good bye 08

Today is the last day of 2008. We actually have plans to go to a friends place to ring in the new year, in a very relaxed, low-key, taking the kids sort of way. But I really wouldn't want it any other way. Oh, and we are also bringing tin foil hats, more on that later. I am trying to get excited and also get some food ready to bring. I've been a bit ill the last 24 hours, so it's slow going. Happy New Year all.

baking and breathing

I don't know about all of you, but these days after Christmas and before Olivia goes back to school and the routine that goes along with all of that, are times for breathing. The mad days of preperation are over. Graham is still at home, although he is spending time working on our basement, still home if I need to run out for a minute, or a diaper needs changing. Smile. The kids are spending lots of time playing, inside and out. Olivia went skating yesterday. Today we are packing up the Christmas decorations, baking foccacia bread and preparing spinach canneloni for dinner. I got a panini press for Christmas, so the the foccacia bread and the new press made yummy lunch. It is nice to have time to do things, hope you do too.

i totally copied!

I thought that this year would be a good year to start 'sibling gifts' between my children. Mostly for Olivia. She is a fantastic gift-giver and always has a card ready for any occasion. Smile. At first I thought I would just let them each choose a small toy, but then I ready this post and it totally clicked! Handmade sibbling gifts! So, yesterday and today(last minute, hey? maybe you should ask about the project happening as we speak in the basement...just the way we do things) I only have a photo of the gift from Levi and Olivia to Sadie, the other 2 are wrapped already. A tutu!! Olivia had a harder time making it than I had anticipated, but I thought it was tons of fun! And SO CUTE! Go ahead and check out the original post(http://www.designmom.com/), but for those of you with little girls, you will likely be getting one or more of these item sometime, for birthdays or whatever, so don't bother making them yourself. Smile again. We made a fabric sack for Levi to tote around all his small cars and I made 2 ribbon covered flower headbands for Olivia(I think those are my favorite) I didn't involve Levi in that project since he can't keep a secret if his life depended on it! Maybe next year. Here is Olivia really concentrating to get the ribbons even in length.

All done.

7 days of Christmas...

Recently I came across a post on a blog I enjoy frequenting, {A}, entitled 'December Daily'. "December Daily is a way to celebrate the traditions and everyday blessings during the month of December." Neat idea; I am officially inspired. But since it is already the middle of December, and I am really not such a devoted crafter(lots of ideas, not much time), I thought maybe I would try to do it for just a week, the week before Christmas. I also happen to have a cute little chipboard journal that I think would work really well for just one week. I hesitate to give you the link to what has inspired me in fear of not living up to it's greatness, but here it is anyway. Enjoy.

http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/december-daily-album-2008.html

divine caramel popcorn

I have been bugging a friend for awhile about this recipe, and now I have it! It is divine! The best I have ever tasted. When Olivia came home from school this afternoon, we quickly shelled the peanuts, popped the corn, and now we have a big panful cooling on the table. Levi can't stop sniffing it. I can't wait to chow down when the children are in bed tonight. Hopefully there will be some left for tomorrow's after-christmas-concert-treats...

Caramel Popcorn
(you will need a very large bowl to toss the

popcorn and the sauce in)
16 cups popcorn
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanuts

Pop kernels and add peanuts.
Melt next 3 ingredients and bring to a full boil.
Add vanilla.
Pour the liquid ingredients onto the popcorn.
Mix until evenly coated.

christmas stockings

Here are our new christmas stockings. I started and finished them this afternoon! Yay! Looks like I should have ironed before taking the photo.

our morning latte's

Mommy and mini style.

gingerbread boys

Holiday baking has begun! Today we made gingerbread boys. I think gingerbread is my favorite holiday cookie. Levi's 'help' stopped when I handed him the whisk for the dry ingredients and he realized in made a nifty guitar. Olivia would do it all if I asked her to, and today she did fabulously carefully cutting out the boys and dressing them up with silver 'buttons'.

after school treats

After we make the chilly trek to retrieve Olivia from school, ,my children always claim to be 'starving'. Today was extra chilly and I had the thought to make apple cider. Perfect for the time of year, don't you think? And so easy to make. Apple juice and cinnamon sticks are all you really need. Cranberry juice and a few extra spices are nice, if you have them. The amounts are also up to you, whatever you family enjoys to sip. We also had a nice little bowl of maple popcorn today, thanks to my nice epicure lady, Denise, from the other evening. Yummy.

Scrounging for the last bits.

Cheers!

going to crafty planet

A couple weekends ago my mom, my sister, Sadie and myself headed to Minneapolis for a weekend of shopping. Minneapolis has so much great shopping! It was fun to go to all of our favorite places. But this was hands down my favorite of the weekend. Crafty Planet. A little shop we found when searching online for a place to get fabric by Amy Butler. It was way better than we were expecting! There was not one piece of fabric in there that wasn't pretty. And the prices were great! The girls that were working were very helpful and fun. I really have nothing negative to say about it. I will definately go again. You should too. In the meantime, you can check out their website, http://www.craftyplanet.com/.

Amy Butler heaven.

More yummy fabrics.


Lots of cute patterns and books.


Have a seat.

santa

There have been a few time lately, in the mall, walking down the sidewalk, where I have heard the occasional parent pull out this line, "you must listen to me, or santa won't come to our house" What?? Is santa god? Who still tells their child that santa exists?? Seriously, I sort of thought that was a thing of the past. I am wrong apparently, Olivia came home from school yesterday and said, "you know mom, Julia really believes that santa is real(insert eye roll here)". My girlfriends daughter also cam home and said, "I'm pretty sure our family are the only ones who don't think santa is for real". I thought it was understood by all around here what was real and what was not, until this morning with Levi(who is 3), who started saying "so, when santa comes..."(what??!) I thought comparing the old man to something Levi relates to would work. Bob the Builder. Santa isn't real, just like bob the builder isn't real. "MOM! BOB THE BUILDER IS REAL!" I guess we'll have to work on that.

christmas countdown

I did it! It took many hours, but now it is done and so cute! Our Christmas countdown 'calender'. sure beats the really ugly cardboard ones with the gross chocolate, don't you think? It is instead filled with little activities, riddles, and outings.

catching up

I am SO behind in my posting...I have many good ideas that I intend to share, and then don't. I will try to get caught up this week.