Christmas 2011

I was lax with my picture taking this year. I only took about a dozen pictures this Christmas (not including pictures of my craft projects). Typically my family feels like they're being followed by the paparazzi because I'm taking so many pictures. I'm not sure what was wrong this year. I just wasn't feeling it. . .

I did manage to get a few pics tho:




I love that G has tears in her eyes in every picture. She was so grateful for everything that she cried. The girls each only got 3 presents from mom and dad (including the American Girl dolls they got from Santa). G got a camera from mom and dad, and a photo album from her sister. She took lots of pictures - and most of them are better than you would expect from a 7-year-old. Maybe that is why I didn't feel like I needed to take any.

We've all had the stomach flu too - G and daddy were taken out on Christmas Day (second year of a tradition that I do not want to continue) and Bryn and I a couple of days later.

Blue beanie

Every girl needs a hat to match her eyes. thanks for the yarn aunt jen

second try

Take #2 on the angry birds hats. I still don't love them - and I know they don't look exactly like the originals - but I do think they're wearable. I do have to admit that they are much cuter in person.

the angry elmo and lop-sided monkey

So, I know that i used to be a better blogger. But I sorta got sick of the bloggy one-upmanship mentality where it felt like everyone was trying to prove that they were the funniest person alive, that their kids were the cutest, their husband was the hottest, and their life was the best. And I am not saying that I am above all of that - I totally fell into the "keeping up with the bloggers" category too.

In my attempt to prove that I am SOOO not that person, I present to you two of my recent craft FAILS:

Fail #1 - the ugly elmo hat. it started as an attempt to make angry birds beanies as christmas gifts. well intentioned? yes. well executed? no. Hell NO. The beanie itself is great. The face notsomuch. The eyes are too big and the eyebrows too cartoony. Time to unpick and try again. At least the model is cute.
Fail #2 - the lop-sided monkey. I'll admit that this was a failed attempt. At least the socks were only $1. I blame pinterest and a poorly worded tutorial. None of this was my fault at all. I did not make the mouth waaay too small. And I did not sew the legs unevenly - the sock was simply more stretchy on one side . . .

This is one for the trash pile. I bought sock monkeys from Target (my 5 year old is kind of addicted to sock monkeys. . .) and i will not be attempting to make my own again.

hats!!

i have been busy making hats for everyone i know. i probably shouldn't post them here, as some are gifts . . . but i can't wait for christmas. i'm too excited, so i have to share them and bank on the fact that i don't think many of my family and friends even read my blog. . .

more pinterest inspiration - cute crochet hat

So, I found an adorable crochet hat on Pinterest. Unfortunately, the site is in Dutch (at least I think its Dutch . . .I can't read it anyway). So, I improvised. I think i want to add a cute crocheted flower on the side, but I like it. It is a little tighter than I would like - I need to figure out how to loosen the tension when I crochet. Does it surprise anyone that someone as high-strung as me even crochets tightly? Wait . . . don't answer that.

Anyway, here's the hat:The model is pretty cute too.

inspired by pinterest - Christmas ornament wreath

Pinterest is an addiction. Lest anyone think I just sit around and pin things to my board all day, I thought I would post a project I completed, inspired by one that I found on that site: a fun christmas ornament wreath
And a silly insect-girl.
I raided the dollar store, and $10 dollars later, I had my supplies.
I made a hanger out of crafting wire, and wrapped the styrofoam in green garland. I was having so much fun, that there are no pictures to show the process. But it was pretty simple - just a lot of hot glue and patience.

Obligatory fall pictures

NEWS!!

Yes, I'm pretty much MIA in the blogging world. I am around, and recently returned from a trip to Hawaii. Here's a teaser:

I do plan a real post (or series of posts) hopefully soon. Hawaii is magical.

I also completed my first triathalon. It was "just" a sprint, but I ROCKED it, and I'm pretty darn proud. Hopefully an update on that will follow soon.

Lastly, I'm starting a new diet and weightloss blog, which may seem laughable, considering my recent blogging track record. I'm trying to get myself in bikini-body shape by next summer, and hoping a blog will help keep me on track.

Weekend getaway

Admittedly, I'm a terrible blogger. I actually have a million things I'd like to blog about, but I can't ever seem to find the words. So, instead, another photo montage of a recent girls trip south - to see a play and do some hiking in a slot canyon.

Fun times:

G is seven!

I can't believe I have a seven year-old. She is so big and so grown up. She really is such a good girl - she's polite, obedient, and really tries hard to always do her best. She's reading way above her grade level, and is great at math too. She shows a strong interest in geography, and loves to learn about different people and places. She's also athletic - right now she is in precompetition level gymnastics, dance, and soccer. And in her "spare" time she loves to ride her bike. She's a great sister, and loves Bryn soo much. Of course, we love her soo much too. She's a great girl, and I'm lucky to be her mommy.
For her birthday, she asked for an iPod touch, a cell phone, and a skate board. She got the skate board, and spent several hours on it learning to ride.

I also made her a rag quilt for her bed:
And my very first fondant cake. It looks like my first.

Easter weekend

Just photos:

More Boston

I took almost 250 pictures in Boston. This is only a very small percentage: