kidding around

Happy New Year everyone! I am eager to begin a new year, clean, pack up Christmas and attack my “to do”list!

This past week was full of good time spent with my family. About midweek I got a bit anxious and made this little doll for my sister and her husband’s new little girl. I have been wanting to make one from MS Kids for some time, but found myself busy with kids, projects, life. So- I made this over watching “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (loved) and “Mad Hot Ballroom” (really loved). I have some work to do on figuring out doll hair, but I am ready to learn.

The upcoming year will give our family 2 new members and I can’t wait! Kim and Matt will be adopting Ruby and my other sister Susan and her husband John will be adopting another little one, Stephanie (7 years old).

We will spend our “Eve” with some tortilla soup and friends…nothing wild, just some champagne and profiteroles…come on 2006!

Ellie and I hosted a holiday tea today and it was a success! A few weeks back, out of guilt because of my busy weekend work schedule, I promised Ellie a tea. Unfortunately we could not invite all the girls in her class…that would be insane for me! It was actually a very relaxed event. I had the girls prepare a lot of their own treats.

They frosted ginger snaps, made their own “tea sandwiches”, and made blueberry muffins. Of course they were all eager to help out and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Seven year old girls are so much fun…I wish I could freeze Ellie at this age and then presto…she is 18!




Here we are…anticipating our guests.

On Christmas Eve Ellie announced to my family that she has some poems to share…these thoughts of hers made the evening extra special and brought out that the simplest thoughts can really make life more full. By the way, no help from us. I don’t even know when she wrote her poems.

Poem about Christmas

snow drifting
presents piling
sleds slipping
holly hanging
cocoa cooling
bells ding
heater heating
people singing
presents opening
clothes packing on
kids playing out
and
love…
twisting,
lifting,
and twirling

Christmas

A one horse open sleigh
lots of treats and
candy canes

The star over the stable
and
Christmas trees

Magical colored lights

Attacks of warm clothes and
Winters memories and magic

I will treasure these written words for a long time.

The photo below I just had to share. It has become tradition for Nathan to take the kids Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve day. They don’t visit the regular stores, but go to the dollar store or “my favorite thrift store”. They had a ball finding things for my parents, sister and her husband. These rabbits took a spin before Simon wrapped them and presented them to my sister. Aren’t they great? I am a bit jealous.

I am spending my week really trying to relax and not have any major “to dos” in mind. I have a few books just waiting for me to crack open and a tea party to prepare for on Thursday (Ellie invited a couple friends over). We hope to visit the city and go to the Museum of Science and Industry. And of course, I am way too eager to take down Christmas (I know too premature) and get ready for the new year. I am NOT ready for the kids to go back to school or Nathan!

Yesterday, while our family attended the Nativity liturgy, our priest mentioned to Simon that he should help serve in the altar during Monday’s liturgy (a service honoring, the Theotokos- the Virgin Mary). This really left an impression on the little guy and so we all were eager to watch him serve. It’s funny because before he would comment that he doesn’t want to be an altar boy until he is a race car driver, THEN he would be ready.

We are so proud of him and anticipate many more liturgies that he will help serve…what an honor.

Our priest, in the background, cheering him on.

Deacon Joseph seen here is Penny’s Godfather…he along with the other clergy helped Simon.

The next few days will be busy with holiday programs, gift details, and of course work for me. I have baked these past 4 nights and am now trying to shake a major headache. I will be baking on Friday night into the wee hours of the morning, so think of me when you sink into your bed at night. It will actually be fun working with the nice kitchen crew.

So- I will leave these images from the past week. A Merry Christmas and Nativity Feast to my friends and family…and to all my reader friends as well. Check in next Monday, I’m sure there will be dozens of photos to share. Perhaps I need to figure out Flickr before then!

Found this little guy for my owl friend ornament…I love this thing. especially since we have a gazillion squirrels here.

Another “dreamy” image of Ellie and I’s ornament making event.

I made this bag for Penelope and all of her animal friends shown below. She will flip out knowing she has her very own bag AND animals. I can’t wait to see her face.


My little helper elf, Simon. He really dug the concept of using limitless tape and ribbon. I, of course, had to bite my lip several times and give up “mama control”!

What do you do when you come across a lot of egg cartons at work? You make ornaments with your 7 year old daughter of course! Everytime I throw out an egg carton tray, I always wonder what I could do with it. Well, with some internet research, I found the perfect solution and a nice chunk of time spent with my sweet Elisabeth Helene. We had fun delivering them to some friends…each angel had a message…”peace”, “joy” and “cheer”.

The assmebly line of heads and collars.

Ellie and the perfect look of concentration.

I hope that Ellie will look at these ornaments in 20 years and have fond memories of our time. These sort of projects are what make a childhood memorable. It may take some time in planning, but it’s what a kid wants…time with their family. Go do it…spend time with a kid or someone special.

Simon has gone to Iowa for the weekend with my parents. That left me with only one kid…I have to say that I feel a huge empty void with Si away. So when Penny climbed on the kitchen chair and began patting the table I know what was on her mind. She made me smile and helped remind me to cherish the individual time I have with her.

She kept making little balls and then digging them into her eye sockets. Huh?

Unknown to her older sister, Penny has really taken to the cherished “Kirsten” doll. While Ellie is at school, this doll travels all over the house with Penny. It’s fun to watch each of the kids gravitate to certain kinds of play. Penny is certainly a doll/stuffed toy girl. She converses with them, feeds them, even offers food and play dough too. She even is a dare devil with them. I catch her often walking down the dining room table with one of them dragging behind.

The pair is complete! I obviously have to do some finessing and then frame these two, but I had to share.

Each pup will be framed separately. (I didn’t want to post them framed so that my sister can REALLY act surprised ) I purposely placed their profiles to face one another so that when they are hung they will remind the viewer of the old fashioned silhouette cut outs…you know what I mean?

I know I tend to post lots in one day and then go for days without posting. Sorry.

But I had to share this before I forget, because you know how we all tend to forget our dreams no matter how dramatic.

Yesterday I worked at Moveable Feast fielding phone calls. Most of them were fine and just me answering questions, but there was one woman that screamed in my ear. She was very rude…although I was understanding of her frustrations, she ruined it by being just horrid.

SO- this is the dream part. I had dreams of a phone stuck to my ear and all I heard was yelling and screaming. No joke and no good sleep for me. Where is my afternoon tea? I better get some brewing.

I hope to have this guy finished in the next day or two.

Glasses and a bow tie will complete this nutty professor.