Happy 3rd Blogiversary...and the winners are

3 years today, I took the plundge and started my blog - writing about my love of cross stitching and everything that goes on in my daily life. It is a busy life, but I don't think that I would change anything.

On October 28th, one month ago I announced my 3-100-500 giveaway - to celebrate - my 3rd blogiversary, 100 followers and 500 posts.

Since that day my followership increased from 84 to the current 161 - wow! That has overwhelmed me. I have had the privilege of visiting some of my new followers and there are so many amazing people out there! What a neat medium we have here - to meet new people and learn about other's lives, different countries, etc.

And while I didn't officially get to my 500th post, I did get darn close! Life has a way of getting in the way of the best made plans, so I hope you all will forgive me that I didn't quite meet my challenge.

HOWEVER, because you all over achieved your end of the bargain, there will be 2 winners! So using the random number generator to pick a number between 1 and 118...

Winner #1 is.....

Comment #32 was written by Kathy H

 
Winner #2.....

Comment #85 was written by Danielle 

Kathy H and Danielle...I will be contacting you both soon to get your information. Congratulations.
 
And to everyone...thank you so much for joining in the fun! I feel like the winner today!
 
Take care...until next time, remember
 

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

3 days until blogoversary...

so, once again I better do a little catching up! However, if you haven't entered my 3-100-500 giveaway, you can find out all about it on the left hand side - the link to the post where you need to enter can also be located on the left.

Post #495 - Making sacrifices when owning your own business
I guess the first thing I should do is wish all my blog friends in the states a Belated Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that everyone had an enjoyable day.

My day? Well it started out very early, but that wasn't to cook the Thanksgiving turkey. No, I had to go into Store #1 at 4am to create 2 different arrangements and put together a box of chocolate covered apples. These arrangements are ones that contain a lot of choclate dipped fruit and one had kiwi slices...none of which would look very good if made the night before; so I opted to come in early and create them. We want to make sure that all of our customers get the best product possible!!! I finished up the arrangements around 6:15 and finished cleaning up my mess & mopping the floor around 7am. I wanted to make sure that everything looked good at Store #1 before I left because my DH and son Matthew were going to work there...I, on the other hand needed to leave this store and drive 32 miles up to Store #2.

On Thanksgiving, as well as some of the other holidays which are coming up, we give all of our staff the day off and each of us "man" the store. The stores are open for a short amount of time (8am-12pm) for customers to come and pick up their orders...we opt not to do any deliveries on these days. And typically we don't take any new orders on these holidays, but do have some extras available for walk in purchases...however, because I know how to produce the arrangements, while at Store #2 I did take some orders. So between trying to dip fruit and arrange them in the container, I was also running to greet the customers coming in the door to pick up their pre-ordered Thanksgiving arrangment. A couple of times I felt like I was running a 3-ring circus...but I was the only clown. It was fun, though...I love helping customers and making their day special.

Never the less, I was glad when the last customer showed up to pick up their order - and once the kitchen was cleaned I was headed home. My DH and son Matthew beat me home and were having a bit of lunch...so we decided that naps would be next before our thanksgiving meal.

Post #496 - This years Thanksgiving Meal
Small
A glimpse of what is down the road
Those are the thoughts I had as I sat down at the table last night. There were only 3 of us around our little table...me, my husband and my younger son Matthew. Robert, our older son, left on Thanksgiving morning with his hockey team for a tournament in Denver, Colorado. So, without Robert's stomach present, I downsized the Thanksgiving meal. I know that sounds pretty sad in itself, but many of the traditional dishes - the candied yams, green bean casserol, stuffing - only Robert and DH eat. So we kept it simple and delicious.

Before leaving for the airport, Robert was kind enough (anytime you get a teenage boy to do any favors for you, I would assume it was done out of kindness, right?) to put in the turkey breast in the oven; I had prepared it the night before. The rest of the meal consisted of steamed green beans, tossed salad, mashed potato w/gravy, sour dough bread and the turkey. I also roasted an acorn squash, which only I enjoyed...no one else wanted to try.

It was a nice meal, simple, relaxing...after we finished and the kitchen was cleaned up (this was the 3rd kitchen I had cleaned up: Store #1's kitchen at 6am, Store #2's kitchen at 12:30pm and now my own at 6pm), we retired upstairs and just vegged out. I was too tired to pick up a needle even...so I just laid around and watched TV.

Post #497- Post Thanksgiving and the upcoming giveaway
With Thanksgiving now "in the books" as the saying goes, we all really start looking toward Christmas and the holiday season. Did any of you participate in the Black Friday early bird activities? I have a few friends who actually go out at midnight to get the deals or camp out for the stores that open at 4am. I have never done that. Actually, after the last few days I have had, I value my sleep too much :)

Well, finally the giveaway drawing is coming...only 3 more days. On November 28, I will choose 2 names from those who entered a comment on this post that started it all and will post them sometime on Monday 11/28. I have been gathering things up for their mystery packages and will purchase the gift certificates to http://www.123stitch.com/ as soon as I have the winners' names. Getting exciting, hun?

Well, take care my friends. Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

Catching up again...business, baking and a little stitching

Post # 491-494 and 6 more days until the giveaway drawing.

If you haven't entered yet, I posted the information on the left hand side and "click" on the link, which will take you to the right post to enter your comment for the upcoming drawing.

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Post #491 -  Weekend RecapThe weekend went well for me, at home with Robert (older son), and DH & Matthew (younger son) down in LA. I worked in the store on Saturday and got Robert around for his hockey activities on Sunday.

Down in LA, DH & Matthew had a great time. Matthew played well in all three of his hockey games - scored a goal in all three games...but unfortunately, the team lost 2 games and tied 1. But the scores were all very close. Aside from hockey, they just had a great time being together, which as I said in the last post it has been a long time since DH has stepped away from the store and travelled for a hockey weekend with either of the boys. It was funny, though, when Matthew listed the few times that he "missed his mommy".

