BlogJolt: A Readable Feast

Alex is a February baby, which means that he was close to be 1 years old on his first Christmas. Mostly that explains why we had our Christmas tree on the coffee table that year. But it also meant that we got to explore the huge world of Baby Christmas books that are out there.

Ann-Marie, at A Readable Feast, put together an awesome list of baby holiday books. Check them out, Holiday Baby Reads, I know a couple friends with new babies or babies on the way, so check out her list for a great book for your kiddo.

Alex's favorite was a cloth book about decorating a Christmas tree. The ornaments all attached with buttons and snaps, and if I remember right the decorated tree could be removed and displayed as a sort of advent. Loved that book, but it has sadly gone the way of the Do-Do.

This year we are reading, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It always makes me so sad to see Who-ville stripped bare and empty.

So what are your favorite Holiday reads?

Hey ya!

Trying hard to keep my chin up and karma clean based on some advice froma friend. What better way to feel better then A Charley Brown Christmas Reduex.

Like little porcuipines

Today wasn't such a good day, our air conditioner might have died, which means a possible big expense right beofer Christmas. So to make myself feel better I did a Biori stripe, gotta love those things. It should gross me out, what comes out of my face, but I find myself fascinated by it. So to make sure I was really cheered up I Biori'd my nose and chin. hooray

Safe and Sound in the Sand

Bella in Alex's sandbox.

Saturday, when Alex and I went to lock the dogs on the deck before going to see Happy Feet, we discovered that Twain and Bella were missing. Penny was there, mellow and not worried looking, but Mutt and Jeff were gone. We discovered a HUGE hole in the fenceline behind the shed, it looked like something dug in and then torn down some of the boards. And of course Bella and Twain took the opportunity to go on a Joy Ride.

This is something that usually only happens on my watch. Casey was sleeping in, trying to get over the cold he had, and I should have been paying more attention to them then I was. We have trained our dogs to alert us to any activity along the fencelines and to bark and guard. Twain being more seasoned then Bella, would normally stay in the yard. Bella, who is usually our scaredy cat, must have been tempted beyond habit to go through the fence. Twain, who is bonded to the girls left with her, a kind of Grey Ghost protector.

So poor Casey had to get up out of bed, and in a hurry, and climb over the fenceline and down into the greenbelt to find the dogs. Alex and I hopped in the car to take a drive through the neighborhood, and our neigbors went on a drive in the opposite direction helping us out. Casey ended up finding Twain and Bella about 10 houses down on the creekbed shoulder, playing with a pack of dogs in another yard. Twain, always happy to see his Dad came immediately, but Bella got confused and scared until she realized it was Casey. Alex and I were so happy to see Casey coming back to the houes through the brush with two leashs straining into the weeds, since the weeds are taller then the dogs right now.

We ended up spending the next hour fixing the fence, hobbling it together with odd boards, nails, chicken wire, and staples. We even piled brush on the backside of it and I blocked part of the area with an old Alex playset.

So in a effort to stay alert, like our dogs, I have been checking on them everytime they give the alarm bark, looking out the windows, and walking the yard multiple times a day with them. When I am in my craft room, I can see only part of the yard, but if Bella is in the Sandbox, or Penny is in the Fort, then I know all is well and safe.

Bland breakfast, so comforting.

This morning is grey, windy, and surprisingly warm. We are getting ready to have an Artic Blast come through the area, so I have to prep the yard and house today for the freezing temperatures. When the weather is like this, I just want to snuggle down and nest. So I made myself an ultra bland breakfast of scrambles with cheese, an English Muffin, and a pear. Coffee of course rounds out the meal, and my project on-table is there to remind to me hurry up and finish so I can get busy again.

I am starting to feel a Christmas "hang over". I just want all the decorations to be done, the cards ready to go out, and the presents mostly wrapped and ready to put under the tree. And of course I really want to get all the shipping presents out and on their way. So much to do.

Out on a Limb and so Happy about it

I was contacted today by the owner of a scrapstore that I applied to be on their Design team. My application was moved to the consideration pile that her team picks from for the DT. Seriously this news made me so happy that I Whooped on the phone to Casey when I saw the email. I will know more by December 15th, so wish me luck! Now it is just a waiting game, so I am going to channel all this nervous energy into my business, house, and Christmas gifts.

Focus

I really believe that if my To-Do list requires more then one piece of sticky paper, then I am not doing something right. Today I need to focus, need to finish my list, want to finish my list. My list doesn't even include Christmas stuff, can you believe that it is less then 30 days away. Holy Smokies. In an effort to stay on task, I am staying away from my PC till everything is done. Seriously, I am serious here. :)

Merry and Bright

Christmas is coming at the Boyles Household. The tree goes up today, and I am thinking of starting on the outside lights too. After making Chocohotopots by Nigella of course.

