Busy as a bee!

I've been crazy busy with everything I've posted in the last post- and then some!  Tomorrow is Moo's birthday (and the Winter Solstice!!), so I've been getting everything ready.  I've been running into a bunch of snags- for instance, imagine my surprise (shock, horror, the blasphemy!! I'm only half kidding!) when I opened up the fridge to find NO carrots for Moo's carrot cake.  At 10pm.  So I had to get online and figure something else out.. it's a Honey Apple Cake.  More sugar than I had hoped for- but it will suffice!  I'll post the recipe (which I altered a bit) in tomorrow's birthday post.

For now, I'll share some photos of what we've been up to.


It *finally* snowed.  Granted, it did melt 12 hours earlier, but the girls did enjoy it nonetheless.




We've also been working on our nature table- it has a new location in our dining room. It has since changed (and place on a different dresser, though in the same place). An updated picture will be posted in the birthday post tomorrow.



I've also decided to bake cookies for family this year. The season is so materialistic- why not make something that almost everyone loves? Sweets! Here are some of the Kolackys I made.



While on that note- I've started baking bread again. While not the prettiest loaf- it sure was yummy! (and yes- it's white bread. I didn't have any whole wheat flour!)


The other night Moo helped me make our Solstice lanterns- we do a lantern walk the night of the Winter Solstice to celebrate. We paint a bit of our homemade glue on a jelly jar, and stick torn bits of tissue paper to it. Then paint over so everything is wet, and allow to dry. Voila, lanterns! (You also need to add a wire handle to it, and put a tealight candle in them- but more on the in another post!).





AND tonight I put up our Solstice lights. The girls thought they were just magical!

Goals! Agenda! List! Yay!

Every year before Christmas I go absolutely bonkers.  My anxiety is through the roof, I'm worse than a five year old.  And I don't even believe in Santa.  I'm not even getting any gifts!  In an attempt to regain control of myself, I'm going to plan out, here, on the bloggity, my week until Christmas.  heregoes...




Oh, and I'm up late tonight baking cookies.  I suddenly decided that it would be fun to bake for the entire family.  Lellie had a ton of fun helping me measure out ingredients.. She's in bed, but, as you can see, monster Moo is not...

= something that can only be done at night, when the girls are asleep!

Monday, December 19, 2011
-Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookies ✔
-Freeze Peanut Butter Cookies ✔
-Make Kolacky dough ✔
-Bake Loaf Cookies (I promise this isn't as disgusting as it sounds!)
-Bake Sugar Cookies with Lellie
-Freeze Loaf & Sugar Cookies
-Make wool balls for their stockings
-Paint Rainbow Bridge Story for the birthday table

Tuesday, December 20, 2011
-Make birthday crown for Moo's doll (morning)
-Paint with N (need to paint birthday banner & lanterns
-Bake Kolackys
-Go to work (late afternoon through night)
-Freeze Kolackys
-Get to bed by 10pm!


Wednesday, December 21, 2011
-Sew the girls' doll bedding (they're getting a doll bunk bed from grandma)
-Bake cake for Moo [test run of the party's cake]
-Make Solstice star lanterns
-Finish writing Rainbow Bridge Story

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
-Wake up before Moo to set up her birthday table
-Go on Solstice walk at 4:30

Friday, December 23rd, 2011
-Work, 10am-5pm
-Defrost one of each type of cookie, make sure they're alright
-Go grocery shopping for birthday snack supplies

Saturday, December 24th, 2011
-Work, 5pm-11pm
-Defrost cookies and put in tins, label tins
-Get stockings & gifts ready

Sunday, CHRISTMAS, 2011
Enjoy!  ...hopefully!

Monday, December 26th, 2011
-Clean house for birthday Celebration
-Sew N's doll clothes for her present
-Make birthday snacks
-Start making ice

Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
-Wake up early and set up birthday table
-Decorate the house
-Make snacks, make tea
-Celebrate!





I've got a lot on my plate!

In A Rut!

This past week hasn't been too productive in terms of projects.  I mean, we had the carpets cleaned, but that's about it!  I haven't really created anything.

I *did* however write up the girls' Rainbow Bridge birthday story.  I'll post it another time- but I'm thinking of writing it onto cardstock and creating illustrations for each little part.

Not sure- just exhausted right now!

For the love of CATS!

Since I was a baby, cats have been a part of my life.  They're sweet and have their own personality.  When I had children I knew I wanted to give them the gift of having owned a pet.  Or in our case... three.

Meet Artemis and Milo.  Artemis is the one at the left, Milo at the right.

Our girl kitty is Frida, named after Frida Kahlo, the artist.  She's a Tortie and she has major attitude problems, but we love her nonetheless!

Birthday Woes

I really dislike throwing parties.  It's not for me.  I'm not a social butterly and find it extremely awkward to entertain people.  I'm getting past that though, and am trying to focus on making it special for the girls.  Maddie was born on Dec 22nd, and Lellie was born on Dec 27th, two years before.  Having birthdays 5 days apart makes it easy for me to lump a party together.  Maddie's actual birthday is on the Solstice so we'll be doing something special to celebrate both things.  Their party is on Lellie's birthday.  Confusing much?

Right now I'm waiting for payday so that I can get some more yarn to finish up the Happy Birthday Banner I'm knitting.  And that birthday crown for Maddie's doll?  Still not even in the works.  And her birthday is in 15 days.  Oy vey.

Here are the ornaments they got for St. Nicholas day.  I realize that the heart is a bit wonky but she loved it nonetheless :)

Rhythm In Our Home: St. Nicholas Day

It is 1:00am on December 6th, so I suppose, St. Nicholas Day.  The girls left carrots in their shoes for St. Nicholas's donkey, and excitedly went to bed in anticipation of tomorrow morning.

Both girls are getting a few honey sticks in their shoe.  In addition to that, each is going to get a Christmas ornament.  I feel that it's fitting, given the time of year.  Each year we *try* to get them their own special ornament (a childhood tradition of mine, though my mother always bought them from Hallmark).  This year, and hopefully from now on, they'll be getting handmade ornaments.

Lellie is getting a knit rainbow heart ornament, and Maddie is getting a needle felted toadstool ornament.  Photos to come later- I'm not quite sure where the camera is at the moment!

I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful time of year!

And a photo, because I *really* don't like leaving a wall of text as a blog post!  It's the girls' play kitchen in our kitchen, back in October (hence the squash!).

Old King Winter, where are you?

The girls and I have been anxiously awaiting the first *measurable* snowfall of the year.  We live in Chicago.  Generally, it snows by November 21st.  It is December 5th.  It hasn't snowed yet!  It has been very rainy and feels more like the pacific northwest than Chicago, honestly!

Old King Winter, please come join us soon!


Lellie (N), back in February 2011.  Blizzard!!