Christmas..Gifts, Family and Friends

I hope everyone is enjoying the last little bit of the holiday season as we are about to say goodbye to 2010.

I know this year has been very much a roller coaster ride for me. I have reconnected with my dad's family after a 30 year absence, which has been good and difficult, facing some very tough issues and figure out how to deal with them but I am getting there. Rex has been my rock as have been my wonderful friends that mean the world to me and have been there whenever I have needed them. Where would a gal be without their gal pals?

I am also learning about Alzheimer's. One of my dearest friends, Jean, whom I have known for 23 years, who at 66 years old, has it. She started out as my boss when I was 20, I was her admin. asst. at a CPA when she was a recruiting director. A special friendship developed and through the years we stayed in touch and I have gotten to know her family as well. She ended her career as a college professor and now, a bright, energetic, classy, funny, gracious woman has this awful disease. I am fortunate that I live only 1 hour away and I am trying to spend as much time with her as I can. She was the best boss I have ever had.

I do have some pics to show.

Gifts to Staci and from Staci are below:



Since I didn't get to meet up with Julie in Sioux City a few weeks ago, we each mailed our packages to each other and in the package I received, Julie's son sent me.....a hockey puck! A real one! "Wichita Warriors" is what his team is called. He wrote the cutest little note. I have it proudly displayed! Now I know what a hockey puck looks like! (Okay...I know it was round but...didn't realize it was so darn heavy!)

So..Here is my gift to Julie and then Julie's gift to me:



Cathy sent me a darling tatted ornament. Thank you Cathy! (Be watching your mailbox early next week!)


My friend Pam sent me a cute little notebook that will come in handy for keeping track of my blogging friends, etc. Its absolutely adorable. Thanks Pam!


I sent Pam a cute little snowman tag.


On Christmas Day, Rex and I went to his brother, Ernie and his wife Jane's house and stayed overnight. We did a white elephant exchange. We were to find something in our home that we wanted to get rid of so...there were some interesting things that were given away..GLADLY! Here is a pic of what Rex's brother Ernie got from me...a lovely apron...quite appropriate actually because he does alot of baking at Christmas time!


Jane, Ernie's wife, she received a pink flamingo birdhouse from Neal (another brother of Rex's) and again...appropriate because she does like birdhouses, but she tells us it won't stay at her house...she sees her boys and their families in 2 weeks! LOLOL



Neal received from Rex and he received the family portrait taken for their parent's 40th anniversary. There were 50th and 60th anniversary portraits taken before they passed away but no one wanted this 40th anniversary portrait so Rex ended up with it.

Rex got creative with the box...he made it...yep...we had purchased a new shower door a while back so...Rex decided to cut the cardboard it came in and used duct tape to put it together and then wrapped it only the finest of paper...newspaper that is. Neal was...umm...speechless! It was quite funny to say the least! As you can tell...my SIL Jane certainly thought it was!




Rex received from Jane some fine albums...all we need now is a stereo to play them on and we'll be ready to rock and roll!LOLOLOL One of the albums Rex got was by The Carpenters. My other SIL, Barb, LOVES the Carpenters so...when she came in the room Rex had it somewhat wrapped up and gave it to her and as you can see...she thought it was hiliarous. But...she, sadly, didn't take it home with her...she already had it! LOL



No pics of me...I got...from Ernie, a can of asparagus and a book called Stalking the Wild Asparagus by Euell Gibbons. Not sure if that will be on my "must read" list or not. I'll have to give that some thought. But if anyone is interested in reading it...just e-mail me...I'd be happy to send it to you!

I had a fun afternoon today with a couple of gal pals. Margaret and Pam came to town and we went to lunch at The Button Factory and did a bit of shopping and then headed back to my house and had some coffee and carrot cake and chatted. A great afternoon. Rex played photographer and took a pic of us: (Margaret, me, and Pam)


Well, I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the year as it draws to a close and wishing you a happy, healthy new year with LOTS of stitching in the new year!!!!!!!

Take care and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Stitching
Wendy Jo

Birthday Gift to CO and...my overnight stay at a high school

My dear friend Staci had a birthday last week so I stitched her up a Pine Mountain Pillow design called "Girlfriends" and sent some chocolate too! Staci and I chatted on the phone and she loves the package. It was alot of fun to stitch and we had some great times when Rex and I were in Colorado for his job so the words fit us to a "t".


Well, last Saturday I attempted to go to Sioux City to meet Julie since her son was going to be in a hockey tournament there all weekend. I was going just for the day since Rex and I were planning to spend some time in Des Moines with his brother and our SIL. Well...when I was about 20 miles outside of Sioux City, there was a complete white out. I had just gotten gas in Sloan and got on the ramp to get onto I-29 north and there was a semi right there! So I hit the ditch otherwise I would have hit the semi. A trucker, who watched the whole thing, waved me over and I sat in his rig until the fire and rescue came around picking people up and taking us into Sloan to the firehouse. After that we were transported to the high school for the night. The American Red Cross was absolutely FABULOUS to us all. Very caring and patient and made us feel very comfortable and were on top of the weather reports as were the highway patrol. They provided sandwiches, pop, coffee, hot chocolate, etc.

I was finally able to head back to Des Moines (where I left Rex at his brother's house) around noon on Sunday.

There hadn't been any predictions of heavy snow or even a blizzard on Saturday I guess. Oh well...Julie and I at least chatted a few times on the phone. We'll meet some day!

Well, I need to get my stitching finished up this week as I am having a cyst removed from my right palm Friday morning. The surgeon said its a pretty deep cyst but feels that I won't have many stitches and it should not keep me away from my stitching for long.

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments about my pinkeeps I sent to Lori and Cathy. I really do appreciate them alot!

Take care and happy stitching.

Wendy Jo

A Gift to Minnesota and a Gift to Ohio

My dear friend Cathy had a birthday last week so I decided to stitch her a design by Pine Mountain Designs called "Sew Glad We're Friends" and finished into a pinkeep. I purchased the backing fabric at a new quilt shop (Quilts-n-More) that opened in my DH's hometown of Albia, IA. I just love the fabric and it is so perfect for the design I stitched. I am so glad Cathy is enjoying the pinkeep!



I also sent a surprise gift to my dear friend Lori (no blog) in Ohio. Lori and I have been internet buddies for about 10 years now and I haven't stitched her anything in a very long time so I thought I'd put a little surprise in her mailbox! I stitched another Pine Mountain Design called "Friendship is the Sweetest Flower". Her favorite color is purple so I change colors to coordinate with the backing fabric. Lori loves the pinkeep..so, of course, it made my day :)



I think that is about it for now. Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and is making some time to sit and spend some time with their needle and thread.

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo