Assorted December Bits

Since I was so slack in posting these past two weeks here are the highlights of our Holiday Vacation.

Christmas at Grandma's-

My brother and two of my neices...dressed to the nine's as usual!

I had a hard time getting all three of them together for a picture.  Their attention was diverted elsewhere.

Lila got a cool hat and socks with toes from Grandma and Granpa.  That is my Dad's nose and arm in the picture.

There was sledding....

...with dogs.

Lila, Olivia and Uncle Tommy

Sam and cousin Blake wiped out under spruce trees.

Most just wiped out at the bottom of the hill or the fence at the bottom of the hill.

They wore us out and we had to go home.

Then Lila turned TEN.  She celebrated with Christmas Crunch.

She has lots of new, good reading to do!

And a new friend to love.

The traditional birthday nightgown.

Then it was Christmas Eve!  After Christmas Eve dinner at Dougettes (where Rachel read aloud her short story that included us) we traipsed home rather late and rather tired.  We put out cookies and milk for the Old Guy and Will read a "Cajun Night Before Christmas" as he does every year.  Uncle Dan gave Lila that book a few days after she was born and it has been read ever since.

We kept them out too late.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...under the supervision of Hedwig.  (* note- for the more sensitive home decor readers I realize that the ugly green chair does not match our decor.  However, it belonged to my Grandmother and I have photos of myself as a baby sitting in that same chair (with different, albeit still ugly upholstery). It is still somewhat comfortable, with some broken springs, and perhaps someday we will have it re-upholstered.  It is still my favorite piece of furniture.)

Santa overloaded the Beautiful Fir tree.

Duncan was up at 5:00 am.  I gave him a blanket and he fell asleep next to the tree on the warm heat register.

Ghost Pirates!

A fiddle bow!

A box!!!

A family computer!

From then on it was all about trying to re-organize the house to accomodate all the new goodies.  They don't call the day after Christmas boxing day for no reason!  I managed to rearrange our bedroom/studio space so there is more space for spinning and weaving (and using the bedroom) and my sewing and doll making equipment went into the finished basement where I carved out a corner to call my own.  It looks quite homey.  Will rearranged space down there to set up a train table for the, ahem, kids.  He has spent a bit of time cleaning up track and trains.  They have been having lots of fun.

I was able to spend some quality time with the woolies and cleaning rabbit hutches and plucking bunnies.  I also made a hard cheese for the first time (Farmhouse Cheddar) and attempted to weave a shawl on the triangle loom.  It didn't happen.  It was a good learning session though (after I got over the swearing bit) and I will start anew with thicker yarn spun with more twist (when I get around to spinning it).  I did get some spinning in as well and figured out how to use the Ashford Scholar I have.