'Tis the Season

The Most Wonderful Time

Nap time came to us around 2:00 this afternoon so I decided to take the opportunity to bring out the Christmas "magic." I set up the tree (but left it undecorated so Ike could help later), put out the manger scene (but left the baby Jesus on another table so Ike could have the honor), and I set out the Advent calendar, snow globe, and stocking.

Ike woke up around 4:30. He came out, saw the tree, smiled, and cuddled up on the couch and fell back into sweet slumber. While he slept, I sat in the rocking chair and worked on my redwork quilt while listening to Christmas tunes and admiring the newly transformed room.

Now that Ike's awake, the nativity scene has been transported to another area, he has peeked in every door of the Advent calendar hoping to find toys and candy, and "Oh, Little Town of Bethleham has played ten times (at least) on the snow globe. Oh, yes, and his little figure Diego has been added to the nativity scene. No one gets left out of seeing the baby Jesus around here!

Anyway, Joseph just lost a hand. Not to worry though, we've got a nice supply of super glue!

Bath Time

A Nickel's Worth of Skim Milk

After asking Grandma question after question about her childhood and what she remembers about the Depression, she handed me a book called "A Nickel's Worth of Skim Milk." It's a small book on what the author (Robert J. Hastings) remembers about his boyhood during the 1930's. It's a charming book that really changed my perspective on various things. For instance, we haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Bill the past few days due to all the overtime he has been assigned. Although we miss seeing him, I am now grateful for his job more than ever before. During the Depression men would have pounced on any chance to work and overtime just wasn't an option. There are also other small things, like how during the Depression families would gather around the fire to keep warm and made many memories there. Now that central heat and air is quite common in most homes around here, we have other ways to find our family time. To keep cool in the summer families would linger on the shaded porches. Let's just say there was ample family time. Anyway, for anyone interested in a good read or just overly interested in the Depression like me, this book is great.

Projects

I am making my own gift tags for Christmas this year.
This is a quilt I am in the process of making for Girl Baby. I will post a picture when it's finished.
The laundry room wall is coming along. We make progress slowly aroud here.

Sweet Dreams

Here is a picture of Ike sound asleep with his treasured rocketship. Ever since he and Daddy launched it in the park a couple days ago, it is all he can talk about. This picture was taken after Ike and I got back from dinner at Grandma's house tonight. He fell asleep in the car and woke up when I took the rocketship from his hand. He quickly inquired about the rocketship and as soon as it was safe and sound in his little hand again he fell back to sleep.

This evening Grandma had us over for dinner -- salisbury steak. It was a delightful dish from her Route 66 cookbook. She truly is a great cook! Bill wasn't able to join us for dinner this evening due to more overtime this morning (it was one of the busiest nights he's worked all year). He is in fact still sleeping and I won't wake him for another hour.

Sugar and Hormones

Since Bill works the night shift, he gets home from work around 7:30 each morning (except for lately due to all the gang related activity). Well, a couple days ago he brought home a coffee for me and doughnuts for Ike and I to share. It was not only a sweet gesture, but it was just what I needed (okay maybe not NEEDED, but craved). The extra sugar gave me a burst of energy and I cleaned our home and rearranged a few little things. The house hasn't stayed so clean lately due to the raging hormones. I guess the doughnuts were just what our home NEEDED.