(Almost) New Year

We are home. So much to say, so many new memories, so many photos to process.

But first, happy 14th year, my love. Thank you. For the strength, the partnership, the ability to provide dual entertainment in flight to twin toddlers... for the amazing shrimp dinner you just cooked, the raging backyard fire you stoked and the cold beer you bought.

I promise a hearty New Year's brekky while we watch the Rose Parade, a solo bike ride whenever you want it and a really good kiss.

And to all of you, my wishes for your 09 to be the dream you always saw, and the hope you have/want/need realized. Now, back to the fire and my kiss.

See you soon with pics and the recipe for the shrimp. I died.

Please {Pray}

You must send this Mama Warrior your love. You must. Tuesday and her family need your thoughts and wishes for her new year to be the best ever. Thank you.

Christmas Time line

1205 : presents wrapped, we fall into bed, share a christmas kiss and bed down for the night

this is me totally burnt on knitting. but done. thank god.

300 : my parents leave for their early morning flight to holland, driven not by us, but by my willing-to-give-up-sleep younger brothers.

640 : boys wake in room, laughing and talking and literally giggling to each other, which is not the norm. Tim and I lay in bed laughing at their conversation.

705 : we go in to free them from their cribs and change them into christmas jammies. no, they did not sleep in them. that would be silly, what if they had an accident in the night?


722 : i start coffee and clean up from last night's kitchen shenanigans

728 : i decide to make this because what is better than eggs, cream, cream cheese, milk, cheese, and butter, tons of butter for breaky on christmas? especially for the lactose sensitive? just so you know, i used country potato bread as that is what the pantry held. not a bad substitute at all.

733 : unexpectedly early visit form santa on his fire truck interrupts prep and requires mad dash for shoes, boots, jackets and the like so we can see the big man as he goes by on the local fire truck. rain has obligingly stopped for the moment and boys see him up close. they are much more interested in the fire truck up close.


748 : casserole prep done due to amazing christmas sibling elves that helped with every step. husband leaves to grandpa's house to use his oven because yours truly still has a cold hole residing in her kitchen (So dramatic, eh, the broiler does work, just not the oven).


813: boys play with first gift opened, car legos, with all of their uncles and aunts who love them and help them scribble their greetings to all. we all gather round the new hearth, the mac, and tell stories.


915: casserole and grandparents arrive and we dig into the most sinfully delicious breaky casserole ever. make this. but only once a year.

952 : gift giving ensues with flurries of exchanges and the boys very quickly learning that when we hand them a wrapped package it has something they will really like inside it. this insures very quick unveiling of all their gifts. to the accompanying shouts of "car, trains, book and more, more more!"


1212 : after a long period of learning about train tracks and cars and ramps for cars and caramel and candy canes and joy joy joy! their little bodies collapse into nap time, exhausted but seemingly content.


133 : all the siblings decide on a snow play excursion and a second flurry of activity, procuring snow clothes and trying to keep them from slamming doors due to napping babies occur with a final grand exit into pouring skies and wishes for their fun and safe return.


210 : boys wake from a long uninterrupted nap and resume play with all items left on floor when nap began.

330 : siblings return with stories of horizontal sleet on the mountain, and they have photographic evidence. just not on my camera.

420 : fresh homemade tortilla soup simmering on stove top, fresh tortilla strips ready to be fried into crisp topping, watching the office and still in pajamas.

700 : dinner inhaled, dishes done by same christmas sibling elves, boys getting ready for bed.

907 : signing out for a few days to travel north to see our family in portland.

what a wonderful way to spend christmas day. hope yours is lovely and safe and close and all that you hope and dream of. mom and dad, amanda and isaac and kayda, dan and angie, when you read this know how much we love and miss you and wish to see you soon. this post is done for you.

and i think i shall always try to have christmas here at home, trapped by the weather but content anyway, surrounded by family and witness to the exuberance that this day should hold, should be. and yes, i know, never again will we be able to wait until 952 a.m. to open the gifts.

