1 Family x 12 (November)

 We plunged into Christmas a little early this year - the week before Thanksgiving we cut our tree.  But! there are three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year...how could we wait?!

Fall Crafts

 

(Started 6/5/24 and completed 9/12/24)

I finished another Project Linus blanket this fall - just in time for a holiday gifting drop off, which is exactly what I was going for.  I think I have enough yarn to knit at least one more blanket for the charity but I'm going to take a break for a bit and work on some quilts and a new blanket kit I bought.  I'm just ready for a new color/pattern combo.  

I take exactly zero credit for this project, puff paint sweatshirts that Erin and Jamie decided we all needed.  I was anti, because I'm clearly no fun and lack whimsy, but, in the end, they turned out cute and I'm not sad I've got one.  But....I did learn (quickly) that you can't dry the shirts in the dyer.  So, I'll be reapplying puff paints next year for my shirt (the Hocus Pocus one).

You might remember I set out to make a handmade Christmas tree skirt earlier this year.  It was my first try at a pattern with rounded edges (these were giant dresdens) and I'll say that I learned a lot.  I wouldn't call this perfect by any means, but I'm glad I made it and maybe someday I'll try to make another one.  I finished the binding awhile back, but I wanted to do one last step of hand quilting the skirt just to add some more flair and make it really handmade looking.  Believe it or not, we're just a few weeks out from putting up the tree now and it was timing to finish this project off so it would be ready for us when it was time.  Slowly but surely, I hand quilted this whole thing and I'm very glad I did.  

(Started on 9/16/24)

I started a new blanket in mid-September and have made good progress on it over the last month or two.  I've got updates on this one further down in the post.

Summer and fall I really whipped through some quilts I had back logged and ready to be made.  I think I shipped 4 quilts to Kristy just before we went on our Acadia trip and then when we returned I worked hard to get two more out the door to her.  This one might be one of the most difficult, and beautiful quilts I've ever done.  I have a plan for this one - a wedding shower gift.  But I love it so much I might not be able to give it away.  We'll see.  It is intricate and beautiful and one of my favorites.  

It's some of the smallest piecing I've ever done and now the second quilt I needed a template to cut.  Thank goodness for my handy husband who can make me anything I need.  These pictures are dark and don't do the quilt justice, but I'll get some good ones here shortly.

Isn't it beautiful?  I love this one a little too much.  I can't keep it here - we don't need more quilts.  But I'm going to have to figure out what to do with this one.  It might not end up being a shower gift at all.

 

 This baby quilt might look familiar, I did a throw sized one earlier this year as that will be a Christmas present this season, but I had just enough to make a smaller baby quilt that I'll keep in reserve for some baby girl down the road.  I LOVE having a quilt or two as back up - takes the pressure off and let's me fully enjoy the process of making.

(10/18 - one month in...)

I've made some good progress on this knit blanket over the last month - but I've had a lot of side projects in the works in between.  Between hand quilting the tree skirt and finishing up the quilts, a fair bit of my craft time has gone towards other projects.  But I still love having a knit project in the works.  It's perfect for couch crafting in the evenings while we watch tv or football or chatting with friends.  I can't wait to get a little further into this blanket.  This bottom section is all the boring colors!  This blanket is knit with 40 mini-skeins that color the rainbow and I have some really pretty colorwork ahead of me!

One teeny-tiny hand sewn stitch at a time but I finally put the finishing touches on this tree skirt and it's ready for our tree in just a few short weeks!  I'm going to close out this Fall Crafts post, which is probably better titled "Late Summer" but I'll start up a new one and keep showing you my progress as we get closer to the holiday months.

Halloween - A Circus Theme

 

I admittedly say every year "I don't want to do costumes this year" but then we get a group photo and it feels so perfect and I wonder "how could we NOT do this next year?"  It always turns out so great, even though the weather is literally always questionable.  This year we skirted the rain and the snow but traded that for WIND!  It was 40 degrees with 40 mph winds.  Not ideal and the kids didn't last too long but everyone had a great time.

This year we were the bearded lady, the popcorn vendor, a tiger and the tiger tamer (of course!).  We purchased the majority of our costumes this year at Goodwill and I was so happy with how it all turned out.  I think we spent $55 at Goodwill and got everything except Ryan's beard/wig, my popcorn box, and the majority of Abby's costume.  She was the picky one of the family and Jamie was so nice to trade for this cute tiger costume for her.  

Beth wins - she always wins.  She and Patrick always go all in and it's nearly impossible to be as cool as them.  I mean, she had an entire case for her fortune teller costume.  How can anyone compete?!  

We had such a good time and even met some new friends this year.  It's hard to imagine how we could find a better set up to top this one!

1 Family x 12 (October)

 

Happy Halloween from the McRasmyer crew!  We've been Halloween-ing with this group for so many years, its hard to keep count.  This year's theme was circus...just wait for the group pic!

Halloween - before the real thing!

 

It's officially holiday season!  We've got the next two months full of all things holiday - traditions - friends - family - fun!  These are some of my favorite months and we're only just beginning!

The school has really stepped up since COVID - the kids have a trunk or treat now and a cute little Halloween parade at the school where they get to wear their costumes.  It's fun to get to be a part of these little traditions they are making at the school - it would be great if the kids wanted to run around with their friends though instead of just orbiting me the whole time.  I shouldn't complain, they won't always want to be so close.

The kids opted for alternate costumes for the trunk or treat and picked angel and devil instaed of what we had planned for the family/group costume.  It was cute, because they got to have multiple outfits this year.  And, I will commend them for their creativity!

