Reflections on 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012!

This is a time for reflection on the year that will be passing tonight. Alot of things have happened in our family this year! The biggest one is the birth of Owen to our youngest daughter, Jenny and our son-in-law, Kevin. Owen has brought so much happiness into all of our lives. There just isn't enough words that come to mind to explain what Owen has brought this family!

John has had a rough year but will definitely rise above all this. In the beginning of the year he was hired by a title company here in Charlotte to do commercial and residential real estate title underwriting for them. They had a very good and busy year. But for some reason John's boss has made a not so great decision at the end, he decided to lay John off due to the January, February slow down he is expecting. John has had one interview and hopefully next week another one is will be set up! It will all work out, I have faith it will!

We had many visitors from the North visit us this summer. First my sister, Sue, brother-in-law, Chuck and nephew, Troy came down in July for a visit. They were just in time to see Owen! A month later my Mom, Dad, younger sister, Sandy and 2 nieces, Devyn and Shawna came for a visit. We loved visiting with all of them!!

My job has been very busy and looks like it will stay that way for some time to come thank goodness!!

I have been reading a little more lately! I finshed reading 16 books this year. This is not my best total but I have been knitting alot. I am trying to learn to balance the two.

I completed alot more knitting gifts this year and managed to take a fair isle sweater class to! I made 5 scarves for Christmas gifts this year alone!

I very rarely make resolutions on New Year's Eve but this I will make 1. I will be buying and making Christmas gifts all through the year so I don't have to rush getting so many projects completed. I am finishing up a scarf for me and then i will start on that!

I wish all of you my friend a very Happy New Year!!

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees

I have been wanting to read this book ever since it came out. I received 3 Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas so I bought this book for my Color Nook. I love the cover photo! The blue in the dress is absolutely stunning-it caught my eye right away! Here is a synopsis of the book from Goodreads.com:

Award-winning author Matt Rees takes readers to 18th century Austria, where Mozart’s estranged sister Nannerl stumbles into a world of ambition, conspiracy, and immortal music while attempting to uncover the truth about her brother’s suspicious death. Did Mozart’s life end in murder? Nannerl must brave dire circumstances to find out, running afoul of the secret police, the freemasons, and even the Austrian Emperor himself as she delves into a scandal greater than she had ever imagined. With captivating historical details, compelling characters, and a real-life mystery upon which everything hinges, Rees—the award-winning author of the internationally acclaimed Omar Yussef crime series—writes in the tradition of Irvin Yalom’s When Nietzsche Wept, Louis Bayard’s The Pale Blue Eye, and Phillip Sington’s The Einstein Girl to achieve the very best in historical fiction with Mozart’s Last Aria.

There is nothing better than a historical fiction and a mystery all rolled into one in my opinion! I will let you know what I think of this book when I'm done reading it.

John's Job Interview Update

John had a wonderful interview. He really liked the woman who interviewed him. Unfortunately, the job he interviewed for paid $15,000 less than what we need. But all is not lost! The woman that interviewed John said she thinks she has another position for John because he has wonderful experience and hard to come by experience. She has to talk to the owner of the company but she said she would get back to him shortly. I have faith that there will be a job offer and it will be a good one. I just have a wonderful feeling about this! Please keep John in your prayers and send tons of good job vibes his way!! Thanks everyone!!

Keep your fingers crossed!

I shared with all of you that my husband was laid off as of 12/30, well today he has a job interview at 5:15. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer for him! I hope he gets this job and it is a good job with a great boss! He really deserves it. He has been having a horrible time with the boss that just let him go. I hope this is all over for him soon.

Keep sending the good job vibes his way!! Thanks everyone!

What a Wonderful Christmas!!

Christmas Eve was spent at Megan and Ken's House. Jenny, Kevin, Owen, John and I joined Megan and Ken. We had some relaxing time before a lovely turkey dinner Megan and Ken prepared. It was so delicious!! Then we all went to church for the 11:00 p.m. service. After church Kevin, Jenny and Owen came back to our house to stay overnight and Megan and Ken went home to their house. Owen was so good in church! He loved the music and candlelight.

Christmas morning started at about 8:30-8:45. Megan and Ken came over and the festivites began!! (Jenny had gotten up with Owen around 5:45 but I went downstairs and said Merry Christmas one of my presents to you is go back to bed and I'll take care of feeding Owen). We had some lovely Nana and Owen time!!

There were so many gifts under the tree-we could hardly believe it! Everyone was so generous! There were so many gifts to list but a few highlights of the day were:

1. John got a mountain bike from Jenny, Kevin and Owen.
2. I got a triange chawl loom handmade by Kevin (from Kevin, Jenny and Owen).
3. John got 2 rounds of golf at Ballantyne Resort and Country Club from Megan and Ken.
4. I got a lovely lampwork bead bracelet from Ken and Megan.

There were many, many more gifts but the biggest gift of all was that we were all together and had so much fun! We were relaxed and played with Owen! I want to thank both of our girls, their husbands and Owen for a most enjoyable Christmas 2011!! You all are the greatest!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Whether you are staying home or traveling enjoy your family and friends! I hope Santa sees how good everyone was this year and y'all get some awesome gifts whether they are material or spiritual.

Our daughters, their husbands and of course, Owen will be spending the day at our house celebrating, enjoying each others company, relaxing and playing with Owen and his toys! We are having roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, pumpkin and apple pie. Should be yummy!

Christmas Eve we are all going to Megan's house for dinner and then we will all go to the 11:00 church service together. I love coming out of church at midnight and feel the hush that comes over everyone when they reflect on the church service and its message.

This Christmas will be fun having Owen celebrating with us! Children always make Christmas special. Next year will be real fun!

John, my husband was laid off last Friday as of 12/30, but we have decided to not think about this during Christmas. We will deal with this "Scrooge" like thing that has happened to him after the holidays. We have many things to be thankful for and we are truly blessed with family, friends and having each other!

See you all after the holidays!! Merry Christmas!!

Finally Feeling Human Again!

Good Morning Everyone! I finally feel myself coming around the corner on this pneumonia/upper respiratory thing I have been fighting for months! The only issue I am now having is a clogged right ear. I can't hear a thing from that ear. Sometimes that works to my advantage-LOL!! I put a full day in at work yesterday but took it easy not my usual rat race pace!! When I got home last night I did absolutely nothing. I didn't even knit! John had a Notary closing so I chatted with my Mom and then just watched TV the rest of the night. I have to put a full day in today at work too and then 1/2 day tomorrow. We are off next Monday-YAY!

I want to thank everyone for all the get well wishes you sent me! Y'all are so sweet!

Merry Christmas everyone! All of you who are traveling, please be careful and safe!!