did you see my give-away

I don't know how my last two post got flip flopped, but scroll down to the "Spirit of Santa" post. There's a little info about a giveaway I am going to do! I didn't do a very good job making that the main focus of the post, so sorry about that! Please spread the word!!

Since I haven't posted pics in a while, here's some of Christmas "morning"! (we did it after nap time here)

Christmas Memories

What is your favorite Christmas Memory?

I have so many, but this one made me laugh when I called my aunt to help her choose one and the details of it. My brother was in preschool, I think it was his second year so he was 4 or 5. I was in 3rd or 4th grade. (Now tomorrow/later today you will learn about how old I was when I learned about Santa!) We were down in the Tri-Cities (in Southeastern Washington there at three cities almost in the middle of nowhere that are all relatively large, Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick all right next to each other and are referred to as the "Tri-Cities" instead of individually) visiting my mom's parents. We were there, mom dad, b, and I. My aunt J was there, Aunt MA was there, and I think Aunt T too, but we might have had someone else. That I don't remember.

My family was the last of the family to arrive, and when we pulled up everyone came out to great us. Nana said "B, do you see this sign? Do you know what it says?" and he didn't but he did see it was a stop sign (oh I wish I had the picture, but this was back in the film days) She told him it said "Santa, Please Stop Here!" That way there's no chance Santa would miss us! He was at the age he was very concerned about Santa delivering his presents to the wrong house! I kept trying to tell him that if Santa knows if you are sleeping or not, and knows if you've been bad or good than he's GOT to know WHERE you are for Christmas!

Inside, Nana had her special Peach and Sage tree set up in the formal living room and had a colorful kid-like one set up in the informal living room (that's where we did presents). Nana was so excited to have both trees up and ready for us.

Skip forward a few days, Christmas eve we hang the stockings. We all have matching ones sort of, they are the same style but different decorations, and we all have our own name except mom who has "1" for First Christmas, but it ended up being hers forever since her grandma passed away shortly thereafter. Nana made aunt T's and Aunt MA makes them now. H should be getting hers in the mail tomorrow!!!

Ooops, back to the story, We were getting ready for bed, had a great dinner, and had just come back from "Midnight Mass" Nana was setting up these great self-rising roles that a friend of hers highly recommended and was great for such a large crowd. We went to bed, the rolls covered, T read us The Night Before Christmas, and B and I went to bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in out heads. We were sharing a room!

In the morning, Nana was still in her room for some reason, and the rest of us were arriving in the kitchen/informal dining room for coffee and cereal (brunch would be served AFTER presents so things could bake while we were doing them. No one had to get up early then!) and I think I was first or second, then mom, then J walks in, says "Oh No!" and we all go over to the counter where the rolls were to see that not only did they rise, they were all over the counter and even falling on the floor! They had been placed in the back corner so had quite the trip to the floor!!

We were all waiting for Nana to come in, and I was reminded like 6 or 7 times not to say anything and see what Nana says. She didn't notice for so long!! She had her coffee, was reading the paper, was doing a little of this and that. Finally one of the Grown Ups said something about "I can't wait to try those sticky buns!" and Nana went to check on them. oh her reaction was great. I think we got it on tape even! She was SHOCKED!

They tasted great!

Now the inspiration for this post can be found here

Spirit of Santa

(note, I meant to publish this but kept waiting to take pics of the girls with the trees, but to date I haven't yet done that so I am going to post it without pics, sorry!!)

Parents, make sure the kiddo's are out of the room. Kids...if you are reading this, STOP NOW!!

Are we clear now? Good

Someone put as their Facebook status: "When did you find out about Santa?" That has had me thinking a lot lately. I am going to have to explain it to my girls eventually, I know one of my co-workers has had to face that question from her oldest this year.



I was 11 or 12 I think. I remember where we were, I remember what we were doing, and I mostly remember the conversation mom had with me. Now mind you it was not quite 15 years ago...so I don't remember everything she said, but I remember the message.

We were driving home from somewhere and it wasn't school time because I was not in my uniform plus my brother and I would walk home from school. I was in the front seat of the car next to mom, my brother in the backseat directly behind her. We were in her Cherry Red 1989 Honda Accord LXI. We were coming down the hill to our house What I don't remember is if we still lived there or if we were driving past it to look in on it before we sold it. I loved that house and wish it were mine even now (especially now) Remind me to tell you about that house....and I said to mom the dreaded question "Is Santa real?"

She had the best answer. It was somethign along the lines of this:

"Well, No. There is no one person who is Santa, that's just a nice story we tell to children. But you know about St. Nicolas (we DID go to Catholic school after all) and how he gave gifts to children. Well, he is part of the inspiration for Santa Clause. What I believe, and think is more important, is that while there's no "real" Santa, we all have the spirit of Santa in us and it's our job to use that to help others out and to give to those we love, and those who are less fortunite than us. It is our responsibility to keep the spirit of Santa alive year round, and give without expectations of thanks or reciprication. It is also our privelidge to keep the magic of Santa alive for the younger children. This world can't ever have too much joy, too much excitement, too much hope or too much sefless giving. Santa is the perfect character (find better word....) for that."

( I just called mom to see if she remembered what she told me and she didn't so I told her what I remembered and she said "Wow, I was GOOD!" and Dad who was on the line too said "I would have said "hohoho, don't you belive in me?" My brother vaugly remembers having some kid at school tell him and then confirming it in the Honda on the way home, but thats all he remembers.)

