We needed a good cat herder around here this weekend...I'll show you why in a minute.

Thanksgiving was very peaceful in our house with the smallest guest list we've had in a while.  The theme for this year was "Let's relax" led by this relaxed baby...

"If I can't eat turkey and pie...what's the point?"

Everyone else was sleepy, too...

Charlie and Stephanie had a long drive in Wednesday night traffic.

 
Bob, Erland, and Mike resting up for a busy weekend. 

I guess Jessica and I were resting in the kitchen NOT watching football.

Banjo quickly moved from his car seat to his Daddy's arms-

he was tired all day long.  It was so nice to have a slow day to relax.  We all left town Saturday afternoon for a family party and I FORGOT MY CAMERA!!!!  So no pictures until we found ourselves in need of a cat herder...

 Banjo had a play date here yesterday with his 13 month old cousin.  They had a great time together but Banjo had some serious crawling/walking envy.  I think he set himself some new personal goals after watching an older baby be so mobile.

The real fun began when we decided to put both babies in Santa suits for a Christmas photo op.  Oh my! 

"Hey-what's with these hats?  We're busy here!"

"This is getting out of hand!"

"Is it me or are we all dressed alike?"

And then...success!

   One good shot of one baby in a Santa suit.  Hope the other cameras got better pictures!

The knitting has been successful!

Erland and Mike's wedding stockings almost done!
 

 
 
 
 

 

  
  
 

    I had doctor appointments yesterday and had planned for quite a while to take the day off from school.  Last week I realized that I could spend my free time with Banjo!  Liz kindly offered to watch him while I was busy and we had the BEST day together!  (Thank you again, Liz!)

Banjo spent the night with us so he wouldn't have to get  up early and catch a ride to our house.  As soon as he woke up he had a diaper change and hopped into bed with us for some snuggle time.

This king size bed is just what I need!

He was so wiggly and squirmy that I couldn't even put clean PJ's on him-just a diaper and a big fleece blanket.

 After breakfast he had a quick bath in the sink and got to try out his new hooded towel that I found on sale after Halloween.  He really needed a big towel here because he has so much fun in the sink!

Banjo says, "MMMMM-clean and dry and back in GrandBob's bed!"

 After our fun day we met Jessica at Banjo's pediatrician's office for his six month check up.  They were amazed that he's sitting up already and he was so pleased to be there until he had 5 Shots!!!!!  Hope you got a good night's sleep last night, Banjo!

 
 
 
 

I finally finished my Savannah cardi that I've been working on for so long.  It didn't really take me that long to knit-I just kept stopping and knitting other things instead of this sweater.

Bob took an FO picture for me...I never smile well when Bob takes my picture because he rarely uses  the camera and I'm wondering..."what is he doing over there?'.  Anyway, I'm less than thrilled with how I look in this picture but do love the sweater.  It's gathered at the bodice and flares out-I don't think I flare out quite as much as the picture makes me look (I hope).

See that weird smile?  What was Bob doing?  Maybe it's better from a distance...

Oh well...I'll probably use this as my winter coat on mild days for a long time.

Last Wednesday Rob dropped Banjo off early in the morning and then on my way to work I dropped him off to play with Liz for the day.  Thank you, Liz, for being such a good friend to Banjo-he had a great time with you!  You are the baby whisperer!

It was so much fun to have Banjo sit in our bed while we got ready for work.  We thought he might be sleepy so we settled him back on a pillow.

Can you tell that's not what he wanted?  He immediately started trying to sit up.  His attempts to sit up alone from this position remind me of how I feel when I try to do sit ups!  We helped him up to a sitting position and he was fine.

I love that little pensive face...but just in case it appears he never smiles-Rob sent me  this picture of a precious smiling 6 month old little Banjo.

Stop growing up so fast, Banjo!

Christmas stocking knitting has begun!
 
 
 
 

My knitting has seemed so slow lately!  I finally have two FOs and may finish a sweater for myself this week!

The FOs are for Banjo...it started getting colder and I realized I hadn't knit him a winter sweater yet.  I have wanted to knit the Seeded Rib Pullover ever since my sister knit one for her grandson earlier this year.  I used the Taos yarn that I had left over from a sweater I made for myself and after  a trip to the blocking spa...

Banjo was ready for his photo op.

MMMM...soft and warm, Granny Jane

I may not even need a coat when I wear all this wool!

This hat will go with everything!

Hey, isn't Granny Jane supposed to be knitting my Christmas stockings?

 Yes, as soon as I finish the last sleeve of my sweater and put it together I have 8 Christmas stockings to knit!
 
 
 
 
 

Bob and I spent Halloween in Wintergreen with Erland and Mike.  They were spending the weekend there and invited us to tag along.  We had a great time in the mountains.

We started our trip with a stop at a mountain brewery for dinner.  We met Jimmy and Donna there.

