Can you believe 2010 is ending?  I'm having a hard time believing it.  Seems like we were all wondering how to say it...Twenty-Ten....Two Thousand and Ten. 

Now we're on to 2011. 

I never thought that my life would turn out how it has turned out.  I never in my life, thought that I would ever move from my home area in Illinois, where Jim and I were born and raised.  Where we raised all our children, only to finish raising the last one in Southwest Wisconsin in the Ocooch Mountains. 

Our youngest, who has come to love this place we call home, will be leaving the coop towards the end of January, first part of February.  Lots of changes have occurred for us, good and bad, and believe it or not the changes have been good.

Be glad

                                    that you've walked

                                      in sunshine and rain,

Be glad

                               that you've felt

                                                 both pleasure and pain,

Be glad

                                  for the comfort

                                                   you've found in prayer,

Be glad

                                              for God's blessings...

                                                 His love and His care.

Helen Steiner Rice

Everyday I wake up and have to pinch myself.  Because I have a hard time believing that we live in such a beautiful...peaceful...place on earth.  I'm not saying I live in the only beautiful, peaceful place on earth.  I'm saying, I live in one of them :)

I've re-discovered my love for knitting.  BTW, the socks I made for Jim, I made them from wool yarn.  The yarn is from sheep that was locally raised.

I've also acquired a new addiction and I've come to understand why people do this addiction.

I've found many new blogging friends in 2010, and I cherish each and every visit.  Not only from them, but from all of you who take the time to stop and visit my little space here.

I want to wish everyone a very happy New Year!

Chocolate...YUM!   Don't ya just want to kiss that face?

I made all the little girls, 4 and under a tutu for Christmas.  This one put it on and only took it off when she had to leave to go home.

Making snow angels.

Sledding on the snow piles.

Thanks for all the well wishes, I'm feeling better after a good night sleep and resting.  I'm so glad I only had to work on Tuesday.  I think I would have called in sick for the first time ever in my working life.

Lo and I will be taking the tree down tomorrow, along with the decorations.  Daughter Erin grabbed my camera and took some shots over Christmas.  I really liked this one she took.

It seems I just put the tree up and now I'm taking it down.  I have a question for you.

How long do you keep your tree up?

Not feeling well right now.  I curled up under a blanket when I got home from work and I tried to work on some knitting.  Maybe I should really try doing what our grandson did after a fun day out in the snow.

Hopefully whatever I have doesn't last too long.

Taking a rest before making the big climb.

The beautiful view from the top.

We spied a building hidden in the woods when all the leaves had fallen off.  So, we took a walk to see what it was, and it appears to be a deer stand only it's not high up in the air.

It was a nice brisk trip over the hills and through the woods.

I've been itching to show you my gift to Mr Wonderful.  I have been wanting to post about these for sooooooo long, but couldn't.  I totally surprised him with this gift.  I would knit these when he was in Illinois.   They fit like a glove.

We still have company here, but I'll be back later to post more and visit blogs.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

Jim, Lauren and I, along with our two girls living in Minnesota, Becky and Erin (oh and Sadie too)

Wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

I can't believe I forgot to post about the swaps I was in.  The first one here is the Christmas Apron swap.  My partner was Renee over at Sew With Grace.  In the package was the apron, a Christmas towel and spoon ornament.  I love them all.

I was also in a Pillow swap over at Dutch Sisters.  My partner was Deb from New Zealand.  Look at the beautiful pillow cover she made.

I enjoy doing swaps, you meet such wonderful people.

Still getting used to seeing sand trucks instead of salt trucks.   I have to say tho, I like driving where there is sand on the roads.

Life in the Ocooch Mountains.  Have a good one :)

At our home in Illinois we used to get Cardinals all the time.  At first I thought there were no Cardinals around here, but I've seen them, only not here.  Until yesterday. 

I spied them in the trees.  I hope they start coming to the feeder.

More snow came yesterday and the birds came to feast at the feeder before it hit.  Sometimes we get the woodpeckers to come but not often.  This one must have wanted to eat, knowing the snow was coming.

Hubby is staying home this week and not traveling to Illinois to work...YEAH!!!!

I hope your week is going good...mine is :)