Today's Temperature...

Yikes! 

Playing with some of our Christmas Presents

 Joke Teeth! 

 Mimi, "I love the Gibby Volcano!"

Slippers!  

And a video of the Volcano Eruption....

A few unexpected things of 2013....

 

At this time last year I thought I would make a list of things I wanted to do and make happen in 2013,
I did none of them....
that's ok, because I did a bunch of other good things! 


(Does your family do this?  Put a knife in the doughnut box?  Greg laughs, he knows a Dickerson is around when he sees a knife in the box.... )

One thing I thought I wouldn't do was to go to NJ.  Um, I went like 4 times!  I love NJ so this was a good thing.  My sister Tina flew to Ohio from Colorado and drove with me to meet up with our big sisters in New Jersey.  It was a fantastic weekend.  Of course there were mom's sugar cookies involved!  My sister Jill had her baby shower and we had LOTS of silly fun.  

 

 The kiddos won a day of rock climbing, so Greg took them all one day.  Parker loved falling over and over.  

Greg got some new tools and started building some furniture.  

The first thing he made was a book shelf.  It's now in Yoda's bedroom and is well loved!

He made this shelf while I was SO sick with strep and the kiddos just helped along the way. 

Greg made a trundle bed to tuck under the bed in Yoda's bedroom.   

Greg also made this cool custom table.  I made up the design based on a photo in a magazine.  It's my favorite so far.

 I told Greg a few years ago, either he gets on-board with me painting the brick of the fireplace, or he figures out how to build a surround.  This year he built a surround.  The brick will now stay paint free. 

 

He built boxes and screwed them to the wall.  Then he built shelves and put them on top of the boxes.  The best part is he put a mantle on top of the brick.  It hides the ugly holes that someone drilled into the brick (not me!)

This year our little car turned over 100,000 miles.  So crazy!


Another thing that happened is that I saw my mom and dad way more then anyone expected :)  They were here, we were there.  It was very fun! 





I finally found and refinished a new kitchen table.  I've wanted a trestle table forever, but couldn't find the right one until this year!

No I just need to decide on the chairs...

 Every now and then Greg comes home with a black eye or different bruises from boxing.  Not expected...

We got weird carrots this year.  I need to re-think the garden...

I found this stool at a tag sale in Providence like 10 years ago.  I redid it and it looked awesome.  Then I abused it and it needed another redo.  This year I finally gave it a good cleaning!

My sewing area got an upgrade!  I've been looking for YEARS for the right sewing table and I found one for 65 bucks.  I was sad it was so much more then I wanted to spend, but I had waited so long I couldn't stop myself!  

It's a singer so I took out the old machine and put in my awesome one.  It fit perfectly! I also gave it a good scrubbing and a paint job.  The wood could not be saved.  While I was at it I painted this little chair that I think I got like 20 years ago.  It's been about 4 or 5 different colors since I bought it for $2 at a church rummage sale in NJ in high school.  I think I finally got it right.  The faux snake-skin is the best! 

I learned how to make really good omelet.  Why did I not know this before?

Our first time with Poison Ivy.  I can't believe it's taken this long! 

I mentioned earlier that we went to my sister's wedding in Colorado.  ALL of us.  The plane rides went better then I worried about.  The whole thing was really wonderful! 

While I was on my trip my mom showed me how her mom used to entertain the children during church.  She would fold her hanky into all sorts of shapes.  This one is "two twin babies".  I remember learning this when I was little too, it was fun to remember :) 


I don't know what to expect from 2014....

Is it too late for a Christmas post?

My mom painted this little nativity for me.  It fits altogether as a puzzle. 

Cookies from Grandma and from our neighbor! 

Mimi borrowed Nana's bells and learned a song for a Christmas concert at church.  

Mom made us this sweet Christmas tree skirt. 

We finally learned to Skype -- I'm so behind the times! 

Christmas day was slow and quiet.....

I'm kinda happy about how much stuff I was able to make this year.  I feel like I've been too lazy, busy, distracted to finish anything lately.  But somehow I carved out some time to make...

 My mom's sugar cookies!  

 

 

A cub scout shadow box for Parker.  

A stuffed creeper also for Parker. 

Bracelets for my sisters.  

A taggie toy for my new little niece.  

A lunch box for my sister to take to work.  

And I got everything wrapped and mailed and didn't have to send it all over-night!  It was a miracle... a Christmas miracle even! 

 

 Parker ran up to his room and read many of his new comic books that he got for his birthday and for Christmas. 

 

 Assembling toys, Lego sets, etc.....

It was a good year.  How was yours?