Small towns

My dad sent me the Sheriff's Dispatch Log from the local paper where I grew up... sounds like things are really hopping in Mariposa!

You gotta love small towns...

Dylan Jackson

I have a nephew!! He came two weeks early, and is absolutely perfect in all ways...



Seeing my younger sister as an adept mother is so strange, and yet so fitting. She seems so natural, like she's been doing it forever. The peace and calmness (and happiness!) that radiate from her when she's around her new son are intoxicating.


What's also strange and wonderful is seeing my parents as grandparents! Watching my dad look over the baby with both surprise and familiarity is really wonderful.

Oh, and those toes!! I can't get over how cute!!

Before we went to visit, I whipped together several pairs of pants for Dylan from Amy Butler's book Little Stitches. The pattern was so easy, I was able to complete 3 pairs in an evening, from tracing the pattern to hemming.

I can't wait to visit them again this weekend!

Catch Up

Wow... I still had a Christmas banner up, that's how long it's been since I've posted... or even visited my blog! Yipes!

Well, a lot has been happening around here, too much to update in one post, so here's a checklist to remind me...

• Mike's Surprise Birthday Trip to Portland, OR
• The 3 Missions & A Castle trip (planned by Mike)
  
• Our trip to New York
• My sister's baby shower (and what I made)
• Am I missing something?...

Oh yeah, all the baking The Oven has been doing of late...

Presents Made

Now that everyone has received their presents, I can show what I've been doing for the past several months. I already posted about some of the knitted hats I completed, and here's some more:

For my dad (modeled by Mike) {from the pattern found here}



For my sister {Koolhaas, found here}



And not quite done, but this is for my future niece/nephew {mini Koolhaas} Nephew! Finished here.



For my grandma I made this eyeglass case {inspired from a blog I can't locate - sorry}



For my step-niece I made this butterfly display {inspiration here, butterflies from Dover Sampler}



I made this pair of Fetching for my friend {pattern here}



This pair was made after making 2 3/4 gloves that didn't match in the slightest out of a wonderful, but poorly chosen variegated yarn.



Luckily they're a quick knit. I'm not giving up on them, I've bought 2 more skeins, and will knit until something matches.

The Mini Tree

When Mike and I first moved in together we lived in an apartment, and so when Christmas came around we went and found a mini potted tree to put on our coffee table because that's all we had room for. Every year, we would look forward to getting our mini tree and stringing lights on it, putting our construction paper star and homemade ornaments on it (often times so many that the tree kind of disappeared), and waiting for Santa to put presents around it. Then after Christmas was over, the tree would be taken to my parents and planted, to continue to remind us of our happy holiday.

Well this year, in our new house, with all it's spaciousness, we got a big tree. The biggest any of us have ever had. We got a bunch more ornaments and lights, a real star for the top, and anticipated Santa actually putting presents under the tree.


But, it just wouldn't be Christmas without our mini tree.

Merry Christmas

Thanksgiving for Two

I hope everyone had a good Turkey Day! Our first holiday in our new house was quiet, peaceful, and productive. (Soon I'll have "After" pics of my new sewing room!)