Christmases Long, Long Ago

Me and my just-barely-older sister.


This has always been my very favorite holiday. And my mom knew how to do it up right. Check out the sweet '80's clothes! I'd love a pair of legwarmers right now. I'm the blond one in front with the wicked blue tights. Not sure what was going on there.

Christmas Cookies

Our cookies were done in non-traditional colors this year on account of that's all we had left in the food coloring containers. Time to buy new colors, as we exhausted our supply of Yellow No. 5 with these beauties. They even tasted good!

Is there anything better than a Big Wheel?

I don't think so. At least not when you're three. Gigi loves this thing and does elaborate peel-outs and everything. On this particular day, she insisted on wearing her butterfly wings, which kept getting caught in the wheels. It was hilarious.

Remembering My Dad

He was big and strong and loved history, good food, movies, ships, cars, air shows and model airplanes. He could fix anything, but often ended up swearing and throwing things in the process. Once he bought a camper and we had no end of fun in that thing. When I was twelve, I found out that he was shy sometimes, and it confused me. He always took you out to get a treat if you had to go to the doctor. He was born four days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He would have been 67 today. We miss you, Dad.



This is all nine of us when we went to visit the Susquehana River and the site of the organization of the Aaronic Priesthood in upstate New York. I am one of the little ones. Second from the end.

Dancing Princess

Tuesday was Gigi's last dance class for this session, so Ms. Beth staged a sort of recital, which was really just the exact same stuff they do in every class, but this time with puffy skirts and crowns. The girls were in heaven, showing off for all the parents. She was such a wonderful teacher to these little girls who were sometimes so shy. I don't know a whole lot about dance, but Gigi's really happy doing these little classes and seems like a natural, so we'll continue on, at least until she grows out of those shoes! It has been especially fun for me to watch her develop interest in her own thing, instead of just following her brother around. Ox heartily disliked playing spectator, though. He told me he couldn't watch because it was too girlie for him.

Doorway Puppet Theatre/Store Front

This was totally easy. Took me an evening and I'm happy with the results, as are the kids. They've made it a store front, and the white paper taped to it is their little sign. It has been fun to watch them. I found some great ball fringe for the top detail and I find myself wondering why we don't use ball fringe on everything. It's so funky and cool.

A Project of My Own

Did anyone ever watch The Gilmore Girls? Ah . . . I loved that show. Except the last season. Anyway, remember Paris, and how she had a craft table set up in her college apartment because crafting was prescribed by her therapist after her nervous breakdown? I think I'm turning into Paris. Not really the character I would like most to identify with, but I cannot argue with the evidence.

Yesterday was the first day after a long Thanksgiving break and with all the running around and disheveled house, demanding children, etc., I thought my hair was going to melt. Dirk swears that the kids can sense when I'm stressed and dial up the drama in response. In any case, I was ready to start selling children on craigslist. Then Dirk brings up Family Night, and could I please think up something fun. What?! How about me, locked in our bathroom in the tub with music and candles and the rest of you cleaning up the house? That sounded like fun. When he saw how stressed I was, he suggested we go out for ice cream, but drop me someplace on the way and pick me up after. So, I went to JoAnn and Michael's (conveniently right next door to each other) in Poway while Dirk and children went to Costco for ice cream.

I saw this project somewhere a long time ago:



We have a closet under the stairs where it would go perfectly as a puppet theatre or a store front. The kids are always pretending to sell each other toys out of that closet, so I think they will love it.

Just buying the supplies and choosing the fabrics made me feel happy and in love with my family again. I cannot explain it, since I've never really been crafty. I couldn't really justify the cost during this Christmas season of many other expenditures, but it's cheaper than therapy. Or alcoholism. I'll post pictures when I finish!

Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles

Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a good, extremely long, book. Holy Cow. But, it was a great look at history and enlightening as far as royalty of the Queen Elizabeth I era goes. Being a Queen was not really that great, it turns out. Especially if your more powerful cousin decides to exile you and then ultimately behead you. So: fun, but a little too thorough for continuity's sake.


View all my reviews.