as cozy as spring

Clearance Love

There is very little I enjoy more than getting a good deal.  I would love to get nothing on Christmas Day but a note from my dear husband saying, "We're buying all your gifts tomorrow."  But still~ I don't shop the after Christmas sales because there isn't a lot I need to buy.  However, today found us returning some shoes that were too small at a shop right next to a Williams-Sonoma.  I mean no one has that much self discipline, right?  Friends, I am fully equipped to serve you hot chocolate now.  I have the mugs, a really cheap milk frother (sp?), shortbread, and of course a wee bit of peppermint hot chocolate.  Oh so good!  

So I had a date with my husband in our dining room, eating clearance priced shortbread, sipping clearance priced chocolate from clearance priced mugs.  And feeling a bit better about winding my very not clearance priced yarn.

still winding... 

And then I planted some only slightly shrivel-y, slightly moldy clearance priced hyacinth bulbs in a mini mason jar.  Note to myself in a year: Hyacinth bulbs in a mason jar would make a cute teacher gift.  The paperwhites bloomed beautifully and are now dressing up our bare winter porch because we couldn't stand the smell anymore.  

It's a beautiful day and I dug into the garden a bit.  There are branches down all over the backyard and I need to sharpen my pruners for all the winter work that needs to be done.  We normally do all of our pruning this time of year because the city will take any and all branches at the Christmas tree recycling spot.  I'm planting freesias and a few more hyacinths for a decidedly sweet scented (clearance priced) spring garden.

OD

We splurged on a smoked turkey this year.  Our market only sold an eleven pound size which, according to the website, was enough to feed 25 people.  Or me.  No one in my immediate family seems to like smoked turkey, but it was rather pricey.  I can't just throw it away.  So I'm eating it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, three-o'clock-in-the-morning-toddler-can't-stop-coughing-might-as-well-eat-some-more-turkey...

Help.

It's been mighty busy around here and I hope to get things settled soon, but in the meantime..

Have you heard of Librivox?  It's free audiobooks available for download.  I stumbled upon it a few days ago looking for Lamb's Shakespeare tales (our spring literature focus).  I've only listened to the one selection, but it is lovely.  Has anyone used this?  And if so, why didn't you tell me about it? 

Still Life with cupcake

Ahhh.  That's so much better.  There is a small fire crackling, coffee, and flannel jammies.  I'm slowly winding the prettiest yarn ever into tiny little balls.  And when I tire of that, there's a wee bit of irreverent, yet orthodox, reading to be done.  And cookies to eat.  And naps.  Yes, I must cross that off my to-do list.

I'm also very happily, but slowly, thinking about our school plans for next term.  This is my most favorite time of the year.  I hope you all are enjoying a most peaceful Christmas season.

Christmas Eve, AM

Christmas Eve Menu:

Smoked Turkey

Steamed Broccoli

Potatoes (still in discussion...)

Mushroom Stuffing (or dressing for you detail oriented readers)

Cranberry Sauce

Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

Christmas Eve Cookies:

Thumbprints

Grandma's Black Bottom Cups

Treasure Cookies

more to be made for the rest of the week's festivities

I still have one gift to sew, one gift to embroider, one gift to sand, one gift to knit (almost done!) and one gift to buy.  But today I promised I would sit still with my children and husband in front of the fire and read our treasured Christmas picture books.  

There is always the 26th!  I always want to be "done early" but I've realized that I will fill every second I have available.  There is no "done".  There is a bit of peace in that. :)

My husband asked me to sew a tree skirt this year.  We've had a rather horrid piece of felt thrown down there for ten years.  And since he never asks me to sew anything, I hastily put this together.  It was looking rather sloppy, but rick-rack made everything all better. 

And now, back to the pie.  

Merry Christmas Friends!

Holiday Hosting, by Paula Deen

"Everybody likes chicken.  Unless you're dealing with a vegetarian and what the heck, they're on their own.  They can go outside and eat some grass."

Sometimes I really love Paula Deen (and I'm a recovering vegetarian).  

My husband took the children shopping.  I'm watching the Food Network and wrapping presents by the sparkling tree.  I'm wearing my brand new cloud covered flannel jammies (thanks Dawn!  They fit perfectly!) and compulsively eating those candy cane kisses.  

I hope your Christmas is wrapping up beautifully!  

It was a beautiful day.

Thank you all for your prayers.  Our day was joyful and lovely.  I hope you don't mind if I keep it private.  I have no control over what happens to my words and photographs once I place them here and today was so precious and sacred.  I feel the inclination to shelter my daughter's faith more than is possible here.

But yes. :)  I finished the dress and everything else on that list.  I am peacefully assessing Christmas plans right now.  I heard that Williams-Sonoma peppermint hot chocolate is on sale... Sweetie, do I need to drop more hints?

To Do

Let me be frank.  I am running way, way behind.  All of these things need to be done by tonight because tomorrow is our big day.  The only reason I am sitting here right now is that I am fueling up with strong coffee and I won't get within ten yards of that dress.

• First Communion rehearsal
• Finish the dress already  
• make two batches of rosemary bread for party 
• scrub kitchen floor 
• buy a vacuum that will not catch fire if I flip it on 
• pick up stuff for antipasto tray 
• pick up stuff for meatballs 
• make meatballs 
• move the "hidden" Christmas presents out of the laundry room (they are hidden under piles of clothes, clever, huh?  No one would look there!) 
• finish cleaning fridge 
• BUY TIGHTS! 
• Get out all holiday dishes and serving plates  
• Mold butter (This is too cute, it has to be done) 
• Find containers for flower arrangements 
• Clean everything not already listed 
• Find something to cover the giant circles around my eyes 
• All the stuff I'm forgetting  
• Realize that none of this actually matters 
• Pray - you will help me with this last one won't you? 

Scalloped apron for a sweet little girl

Assuming I can get some rest this afternoon and stand without swaying, we'll be going to the birthday party of Lucy's very first friend.  I whipped up a little Christmas apron for her.  I wish I could write something charming about it instead of just posting photos, but my son was up all night itching and the house is covered in silk threads and there is gingerbread dough ground into my kitchen floor and I still have a dress to hem and did I mention the house is trashed?  So here's the apron.  Bye.

It's reversible.  

Awful photos.  House trashed.  Threads.  everywhere.

For the birds

The leaves have all been stripped away.  The only color and life in the garden comes from the little chickies.  I can hear blue jays this morning, perhaps alerting all the other birds that my children have left many, many treats for them on our little outdoor tree. 

Dress status:  Oh right the dress.  I was actually just cutting out a pattern for a new Christmas tree skirt.  Because I am procrastinating.  I have one more sleeve to sew to the bodice.  It's gone smoothly so far.  Another half hour should see my half done.  I'm usually not one to put things off, but this is making me more nervous than anything else I've sewn before.  And rightly so.  

You can only imagine what a wreck I am about the actual sacramental preparation.  

South to north and north to south and I head west

"All the time the wind blew, shrieking, howling, wailing, screaming, and mournfully sobbing.  They were used to hearing the wind.  All day they heard it, and at night in their sleep they knew it was blowing."

Little House on the Prairie

It has been a windy December.  Wind from the south all day yesterday made it hot and dry.  Just at bedtime last night it turned and came from the north again, bitterly cold.

I'll be gone for a few days from here, sewing on Lucy's dress and tending to other responsibilities.  We wrapped up a little gift for our piano teacher.    

And really now - will I ever remember to iron before taking a photo?

And also - I have no idea what's up with the comments.  Any other typepad users having trouble?  I'm not getting any through email and it seems they are taking a while to show up here.