Twentieth Month

Oh,my beautiful baby boys. When did you do it? When did you go from babies, held and cuddled and needy, to boys? How did the change happen in front of me, was it during those hours I stepped away to work, those minutes I stole on the computer while you played together, those seconds I glanced outside and wondered what we would do today? Was it when I breathed in your scent and laid you down for the night, only to walk in to your room in the morning and let in the bright sunshine to find two little boys, little people eagerly gesturing and talking and pointing and urging me to get the day started, to free you from your cribs so you could run down the hall to the Legos that hold you captive day after day.


How my heart squeezed this morning when Owen, you came running down the hall with 2 of my shoes. Me, sitting on the hearth with my coffee and daddy doing wake up duty, so my first sight of you was this while you yelled "Hi, hi, hi' in that excited way, that way that says anything is possible today.

Any day. Every day. My heart squeezes a bit every day now because it whirls by and no journal, no tweet, no post can truly catch it properly. How do you catch the magic of watching people grow. How? I need to know.

When we do things there is a running commentary, I would call you the peanut gallery, but you sound more like monkeys. You jabber and then out of nowhere say very clearly some witty phrase that makes me want to pee my pants. You talk with each other and conspire and plot my downfall, or at least where you think you might find the cookie stash. You notice everything and are starting to parrot all words we say. Little parrots with the ability to help me reflect on the things that tumble from my mouth without censor.

Like, watching you, Mace, mutter 'dammit' under your breath when you drop your dot or cannot carry 9 match box cars at once. Very clear, it is very clear, indeed, that I need to stop with that one. Stat.

There are no limits anymore and you love to be free of any and all restraints anywhere. You are mildly wary of the occasional stranger, but charming nonetheless, offering pretzels and cars, only to snatch them back and grin your grins, a little wily but so genuine.

You both love running, charging up and down hills on our hikes. Owen, your stamina is impressive for your size. Mace, what is impressive in you is your determination to stop when you are done. Face down, laid out, no coaxing will get you to go further, the only thing that will do is carrying.

Pens, pencils, chalk and crayons are now your obsession, decorating the floor, walls, table and chairs your passion. Thank you for the magic eraser, world of advanced technological stuff, I would wither in the face of the scribbling without you by my side. We are working on the concept of appropriate places to write, but sometimes I see your wonder in producing this scratchy lines and I wish you could color the world as you would.

You saw the movie Ratatouille a few days ago, it was raining, we were trapped and I got caught up in the HD. I loved it, and so did you. Owen, you watched a scene where a few rats wrestled and at the conclusion, you went to your Omi and demanded a match, ready to roll. You seem to have an instinct for the take down and specialize in the shirt collar move. Mace does not like it at all.

Mace, you now kiss every mouse in every book, even blow them kisses on the screen. You are generous with your affection and just as generous with your aggression. Headlocks have become a favorite as has ganging up on former friend/playmates. Now, I see you team up to take them down and I am more than a little scared. I have a few new names for you since the last update : "Professional Dismantlers" and "Team Hooligan" come to mind readily.

We are working on the hair pulling, the tackling, the hugs that go south and turn into strangulation attempts. But these are all interspersed with good times, laughing times, and those times when I see out of the corner of my eye that connection, that kindred connection that you share.

Out of nowhere I have been hit my a deep longing to do this again. Shocked, I felt shocked when I realized I really feel this. So convinced at the beginning that I would never, never do this again. My mama must be chuckling reading this after all those early days when I professed that I would give up my uterus willingly if the hormone thing was not such an issue. Shocked, Tim was when I mentioned this desire I have. And he looked a little green too. But for now I just sit with it, think on it, consider it, and cherish the idea just a bit. The possibility just a bit.

I have never know Time like I do now. Never felt it so acutely as we move through growing and change each day with you two. You break my heart daily and mend it even faster. Writing this feels a bit bittersweet, as we let go of the babyness and embrace the boyness. As we move closer to the letting go and further from the having to hold. It goes so fast, my boys. My beautiful boys. Merry Christmas. You are my greatest of gifts.

Christmas Created

I am feeling so in the Holiday Spirit after last night's festivities. It all came together and became more than I ever expected, more than one could imagine. On this morning, I am so in love with my friends and the lives we are creating with and for each other


So, a few weeks ago we decided to arrange a gift exchange with the only caveat being that we make what we give.