The first time was just during the games for there was no one cheering from the stands. In fact, he said, the stands were silent (that is sad). The second time he missed me was when they went to the Olive Garden for dinner...mommy wasn't there to cut his speghitti noodles. This issue, I have to say is very sad, for he is 12.5 years old and it is time for him to cut his own noodles...don't you think? :)

Post #492 - The Business
In the wonderful comments on my last "catch up" post, Kaye asked "What sort of store do you own?" My husband and I own 2 Edible Arrangement franchise stores - the business that creates fruit arrangements that look like flower arrangements and boxes of chocolate dipped fruit (like strawberries, bananas, oranges, pineapple, and apples). Below is one of the popular arrangements this week as we gear up for Thanksgiving.

It looks like we will be cutting out a lot of pineapple leaves and dipping them in chocolate over the next few days. As well as, making a lot of cinamon chocolate apple wedges.

Today, tomorrow and Thanksgiving I will be working up at our 2nd store location while DH holds down the 1st location. Before anyone asks..."yes" DH and I are working Thanksgiving Day. We give all our employees the day off and we work the store from 8-12 for pick ups only (normally we deliver, but on holidays such as this when we give all our employees the day off we just do "pick up" only). When the last pick up is gone, we each will lock up the doors and meet at home...where we will enjoy our Thanksgiving meal!

Post #493 - Thanksgiving Baking
Yesterday, as I was driving around doing errands (for I had the day off from both Part Time job and working in a store) I realized that if I don't get my Thanksgiving shopping done or get the pumpkin pies made I won't have any other chance this week. So after running the car to get it's overdue oil change, I hit the grocery store and gathered up all the Thanksgiving necessities - Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, etc. It is going to be a small T-giving this year as Robert (my older son) will be away for a hockey tournament.

Anyway...once home and the groceries unpacked I started immediately on my pie crust...do you make your own pie crust or do you purchase "already" made? I have always made my own. It has been a tradition in my household to use homemade pie dough. Back when I was a little girl, it was tradition for my great-grandmother to make the dough and the pumpkin pies. I still remember walking downstairs to the kitchen mid-morning and hearing her curse the dough - "Damn dough, it is too sticky!" or "Damn dough, it keeps breaking a part and the pies are going to look ugly!" After a few "damns" you would soon hear my uncle or my mother in the next room saying - "LaLa's making her pies now, best to stay out of the kitchen." My dough recipe comes from the Bylery's cook book (Bylery's is a grocery store in Minnesota) and is simply Crisco, flour, egg, vinegar and a little water.

Once the dough is made, rolled out and fitted to the pan...next is the pumpkin pie filling. I have my great-grandmother LaLa's recipe; however, since I don't eat the pie I follow my husband's mother's recipe. LaLa's had a lot of eggs in hers, plus spices & the pumpkin pie filling - which comes out almost like a custard. DH's family's recipe calls for Kyro syrup, only 3 eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie filling and spices.  So, here is the pie...

Behind the pie are loaves of Strawberry bread, which I also baked yesterday. In our stores, when we prep the strawberries, we toss aside the smaller "unacceptable" ones which usually end up coming home with me. Some of the strawberries I grind up and make into smoothies...however, because we are coming up to long hours at the store, I decided to whip up some strawberry bread to take in and share with our wonderful employees. I made 2 batches of the bread - one that has only strawberries and one that has strawberries and a little bit of crushed Almonds. If interested in trying something new, here is the recipe for Strawberry Bread:

STRAWBERRY BREAD - from Food to Go Cookbook

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, well beaten

1-1/4 cup oil

2 (10oz) pkgs frozen strawberries, thawed...I used fresh & chopped them up

1-1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)...I used some almonds in one batch

1/4 cup strawberry jam

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar (I also added a little vanilla and ginger to my recipe, just to give it a little extra lovin'). Add eggs, oil, stawberries, pecans and jam. Blend. Pour batter into 2 well greased 5x9-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

ENJOY!

Post #494 - a little stitching

So over the weekend, while in the rinks on Sunday I did get in a few stitches on my Family Sampler. Since it has been a long time since I posted a photo, I decided to show you my status...but I must apologize for the photo - I grabbed the camera, but it appears that the batteries were stolen out of it by some teenage boys for their computer mouses; so I was left with my phone camera. Here is a status phone photo:

It is dark, but I hope that you can see that I am almost finished with the Clay Pot flower buds that go around the border...there are 2-1/2 more to stitch on the left hand side and then there are 3 more corners to fill in. I did one of the corners the other day to see what it looked like, but decided that I wanted to finish the flower buds first before filling in the corners. I don't know why I decided that - guess it was just a factor of trying to keep the focus on using the color Clay Pot.

Well that should bring us all up to date on things here. I hope that your week is going well. Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often

Lisa

Crazy busy...sooooo....10 more days until giveaway drawing

Post # 486...487...488...489...490 and 10 more days until the giveaway drawing.
If you haven't entered yet, read the information on the left hand side and "click" on the link, which will take you to the right post to enter your comment on for the drawing.
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Well, I know that technically this is not the 490 post, but since I am the one hosting the giveaway and you all have overwhelmed me with the number of followers and entries, I will jump ahead and make this the 490 post. Only 10 more posts to go until my 500th and only 10 more days until the drawing.

I have been very busy working on our Store #1 - trying to transition in to a new routine that has made it difficult for me to sit and blog. While I am hoping to have some time at home this evening to rest and relax, I might just end up on the sofa and fall asleep. Standing on these hard floors several hours a day and cut fruit, well it is not good for ones lower back.