The sky is slightly smudged today, sooty with peeps of blue. It looks like it would feel crisp and cold, but it is surprisingly warm. Alex and I are flying solo and we have a loose schedule today, the last day before he returns to school. We have had leftovers for break-fix and lunch and plan on finishing off more later. He is iris deep in lego star wars 1, and I am so tempted to give in and sit and knitknitknit. I want the feel of bamboo and wool in my hands. I want the rhythm and click, the soft hum of creation. I mostly want to finish what is on my sticks. I have so much to do!

But first there is kitchen clean up, tree setup, Alex laundry, and mad amounts of vaccuuming due to the pups being inside last night, and then it is time to indulge in crafty goodness.

You can spy on my thankful journal, two christmas presents, and my ever evolving planner in here.

This project must end soon, I am getting B-O-R-E-D.

Quick Shots

How Much Fiber Is Your Turkey Missing?

Sammie Lovin' On Casey

My Moms Thanksgiving Dinner Table

What?! You want me to eat that?

Can't sleep visions of Africam.com in my head

So what do you do when you can't sleep. I have all ready taken a hot shower, tried laying down again, so now I am making my third blog post for the day, and then i am going to watch Africam for a while.

Today I tackled my pantry shelves. I knocked out the pantry floor yesterday, it was really bad, so here are my before and afters.

Ah damn, blogger is being rude with my pictures.

time to go watch africam

I am in the holiday mood

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?Both, but mostly Hot Chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? MUST BE WRAPPED!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?I like color on trees, white on houses
4. Do you hang mistletoe?Nope, I am not into the poisen hanging fromt he rafters thing.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Well I have been doing it slowly for the last three days, but mostly I start somewhere right around thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I love honeyed ham, especially the little bits that fall off as my Dad cuts it.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Nightime with my great Grandma brushing my hair and telling me stories of her life with only the Christmas tree lights on
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Hmmm, I don't really remember
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I would always beg to open one up,now with Alex we do one on Christmas eve.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I have some special ones to Casey and I, but mostly I have gone with a Ball theme. My mom is the queen of ornaments, so many different ones and collectables like Lenox
11. Snow: love or hate it? I dunno, love it since it is a novelty to me. One white Christmas would be awesome
12. Can you ice skate?yeah, passably.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Nope.
14. What's your favorite thing about the holidays? the conversations that happen when people get together and the only thing on are the lights and fireplace
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? All the cookies that people give out, and the lupia that our neighbor makes for us!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?Our Christmas Eve get together, it is new to us since moving to texas, but it is special
17. What tops your tree? My glass blown Santa from childhood, it is precious to me
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? I love to give, but honestly, I LOVE LOVE LOVE to recieve, selfish I know, but come one it IS Christmas
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Santa baby and Little Drummer boy by Windem Hill
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Blah
21. What's number one on your Christmas list this year? Ummm, a New Digital Camera or a Dyson Animal. :O)

Thank FULL!

I am thankful for these four pups who guard our home, keep us safe, and give us limitless amounts of love.

I am thankful for this amazing little boy who loves us so well, is addicted to computer games, is smarter and funnier then any other little boy I know, and who is mine.
I am thankful for the special moment I had with Penny and Betty last night. The Queen, her Princess, and her Baroness all relaxed, mellow, and warm.
I am so very thankful for this man, who loves us deeply, has done so much for us, and who is getting sick *again* today. I love you Casey.
I am also so thankful for our very full fridge and pantry. In a world were so many go without, we are abundantly blessed with food.

I am thankful for my parents who are supportive in everyway. Who love us all and who can never ever get old.

I am thankful for my girlfriend Lisa, who is my soul sister in so many ways. I wish we were closer during this comfort months. I love you girlie.

I am thankful for friends and family near and far, for those who i don't talk to very often, but you are all in my thoughts and prayers. We love and miss you.

I am thankful for so much more, but I am not going to cry!

Small Purge, Big Picture

I have offically become a middle of the day coffee drinker, Ilove to reheat it add some cream and just enjoy especially after noon. Bliss.Scary messy dresser that is harboring loads and loads of junk and old clothes. Two drawers don't shut, and the top to drawers are full of junk. Don't even get me started on the top.
An hour and a half later, I have systematically gone from top to bottom and purged, cleaned, tossed, and put in a garage sale box. I washed all my makeup brushes, dusted all the do-dads, and cleaned out my jewelry box. I purged all the stretched out hair ties and added my coin piggy for the randon pocket change that ends up somewhere in there. I fix the non0shutting drawers and have one drawer entirely empty waiting for tanks, and another that holds only my wedding veil. Hooray! Notice that garage bag in front of it, that is full of trash from the dresser. Oh. My. God. I think I am going to shop around for a larger mirror to go over it. Maybe Target.
Sleeping Carpet Muffin, sorry have to have a crass joke in here somewhere.
Casey's day today, nasal crack, Freebreeze, and IPA. Sweet.

