There's nothing like a clean craft room to start off the New Year

Hello blogland!  It's been almost a week since Christmas and my craft room is finally no longer overflowing with bags and gifts and packages and boxes and wrapping paper.  Yipee!  I spent the past two days cleaning, sorting,  purging, and reorganizing my little space so I can start the New Year with an uncluttered space. 

Are you ready for New Years?  When my kids were little, we started the tradition of staying home and having a pajama party with them.  I would make little finger foods and we would watch videos or play games, and we would drink sparkly juice from grown up glasses.  As they got older and started having their own plans on NYE, they continued a silly tradition that I've had for many years:  my brothers and I race to see who could call our parents first at midnight and wish them a Happy New Year.  I've won most years, and now my kids do the same thing - they race to see who can call home first.  Silly, but sweet and we look forward to it.  So, tomorrow night my husband and I will be having our annual pajama party, watching a few movies, having a few snacks, sipping something bubbly and hopefully staying awake until midnight when our phone will ring, and I race to call my Mom. 

Have a safe and healthy, Happy New Year!

That's it, I don't like snow anymore...

Hello blogland - like so many others, I'm snowed in with at least 3 feet of snow and 6 foot drifts.  Not kidding - the snow drifts are easily 6 foot high!  I no longer like snow (she said with a sarcastic grin), at least not this much of it.  After a while there's no place to put it!  Just as we manage to dig out the driveway entrance, here comes another plow to push it right back in.  The 50 mph winds are causing white outs and bigger drifts and the sound is deafening at times.  Here's a few pictures from earlier today:

That's my husband making a good attempt at a path up the driveway. It's tough to tell, but the drift right in front of him next to the car is taller than him.  Then right in front of the "welcome" flag you can see grass.  Crazy!

This is a look at the backyard.  The drifts are almost to the top of the arbor in my flower garden, about 5 feet high, as well as the top of the window on the side of the garage.  Crazy!  I hope you're safe and warm and cozy and crafting where ever you are.

A blizzard is on it's way to New Jersey...

Hello blogland!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed the day with your family.  I had a great day, lots of laughs, lots of food, lots of fun.  I thought I was going to relax today, but it seems that a blizzard is heading to New Jersey with 15 to 18 inches of snow and 50 mph winds.  The only word that comes to mind (that I can type here) is yuk!  I've already run to the store for extra milk, have a pot of chicken tortilla soup simmering on the stove for lunch and a pork loin in the crock pot for dinner. 

The snowflakes started about half an hour ago and the wind is picking up, so I guess we're in for a nasty day.  The boots are out, the extra gloves are paired up, the shovels are out of the garage and the flashlights have extra batteries.  I'm ready for a nap!  I hope the weather is better where you are and if not, stay safe, stay warm, stay inside!

Merry Christmas

May the joy and blessings of Christmas be with you and your family!