Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Christmas is in full swing at our house. LOVE this time of year. I can never get enough so I take full advantage of Christmas decorations, treats, music, presents and all of that fun stuff. How could you not get in the spirit. Its the season of giving. And speaking of giving, starting December 1, I will be posting DIY gift ideas, baked goodie recipes, tips and tricks for decorating and much more! Excited? I am! I can't wait to share with you some things I love in hopes that you will enjoy them as well. Stay tuned! 

P.S. In order to enjoy time with family and friends this Christmas season I will not be taking orders between 12.1.11 through 12.31.11. Thanks for understanding.

Brr...baby its cold outside.

I feel so guilty for neglecting my blog. I have been so busy working on orders, Christmas projects, knitting and hosting people that when I have a free chance I sit and veg. I am hoping things slow down a little to enjoy the holidays with my husband, family and friends.

Are you thinking about Christmas yet?!

I love to give people I care about gifts but it seems that I always go WAY overboard. So this year I have decided to make most of my Christmas presents with purchasing some. I get more of thrill deciding what I am going to make and seeing the finished project. Plus I think to make a gift and give it to someone is a great feeling.

I am working on a great project to share with you all between now and Christmas. I am hoping to have everything worked out in the next few days and I will share so much more with you. HINT: I will be sharing ideas/tutorials to help you make gifts for the special people in your life. Stay tuned :)

pumpkin patch 2011.

Its starting to feel like winter is fastly approaching. Which means Christmas is coming. Love that thought but not quite ready for the snow and cold yet. A few weeks ago when Michelle was here to visit we went to the pumpkin patch and enjoyed some great weather. One of my favorite things about fall.

squash.

gourds.

mini pumpkins.

pumpkin patch 2011.

pumpkins.

sitting on hay bales.

Don't you just love the colors. Stay tuned for my thoughts of thankfulness. Happy Fall :) 

Michelle's visit to North Dakota :)

Ya its me. Sorry it's been awhile. Like a month!!! Have you missed me? Anyways remember my last post of all the exciting things to look forward too well its been happening and its been crazy around here. Since my last blog I have had at LEAST one person staying at our house. Oh yes if your ever traveling through look up Hotel Benson. I am sure you will find us...haha ;) My dad is staying here (which technically it is his house but still) and then my good friend Michelle came to visit (I already miss her not being here) and then we had a group of four hunters from Baltimore/DC area come to stay with us for a little over a week and every now and then my brother and mom (which I never mind her coming because one I love having her around and she always helps me out). Right now its my dad, brother and my brothers friend. So yes every single day for about a month. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love family time and being with people but I need to get back in my routine. Last week I came down with the flu...yuck! I am still somewhat re cooping from that. But all and all life is good. It has consisted of cooking, baking, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, laundry, entertaining, some sewing and knitting. Oh yes Michelle taught me how to knit, bless her little heart. I am loving it. I love working on it while watching tv, riding in the car or on my lunch breaks. Today I should finish my first scarf and then on to another one. My hobbies definitely keep me busy.

Back to Michelle. She came to visit me on her fall break. She is from California and now lives in Arizona. She came almost two years ago for my wedding. It was very cold, snow and she wasn't around to see the greatness of North Dakota. I have grown up here my entire life and I don't think I would change that. I love visiting big cities but especially as I have grown older I love the peacefulness and the more relaxing way of life and I think Michelle loved that too. While she was here my cousin took us in is combine and we combined corn. Which still strikes me funny because when I told her I would take her to the farm and we would go combining she had no clue what that was...haha. Sorry Michelle I am telling secrets :) But I think that was Michelle's favorite part of the trip. She was in awe of how the combine worked and everything like that. We went shopping one day, to the capitol, the pumpkin patch, to the Scandinavian Heritage Center, to a winery and sampled many wines, we also had a little photo shoot (we both love love love taking/being in pictures) and spent lots of quality time together knitting/crocheting, talking, drinking chai tea and just enjoying life :)

BEWARE: many pictures to follow :)

Thanks for coming to visit Michelle. You truly are a wonderful friend/sister. I miss you already.

so many things to be thankful for.

Oh October I have mixed feelings about you. So much to look forward to and do but it also means one more month closer to winter. Don't get me wrong I do love winter and Christmas which is my FAVORITE holiday. But last winter was brutal and I am hearing this winter is going to be worse. But enough about all of that crazy talk.

Like I said I have so many fun things I am exited about.

~fall
~leaves falling
~an old high school friend is coming to stay
~my very good friend Michelle is coming to visit
~looking forward to sharing some new ideas and projects with you all
~learning how to crochet...finally :)
~lots of family time
~pumpkin patch
~hoping to get some family pictures taken of us
~making/getting Christmas gifts together

This week I finally got back around to sewing. I have been so busy restoring and redecorating our home that I have put everything else on the back burner. Loving all of the changes but now I am feeling so behind on everything else. The past couple weekends I have been working like crazy trying to get things done. My house has also been a complete disaster. But in the end its worth it. I have some orders to complete and I am starting on some Christmas presents. So I don't end up trying to do everything last minute.

Can't wait for your arrival Michelle!!!

So here's to a great week of many exciting things to come. I feel so blessed to have amazing people in my life and very fortunate for everything I do.

Enjoy your week every! What are you looking forward to in October?

heritage.

Last week Matt and I went to the Norsk Hostfest. It is North America's largest Scandinavian Festival. It was fun to experience it together and learn about my heritage. We spent hours looking at different vendors, food booths and watching some of the vendors working on wood carvings, making socks from wool and making rugs on a loom. Very interesting that people are still making things by hand. Love it.

We had to partake in some very good Norwegian goodies. Matt had to have Fattigmand (Poor Man). I tried an almond bar and a chocolate Rosette Cookie. They are so delicate and beautiful you almost hate to eat them. We also had some Lefse. The kind we tried was a "little too thick" as my grandmother would say. "It needs to be a little thinner" Last winter my mother took the time to show me how to make Lefse. Which is ironic since she is German. I think its so great learning my culture. Another memory I had is my grandma used to always make me Sandbakkelse. They were my favorite cookie growing up. I always remember she would make them special for me. I have since learned how to make those as well. We also tried Risengrot (Rice Pudding) and Rommegrot. The Rommegrot is interesting. Lets just leave it at that. It consists of cream, flour and butter. So you can about imagine. 

I love all of the beautiful artwork and detail. All of these are hand painted. I bought some goodies for myself including a beautiful Norwegian plate and spoon, Norwegian Christmas book and a Lefse turner. The Christmas book we bought has the old traditions with a few songs and recipes of food that they would have for Christmas. Maybe I will have to incorporate something to our Christmas this year. 

I can't wait to go back and I am thinking I will help volunteer next year :)

Ha det bra....meaning Good bye.

happiness.

Happy National Coffee day! I don't know what I would do without you.

mmmm...pure goodness. As my mom would say about Starbucks and ordering coffee "its like speaking a different language"...ha love it. To solve the mystery its a non-fat Grande 3 pump Pumpkin Spice Latte with 1 pump White Chocolate. Try it. I promise you will love it! That is if you like pumpkin :) I hope you all are enjoying this day. Although it doesn't need its own day. It's everyday for me. And today I especially needed it!

Whats your coffee choice?