Happy New Year!

I will be knitting and watching movies! (These are affectionately deemed "chick flicks" in our house.)

May your year start as pleasantly and continue with joy till next new year!

Joyous Everything!

We have a tradition of baking gingerbread cookies in our house this time of year.  My sister unknowingly encouraged it the year she gave me a gargoyle cookie cutter. Now, gingerbread gargoyles are a thing we do.  We made them again this year, though they had slightly more interesting company as I left my teenagers to finish the forming of the cookies while I rotated cookie sheets.

Darling Daughter kept it clean with a lollipop and a sea turtle (though she contemplated making far more vulgar).  Darling Son decided a sword was a great idea...along with what we keep calling "a ginger poo", to continuous giggles.   Older kids are entertaining in unexpected ways!
May the laughter that found our home find yours as well!  Blessings and joy to all!

Happy Winter Solstice!

Around here the solstice is the kick off to the winter feasting that lasts till January. I made eggnog cake again, not as pretty as last year, but still amazingly tasty!

I found adorable winter hedgehog ribbon while picking up last minute craft supplies:

There was also Hobbit themed beer at World Market while we were picking up stocking stuffers:

There are still more cookies to bake and truffles to make, plus a few projects that need to be finished and the boxes that I've determined will be mailed out after Christmas (as I will still want to give people presents without the deadline looming over-head).  Just need to clean my house for company and I will be all set!

I think he likes it.

The Boy's gift came in earlier than expected.  After Husband made sure all the bits were there, I gave the go ahead and Husband handed Boy the keyboard to his very own gaming computer.  I barely managed to get the photo, but am so incredibly glad I did!

Daughter and I applauded when Boy took a knee....then fell off the couch laughing.

I need to learn from my cat this time of year

She seems to have the right idea.   I've pushed too hard and worried incessantly about all the people and all the things.  Worries about what needs to be done and what I can't seem to get to even though I should.  So, blam! I woke up 4am on Friday morning with a headache that made me cry.  Today, feeling somewhat closer to a functioning human, I will not knit on gifts or fret over what is for Christmas dinner.  I will listen to CraftLit. I will work on sweaters and socks for myself for when the cold finally decided to stick around. Gifts given in January are no less appreciated, if people are angry about the lateness of the gifts, they probably aren't very worthy recipients.