Christmas Projects

I'll post Christmas pictures soon, but here are the things I made this year for gifts.  I think I've said this before, but I really feel like these things I make have some sort of spirit or soul to them, as they accompany me in weird places and remind me of things as I look back on them. I did not get a final picture of the cowl for Cassidy - I have to say, while the yarn was lovely mottled deep green, I did not love how it turned out. It should have been slightly bigger, and slightly looser knit. But, can't do anything about it now.

Coffee sweaters - made for my group of friends. We did a "3 favorite things" party, where we each brought 3 of our favorite things, and drew names and shared them. I made three coffee cozies and put in a gift card for a local coffee place. This was a super fun idea and I hope we do it again next year! These coffee cozies are quick and easy to make, and rewarding because they come together so fast. They make me think of traffic on the way to work where I knit these, while stopped for MANY minutes at stop lights. It's a good distraction from traffic.

The start of Cassidy's cowl. I started this in a hotel room on a business trip, while watching Flashdance. So, yes, this cowl makes me start singing the Flashdance song. I also brought it along with us on long car drives, to and from the office on days David drove, sitting in front of the fire at home...lots of places! This scarf has been places. 

Smith really wanted me to knit him a beard! He mentioned this about two weeks before Christmas, and I told him it would be after the holidays, but I fit it in. It was fun to make, even David didn't know about it.  He's already worn it out and people think it's hilarious.

Made Tate and her two AG dolls matching hats. This David knew about but was a surprise to Tate. I made her hat mostly at home but some on the road. This was fun because I knew she'd be happy about them - and she was! She wore her hat all day long.

My good sport husband - I made him a nose warmer. His nose is always chilly. This took all of 30 minutes to make and was worth it seeing his expression. Everyone said I should have made it red for Rudolph!

Lots of fun making this stuff - I knit and crochet to help me relax, so making gifts out of the stuff is a bonus. 

The lead up to Christmas

The lighting of the tree

Business trip in DC - one of my favorite busy days each winter, seeing a friend for dinner, 

then having two evenings in my hotel room alone

Decorating

First snow!!

The annual making of the marshmallows

Santa coming to the 'hood

Smith and my brother did a fun 5k run - the Ugly Sweater 5k. My niece and I took a couple hours and made amazingly ugly sweatshirts, matching of course. 

These two bollards were right in the middle of the start of the race, so my niece and I decided to risk our lives for the cause...we stood on it in a sea of ugly sweater hats. The race was really fun (to watch). Brett ended up staying in the sweater for some time - we went to another town for lunch, and kept wondering why people were staring...

Visits

We had a wonderful visit to Rhode Island for Thanksgiving.

I am thankful
...for family, especially
...for good food
...for FaceTime so we can be "with" family even if we aren't "with" them
...for being able to travel and enjoy it
...for being able to knit and chill
...for beaches and rocks and shells
...for turkey hats
...and, yes, Dunkin Donuts.

fantastic turkey and stuffing!

snow en route

smallest french fries in the land. more than 12 served.

mmmm donut

What brings me JOY

I read Momastery the other day. That blog often makes me thoughtful. Today's post was about finding the joy in life for yourself, what makes YOU happy, how our children want US to be HAPPY, not thinner, not with more stuff, not with a bigger house. How they want their parents to be happy.

It was hard for me, for a long time, to know what brought me joy. I kind of forgot. It's especially hard, I find, when your children are very little, and you work, and you stay home, and you have so MUCH on your plate. I don't suppose my plate has less now, but it's different, and with the kids being a little older, I am able to disengage from things they can do on their own (like grabbing a snack, entertaining themselves, putting their own dishes in the dishwasher).

Now I have a lot that brings me joy. And man, I see it on my kids faces when we are laughing together, or doing something silly, or just enjoying a walk. It's not like those moments are all day long, but they are there, and I try to be more me with them as they get older. I sometimes realize I am a lot more fun around my 19 year old niece - she is like a friend, which is entirely appropriate. But she sees the person that I am more than my kids do - I am more a taskmaster with them, which, again, is entirely appropriate.

Anyway, it's nice to feel like I'm doing this part kind of right - enjoying stuff, having my own joy (with some guilt, but that is fading!), and enjoying time with them, too. WITH them.

November

Lots going on around here. It's the end of soccer (read: tournaments), leaf blowing, our little ginko tree dropping its yellow leaves, snuggling in, etc, etc. Just some pictures to browse mid-November. Up next, girl scout camping!

crime scene

Tate at work with me

celebrating Kit's birthday

sunspot beagle

Awosomenes.