Snapshot 4 ~ Justa Dreamin'

Maybe Someday

Our weekend

Our dear friends from Washington stopped by on their way to Utah.

Clara and Emma got to sit on "Santa's" lap. He's looking pretty authentic, don't you think?

Mom made Clara this hat/scarf set. Isn't she a doll?!

Clara was opening her gift very carefully. Emma was urging her to "just tear it."

This was the kids' gift from Clara. They had never played it before.

It's a lot of fun...even for the adults!

"Ants in Your Pants"

We spent some time this weekend baking...fudge (more stirring than baking), orange cookies and white chocolate chip/cranberry cookies. Yum!

And while we were baking, this delicious stew

was simmering on the stove.

Today, the kids spent some time working on their gifts to others.

It's so nice to see them both enjoying creating.

When I turned my back, Emma found a different kind of canvas to work on.

Snapshot 3 ~ Ancient Greece

Ryan with his Ancient Greece presentation

for GATE.

Snapshot 2 ~ Who woulda thunk it?

fast and easy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3LKAlDz9ig

Snapshot 1 ~ My love~hate relationship

If you sew...you know.

I hate that I need it,

but I love that it exists.

Our weekend

We spent Friday evening in the company of good friends, eating

banana splits and playing games.

Sienna and Ryan digging in.

Yum! For the first time ever, Em didn't finish her
entire bowl of ice cream. She wanted to run off and play with the kids.

Saturday morning was spent in front of the window.
Ryan read while Emma played with toys, taking
a break now and then to watch the snow fall...and fall..and fall...

Yep...he threw that huge snowball at Ryan!

And, yes, this was thrown at his daddy.

(Emma's snow rule #1: If there's snow within reach, take a bite!)

Sunday evening was spent tying blankets...

...and listening to books on tape.

~~

This week will be spent working on our final homemade Christmas gifts, enjoying Ryan's last week of school before Winter Break, and packing. Yes, packing. We are hoping to start our 30-year long relationship with a lender in January!!

December Card Night

It's a wonderful day (even when it's close to zero degrees) when you can

end it with the comfort of time spent creating with friends.

Amy S's card

(not sure why it's so hard to see on the blog, but it says "enjoy" across the top)

Mariska's card

Amy B's card

My card

with a super easy bookmark to go along with it.

Take any envelope (like the ones that bills or junk mail come in), measure two inches

out from each side of one bottom corner. Draw a line to connect the two and

cut it there. Decorate the resulting triangle any way you want! Here, I covered one

side with red card stock and added the cherry/flower from my card. The triangle just slips right over the top corner of the page(es). Easy!!

'tis the season for delicious warm chocolate

after snow angels and faceplants in the snow.

I've discovered a plus side to having a cold and not wanting to go anywhere.

Since Wednesday, this pile of fabric has become...

this...

and this...

and two of these...

and this...

and this...

and six of these and four of those...

all with the help, or in spite of, my little helper.

Tell me that's not a guilty look!

~~

Now for the second batch of Christmas gifts...