More Miscellaneous Pics

Random Photos off my phone:

Can't get over how cool some of the vintage linens are!
These pulled-thread techniques are wild!

I just don't understand how an old piece of furniture gets thrown out,
 relieved of duty without any ceremony or anything! 
This couch has been at our ward longer than 80% of the ward members,
yet it was disposed of unceremoniously! 
If I'd know it was leaving us, I would have thrown it a party.  Seriously.

Resting awhile after doing some service with these silly sisters

Looking up at the beautiful clouds that rolled in before the rains hit.

Stayed up late to watch the total lunar eclipe

Looks like this ship is going to ground itself coming into SD bay

Unfortunately, this shark was grounded

Visited Rocky Beach again

4

Beautiful blues

Working on a new craft making hearts out of wire

I don't even know what to say about that husband of mine! 
I turn around and find that he has gotten me tools to help me with my wire crafting, then shows me how to use them!
He is so very considerate of me---all the time!
Tool on left is a vice that can be used on flat surfaces. 
Tool on the right is, get ready: 

a safety wire twisting plier w/ automatic spring loaded return heavy duty jaws twister. And it works!

Top: hand twisted
Bottom: twisted using weird plier twister!
I love Tom!
Tom loves me (and tools)!
I'm ready to make hearts!

Miscellaneous

Back from my blogging hiatus; miscellaneous goings on...

Got an additional calling that entails scheduling families to clean the church.
It has been fun organizing things and the building is on its way
to being clean or at least cleaner!

Milestone birthday for Candace!

I'm constantly amazed by the decorations at the commissary!
Here, the stalwart potato is recognized!

Stake RS asked Emi and I to make desserts again.
Emi's flan got rave reviews, at least from one unnamed sister
who said she ate seven servings!

I made toffee crackers again, easy plus---yum!

And, most importantly, another milestone birthday---Tomboy turned 60!

 

Feeling the Christmas Spirit

Candace was in charge of the decorations for the ward Christmas party this year and she did an outstanding job! I'm a bit pessimistic regarding decorations. I like them, I just don't like spending a lot of money on them.  Candace not only economized, utilizing free cardboard and decorations that we already had in the ward, but her decorations and design focused on the Savior and invited the Spirit so very much! 

I had to get to the party early to set up my own thing, so I got to see the decorations alone with just Candace, and I choked up taking them all in! My favorite decoration was the manger, front and center, raised up on a table, lit from within, of course symbolizing the light of Christ.

  Simply beautiful, Candace!  Well done!

Sweet and beautiful

 

The Giving Machine

The Giving Machines came to Old Town, San Diego this year, so when

sign-ups to help man them came around, we wanted to take a turn!

Signed up for an early Christmas morning shift and it turned out to be a great way to begin our Christmas day! We decided that we want to continue doing Christmas morning service next year, too!

Seven different charities were represented in The Giving Machine with items available for donation ranging from hot meals and baby items to warms blankets and chickens!

We three got matching Santa hats for fun.

Meeting people from all over the world while doing our service-Turkey, Greece, Ireland, China, Korea, etc. was fun and interesting.
After a person bought something to donate, they got to hold a corresponding poster of their donation and get their picture taken!  Fun!

 

Apple Butter

Haven't made apple butter in a few years, so made a batch to give away.  The apple peeler peels, cores and slices the apples-super easy!

A potful of apples cooks down to less than half a pot of apple butter.

There is actually no butter in apple butter, only apples, sugars and spices.

Ready to gift!

 

Costco Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving helps me remember all the many blessings Heavenly Father has given to me and my family---I want to thank him! I feel deep gratitude to HF for his Plan of Happiness, at the center of which, is Jesus Christ and his atonement. I am again reading, The Infinite Atonement (Tad McAllister) in an attempt to better my understanding of the most significant event (in all history, anywhere).  I am so very grateful to HF for my family.  HF helps me to be aware of just how much they mean to me. 

Tom eating Steaksgiving dinner.

 

                                                                                         

Kimo wasn't home for Thanksgiving-missed him!

Most of our Thanksgiving meal came from Costco this year, namely steak and mashed potatoes. Go, Costco!

                 

Costco worker all into Thanksgiving!

 

A Week Off From Work?

We had a stovetop fire in our kitchen a long while back which was...

Traumatic! (at least for me!)

I guess it's taken this long to get over the feelings associated with that fire.

And after washing and painting just about everything on our upper floor, 

we just weren't in any big hurry to finish the job. 

This week Tom decided he wanted to replace those cabinet doors that were damaged.  This is no small endeavor, since he actually makes the cabinets himself, so he took the whole week off to get the work done

Pretty cherry wood

Lots of pieces to keep track of-Tom wrote on the back of each piece.

Our itty-bitty garage was up to the job

Tom's garage stool

Beautiful!

Trim work

Seven doors!

You do such good work, Honey!

Emi and I ate lunch without Tom and this was my fortune!