Happy Thanksgiving Everyone...

Since I am  in the crazy rush of Christmas stitching, I hardly have time to get on the internet, but felt very remiss in not showing a treasure given me by one of my BFF's, Stasi Buhrman.  When she came to the CA Wells event in October she was wearing her "queen bee" necklace which she stitched and put in the tinest watch fob necklace.  Well, I adored it.  It was smaller than the fobs we sell or that you normally see in the craft stores which kicked up it's cuteness to the highest level.  Perhaps it's because I've oversized (or shall we call it queen sized),  everything tiny is just so cute to me.  Anyway, I just fell in love with it and jokingly said, "Thanks so much for my gift." to Stasi.  Remember last time I said this was when she showed me her prize stand up Santa last year and I tried to stuff it in my tote to take home and she ended up giving it to me for Christmas.  And that was a limited edition that isn't even sold anymore.  Anyway, when Sara got back from Jamaica she handed me a small bag and said "I believe this is yours from Stasi."  The bag was one of the Halloween bags so I couldn't imagine what she had done.  But when I opened it....well it was Christmas all over again.  Inside was the necklace and a gift card to Hobby Lobby.  Mercy my cup runneth over.  As I was getting ready for church and put the necklace on I remembered I hadn't put it up for everyone to see so I wanted to get it up before I simply forgot again.  The design was from the Prairie Schooler pack of cards from a year or so ago.  Can't get that particular pack anymore but isn't this bee just fabulous.  I feel very much like the "Queen Bee" wearing it, however, when Stasi is wearing hers while she's visiting, I won't just because she is definitely the Queen Bee when she's here.  Thanks so much Stasi....I will lovely enjoy wearing my necklace and will think of you when I do.  As for my Hobby Lobby gift card....let's just say when I took three things to the framer last week, my car automatically turned toward Hobby Lobby and what could I do.  As usual I bought, bought, and bought some more.  So thanks again Stasi....it didn't hurt my wallet as much and I've got more stash, (just what I needed, but honestly I never have exactly what I need when I'm working on a project that needs charms, ribbons, whatever we don't sell,  so I need this store.)  I'm telling you if I ever won a million bucks...forget new cars, big vacations, new house....I'm going to Hobby Lobby and letting myself get anything and everything I see-that I think I may need sometime in the future.  Anyway, Thanksgiving is upon us.  I am on track, I think, with gifts.  Three at the framers, one completed at home and one almost completed...hopefully by tomorrow.  That leaves me with 2 more before Christmas plus Sara, so I'm not home free yet.  Since we have a few days off for Thanksgiving, although I do start working weekends (yes, that's right....I work 5 days teaching and 2 days in the shop...where the hell did my retirement go?) after Thanksgiving so I'm planning on stitching while in the shop.  But one project that might not get done, I'm ashamed to admit, is the Welsh Cottage, which is just sitting there looking sad as I stitch everything else around it.  I had put the date on it already as I had ever intention of getting it done, and I still might.  After all I have 6 days after Christmas to work on it solely.    I have one wall and the chimney left to do....I don't know, but I'm still determined to try.  Michael goes to Jamaica for a couple of weeks in December so that means no school and time to work on stitching...oh, how I'm looking forward to that.   I'm really looking forward to days where I can sit from early to late and never get dressed or go outside.  I've got the not going outside part down now, however, with homeschooling five days a week, well it's really cut down on stitching time.  It's amusing to me that when this whole thing started the day after Labor Day, I made myself get dressed and presentable and treated this as a job.  I wanted Michael to see that I was taking this job seriously by getting dressed, etc.  That ship sailed a few weeks ago when I started showing up in my sweatpants, directly from bed.  I will say I thought about it a couple of minutes but then decided I had to get some worksheets off the internet first and didn't have time to do both.  After that it was an easy slide down and now I seldom get dressed before class.  But at least we're still going strong.  He's doing well too, which is wonderful.  Got an 82% on his history mid-term.  I couldn't be prouder of him, and of myself.  It's fun to learn some of this all over again and I'm loving the math part.  But the science...if I never hear proton or atom again, well let's just say my life will still be complete.  Anyway, while I never thought my golden years would see me teaching, it's been interesting.   Now, it's time to get back to work...so I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you have plenty of good things to eat, and plenty of time with family,  (or perhaps your wish is for less time and I understand that too.)  If you have to be on the roads, please drive carefully.  I'll try to post some pictures of the finished gifts as we get closer to the day.