Crafting at Christmas

While I was home for Christmas as always we decided to do a project. Since I had recently learned how to arm knit I taught the rest of the family how. I got everyone started pretty quickly. My oldest sister, Kristen, picked it up right away and was the first one finished. After one false start my other sister, Beth, got going good and was done in no time. My Aunt Betty arrived late, but was a natural at casting on (from her regular knitting experience). She wasn't as much a natural at the rest of the process and restarted a few times. My mom had a few hiccups as well, but after taking a break for dinner they finished up and we all had beautiful scarves.

Mom in the middle of a big tangle

Aunt Betty arm knitting

My finished product

My mom also had an idea for the place setting, which I implemented

Family at Christmas

My family doesn't really like to get their picture taken. Nor do they really like to take photos. I like both so I don't know what happened with me. I tried to get some photos this Christmas because I realized both my apartment and cubicle at work was bare of anything but Gretchen photos and Kristen and I looking sweaty. 

I messed up from the start by forgetting my nice camera in DC. I was left with my iPhone. I decided to play with one of my apps with a photo timer. Gretchen, Travis, and I tested it out with balloons. From this exercise I realized that my brother is fairly photogenic and people think a yellow balloon looks like a crown.

toss it Gretchen!

On Christmas Eve on a whim I convinced Gretchen to sit in this tub for a photo. The light is terrible, but she was really on board with the idea.

I also caught this one with my Dad, his arms block his face, which is perfect because he usually closes his eyes in photos.

On Christmas morning the cows are just as much a part of the family as the rest of us as they get  Christmas first. Growing up we always had to wait for our Dad to feed the cows before he would come back home and we could open gifts. Back then it felt like an eternity (and it felt like he was going slow on purpose). These days my brother helps and I can easily still be in bed when they get back to the house at 9 am.

We went over to my aunt's house for Christmas Brunch. While my sisters were cuddling in the big chair I snuck in for a sisters shot.

Further brother photogenic evidence

We played the game Heads Up for awhile, which allowed me to capture my uncle blocking his face.

After we got back home and opened the rest of our presents I tried to get a group shot of all of us. My niece posed the first shot, saying that we all needed to hold hands (yes we do most of what she tells us to). She really has great ideas, if only my Dad had more than just his hand in this picture… Christmas card quality I think.

September in review

I wasn't a very good blogger in September. A few thing were going on...

I moved.

I stayed in the same apartment building, but I moved two floor downs and to the front of the building. I also added a bedroom! Now it seems to be taking me an extra 20 minutes to get ready in the morning. I think I get lost.

I'm still working on decorating the new space... so much wall!

I was playing dodgeball.

Dodgeball turned out to be a lot of fun. A friend and I joined a team of strangers, who ended up being awesome. We ended the season with a rooftop party at the Vida Penthouse.

Team Peace Corps Peru

Penthouse Pool!

My sister Beth came to visit.

Beth came to visit some of her friends in Baltimore, but luckily she found some time to spend with me. I took her running and eating.

Pizza & pizza scissors at Ghibellina 

cream cow for breakfast at Ted's Bulletin

Pacers Shake Shack Run

I had a quick trip to Missouri to see Marissa get Married.

I squeezed in a quick visit to see my family, which of course included coffee and bake goods at Old Drum.

junior year college roomies

Me & Sarah enjoying the beautiful evening

Dad enjoying coffee from a john deere cup while decked out in john deere 

I painted wine glasses with friends at 918 F Street.

I continued to work out in Franklin Park.

Every week was a great workout and full of great giveaways. If they do this again I suggest everyone attend.

I'm in the hot pink shirt

I watched Australian Football at the Australian Embassy.

So it isn't just like rugby after all. They play on a round field (CRAZY) and have four poles at each "end zone" looked a little like a quidditch field if you ask me.

I coordinated the DC State Fair Bike Accessory contest.

It was a lot of emailing and worrying, but it all worked out perfectly. I also entered a dog bow tie in the DC flag knitting contest.

The winning entry and my three judges

I didn't have any DC red, but you get the idea...

