Santa's New Entryway

Another successful Christmas has come and gone. As always, it was here and gone before we knew it! This year, my parents were here for the holidays and we had a very nice visit with them :o) They even gave Junior his first Christmas present! LOL! He got a HUGE stuffed monkey and I'm sure he'll love it when the time comes and he can lay right on top of it :o)

As I mentioned in my previous post, DH and I had already bought our Christmas gifts for each other and got to enjoy them even before the big day. Each year we buy ourselves a pewter ornament for the tree and this year it was two chickadees -

It signifies that this will be our last Christmas as two ;o)

We also bit the bullet and put in a propane fireplace!

It may be hard to tell but DH had to build out the wall around the fireplace and it's not complete. I wouldn't let him do any sanding because I had just put up all the decorations and cleaned the house ;o) Remember the white mantle? Well, it's been stripped (partially) and whittled down. I love the look but we're still not sure if we'll repaint it or stain it. We also still have to pick out some tile to put around the fireplace insert.

And do you notice the area rug? That's my new $3,000.00 addition! Nope, I'm not kidding! Did we pay $3,000.00? Are you crazy? LOL! When we were searching out area rugs, I came across this great site called Rugs On Time. The real price? Just $421! That included free shipping, no tax and a free under cushion. How awesome is that?

I've still got loads to share but I'm still catching up with my Blog reading. Hopefully my Blog won't be as neglected in the New Year ;o)

Merry, Merry Christmas!

I hope all my friends and family have as wonderful and blessed a day as we've had here. We're all stuffed with turkey and sweets waiting to watch A Christmas Story ;o)

LBB

As promised in my last post, I'm going to post a picture of me with my new belly. Or as we like to call it, my Little Buddha Belly ;o) I got DH to take some pictures on Tuesday before we went into the big city. This is probably my second favorite of the bunch but the first one is out of focus. I hate getting my picture taken btw so consider yourselves lucky!

Yup, the bump finally popped although my belly button is still a little concave but much better than what it was ;o) Please forgive the extra stuff in the background. I hadn't finished decorating the tree yet.

Since you can see our Christmas tree, I might as well post a picture of the final result -

I LOVE my tree! It's not very tall but it's just right for the space and smells SO heavenly :o)

DH and I already got our Christmas gift for each other but that will have to wait a bit before I can reveal it ;o)

Christmas Rules SAL Block Eleven

I can't believe it, I haven't written a post since November! I have shamefully neglected my Blog :o( I do have some good excuses though... I'm making my way towards catching up on my Blog reading (30 posts left) and my email is 'almost' up to date ;o)

This block was completed last month, I just never got up enough energy to iron and take pictures of it. LOL! So here we have block eleven -

And here's what it looks like to date -

Right now I'm stitching the LAST block! Wow! Hard to believe that Nia and I are almost done :o( This was such a fun SAL to stitch together :o)

Since December 1, I have been decorating the house for Christmas. I now have my ornament tree up and I just love it -

I hope that we're going to pick out our tree this weekend. I'm SO behind with everything. My Christmas cards are sitting here expecting to be addressed and presents waiting to be bought and wrapped. Ugh! Where has the time gone???? DH and I have another trip to the 'big city' on Tuesday for another check up so there's a day gone. I just hope I don't have any more distractions so I can get all this stuff done.

Btw, I promise to post a picture of 'the belly' soon ;o)

Snips & Snails...

And Puppy Dog Tails...

That's what little BOYS are made of :o)

Yes, we have a boy! I couldn't have been more wrong in my guess. LOL!

Now to come up with some boys names ;o)

The Time Has Come!

It's a...

Sixteenth Finish For 2011

I just LOVE the Zipper Kits that Bent Creek makes. They are so much fun to stitch and it's nice having everything together so you don't have to go hunting high and low for fabric and threads ;o) LOL!

This is Snowman Flatbed -

Isn't he cute? I have to say that I was a little disappointed with this kit though because the WDW pearl cottons that were included were sparse! I 'just' had enough thread to stitch the hat but had to make an adjustment to the flag in order to get it in there :o(

I plan on stitching this pattern again but on 32 count (this one was done on 18 count) and with different accent colors. It will be interesting to see the difference in size and look :o)

As this is ornament size, it allowed me to achieve one of my 2011 goals! All I have left is one medium size piece (WIP) and Christmas Rules and I'll have wrapped up those goals with a nice red bow for the holidays ;o) I'm pretty positive that I can do it.

