Around Here End of November

(Getting Ready for Making Things Party, Dinner, and Bowling)

Another mish mash of random happenings in November.  Early in November I made a giant list of things to do -  like the entertainment center, return library books, finishing two quilts, replace the doorknobs, jog 40 miles (I did 38.75 as of today - I was so close), see Kelli and Lucy before they move, etc and I'm happy to so I completed 38 of the 50 items - the rest I'll just carry the rest over to next month.  It's amazing what one can accomplish when you are living and working in the same city 75% of the time.  To suffice to say it's been an interesting month, I'm kind of sad to see it go.  But onward and upward to celebrating December and all the awesomeness that comes with the spirit of Christmas.

(Bowling)

(Happy Birthday Momo!)

(MTV Video Awards, Nails, and Cocktails)

(Holiday Cheer, Jono goes Asian, Shrum's, Boilermaker)

(Dufours, Snowman, Birth of a new project)

So that one time my hair was in my eyes aka #45

So a few weeks ago I got together with some BFFs Kim and Jeanne and Kim's kiddos.  And we celebrated friendship and christmas and just being together.  Spending time with the Shrum's was on my list at #45 this year so I can cross that puppy off now too.  We had a fun time checking out the sights in Lafayette.  Hotspot #1 was the Rainforest Car Wash - which sadly was closed!  We were so looking for the giant moving animals inside but we did enjoy the creepy looking head outside.  (FYI note my hair would NOT get out of my eyes despite my best effort to use barrettes I think it's time to get it cut off.

And then we hit HotSpot #2 the Metal farm family in downtown.  It was much less impressive than we anticipated we almost missed it was so small.  But we still stopped in to see it.

Hotspot #3 was world's largest Boilermaker.  He was hard to photograph with all five of us even with the timer.  But we tried our best however it didn't work out as we would have liked.  After that we were cold and hungry and we went to lunch and just enjoyed each others company.  It was a good time.  It's crazy too me how much older Syd and Sammie are now - I guess they grow up sometimes.

Quilt the Jay McCarroll Free Spirit Challenge

My quilting guild the Indianapolis Modern Quilt Guild (IMQG) had the opportunity to participate in the Jay McCarroll Free Spirit Challenge, where we got fat eighths of each of the prints in the Habitat Jewel Patterns.  IMQG gave us the rules use the prints and you can add three other solids.  I couldn't make myself use "da bears" print but I used all the others and pieced this top making strips of various sizes adding three solids an aqua from my stash and chocolate and berry kona.  I broke the rules a little as the back using some extra dot print and I used a pink Kona on the binding as well because it was handy.  I love the result and I hope the recipient does too and if you are reading this blog and it's your I hope you don't remember when you get it under the tree.   Thanks to Jay McCarroll and Free Spirit for donating us fabric it an awesome challenge and I had fun with it.

Thanks to my momo for holding it up for me.

Movie - J Edgar

I think this is my second Movie in November I think I saw something on a date early on.  Regardless to say the date and that movie aren't worth mentioning.  

J. Edgar however was a great.  Can we say Oscars??? I think this might have been the first movie I've seen all year that has Oscar potential although perhaps I'm forgetting something that was stellar. 

I usually don't care for Leonardo Dicaprio and his big head or baby face.  But his performance as J. Edgar Hoover was great.  The movie tells the story of the making of the FBI as well as J Edgar.  I don't want to give anything away but YOU SHOULD SEE IT. 

Once Upon a Time It was Thanksgiving

That's right once upon a time it was Thanksgiving.  
We slept in.  And then we went to celebrate at Momo's new house - yup that's right momo bought a new place.  It has a teeter totter too.  But that's another story for another time.  We celebrated thanksgiving with a Chinese family it was their very first American thanksgiving ever.  The Jones & Co crew also taught them about thanksgiving.  We ate all the essentials - Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potatoes, Chinese Chicken, and stuffing - no pumpkin pie not all the Joneses really like pumpkin pie.  So instead we had cakeballs.    They taught us about traditional chinese foods.  And then we taught them how to Wii (not that I'm an expert), and then  black friday so they could Wii at home.  A good time was had by all.  
This year I was thankful for gas under $3/gallon, and for all the awesome travel opportunities in 2011.
The End

PS one of my very favorite things about holidays are random texting taking place. Who doesn't love getting texts with awesomesauce photos like this?