Ornament craziness...

Whew!  Just where does the time go?  I swear the older I get the faster time goes.  Maybe I'm just moving slower and it takes me longer to get things done.  Who knows, all I am certain of is that I can't seem to get much done these days.

Well...I haven't had time to stitch on anything big lately, I'm in run, run, run mode.  I just got back from a week long vacation while my son was on his mission trip to Wyoming.  We went to the fine state of Virginia with the intent to relax and see some scenery.  But...if you leave things to my husband, it's usually a steady stream of crazy running around.  I'll get to that later.

First let me show you what I have been able to accomplish!  I made a few "resolutions" at the beginning of the year, and since we are halfway through the year, let's see how well I'm doing!  

I wanted to make two Christmas ornaments a month...and I fell behind a little bit, but I believe I'm all caught up now!  I can't show the last one yet, as it is for the Christmas exchange for Friendly Stitchers Yahoo Group, but here are the others I've finished since the 15 of June.

Be Merry Mini by Waxing Moon Designs

Snow Love by Country Cottage Needleworks

I finished two motifs from My Favorite Things by Sue Hillis Designs so here is the Hat and Mittens

And the Reindeer

Christmas Eve Deer by The Prairie Schooler

Cardinal Snowflake by The Victoria Sampler

A Victorian Christmas Tree by Designs by Linda Driskell

I can't show you the last one, as I made one for an exchange piece....that will come later!

Now...on to vacation!  We stayed a couple of days in Luray, Virginia, visiting the caverns, museum, maze and car museum.  The first picture of is a reflection of the cave roof in a pool of water below.  It was so still the reflection was amazing!

We spent one evening listening to the singing tower.  The carillon was erected in 1937 in memory of Belle Brown Northcott who was the wife of T. C. Northcott the former president of Luray Cavern Corporation. The singing tower stands 117-feet tall and contains a carillon of 47-bells. The largest bell is six feet wide and weighs a total of 7,640 pound, while the smallest bell weighs in at 12 and a half pound.  It was pretty amazing!  

We stayed the last three days in Lexington, Virginia, visiting Natural Bridge and the caverns there, hiking to the Lace falls there.

Stonewall Jackson's House and Robert E. Lee Chapel.  We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and learning all the history.  I have a new appreciation for the commanders of the South, especially Lee and Jackson.  They were devout men of prayer and were true to their state governments.  The Civil war was a lot more involved that just freedom for the slaves.   I think our country needs more history lessons like the one we received!! 

See anything wrong in the above picture?    The sword goes under Lee's hand above the blanker, but is under the blanket when it comes out from under his hand.  Weird, huh?  LOL
 

 Even Lee's horse was buried near his chapel...I won't elaborate on the circumstances, but I found it a bit weird.  

We visited Natural Bridge, learning the history of he place, the returned later to see the light show and hear the recitation of the Creation Story.  It was truly beautiful and inspiring and gave me goose bumps.  

We did a lot of walking near the Natural Bridge, hiking to Lace falls, isn't it beautiful?

It's hard to believe this creek is what carved out this beautiful natural bridge (It's hard to imagine it's size but a four lane highway runs above!).  

Along the way I think I drove my husband up the wall...

We hiked to some falls just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We drove along the Skyline Drive (part of the Shenandoah National Park) and then along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The pictures just don't do it justice, as it is such a beautiful drive. 

Even Marsha enjoyed the scenery even if she was caught between a rock and a hard place!

I leave you with a picture of my favorite food from the trip...Blackberry Ice Cream pie....and if you look closer there are TWO spoons, my husband and I shared this and still couldn't eat it all...that was some piece!!!

And here is my trophy husband .... yes, he's a ham....but I wouldn't have him any other way!