Not loving it

I'm not really in love with this new layout/color scheme. But I wasn't really thrilled with the old one either. Problem is I know just enough Html editing to get myself into trouble and not really accomplish much.

That new header up there? Took me an entire afternoon. Stop laughing...nah it's okay, go ahead and laugh. I would.

Anyway, I'm thinking about having someone design a layout for me and make it so I can easily change out my header. My issue? I never know what I actually want until I see it and describing why I like something is also a challenge.

Ask my mother... antique shopping I'll pick something up and say, "ooooooh so cute I LOVE this!!". She'll see something almost identical and say "do you like that?" and I won't. Not so much. And I can't tell her why.

Anyway, faithful blog readers and writers; any direction you can point me? Tips? Advice? I need change, but in a good way...not in that oh-crap-what-did-I-do-now way.

Thanks!

Oh what has mommy done to the blog this time?

From the back seat...

Rebekah: are we home yet?

Ashley: no

Rebekah: why not?

Ashley: because it takes time to get there

Rebekah: are we close?

Ashley: not really, almost

Rebekah: but I want to be there nowwwwwwwww

Ashley: Yes well you have to be patient

Rebekah: Why?

Ashley: Because patience is a virtue. Patience is a virrrrr-tuuuuue. Can you say that?

Rebekah: Nah. *turns head and stares out window*

Merry Christmas

I hope you're all having a fabulous day! We still haven't had our Christmas burritos (yep, that's what Christmas dinner is this year). But thought I'd share a couple of shots from the day thus far....

Before everyone got up, I made biscuits and gravy and lit a fire.

*stockings are full, I guess we were good this year?

Everyone opened their gifts from Santa, then we had breakfast. After breakfast we did our family gift exchange. Ashley and I tried to go to Starbucks, but they wanted to be closed today...oh okay fine :)

Rebekah proceeded to make a mess and get engrossed in some of her new gifts.

And Ashley (who is not feeling 100%) went to take a nap under her new picture.

Time to relax for Mom and Dad until dinner....the nap is looking really good!

Handmade scarf and snow pictures

Oh it's been a nasty week or so here in the Pacific Northwest. Cold and snow and ice and general "yuck". The rain is moving in and working its magic though so hopefully it's all gone shortly. It didn't take me very long to get spoiled, did it?

I made a red and black patchwork scarf for Ashley as a Christmas gift, but couldn't really wait to give it to her since the weather was so nippy. The above picture isn't the best picture of the scarf but how could I resist passing along that photo to posterity?

Here is a better picture of the scarf. I think next time I'll make it a tad skinnier but I really love the concept and the colors. I'll be making a few for myself in the near future and maybe some for Wooden Nichols if my Mom likes the idea (for the Christmas show next year, of course).

Rebekah was quite enamored with the snow and played out on the balcony several times. The child has no mittens. I don't know why. Hence the socks on her hands. *my Mom just broke out in hives* I have it on good account that Santa is bringing her some gloves tonight, and I found a great online tutorial for making some...but I haven't got around to it yet. http://writemamawrite.typepad.com/blog/2007/11/mitten-tutorial.html

I'll have more posting to do after gifts tomorrow :)

Merry Christmas eve to all, I hope your holidays are full of blessings and love.

Merry Christmas time!

We have presents under there now, but Miss Genivive would rather we left it empty for her napping spot. She's so cozy under there and what a lovely night light.

Today was the first real day I've had off in 2 weeks, so what productive things did I get done you ask? Oh, I went to the sauna, and then took a nap. Right, that's it, I have no clue where the rest of the day went.

I am finally FINALLY going to get some sewing done. The last thing I was able to sew on was my Mom's quilt. Tonight I am working on an experimental gift...wish me luck, it looks like an easy project but then those words have been known to bite me in the behind before! :)

Happy 40th honey!

A great husband

A wonderful father

A successful business man

creative, patient, diligent, smart and tender.

Loving

Handsome

and

Compassionate

Happy Birthday to my dear sweet husband. I love you more everyday :)

My Mom was here

My Mom was here for a visit over the past week. It was sort of a blur and didn't feel at all like we got a whole week in.

We celebrated her birthday, Christmas, went antique shopping, she spent a half of a day at work with me, she went swimming with the kids, we played a lot of Scrabble,

and one day we went to the zoo where Grandma fed a wild animal....

Today I dropped her off at the airport, cried a little (hey, it's my Mom and I love her!) and then proceeded to work.

Work has been sketchy since they let people go and we are in the middle of switching computer systems which involves barcoding all of our inventory, changing the way we do orders, and well..pretty much everything else.

Then I came home and heated up left overs for supper (turkey curry, yum!) and decided I better get on with making cookies for the cookie exchange at work tomorrow. Why yes, I did put off making 3 dozen cookies until the last minute, why do you ask?

It's now 11:54 and I need to be up in less that 7 hours for work...kinda tired now. But Ashley assures me my peppermint biscotti would make Martha proud!

P.S. I have most pictures from Mom's visit on facebook. I think most of my readers are on facebook so I didn't feel the need to re-post them here. If you're not, drop me a line and I'll get you access to the pictures. Thanks!