Hello clean

Cleaning went successfully well, so many bags of trash went out to the curb and I know we will have double that on Thursday. So now that things are clean, we are able to do some purging. I want to start with our bedroom tomorrow, closet and dressers. My dresser has so much junk it, things I am not even aware of any more. So into a big pile will go clothes that can no longer be worn, off to the Salvation Army they will go.

One of the things I love about having a big house is that I can see our baseboards. We have always lived in places that were packed to the rafters with stuff, literally every inch of wall space would be taken up with furniture or something. Moving into this house meant loads of space, especially in our bedroom which is a strict no TV zone. But I find myself anxious every time the floor is clean in our bedroom, meaning all the laundry is picked up and put away. So I am thinking we need to start looking into a loveseat and small table to have up there, a reading space. We both love to curl up with books and snuggle down, what better place then our bedroom.

We have also unofficially stated that the front room will become an exercise room. Right now it has our two hutches which I want to move into our dinning nook, and some random chairs. And it is only ever "used" during Christmas time. With this solution we can get the Elliptical out of the dinning nook and the hutches in, maybe I will remember all the great serving ware and china and crystal I have that way. Ultimately I would love for the entire downstairs to be tiled or laminate flooring. We have way to many critters that track in dirt for carpet. Looks like we might have found a source for either one through a friend of a friend. Hmmmmm, plans and more plans.

I pulled out the Christmas decorations today. I have started one box at a time, mostly focusing on the mantel, which is my favorite part of our Christmas decorations besides the tree. I love our mantel at Christmas time. I was feeling like I was missing some things, and what do you know, I have 4 boxes up here in my craft room. Holy cow, how could I miss all that stuff! LOL! I am in a small mission to find out if I have any leftover Christmas cards or do I need to buy some. I usually buy next years cards right after Christmas, but I have a funny feeling that I forgot to do that last year.

Now I am off to digging in those boxes and enjoy the cappuccino that Casey made me. yum

November Listed

1. I have a pile of Scrap projects to finish, so much to mess with.
2. Casey and I are going to spend the next week cleaning and purging our house from top to bottom. I promise to post the gory picture details, you remember my last couple messes right?
3. I made taco cups tonight for dinner, one of the meals I enjoy every step of the process, from the dicing, the baking, the cooking, the serving, the topping, the enjoying, and the lovely leftovers.
4. Today was a loose and casual day at Sea World. We had zero agenda, no time frame, and no camera. It was glorious being free from any constraints. With the Hospitality brew of Pumpkin Spice Ale and a new Stone Mill Pale organiz Ale, usually was just a wee bit better.
5. We talked my mom into a turkey for thanksgiving, huzzah!
6. I know that I have a couple readers, but ya'll never comment, Come on, I dare you!
7. I am getting excited about the new beginning of a new year. January 1st holds a very special feeling.
8. Casey and I have been talking Christmas gifts, we have to really plan out our shopping agenda due to his upcoming travel schedule. Santa in our house this year is going to be busy up to Christmas Eve, unlike last years Black Friday Santa.
9. I have been entertaining myself at night while trying to fall asleep by remodeling my kitchen in my mind, I think i ahve even figured out a way to open up the corner with the fridge and eliminate the weird shallow hall closet, but tucking the fridge into the back of it fromt he side wall and opening it up into exposed hall shelving. I can see my cookbooks there.
10. Betty really needs to be groomed.
    

Drink Me

Once long ago I saw these somewhere online and of course they were not available, and they always stayed inthe back of my mind as a oh lucky me day if I found them again. I just did a quick search and FOUND THEM!!! There is no way I could justify them right now, but aren't they adorable. They are Alice in Wonderland Salt and Pepper Shakers by the way.

Treasure Craft Alice In Wonderland Salt & Pepper Set

A Naked Mantel

Today I removed the Spooky Town from our mantel and it will sit naked till the day after thanksgiving. Then, hello Christmas!