This weekend DH is going with Matthew (younger son) to his hockey tournament in Los Angeles. They left a few hours ago, driving down there. Matthew was so excited that dad got to go with him. It has been a long time since DH has taken a long weekend off from our business and even longer since he has travelled with either of the boys. I know that he, too, was looking forward to getting away. I will have to work in one of the stores tomorrow, but since we close earlier on the weekends I will have some time to spend at home with Robert (my older son). And...it will be nice not to be the one who had to pack and travel. It is fun traveling with the boys, but I do look forward to spending some time at home every once in awhile. Maybe, just maybe, I will find sometime to sit and stitch. One can only hope.

Well, my blog friends. It is already time for me to sign off. I hope that you all have had a good week. What plans do you have for the weekend?

Take care and remember....

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!
Lisa

Caught in between...but gotta catch up

Post #485 - 14/13 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers

You still have time to enter my 3-100-500 give-a-way if you haven't yet, details and the link to the information can be located on the left.

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'Tis too early to be morning, but too late to call it night...

'Tis not really Monday any more, but Tuesday isn't right.

Late to bed and early to rise

So this post will be disguised

As an entry for yesterday, even though today is dawning

I add post one for now, and two a little later

But right now, as I am yawning,

See you later alligator!

Sunday...Sit...Stitch....Repeat

Post #484 - 15 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers
You still have time to enter my 3-100-500 give-a-way if you haven't yet, details and the link to the information can be located on the left.
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Sitting on the coach, with my needle in hand
Thus only have a moment to check in, say "hi" and make sure to post today.
Getting closer to post number 500 and closer to my give away...
But got to stitch, for I have the itch!

Have a good Sunday!

Lisa

Happy Saturday

Post #483 - 16 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers

You still have time to enter my 3-100-500 give-a-way if you haven't yet, details can be found on the left - or you can go to this link to read about and enter. 

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A day off of work, which I had yesterday, which included the boys having a day off of school due to Veteran's Day - doesn't allow for much opportunity to do things for one's self. However I did manage to get one bathroom cleaned and the kitchen floor mopped which were the two areas that bothered me the most in this house.

In the afternoon, both boys had an ortho appointment which was followed by a trip to the LHS...the Local Hockey Store :) Both boys needed some new sticks - Robert needed a helmet and Matthew a pair of breezer/pants.

In the evening, we fired up the grill and slapped on some burgers...followed by a sit on the sofa and an opportunity for me to pull out Family Sampler and create 45 X's. While always grateful to sit and stitch, it isn't enough to really show at this time. 

Have a good Saturday...until tomorrow, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often! Lisa 

Brothers...Buddies...and so they grow

Post #482...17 days until my blogoversary....100+ followers

You still have time to enter my 3-100-500 give-a-way if you haven't yet, details can be found on the left - or you can go to this link to read about and enter.

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Happy Friday...Happy Veteran's Day...Happy 11-11-11...

The great affair, the love affair with life, is to live as variously as possible, to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred, climb aboard and gallop over the thick, sunstruck hills every day. It began as mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beutiful country lies in between.

~Diane Ackerman

Everything starts as somebody's daydream ~ Larry Niven

Once upon a time, in the State of Hockey - Minnesota - two little boys were born 3-1/2 years apart: Robert was the oldest and Matthew, the youngest. With both parents working full-time, they attended the local day care/early childhood development facility where skating lessons were offered at the age of 3...yes, they had a little indoor ice rink at the day care...how cool is that? Once those tiny "blade"s (aka hockey skates) were attached to their feet...those buckets (aka helmets) positioned on their heads...and "twigs" (aka hockey sticks) placed in their hands...dreams of being great NHL stars were born.

Robert (5 years old) on the right and Matthew (2 years old) on the left..playing floor hockey on the wooden floor in
our house in Minnesota.



It was thought that moving to California, NHL dreams would be dissolved, but on the contrary...hockey was alive and scoring here on the West coast. As priorities for a hockey team and a good school district were high on the list of requirements for finding a new residence, the brothers landed ended up playing for the Blue Devils.

Robert (9 years - squirt) on the right and Matthew (6 years - mite) on the left.

Since then, the boys have jumped from hockey club to hockey club, playing for some great coaches over the years - whether they were an Oakland Bear, a Santa Clara Blackhawk or a Tri Valley Blue Devil...the dream continues as they both are playing for the San Jose Jr. Sharks

Robert (15.5 years - 15UAAA Midget Minor) and Matthew (12.5 years - 12UAAA PeeWee)...their current photo. It's been a long time since I have been able to get a Buddy Photo of them.

I look at the three photos and amazed at the growth and the changes of my little boys...who aren't so little any more...in fact they tower over me - is that really fair?

Hope you have a great day today...and a special thanks goes out to all those people who protect our freedoms! Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

No Stitching...but a new addition

Post #481 - 18 days until my blogoversary - 100 + followers

18 days until the drawing of 2 names for my giveaway...if you haven't entered yet, click on this link and leave a comment (details on the left)

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Well, I am going to disappoint you...I was not successful in sitting my self down on the couch to stitch. I allowed too many things to get in my way;

But...no...the time sucker was not My Town 2 (I liked Nancy's suggestion of finding my LNS and creating that business in my little fantasy town)

However, I was busy using my hands to put something together, though

to create something that is my "drug of choice"...

Yesterday I mentioned that my stationary bike had died.

A good morning spin...a first thing in the morning sweat...is my "drug of choice"

and a non-working stationary bike wasn't giving me that high any more

After 20 years the electronics shorted out

One of the first pieces of "furniture" DH & I purchased with our wedding money,
20 years ago, is now RIP

(the other purchase we made was our King Size bed, which we still have and really

need to replace as well)

That old stationary bike helped me sweat out stress, get rid of pregnancy weight and keep away

the "spread" one can get after the age of 40

Numberous times we replaced the chain

Several occasions we cleaned up the inside and put in a new part

But the short in the dash board, the brain of the old machine

was unfixable and we had to put ol'bike out of its misery.

