It snowed today!

And oh we were so excited! As soon as the snow had piled up deep enough we bundled the girls in their snowsuits and took them outside for a ride in their sled. We took a nice long walk pulling the girls behind us, a trip that was enjoyed by all.

Giddy up Daddy!

We want to go faster!

There is something so nice about meandering through falling snow. The world looks so beautiful with a blanket of white!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Opening presents sure is exhausting, isn't it?

Well, it's Christmas Eve and I'm finally calling it quits on the crafting. I tried to get everything I had planned done, but it just didn't happen. It's alright though, I'm happy with what I did get done and I'm quite sure the girls will be happy with it too!
I'm really happy about giving the girls so many handcrafted gifts. I'm hoping that they are gifts they'll play with and remember for a long time to come!
I think I'll try making more home crafted gifts for them next year as well...although I think I'll start the Christmas crafting early, maybe sometime in August or something. I had no idea that it would take so long to make everything!
Anyway, I did finish all the baby bunnies...but only got two adult bunnies done. Here they are sitting on the unfinished sleigh quilt (which I probably will have time to finish before it snows).

One adult to every two baby bunnies...I think that's enough adults to keep the little bunnies behaving.

Be good little bunnies!

And stay right there in the stockings where I placed you!

You have some little girls who are going to be very pleased to make your acquaintance tomorrow!

I took a quick break from Christmas crafting and shot some photos of some of the presents we've been making for the girls.

First there is the blanket with matching pillow that I made for Pookie.

Pookie has been using everything from clothes to floor mats to cuddle under (I don't know why), so I'm hoping that a new favorite blanket covered in her favorite animal (a cat) will replace those other items she insists on using.

The blanket is covered in the cutest little pictures of cats!

Then there is the sled that my husband made for the girls. It's his own design and he's worked long and hard on it to make it perfect! I'm absolutley in love with it, I wish it was big enough for me!

I just hope it snows for Christmas so we can use it right away!

Until then we can keep trying it out on the carpet. We took Fig for a little spin in it...even though it is a bit before Christmas.

Now it's back to work!

One, Two, Three, Four!

Four new bunnies! I've been busy, busy, busy hand sewing and these bunnies are just a few of the things I've been working on. Each girl is getting a bunny family (two adults, two children) for Christmas. I've finally finished the kid bunnies and am just getting started on the adult bunnies. The bunnies are also supposed to come with a picnic blanket and a little picnic basket with lettuce and carrots--we'll see if I can manage to get that done. If nothing else the girls will get the bunnies for Christmas and the accessories will just have to come later.

My sewing machine worked over time today as well. I finished sewing up the cushion for the sled and I quilted a blanket for Pookie. Tomorrow I have to finish Pookies blanket, make a pillow to go with it (she is very much in love with blankets and pillows right now), make the sled blankets, finish Fig's stocking and I have...five more days! Whew! Next year I'm starting much earlier!

At last, we decorated the tree!

Yesterday we decorated the tree. Decorating the tree is always a special occassion for us--we have a little party! We drank eggnog (my husband made it, it was so good, I've never had the real thing before!), ate cookies and petit fours, and then we hung the ornaments. A good number of the ornaments are handmade by my sisters and I from when we were children--walnuts covered in glitter, paper angels, toothpick mangers...it's a real trip down memory lane.Pookie had a lot of fun reaching in the ornament box and throwing ornaments all over the ground. When she finished with that she moved on to throwing ornaments off of the tree. We could hardly keep up with her, she was taking them off as fast as we were putting them on!

Fig kept herself busy attempting to roll over. When we were done she enjoyed lying under the branches and "oohing" up at the lights.

So now the tree is beautifully dressed and ready for Christmas. Fourteen more days!

