Wow .. November already!

Happy Monday .. hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was good. Friday evening we had Sears come out and to tell us about re-facing our kitchen cabinets and updating the countertops. We should have the bid sometime in the next two weeks. This is the next phase of remodeling. I'm curious to know how much this might cost us! lol!

On Saturday, Lisa (my bff *smile*) and I went shopping .. Had to go to the Hallmark Open House to see all the next Christmas ornaments .. then it was off to figure out what we were going to make for our gf's this Christmas. A few posts ago I showed you pictures of the candlemats .. well, we decided we'd bitten off more than we could chew and decided to make something that was a little less labor intensive this year. We have all the supplies for the candlemats, so we can start earlier and make them for next year. We decided to make fleece laps blankets .. the kind you cut around the edges and tie .. we'll see how that goes. When it comes to the holidays, Lisa and I really try to keep each other grounded and as stress free as we can pull off .. I think making the blankets will be much more stress free for us .. at least I hope they will be! lol

While we were out shopping we stopped by the quilt shop near my work .. the one where I found that fun coffee banneer hanger .. they had more for the holidays .. look what I found ...

this cute Christmas tree banner hanger .. I finished No Peeking a couple of years ago, had it made into a banner last year .. but never could find the right one .. until now!

This is a Bent Creek exclusive that I stitched a few years ago .. it came with the tuck banner .. isn't this snowflake hanger perfect! I just love him :)

Saturday night we went to dinner with Chris, Monica and Robert .. it was kind of a bittersweet evening for me .. my mom passed away 10 years ago Friday .. I really don't like celebrating the day she died .. last week is always tough .. but I like celebrating her birthday and days like that .. for just going to the cemetary to put flowers out for her and chat a bit .. I do visit her grave, not as much as I used to, but often enough .. it's comforting to me. Well, this year I really wanted the boys to go with me .. I just thought we needed to do this as a family .. and I must say my kids really were wonderful. Chris, Monica and Robert thought it would be nice to do .. they really knew without me saying much how much I needed them to do this with me .. after our visit we went and had dinner ... toasted mom/grandma .. had great food, laughs and then came home and watched License to Web .. well, it was just one of those perfect evenings .. and I thank my family for giving me that *smile*

Sunday was just a lazy day full of nascar racing (only 2 more of the season!), football, laundry, grocery shopping and some stitching. I started Lizzie*Kate's Ho Ho Ho .. and just got ready for work today.

Thanks for all your wonderful comments about my Halloween decorations .. glad I could get the pictures to show up finally! I do enjoy the holidays .. all of them! lol .. I'm sure you'll be seeing a few more pictures in the upcoming months *grin*
I am so grateful for my sons ...