It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Hello fellow blogging & stitching friends,
I have probably forgotten how to update my blog! Seriously, since the beginning of November? Where does the time go????
I have been extremely busy, as have most if not all of you. My stitching time has been very limited & honestly, I hit a slump while working on that Halloween piece that I showed in my last post. So much so, that I just put it away & said I will finish it next fall.
I then had to find sweatshirts for my grandsons. Now, who would think that would be difficult? Well, when you need three the same, it gets difficult. I finally found these at Walmart. Got them ready to stitch & realized that the Thomas the Train patterns that I had chosen were going to be way to hard to do on waste canvas. So, off to the stash pile to find something different. I found this leaflet that I used for my kids when they were small. I think I did most every single one in the book. I have never done the same pattern three times thou!!!
I finished the last of them this morning!
I have decorated the house more this year than in the past few years. I figure the boys are almost 4 now, they should be able to leave stuff alone!!!!
I have to tell as story...I have been babysitting for my current family for over 10 years. I started when the oldest was only 2 months old. This will be my last year. The youngest will go to all day kindergarten in the fall. He & I went running errands last Friday. We looked at all the Christmas displays while out. He showed me the Christmas Villages at Lowes & Menard's. He loves them & that is his favorite thing at his house. I told his mom we looked & that she had created a monster. (I fell in love with them) Well, yesterday when she picked him up, she brought in a big package. She said I was to open my Christmas gift early. She had gone to Lowes & purchased the starter set for me!!!!!!!!!!!! It came with 4 buildings. She told her kids to each pick which building represented them. She said she wished she had 4 kids...one for each building. I told her the kids could each chose one & the church would represent the whole family....you see, they go to a school in their church & I take the boy to preschool each week! So, the kids each chose a building & the church represents the family. What a special, special gift this is!!!!
I have put the village scene up in my craft room, along with my stitching tree....the ornaments are all cross stitch on this tree.
We have our real tree in the living room and also a display at the bottom of the stairs with 2 tiny trees. The house looks so festive. It is going to look bare come January!

poor lighting, so I took two pix...yellow, blue, green

blue, yellow, green...again, poor lighting

Christmas Village lit up at night.

stitching tree

Live tree in living room

I have also been busy as can be making my yearly candy. I have a few types to go & they will all be finished....time to relax & enjoy the season!
Since I know I won't have any more finishes before Christmas, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!