There were a few jitters and the possibility that my usually destroyed home might not be ready to house all of us, but we are charged ahead and trusted in the fact that what we were doing came from a good place, so even if the recipient was not a close friend, they would be loving their gift because it was made for them.

Anyway, let us start with the food.

We each made an appetizer and brought it to the table. Cuban empanadas, bacon wrapped shrimp, the requisite spinach dip, a delicious artichoke dip (recipe to follow) and our family secret, Indonesian lumpia.

What are lumpia, you ask? They are the singular most delicious feast food ever. A bit like an eggroll, but not at all. Filled with vegetables and lightly seasoned meat, fried in delicate wrappers and consumed with a passion you have never seen. We made 200 or so and every single one disappeared rapidly. I always swear to eat only 3 or 4 and end up losing count around 10. It is a good thing we only make them once a year or I would roll places, not walk.

So, the night was beautiful and well fed and gathered and then we got down to the business of giving. I am still in a bit of shock by how moved and excited I was by the things that emerged from their pretty packaging. We rocked the giving this year, all with beautiful expressions that came form our hearts, not from a store or box. Things pieced and painted, knitted and crocheted, sewn and arranged. Things brought forth from inside to be given to another. I feel giddy just writing it.

The montage does not do the gifts true justice, but they are all there. I was unbelivably moved by my gift from Jenn. She took quotes from my past posting and wrote them on a frame with pictures of the boys. I cried. I just could not help it...the words are so powerful. And it was all like that. So, you know we have a new tradition to look forward to year after year, I know new women will join, maybe some will leave due to circumstances and the like. But I love knowing come next year, in this sacred place we call Home, there will be joy and generosity and creativity and food. Ah, the food.

What a wonderful way to begin a week of celebration and family.

I am deeply and truly honored to call you friend all : Alicia, Kate, Kim, Jenn, Courtney, Cristina, Veronica, Jeanette,and Mom. I love you all. And Ana, I know you were busy making something else,

But next year we are gonna sew something fierce to give, right?

Something for this kid for sure. I love the D, here he is repurposing some table top decorations. Truly the son of a crafter.

And on a hilarious twisty end to the gift giving. I have this friend Mike.

He is our bestest of friends, the reason Tim and I came together, actually. He was very intrigued and a little resentful of the fact that he was not included in the gift exchange. He is a very handy lad, carpenter and carver by trade. Well, he called a day before the party and asked me to come approve a little something he was making up for the ladies.

He spent 4 hours in his back room, secreted away, hard at work like a little elf. But he felt he should check with the hostess before he crashed the party. And I giggled every time I thought of the giving. Because he made us each a little ornament to take home. Here it is waiting on its presentation. Look a bit closer, won't you?

Are you laughing. We sure did. Thanks, Mikey, you can play with us anytime. And thanks Katie, your man is the best.


Now, onward ho. I am bubbling with the joy of it all. If you would like to see the gifts up close the Flickr set is here. Happy holidays, people. Wish all my blog friends could be there next year. The invite is open.

Friday Finishing : No way!

Friday is here again? Wait, what? Friday is here again? You mean we have just a few days before Christmas is here? I am not sure I am getting this right, that December is almost over, that 2008 is almost over. What do you mean 2009 is coming round the corner? I just got used to writing 2008, when I actually have to write anywhere else but here on this blog.

Yes, Friday is here and with a list of things to do and places to go, people to meet and entertain, bathrooms to clean and breathes to be taken. I am actually not terribly burdened by it all, just astonished by the stunning alacrity of time lately. It seems it will not cooperate and allow the 45 hours I would like in each day, just to cram a bit more in.

So, to show. I have the ballet flats, all finished and prettied up and ready to go.

I am so excited about giving these. We arranged a hand made exchange between a group of women in my life, some close and some new. All terribly excited (and a bit nervous) about the gifting and giving. There is something so intimate about sharing something made by hand, bits of self and soul go into it and stay with the person who takes it home. We drew names but left it all open from there, any craft or creation welcome, any expression. These are mine. They are fairly simple, lots of garter and big needles, etc. They obviously do not fit my foot, but they looked a little forlorn sitting for the photo shoot so I slipped them on.