Here's a little something my husband sent off to the North Pole today that I thought you might enjoy:

Santa Claus
North Pole, AK 99705

RE: Notice of Legal Representation; Petition to Receive "Nice" Status; Gift Requests

Dear Mr. Claus:
This letter will serve as notice that Pookie and Fig, two minor sisters, have retained me to act as their counsel in a petition to be awarded the status of "nice" on the official behavior roster of Mr. Claus (commonly known as "Santa’s List") thereby ensuring their eligibility to receive desired Christmas presents.
Under the relevant Christmas code, the status of "nice" must be awarded to "children who have demonstrated, for at least 10 of the previous 12 months, kind, caring, and thoughtful behavior towards other children and their parents, legal guardians, or other adults responsible for their wellbeing." § 1815 CC 40. This section has long been regarded as "the benchmark of Christmas behavioral standards, the standard against which all children are measured." 34 Elf Reporter 22 (1917).
My clients’ concerns are that a number of "bad" actions carried out during the past year—for example, destroying their father’s palm pilot by dunking it in bathwater, pouring mugs of coffee on the floor, ripping pages out of books, and generally making a mess—might somehow cause them to be assigned the status of "naughty." Such an assignment, however, would work a great injustice, depriving two little girls of a happy Christmas morning and, quite possibly, damaging their young Christmas spirits.
Although the older girl, Pookie, has admittedly carried out bad activities during all of the last 12 months, her good behavior, if combined, would constitute approximately 11 of the past 12 months. In other words, she has been good "most of the time," and we think the "10 of the previous 12 months" standard identified by § 1815 should be interpreted as a ratio requirement—namely, that children must be good 10/12ths of the time, or 83.3% of each day.
Any other interpretation would reflect an unrealistic expectation of childhood goodness and impose on children an impossible, unachievable standard. For what child (indeed what adult) can act perfectly for even a month? As Pookie has been good approximately 90% of the time, we think § 1815 is satisfied and she should be entitled to her desired Christmas present: a wooden sled.
The younger girl, Fig, presents a different case. As a mere infant, Fig does not understand the difference between "good" and "bad." It would be unfair, clearly, to punish her for actions she has no control over—such as waking her parents up in the middle of the night. She pleads infancy, pure and simple, and requests inclusion on the "nice" list. For Christmas she would like a hat and mittens.
I trust, Mr. Claus, that you will agree with our analysis. Thank you for your attention, and for all you do for children the world over. Merry Christmas!

At last!

It snowed!

And there were lovely icicles everywhere!

No, we didn't make it outside to enjoy the snow. Me and the girls were a bit under the weather today, so we stayed indoors all warm and cozy. It sure did look fun outside though. Maybe tomorrow...

Very little got done today, kind of like yesterday. Yesterday I got two loads of laundry done and that was all I seemed to accomplish that day. Today I only managed to get Pookie's stocking almost complete. But I did play silly games on the floor with the girls, read picture books out loud, watch Fig roll over for the first time, and help Pookie make drawings on the foggy glass door...so maybe I got more done than I realized. :)

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of snowflakes danced in Mommy's head

And it did snow as promised! The snow came down fast and heavy this morning, but before we could get out of our pj's and into our snow suits it was gone. The sun had gotten a little brighter, the weather had gotten a little warmer, and all the snow melted. It was incredibly disappointing.
So since we are not having a white December outdoors I thought I'd bring a little bit of white indoors!

I started making houses for a little snowy village to go in the girls' room. It has been a very long time since I've worked with construction paper and glue sticks! After a very long time of cutting, gluing, and glittering I have only one and a half houses done and one very lopsided pine tree. It's a start though...

My husband also spent a long time on a house, a real house. He took a break from sled making and hung up lights all over the outside of the house. They look amazing! Here is a neat shot he took of the lights outside from inside the house.

And now after a long day of working on this and that it's time for me to grab a hot chocolate and a book, and curl up under the blankets. There's nothing like feeling warm and cozy when it's cold and windy outside!

The forecast says snow!!

And I really, really, really, hope they're right! If it snows tonight, then tomorrow morning I am getting the girls up, putting them in their snow suits, and taking them outside! I'm so excited!

I'm also excited that Christmas is getting close! I have a lot of work to get done before December 25th. I still have to finish the girls stockings, I really need to get started on the cushions and blankets to go with the sled/sleigh that my husband has been making for the girls, there are cookies to bake and candies to dip, there are a few other little gifts to get started/finish up...and then there is all the wrapping! It is going to be a busy next three weeks here!

The birds flew in for their photo shoot yesterday.