So, yesterday afternoon, DH drove around to some of the local exercise equiptment

business and browsed to see what they had in stock

I surfed around the computer to see what I could find as well

After several phone calls, research on the computer and visits to stores

I settled on this:

Diamondback 510UB

So, instead of sitting and stitching, I was helping DH assemble the bike so that I could get up this morning and get in my sweaty, start to the day...which I am doing as I type out this post.

But I hear the needle and thread call my name...I feel the itch in my fingers to make those X's...

hopefully tonight is the night!

Take care my friends - thank you for all your comments and the stitching mojo you are sending...I do feel it!

Until tomorrow, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often

Lisa

Package in the mail

Post #480 - 19 days until my blogoversary - over 100 followers

19 days until I pull 2 names for my 3-100-500 giveaway - if you haven't entered, please click on this link to go to the post where you need to leave a comment.

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Do you remember me telling you that I won a doorprize from the Online Needlework Show in October? I received my package from Whispered by the Wind yesterday and not only was the pattern I chose in the envelope but Mari added in a couple of other things. Here is what I received in the mail...

I opened up the envelope and found three patterns - the first was the one I had chosen called:

Recipe for a Snowman
Mari McDonald - Whispered by the Wind

Recipe for a Snowman is the one I entered into the doorprize with - for you had email the pattern you would love to have if you would win the door prize. In addition to my choice, I also received a pattern for a bookmark as well as this pattern -

Christmas Flower
Mari McDonald - Whispered by the Wind

Isn't it beautiful - Christmas Flower. Rich red, green and gold. Isn't that a perfect Christmas color combination? Well, of course I am antsy to start one of these...however there are a few things that I need to finish...

In fact, I just need to pick up a needle and thread again. Ever since I got the iPad for my birthday and got the app for a game called "My Town 2", my hands have been void of a needle. "My Town 2" is basically like the Farmville game on facebook that many people were hooked on a few years ago, but you build residental neighborhoods and businesses trying to grow your town. First I got it, then as soon as both my boys saw what I was playing they got it...now we just have a little competition of who can build faster...sick, isn't it. The way one can get hooked on some fantasy game - addicted to having some sort of electronic device in your face constantly for entertainment. Yikes!

Hopefully tonight I will find away to put it down and pick up the needle - maybe I need some stitcher vibes from everyone out there sent to me :)

Well, that is about all I know today. I hope you have a good day today - oh, it is mid-week...I can see the weekend there on the horizon! I leave you with a few things (from http://www.livinglifefully.com/) to think about until next time, but remember:

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often - Lisa

Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.  ~Helen Keller

How beautiful it is to do nothing,

and then rest afterward

 ~Spanish Proverb

There is one thing we can do and the happiest people are those who do it to the limit of their ability. We can be completely present. We can be all here. We can give all our attention to the opportunity before us. ~Mark van Doren

Grateful for time

Post #479 - 20 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers

There are still 20 days left until my giveaway to celebrate 3-100-500 - if you haven't entered, please go to this link and leave a comment.

We couldn't have lucked out any more yesterday - the first day back after a travel weekend:

1. The boys had a "collaboration" day - which means they get out of school an hour early so the teachers could have an extra hour for prepwork or to meet with other teachers to "collaborate".
2. The boys didn't have much homework last night - guess all the work Matthew did before he left for Chicago put him ahead especially since some of the teachers has some personal thing to deal with last week...and I think that Robert did a few things to put him ahead as well
3. There was NO hockey practice in the evening - Robert was suppose to have had practice, but his coaches decided that the boys could use a day or two of rest...and time to catch up on homework if they needed it.

This allowed us to get a few things done - like take the boys over to the passport office at the local post office and renew their passports. This is something that has been bugging me a little bit, but the anxiety was increased when Robert's team was accepted into a hockey tournament over the Chirstmas/New Year's holidays in Richmond British Columbia (Canada). I knew their passports expired over the summer, but just didn't make time to get them renewed. So we - DH included, because their are under 16 and both of us had to be present - went to the post office and got it completed. I did go ahead and have Robert's expidited even though the lady tried to assure me that it was the slow time of the year for passports and it would probably be here on the quick side of 3-6 weeks...but I just didn't want to take the chance that we wouldn't get it in time for the Dec. 26 departure. Matthew needs his in February, when his hockey team goes to Quebec for the International PeeWee Tournament. Anyway...got this task completed.

The above mentioned situations - aka more time at home - allowed me to get caught up on all the laundry and get the house restocked with a few essentials from the grocery store.

Given no hockey practice - I got the grill going and cooked up some burgers for the boys and some grilled asparagus for myself. Gotta love grilling in November, where there is a crisp coolness in the air and the warmth of the grill nearby.

No hockey...No homework...full bellies...early to bed. Lights were out in our house about 9pm last night. And today I am up, early...getting in a little spin on my stationary bike that is dead (I am spinning, but without any resistance...I think that this 20 year old thing has finally bit the dust).

Tonight Matthew has hockey practice but is being taken down there by the carpool...so I am hoping to take advantage of this and sit & stitch.

Anyway...take care my friend and until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Home-a-gain, home-a-gain, jiggity, jig...

Post #478 - 21 days until my blog-o-versary

(yikes, I need to post everyday and double up to keep with my end of the deal)

 - over 100 followers :)

There are 21 days left to end my 3-100-500 give-a-way - if you haven't entered click on this link to be directed to the correct post to leave a comment.

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Up and going on this Monday morning. Plane landed back in California around 10:15pm and we were home by 11:15pm. As always, it is good to be home and back in ones own bed.

It was a great weekend and very busy between the hockey games and visiting with my parents...so that is why I didn't have a chance to post any update throughout the weekend - so here is a brief summary.

