Christmas From Around The World

My favorite thing the military has given to us is the chance to live/travel the world. Steve's mom is still here and together we made this "forest". One tree has my old german ornaments I picked up at a flea market in Germany. The smallest tree shelters the most precious Korean ornaments I got on a fun shopping trip in Insadong, Korea. The big tree has lots of flags from countries we have visited. And I made the ornaments that say New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Paris, Prague...I just love it. Ben and Madi want me to make some that say Atlanta, Philadelphia, Orlando and something else but I don't remember; so I guess I can make a few more. Steve's mom leaves tomorrow. I love the way she cooks for us, cleans up after us, does the laundry for us....we can't wait until she can come back.

Dinning Room & Cranberry Sauce

Finally, we hung something on the walls in our dinning room. The fact that my mother-in-law is coming for Thanksgiving was the push I needed to get things done. I love the peg rack look and it only cost $12. Now I can even change things out for holidays or seasons, fun!

For my centerpiece I have a small quilt I made with an antique dough bowl I got from a flea market in Germany. I remember the older women I bought it from said it belonged to her mother-in-law. After the Berlin Wall fell the family went over to the Dresden area to clean out the house and bring it all closer to Wiesbaden/Frankfurt. I have my German treasure filled with white pumpkins, crows and one of my stitcheries.

This is my first time ever making my own cranberry sauce. LOVE IT! Not only is it the prettiest thing I've seen jarred but it tastes so good.

Aunt Bonnie's Cranberry Sauce

Wash 3 cups fresh cranberries removing stems

Sir together 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in deep saucepan

Heat to boiling; boil 5 minutes

Stir in cranberries

Bring to boil and boil rapidly 5 minutes.

Cool and place in jars-refrigerate 8 hours

The other day was my cousin Michelle's birthday. Bonnie sent out these fun throw backs to start the celebration that morning. Here I am with Michelle and our stunning Aunt Bonnie.

This was the same day. We were going to a wedding. This is my cousin Michelle and I with our Great Grandma. Ha I am the one with the hat and purse...oh my. Next I need to make some of my Grandma's mustard pickles!

Ben 1/112!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew Ben was getting all A's. Almost everyday we look online at both kids graded work that the teacher's are constantly uploading. I also knew most of the A's Ben was getting were like 99% type A's. But I did not know until 2 days ago that Ben was ranked NUMBER ONE of the whole 6th grade. We are so proud.

Tomorrow is the last day of school before Thanksgiving. We are handing out these gobbley treats. I loved the M&M's this year with those beautiful fall colors.

Hats And More

I finished my black hat. I love black.

Madi wanted a purple one -done. And now I am spoiling her with a red one. In a few weeks I think Madi and I both with have hats in every color imagine able.

I am also stitching names of a few of our favortie cities around the world we have been to for a project later.

I am in love with this HUGE black H. I added a few other H's in the mix too. I am getting really exctied about getting ready to decorate for Christmas.

Front And Center On ESPN

My boys did good. This is at Stanford University; they hosted today's College Gameday for ESPN. Look at that Georgia flag waving front and center. They had a ball. Madi and I had fun sitting here in the family room watching our boys on TV.

Veteran's Day and College Game Day @ Stanford

Well my boys left, headed west over to the Bay. Tomorrow is the Stanford vs. Oregon game and I believe they are both undefeated at the end of this football season. Should be very excited. Stanford is hosting College Game Day. Steve took our tall painting pole and Georgia Flag...so everybody look for the boys holding and waving the UGA flag. They are crazy fun aren't they.





Steve ironed the flag. Our house has 20 ft. ceilings so he was able to practice 'the wave of the flag'.


I crocheted myself a hat. I must admit this is seriously addicting. Madi is playing with her girlfriends, the boys headed over to Palo Alto/Stanford, and I am enjoying this Veteran's Day. I now just started myself a black hat and I am watching the UNC/Michigan State basketball game....it's being played on an aircraft carrier...how freaking awesome is that for those young men on the teams and the navy folks assigned to that ship. I never use to think much about Veteran's Day. I was active duty Air Force for 5 years and in the Air Force Reserves for two years and never during any of that time did I realize how special it was, not just a day off work. Now that I am older and a mom I am so glad about the decisions that I made. Ben and Madi have a pride for their mom and dad....when I was young I never thought about my children and what they would think of me. Never before did I worry about setting a good example for my kids. The time I spent in the Air Force are my glory days and that is how and when I met Steve. I hope my kids make decisions to go places and live a thrilling life. Especially Madi. Girls not just boys can do extraordinary things.
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Happy Veteran's Day! And be sure to look for my boys with the UGA flag tomorrow on College Game Day. Now I am going to go work on my black hat and watch the basketball game. Check out the uniforms they are wearing in honor of Veteran's Day....camouflage in the school colors.

3 & 4

Madi is home sick today. I hate when either of the kids are sick but love the chance it gives me to sit around with them and get caught up on stuff. This morning I finished my blocks 3 & 4 of the quilt-along. Boy were the 2 3/8 inch squares cut diagonal and subcut again tedious...but the blocks are gorgeous.


The other day I picked up Justin Bieber's newly released Christmas CD. I was saving it for a raining/sick day, so guess what we have been listening to the last 2-3 hours. Could be worse.

Madison looked like a cutie pie wearing the Turkey shirt I made her. Now I need to get started on a Christmas one...maybe today while she is around and we are jamming to Christmas tunes Bieber style.

Lewis Grizzard - Rivalry Jokes

Us Harmon folk love to laugh, love football and are thankful for youtube!!!

Madi's Turkey

I just finished making Madi a turkey shirt to strut around in this month. The pattern in over here, you can copy it right off your computer screen. To me, it's the cutest thing ever. I have it hanging by the TV in the family room so I can look at it. Now, I must go cook dinner because my own little turkey's are getting hungry.

Season Of Thankfulness

Maybe it's because I am getting older but I enjoy everyday in November. Celebrating Thanksgiving was just on that day. Now I like having the whole month to contemplate on all the things I am thankful for. Today I had the chance to set some Thanksgiving decorations around the house. That tree on the bottom of the fireplace is our Thankful tree we made a few years ago. I love reading the ornaments: our cat, caprisuns, football, our dad being safe, soccer, food... I am thankful we made that a few years back.

I am thankful my dad was able to come spend Halloween with us.

I am thankful for good memories. Look at them, they are separating the candy. They made lines of twix, butterfinger... We had a great time trick-or-treating. All our neighbors went together so the kids were with all the friends. And holy cow our neighborhood was lite up in orange lights, so festive.

Steve had to work late Halloween, until after 8pm...he missed all the fun. But we are thakful he is here with us rather than being deployed.

The kids are thankful for their dodgeball teams, they have a lot of fun. I must say it's very entertaining to watch. There must be 50 boys and 5 girls and look at Madi, she is still in the game after that line of boys had already gotten out.

I am thankful for Madi and her new little boots too.