I also did a fair amount of running... this Sunday Kristen and I are running the Woodrow Wilson Bridge 1/2 Marathon.

Feats of Strength

We had a little fun with my dad's skid steer. In a little thing my dad and brother put together called a skid steer rodeo. They set up an obstacle course, gave us each a quick overview of the controls, once practice round, then set us loose on the course. We were judged by time and had penalties for hitting obstacles and missing challenges.

I ended up getting second for the females... I had lots of issues with the gravel.

After the rodeo we had a brother carrying contest. My little cousins won. I attempted to carry my brother with the help of my sister, turns out little brothers aren't so light when they get older.

Then we finished up with some good old fashion tire flipping. I got second AGAIN. But my sister who beat me had been training flipping real tires.

4th of July weekend

After the 5K  we hurried back to the house to make homemade ice cream. My family's homemade ice cream is my favorite food ever. I may of had a quart in two days....

it freezes faster if you watch it

I went all out for my 4th outfit. Because when else can you?

The rest of the day was full of BBQ and yard games. Then we shot off some fireworks and had a great view of fireworks blasting off around the entire horizon. 

The next day we had a delicious breakfast at Old Drum Coffeehouse and Bakery then for the rest of the weekend....

The pony rides were really for the children but I hoped on for a spin.

The cows were checking me out so I checked them out.

My brother took me for a spin on the 4 wheeler. 

And I found this face rock in the creek.

Baling hay

I made a quick trip home to Missouri for Memorial Day weekend. It was a relaxed weekend- coffee shop, workout with my sisters (which I won), pizza, Family BBQ, BISCUITS AND GRAVY, and most excitingly some hay baling.

dumping the round bale

my dad representing DC & Gretchen the co-pilot

tractor photo op (and how I got that huge bruise on my leg)

Old Drum Coffeehouse Saturday

A trip home is no longer complete without a trip to Old Drum Coffeehouse and Bakery. We went in early Saturday to snag the couches in the back and enjoyed coffee, kolaches, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and conversation.

My mom, oldest sister, and niece held the fort down while my dad, brother, three aunts, one uncle, one cousin, and the shop owner herself cycled through. It was great to have a fun place (with great food) to hang out and catch up with family.

ornament latte art

drawing pictures on the chalkboards

most of the family that came in to hang out

Home for the Holiday

Hello all! I'm a little behind after spending a week at home in Missouri for Christmas. But don't worry, I'll catch you all up over a few posts.

Last Thursday there was a bit of a snow storm in Missouri, luckily my flight didn't get in till late so most of the roads had been cleared up and the trip home was mostly smooth. 

The next morning I got up early to do some work and was greeted by a lovely sunrise.

My sister and niece came down on Friday and we decorated the Christmas Tree. My parents still get a cedar tree from our property, so its not unusual for us to only put the tree up a few days before Christmas.

My niece enjoyed putting ornaments on the tree, mostly all on one branch.

Annual trip to the Chilhowee Fair

Every year I try to make it home to Missouri for the World Famous Chilhowee Fair. This year it was a little more deflated than usual as Hurricane Isaac decided to attend. As disappointing as a rainy fair is, most everyone was thrilled to get rain after going the entire summer without.

Along with my normal fair entries and participation in the 5K I was also the baked goods judge and rode in the parade for the first time since I was a little kid.

my 5 year pillow won blue!

a red on my Christmas ornament

Two years ago I won best of show for the amateur flower arranging category. So when my mom called me a few days before the fair suggesting I should put together an arrangement for myself and help my niece assemble one, I was up for the challenge. The Fair's theme this year was "hunting for a good time" so the arrangement themes were centered around that them. I chose to do camouflage while Gretchen insisted on Pick-ups and hounds. We both got second (in categories with more than 2 entries!) so I think our arrangements were a success.

My mom and aunt decided that we needed to enter a float in the parade to promote my sister's new coffeehouse and bakery and dress my niece as a dog. I was nominated to hold the dog during the parade.

sinage

driver and star

we let the dog drive for awhile

dog mobile