I went to the library today for a knitting group, it was so nice to sit in a newly remodeled room knitting with a bunch of funny ladies and then come home to melt into the corner of the couch reading all the cookbooks I checked out. Nigella's Feast, is just about the best piece of heaven on paper that I have ran across in a long time. I have reread the thanskgiving and Christmas sections twice now. Luckily I have the Christmas cooking duty this year and I want to go all out with a full Nigella menu, hmmmm. Maybe even the Coke ham. Anyways, I have been avoiding this book since it didn't seem to be up to Nigella in my whacked opinion, but I now have to have it, chalk up one more little thing on my Christmas list.

Achievements

When I was little I was briefly in Girl Scouts, I loved it, but I mostly loved the snack tin which was a Folgers coffee can with a clown head screwed to the lid. I waited and waited for my turn to have the snack tin so I could deliever it to my troop with pride. I also have a vague memory of making gingerbread houses. Then in High School, my freshman year, my group of girlfriends and I started a small troop of Girl scouts, mostly so we could go off campus at lunchtime to have our "meetings". My friend Selena's mom was our tropp leader and she found so awesome things for us to do, like work the All Star game when it was held in San Diego, I got a awesome jersey for free. Then one time we took the train downtown and had lunch. But it was never really the whole enchilada expierence.

Last year as Alex finished Kindergarten, we decided to join Cub Scouts and at the time I was suckered into becoming a Tiger Cub Den leader, and it has been the best thing ever! It is so much fun having a common goal to work towards with Alex. I have 12 other 1st graders that I see every week and we work on monthly themes. These boys are the best, so happy and excited and PROUD! Tonight, my entire Den was awarded at least 7 awards each. AND we sold the most popcorn out of our entire pack so we get a pizza party. Alex, he earned three patches and six belt loops and 4 achievement beads. I am so proud of my tigers, especially my own.

Crafty Goodness

One of my favorite things about Flylady is her control journal. Well last night I was in a crafty mood, and I busted out this altered binder, all the fun glitter stickles work is not really visable with this shot, but I love it.

I am worried about my organizer though, it is missing in action and I am feeling lost with out it.

Please take one minute to do this, for my Mother in Law, for all women and for yourself

Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress

If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.
It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important...please take the time and do it really quick!
Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.

Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.

PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number

http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/breast_mastectomy_pledge.html

This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS.

PS......YOUR MEN FRIENDS are also at risk. PASS IT ON TO EVERYONE!

The flannel is calling...

By all intents and purposes I should be sound asleep in bed right this instant. But the lingering issues with the router bothered me while I was enjoying the warmth and quiet and snuggly-ness that is our bed. So up I am and now blogging after fixing the simple issue.

This past weekend has been a mass of activity. We had our cub 'n one camping trip this weekend and Alex and I doubled up with our asst. den leader Misty and her two boys, one who is one of my tigers. So after a super early rising, a stop at McD's, a one mile hike into the forest with wagons and coolers in tow and multiple rescues of toppled pillows and sleeping bags, we were finally able to setup camp and then head to opening ceremonies. We fished, did crafts, shot BB guns, Archery, orientating, soccer, heard loads of happy shouts of Miss Nicole, and practiced nap taking, and flag etiquette all before our feet balked and made up park it in the field before the closing flag ceremonies. We had only one causality and that was Alex getting a fish hook in the side of his hand, luckily it was very shallow, but a small trip to the First Aid office fixed us right up. And then the night drama started, we waited in line for all most an hour before we could get dinner, BUT then we were smart and dashed off to the camp site to beat everyone to the hot showers (which we had for a really long time), then it was snuggle down in bed time and tell scary stories. I thrilled the boys with "bloody fingers" anyone else remember that? Then Misty's husband called and told us that it was going to be in the high 30's instead of the mid 40's. So I rearranged Alex and I's sleeping situation and we bunked down early for a cold night. And was it ever cold! But here is the random drama, our air mattress had a leak, so we ended up roughing it on the ground, the trains then came through (while I was having a dream about tornados) and then the coyotes got started from the train whistles and started venturing into camp. We had night terrors with two boys, and multiple wake ups to check covers and wake up exposed freezing hands. All to get up early, pack, struggle with the tent, re-hike it out of the park for a mile and back to the truck.

BUT we rewarded ourselves with real orange-aid at breakfast and lots of mellow time today.

So tonight, our warm flannel covers, temperature controlled home, and quiet neighborhood is very welcome... but I was thinking about the router.

Just because...