Back during Thanksgiving, my MIL gave me an African Violet. I have NEVER had any luck with these plants but surprisingly, this one must like me -

Or maybe it's the environment it's in ;o) LOL!

I'm not sure how much I'll be around for the next week. My parents are coming on Wednesday and are staying until the weekend. They want to be at the ultrasound on Thursday. Don't worry, I'll post any news as soon as I can ;o) Thanks everyone!

How Terrible A Mom Would I Be?

I'm a real sucker for children's books. Always have been and I'm not sure why. When I was in university, I took a Children's Literature course and absolutely loved it. I had hoped to someday write my own children's book but that has yet to happen. Maybe one day ;o)

DH and I were in Chapters about a month ago when I spotted this new children's book on the shelf. I had to do a double take though because I wasn't sure I read the title correctly. Upon closer inspection, I was right in what I read and couldn't help chuckle. DH and I thought it was hilarious. So how bad a parent would I be if I added this to our child's library of books -

ROFL!!!! Yes, you read the title correctly ;o) The next time you're in the bookstore, I highly recommend you seek this book out. It's definitely worth a good laugh.

Yesterday DH and I went into the Big City for our check up appointment. It turns out everything is great! The baby's heartbeat is strong and my weight is what it should be. I guess I do have to get a Rubella vaccine after the baby is born though since I'm not immune to the virus. Oh yay...

We still can't get over the fact that I don't have much of a belly. We met the owner of a second hand maternity store and she could hardly believe that I was 19 weeks. I was even wearing my maternity clothes although I didn't really need to ;o) At this rate, I won't be wearing maternity clothes for very long.

Next week is 'the' ultrasound when we (hopefully) find out the sex of the baby. Let's just hope Peanut cooperates ;o)

Christmas Rules SAL Block Ten

I bet you thought I was behind didn't you? Well, not with my stitching ;o) I finished block ten at the end of October but just didn't post a picture yet so here you go -

And the full piece to date -

Again, sorry for the horrible pictures. Boy, it's been so hard to get good ones lately :o(

I'm SO proud of myself too because block eleven is even done! You'll have to wait for another post to see that progress. It's hard to believe that Nia and I only have one more block left to do. It sure doesn't feel like we've been stitching on this all year. This was definitely a fun way to stitch this project though :o)

Fifteenth Finish For 2011

Here is my last Halloween ornament for the year :o)

This is By The Full Moon by Ink Circles. It was a joy to stitch too!

I did a few changes with this one. The fabric is 32 count Smokey Pearl linen so it's slightly bigger than what it should be but I'm still happy with it. I also switched the orange thread and used Bittersweet by GAST. I thought it was less garish than what was called for. That's just my opinion though ;o)

We're gearing up for more rain :o( Their talking 70-100mm! The last time we had that much rain, the downtown area flooded. A rainy day makes for a good day of stitching though ;o)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Fourteenth Finish For 2011

Yup, I know, I've been neglecting my Blog as of late :o( To be honest, I've been trying to catch up on my Blog reading (almost done) and my emails (getting somewhere). When you combine the tiredness from the pregnancy with my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, it really wipes me out sometimes and I just don't feel like doing anything. But...I do have a backlog of stitching to share with you! LOL!

I despised this pattern but wanted to finish it since it had already been started last year. This is Halloween Coins by Bent Creek -

Why did I not like this pattern? I have no idea. There was just 'something' about it. I was SO relieved when I put those last stitches in. Since it was a kit, I used the recommended fabric and floss.

I apologize for the pictures. It's been so hard to get great pictures lately. The second picture probably best represents the true colors of this piece.

I'm still chugging along and yes, I'm starting to show now, although it's not a very 'attractive' tummy. I showed DH last night and he laughed. Before the pregnancy I was almost at my ideal weight but still had some rolls ;o) Well now I have one big roll at the bottom, a crater where by bellybutton is and then another small roll on top. ROFL! One of my friends asked when I was going to take a picture and I told her there was no way in Hell that was going to happen anytime soon. Hopefully that bellybutton pops soon ;o)

I've also had to dig out Boobarella (my silicone insert). After I had my breast cancer surgery, I gained a lot of weight and opted to go with one of these to go 'on top' of my reconstructed boob. Well the girls definitely DON'T match anymore! Anyone see the movie Just Go For It when the woman comes in Adams Sandler's office with the bra she handmade from two different cup sizes? If Boobarella wasn't around, that's what I would be faced with ;o) ROFLMBO!!!!

