right this minute…

~our hourly visit from Flash Gordon…at least, I think that’s who it is.

~a fabric stash that’s calling to me from the depths of the closet.

~Cinnamon Sugar donut holes–a most wicked, dreadful treat, that should be eaten alone to be done properly.  Heh.

~a soft, cuddly sleeper for the sweet new baby doll up the road a ways.

~tossing a few lovely things into a skillet and having it turn out tasting beyond incredible.

~finding a “Random Stripe Generator” at a site called Biscuits and Jam–to help with a fluffy little crochet project for the new soul coming soon.  :}

~a quart of soup from one of my favorite places on the planet…and a loaf of asiago bread–that would like to remain anonymous–to go along with it.

~finding that the sugary crumbs are nearly as good as the real thing…

until mommy catches you.

What are you reveling in right this minute?

My daughter, April is being featured over at the Moda Bake Shope this week. Ooooh…she’s such a clever girl.

If you would love to see some beautiful quilting, scoot on over and have a look. Then check out what’s new at her site Prairie Grass Patterns.

You’ll walk away with some lovely patterns…

from her “Positively Perfect” line….

positively free.

Then you’ll be pretty darn clever too!

My-my that smarty-pants must have been raised right.

Heh, heh  :}

Every year, in preparation for the holidays there are dozens of sewing bags or craft boxes or piles of yarn strewn throughout the house–so that no matter what else is going on, in the event that there is a spare moment–somewhere, the handmaking can continue, uninterrupted. I love it this way, because these particular hands are just too fidgety and restless to sit still for very long, without some purpose–any purpose.

But something interesting happened this year. There were the same stacks and piles and bags and yarn, all with a certain important project to be finished, but quite often, a little whispery voice would nudge me to just put it down…and so…quite often…I did.

True, the Babushka ornaments will have to wait another year to get their flowers…

the button trees are only partly put together…

the girls’ headbands are nearly finished…nearly…

and the cards never got sent at all.

I couldn’t find the laminating sheets for the nativity set…

and the snowflakes were never hung.

But in the end–there were the same smiles and giggles and hugs that come with the season– even without a few “vital” projects–that no one seemed to miss. And for me, the conscious decision to slow down, and be present and enjoy the moment with those faces I love–

turned out to be the greatest gift of all.

One year, when I was a kid, my Mama gave my sister and I one of these little ornaments. She told us that it reminded her of her Swedish grandmother–whom she loved and missed very much.

She helped me be very proud to have a bit of Swedish in me. She was such a cute little mom.

Sooooo many things remind me of my momma at Christmastime.

One November, many years ago, I made her this for her birthday. It made her cry–I knew it would.

Then there was my funny little dad–I believe I’ve mentioned him before. Can’t you just see that little twinkle in his eye? We use to give him gingerbread ornaments because every year, he would make a million sheets of Honeycake to make into gingerbread houses all over the valley. Many people knew him as the “Gingerbread Man,” and with good reason.

Sooo many things remind me of my dad at Christmastime.

Then one December, I made him this for his birthday–because it was so him. It made him cry–I knew it would.

Soooo many things remind me of them…

at Christmastime.

Oh, we can’t seem to help ourselves. For the last few years, this season pulls us to the Hale Center Theater for another evening of  “A Christmas Carol.”

You could say, it’s becoming a holiday family tradition. Hmmm…like the sound of that.

Please forgive the fuzzy photos–it was mostly dark, and you know, we get so excited that we  have trouble sitting still.

I can prove it. And this is before we’ve seen any Christmas ghosts.

Lucky for us the incredible main guy–old Scrooge himself–is the same fellow as last year. Funny, scary, sad, adorable–as always and yet…

there are enough new twists and turns to keep us coming back over and over again…

or for the first time.

Keeping family traditions—starting family traditions.

Either way.

It’s a lovely Christmas thing.

Do you have a favorite family tradition?

I know to be true:

~”Bob the Tomato” from Veggie Tales is actually cuter drawn on a MagnaDoodle than he is in real life–depending on the artist.

~It’s much easier to type in a cold basement if you have these glorious fingerless gloves–now, I just need a pair of my own…so I don’t have to swipe April’s.

Thanks, Amy!

~ I must have been born in the wrong era because this old, turn-of-the-century farm house just makes my heart pound right out of my chest–rock foundation, root cellar, “gingerbread” and all. Oh, where’s that single Scottish Farmer when you need him?

*sigh*

~ A willow tree is very generous with the leaves–which should make incredible garden compost…

…very generous indeed.

~ I have a very, very happy son…

…with a very, very happy fiance’–woooohooo!!

~ Miss Chompy–if she so chooses– has a bright future…

with the circus.

All is well.

One week ago, this very day

we gathered all the little turkeys together,

and cooked and talked and laughed…

and played and ate…

oh, my–

how…

we

ate.

It was a glorious day–but then, my camera died so I had to gather all these pictures from random strangers and small woodland creatures.  And now…a week later, when all the leftovers are finally gone,

I can actually prove that the day happened—in the first place.

Seemed important somehow.

Thanks for humoring me.

:}

Once again, the Halloween Party was a big hit!

Click on any of the pictures to make them bigger.

What are you going to be for Halloween…hmmmm?

:]

“Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family.”

M. Russell Ballard

right this minute…

A big, huge box of protein and Christmasy goodness about to be whisked away to the other side of the world…for the Siberia boy who I love so much and miss so deeply.

A rainbow of much loved color to spark my imagination in the crocheting department. Oooh…what I can do with all this Peaches and Cream prettyness. Just you wait and see…

A new pile of books about sewing and cooking and blogging and crocheting that should keep me very busy for months, and months, and months. Hot dang.

A wild, sleepy, ancient, 100 year old kitty. No, no–it’s documented. I think he belonged to my great-great grandmother.

No, really.

A few happy decorations to brighten up a certain wall in Russia…if it gets there in time!

A glorious pile of brand new magazines to inspire my wander-lusting brain. Hmmm…Scottish Countryside…French classic…American Farmhouse. I just can’t decide exactly what to dream about.

*sigh*

A cute, little Eskimo finger puppet from WeeKnit. It’s suppose to be the Bald Kid trying to keep warm. Notice the sweet little black missionary tag! Haha. Sorry it’s so blurry–but he just wouldn’t stand still!

Playing with paint swatches and trying with all my might to pick just the right colors for the modern classic chicken coop.

Of course, if I had MY way…

Heh, heh, heh.

:}