I just remembered...

I just remembered to share my stocking this year. Each year since my youngest sister became privy to the top secret Santa information my family has drawn names for stockings. We always have a set limit on how much we can spend. The kids' stockings are not in the exchange as my mother decidedly goes overboard with their stockings - not that I am complaining - it is how Christmas at the Kidds always has been. Anyhow, back to the point. We draw names out of a hat and then feebly attempt at keeping it secret until Christmas Eve when we exchange over In-N-Out post church services. It is a tradition we have come to love.

We have had some funny years. There was a year that I got running shoes, only I only got one shoe because the other would have put it over the limit. In the same spirit I got one cowboy boot a couple of years ago - a perfect fit on the inside of my stocking. Brian thrives on stuffing the stocking full to the max while always keeping within the budget. I won that contest this year - stuffing Jenny's stocking and over filling it with kitchen gizmos from IKEA. Your buck goes a long way at IKEA. My youngest sister, Molly, the lefty who decidedly thinks outside of the box, won for creativity this year on presentation of my stocking. Please don't be offended. We all found this hysterical - my stocking this year:

Grilled - er, Burned Cheese

Grilled cheese sandwiches - they are one of my specialties (probably my only specialty if you ask my husband) and I rarely mess them up. Wheat, sourdough or sheepherders bread, buttered on the outside with smart balance or real butter (none of this margarine junk), shredded (this is key I discovered - to evenly melt it must be shredded) Colby and Jack, sliced green apples, Canadian bacon, layered and grilled evenly to perfection. Can't beat it. Add a little organic creamy tomato soup and you have yourself a perfect meal. At least to my 5 year old.

And then it happens. It has happened so many times before in my life. I left my post. Distracted by an idea or thought that popped into my head I walk away from what I am doing to do something else - always intending to come right back. It is then that the ADD gets the best of me. I have put carrots on to steam and forgetting walked next door to chat with the neighbor for an hour. I put things in the oven and NEVER set a timer. I make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and walk away with my sandwich immediately leaving jars open, bread out, and dirty knives laying out. The list goes on... I have been doing well lately, however. Tonight just humbles me and reminds me to focus.

In the end I did what any good mother would do. I scraped the heck outta those cheese sandwiches and served them up with a smile. Nobody complained. They knew better. Next time I won't walk away to check my email while I am making dinner - at least for the next few months I won't...

What I love about sewing...

What I love about sewing is giving my creations away. This Christmas I believe I totalled 34+ handmade gifts. 21 of those were aprons (of which I forgot to take a picture of again so if you received an apron get a cute shot of you in it for me), 8 little caps, 3 stuffed dogs, 2 mini quilts for the kids, 1 flannel Jeeps and camo blankie, 4 jammies, 4 pot holders, 1 knitted scarf, and 6 cute purses with embroidered names (also no pic - sorry). Eesh, it's no wonder my sewing machine quit half way through. We had to run out to Costco and purchase a simple machine (read inexpensive) that would get me through the holidays at least (the machine I really want is still waiting at the store for me - thanks Mom, Dad, Jenny, and Molly for getting me closer to it!). My poor old Brother is sitting on the dining room floor - cast off in a frenzy of getting it all done.

One would think I would be completely burned out and ready to retire my hobby completely. Ha! Not sew! (Another great pun.) I would never dream of it. Since we've been home I've been either working or pretty sick with an upper respiratory something that has me feeling like I am fighting to breathe and taking Tylenol and Advil to keep the ever present fever down. But that didn't keep me from sewing. In my delirium I was able to whip up these always adorable receiving blankets made with a yard each of flannel - perfect for optimal swaddling (or baby burrito-ing as Brian calls it) for a new baby. Our neighbors up the street just welcomed Alana Katherine and we can't wait to meet her. She is also getting a little dog with an A embroidered on the flank (really the butt but we can't say butt in our house).

Maybe today I will make something for me - a scrubs top perhaps... or a new purse. Or maybe I'll start on the quilt Jacob's been begging me for. I do love when other people love what I make and the adoration of a little boy is just too tempting.

Back into the boxes...

Back into the boxes go the Christmas lights, tree ornaments, stockings, and various other Christmas decorations. I save my absolute favorites for last. I tell myself I can at least wait until Epiphany as the official end of the holiday season to do the final dreaded Christmas decoration packing up. Here are a couple of my favorites that will be finally put away today:

While most people with a February birthday would be glad to see time marching on past December and January I am almost always met with a little sadness as another holiday season passes. Now it is just winter with no lovely songs or cheerful decorations to go with it. Phooey. Plus, this year as I turn 29 somehow I am not necessarily celebrating the upcoming year as I am dreading it - 29 and then 30 seems so definitely adult. And the little part of me that loves my Christmas decorations out too long also loves being young and in my 20s.

Maybe just a couple more days of my nativity out - to soothe my soul. A little Jesus here and there never hurt any one.

Kidd Girls

I couldn't resist posting this. My sisters, Reba and I are all hanging out post Christmas. My dad shot this in a moment of what I can imagine is pure paternal bliss. That man does love his girls. Note that I am sewing, Jenny is reading, Molly is online window shopping for truck parts, and Reba is playing reading games on her Leapster while wearing some princess dress up clothes. Some things may never change. Also note the three look-alike-laptops around the table. We are ridiculous. Why we ended up all on the same side of the table is beyond me. Oh well, what a photo op. A final thought is: Molly is making a weird face, again.

A hat for a boy (or 10)

My challenge this Christmas was to find a handmade gift for the boys/young men in our family. I pondered and pondered until I found this fantastically adorable hat on someone else's blog. I love sewing blogs! Anyhow, once I made one for my little man I knew it fit the bill. Hah, I just reread that sentence and am feeling fairly brilliant for the pun I just made! Check out the hat - I made 8 total, several in this camouflage corduroy and several in a tan color. My favorite ended up being the one I made for Reba using a pink corduroy. Too cute! Here's the link for the blog where I found the directions: http://mushroomvillagers.wordpress.com/the-eddie-cap-tutorial/ I couldn't believe how easy it was. For the bigger boys I just made my octagon bigger by 1/2 inch to 1 inch. Enjoy!

From a different perspective...

Here are some pictures from our stay with my parents. Jacob and Reba received a digital camera for Christmas from Grandma "Bob" and Grandpa Jim and it sparked renewed interest in taking pictures. In about 4 hours they had 450 pictures on their new camera of everything from their toes, people's bottoms, all of their Christmas presents, every one's double chin, to them finally turning the camera on themselves to make ridiculous faces at the camera and totally cracking up.

While we stayed with my parents for the second half of the week they were just as shutter happy as their Grandpa Randy and each took their share of pictures. Here are a couple from the house and from Newcomb's Ranch (a restaurant up in the San Gabriel Mountains) taken with my little camera. Some are better than others, but all decidedly capture my double chin - a body part I hadn't noticed until someone 3 feet tall photographed the underside of it...

This picture was probably taken by me - note the eye level of the subjects - posted only to point out that Molly is incapable of smiling normal and not being a dork in picures.