Thursday 11/3 (my bday) -

Up early to get in my workout, finish packing, get an early breakfast around for the boys to eat while I shower and get ready to go. Adorned with the traditional birthday hat (see photo below), we snapped a few bday photos of me with my boys and then headed off to the airport.

Just incase the hat doesn't give it away...I am the short one in the middle :)
 Robert is my older son on the left and Matthew, my younger on, is on the right.

I wore the hat to the airport, in the airport and on the airplane (but finally took it off for the 4.75 hour flight). Upon touchdown, after the flight attendant announced all the arrival information she then proceeded to announce that it was my birthday...when Robert kindly informed her of...and all 180+ passengers sang "Happy Birthday" to me...so of course I had to put the bday hat on., which I kept on as we departed the flight in the Midway airport and wore it all the way down to the baggage claim where we met up with my parents and sister.

They were very excited to see me, Matthew and Robert, who made it down to the baggage claim a few minutes later as his whole hockey team was travelling together on our flight. Once luggage was collect, my parents/sister said good bye to Robert, who was staying with his team at another hotel as did I...then we all left for our respective hotels. My parents/sister stayed in the same hotel as Matthew & I while Robert & his hockey team stayed an hour north of us.

Once at our hotel, we all settled in. I enjoyed a nice bday dinner with my parents, sister and Matthew in the hotel. It was the first time in a long time since Dad & I celebrated our birthdays together.

Friday 11/4 - Let the hockey begin

Matthew had 2 games on Friday - 10:30 and 4:30...perfect times. His team lost the first and tied the second. Both were good games...and Matthew played very well. His grandparents and aunt had a good time watching him play. In between games, it was lunch at Noodles & Co - a favorite place with the other hockey moms I travel with (my parents/sister joined all of us) and dinner was at Sweet Tomatoes with just parent/sister and a cousin of mine who lives in Chicago. He took the train in from downtown Chi-town to watch Matthew's evening game and have dinner with us. It was nice to catch up with him.

While watching both of Matthew's games, I was missing 2 of Robert's; however I was getting texted highlights throughout. Robert's team won both of their games on Saturday - Robert scoring in both games. The first game he had the game winning goal and the second game he scored the first to get his team going.

Saturday 11/5

Early morning alarm for this day - a 4:45am breakfast call for Matthew followed by a 5:45 departure for the rink in order to be ready to play the 7am game. The games for this day were in a different rink. That is one thing to be aware of when going to the Bauer International hockey tournament in Chicago, one certainally gets a good opportunity to visit a lot of different hockey rinks. There are over 1000 hockey players from over 400 teams that decend upon the city over the weekend for this tournament.

Matthew's morning game ended up in a loss and put them in 4th in their division, thus making their last game a consolation game with a 1:30pm start time - which they won 8 to 6. Nice to end on a win...and nice that Matthew finally got a goal which was the last one of the tournament for his team and an empty netter :) He worked so hard over the weekend, he was due for a goal.

With Matthew's team done by 3pm on Saturday - done with the whole tournament as well - Matthew and I jumped in the car with my parents/sister and headed an hour north to watch Robert's 5:15pm game. While I would have rather seen Matthew's team do well and advance to the sweet 16 instead of the consolation game, it was nice to be able to take my parents up to watch one of Robert's games. His games are fast, physical...and they are just big boys (15/16 year olds vers 12/13 year olds). 

Robert's team needed a win or a tie to advance to their quarterfinals - which they did advance with a tie. While Robert and his coaches commented that this was not their best game, my parents/sister were very impressed with how Robert and his team played. We waited for Robert to come out of the locker room to tell him "good game" and for my parents to get a photo with him...then it was time to head on back to our hotel.

Sunday 11/6 - time to start packing up

Because we never are sure how these hockey tournament weekends are going to end up, we always plan for the best outcome - making it to the championship. Which means, we find out what time the championship game ends and plan our flight out around that time. In short, we had all day to kill as our plane didn't depart until 7:30pm. But that is ok, we have found ways to "waste" time until we have to be at the airport.

Yes, I know that Chi-town has a lot of great museams and great places to visit...but by Sunday we are typically fried and, if we have no games planned, then the focus becomes homework and completing everything before getting on the plane. So that is what we did Sunday. Matthew slept in, had a late breakfast and finished up his last few assignments so he could turn them in when he got back to school. I got up and hit the workout room while receiving texted from a fellow hockeymom from Robert's team, so I could keep up with the 8am quarterfinal game. Sounded like a good one that went into OT...unfortunately they lost 3-2 with 1:32 left in OT. Bummer, but they had a great tournament.

After saying goodbye to my parents & sister around 12:30pm - they headed to visit a friend before heading to the airport - we left the hotel [too] to have lunch and walk around a few shopping malls before we headed to the airport. We met up with Robert's team in the airport food court a little after 4pm.

Matthew got one more Chicago hot dog and a Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dinner...and, with a Ben & Jerry's "addicted to chocolate" milk shake in hand, Robert spotted us and came over. It was like a little reunion - after not being together for 3 days. Although I think the brothers missed eachother - for they packed up their stuff and headed down to the gate together leaving me behind with some of the other parents and Robert's team. Oh, well, it does a mother's heart proud to see her children get a long (even though in her heart she know that it is temporary, for as soon as they get home that loving, brotherly fighting will start all over again :) ).

...and now back to reality

It was a great weekend. Always nice when you can combine a hockey weekend with a family visit - even if it is short. It was good to catch up with my parents and my sister and they all enjoyed spending time with Matthew and seeing Robert, even brief as it was. They loved watching the boys play hockey, too.

Today it will be back to work and back to school. However, I will need to get the hockey bags and suitcase unpacked and the laundry started before I leave for anywhere.

