Today was crazy baking day. We made gingerbread cookies yesterday. The kids had great fun molding them into fun shapes. Today I made snickerdoodles and no-bake cookies to take to my aunt's house tonight. I also made the pineapple fluff for lunch tomorrow at my parents' house.
The kids have been so good today! They got to open their gifts from their grandpa in New York and they've been playing nicely. Absolutely no TV, just Christmas songs on the radio. I guess six years is how long it takes to refresh a liking for Christmas music after working retail for too many years. Actually, now that I think about it, I worked retail for about 6 years and its been 6 years since I stopped. Wow! A full year for each year worked. But I have really enjoyed the Christmas songs and baking.
A tip for all those giving kids gifts that require batteries. Buy the batteries, too! Or at least give the parents a heads up as to what kind they will need. It's no fun when you happen to have the batteries for three of the gifts requiring them, but not the fourth. Even if that last kid is very sweet about it, they will be disappointed that they can't play with their toy right away like the others.
I ran out of time to make the dough for the morning's cinnamon rolls. If I had put it in the bread machine when I was done with everything else, it would be ready to roll out about the time we are going to be walking out the door. I may make them when we get home. Or I may make the kids eat oatmeal for Christmas breakfast. :D
So Merry Christmas, everyone! And to everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas, or something else, or nothing at all, I will wish you a peaceful season.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Lots o' knitting
An odd thing happened to me yesterday evening. I didn't feel like knitting. The kids were getting ready for bed and after the story was read, the hubby and I were going to watch some 24 on DVD. But, I didn't feel like knitting. I thought, "OK, well, I'll stitch instead." But I only had two cross-stitch projects going and I really didn't feel like either one of them either. The hubby suggested we may need to take my temperature. He then suggested that I just watch the show, hands idle. Perish the thought! So, a new project! I started a Prairie Schooler Christmas piece, from the Christmas Traditions leaflet. It's the one with Santa and the toys.
But, prior to that, plenty of knitting has been happening here!
For your enjoyment, the kids' Christmas gifts, which they got early. Apparently I'm not so great at keeping secrets from them. I have managed to keep the hubby's socks secret so far. (Assuming he hasn't happened across my blog and read about them and just not told me. Don't tell me if that's true.)
E's Odessa hat. Blue with purple beads.
M's Odessa hat. Pink with pink beads.
Both hats were made from leftover very soft and shiny baby acrylic.
Q's dinosaur, Mr. Stegs.
And a closeup. Isn't he cheerful?
He's acrylic, too. The leftovers of some Red Heart Q had chosen himself, his favorite color. I used the first part for his Knucks.
Finally, A's legwarmers. No link for these. I made the pattern up. I just measured around her legs and did a 2x2 rib tube to fit.
She was very busy reading her hornbook while I took this picture. She has her own fashion sense, for sure. Another mom from her pre-K class last year told me she thought A would be a real trendsetter as she got older. Hee.
These are made from a leftover skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease from a shawl I knitted my grandma last spring. Stash-busting gifts! And the kids love them. The kittens love the dinosaur, too. We have to hide him so that they don't try to wrestle him and destroy him.
There's more, but I think that's enough for today! Another day, you can see A's and my socks and some more washcloth detail. Have a great day!
But, prior to that, plenty of knitting has been happening here!
For your enjoyment, the kids' Christmas gifts, which they got early. Apparently I'm not so great at keeping secrets from them. I have managed to keep the hubby's socks secret so far. (Assuming he hasn't happened across my blog and read about them and just not told me. Don't tell me if that's true.)
E's Odessa hat. Blue with purple beads.
M's Odessa hat. Pink with pink beads.
Both hats were made from leftover very soft and shiny baby acrylic.
Q's dinosaur, Mr. Stegs.
And a closeup. Isn't he cheerful?
He's acrylic, too. The leftovers of some Red Heart Q had chosen himself, his favorite color. I used the first part for his Knucks.
Finally, A's legwarmers. No link for these. I made the pattern up. I just measured around her legs and did a 2x2 rib tube to fit.
She was very busy reading her hornbook while I took this picture. She has her own fashion sense, for sure. Another mom from her pre-K class last year told me she thought A would be a real trendsetter as she got older. Hee.