All is well though and we're anxiously waiting for the next ultrasound on November 24! Boy or girl? What do you think?

Happy Halloween!

Thanks A Bunch!

WOW! I am truly touched with all the comments that were left on my last post :o) So much support and so many well wishes. Thank you! I am still sifting through comments and meeting new Stalkers so please bear with me. I'm almost caught up with my emails but my Blog reading is behind...again. I know, I know, what else is new?

Tomorrow DH and I are off to the IWK for another appointment. This one should just be routine. It's kind of wearing thin driving to Halifax every two weeks but at least I know I'm getting good care. I thank my doctor for that because I was a complete basket case when she first met me but she got me back on track.

Yes, I was just a 'tad' overwhelmed when we found out I was pregnant. I can't tell you how many times I looked at that pee stick, then back at the instructions. Looked at the pee stick again, then back at the instructions. Hoping somewhere along the line, I read the instructions wrong ;o) I even asked DH to double check that I was reading things right. Of course my family doctor's office must think I'm right out to lunch because I called them up first thing and wanted to know how accurate a pregnancy test was. Needless to say, there was just laughter on the other end of the phone.

I always knew there was a lot to being pregnant but it's definitely not the fairy tale that my mother and my friend K make it out to be! No one told me about the consistent peeing, being oh SO tired all the time, the pulling and stretching of your sides as things grow and best of all, the bowel distension and constipation! Oh what fun! LOL! In the end, at least I'm going to have someone to blame for the 2 am and 4 am wake up snack calls ;o)

In the past little while, I've been lucky enough to win a couple of giveaways :o) The first was one from Lizzie Kate! I won one of the lime green calculators but she also included a free chart in the package -

I thought that was so sweet. Thank you so much :o)

Not too long ago, I was a winner on Andie's Blog and this is what arrived last week -

I know! That red, sparkly fabric is just yummy but I'm having fun with it all ;o) Thank you Andie!

I still have some stitching to show you so stay tuned for more...

What Have We Got Ourselves Into????

I know that some of you were wondering what was happening at The Pumpkin Patch a few months ago when I seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. Well, I'm ready to spill the beans and share a secret that I've been keeping since August 17 ;o)

DH and I have never lived our life in a 'normal' way. For some reason we tend to always do things differently and perhaps even backwards. Our philosophy is you might as well keep life exciting because you only live it once! I can't say that we always 'make' our life interesting, most of the time it just happens and we're just passengers on that rollercoaster. LOL!

This situation proved to be one of those 'times' ;o) Before I go any further, I think I had better warn you now that you should be sitting down and also remove any food or liquids from within reach because this is going to be a shocker...

In five months' time, DH and I are adding another member to our family :o) When I say member, I'm not talking about the critter kind. That's right...I'm pregnant! SURPRISE! How's that for shock value? LOL! I know it definitely shocked us! Not because we weren't trying but because didn't think we 'could' have children! After six years of being liberal, who would have thunk????

I blame DH because ever since the first of this year he's harped about doing something big for our 40th year. Well he got something big alright! LOL! We are very pleased though and are looking forward to our little Peanut :o) I just had my second ultrasound last Thursday and found out that I was farther ahead than they thought. So here is little Peanut at 13 weeks and 1 day -

The reason we've kept this secret for so long is because of my health. Because I'm 40 now, I'm considered high risk and they have me going to the IWK in Halifax about every second week. At first we were worried that I would miscarry but I'm almost done my First Trimester and things are great. I was seen by a Cardiologist at the QEII in Halifax and even with my heart condition, I was given the green light that I could carry the baby. And then finally, we wanted to wait for the results of the Down's Syndrome test and that just came back in favour :o)

It feels SO good to finally let this out because DH and I have known for so long. Both sets of parents and my Gram now know and are over the moon. We are still being cautious and will probably feel much better come December, knowing that we have more time behind us. I can't wait to find out the sex of the baby but ever since I found out that I was pregnant, I've thought it was a girl. I'm anxious to see if I'm right ;o)

So as you can see, this has kept me very busy and away from my stitching. I'm not physically sick but get nauseous after lunch. Thank goodness for Diclectin! One thing I am though is VERY tired. I can't seem to stay up past 9pm and find myself resting throughout the day. They say it's supposed to get better in the Second Trimester so we'll see. LOL!