Gotta go, thank you for all the birthday wishes over the weekend - it means a lot. Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

Bags are packed...again...celebrating my birthday 35,000 ft up

Post#477 ...I am trying to type today's post on my iPad this morning, it isn't as easy as it is on a standard computer. But I wanted to make sure that I get a post posted. With only 25 more days until my blogoversary I want to make sure I hold p my part of the giveaway requirements...making it to the 500th post by November 28. So you will have to forgive me it this is a short posting.

I leave for Chicago in a little over 3 hours. All the bags are packed and I am getting in a little spin on the stationary bike before I sit on the plane for 4 hours. I have down loaded some movies to watch and have some games ready to play...but folks this iPad is doggone addicting, especially all of those timed games...like My Town, which is like the Farmville game that everyone was playing on Facebook a year ago. I need to muster up a little restraint and pull out the stitching!!! Well, if there isn't any wireless access on the flight that will limit what I can do and the stitching should come out!

I am looking forward to getting to Chicago, where I will meet up with my parents and one of my sisters. My father, whose birthday is today, and I, whose birthday is also today, haven't been together on our birthday in many years. I think the last time was 8 years ago, for we celebrated together before The boys, DH & I moved to California. It will be nice to be together.

Well, I won't keep you. Until next time,remember...

Live, Love, Laughand stitch often,
lisa

Happy Halloween!

Post #476 - 28 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers and growing :)

There is still time to enter my 3-100-500 giveaway if you haven't,

just go to this post and leave a comment.

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Tonight's the night...when all the spooks, ghosts, and goblins come out...so beware!!! Consider yourself warned :)

But I am glad that you stopped by...here grab a handful -

What is your favorite Halloween candy - do you like the little candy corns that come out only at this time of the year, or do you go for the chocolate or maybe the suckers, swedish fish or tootsie rolls? You know, while I am aware of the fun the kids have as they go door to door, ringing the doorbell and shouting "Trick or Treat", neither of my boys particularly like candy. Sure, they will eat a Hershey bar and love a pack of M&Ms...but we always end up taking 98% of the Halloween candy to work. When we lived in Minnesota, the school district there had a program where they collected the kids' Halloween candy they wanted to share for the food shelves which are typically void of things like this.

We won't have to worry much about sharing our candy this year, for between covering for employees who want to leave early to be with their family members and the boys' hockey practice there won't be much Halloween celebration here. But it doesn't sound like the boys are too upset.

Thank you all for your comments and thoughts about the pumpkin carving design for my part-time job contest...unfortunately due to working in*Store #1* all weekend - and allowing DH to have a whole weekend off without stepping foot in either store, something he really needed - I didn't have the energy to carve anything creative or out-of-the-ordinary when I got home on Saturday or Sunday. I did carve a basic "Jack o'lantern" face with 2 eyes and a mounth with teeth so that the pumpkin didn't go to waste but I am not going to enter it into the contest. He will stay home and get ready to sit outside later tonight. Poor guy :(

Yes I worked all weekend and it went pretty well. It has been a long time since DH had a full weekend off, not setting a foot in either of our stores. It was like our rolls were reversed the whole weekend....I was in the store and he was playing the Hockey Taxi driver. For Matthew had practice both days and Robert had games both days. So, while DH didn't get much rest over the weekend, he did get time with the boys - which is priceless!

This week is going to go by fast I think...the boys are off of school today due to an teacher inservice day, but of course they saved all their homework to finish today (kids, what are you going to do with them?). Although, I think that Matthew told a teacher or two that he was going to be absent from school on Thursday and Friday, for there is another hockey tournament coming up.

This time I will be flying with both my boys to Chicago on Thursday...November 3...my birthday. In fact, Robert's whole team and some of Matthew's will be on the same flight so I can celebrate my birthday in the morning 35,000 feet in the air. And then as soon as we land in Chicago, we will be meeting up with my parents and one of my sisters. They will be joining us for the hockey weekend...and to celebrate birthdays. Not only is my birthday on the 3rd, but so is my father's. I was born on his 25th birthday - pretty special present, huh? It will be nice to be together with them for it has been a long time since I was with my parents for my birthday.

Well...lets back up here and stay focused...stay in the present...remain in the NOW and take it one day at a time because there are a lot of things I need to accomplish before I get on that plane on Thursday.

Well, I am just rambling on right now. This will probably be a good place to wrap up the post!

As long as we convince ourselves that we’re so busy and our work is so vital and we can’t afford to slow down, then we don’t have to look at our own lives and the personal issues that are so difficult to address: a marriage that isn’t working, a career that isn’t satisfying, children we’re out of touch with, friendships we’ve outgrown, associations we need to move on from, the creativity we’ve been afraid to explore, our deepest fears or childhood traumas that have been holding us back from leading truly fulfilled lives.

~ Elaine St. James

Tomorrow doesn’t matter for I have lived today. ~Horace

Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Odds 'n Ends on a Saturday Morning

Post #475 - 30 days until my blogoversary -

 follower count continues to go up (thank you)

If you haven't enter my 3-100-500 giveaway,

please click on this link and you will be taken to the giveaway information and where you can enter

- . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . -

Odd 'n End #1 - upcoming weekend
Happy Saturday - the weekend has shown up and it will be a busy one here for us. Both boys have a lot of hockey this weekend and it is Halloween, which has brought in some good business at both stores for the weekend. I am up early (yay! gotta get in my workout to start the day) so I can go into *Store #1* to warm up the chocolate and start dipping the pineapple ghosts, bats and cats that make up a lot of the Halloween arrangements - if interested you can go to http://www.ediblearrangements/ and see what I am talking about.

Thread, needle and fabric have been absent from my hands and activities since I have received the iPad for my early bday present. That thing is addicting - between the games and the free ebooks and all the different news downloads, it definitely can keep one busy. But off in the distance, I do hear the call of the needle so I am sure that it wont be too much longer and Family Sampler or another ornament project will be in hand.

