Peace on Earth, good will towards men.

Technically, we're a Solstice-celebrating household, but due to work schedules and tradition, we do "Christmas." I think the only year I haven't worked on Solstice was the year BubbaLou was born, and I was so exhausted that I didn't even care there were holidays at all. Now it's a different story.

Santa is bringing BL the tricycle of my dreams...a wonderful Kettler with air tires and a bell. This baby supports up to 400 POUNDS! He, he, he...gives me some fun ideas. Go to http://www.kettlerusa.com/ to get the scoop on how fabulous these are.

Here is the hat for my Dad, modeled by the lovely and willing BL. There was very little money in the budget for gifts, but I know how much he will love this. Especially the ear flaps, and that it's washable wool. The hat is knit from the hem up, with the earflaps done in short rows, so the "hem" and flaps are two layers of hand-knit warmth.

And I can't post it until after it hits the stocking, but wait until you see the hat for BL! It is so cute I almost couldn't stand to knit it!

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday this year and gets what they wish for most from dear old St. Nick. Me? Silk yarn, and a swift. Pretty please, Santa...I promise I've been good. And I leave the best cookies in town (and a glass of scotch.)

Merry, Merry, Merry....to you.

Running out of time

Where does it go? How does it fly away so quickly? How am I going to get 75 more apricot cookies baked before Friday? Not to mention clean my house and grocery shop for holiday dinner. My only day off is Wedndesday, and BubbaLou has gymnastics. If the lessons weren't so expensive I'd say screw it, but we missed one last week due to the storm. I can't stand to miss two that I can't make up.

Abbie, your whoopie pies will hopefully go in the mail tomorrow. I ate one last night. Oh. My. Gosh. I am warning you now, I am not responsible for the calorie count in these treats, nor am I responsible for how many you eat. I will however go shopping with you so we can both buy new pants. Or treadmills. Your choice. I think new pants will be easier.

My holiday shopping is just barely starting. I'm hoping one of the gifts for Sy shows up before the holiday, but no bets. Some night this week I have to go do stocking stuffers.

Have I mentioned I also have to finish two knitting projects by Monday?

Yes, I'm a little bit crazy.

Missing

Between working full-time, a million birthday parties, and Thanksgiving, I've been busy. BubbaLou recently turned 3, so a party was required. 8 (maybe 50?) small children running around my house. Their parents, some Aunts, Uncles, cousins, friends...I had a party with 25 or so people (4 days before Thanksgiving.) I just love a challenge, and birthday cake. Red velvet with the most amazing frosting in the whole wide world. I could eat it by itself in a bowl, and I'm not really a frosting girl. Just give me the cake.

Bubba's favorite gift, a REAL, pink guitar. I can't tell you how many renditions of
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" I've heard.

I've also been busy on the sewing front. Here's a scarf I just completed with some extra fabric from a quilt I'm doing for the couch. It's a super-soft flannel in beautiful holiday prints. A little whimsical without being childish. The quilt and scarf have exposed seams on one side that get clipped and then fray in the wash, making a little fringe around all the blocks. I saw the quilt in progress at the local quilt shop and even though it's a little too "country," I thought it was pretty and it gave me a good excuse to buy the flannel I had seen on my last visit. Yes, I need an excuse to buy fabric. This is a taste of what 336 quilt square blocks looks like. I think I actually cut out closer to 400, but only needed 336. My kitchen looked like it was covered in a film of fuzz after I was done. Well worth it, though. I just think these colors are so soft and pretty. And it will be nice to have something seasonal on the couch to snuggle up in.

I do not need an excuse to buy yarn. In fact, my local shop was having a coupon sale...how convenient. I bought some wonderful washable wool for a new hat for my Dad, and some bulky, 100% silk yarn in a beautiful, shimmery silver. Perfect for a holiday scarf. Taa-daa. As if I've got nothing better to do.

The holiday baking season has begun, after all. And my darlin' Sy gave me the three BIG King Arthur Flour cookbooks for my birthday. I told him I might as well just paste the pages to my thighs. These cookbooks have centerfolds, for crying out loud. I wanted to lick the pages, it's baker porn.

Abbie, do you want some more pumpkin whoppie pies? I can't be the only one eating this stuff.

Just knitting

Here's a little of what I've been up to.

A birthday gift for one of BubbaLou's friends.

Another birthday present for one of BubbaLou's friends.

Delicious Tapestry yarn from Rowan. Wool/Soy blend. I just love the muted color changes. And it is soooooo soft! Too bad my budget could only afford a vest. (excuse the shadow lines from my french doors, but this only looked right in real light without a flash)

So much for that...

I tried to refuse to have a 3-year old in diapers. She won. Bubba and I butt heads frequently, and sometimes I just don't listen as well as I should. She just isn't ready. I'm okay with it. I think peer pressure was getting to me (damn, I thought I left that behind with high school!) I need to thank Ann for her reassuring words that it's not just BubbaLou that loves her diapers, and no matter how well spoken and mature she is, she's still a very little toddler.

On the home front, Sy has started to side the front of the house! Hurray! I love finishing touches the most. Even if it means I will spend next spring and summer painting.

My painted floor-cloth will be finished this weekend, just have to polyurethane it. Three times. I made it to coordinate with another rug in my kitchen so that I can have one in front of my cooktop that can be mopped off instead of washed. I think I did a pretty good job for my first attempt, but it is a much more involved process than I was led to believe (2-day project, my ass Martha.)

It's about 3 feet by 7 feet. It was all supposed to be stripes, but I don't have a lifetime to wait for paint to dry so I can waste more painter's tape. I like the dots a lot.

Excuse my scatterbrain, but my camera's working again, so interesting things are just gonna show up here and there.

This is what is behind the siding on our 1870's (?) farmhouse. Very old newspaper. Useless insulation, but fascinating artifacts. And in surprisingly good condition. We can't wait to take the siding of the rest of the house.

Abbie, I'l have to see if he's willing to part with any for you!

Good fabrics and a good book.

I don't think I need to explain the extreme cuteness of this moment.

Diaper Duty

We have been potty-training BubbaLou for MONTHS AND MONTHS. No progress. I'm getting so sick of dirty diapers I could scream. She will only go on the potty if I tell her to...every 30 minutes, and even then she still pees in her pants. And she refuses to poop on the potty. I've even tried having her wear only panties, so she can feel if she's yucky....and she DOESN'T CARE! What's a mom to do? I refuse to have a 3 year old in diapers.

I was told day-care would help, all the other children in the preschool program are potty trained. Monkey see, monkey do. No, not BubbaLou. And, realistically, how much good can the teachers do when they're taking care of 12 other kids?

I'm at the end of my rope. Any suggestions?


Okay, on a happier note...I was looking through my Ikea catalog a couple of weeks ago and noticed their slip-covered couch has the same shape as mine. Chair, too. Hmmmmmm, let's do some measuring. No, too good to be true. Can't be. Impossible. Well, I went to Ikea last week and measured their cushions against mine, did some more measuring and voila! I brought home slipcovers for my couch and chair for less than $90 that are an almost perfect fit! Unbelievable. What are the odds? Did I mention these slipcovers are machine wash? Miracle, you ask? I think so. I can't afford new furniture and mine was an embarrassment. These slipcovers fit so well, it looks like I reupholstered my furniture. Ahhh, happiness, joy and clean furniture without holes.