He Loves Me

Changes

I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that

Leave it to Bowie to make something that is difficult sound so happy and hum-able. Or should that be Humble? Change is one of those things, for me, that I don't really enjoy, and this is where it gets honest, because I don't like the extra work, effort, and fear from trying something new that it brings. Do I want change, yes. Do I expect (and even sometimes demand) others to change, Yes. Do I wish it was easy and painless, yes. Of course if "change" is easy then it isn't really change and one is just saying it is Change in order to feel accomplished and therefore better about themselves. I am selfishly stubborn about personal change. Habits die a slow miserable death with me, and make me slow and miserable in the process, and usually those around me too. But today I noticed an apology where there normally isn't one. And that apology has been there for at least 3 other occasions in the last two weeks. First time, fluke. Second time, novel. Third time, made me think and therefore uncomfortable with the change. Fourth time, I realize that I am an ass, and if that apology can be sitting there shiny and bright and new, then I can change too.

God damn, I am feeling raw and exposed and isolated. See here is the beginning, the painful parts are digging in and making me aware. Crap...

A Monday list, beginnings

• 2007 Calendars, so many beautiful ones to select from, still think we are staying with the William Wayhem Weim Calendars.
• Finished a scrap project, hooray! All ready have another one out and busy. Love that.
• Heavy purple clouds hanging by a drop in the sky all day.
• WinAmp Ambient Lounge cast, nice and mellow.
• Updating my planner, needed to add more mono's to the rest of the calendar.
• Greeting Card browsing, love the images.
• Seeing an old friend/co-worker, and falling right back into the groove.
• Curlie haired Betty
• I have a wonderful breeze blowing through my craft room window, the rustles that come with it are like small fairy conversations.
• Thinking of Lisa, it is my comfort time of year and Lisa was and is always right there with it.
• Melting ice water, so fresh.
• Feeling the scrap mojo coming back, it disappeared for a short time.
• Seeing a friend from Cub Scouts who was so full of LIGHT after a spiritual retreat this past week. I told his wife tonight that he was glowing, and she was so happy she had tears come to her eyes as she told me, "I know!". Love that.
• The emerald green from Great Expectations, and the long abandoned party tables covered with leaves and moss and cobwebs just waiting for the party to continue.

Blast from the past into the present

Today Alex and I headed to Sea World to see Jack Hanna and his neato animals. I use to watch Jack Hanna as a kid and was so excited to hear that he was coming to town. So instead of coming home after taking Casey to the airport and sleeping, we made breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, played with the pups, played a wee bit of Age of Empires 3, and then went to Sea World so early that we were literally the 5th car in the lot. the great thing about that was they had the horses and dolphines open, it is great to be able to see the dolphines when they are playful and there are not millions of people pushing around Alex. We ended up hanging out with a family of four, with two super little kids, and between us two moms and three trays of fish, we both got some great pictures of our kids touching the dolphines and flinging fishes into the pool. :O) Gotta love mom team work, plus we both admitted that we were looking for those scrappable shots. *tee hee*

Alex on top of one of those huge cement pile-ons in the parking lot

Alex in the early morning parking lot
Dolphine Fun

After riding the Shamu express, climbing like a monkey all over the kids gym, it was finally time to get seats for the Jack Hanna show. We saw Sun bears, a blinded bald eagel, a fox, an alligator, a pair of Candian Linx, penguins, some prehistoric looking bird that I swear was going to chomp this one kids head off, boas, and a baby kanagroo. Jack Hanna was generious and happily posed and signed all manner of things for the entire crowd. He signed Alex's shirt for us, and Alex was happy! Time to frame it up with the photo below.

Jack Hanna in the flesh

After all the show craziness, Alex and I decided to ride the Rio Loco, because what else are you going to do in November but ride a rapids ride guarenteed to get you wet?

This picture pretty much sums up the day!

Casey makes up one of those lines today

sleepy promises

Tonight I cuddled with Alex for an extra long time. I was tracing his face and pressing those comfort spots on his face when he has a nose cold. Poor guy is getting the sniffles. While running my finger tips over the bridge of his nose and sweeping them under his eye over the thinnest of skin, I thought of his small skull under my hands, the delicate bones, the image of it and knowing that some day it will be that way, just a skull. That made me want to keep him so close and dear, to dash away all thoughts of time marching forward. I whispered that I will always keep him safe, while I watched his eyelashes flutter on his cheeks and I listened to the sweet rhythm of his breath, while we cuddled in folds of flannel and sleep.

Pic-O-rama

Beware of large Amounts of Photos to Follow...

Zombi again
Another fun Zombie
My Pumpkin with Casey's mouth idea
Betty BOO
Casey's Reaper Pumpkin

Maybe only half the Candy Casey purchased

Tonights Dinner, Lemon Chicken, Oven Fries a la Nicole (seriously that is the name of the recipe) and Asparagus that turned out to not be so good. And you get a small peekie of our new dinnerware.