Odd 'n End #2 - Grimm's Fairy Tales
Speaking of reading...have you ever picked up and read any of the Grimm Fairy tales? Like Little Red Riding Hood or Hansel and Gretel? Well, with the new TV series - Grimm - which premiered last night it has peaked my interest. These are not totally the warm, fuzzy bedtime stories that many of the picture books painted, for it one does think about what they are reading they can be disturbing. For example, take Hansel and Gretel....not a lot of food in the house, the step mom cons the father to ditch his kids in the woods. Can you say - child neglect? When the children find the Witch's bread house in the wood, she locks up Hansel to fatten him up - child abuse? She enslaves Gretel to fetch wood - underage child labor? And all because she wants to eat the children - cannibalism? Anyway, I wasn't able to watch the first episode of Grimm last night because we all decided to utilize a night home w/o any evening activities as an excuse to go to bed early. So by 9:30 all the lights were out and there was a lot of snoring. However, as I am spinning and typing this post right now, I see that it is on indemand on the cable box, so I will probably try and find sometime to watch it over the weekend...and maybe pull out Family Smapler to stitch...perfect Halloween weekend activity, don't you thing?

Odd 'n End #3 - Conversation with Robert
Yesterday afternoon, as Robert (older son) and I were driving home from his school, he informs me that Saturday (today) is "Take a break from Technology" day. You are suppose to take an hour today and take a break from technology. Sounds simple, huh? Immediately I was thinking turn off the TV and turn off the computer games...get outside and enjoy the weather. But being the great debator my son is (don't know if he is a budding lawyer or just a cocky teenager),

he asks: "what do they mean by 'technology'?"

I reply: "TV, computers, maybe lights...any think electronic probably."

He says: "well, maybe we have to take a break from everything that was created in the technical age - besides the electronic items there are the cars, bikes, telephones anything that wasn't around prior to that age."

I reply: "so, basically things that really weren't present 100 years ago."

He looks and says to me, "mom, 100 years ago was 1911 there were cars, there were phones, there was electricity."

It took me awhile to think...for when I was growing up, I always referenced the late 1800s as my "100 years ago". When did the early 1900s become 100 years ago? Isn't that a strange thought?  When you hear "100 years ago" and you don't put much thought to doing the math - what time frame  POPs in your head?

Odds 'n Ends #4 - Pumpkin Carving
I need to come up with an idea for my Pumpkin. I have entered the pumpkin carving contest at my part-time job and am somewhat stumped. I thought it would be fun to come up with something where I can incorporate either the chocolate covered pineapple shapes from our stores - either ghosts, cats or bats. Some ideas that have surfaced are:

• Cut the pumpkin to resemble Ms. Pac Man and put 4 which chocolate covered ghost in front of the pumpkin...might need to come up with a back drop that looks like a PacMan screen
• Cut the pumpkin to resemble a bell and then have chocolate covered bats coming out of it...you know the old saying: "bats in the bellfry"?
• Or scrap the pineapple shapes and ... stack 3 pumpkins on top of each other to create a snowkin or a totemkin.

Anyone have any ideas? or what do you think about any of the above? Well I need to decide really quick because I have to work in the pumpkin carving into the busy weekend. Ugh!

I hope you have a great Saturday! Until next time, remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

No Whining on this Wednesday!!!

Post #474 - 33 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers :)

To enter my 3-100-500 giveaway, please visit this post and leave a comment.

Well, the fogginess I was feeling yesterday afternoon seems to have gone away - guess I was tired or maybe it was the surprise waiting for me at home yesterday afternoon. When I got home from my part-time job, I found a note pad with this message scribbled on it from my DH:

"Happy Early Birthday...I wanted you to have this for Chicago"

Under the notepad was a white box...which I thought was a box of chocolates...which would have been really strange (why would he want me to have a box of chocolates before I went to Chicago?). However, after looking closer, I saw that it was an...an...an...iPad.

"AAAAH...an iPad...what the h*ll is he doing buying me an iPad?"

That is what my response was, in fact I texted that to him..."What the h*ell?"...I never feel right about money being spent on me - for we have priorities right? Mortgage, food, electricity, clothing and necessities for the kids and hockey for the kids and hockey travel for the kids...not things for mommy...anyone else have that thought process?

Well, anyway...of course after I got over the fact that this was too much, I opened it up and turned it on...singing:

"Mommy has a new toy and I don't have to share it!"

Ok, now I really have gone off the deep end. It is a fun "toy" and it will come in handy as we get ready to travel next weekend to Chicago (both boys have a hockey tournament there and we will be flying out next Thursday...which is my real birthday date). I have started down loading the songs I have on my iPod (which I inherited from one of the boys when they received an iTouch), added some of the games the boys have purchased for their iTouches and then of course I had to get a movie...and the first movie I got was:

First movie download - It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

How can one turn down It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown?

And if that wasn't enough to erase the fog from one's head, I found out this morning when I opened up my inbox that I won one of the doorprizes from the Online Needlework Show. Did any of you cruise the Online Needlework Show? Did you enter any of the door prize giveaway? Well Friday afternoon I surfed through the show entering into as many of the door prize giveaways as I could - any that I missed, I finished up on Saturday. Today I saw an email from Mari from Whisper by the Wind. As a winner I got to choose any design I wanted and I chose this:

"Recipe for a Snowman" by Whispers by the Wind (my choice for door prize)

Isn't that cool. I don't win very often, so I was very, very excited and I just love this pattern!

And if that isn't enough...I just put the last stitch in the ornament I have been working on for Conny of the Ornament Swap. Now I just need to finish it up as an ornament.

The sun is shining, the cool air is invigorating and the scenery is:

is breath-taking and I am not fog headed any more. With no hockey tonight, I am looking forward to getting to bed early to make sure to catch up on my sleep. 
 
Take care my friends - until next time, remember...
 

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often,

Lisa

 

Looking to clear my head

Post #473 - 34 days until my blogoversary - 100+ followers :)

To enter my 3-100-500 giveaway, please visit this post and leave a comment.

