Happy New Year to all…I hope that you have had a wonderful 2009…whatever it brought or didn’t bring….I hope 2010 brings great happiness and peace to everyone…..I hope you have time to do all the things you wish to do…..
Month: December 2009
Christmas 2009
Christmas is almost here……
Lots of last minute sewings, gluings, tapings, bakings and too much to mention! I love this time of year, but it sure is tiring! Lots of super secret stuff going on! I hope everyone is taking the time to appreciate life and all the joy this time of year brings…..
I can’t explain all these strange things in the photos because it would give away secrets…but I will tell you all about them, after they are given away….
Christmas Countdown….Day 21…Wonder
Christmas Countdown….Day 18…Nutcrackers
Another collection we have is nutcrackers. Actually, it is Christopher’s collection. He used to get one every year from his parents. Our children love getting them out each year. Christopher takes three out a night and the kids are always fascinated by them. Quinn has decided he wants to start his own collection. I think they are so special because the kids only get to see them at Christmas time. If they were out year round..I don’t think they would have the same excitement!
12 years ago today…..
Twelve years ago today, my oldest child, Tuesday was born. She wasn’t born on a Tuesday…..that is the first question everyone asks when they meet her. Her birth started on a Tuesday, but…it didn’t end til Wednesday. She was going to be called Tuesday, no matter what day she was born. We hadn’t found a name that we really loved and kept thinking and thinking. We had some cd’s around and looked at the Matthew Sweet cd with Tuesday Welds on the cover…and we both thought…what a perfect name. I think in her lifetime we have met three other people with that name!
We took one look at her and knew she was going to be a perfect baby! And though I haven’t always been a perfect parent….she’s everything I could ever want…..kind, generous, caring, thoughtful, patient (most times!) and full of love!
Christmas Countdown….Day 16…visiting Santa
River was very excited to visit Santa and to sit on his lap. We always say that you can ask Santa for one item. So she thought about it and thought about it and finally came up with her one item…….”a sparkle ball toy that I can bring into the house.” Then Santa asked what else she wanted, which always happens, and every year our kids are at a total loss for words because we tell them they can only ask Santa for one item! Sometimes they even get so tongue tied that they can’t even remember their ONE item. They one year, Quinn, was so excited to see Santa, that when he asked what he wanted for Christmas, he went totally blank….and after a few seconds…blurted out……”a toothbrush!”
Also, I had to run out the other night to do some errands and when I came back, Tuesday was very involved in a project. She was working completely on her own and had gotten no help. When she was finished with her project, she proudly showed it to me….a manger! I loved it…it is so detailed…..she even took a pin and made little holes in the sheep to make it have a wooly effect!
Christmas Countdown….Day 15…Yule Lads
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is the Yule Lads. Christopher and I went to Iceland seven years ago. There we learned about the Yule lads and we have been participating in the tradition ever since! The Yule lads come down from the mountains during the last 13 nights before Christmas. Children leave a shoe in their window each night. The Yule lads sneak into each house and play a prank on the inhabitants before leaving a little treat for the children. Children who are not good, receive rotten potatoes in their shoes.
Each Yule lad is unique and carries its own traditions. Such as Stúfur, or Stubby, who is very short, therefore it is important to put a stool by your window so he can reach your shoe. A favorite in our house is Hurðaskellir, or Door Slammer, who is very noisy and slams all the doors in the house before he goes on his way!
Eventually, all the Yule Lads arrive and then make their way back to the mountains. On Christmas eve, children who do not receive new clothing, are in danger of being eaten by the Yule Cat! This tradition originated from the fact that Icelandic children were responsible for helping out with the preparation and production of new garments each winter. To make sure the children worked hard and concentrated while working, the adults would scare them with horrific tales of the Yule Cat!
You can read more about the traditions of Iceland and the Yule lads at this Iceland website.
Waiting for Santa…..
We heard the firetruck and went running outside…..then we waited. And waited. And waited some more. And it was cold. We would hear the firetruck and police cars, but then the noise would fade. We were hopeful, but then sad and impatient. We grew colder and colder, but we kept waiting. And finally, they came, they really came…Santa on the firetruck!
Three years ago today….
My youngest was born…River Hazel McDonald. It doesn’t seem that long ago. I can remember that day quite vividly. Luckily it was a Sunday. Early in the morning, my water broke and I knew things were happening…so I woke up Christopher and said we should wake up the kids and call my mom. Then we called my mother-in-law, who lives in Maryland. Once my mother arrived, we chatted and she told us to get going to the hospital. But I wanted to stay and talk some more. I figured the less time at the hospital, the better. Then I decided I needed to make a fresh cup of coffee, so that when my mother-in-law arrived there would be fresh coffee. About a half hour later, my mother said we had to go right then or we’d give her a heart attack…so off we went. Well, thank goodness we did leave then because on our way to the hospital..things started to speed up and I almost thought we wouldn’t make it! Without going into all the details….twenty minutes later…..little River was born!
