Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Eeesh!
To quote Reba, "eeesh!" Six Christmas celebrations down. We came, we ate, we gifted - what more could you want? We started out the week with Brian's parents and managed the three ring circus that is entertaining extended family, managing three dogs and a cat, and keeping kids and a moderately good mood. Brian's sister was in from CO and his parents finally had the whole fam back - albeit for only a brief time. Four Christmases with them later we are spending time with my family where my parents have my sisters and I all under one roof again back from Northern CA, North Dakota, and of course TX. The grand-dogs are also happy to be reunited with family. What did they do without all this chaos? We have now had a total of three Christmas celebrations with them. Seriously - we are going to have to rent another Penske to get us home. We have three more days here and we haven't yet begun to touch on accomplishing all we wanted to do. I guess that's what return trips are for.
Here are some pictures to catch you up - crafting and gift pictures to come:
What a whirlwind. Jacob just informed me he was going to take a nap. I don't blame him.
Friday, December 21, 2007
The Dog Pile
We squished ourselves into the borrowed Durango for it's return trip home complete with Christmas presents for our families, Santa's deliveries (the kids don't know we are in cahoots with him yet), all our clothes and necessities for 8 days, and two dogs. We all rode in appropriate seats save for the dogs who, bless their hearts, piled on top of each other at Jacob's feet. We very literally had a dog pile in the car. If my camera hadn't been buried I would have taken a picture of this hysterical scene.
So, we are all here. We brought an inverter for an ac adapter in the car and both Brian and his dad joked that I would be sewing in the passenger seat. If I could have figured that out... Almost all projects are done and I can't wait to post on them AFTER you all have received them :-) For once in my life I am keeping a secret!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Adventures of the Bad Haircut
Monday, December 10, 2007
ER nights
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Burnin' the Midnight Oil...
So, now it is about 8:30am. I am still up. Jacob is off to school. Brian is upstairs working. Reba and I are leaving in a few minutes for a play date at her new school that she doesn't know she is enrolled in yet. I will likely be up all day. All that craftiness this AM might lead to some burnout this afternoon. Oh well. The pitfalls of the night shift. If I didn't love it so much...
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Celebrating the Season
Please note the multiple ornaments on the low branches. I left it this way to remind me that nothing is perfect - much like how our tree looks - but everything is done with love - just how the children decorated.
He was too excited to stand still.
Look at these faces...
We also attended (and performed) in the annual church Christmas Pageant. I had a singing Shepherd and Cow! A mother's pride. This pageant has reminded the kids that Jesus' birthday is coming. They have rarely even mentioned Santa (save for the concern about how he's going to find us in CA - we are leaving a note on our door - coming down the chimney still freaks them out).
My little shepherd is in the last shepherd on his row - singing his little heart out. You'd never know he had a full blown panic attack at the dress rehersal and refused to do the pageant. He was as happy and confident as ever up there.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Happy Birthday, Kate!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Glory
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Kitten Krazy
I worked Thanksgiving night, black Friday night, and Saturday night so forgive the absence. I am back to work tonight for a few nights but hopefully there won't be such a delay before I post again. I think the lack of sleep this weekend did me in. I shopped after work on both Friday and Saturday morning then went to church on Sunday morning. I only slept through part of your sermon, Madeline! My eyes were closed but my ears were open:-) I don't intend to miss so much sleep this week.
So now the family is gone. The left-overs are almost gone. The holiday sales are gone. What is a person to do? Why, sew, of course! I hit up JoAnn's Friday morning (well - and Saturday) and came away with some stellar deals. Snuggle flannel for 99 cents a yard! Who could resist? Not I - and the thousand other crazed women there that morning. I had to go back Saturday just for all the other things I wanted. With all this new stuff my mind was working over time with projects I could do.
I started with a scarf that I work on when I am hanging out with Brian. He watches TV (I get bored if I am just watching) and I knit. Ahhh.... So soothing. Knitting will take a few hours of TV so I quick whipped up a couple of other projects in the down time. Check out these adorable little guys. I found the pattern at this site: http://weewonderfuls.typepad.com/wee_wonderfuls/store/downloads.html. Don't discriminate against White Kitten whose stripes go the wrong way. And don't mind the fact that neither have faces. I need to go purchase some embroidery floss for the finishing touches. Now, I am off to make a Scottie Dog, I will post on him later.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Hill Country Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Pushin' up daisies...
My little turkey...
Monday, November 19, 2007
Mr Rodgers was ahead of his time
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Kitchen Sink
A note for Mommy
How cheap can be brilliant
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Reasons for Seasons
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Cleanliness is next to...
Monday, November 5, 2007
Knit picky...
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Here's a peek...
The little church birdhouse: I loved it so much when I saw it, I got one for my mom. It just reminds me of simple priorities. Stripped down from religious things, we get just this simple church where Jesus is the center - not a whole bunch of other stuff. One of my wedding pics is behind it. I also love those - what a great day to start a great life.
My coffee maker: This is the one thing I couldn't wait to have in our new house. It was already here when we moved in. Shawn and Vaughn bought it as a house warming gift to us. The only item in the whole house! It was immediately put to use as we moved in, and it really hasn't stopped since. What can I say? I love my coffee.
The shower head: This is a new purchase. We had this shower head that came with the house that gave us perhaps the most painful showering experience I had ever had. If you had any skin left when you exited the shower - it was so raw it hurt to towel off. Since we installed this new shower head - basic hygiene has been delightful. It is my chance during the day to escape. I wish someone would inform the husband and kids though, as they like to bang on the shower door when ever they need something. Brian actually delights in scaring the crap out of me while I am in there. How rude.
Corks: It's also not a secret that I am a fan of wine. We joined a wine club in CA and have regular shipments to us here in TX. Don't worry, I don't drink as much wine as I do coffee and these corks are a couple years worth of collecting. I just find corks fascinating - plus I like the way they look in my mason jars.
My trusty old sewing machine: Alas, I'd like something a little higher octane than my original 80's era brother, but this is my little piece of happiness right here. I love to sew. There I said it. Last night I was sewing, as per usual, and Jacob asked me what I was making. I truly didn't have the plan entirely worked out in my head so I told him I didn't know yet. He responded in 5 year old fashion, "You have to know, because you are making it." Huh, never thought about that.
A little door knob hanger. I think this came from my wedding shower. I am fairly certain that my Aunt Myrna gave it to me and possibly made it as well. Myrn, did you make this one? Anyhow, it is lovely and it has traveled to each place we have lived (we are on residence #6 - in 6 years - plan to stay here a while). I like it because it is, well, home...
Jar of rocks: These are no ordinary rocks. These are Reba's Crystals. She and her little friend collect these on the playground at school and they come home by the tiny handful in pockets for me to find when doing laundry. To honor their value we store them in the jar in the sink window.
You may see some of these pictures again with more elaborate stories behind them. Sometimes I am hard up for pictures because Brian hordes picture uploading and I am dependent on him (for that). Besides that, you know I love to tell a good story, so I may just be inspired one day to write more. Today, I am just making it through after a night of little sleep due to sick children and looking forward to a night of less sleep with other people's sick children :-) Thanks for understanding...