Christmas Eve we finally got some family photos taken. it was a great night full of family, food, chocolate (jack and i should probably join a 12 step program after the holidays...) and presents.:) we are blessed with so much loving family. Merry Christmas to all! 
it's a good thing i knit like a ninja.:) soooooo many presents to knit this year. 2 kinds of hats, headbands, dishcloths, doll hats and scarves! it's helped keep the cost of Christmas low. and it has helped keep me out of the crowded, germ-infested stores. that's reason enough for me to confidently say that next year there will be more knitted gifts. better knitted gifts! i have to start early. maybe sweater vests? felted purses? i am almost getting excited just thinking about it. what a yarn nerd.:) do you love yarn? 
dad, mom, jack and i took a little roadtrip to be with angie and family for their first Christmas in Minot, North Dakota. it was such a blessing to be able to have the time available to do it! 5 days of fun fun fun!:)
jack loves a good chase around the house. laugh laugh laugh, "don't det me!!!". this was december 13th after the Church Christmas Program.
just one song... i worked for months with jack on "away in a manger". he had the actions down and even had the words, for the most part. yet, i know that JACK DOES NOT PERFORM ON COMMAND.:) i would just be happy if he stood up there and did not make a scene. practices were frustrating. don't you love it when small children dart away from you with a saucy look in their eye and a laugh? i even bribed him with the thing he holds most dear -- CHOCOLATE. the night of the program, to my surprise, jack walked down the aisle and calmly stood there (not on the stairs like he was supposed to, but close enough.)for an entire verse! he stood completely still and gave everyone "the eyebrows". about 3 words into the second verse he bolted down the aisle, but he didn't make a disturbance! i am a very pleased mama. better luck next year!!!
is it "playing dress up" if you are half naked? this is the second time i have taken a photo of jack in diaper and rain boots. but, this time he asked me to. "mama, take my picture!". of course i couldn't say no!:) not when the photo subject is so awesome. so, in about 10 years or so, he can't blame me!
i find it very sweet that dan likes to take photos of jack with the fish that he catches. dan also likes to show jack how to clean the fish. not that jack would ever touch the fish! jack is afraid of them. he will tell you very interesting stories about throwing the fish in the water, and then throwing rocks at the fish.
took jack to his first story time wednesday. it was wonderful (except for the weather. 5 degrees.). the librarian read about 7 or 8 books, sang a bunch of songs with the kids, and afterwards every child got a candy cane and an animal bookmark. i am sure that this is going to become a huge event for us. as it is, jack just turned 2 1/2 and he is a bit shy. he loved it, though. in fact, he cried when we had to leave. that's my boy!
Christmas begins with decorating the tree. Little bits of Christmas every day with a Christmas Advent Calendar. Other ways to sprinkle a little Christmas magic every day is to listen to as much Bing/Sinatra/Perry Como/Rosemary Clooney/Dean Martin/Nat King Cole Christmas tunes as you possibly can. Then there's the cookie making. And then there's the present wrapping. And, every day there seems to be a new present that i am knitting. Christmas begins... and lingers all December long!
andy turned 15 dec. 5th. we had a "little" family party for him. he got a snowmobile windshield. that's different.:) i "baked" him a doughnut "cake". the doughnuts at the super one bakery in baxter, mn are very very nice. andy was very very happy.:) happy bday, andy!
what a great day! dinner for 12! centerpieces! 6 pies! this was the best photo of the day -- my mom pretending to beat auntie nancy over the head with a turkey leg.:) silly girl.
went on a road trip with my mom and auntie lana last saturday. we went to trader joe's, a fabric warehouse, IKEA, and the albertville outlet malls. that's a lot of shopping! it was fun and exhausting. we arrived at IKEA just in time for lunch at the cafeteria. i had the stuffed salmon with sides, and a princess cake! if you know me at all...you will know that this was very very exciting for me.:) the sunny cafeteria had a view you don't get every day -- the mall of america! which we didn't even consider as a shopping destination for the day.
jack had just got up from a nap. he was still groggy and wanted a snuggle. the camera was at hand. i thought i'd get in a few shots of us together. you know, so he'd know i was around.:)
jack helped himself to some cupcakes the other day.:) naughty! but, so cute. he pushed a chair over to the counter. i didn't think he really knew the cupcakes were in that container. i guess i underestimated him! he unwrapped 4 of them, and licked the frosting off of about 5. there's also one with a bite out from the previous day. what a scamp!:) was he repentant? NO! you have never seen anyone so pleased with himself. 
jack likes to steal our shoes and wear them around. this day it was my current favorite knit slippers. at least he wears them with ATTITUDE.
for now.:) sometimes i lay on the floor next to jack's bed when he starts a nap. sometimes i fall asleep myself...only to be awakened by the sound of my own snoring! he wanted to sleep this way with his head on my arm. once again i had my camera. don't know why, but i was so glad.
jack has a toddler bed. it's a hand-me-down from angie's kids. he's WILD about it. love! i am glad. i was worried he might make a fuss about moving out of his "cribby". as soon as dan put it together jack wanted to get in it. dan piled a bunch of love seat cushions in it and made a little bed, complete with pillow and blankies, for jack. jack reminded me of the "princess and the pea" fairytale. once again i rushed for my camera.
well, here's jack's favorite buddy. papa dan! papa came over to visit the other day. jack immediately took him by the hand and led him to his bedroom. then he got behind papa and pushed papa's behind right through the door.:) then he shut the door. after a bit i heard them playing "rock 'em sock 'em robots" and had to get a photo.
jack calls these a "mus mash". he takes a drink from his cup and laughs saying he has a "mus mash like papa!". :) this mus mash was made out of homemade kool-aid play-doh.
