I just realized that all my photos loaded in reverse order. I guess that when a person is gone for a month things can change...or I just forgot how things worked around here.
I guess I'll just blabber backwards since everything is out of whack.
We are in the deep freeze here. It has been between -30 to -50 here the last few days (with windchill) and this has made for some cooped up days.
Dave has been out braving it daily with layers and big boots. He now has to start his truck every few hours since a few night ago he went out to plug it in and the block heater cord broke off in his hand. It is just so cold.
Stuck indoors I was finally able to get dishes sorta caught up, the dining room table cleared off and the living room tidied and vacuumed. Or course having all my Christmas packages finally packaged up and shipped might have helped.
This has all been part of the reasons that I haven't blogged in a month. First I have been tired. I am feeling way better this trimester than the first. However this also means that I have been trying to play catch up from having three months off in the doing stuff department.
I still tire easily but am doing way better. At night though I am still crashing early. For the most part falling asleep with the kids. TV shows have not been watched, (the PVR...DVR to Americans is packed with over 80 hrs of stuff to watch someday) and blogging has been the other thing that falls into that after the kids are asleep time frame.
So are you wondering what we have been up to this past month?
We planned on doing a completely home made Christmas. I had all these great ideas and started creating. However after a few weeks of little progress we caved and threw a few gift cards into the Christmas packages.
Here is a little
glimpse of a few of the things we made.
These two ornaments are safe to share....I hope. They are for people who do not read the blog. For all of you that do, well, this is why I won't be blogging any of your gifts until after Christmas.
Can you guess who they are for...a bird lover and a biker.....those are my only hints.
Here is the first ornament in progress. This is the pre-bake clay stage. After being baked to harden I painted and then varnished them.
Now I see that all the other home made gifts are not below this so when we get to them I'll fill you in on them.
A few nights ago we went to see Franklin on stage. (Thank you auntie TT)
Kaitlyn was so excited and wore her Turtle costume and Franklin backpack. Once in the lobby quite a few kids ran up to her exclaiming, "Are you Franklin?"
She ended up enjoying the show while Ethan slept on my lap. The noise and business of a full theatre was too much for him.
Crafting with daddy has been a popular pass time. When I am too pooped and plopped on the couch the kids get busy bringing things to Dave.
And the rocket girl was born.
Back to crafting. These were supposed to be revealed way after the photos of my new sewing machine and that whole story but with everything uploading wrong we won't get to those for a bit. So.... I have a new machine. An early Christmas gift from Dave and I was way too excited to wait. Well actually since we were planning a home made Christmas I kinda needed it so when the big sale was on at Sears he took me down to pick one out.
To practice stitches I whipped up a few owls for the kids.
And she felt the lumpy love I packed inside.
What I was practicing for was all this. I had great and grand plans of making everyone funky aprons and matching tote bags with neat little birds, flowers and grocery items stitched on for fun. Well...since I am blogging about it you can guess it just didn't happen. I sure wish it could have though....maybe birthdays or the etsy shop eventually.
I just couldn't do it. I tried here and there but life and kids and the house just didn't permit it happening. So my dear family, if you wonder why your gifts are small......I am sorry.
There were other things made instead that had the kids very involved. Only a tiniest
glimpsy hint of that.....no spoiling here!
Oh....and the projects!
Pre Christmas painting orders. This also cut into the home made gift making but it felt so good to get caught up on orders!
A stolen visit with Grandma was thrown in for fun. We love that she can sneak here on business and take time to see us.
There is just no better place to cat nap.
Ah, ha, here is the new machine! I am so happy with it! The things it can do...110 options! It nearly threads itself and well, it is just amazing! I cannot even imagine how amazing those machines are that cost twice the price but to me this is beyond perfect!
Here are a few more practice owls. These were a bonus gift to a client who was more than patient with me and amazing to work with.
Little gifts made by the kids while I worked on my painting projects.
Above is how Kaitlyn draws people. those are legs coming down from the mouth and arms growing out the sides. It almost makes me cry to see her little personality come out in her art work.
The Christmas village was set up with a lot of help from little hands. After a few nights of the kids getting up on chairs to play I went over to see what they had been up to. I couldn't find any of the little carolers or Santa or the postman....no little people.
Then I realized that a few of the little houses were sitting on rather odd angles and tipped one up to see why. Out poured the people. They were all at home for the night.
A few weeks ago I decided I set up a mini studio in the living room and try to get a few photos of the kids. I was hoping to enlarge a few and include them as Christmas gifts to family.
Another big sorry.
They just didn't go as planned and it was way to late to book an appointment at the studio.
I think that after Christmas we will try to get a Photographer friend out to the lake with us for a photo day. Photos will come, just late.
The best shot I got and it was the one that was blurry. As long as I only print it smaller than 3x5 it should be fine ;)
The bump.
Snow days at the lake.
We have so much fun out there but I still worry about moving there. We plan to sell in the city this coming spring....and move after the the baby due date. Getting house plans together and submitting it all for permits is where we are at. It all makes me so nervous. I get afraid that we will sell here, move to the cottage and then watch the house take 5 years to be built.
Ok, enough of that. It makes my stomach get all tight.
Ah, deep breath, the tree. I feel better now.
Another order shipped.
"
Ssssccchheeeese!"
Another order...picked up.
Thank you all for the great business this year! I have been steadily busy all year and cannot complain. I hope that once we have a proper studio operating in our new house I will be able to get even more done. Thanks again everyone!
vacuuming...isn't this how it happens at your house?
Out after a fresh dump of snow.
One of 5 visits to see Santa. This girl gets so excited to see him. After one visit we got home and Dave started a fire in the fireplace. Kaitlyn looked worried and exclaimed, "b-but, Santa might get burned!"
We explained that it was ok, we wouldn't have a fire on Christmas eve.
Then she was worried about "Mrs. Santa''. Dave asked her why. She said it was because "Mrs. Santa lives in the chimney!"
A little more explaining happened.
On the next visit to Santa she was quite eager to inform Santa that it was ok, he wouldn't get burned at our house.
And Ethan! He is talking more all the time. Though only bit by bit. His most common words are, "I want that. Don't do that. Mine!"
When a tree falls in...my little brother Paul's yard... does the whole neighborhood hear it?
Well we heard it anyway.
I guess that is a taste of what we have been up to. I couldn't blog it all and there is so much more...the crafts!
I will get them up on my craft blog. We made cards and ornaments and a Christmas count down calendar (I can't remember what that is called), kool-aid playdough and baked candy cane shaped cookies.
I really just wanted to get one here and say 'Hi!'
I have missed you all more than you know and wish I could keep up with you but I know soon when things slow down I will get caught up.
I hope you all have a great Christmas!
xoxo
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