(Some of the) Christmas Spoils

A couple Super Cute outfits from Tiff:

And the Best Toy Award goes to Gramma Pat for:

They also got some wooden puzzles from both Gramma Pat & Gramma Kim & Grandpa Jer. Ali got quite a few Curious George books that she LOVES to read at bedtime...and Noel got some blocks, as well as the pink soccer ball he's holding above (actually Ali got it...but, what's yours is mine). They both got beads in their stockings...they LOVE beads!! Like Marti-Gras beads...LOVE 'UM!

Anyway..on this New Year's Eve....HAPPY 2009! NINE!...that means I'm 30 this year. Ug. :o)

Home-made Handi Crafts

I made this apron, hot-pads and oven mitts for my sister-in-law, Shelly, for Christmas. Her kitchen theme is Apples (go figure) :o) :

Merry Christmas!

Haven't posted for a while, mostly because...well, I don't know why. Guess not a whole lot has happened in the last few days. We have been kept inside by the snow falling, falling, falling outside. We don't have TONS, but we have enough that we need to get outside in the next few days and shovel off the walkways. My gramma gave us a little electric snow-blower that we need to break out and try. Maybe I'll do that today at naptime...

I have finished a couple Christmas presents, but won't post pictures until after Christmas so they can be a surprise for the recipient (and for you!) HA!

Made Christmas cookies, Truffles from Kraft Food and Family (as a side note (way to the side), you can get this magazine FREE! It has great recipes and uses things you most likely have around the house! Here is a link if you want to check out a magazine before you sign up) and finished Noel's stocking that I started last year before Christmas. I guess I just get burnt out on projects and have to finish later. It took me about an hour to finish Noel's stocking...funny...that if I would only have taken that hour last year...I wouldn't have had to do anything on it this year....OH WELL. I'll give myself some slack since I was taking care of a 2 month old and a 15 month old!

Here are my cookies and the stocking...for your viewing pleasure! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

They even had Noel's NAME in a stocking holder! ;o) *WINK WINK*

Rich Rolled Sugar Cookies ~Yum!

Auntie Eleanor's Filled Cookies (peppermint frosting filled)

Brrrrr-ness!

Is 15 below cold enough for you? It is for us. Brrrr!

The kids and Papa Ron

Our Christmas Tree

When we moved to Maine, we didn't know much about their Christmas Tree rules. You see, when we lived in Idaho...you'd go to the local forest service building and get a Christmas Tree permit for like $3. Then you'd bundle everyone up, smash them in the front of the single cab Silverado pickup (sisters sharing the middle seat belt) and truck up some dirt mountain road looking at all possible Christmas trees. We often would get out and hike a little ways through the knee-deep snow to find the best one we could. Dad would chop it down and drag it back to the pickup, then we'd wrap the hunter orange permit tag around the trunk...just in case we got stopped by the Forest Law Enforcement Officer.

It was always a disappointment to get home and not be able to put it up right away. It had to sit outside for a few days to "dry out." With all the snow on it from the woods, and then dragging it through the snow...my mom didn't want the house all wet....understandable now as the housekeeper of my own house...but when you are a kid...all you dream about is putting those special ornaments on the tree.. The one that said "Baby's First Christmas 1979" or the one with your name engraved on it...and you know it must have been made special since no store EVER had the correct spelling of your name out on the shelves.

Then, after Trevor and I were married, we went out and got ourselves a couple trees while we were still in Missoula. We must have gotten one in 2001 & 2002. They'd always look so great in the woods...but when they were set up in the living room...can you say "Charlie Brown"?

So anyway...back to Maine. We moved there in 2003 and when Christmas came around, we didn't know where to go to get a tree...what forests, etc. and we didn't research it either. The local Hannaford was selling them for $25. We figured...Hey! If we got a fake one at Target, we could pay it off in 4 years! So that is what we did! Now we have a free, fake tree in our home! I don't miss having to water it, vacuum up needles all the time, bare spots and skimpy branches. I do miss, however, that wonderful smell. I melt my Scentsy Spruce Berry wax bars and it kinda reproduces the smell...but not entirely. Oh well...I suppose it's a trade off I'm willing to endure.

So...all that said, here's our tree:

Sickness

It's been a fairly stressful past week for us here. Thanksgiving night kicked off with Ali getting the stomach flu all night. I got a little that night and then had an aching stomach for a few days. Trevor got it on Friday night, as did Noel. We were all okay Saturday...thought we were on the mend...then Ali started again Sunday night, all day Monday too. So today (Tuesday) I took her into the dr.'s office and they had to hook her up with an IV to re-hydrate her. Hopefully she can stop losing it all back up and begin to keep stuff down. Prayers for her healing are more than welcome...and for my frazzled self, too. :(