Christmas Cactus

At least my Christmas Cactus knows what time of year it is this year...

Happy People Dancing on Planet Earth

I know I'm about 6 months behind the times posting this - but it just makes me smile...

I absolutely love it!

Old Timey Wrapping Paper

Mom and I were talking the other day about the old timey wrapping paper that the paper mill used to make - the paper mill is completely gone now - but when we were little our uncle worked there and our cousins always had presents wrapped in white paper with green and/or red stripes or white paper printed with green Christmas trees - it was just simple and lovely and it was such a nice thing for the paper mill to do for their employees...

So imagine my surprise when I found this paper in the grocery store of all places - I just had to have some under our tree...

Sarah's Gift

The second of my Giveaway Day prizes arrived...

It's a lovely tote and little doll - I love them both - thank you so much Sarah! She even included a super cool Holiday Mix CD - what a bonus - thanks again!

Big Moon

The Moon was huge...

Blizzard

Y'all probably already know that we had a blizzard here this weekend. The main roads were still closed this morning - it was 25 BELOW zero - and there is no school today...

These are snowflakes whipping past the window at 40 knots - Karen or Mom can probably tell how fast that is...

Recorder

The Man-Cub played Amazing Grace for special music at Church...

...it really was Amazing - he did a super job - and everyone loved it...

Sleepover

I snapped a picture of the sleepy boys - they didn't go to sleep until about 2 AM and were up at 7...

Boy Scout Socks

Amidst all the Holiday Hoopla - I did manage to complete the Boy Scout Socks - I wore them all day yesterday and the princess sole is very comfortable - I may be doing that from now on...



They're made with 2 strands of Aunt Lydias Fashion Crochet thread in size 3 colour Sage and Scarlet.

Seeds of Kindness

The theme for this month's Pack meeting was 'Seeds of Kindness'. We did a food drive and all of the boys brought non-perishables to the meeting. My den was on for the skit - and we just did a couple of silly run-ons.

This one where the boys all roll around on the floor and someone comes in and asks 'what on earth are you doing?' and they all sit up and shout - 'haven't you ever seen a good turn before!'

The Man-Cub proudly receives his Activity Pins from Webelos Camp - Outdoorsman, Forester, and Naturalist - we waited until all of the boys completed the pins so they could all receive them together...

Then each scout made a bird feeder and got a baggy of seeds - so they could all be kind to the birds...
I had done this before with the Man-Cub and it was such a simple and fun craft that we decided to do it with the Pack - Instructions here...
http://affectioknit.blogspot.com/2008/05/feed-birds-tuppence-bag-tuppence.html

Here's the finished feeder on our snow covered picnic table...

I am so lucky!

Y'all remember the big giveaway day on December 3rd. I wanted to participate - but I had just given away 18 Peace Dove ornaments on November 30th and I couldn't quite craft anything else to give away on that day. But I owe y'all big time now - 'cause I won 5 of the giveaways - I am so lucky!

The first gift came in the mail yesterday
it's from Heather at simple Analogy and it's the Creamy Dreamy Scarf and I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE it!!!

I let the Man-Cub open the package and the first thing he said is 'You've got to feel this - it's so soft!' - and it is - Thank you so much Heather!

Concert

The Man-Cub had his first band concert last night. I've tried before to upload a video with no success - so we'll try it again...
We didn't have very good seats because we didn't know where the Man-Cub would be sitting - he's third from the left in the second row...

Giving

Our Sunday School children spent the afternoon shopping for Christmas presents for the needy. The Man-Cub had a 17 year old male and a 9 year old female - all we knew were their ages and sizes. We had so much fun shopping for these young people and then wrapping their presents.
Here's the wrapping party at the church...
The Man-Cub is still a pretty sloppy wrapper - but an enthusiastic one!
Here are all the presents 'neath the Narhex tree at the church...

You can see how happy all our children were to buy and give these gifts - what you can't see is what this will mean to some boy or girl on Christmas morning... Perhaps it will be a little boy or girl…
Who has resigned themselves to the idea…
That they will be getting NOTHING this Christmas.

ONLY… to awake…
to a Fine Gift…
Chosen just especially for them…
By one of our Children…

Snowy Day Play Day

We had another light dusting of fresh snow - the temperature was hovering about 3 above so the Man-Cub and his friend D' spent a couple of hours zooming down the sledding hill - separated by a warm up period at the library...

Saturday at the Pool

Saturday often finds us at the local indoor pool with a slide...

I was smart enough to bring a friend along this time - and they kept each other happily busy swooshing down the slide - playing catch with water bombs and squirting each other with water guns.

I sat in a lounge chair and knitted while I read the Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis (a genius) - propped on my knees - there's nothing like multi-tasking...

Gift Tags

This is a simple way to make gift tags as you need them. All you need is a simple stamp and some black ink and either markers or colored pencils.

Ice Fractures

As the Lake freezes - near the shore it will bear your weight already and we saw some tracks (probably 4 wheelers) that have been out on the ice already. I'm much too afraid for that though.

The Ice Fractures are pretty amazing 'though...

And it's a good visual way to teach plate tectonics...

It was minus 8 F this morning so it won't be long 'til it's frozen pretty solid...

Mom Advice's Giveaway

Amy at MomAdvice is having a contest http://www.momadvice.com/reviews/index.php/2008/12/02/giveaway-500-walmart-gift-card/#comment-19401 She is giving away a $500 WalMart gift card. The contest is sponsored by Nickelodeon and Walmart and you have to leave a money saving tip in the comments:

My quick money saving tip - Use your children's art work to create wrapping paper.

The Peace Ornament

I should have posted this earlier...

This is this year's Peace ornament - each year our WELCA creates a special numbered ornament and sells it to the members of the congregation - this was a purchased brass ornament and the ladies painted painted the doves and ribbon, added the shiny gold ribbon, and then etched the year and a sequential number on the back...

O Tannenbaum

We have a gorgeous tree this year...

Here's all the work that went into it...

The Man-Cub picked the perfect tree...

We strung the lights throughout the house - and replaced a few - the bubblers go on after the lights are on the tree so that they won't be at the back...

Jack was oddly curious about the lights - and allowed his picture to be taken...

The Man and the Man-Cub wound the tree with lights...

Each ornament was carefully placed...

And the Man-Cub stood on tippy-toe on a chair to put the tree topper on...