Thirteenth Finish For 2011

As promised, I have some stitching to show you :o) The pattern had been in my stash for years (YEARS!) and I have no idea why I didn't complete it until now. This is called Autumn by San Man Originals -

And the best part? It's even finished finished!

It came with this adorable pillow tuck hanger and I love it :o) I stitched it on 32 count Antique White linen and changed all the DMC colors to better match up with the colors in the tuck fabric. I'm very happy with the results.

I'm in the fall stitchy mood :o) More to come...

Drum Roll Please!

First of all, I want to thank everyone who commented on my posts. I truly enjoy reading your words and it made my day :o) Thanks to my Blogging, I've made some wonderful friends and I wouldn't trade that for anything! You guys are the BEST! I've learned a lot from you over the years and you've enabled me many times. LOL! But most of all, you've been a wonderful support system.

There were 35 people who qualified for the giveaway and thanks to Random.org, the winner is...

TINA!

Congratulations Tina! Hopefully this will get your stitching mojo going again ;o) You'll be receiving an email shortly.

Again, thank you everyone. I hope you'll stick around because there will be some stitchy posts coming up soon :o)

PAR-TY!

Yup, it's that time of year again! FIVE years! Can you believe that? I've been Blogging for 1-2-3-4... FIVE years :o) Who would have thunk!

These have been the best five years too. I've enjoyed meeting others and sharing the love of stitching with you all. Not only have friendships been made but there is a lot of inspiration out there if you're willing to look :o)

So to celebrate this momentous occasion, I'm giving away a gift certificate to Anita's Little Stitches :o) And thanks (a HUGE thanks) to Anita, it will be a $100 value!!!! Are you doing a little stash dance? LOL! Anita is such a pleasure to deal with and she has a wonderful variety of items in her store. She has 'the most' adorable collection of scissors, not to mention she sells her own designs! Please check her out.

This giveaway will have to strict rules so PLEASE read them carefully!

You MUST be a Pumpkin Stalker, old or new.

You MUST leave me a means of contacting you (somewhere in your post or Profile page) if you are the winner.

You DO NOT need to have a personal Blog to enter.

You MUST have commented on every one of my posts since AND including September 9.

This giveaway is open worldwide but just remember that you will be responsible for your own shipping costs.

If you fail to meet all of the rules, then your name will not be entered. Sorry!

The winner will be drawn on October 4. Good luck everyone. This IS meant to be fun :o)

Twelfth Finish For 2011

Whoa! Are you blown away that I have another finish to show? ;o) I think my mojo has returned and I'm in the mood for fall and Halloween.

This is BooO! by Bent Creek -

Isn't he just the cutest? I used the recommended fabric and floss for this one. I imagine he will be finished as a pillow when the time comes.

If I keep stitching like this, I may have to get a nice basket to display all my fall ornaments in :o)

Remember to read the important note on my September 9 post! Your comments have been wonderful and truly appreciated :o)

Christmas Rules SAL Block Nine

As promised, here is block nine of my Christmas Rules SAL -

And here is the project to date -

I can't believe that we only have three more blocks left! Even though I've been stitching on this since the first of the year, it doesn't seem like it's been that long. I've been enjoying every bit of it :o) Nia and I have decided that come the first of 2012, we're going to stitch Halloween Rules as our new SAL. I can't wait!

Remember to read the important note on my September 9 post! Again, thank you for all your comments. They've been a joy to read :o)

Eleventh Finish For 2011

Oh yeah baby! Surprise, surprise! Pumpkin's finally got a finish to show :o)

With fall just around the corner and having the JCS Halloween ornament magazine and book arrive on my doorstep, it was inevitable that I was going to jump on the bandwagon. LOL! When I saw this little cutie, I just couldn't resist -

This is Fall Owl by Casey Buonaugurio. I used the recommended floss and fabric. I had to add the full stitch of 712 for the corner of his eye though because there was an error on the chart. He was so much fun to stitch and quick too :o) I imagine I'll finish him into a pinkeep when the time comes.

I have my ninth block finished on Christmas Rules so stay tuned for pictures of that :o)

Remember to read the important note on my previous post! And I want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments that were left. I've truly enjoyed reading each one :o)