Christmas is in the house

Christmas day in our house was nice and mellow this year...what a pleasant way to spend the day.
There were a few top things for the day:
For J - the Ghostbuster's car...
For me - GIANT DOMO!!!

I'm glad that another Christmas is done.
This Christmas was quite nice, as it was a lot slower and relaxed.

J and I just spent a relaxing day together, and then had family dinner on Boxing Day. Then Magnus and I attempted authentic coq au van yesterday. Not too shabby. Never had a capon before...I don't know as I'd do it again soon as it was a LOT of work, but combined with the oven roast potatoes, asparagus and cheddar beer bread (thanks robot) it was pretty tasty...quite enough tasty food for a while though I think. Back to regular old foods...

Craftwise it all went well. I made 3 kinds of napkins for the sister in law:

And then bunnyhugs/jackets and hats for my 3 nieces.

I'm particularly happy with the one I made for my oldest neice- the ribboned fleece just looks so nice.

And now today I plan on sewing for myself...I have had fabric and a pattern for a bellydance choli for a while, so I' going to get started on that to keep busy.
My Dad just called and my Mum is back in the hospital again...so I'm trying not to worry while they readjust her water pills and try and get her feeling better, so she's not retaining fluids and can breathe easier. Their plans for new years at the lake are done...Dad is heading back to close up things and hopefully they will let her go home soon. Poor Dad is so worried...I'm trying to keep busy on my week off and do pleasant things to pass the time, as there's not much else I can do.

Hope you all are having a relaxing holiday...

In the week before Christmas my Geo sewed for me...

28 dinner napkins
2 bunny hugs
and a fuzzy toque of fleece, Mee hee... :)

I'm in the home stretch.
We've gotten the gifts we've had to buy (is it just me or are the stores particularly crowded with particularly grumpy people this year??) and I'm nearly done making the rest.
So. Much. Fun. I love making gifts.

I've serged up 3 sets of nice dinner napkins for my sis-in-law and two of the 3 bunny hugs are done for my 3 little nieces. Grandma has her bath salts...and I can see the end of it all. One little jacket to go! Victory photos when I'm done...I promise.

I had a nice visit with Mom & Dad. We worked out the grand scheme for renos when they are here in January. Mom is tired, but doing OK. They're safely home again.
Add to that a family dinner today with Mennonite cabbage rolls, deer sausage and tonnes of turkey and I must say:
Ho Ho Ho!

A topical exploration of hibernation. With photos...

It's been a lovely snowy christmastime.
The lazy days I've daydreamed about for ages are here...and I love it. I am off work for a whole extra week...
Christmas was lovely - we had drinks and obscure nibbles at J's aunt's house and got to visit his cousins, one who is very round with what she assures me is not an alien baby.
The day of was a bit hectic, but it was nice to have kids around. They really do make christmas better...my little niece and I had a great time playing and all J's Mum's side of the family that could come did. A bit crowded, but all good people. Gifts were opened and enjoyed...My sister in laws both loved the things I sewed for them and their little ones and the bath salts were welcomed...There were fewer but more thoughtful gifts this year, it seemed. A few stick out - J's pop up book of Star Wars and Onion book...my microfleece super warm sheets and a real Japanese bento box...mostly I recall laughing and talking and (of course) eating.
The past few days have been relaxing at home...watching movies, reading multiple books in the sunbeams in bed, cooking elaborate delicious tasty things and generally doing nothing more than we like...and doing the things we do thoroughly. I've finally gotten around to both reading and watching A Scanner Darkly and Children of Men.
Current;y I'm making vanilla custard and fruit crepes...then I think I'll get the leapfrog room finished off...so we can fill it in with things...
For those of you too lazy to read...here's some pictures of things made with joy:





Happy holidays all...I'm off to nom some guacamole and fruit and cheese and wine.
Have a happy new year too :)

Blinky tour

I managed to get some christmas evil over with yesterday. A friend and I did a bit of christmas shopping and now my nieces and brother are looked after. It wasn't too painful yet as there were few people there and the christmas music wasn't cranked up to a teeth grating level yet...not too bad.
As a reward, we got to relax a bit and she and I hopped in her car with hot chocolate and drove all over the city looking at the lights in people's yards...some people go all out. One house near me has a full choir of stuffed bears on a riser in their front yard. Another one has 10 inflatable things in the front yard.
Me? I should get my 3 foot christmas penguins out in the front yard...I had grand light plans for the yard...but then it snowed and I got wimpy, so this year the blinky shiny thing levels may be lower than norm...I haven't had enough free time so far to get out the ornaments, let a lone put them up. With everything painted this summer I'm wierded out about putting things up and making nail holes...
Being active and productive sure gets things done I must say. We've done more in the past month than I can recall in ages - things are getting organised, I'm actually on top of house chores for once. By adding in 2 weekly bellydance practices, cleaning and defrosting the fridge/freezer this week (It had ice inside it and was leaking water so I had to do some emergency luvvin to try and fix it...seems OK now), painting (I have declared there are only 2 more coats of white left regardless of whether it's "good" or not...it must be done before my parent's get here in 2 weeks), and doing some sewing (OK, so far just looking at the sewing) and I'm feeling a bit squished for time... I like lazy more at times like this. Still keeping it together...but I have to be sure to have more relaxing, looking at lights things in the next while to unwind...relaxing is good. I'm sure I'll pencil that in again next week some time for 5 minutes so I remember how it feels...:)
I have to say - I'm really enjoying the bellydancing though. Not only does it make me feel pretty...turns out I'm not too shabby at it. It's somethign "just for me". Reminds me to look after myself and take time just for me...it adds to the busy, but I wouldn't give it up now for anything...

On the eve of good things

It's Christmas tomorrow.
Meep!
I love Christmas.
Today I can break out the Christmas music (I try not to inflict too much of it on J) and finish up the few homemade gifts. Then it's over to my brother's for pizza and eggnog and Carsicona for the evening, and then to my in-laws Christmas day to relax and nibble and watch my 2 year old neice enjoy her first real Christmas. Can't wait..
It's been a very nice Christmas time so far...lots of time to relax, not too much food (yet) and plenty of time to relax with J. And the snow is fluufy and beautiful...there's beena full moon lately and the river has been all misty and glowy...s'nice that.
We even made giant a gingerbread North Pole with my neice, complete with many trees, a Santa's cottage and a big gingerbread train full of candy...it's covering my sister-in-laws table at the moment...quite elaborate and a whole lot of fun.

Well I must be off to finish my recipe jars and muffin of the month club card (membership has it's privelidges...)

A Merry CHristmas to you all!

Have a Merry Christmas You will