On January 1, we had Brittany Stamper over.
Brittany and Emily enjoyed playing songs together.
We also played games together.
We wanted to try out a new restaurant with the Darrell and Regina Stetler and Lonnie Witt while Emily was home, so we went to Spear Ridge for lunch. Elizabeth was training Erina M. for Shepherds Global Classroom, so she went with us. Elizabeth took the picture.
We got a late Christmas gift from Tim and Brenda in the mail. It was a puzzle of a painting Brenda's mother did of Jesus and her grandchildren.
We got a late Christmas gift from Tim and Brenda in the mail. It was a puzzle of a painting Brenda's mother did of Jesus and her grandchildren.
Emily is not a puzzle person, but she helped me put it together
and probably put more pieces in than I did.
It was a fun puzzle to do together.
Our last evening with Emily, we played Play Nine and Probe together.
Two of our Probe words. Can you guess what they were?
Emily flew back to Tulsa on Saturday, January 3.
We were happy she got back before bad weather started happening.
The next day was our blizzard day. There was no church that Sunday. We had church at home with online services. This was the biggest snow we've had since we moved to Kentucky.
Rowen had to work 20 minutes and then rest for awhile, shoveling it bit by bit as it was falling.
I thought this view toward the neighbor's truck was cute with the snow tips on our yard lights.
Out our back window.
I enjoy the birds at the bird feeder out our back bay window where my plants are.
Elizabeth helped Rowen get the last snow from the driveway.
It was a big job! We didn't go anywhere for several days.
I loved this cardinal posing on the vines that grow over the tall stump in our backyard.
Our kalanchoe has been a beautiful bright spot in this winter weather.
My little mini-orchid has been blooming.
Our microwave went on the blink, so we got a new one that is very similar to our previous one. We are glad to be done with the scary electrical issues we were having with our old one.
Sometimes on Saturdays, Elizabeth has time to sew with me. She made a black skirt this month, and has a denim one cut out, ready to sew in February! I was working on Rowen's quilt.
Here she is modeling her new black skirt!
On January 14, we had a Bridal Shower for Breanna Loper. It was rescheduled from January 7, when no one could come and the church parking lot was covered with snow. It was a fun evening, celebrating Breanna and her coming wedding February 14!
When Breanna started opening her gifts.
This was a cookbook with her family's favorite recipes.
Parts of Rowen's birthday quilt when I got started on it.
We had to lay it out on the floor in the basement.
I took my little sewing machine downstairs to put it together.
I did finish it on Saturday evening, January 18.
January 19, we had Dewaine and Sandy Caldwell over for Sunday dinner.
They are new to our church since last November. It was so good to get acquainted with them.
Sandy brought a yummy chocolate cake for dessert, which was perfect since Rowen's birthday was coming up on the 21st.
This is breakfast on Rowen's 67th birthday.
We put the quilt in the frame on the 20th, and I worked most of the day on Rowen's birthday to get it done. It was amazing to quilt an extra large queen quilt in one day on our new Moxie quilter!!
I needed extra light on the subject to apply the black binding with black thread at the end of the long quilting day, so Rowen got out his headlamp for me.
We put it on our bed that night. This is the view from the hallway.
It is definitely a bright spot in our house!
The fabrics are "jewel tones." Rowen had wanted a jewel tones quilt for many years.
The pattern is called Simply Serene.
We call it Rowen's birthday quilt!
I stood in the half bath to get the whole thing in the picture.
Quilted with lots of love and hearts and a few special notes.
Made with love for Rowen
Our previous quilt had been in constant use since August 2011, so it was really showing tears and wear. It was time to retire it.
We had a Ladies Creative Night at the fellowship hall on January 23. Pam Wilson had us make cards by embroidering on cardstock. Some of the ladies had never embroidered.
Elizabeth made the snowflake card and I made the heart one.
Afterwards we had yummy soups and sandwiches and cookies.
Rowen and I went on a drive up to Amish country in Ohio to pick up a quarter beef we had purchased on January 24. So far we are liking the beef, which was Holstein, instead of Angus that we are used to. It tastes creamier!
My next quilt is in progress. First I made 64 6.5 inch hearts out of pinks and reds.
Getting ready to sew the four parts of the hearts.
Elizabeth cutting out her denim skirt. She has little free time to sew, but she is ready when she gets some more free time.
On January 26, we had the Harms family over for Sunday dinner and afternoon. They are in our Care and Connect group this quarter.
Elizabeth taught them how to play Clue, and they had a great time with that.
Stephen and Korin were a team; Elizabeth helped Emmalee and Annabelle. Stephen Jr. and Stewart played on their own.
I played a variety of games with Daniel: I Spy, Snap, Uno Flip, Blink, and Qwirkle.
We had a fun time together.
After I got the 64 hearts made and cross pieces cut, I laid out the quilt on the guest bed.
This is just the pieces laid out in formation.
I didn't want to carry pieces to the sunroom to sew the columns, so I brought the card table and sewing machine to the guest room.
As of January 31, bedtime, I have half of it sewed together. The left half is done except for the border that will go on it. The pattern is called "Yes, He Loves You." It is being made with love for my "adopted little Sister," Lynell!
Next month I plan to have the finished quilt on February's blogpost.
Update on the beautiful kalanchoe with NO SNOW out the window
at the end of January!
Below: The mini orchid is out-doing itself, and the large orchid has started blooming.
The large one is the one from Mother's funeral in September 2023 that
was a dark purple bloom at that time. The purple was so pretty, but must have
been artificial, because it has bloomed white twice since then.
The mini-orchid is the one Connie Stetler brought me in November 2023 when she
brought us a meal, and afterward went to Trader Joe's to shop. The clerk asked
her what she had been up to that day, and she said taking a meal to a friend who has
a broken leg from cancer. He said, "Take this orchid to your friend!" And she did. It has been
faithful to bloom for me several times since then. The one lone bloom on the right came out
last year's stem!
We have had doctors' appointments this week. I think we are staying as healthy as we can.
I have a left cataract removal surgery scheduled for March 4.
We are grateful for a complete recovery from the knee replacement surgery.
Scan results in April will likely determine whether I go ahead with the second knee surgery.
God has been good to us this month, keeping us safe and warm through the cold and snowy days.
We are grateful for a warming trend this week, which melted the snow away.
