get the flu for Christmas! Pray for us!



Have a wonderful day everybody out there! And be safe if you are in the storm.
~thyme2sow

Autumn

I am the luckiest mother in the world. This Christmas I intend to make the most of every magical minute with my 5 year old daughter, Autumn. She is the light of my life and the love in my heart. I can not even imagine not having her around. Her laughter brings me joy, her sweet voice singing Christmas carols around the house makes me smile endlessly. I am alive because of her and I love the little lady that she has become. Dear God, please allow me to stay on this earth as long as possible to be able to see her grow into the fine woman I know she will be. Keep her in your loving care day and night and always let her know how much she is loved and adored. I give thanks for all of the days that I get to be her mother. Love you Autumn xoxox

Christmas dress shopping

Dress shopping with my daughter Autumn is such a fun thing for me. It has become something I look forward to at Easter and now at Christmastime. She knows the drill by now, stand by the wall and pose! She loves to pretend she is either a princess or a rock star, occasionally playing air guitar while wearing a really fancy dress. That's Autumn for you, a joker to the end. My wonderful mother purchased two dresses for her this time because, as always, we couldn't make up our mind as to which one was more awesome. Here are the finalists...

Cute and festive...



this one was a winner!



this one I loved but didn't make the final cut...



another winner!



did you notice the matching doll dresses? How beautiful they both will look on the Christmas card this year!

I want to go back and get this one...soooo cute!



It was tough, but Autumn made the final choices and I think she did an excellent job at that. I don't look forward to the day when she doesn't want to carry on the tradition, but I know it will come. Until then I will take every picture of her that I can and document her beautiful young life because I love her to the moon and back. God bless my little girl and keep her young for as long as possible.

~thyme2sow

A chilly adventure!

Well, we finally did it! Our family has been talking about cutting down our own Christmas trees for years and finally this year, my mother is 60 and grandma is 80, we took the trip up to our cabin in Windham and we cut down our very own trees.

It was a wonderful trip up. As soon as we got to the cabin it began to snow very lightly. We saw from across the valley to the other side of the mountain that a snow cloud was coming our way.



We bundled up and headed towards the right-of-way on our property. I scouted out some trees this fall and knew that there were some nice specimens up there. We all trudged over the field and picked out our favorites. Grandma picked out a small Hemlock and I headed toward the Pines. Autumn and I liked this one the best!



Dad liked this one...



After we all had our trees picked out and cut down we headed towards the cabin, warm and inviting with the stove burning brightly awaiting our return. None of us thought we would make it to 10 pm before getting too tired. We stayed in and hung by the fire all night, going early to bed.

I think we all decided to make this an annual trip up to get our trees. We brought all the left-overs from our Thanksgiving feast and we ate another great meal in the cabin. Driving home the next day was kind of sad. We never just stay one night, but we all knew that our lives were waiting for us at home.

Next year I hope that Steven can join us, as he had to stay home for work this time. Who buys lumber the day after Thanksgiving anyway? Every one's out buying Christmas presents!!!

Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday feast. Looking forward to Christmas now more than ever!




~Thyme2Sow

Giving thanks today

Just a little post tonight to say 'Thank You' to all of those people in my life who have been there through the ups and downs. Without the support of my friends and family I have nothing. I'm wishing for a more centered 2010 for myself. For others, a year filled with love and laughter. Today was a wonderful day filled with tradition and merriment. I pray for a more peaceful way of life for myself and the strength to get through each and every day. I have faith that things will be better in my future. Thank you Lord for this day.

Enjoy the weekend...I'm heading towards snow! More on that later...

~Thyme2Sow

A package arrived today!

My dear sister Louise called the other day and asked me to be honest with her...she wanted to send me a few handmade vests that she made for her dear sweet daughter, my niece, years ago. She was trying to feel me out, see if I was interested and if I thought that my 5 year old would like to wear them. Of course I responded with a "yes" that I would put them on Autumn and give them to another little girl to wear and look adorable in.

When they arrived today Autumn was so excited to see what her favorite Aunt sent her that before the package was even opened she told me that whatever Aunt Louise sends her she loves! She opened the package and said "oooh mom...look...fabric!" kind of like trying to be excited to see something cool but was stopped in her "happy" tracks. I laughed, knowing that she was mistaking the vests for fabric...wonder why she would ever think that?! So I chuckled a bit and held up a vest and said "look, Aunt Louise sent you something special that was your cousin's when she was little!" Then the real "ooh" came out and I smiled again. She wanted to put one on right away and that really made me happy.

I'm posting a picture for the world to see how very special a sister Louise is to me!

Love you sis,

~Nicole (Thyme2Sow)

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has come and gone and the weather stayed just perfect for our little trick-or-treater this year. We started at the park where children gathered for a spooky scavenger hunt...



and then to our high school for their first annual 'safe trick-or-treating' event run by the students themselves...

then onto grandma's for a little candy rustling in the old neighborhood...

we met up with some friends...

and then called it a night.