Erland and Donna

 After dinner we headed up the mountain and partied for a while before bed...except Bob and Mike who stayed up until around 2:30am solving all the world's problems.  They were sleepy on Saturday!

Saturday morning the men and women split up and while the men visited another local brewery and watched football Donna, Erland, and I went exploring.

I always love to drive through Vesuvius, Virginia for a Halloween visit.  They really know how to decorate.

After a pretty drive we ended up in yarn heaven, also known as Orchardside Yarn Shop.
 
 
 

I love this yarn shop and always try to take a picture by the stream.

Erland doesn't knit but you don't have to knit to love Orchardside.  She visited the antique shop and got scared away by a peacock who was admiring herself in a mirror.

After a visit to the Cheese Shop in Stuart's Draft we headed back up the mountain for a cook out at Jimmy and Donna's house.  We were joined by Greg, my cousin Patty's son!  Patty and I spent so much time together as children that I really want our children to know each other.

Erland and Greg

To end a great visit everyone played Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil just to amuse me for Halloween.

Being in the mountains means that we missed Banjo's first Halloween.  Luckily Jessica has some great pictures to share.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bob and I spent the weekend in North Carolina with his sister and bil.  Our nieces came, also,  so we had the best time playing scrabble and watching all three of the dogs run around.

Lily

Lucy

Levi-who is also a huge Tarheel fan.

   But, the most inspiring part of my weekend was spent reading letters.

 

Love letters...

As Jane was busy cleaning out my in-laws house recently she came upon two sets of love letters.

My sweet in-laws met in elementary school and were great friends right away.  That friendship quickly turn into a love that lasted  until my MIL passed away in August of 2008.

There were two stacks of letters.

 

She kept her letters from him wrapped in green ribbon.  He kept his letters from her in an old cigar box.  The first letter was dated 1940 and the last was 1943.  They were married in 1942.   I read every letter this weekend and was so moved.  I was moved at the depth of love and emotion that my father in law was able to express in writing.  It was sweet, concerned, and lovingly teasing.  They were approximately 35 miles apart at this time and he missed her terribly.  He really wanted her to move back to the "country" so they could see each other more often.  She was living in Richmond, but her grandmother still lived in the country.  I really admired the way my mother in law didn't just fall all over herself for his letters-someone must have told her to play it cool and let him make the bold moves.  He was obviously putty in her hands.  Each letter began with sweet terms of endearment.

How lost and lonely he must be without her.  I know that this love did  not end when she drifted into Alzheimer's or when she passed away.  How lucky for our family, especially our children and their children, are to have this fine example of the love that we witnessed written in letters for us to cherish.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Rob and Jess were so tired last night when they came to dinner that they left Banjo for a sleepover!  Yea for us.  It's so nice to wake up to this little pumpkin....

Don't worry, he slept in his own bed and was just hanging out with his Grand Bob while I got ready for school.

Jess took some great pictures of Banjo's new hats...

 
 
 

My friend, Lisa, knit the cutest hat for her most adorable nephew...

      "Nice knitting, Auntie Lisa!!!  You should knit me lots more hats!!!!  It's getting colder, you know!"

Isn't he the cutest, little pumpkin ever?  I wish he would come to school to visit so I could meet him!

On Friday Rob brought Banjo to school for a visit and to pick up his finished Yoda hat.  It fits well.

"I like it, Granny Jane!"

 I think he did like it as he wore it the whole time he was there. 

"I get my love of Star Wars from my Daddy."

It even looks good from the back!

"Is Granny Jane going to fix my droopy ear?" 

What do you think?  Should I fix that droopy ear? 
 
 

 

Banjo's Yoda hat spent two days hanging around like this...

This morning I took it off the hangers and tried it on my Banjo model.

I love it.  The left ear hangs just a bit so I may have to put a little glue starch around the area where it's attached to the hat.  Can't wait to try it on Banjo...maybe he'll come to school today to see it...hint, hint, hint.....
 
 

Remember when Banjo e-mailed me on his one week birthday?  That was just the start of his love of technology.  Last week he hacked into his mother's Face Book account and sent me a message.  He wanted to let me know that the weather is getting colder and he needs some warm hats!  I got busy right away.  First I made him a pumpkin hat for the Fall.

He modeled it for his Auntie E.

I had also been intending to knit him a Felted Yoda hat in honor of his father's love of Star Wars.  I've knitted it and felted it.  

All I have left to do is starch the Yoda ears out with Elmer's glue and water and let them dry.  I hope Banjo likes it better after it's dry...the damp woolly feeling on his head did not make him happy. 

We had a house full of family last night and Banjo posed for lots of pictures.  He's such a good sport!

I wonder if this gives Auntie E and Uncle Mike any ideas?

Like all three of my children Banjo LOVES his Aunt Jane.

Tonight I'll starch the Yoda hat, I can't wait to see how that turns out!