The wool is lovely, not too scratchy, but warm and soft. I am loving the detail I added on a toe, just a little needle felted flower accent with a pearly button.

I am also really happy they came to fruition as it is a new pattern and I did not want a mess at the end seeing as it is going to one of my fave ladies. There will be more of these at some point. I posted the deets on Rav. I am getting so much better at doing that.


And in other news, since we are without an oven to do holiday baking in, which is usually furious and insane in this house, well, ornaments are the name of the game this year. And the table has been filled with bits and paper, felt and pins, shiny sequins and scalloped ribbon all week. I have to say, I cannot claim these finished creations. Get this, they come from my brothers, Alon and Jon. Both have really taken to the creating of keepsakes for the tree and I am in awe of their stamina and inspired by their results. The ornaments are Alon's doing, he wanted to emulate my Mama's original and came up with a few beauties. There is a foam ball, hollowed a bit and wrapped with ribbon and embellished here and there. The picture in the center is a close up of pine needles from a live Christmas tree from years past, once planted in the yard but now felled and gone. But remembered here.


And the cards are all Jon's. He is a master with paper and imagination. He created the little creatures in there, they were meant to become embroidery patterns but Time has not allowed that to happen. Maybe next year, I will start this embroidery stuff in August. That way it gets done and we can share it round the crafting world.


Now, onto the weekend. Whirlwind cleaning in order tonight, husband's work party tomorrow (where extremely fine food and drink always abound) then onto our home celebration. I am excited and a little daunted by it all. I still have a few items to try to finish so I am writing it here to give me my 'list':

::Maine Morning Mitts in Kureyon
::Garter Mitts in Malabrigo
::Robots to be stuffed and embellished
::Lumpia to be prepped and stored
::Maybe monkeys to be made, maybe not though.
::Photographs taken of all hand knits before wrapping, just so I know what I did.

Have a wonderful weekend filled with light and family, with your embrace of this holiday season and all things easy, good and full. Hugs, to all of you, my blog friends, wishing the best of the best as we plunge into the Season.

Christmas Captured

So, I seem to have given myself the needed boot in the buttocks by writing about the lack of photos. I picked up the camera this morning to capture a few scenes around the house, the Christmas that has come to rest in different nooks and places in our home. I wrote about the Tree and it's adornments. Here is a look at a few that make me smile. I love them all for different reasons, new or old.

The ginkgo leaf was found in Yosemite, while pregnant and still walking around two seasons ago. The glittered ball made by my Mama so many years ago, still hanging on year after year. The dismembered Santa is always featured, not sure why, but we love him. And a ball from Joann's found at discount and bought to use as a template for future handmade globes. Um, and this little silly one is my attempt to remember the boys' Christmas pants. I think he needs some eyes or something.


Our little freshie tree is wearing a few ornaments, but the boys keep stealing them to cuddle the angels (read: mangle) and play with the googley eyed reindeer, so I did not get too close.

And this garland is just waiting for its sprig of mistletoe so I can steal kisses from Tim and any stray baby that runs beneath.

We are hosting our Christmas Party on Sunday, including a highly anticipated gift exchange between a few of my lovely ladies. The aim was to hand craft something special to give, there are so many possibilities and I cannot wait to see what results. I promise to take photos. My ballet flats came out fantastic, but I will show those as soon as I get through the finishing. Let me tell you, felting in a front loader takes a few cycles, not a few minutes. And I let it go through the spin cycle and they were dry. I know, unconventional felting methods, but very effective.


And here is something that I have been carrying around and showing to every person passing me. It is the card from my little sister. And it is brilliant.