I'm sorry, but Autumn is the laziest trick-or-treater I know! She wanted me to ring the door bells, say trick-or-treat and even hold her candy when her bucket got too full!!! I did hold her bucket but that was all. When I was her age I walked for miles for candy, I always ate most of my candy that night and I never wanted to go in until it was so dark I had to. My daughter didn't even stop at every house, she just wanted to go to the ones that has nice decorations outside. Can you believe that she has only eaten 2 bags of mini M&M's since yesterday?! What's wrong with this kid? lol

I have a candy collector for a daughter, not a candy eater. I must say she really doesn't have the taste for candy, mostly chocolate M&M's...and that's about it.
So now what to do with the candy?....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm



I hope your day was spooky and fun!

~Thyme2Sow

Oh toooooth fairy!!!!

It finally came out! Autumn lost her first tooth this morning at Sunday school. It has been hanging on by a thread for about 2 weeks and today was the day it decided to let go. She cried a couple of tears, I think because she didn't expect it to ever happen, but when she bit into her cookie it just popped out. What a day!



So tonight the Tooth Fairy will arrive after she has fallen asleep, and if all things go well for her Autumn will wake up to find something special left under her pillow.

Thanks again for the Tooth Fairy pillow Louise! It will be a wonderful memory for your niece and a great resting place for her sweet little tooth!



Love you sister!

~Thymw2Sow

Dad's Halloween Museum 2009

My father has been collection all things Halloween since I was a young girl. It's safe to say that he just may be a Halloween maniac! I love going into Mom and Dad's house during the week before Halloween because it really is a sight to see.
In addition to giving out candies my father likes to mix it up a bit and give the children a choice between candy or baseball cards. He knows what the kids like! My parents live on a very busy corner and the neighborhood children come out in droves, especially since this year the date falls on a Saturday I am sure that the candy will be flowing at their house.

It really is quite interesting to step into the Halloween museum at Mom and Dad's house. I just had to document all of the interesting things that are on display there. I'm looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next year.

Happy Halloween!
~Thyme2Sow

Field Trip

I love this time of year. But you already knew that!!! I was lucky enough to be able to go on my daughters first field trip with her kindergarten class. We went to a farm on Long Island called White Post Farm and enjoyed a fun afternoon with friends.

First we all fed the animals...





Then onto the tractor ride into the field for pumpkins.



It was a truly beautiful day. I really enjoyed watching my daughter with her new friends. I'm glad to have this opportunity to be involved with her school. She'll only be little for a short amount of time. I intend to live my life with her in the fullest way I know how.

I love you little one! God Bless you always.



~Mama

Madeline

If my grandmother knew that I was posting pictures of her on my blog she would probably say..."oh, why would you want to do that?" But the real reason is that I truly love and respect her and always want her around me.

I find that since I am older now, 30 something...I feel a bit closer to her...woman to woman. I've always known that she has much love for me, but not until I came back from Florida in the late 90's did I really spend quality time with her, as an adult of course. I cherish these moments we have.



She is a great-grandmother one time to my daughter Autumn. She turned 80 in August and is a very active lady. She founded a quilt club at her local library with some friends 25 years ago called Patches and Pieces. She is a devine quilter, always by hand and everything very nicely done. She's always wanting to learn new techniques and teach them to her girlfriends. That's another wonderful thing about my grandma, she's a great friend!



Every chance my family gets we go upstate to our cabin owned by my grandmother. She loves the mountain air, as I do. She rises early and snuggles down after a hot cup of Lipton. When we are up there she likes to take a walk down our road and gather wildflowers as she goes, always coming back with a handful of sweet little buds ready for the old milk bottle vase we keep just for that. She loves the wild red Columbine that grows on our outer burm. They are spectacular!




Last time we were in Windham we made a really nice turkey dinner with all the fixins which all of us ladies shared in the making. The turkey came out superb, of course because she made it, and we all really enjoyed it FULLY. Of course it was a great meal that we enjoyed left-overs from all weekend. I took a picture of my mom and grandma in front of the oven as they were taking out the bird. It's kind of a tradition in our family.



I really feel blessed to have Madeline for my grandmother. I love our conversations and the time we spend together. I hope my daughter has as fond of memories of her as I always will. I hope she lives for a long time and has more wonderful healthy days ahead. Love you grandmother!

~thyme2sow

My next project

So, I grew loofah for the first time this year in my harvest garden. It's mid October and I decided to do a little research and came up with some ideas.





I asked a Japanese friend of mine if she knew anything about this strange gourd-like, zucchini-like fruit/vegetable. She did a little research and asked her mom in Japan. She told me to soak it, cut it into slices if I want to, then wait. So that's what I am doing. It can be eaten when it is young, sauteed is probably the best way. I prefer to make it into a useful item for the household. A personal sponge. I'll let you know how it turns out!

It's Fall Y'all