We did pumpkins with Stella and Lucy the Sunday before Halloween.  Hazel did a cat, free hand (isn't it great?).

Abby did a scary skull face - who knew?!  But I love how creative they both were!

Lastly, I ducked out of work for an hour or so to see the kids Halloween parade at school.  I'm glad Abby is still interetsted in dressing up.  The 6th, 7th and 8th graders were all grouped together because a good bit of the class decided not to dress up.  It makes me sad, but I know we don't have many eyars left!

I love that we still get this Abby - the one that is willing to be a little silly and dress up at school with all of her "too cool for school" friends around.  

Fall Camping with the McCarthys

 

We logged our final camping trip in the books in early October.  We had a very long camping season this year!  Our first trip was the eclipse in southern Illinois on April 8th and our final trip took us to Skillet Creek with the McCarthys the first weekend in October.  That means, this year we camped for 7 out of the 12 months.

We couldn't have lucked out with a better weekend for the last trip of the year either.  First, the weather was amazing!  The last bit of summer - with the temps on Saturday in the low 80s.  And on top of that, it was the campground Halloween weekend which meant that all of the seasonal campers had their sites decked out with decorations and there were tons of activities planned for the kids.

I just wish we'd have known to pack for it!  We'd have come ready with costumes and candy...but it's nothing a quick trip to Walmart couldn't fix.  The kids did a great job of letting me pick out simple costumes that didn't cost a million bucks and they were great sports at making what we had work. 

Abby won third place in the pumpkin carving contest and the kids loved the freedom of trick or treating for however long they wanted to be out for.  They free ranged all over the campground and us adults loved the quiet that was left behind.  LOL!

We couldn't have picked a better way to end the season!  The camper is all put away and winterized for the winter months but we've already started booking sites and trips for next season!  It feels like it's forever away, but we'll be back on the road again with our house in tow before we know it.

Hazel's Ear Piercing (a first!)

 

For years and years now both of these girls have said they were too scared to get their ears pierced...then all of a sudden this spring Abby decided she was ready.  Just a few short months later Fran was asking to have hers done as well.  We had to wait until swimming season was behind us, but in just two short months this one will be accessorizing with earrings just like her sister!

The review:  It didn't hurt at all!

Devil's Lake Tri

 

You'd be hard pressed to tell from these two pictures I took over the weekend, but we had a nice big crew there to cheer Ryan on at the Devil's Lake Tri this past weekend.  Mom and Dad and Erin came to spend the weekend camping and race watching.  We'd planned to have Jamie and Zach and family join us too but the McGrath's have been slowly recovering from some bad colds and contrary to this photo, Hazel was still feeling pretty under the weather this weekend after missing 4 days of school last week.  So Jamie opted for healthy kids and they dropped out of the weekend.  Totally understood!

We hiked a new hike along the river near Prairie Du Sac - nice to try something new but I don't know that this will be a hike we do again...and grabbed refreshments at the Vintage Brewing Company that is right there in town. We did scope out some ideas for when we're up there again in a few weeks with the McCarthy's though!  After hiking we stopped at the Ski-Hi Apple Orchard and grabbed caramel apples, apple donuts, apple cider and even some cider rye which I'm excited to add to a future old fashioned!  

This trip was the type of camping we love most!  We hike a little, play some games, make a fire, sit around and chat and generally take things slow!  Abby made tonka pizzas for everyone and we had a big meal of spaghetti and italian sausage for dinner per Ryan's pre-race request.  

Ryan raced really consistently with where he's placed in years past.  He finished in 1:34:59 and came in 129 of 607.  I did the math and he placed in the top 1/3 for his wave (age range) and over the past 3 or 4 years (I can't remember how many he's done now...) he's finished each year within a minute or two of that same time.  Not bad for the only race of the year!  I'm sure it was the spaghetti dinner that did it :)

1 Family x 12 (Sept)

 

Another camping trip and Ryan's first and last tri of the year is in the books!  It felt very summer like this past weekend with temperatures near 90....we're not quite ready for summer to be behind us, but we are looking forward to cooler temperatures.

Packers Pre-season

 We had such a good time last year (and missed Mom so much) that we decided to do it again this year and this time we brought some friends!  Packer's pre-season is a fun weekend.  The game played on Saturday at noon (best timing!) and the tickets didn't cost an arm and a leg so we decided to give it a go one more time.

The weather was HOT this year - much different than last year.  It was nearly 90 and we were sitting right in the sum...so I have to give these kiddos some credit.  The lasted most of the game and didn't complain (too much).  

Mr and Mrs. Ware joined us too - I'm so mad I didn't get a full group picture!  We camped at the Brown County Reforestation park again - a short drive from the field.  I'm not sure if we'll do pre-season again next year or not, but I know Ryan wants to go back up to this campground to explore some of the hiking and biking that leaves right out of the park and I'd really like to do the hall of fame and stadium tour sometime (which doesn't run on game day weekends).  So, long story short, I wouldn't be surprised if we find ourselves up in Green Bay again next year...just maybe not tailgating a game.

We also did a MUCH better job at tailgating this time around.  We had a fancy Bloody Mary bar (thanks Mr. and Mrs. Ware), Mimosa (thanks Mom), pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns...and we even remembered seasons salt and pepper, and garbage bags this time!  It's clear that tailgating is it's own whole routine to pack for and we just quite aren't there yet.  We still have some work to do before I'd call us expert tailgaters :)

This is when we knew it was time to start packing it up and heading to the cars.  We were starting to loose then by the end of the third so we called it quits and started heading toward AC.