Sunrise over Lake Superior - Lutsen, MN...photographed by my sister Jamie

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

there are thousands to prophesy failure.

There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,

the dangers that await to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, just take off your coat and go to it;

just start to sing as you tackle the thing that “cannot be done,”

and you’ll do it.

~Edgar Guest

We can go through our whole lives worrying about our future happiness,
and totally miss where true peace lives--right here, right now.
~Peter Russell

Hope works in these ways: it looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst;

it discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot;

it regards problems, large or small, as opportunities;

it pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit;

it "lights the candle" instead of "cursing the darkness."

~unattributed

Thank you to http://www.livinglifefully.com/ I had some special things to think about today and thought I would share them with you.

Late night at the rink and awaken up in mid-dream put me in "one of those kinds of moods" today - foggy headed and out of sorts. Hopefully I find my balance as the day goes on :)

Take care...until next time, remember -

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Post #472 - 37 days until my blogoversary - 148 followers to day :)

To enter my 3-100-500 giveaway, please visit this post and leave a comment.

I am up and going on this still dark Saturday morning. Thank you all for the nice comments about Lisa V's Ornament and I am glad that you enjoyed the quotes I posted as well. I signed up for the http://www.livinglifefully.com/ newsletter a long time ago and receive daily inspirational quotes and things. Sometimes they "hit" a note and sometimes they don't. The ones that do, I tend to put them in places - like my little notebook or on my blog - so that I can refer to them when I need a little pick-me-up or something to think about.

Yesterday was my day off from my part-time job, however I went into *Store #1* to help with the morning production which was complete by 10:30am. After which, I came home and went out for a nice 6 mile run followed by a date with the couch to begin the ornament for Conny - the last recipient in the Ornament Swap group. I found a fun little design that has a lot of bright colors and is a nice little side project...so, yes I have put Family Sampler down for a little bit so I can work on the ornament. Sitting and stitching made for some great "me" time...but it did have to end because I needed to run out and get the grocery shopping done before the boys came home.

Last night, since we didn't have any hockey, we torched up the grill and tossed on some chicken breasts and burgers. Add in some green beans, some black bean/corn/mango salsa, and fruit and you have a great healthy family meal. With opportunities like this few and far apart, anytime I can get us all to sit down and eat something that wasn't heated up in the microwave before running out the door, it is priceless!!!

What are your weekend plans? Well, I have to go back into *Store #1* today as I am filling in for one of our employees who needed the day off while DH is going up to *Store #2* to check in with them up there. The boys, who are without hockey activities this weekend, will be catching up on sleep as well as trying to get ahead on homework. This evening we will come up with some sort of family activity...unless I am just to pooped to move or the ornament project calls my name.

I hope that you have a great Saturday! Until next time remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa

Mid-week show-n-tell

Post #471 - 40 days until my blogoversary - # of followers 100+ and has continued to grow

To enter my 3-100-500 giveaway, please visit this post and leave a comment.

Thank you all for your comments on my last post. I have been amazed, when talking about the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, how many people saw that they have been to it. I didn't know about it until I saw another hockey family post pictures of their visit on Facebook a few years ago.

I found out yesterday, when catching up on some of my blog reading, that Lisa V from my Ornament Swap group received her ornament I made for her. No I can let my breathe out...for I always get a little anxious when I send things over seas, let alone to the other side of the world, via snail mail without any tracers. It took just a couple of weeks, not too bad! So without further ado, here is what I stitched for Lisa:

Side One - Design 1 of 4 called "Wishing You Happiness"

Side Two - using the some of the motifs -reindeer & tree - from 2 of the other designs

From The Gift of Stitching: Christmas Ornament Issue - Issue 23 - December 2007

Four Winter Wishes by Belinda Karls-Nace of Blue Ribbon Designs (page 5 - 9)

"Wishing You Happiness" Ornament - Side One

Using Deer from "Wishing You Prosperity" & Tree design from "back" pattern - Side Two

Stitched on 28ct evenweaved I dyed using GAST (substituting with colors I had onhand)

This was such a fun stitch...and fun to finish. It came out pretty much like I had envisioned. So much so, that it was hard to part with. I might have to stitch all four of these for me sometime, for they would look lovely on a Christmas tree.

Last night, at the rink, I started the ornament I will be making for Conny, the last one in the group to be stitched for...not only for this year, but the last one period. After Conny receives her ornament, our little swap we have had for 2 years will come to an end. As they said..."it is best to end on a good note" and "all good things must come to an end." This group has been wonderful to be a part of and I am sure that we will all come across one another in some other exchange group out there in stitcher's blogland :)

Before I sign off...here are just a few little thoughts to share with you:

We all want recognition for our “specialness.”

But we should never take our self-worth from our society, feedback from others, or our own comparisons to others.

Our self-esteem should be based on the fact that God created us with the utmost care and has called his creation good.

In his foresight we are all made of “the right stuff.”

Our self-worth then comes from how we use it, in service to our families and communities, exercising our creative gifts, and becoming one with God.

~unattributed

When we recognize that nothing has to go right for us to be happy, that people do not have to behave for us to love them, our walk home can be surprisingly simple. We have enormous power not to manipulate the world, but to be happy and know peace. ~Hugh Prather

There are no secrets of success.

Success is doing the things you know you should do.

Success is NOT doing the things you know you should NOT do.

Success is discovering your best talents, skills and abilities and applying them where they will make the most effective contribution to your fellow human beings.

Success is 99% mental attitude - it calls for love, joy, optimism, confidence, serenity, poise, faith, courage, cheerfulness, imagination, initiative, tolerance, honesty, humility, patience and enthusiam.

~ Wilferd A. Peterson

May you be happy and successful on this Wednesday! Until next time...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch often!

Lisa