Merry Christmas

If you are reading this, there is a good chance we miss you very much right now.  I wish Christmas was a portal that lead you to a place where all the people you love are.  Like Quantum Leap, but different.  Actually, nothing like Quantum Leap.  That would be awful.

Wish you were here & tons of Love & hope your holidays are like a portal that is not on Quantum Leap!

In my family, we open one present on Christmas Eve.  I was lucky enough to marry into a family that has the same tradition.  

Tonight was Harper’s first Christmas Eve, and she had a wonderful time.  She tore wrapping paper, ate a box, and even partied past 7:00 p.m. with new buddies.  Lets cross our fingers she keeps the good times coming.  I think she will as she LOVES her Grammy & Granddad, ripping wrapping paper, boxes, food and Florida.

Pack It Up

She is cute, right.  I mean, come on.  I’m her mom, I might not be objective about her all the time, but she is way cute.

Her poo smells.  I mean bad.  Like, ‘Why did I not even try elimination communication!?!’ bad.  What can I do (other than hand her over to Skylar)?  Is there some magic make my baby’s poo stop smelling like feral dogs who eat stick bombs and roll in possum doo food?

Any-who, we are headed out to Florida, to spend Christmas with Skylar’s parents.  This morning, the weather channel was predicting a high of 2 and a low of 1 in Chicago tomorrow.  There is probably a foot or more of snow out there, too.  Aaa, Florida!  I cannot wait.  Sun, swimming, and please, oh please, a break from this eczema that has taken over our family.  We are very dry and very uncomfortable. 

Kippy Christmas

Skylar’s office holiday party was at Dave and Busters this year.  I have not played arcade games since I was a kid, and can I just say, I have gotten way better.  With a few ticket donations from our friends, we were able to win this classy Care Bear for Harper.  Her Kippy Christmas could not have been better.

I ended up making a bone for Dignon out of drop cloth material.  I like the color.  It is sturdy and rugged, but minimal.  It is also very poorly made, in a somewhat charming way.  He loves it.

The cats’ felt catnip mice are beyond adorable.  However, felt is not an ideal material for cat toys, as it is already somewhat disintegrating with their drool and teethmarks.  

Merry Kippy Christmas from out kitties and puppy to yours!

Harper’s First Snow

Oh, I can’t tell you how beautiful the first snow of the season is, or can I even attempt to show you in a snapshot.  Before moving to Chicago last year, I had only lived in Texas and California.  You can imagine my shock at winter.  Last year there was snow on the ground from November through February, maybe March.  The biggest shock is that I freaking love it!  OMG!  This first snow’s timing could not have been better, December 1st.  The advent calender’s first chocolate has been eaten, presents are wrapped, I found the Christmas music channel on my cable (O.K. that was one step too far.)

I bundled up Harper, and set her on a blanket (to keep he from getting wet) in the front ‘yard’.  It is more a like an exaggerated planter.  She quietly surveyed her surroundings; cold, gray, damp, void of color.  Her expression remained fixed, hating it but not wanting to cry, for fear her tears would only add to the chilly damp.  She tried briefly to play in it, but it just made her mittens wet. I’m not sure if she was trying to play in it, as much as dig out the world she once knew.  ‘Where did it go?  Grass?  Leaves?  DIRT?  What will I eat?’

Christmas Craft Conundrum

Awe, last year’s tree.

I am not crafty by nature, but the time has come for me to break out a glue gun of some sort and figure out solutions to these problems:

1) Is there a way to craft an attractive and sturdy dog toy?

*I did find this recipe for doggy donuts that I think will be fabulous.

2) We need a Christmas tree alternative.  There is no way to childproof a Christmas tree, and I’m not too keen on how one looks with a baby gate around it.  (Not to mention, I’m not too keen on spending the cash on a baby gate for a Christmas tree.)

*I always wanted to make these Design*Sponge paper ornaments, but I’m not sure if it will be enough…

Any ideas?

Shout Out to Skylar & Buy my Cookies

Skylar’s crazy busy time at work is over, so he took over tending to Harper for me this weekend.  A saint, I tell you, the man is a saint.  I am a lucky lady.  

I took the time to turn his ‘office’ into my craft room.  He is just finding this out as he reads this, but I’m sure he saw it coming for a while now.  Like, when, a few weeks ago we moved his stuff into the basement… 

Inspired by Design Mom’s post about the felt food craze, I went to town making Christmas gifts for Harper, Spanky (formerly known as Skanky) and Trixie.  

I made felt cookies For Harper, although the zip lock bag is what she really asked for.  

For Spanky, and Trixie, catnip filled dead felt mice.  They are in the fridge so they don’t go bad. 

I also got a head start on my holiday cookies.  This year, I’m selling them on Etsy, too.  Wish me luck!

Happy Holidays!

Skylar worked late tonight, so Harper and I played ‘Holiday Photo’ to pass the time.  I dressed her up in my Christmas jumper from when I was a baby,  rubbed warm water though her hair & dried it in an effort to tame her perpetual bedhead, sat her in front of the curtains of my dreams, pulled out some ribbon for props, got out the camera, and spent the evening hours beyond frustrated and feeling like a failure.  It is Harper’s favorite game.  Really, the only game she can play…  I have a new found respect for those people at the Sears Portrait Studio, whom we will soon be visiting with coupon in hand.  (Because, now that we are parents, it is mandatory we send out a photo card.  They don’t let you leave the hospital with the baby unless you promise, scout’s honor.) 

GPS for Cats

We have decided to do homemade presents for Kippy Christmas this year.

 What is Kippy Christmas?  Why, it is Christmas for kitties and puppies.  It is a big deal in our house.  It even has it’s own song.

I’ve been looking forward to sewing some plush toys for the pets that coordinate with our decor and that are machine washable.  (Not exactly what they would ask for if the could talk, or write letters to Santa, but they can’t, so there.)  That was until I saw a commercial for a portable personal GPS tracker!  If Trixie had one, I could see where she goes all day.  I could track her down and surprise her!  Dear reader, do you know, or know any one who would know, how to craft your own portable personal GPS tracker for a small cat?  What I lack in resources and know-how I make up for in motivation.