Slowing Down?

Advent.

A time to wait.

A time to look forward to good things.

A time to slow down and enjoy the Christmas season...

Unless you knit. 

Unless you have grandkids who know you knit.

Unless said grandchildren have birthdays in October, November and January, isolating Christmas knitting to mostly December.

Lol...

4 years old. Where has the time gone?

Throw in working at a church that has Big! Christmas! Events! every weekend in December, and an active social life, and Advent is not what I might dream it could be. 

So, in an effort to slow myself down, I've decided to do an Advent devotional every morning. But rather than starting one, I've started 4. Four 25-day devotionals with Bible verses, to see which one slows me down the best.

Oh. Okay. I see the flaw. But here I am, in the heart of this season full of family, baking and creative making, just barely treading water in this ocean of activity. I'd ask God to slow me down, but He might send me a case of Covid..

Which might work...but I'd rather not go that route again this Christmas.

Instead, I'll pick a devotional, just one. 

I'll plan my knitting intentionally, just one project at a time.

I won't freak out if I can't fit everything in. (In theory, I won't freak out. In reality, I'll probably have a moment or two...)

So, what are your December plans? 

Any stress in your life? Any good ideas on how to manage said stress? 

I'm all ears...and hands...there's still so much knitting and baking and candy making to do!

Now!, if not sooner!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health (if it keeps you from going insane!)

Two Novembers, one October. 
Also an April and July...phew!

Two Januarys, two in March.
No rest for weary knitting fingers...lol!

Need a Little Christmas?

As I looked back at pictures from Thanksgiving, a mere two days ago, 

I think back to last year's holiday season, when the house looked much the same. Cookies and lights on the tree,

Friends and relatives visiting,

lots of smiles!

Smiling faces are the best decorations! Still, I'd really like to add a few more Christmassy little touches around the kitchen and dining room. I've started with some Wee Evergreens for the counter...and I may add in some gnomes, but I'll have to finish the trees first!

A festive table dressing...I wonder what goes on the runner? Hmmmm, surely I have something. 

New for this year, maybe some greenery on the cabinets? I think I'd like to land somewhere between silly Christmas movie and "No, just a tree, thanks anyway!," (where I lived for 26 years...lol!) Pinterest, here I come...!

How do you decorate for the winter Holidays? Does your house look like a Hallmark Movie, or do you live with Grinches? Lol...

In the meantime, I'll just dump the rest of our Thanksgiving fun here, and get back to the knitting...because those little trees won't knit themselves! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! (Only 29 days until Christmas!)

Mmmmm! Dessert first!

Almost a teenager...all the attitude!

Baby's first bite of holiday rolls...

Stop the meltdown! Take him ouside. 😉 

Rocket balloons...

...with Cousins!

All the cousins (on this side of the family)!

Baby in a Bumbo!

Saturday Status

My Saturday status is slightly snowy sweater weather.

There hasn't been much snow in my "yard," 

but I don't live in the "snow belt," so there wasn't much expected...

Still, sweater weather means that it's also time to start thinking about swapping spring for winter in the storage area...and I am hopeful that my indoor, winter tree will soon make it's appearance in the front window!

I've even started prepping the cookies and candy, but I haven't gotten very far. 

After all, I have four whole days until Thanksgiving, when we will deck everything out...but look at the colorful foil wrappers I found for the caramel this year!

My Saturday status still includes knitting as well! Some of it is secret, but this hat came out of hiding for its tiny head yesterday...because this kid needs a couple warm hats!

What's your Saturday Status? Does it include holiday prep? Are you planning a big dinner anytime soon? Whatever your plan, I hope that you are planning to enjoy the "hustle and bustle" that are right around the corner!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

PS - Please enjoy these gratuitous shots of our OG (Original Granddaughter) last Saturday, when she was in her first musical, Beauty and the Beast! She had fun, and I'm so glad we got to see the show!

I See Someone Had a Birthday

When my daughter (who lives close by) has a birthday, it's time for me to bake! If I find candy eyeballs in the cupboard with the sprinkles, well...what else could I do?

Ooh! I see a birthday on the horizon!

But I couldn't hang out with her and the boys on her birthday, tho. It seems they all have the plague. No, not the plague...not even Covid...but we are staying away for a bit while they all concentrate on banishing the germs. It's a good thing we got to see them last Sunday, before the onset of symptoms.

And the littlest one has discovered real food, which is awesome...as long as I can keep the carrots off my hand-knit sweaters!

At least I could console myself with baking and knitting! Lately I'm working on reversible hats with miles of plain knitting to keep my head clear.

Musselburgh Hat #5!

We have some fun planned today, a musical! Our granddaughter is in it, Beauty and the Beast. I hear from that sweet 11-year-old and her parents that it's very good, and she's having a blast!

So, I'm going to sign out and finish this hat before showtime (maybe?). Then I'll start thinking about plans for Thanksgiving day and beyond! So much fun headed our way in the next few weeks! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Or gab a friend and a latte and go for a walk!

Still Falling for Autumn!

Note: There are no actual falls in this blog. Today we are looking at the season, not the unfortunate event, and Pretty is pleased to present with no injuries...lol!

As autumn has fallen upon us in northeast Ohio, I have often been struck by the overwhelming beauty of the season.

This has been one of the prettiest fall seasons that we have experienced in a long time.

The last few years have brought abrupt transitions from summer to winter, often feeling like we moved from swimsuit season to "Hon, where did we put the ice scrapers?" in less than a week! 2022, however (perhaps as an apology for the last two years of crazy?), has graced us with perfect temperatures, bright sunshine, and the familiar aroma of wet leaves, bonfires and all the allergens in the air...

::Pretty inhales deeply and releases her breath in a contented sigh...then she sneezes and takes a Covid test. It is negative, FYI.::

But a lot can change in just a few weeks.

A different view brings the realization that winter is just around the corner.

But it's not here quite yet...

So we will keep walking, playing and breathing, enjoying the outdoors in just our shirt sleeves for as long as we can!

And then I'll put up the Christmas tree!

2021 tree, for reference.

Bwaaahahahahaha! (Not yet! Let's not get crazy...but probably before Thanksgiving!)

I hope you are finding time to enjoy the little things, too. Every season has an expiration date, so be sure to catch some of this season's joy before the next one takes over!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Don't forget to change the clocks!