Afterwards, Claude

And

Wendy

Were off to the shop

These guys had their photos taken too...

but...

they're refusing to budge at the moment.

They will be in the shop sometime soon though!

It was cold and a little drizzly, but we went outside anyway.

And,

Fig blew bubbles...

I watched Daddy hang lights

And Pookie...

Chased the cat!

The girls were up at 6:15AM again, so there was no sleeping off the Thanksgiving feast! It was a nice relaxing day though. I spent the day working out a pattern for Christmas stockings for the girls. So far it's coming along pretty good. Everything is stitched up, so now I'm just working on adding the embellishments--sewing on some holly and adding some white lace trim.

I also tried out taking some pictures of the birds that I've been making. It was a bit late so the lighting was bad, but here's a sample of one of them:

I'll have to try some more when the light is better tomorrow. For now it's time for bed, for all I know it's going to be another early morning tomorrow!

Let the Cooking Begin!

Steaming hot chestnuts, ready to be shelled.

Thirty cups of diced bread ready to become stuffing.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy, busy day! I'm enlisting husband to help me finish the stuffing so that I'll have time to watch some of the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. Drinking cider, cracking/eating nuts, and watching the parade are a family tradition. And afterwards it's off to my Aunt's house for the feast!

Staying Warm!

Tomorrow the Thanksgiving preparations begin! I've volunteered to make the pie crusts (love this recipe) and stuffing (I made this last year and loved it!) I love cooking warm yummy food when it's cold and frosty outside. There's nothing like something toasty and tasty to take the chill away.
And it is chilly! It's cold enough to snow, but sadly they're still isn't any in the forecast for us. Mom and I bundled the girls up in their snowsuits and took them for a walk in the thirty something degree weather. There were lots of rosy red noses and cheeks after the walk, I need to get a picture next time!
I spent the rest of my day inside with hot chocolate working on a new Bunny. Bunny's body came out fine, but Bunny's eyes have been a disaster! After three failed attempts at eyes I called it quits for the day. I think I'll go back to my birds for awhile and then attempt Bunny again. I need to get started on the girls Christmas stockings too. Gee Christmas is right around the corner....!

It was warm and sunny the other day, so we packed up the girls and headed to the beach for a walk. Sadly there was no beach when we got there, but the view was incredible!

So instead of walking we sat, took in the salt air, ate/drank our Dunkins and Pookie threw bread crumbs at sea gulls for awhile. It was the perfect end to our day, so relaxing!! And it was a good thing we went when we did, because now it is nasty, cold, and wet!

Brr! It's cold outside!

At last an update! After the long move back east and lots of packing, unpacking, and repacking, I think we are finally settled in...for now. And just in time, because I need to start thinking about Christmas presents for the girls!

I need to run out to the store to get supplies for presents, so in the mean time I've started tackling Christmas ornaments. I thought it would be fun to have the girls hanging on the tree, so here's little Fig!

Next I have to make a little Pookie. I'm thinking that Pookie will need a hot pink snowsuit...!

For the past couple of days I've been working on a doll for Pookie. Originally it was supposed to be a baby doll, but I went nuts adding hair and so as my husband says "she's too hairy to be a baby anymore--so now we have just a doll. Here is one side of her (a very blurry picture because I had to take it in a dimly lit room while Pookie was sleeping, I'll post clear pictures of both sides later):

If you flip over her hair she has a sleepy face on the other side. This is her red day outfit (not yet finished. She will also have a pink night gown for bed time. Pookie loves playing with and pulling her hair (such a relief, it means she isn't pulling out mine which she has recently been doing by the handful.)

Now I have a huge ball of brown yarn leftover though so I'm thinking up ideas for what to do with that. I'm thinking maybe a crochet teddy for Pookie...something I can work on during the long car ride east as we move.

More pictures of bunny as promised.
Bunny was created after some white cotton I was ironing was ruined by some black smudge on the iron. Rather than toss the ruined cotton I thought I'd try out making my own pattern and a make a little something for Pookie at the same time.
So first bunny was constructed out of paper, then cut out of fabric, sewn together, and dyed brown using coffee grounds and tea bags. Then we added a little white tail and belly and embroidered some eyes and a nose. And tah da! we have bunny. Pookie loves bunny! She crawls around the house with him, smooshing him into the carpet as she goes, and last week she had fun at church grabbing him by the ears and hurling him into the next pew (thankfully nobody minded.) So thinking up new ideas now...a puppy, maybe something more exotic like a giraffe....we will see.