These are made from a leftover skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease from a shawl I knitted my grandma last spring. Stash-busting gifts! And the kids love them. The kittens love the dinosaur, too. We have to hide him so that they don't try to wrestle him and destroy him.
There's more, but I think that's enough for today! Another day, you can see A's and my socks and some more washcloth detail. Have a great day!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Giftcloths
All those washcloths I just felt like trying out this year? Christmas gifts! The kids and I made glycerin soap to go with them. Then I had to knit a felted box from Mason-Dixon Knitting to carry them in! It's still drying. Pictures of it all together to come at a later date.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Look! Pictures!
Yes, there will be pictures in this blog post. They are not the pictures I spoke of yesterday. Those ones have yet to be taken.
First, A was feeling better today. She and T both took a nap yesterday afternoon. She went to school today, which cleared the way for T and I to go the oh-so-fun tag office. We had to wait quite a while, but T was very good and we found some other kids to sit next to. Their mom was very nice and she was new to the area. She just got married last week and moved here from St. Louis, Missouri to be with her husband, who is stationed at the local Air Force base. (I know all this, but I don't know her name. lol.) So we chatted a bit while the kids sat on the floor and shared toys. Oh! A lady came in right before my turn came up and she had her knitting with her. I did too, but I wasn't able to get it out with T. Once we were done there, T and I went to Sam's to stock up on some staple items. I'm sick of running to the store for TP. So, I bought approximately a bushel of it. Then of course, there is the keg of laundry detergent and enough pasta to last us if there is a nuclear event. We could move underground and live on pasta until enough radioactive isotope half-lives have passed for us to emerge safely.
On to the pictures! Just before Thanksgiving, I framed T's parents' wedding sampler. I made a simple card to go along with it and wrote about the symbolism of the dragonfly as a creature of light.
Yes, there is a flash glare in the middle of this picture. I told you it is a creature of light! Besides, the main point is to see how nicely the frame goes with the piece. I get most of my custom frames from American Frame, including this one. I do my own lacing and framing.
They love it! They opened it on Thanksgiving, and when I handed the package to my SIL, she said, in a hushed voice, "Oh, our wedding cross stitch!" Since my older brother is the third of my siblings to get married, it's getting a little obvious what the wedding gift will be. But they're all different. In fact, one of my younger brothers said, "That's really cool, but mine is better!" LOL. That's the goal, for each one to think theirs is the best. I think I really set myself up when I stitched Teresa Wentzler's Wedding Sampler for the first one.
On the knitting front, here's one last picture of the orange yarn before it becomes socks. It's not a perfect dye job, but it's interesting and pretty good, especially for a first attempt. I'm hoping to knit the the socks secretly and give them to hubby for his birthday December 28th. But, we saw how well that worked out with the kids . . .
Finally, here are my son Q's pirate socks. He wanted pirate socks like Daddy's, but I wasn't willing to scale down the whole Arrrgyle thing for his much smaller feet. I figured he would like stripes with the skull and crossbones duplicate stitched on. And he does.
First, A was feeling better today. She and T both took a nap yesterday afternoon. She went to school today, which cleared the way for T and I to go the oh-so-fun tag office. We had to wait quite a while, but T was very good and we found some other kids to sit next to. Their mom was very nice and she was new to the area. She just got married last week and moved here from St. Louis, Missouri to be with her husband, who is stationed at the local Air Force base. (I know all this, but I don't know her name. lol.) So we chatted a bit while the kids sat on the floor and shared toys. Oh! A lady came in right before my turn came up and she had her knitting with her. I did too, but I wasn't able to get it out with T. Once we were done there, T and I went to Sam's to stock up on some staple items. I'm sick of running to the store for TP. So, I bought approximately a bushel of it. Then of course, there is the keg of laundry detergent and enough pasta to last us if there is a nuclear event. We could move underground and live on pasta until enough radioactive isotope half-lives have passed for us to emerge safely.
On to the pictures! Just before Thanksgiving, I framed T's parents' wedding sampler. I made a simple card to go along with it and wrote about the symbolism of the dragonfly as a creature of light.
