Been busy, I swear!!!!

Well, it's finally Christmas break! I kinda wanted to keep the schooling going, the boys and I have finally gotten into a good rhythm with lessons and getting things done---but I can't make them do schoolwork during Christmas break, LOL!!! Baby boo has been extremely "busy" since he turned 2 at the end of October. He does not like when we do schoolwork, because we aren't all paying full attention to him!! I try to sit him at the table with us and give him stuff to do but it only works for a few minutes and then he's climbing onto the table, grabbing books and papers and pencils and running away. He has his own cycle he follows, go bang on the computers---get removed---go climb the gate and ransack the kitchen----get removed and distracted by toys or books---3 minutes later go climb the gate and run up the stairs to ransack the boys' bedroom---get removed and an attempt to divert is successful---for 3 minutes. All the while I am teaching multiplication and division, or reading aloud with the boys about Puritans or Renaissance Italy. It was surely easier when he took 2 naps a day---and took longer naps!!!

So needless to say, we have been very busy. I know I haven't posted since mid-October (I'm sorry, as it is I have to post now in the middle of the night to be uninterrupted, LOL!) I will quickly catch you all up on what we've been up to these past couple of months!



The Boo-boy turned 2 on October 29th and we had a nice party for him. Here he is just tickled pink that everyone is singing to HIM! It's funny because the other kids (at this age) usually cried and hid when everyone sang, but not our fearless Seamus!





Halloween was fun! I made Mario and Luigi costumes for Sean and Jaret. I didn't have time to make anything for Seamus, so I got him a Tigger costume and he was so cute! He was a trooper, he lasted nearly the whole time we were out until he got tired and threw his little body onto someone's driveway and screamed and kicked his legs---until he heard someone yell Trick or Treat, then he was up and running for the next house again, LOL! He went in the stroller for the rest of the trip.









Thanksgiving was at our house this year. The boys and I got the crafty bug (finally!) and we made a bunch of pine cone pilgrims, Native Americans and turkeys! We had a blast and decided that we need to start being crafty again!
Here is the centerpiece I made out of artichokes, green beans and asparagus, with some candles and pinecones thrown in---I saw it in a magazine and thought it would be perfect for my table!
You can kind of see some of the pinecone people. Unfortunately we didn't seem to take any pictures of them and I didn't realize this until I had already packed them up and shipped them to the attic. There is always next year


Here is my centerpiece lit up, so pretty! Simple things thrill me, ok??? hahaha!


Here is the pumpkin Scott carved for the festivities, it was so cool all lit up!


The whole family came over for dinner, I made two turkeys, enough stuffing for an army, lots of festive snacks and we capped it all off with my Aunts' delicious pumpkin pies!

Speaking of my Aunt, her birthday was in October as well and I started a wallhanging for her, I need to quilt it yet, but here it is so far.
My goal for 2008 is to get all my WIP's quilted (or send them out to be quilted!) I have some embroidery embellishments to do on the green leaf but after Christmas I plan to get back to practicing my machine quilting so I can try to quilt this ASAP!








While going through stuff while we were busy packing (for a move that hasn't happened yet and may not---at least for this house that we wanted) I found this pattern by Debbie Mumm which I forgot I had. I wanted to do some sort of Advent calendar this year, but I just never seemed to get around to it. I found an AWESOME blog Called Sunshine's Creations
She has the most beautiful Yo-Yo Advent Calendar pattern with instructions for 24 different ornaments to put on it----this will be my next project (after I get all my quilts quilted!)

We all ventured out on December 5th, in the midst of our first snowstorm, to cut down a Christmas tree. We went out into the country to a cut your own farm and we looked and looked for what seemed to be hours and couldn't find the perfect tree! We were just about to decide to look through the precut trees and all of a sudden a tree was calling my name!!! Scott and I went down a steep hill to check out a bunch of trees and there were 3 good possibilities but they all were forgotten when I found our perfect tree ---finally!!!! He cut it down in a flash and the kids all piled back into the van to warm up while we got it shaken and bundled and Scott meticulously fastened it to the roof of our van. We drove home singing Christmas carols and stopped and got some tacos and had a feast (yes, hot chocolate and tacos do seem to go well together!)

The tree is smaller than our usual size tree, but it is still beautiful. I have some pics but keep in mind, the baby is very often pulling off the garland or taking off ornaments and putting them back on or throwing them---so it looks a little disheavled right now, LOL!

We started to make a popcorn and cranberry garland for it, but we realized that Seamus would probably try to eat it if it were low enough for him to reach---he adores popcorn. So, we just did a couple strands and decided to keep it far away from his eager hands--and mouth!

The crafty bug stayed with the kids and I. We decided to make papier mache' and salt dough ornaments---here is what we came up with:

These are some of mine, sorry the flash is so bright on a few of them!


I have a major thing for Belsnickles and Snowmen!!!

Here are some of Sean's---he's had also gotten quite fond of Belsnickles and snowmen!









Here are Jeremy's---






And Jaret's ornaments--


We've also been busy making cookies and candy for gifts, I'll have pictures of those later.

So, that's what we've been up to these last couple months! I am looking forward to Christmas, I know hubby was looking through my Connecting Threads and Keepsake Quilting catalogs and making note of the things I had (conveniently) highlighted! I'm expecting a quilty Christmas, which to me, is the best kind for me, but the absolute best Christmas is one where our family is all together and happy and healthy---that is the best gift anyone can receive!

I hope your holidays are wonderful! I won't be such a stranger anymore, I promise!

Oh, and Happy Solstice and Merry Yule!