Meet bunny!

Today we did not have to go looking for the geese. Look who was peeking in our window this morning!
We've had a busy graduation weekend, so as soon as we are all caught up on sleep and cleaning we'll be back with more posts.

Today being another warm sunshiny day, Pookie and I went out for a walk in search of the baby geese. Pookie just loves to wave and talk to the baby geese, but sadly we could not find them on our walk today. We tried to just sit and enjoy the sunshine and the pond, but the grass was still to damp from last nights rain and soggy shorts are just no fun, so back inside we came.
Pookie and I are working on the spring cleaning. While vacuuming the floor and cleaning the bathroom should have been top priority, after looking at this Pookie and I decided to re-fold the entire linen closet instead. My fitted sheets look amazing!! infact the whole closet looks great now, but I'm not sure it makes the apartment any more noticeably cleaner. I guess Pookie and I will still have to pull out the vacuum and wash cloths...

After a long, long, delay in posting--I'm finally back! Spring is here and there is lots and lots for Pookie and I to do. The weather being so nice and sunny Pookie and I just wanted to sit in the sun and enjoy being warm and toasty, but alas we have no blanket to sit on and have had to use a bed sheet instead. And so it is time for a picnic blanket! For the first time ever I bought fabric online and they are so cute! This is my absolute favorite that I bought (mine is in green though, but I don't see that listed anymore.) Since the fabric's arrival I have been busy busy busy ironing and cutting. I now have a nice stack of squares, two more prints left to cut, and a whole lot of white cotton to deal with. As soon as I have something stitched together a picture will be posted.

Pookie and I have also been busy running here and there picking out plants for our container garden and for our little plot of shady shady dirt. We both appear to have allergies though and so our flower search has been accompanied by much, much sneezing! The little collection of flowers we have going on now is rather nice, but I can never make up my mind where I want each plant. So here is a little picture of Pookie's and my patio oasis (ignore the gardening mess in the background we'll be cleaning that up tomorrow).

Today Pookie and I got up, got ready, and had some breakfast while watching Martha on TV. Today's Martha was boring--it was on weddings so there was really no cooking or crafting which is the reason we tuned in. So sadly we had to resort to yesterday's Martha show for some inspiration for today's project. Yesterday's inspiration--brownies!
The brownies made yesterday looked oh so good that after an midday nap Pookie and I pulled out the Valentines Martha mag and pulled out the recipe for the brownies. We melted the choclate, butter, and cocoa in our self-designed double boiler system and then had a moment of panic when we realized the baking powder was MIA. After pulling out half the contents of the cupboard we FINALLY found the baking powder (and we checked three times to make sure it was powder not soda because that is a very bad mistake to make) and could thankfully continue with our cooking. We mixed all the ingredients together and Mmmm did that brownie batter smell good! I'm sure Pookie wanted some--I know I did! but raw eggs are bad for little growing Fig so I had to resist the urge (which is so hard when you inadvertantley end up with a big glob of batter on your finger!)
I surfed the net while the brownies baked (and ooh mommy wants a little Octavius for Pookie!) while Pookie perfected her raspberry sounds and high pitch squeals. Then we whipped some cream--threw it on top of our not quite cooled brownies and ate ate ate!

Today Pookie and I made crepes. Well...I made crepes and Pookie provided the soundtrack for crepe making (best described as the sounds of a steaming tea kettle.) We got the recipe here. A very easy recipe seeing as I could mix it all together while holding Pookie to watch. We filled the crepes with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries and sprinkled them with confectionares sugar. The crepes were super delicious, but the fruit was only so-so. It's not the season for those fruits I guess, they were either super tart or blah bland. Pookie and I were happy with the end result though and will definetly make them again--they were very pretty, take a look!
After it was time for Pookie and I to dance to some zydeco and mariachi music (Pookie is a very good dancer!) What a fun day!