My kids didn’t actually do a great job of adding “straw” to the manger during Advent. So, I added a little extra before I took the photos today to show you the doll I made. Beatrix did share lots of clementine segments with her siblings though, so that she could add a “piece of straw” to the manger for baby Jesus. If the segment was refused, she would insist, because she really wanted to add a piece. Forcing food on people counts as sharing, right?
On Christmas Eve I had a choice between sewing cloth diapers for the girls’ dolls or making a baby Jesus for the manger that Jonny created at the beginning of Advent. I am so glad that I made the obviously right choice. Who really knows why I put things off to the very last minute. I had been planning on making the doll for weeks. The girls are taking turns sleeping with baby Jesus at night (who by the way is just a simple waldorf style swaddled doll. The swaddling clothes, which I made from a muslin dish towel, are stitched in place.)
Christmas felt simpler this year, and I am encouraged to keep things simple in years to come. The manger and jar of “straw” will definitely be added to our tradition, but I am realizing that less can be more. On Christmas Eve our kids did all the decorating, and after they were in bed Jonny and I filled stockings and set up the nativity. Christmas Day we went to Mass, and I met my two goals: haircuts for Seth and Keats, and being early enough for Mass to get seats. I made a “special” Christmas dinner that included a small, fresh local ham that ended up being fed to Trudy. I don’t know how to cook a ham.
As we are heading into the new year, I am of course thinking, planning, and hoping for a wonderfully organized new year. Considering the fact that I lost the library book on organizing solutions for people with ADD, I am not sure that there is much hope. I was organized before I had children, so I know I have it in me, but there is just too much to distract. I do hope I can find that book. The irony won’t be lost on me if I end up having to pay for it.
Today was super rainy and gray. Seth, Gabe, and I went out for a little while so they could have their piano lessons and I could knit with my little students. I skipped my lesson because I haven’t practiced. I was busy with this blog all week. I know that’s sad, but it was time consuming to make the move from Blogger to (self hosted) WordPress despite the fact that a very generous friend did 99% of the work for me. I like this new blog. I think it’s pretty. Pretty is important to me. More importantly, I hope that all of you who emailed over the past couple of weeks to let me know you were unable to see my blog, now have your problem solved. Also, I am not using Intense Debate for comments right now, I think that the basic WordPress comment system is simpler and quicker. Well, I hope it is. You guys all made my day with your comments on my last post. I haven’t yet been able to get the comments uploaded from my old blog, and may not ever be able to. It was feeling lonely here. Thank you.
Friday is my birthday. I already know what Jonny is getting me, because I ordered it today. It was his idea though.
The cat in the photo is one of the three whom I catsit when my friend Mike travels. His name is Sanders. He’s mostly scared of me.
My mom had a talk with me about how most people probably don’t want to see knitting on my blog, that it’s boring. She’d rather see more photos of my kids. I tried to explain…..
Don’t worry, we’ll carry on with the Yarn Along, and hopefully my mom will understand. (She’s not a knitter.)
How did you go about moving your blog over? Everyone I know who has know just how or has had some tech savvy person holding their hand the whole way. That isn’t me!
Glad to find you on this new ‘you’, even though I have not had any trouble finding you in the past 2 weeks. So I missed all the excitement, but it’s probably just as well, I would have been a bit distressed…
About the knitting. I don’t knit, even though I would love to, along with a thousand other things I would love to do. But I think your Yarn Along is a great idea, I love the pictures of your knitting and the reading ideas I pick, and also I laughed when I saw you are still reading Howard’s End, as I have finally given up, it sat for 2 years on my bedside table… (I don’t think my being french had anything to do with it, or can I use it as an excuse?) The book is now back on a high shelf, I will try again in a few years!!! Happy Birthday for tomorrow, or today for us as it’s close to 1am in these parts now.
Ginny, I just had to tell you I read your post and thought, “What would she want to order for her birthday? ” I guessed a yarn swift! I guess from reading your blog for so long I “know” you well. Hahaha! Hope you have a great birthday. Oh, please don’t stop taking knitting pictures. I love to knit and I am always curious to see your projects.
Haha, Mum’s are funny. I think I should post more photos of our wee man, because they are the ones my Mum always tells me she likes, and really, I think she is my audience :). I like the new comments, it remembers my details so I don’t have to enter my email etc. every time.
Your doll for the manger is lovely — what a sweet idea and a wonderful Christmas tradition.
One thing I love about the Internet is the ability to find so many others who share our interests, which is why I’m so happy to find your blog and the Yarn Along. I am fortunate to have many knitters in my face-to-face circle as well, but I always enjoy seeing what so many people are knitting across the country and around the world with you on Wednesdays! Other people who “get it!” Hooray!
Happy Birthday, and enjoy your yarn swift. I have a birthday coming up and I was thinking about getting one as well. I have several hanks of fancy sock yarn that I haven’t knit up just because I haven’t wound them into balls. A swift and ball-winder would certainly help! Best wishes to you and yours.