So, I called her to squeal about the absolute gorgeousness of it. And we talked. And she slipped into our conversation that she has a blog. A blog, people. That I knew nothing about until today. She said something about being embarassed, but I think she just did not want to show me up in her crafting excellence (she made the cards from a handmade stamp, self printed background and elephant poop paper...you have to read this post). So I am outing her. Because Emmalien, my absolutely brilliant sister, has a place where she is featuring her absolute loveliness. If you thought I could craft, well, please check her out. Maybe her Thanksgiving table. Or her spectacular jewelry, or her ability to craft a wedding cake. I predict she will have twice the traffic of my blog in a month. She is so awesome and will be home soon. Cannot wait, baby girl. Love you so much.

Now, where is my mobius scarf, huh?

Snow day and other Stuff.

I think I may not be alone in the slowing of posting here, it seems like a lot of Blogland is in suspension as we move closer to the holiday and all of it's wonderments and involvements. I have found a dearth of reading out there and a lack of time to put down on 'paper' all the great things we are doing and trying and seeing and being. Now that we are over our sick days, Time is flying by and if I felt like Alice a few weeks ago, now I feel like that silly Rabbit, running about and feeling just a bit Late.

There are a lot of great craft experiments happening, we have a little fresh tree for the first time as an accompaniment to our big ol' Fakey and it is getting to host handmade ornaments, new and very very old. There is a running joke about all the dismembered Santa ornaments and the limpy angels and elves missing body parts in the ornament box. We cannot seem to get rid of them, they make us laugh every year. And now the boys are helping out in adding to the collection in all their endeavors to pull down the tree. Our big tree has seen quite the abuse since decorated, it stands bare from waist down (naughty tree) as the boys like to denude him of his finery. And they are getting very tricksy and learning to drag table, chairs and toy storage boxes next to said Tree to reach the ever ascending ornaments. I think we will make it to next week, but just barely.

This year I picked up a few inexpensive Advent calenders from Trader's and introduced them to the boys. It only took about three days for Owen to get that there is choc choc behind those little paper doors and we now have a young boy that demands we 'do' the calender....more than once a day. It works out okay because his brother samples the choc, then always spits it to the floor, upon which Owen swoops down and rescues the offensive choc, with his own mouth. Mmmmm.

What else? So much. Last night I huddled in my lovely friend's new home, using her for wine and working oven, in order to churn out 8 dozen or so of the Killer Cookie that will break anyone of watching their WW points. Easiest recipe to share, use the Tollhouse recipe but eliminate the nuts and instead of chips, chop up 2 boxes of Andes mints (Target has them for 1.49, it is like prices from 1999) and mix those in (do not miss scooping up the Andes powder that results from the chopping). Take that, Laura. You better make these cookies. It is only fair for the whole buckeye post.

And in totally unexpected new...(I started this post this morning at 715 or so) I just returned from a day spent on our local mountains, mountains that received a huge dump last night, coming in at about 2 feet plus of fresh pow. My brother mentioned that he was playing hooky and maybe I should join. I floated the idea but thought I was too wiped out and busy to actually go. Then this morning I saw the powdered up mountains behind our house, grabbed my gear and hopped in his truck. Played my own hooky. My Mama and Dad took over the kids for me and we were up in Winter Wonder in a few hours. Worst drive, most excellent ride ever. It is my first ride in three years and I wondered if it would be like a bike. And, oh, it was. Sweet and soaring and surfing and sliding my way down, tumbling a little and trying my hand in some deep pow we hiked to (thanks, little brother for carrying my board). I felt renewed and free and cold and tired and so happy, despite the snot running down my unfeeling face and the wrong goggle lens for the situation.
Here is the two of us heading up the mountain.

There were moments when my mind was completely free of thought, obligation and even children. The focus that comes with fast movement is awesome. Whew. I know I will be toilet hovering from the sore legs, but I could care less.

You might have noticed I have not done the normal, picture interspersed post....no camera action lately. I could kick myself for missing the sun refracting through the sugared trees today, I totally forgot the camera in my frenzy to leave. But we have two more storms a'coming, so I may still get the chance, this time with the boys in the snow.

I will leave you with this gorgeous shot from my gorgeous man. He took this on our trip. The boy knows what to do with a camera, I'd say.

Now, back to the last minute crafting. I really needed today.