Yes, there is a flash glare in the middle of this picture. I told you it is a creature of light! Besides, the main point is to see how nicely the frame goes with the piece. I get most of my custom frames from American Frame, including this one. I do my own lacing and framing.
They love it! They opened it on Thanksgiving, and when I handed the package to my SIL, she said, in a hushed voice, "Oh, our wedding cross stitch!" Since my older brother is the third of my siblings to get married, it's getting a little obvious what the wedding gift will be. But they're all different. In fact, one of my younger brothers said, "That's really cool, but mine is better!" LOL. That's the goal, for each one to think theirs is the best. I think I really set myself up when I stitched Teresa Wentzler's Wedding Sampler for the first one.
On the knitting front, here's one last picture of the orange yarn before it becomes socks. It's not a perfect dye job, but it's interesting and pretty good, especially for a first attempt. I'm hoping to knit the the socks secretly and give them to hubby for his birthday December 28th. But, we saw how well that worked out with the kids . . .
Finally, here are my son Q's pirate socks. He wanted pirate socks like Daddy's, but I wasn't willing to scale down the whole Arrrgyle thing for his much smaller feet. I figured he would like stripes with the skull and crossbones duplicate stitched on. And he does.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Crud.
My five-year-old daughter A has the crud. So, she's home from school. And I have my one-year-old nephew, T. And I realized a little belatedly over the weekend that my vehicle registration was supposed to be renewed in November. Would you want to take two little kids to the tag office to wait in line? I didn't think so.
And A is being clingy. She doesn't like it when T wants to sit on my lap. Good grief.
I've been spacy lately. I don't know what my deal is. I don't feel like doing anything and then I just space the stuff I was supposed to do. Well, not all of it. Just the car registration. I do get most of it done. But I'll space off in the middle of a conversation. Ugh. I think I'm just tired and stressed. (So what else is new?)
I have been knitting. I knitted something for each of the kids for Christmas. I managed to let each of them catch me. Sheesh! So, they have their gifts early. LOL. E and M have Odessa hats in their favorite colors. Q has a stuffed Stegosaurus. A has legwarmers. Nope, no pictures. Yet.
I ordered Christmas online. The idea of going out and shopping was just too much. I got organized and spent a couple hours on the computer, and voila! Christmas will be delivered to my door. I only shop for the kids, and not a lot for them. They don't need a ton of stuff. I've been dealing with stuff all year! I don't go nuts buying things for teachers and bus drivers and mail carriers and, and, and . . . I may go to the local whole foods place and buy some cute handmade glycerin soaps and tie them up with some of these piles of knitted washcloths around here for my siblings and parents. I'll just take them all in a basket and they can choose their favorite. The whole foods market shouldn't be crazy for Christmas, should it? Maybe I could get some anti-spaciness vitamins while I'm there. lol.
Mostly, wanted to let you know I'm still out there! Life is challenging, but I'm just powering through.
And A is being clingy. She doesn't like it when T wants to sit on my lap. Good grief.
I've been spacy lately. I don't know what my deal is. I don't feel like doing anything and then I just space the stuff I was supposed to do. Well, not all of it. Just the car registration. I do get most of it done. But I'll space off in the middle of a conversation. Ugh. I think I'm just tired and stressed. (So what else is new?)
I have been knitting. I knitted something for each of the kids for Christmas. I managed to let each of them catch me. Sheesh! So, they have their gifts early. LOL. E and M have Odessa hats in their favorite colors. Q has a stuffed Stegosaurus. A has legwarmers. Nope, no pictures. Yet.
I ordered Christmas online. The idea of going out and shopping was just too much. I got organized and spent a couple hours on the computer, and voila! Christmas will be delivered to my door. I only shop for the kids, and not a lot for them. They don't need a ton of stuff. I've been dealing with stuff all year! I don't go nuts buying things for teachers and bus drivers and mail carriers and, and, and . . . I may go to the local whole foods place and buy some cute handmade glycerin soaps and tie them up with some of these piles of knitted washcloths around here for my siblings and parents. I'll just take them all in a basket and they can choose their favorite. The whole foods market shouldn't be crazy for Christmas, should it? Maybe I could get some anti-spaciness vitamins while I'm there. lol.
Mostly, wanted to let you know I'm still out there! Life is challenging, but I'm just powering through.
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