On The Mend

What do you do when your kids are sick? I know, sounds like a disingenuous question, but this week was the first time we have had to deal with real sickness in this house. Prior to this our kids have had the occasional runny nose from teething and a few bouts with what might be called a cold. This week was an all out snot fest accompanied with terrible coughing and terrible sleep. It had just about put me over the edge as I caught it right after Mason, but we are all on the mend and it has given me pause, and I have been thinking about sickness a bit tonight.


It started with Mace, he looked funny, then got the craziest green snot exploding out of his nose, then the cough. A few hours later I felt it hit me, and I mean hit me. Like a terrible dark wave of yuck. I rarely get sick, it has been years. I was almost bewildered by how badly I felt. And in the midst of my sickness, I still had to take care of them and work and do other stuff and, uh, function. It was not pretty for a few days and nights round here. The thing was, I could not help thinking of how badly they must feel. When I felt the splitting headache hit, I kept thinking there is no way their little bodies could be feeling the same as mine. And when a triple dose of Motrin dd nothing for me, I thought how awful it must be to not even be able to reason out that Motrin would not help. Then the cough took hold and I would hesitate and wince and try to hold it back to avoid the pain, and I heard them cough and thought there is no way their little bodies should feel as bad as mine did. The pleading looks they gave me while hacking up what sounded like a smoker's lung and the encrusted noses that I could not keep clean and the crying that would come out of nowhere as they shuffled around aimlessly with their Legos, it is a breaking experience.


I guess I have been lucky up until now, this being my first time of witnessing my children in pain that I was quite helpless to stop. I did not bring them to the MD, there was no fever, no indication that the sick, whatever it was, was not just taking it's natural course. I did not always feel as empathetic as I just outlined above, one night, my worst night, I actually yelled at them for climbing all over me as I lay on the couch with ever fiber of my body hurting. They just wanted me to hold them, but I just wanted to be left alone and for Tim to take it all over.
And he was great, stepping into night duty shifts to get us all through, making me tea and dismissing my bad behavior as part of the sickness.

The nights, I want to talk about the nights. In some way or another each of the boys have needed one of us to sleep with them at some point in the night. I doubt I have actually shared this here but we get in their crib with them, well, because we can. We are not overly tall/large people, and we seem to fit in there and we have no extra space, so that is what we do. In the past it has always been a rare occurrence but this past week it has been pretty frequent. I actually do not mind it terribly until limbs start to fall asleep. The boys have never slept in our bed in our room, it just has not happened. So our sleep together time happens in their room. I also have this really strong feeling about taking one out of their room with out taking the other. It makes me feel bad, like I did as a kid when one of my sisters would leave the room, it was always for bad reason (asthma attacks, etc) and I always felt sad and awake.

So anyway, the whole disturbed sleep, us sleeping with them brought up a few things in my mind. Like, they really like sleeping with one of us. And that I hope they would not get too used to it because I do not really sleep when with them because, you know, they are toddlers with unpredictable movements and very pokey elbows and hard hard foreheads. But here is the thing, I really like sleeping with someone (my husband, of course) I like the feeling of his warthm, of rubbing his feet with mine when I wake from bad dream, of not being alone. I am not surprised they like sleeping with another warm body, it seems to be part of our nature to huddle. And it makes me a little sad that we cannot always be there for them, to cuddle up to, sick or not, and feel that safe warm protection that one gets when sleeping with another. I am hoping that when they do graduate to toddler beds, they find comfort in each other and we walk into scenes of them stuffed into a bed, limbs all askew, happily warmed by the one they once shared the smallest space with inside of me. Sure, I expect a few round house kicks to their brother's head (remind me to upload a clip of the one 3D ultrasound we did record...all peaceful until Mace took a huge hit to the head from Owen's heel. I half expected him to be born with a dent in his head from that one).

So, yeah, musing on sick children. I do so love them, seeing them hurting was a very hard and humbling experience. I hope to not have to see (or go through that) again anytime soon. Shut up, Murphy, you did not hear that.

Friday Finishing : Christmas Countdown

Trying to get back on the proverbial horse around here. I seem to have ditched the Cranial Pounding Elves a bit, having passed it onto my sweet Timmy. It is nice to not see the world through a haze of sickness, I am really bad at being sick. It just pisses me off to no end.

The boys have been wearing their hats because it is my belief this helps spped the sickness along and out. I know, I have some crazy notions. But they have been leaving them on, so maybe there is something to it.

I have tried to stay true to my handmade holiday pledge and make a bit of something for most of the family. It has been mostly fun and, at some times, a little overwhelming and tedious. I placed Tim and the boys at the end of the list, figuring I can make them something anytime and the wee ones are still too little to comprehend the volume and timing of stuff. It is making me feel a little guilty though as I would love to have all the planned projects done for them. There is one project in the works that I sewed terribly wrong and had to seam rip apart to restart. That was an ouch. Still not re sewn yet, but in the queue.

I did make up their holiday pants for the season.

I seem to be ascribing to a tradition to make a pair of pants for them each season...these I am loving in their bold print with a bit of flair in the pant leg. Poor boys, they are too young to know most do not wear belled pants.

I figure I can dress them as I will until they are old enough to protest. Just so you know, this is a super easy non pattern sew that just requires a pair of fitting pants and fabric of your choice. Here is a link if you want to explore making your own. I cannot wait for Paddy's Day, I have to find little leprechauns drinking Guinness for sure.


The Christmas clogs have finally been completed.

I only started them in October (per Rav). It is not that they are a long or hard knit, just not very fun. Double stranded worsted weight yarn on large needles does hurt the ezcemic hands, especially as I seem to be developing a sensitivity to wool. I would recommend the pattern if you can commit to the multiple steps.

There is a lot of fiddly stuff, stitches to pick up, extra needles required, sewing and then the felting. I had to felt them for upward of 40 minutes due to the front loading washer. But the end result is worth it, they are comfy and quite cute. These, of course, are going to someone special, but I may have to make another pair for my feet.


And I have already cast on for these little slippers, always a sucker for a ballet slipper. Now, back to the knits and a bit more TV to accompany it all. Celebrity Rehab, anyone? Crack on the roof is not a good sign.

Not So Good

Why, hello there, blog world. Been missing you something awful but bad things have been afoot here. Very sick people are inhabiting our house right now, in the form of small toddlers and one very beleaguered Mama. It is not a good sickness, full of green snot endlessly running out of everyone's noses and head splitting pain that just will not let up.

Ack, I curse myself for the thought I had last week when I mentally rejoiced in my children's hardy nature. So, Murphy, now you have invaded my mind, eh?

Add to that my crafting mojo starting to wane and my sadness over a returned lens, and well, we have little to blog about now, don't we? Except maybe this poor me post.

I piled up the Christmas gifts I have been hard at work on since August and the pile seems so dismally small.

I love them all, but handknit bits do not take up the same amount of space a ride on fire engine and a flat screen TV might, you know? It just looks like so little for so much work. I am sure they will be received well, but dang, where is the WOW! factor.

And though the house is decorated and the stockings hung on the wall with care (because there are eight or so) I am lamenting a busted oven that my brother has been working on and sinking money into (thanks Alon) and it still won't give me cookies. I need some cookies, people.

Well, sorry for the Debbie Downer day, I promise to be up and running in normal Amiee mode once my head had returned from the Land of Tiny Cranial Pounding Elves and I get a few decent shots with the 50 mm that I do so love, just not as much as I once did.

Here is a cute series of our trip to a huge bounce house place before the sickness hit the home, the boys first experience in the Land of GIANT Jumpers. I was scared on the slide, Owen wanted to do it himself, Tim burned his elbow bad, and Mason screamed the whole time.






I did get these done and in the mail through the haze of sick headedness.

Hope I included the actual cards in those hand addressed envelopes. I love Costco, 50 cards for 16 dollars. My kinda store. I will try to post the finished card at some point. A huge thanks to my lovely ladies that sent me corrected pictures sans strap, you made my week last week when I was riding high already. Now, can ya'll send me some cookies and I will feel much better.

Hoping for happier times so we can go and visit the train next door, our newest after dark tradition.