I know I was quite old to finally know. I think I wanted to believe, and so I did.

How about you? How/when did you find out?

Now in the Spirit of Santa, I am going to give some (at the time unknown) goodies away. I will draw winners before I leave on my trip to visit my family and try to pick up a thing or two out there. So basically I will pick a winner on the 7th, and be sending whatever out when I get back 10ish days later. Fair? To enter answer the question above, or tell me another GREAT holiday story. Good Luck! And of course Happy and safe holidays to you all!!

little of the girls, little of the quilts

I should be cleaning, but after walking home from work the past two days, my legs are KILLING me! I haven't walked that far since before H was born. I had been so proud of myself for walking my whole pregnancy. That's probably why H didn't come after all those hours of walking the weeks leading up to her birth, she and I were already so used to it!

Speaking of the girls, they are doing well. I am going to take a Christmas picture of them tonight or tomorrow in their cute dresses and stockings. H has shoes that are her size according to how old she is, but they are HUGE on her. Such a petite thing that little girl is. On the other hand R has jumbo feet. I am worried about when she gets older and wants to borrow friends shoes. Maybe she'll grow into her width, but for now, why don't they sell wide shoes for kids?

Can you see what R is reading? It's called Hi-Five, it's the Highlights magazine for 2-5 year olds. She LOVES it. Mom gave her a subscription, last year for Christmas and renewed it this year. Not that R will put it together, but Mom and I know. That's all that matters. This year will be fun for her! I will share more after all is said and done =) The point of that was if you know a youngster, I highly recommend Highlights and/or Hi-Five for them. Yes, they are more expensive than many magazines out there, but honestly, hours of entertainment for both R and I. She reads each copy until it falls apart, just in time for the new one to come in.

I told you I won two give-aways. One was from Therica from Pig tales and Quilts. Here is what she sent me. There was also a great origami piece that had a sweet note inside but R called dibs on that! There's two wonderful fabrics and an awesome applique pattern. What's super cool about the pattern is I looked at it and thought "wow, that would be a great quilt to celebrate and remember the time I spent living in Montana (because you know I am itching to get out of this state, too cold in the winters and things are just too far apart!) and the next day I looked at it again, turned it over, and the designer lives in Bigfork, MT! WOW! One of my co-workers says she thinks this might be one panel that can either be used on its own or with other panels to create a bigger quilt. I need to go do some research.

I will try to share more before Christmas, but things are going CRAZY here!! I mean CRAZY!!!!

great give aways

really quickly here, great give-away. Many things you can pick and choose what you want to enter, there's 16 give-aways, one blog, and you have until tomorrow at midnight!!

p.s. R just got up looking sleepy still and said "mommy, you go to the store and get me my coffee?"

Dear Santa,

Dear Mr. Clause,

We've known each other for 25 years now. I am still amazed by your magic. Oh I know "the secret" but you still are magical. You seem to be even more so now that I have my own children and can re-live all the magic and see it through the girl's eyes. I can't wait for H to be a little older too, so both of them can look forward to your visits.

The Fat Quarter Shop has mentioned you might have an elf or two working in their shop. Those are some lucky elves! They told me to be sure to put something from there on my list. Oh word! Just one thing? Can I tell you about three things I want and a little story behind them so you can pick and choose? The first thing I would like is some yardage from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I want a lot: the caterpillars I want 5 yards, food print, 5 yards, Dots, 6 yards. and I'd love some assorted colors 1-2 yards of each. Oh no, I don't need BOTH prints for each color, just the colors! I also have some of the numbers already so I think I am set there. Why so much you ask? And please know, you don't have to get it all. Any little bit would be so wonderful!! You remember my dad right? He had open heart surgery when he was five (or so he remembers, Grandma said it had to be younger since she didn't have any other boys to worry about yet, and Grandpa just says it was when he was young) back in the early 60's....when they didn't do that sort of thing often, and on children was very experimental and unheard of by most. He had his surgery at Seattle Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. I am sure you are getting a lot of letters from there right now, and from a lot of parents hoping to bring joy to their sick child and make them forget they are sick for one magical day. Well the point is they saved his life, he went on to grow up, have a family, and is now watching me have my family. He and my mom have always given to the Hospital in whatever way they could, and I used to give of my time and help fundraise for their Uncompensated Care program. Since I went off to college I could only help out during summers, and then I had my girls and live so far away. I can't give like I want to. I have had this idea in the back of my head since I first saw that line of fabric to make a nursery set out of it, but not only that, I'd also make a crib/toddler bed quilt, and I came up with my own pattern for a twin size quilt based off one I saw in a magazine I think, or maybe Andover's web site, just modified to make me happy. I would love to auction it off, either at a hospital event or on my own and give the proceeds to the Hospital. I would be giving of my time and talent, but I don't have enough "treasure" to afford to do this right now. Now that I am the mother of two young, beautiful, sweet, and special girls I want to give to the hospital who not only gave the world a few more years of my dad, so I could be here, and so I can hold my girls, but who give so many other children futures and parents more time with their children regardless of how much more time it is in the end.

The next thing I want is selfish, I want some Civil War Reproduction fabric too. I know you got me those two Civil War Love Letter/Diary quilt books that I asked for for two years now, and finally this year you drooped them off and asked me to wrap them last month. I really like this collection. A fat quarter bundle would be enough to get me started at least!

For other things I'd like, I need some new socks and definitely need new undies. Nothing too wild, but not too "old lady" like either. I want some accessories, jewelry, scarfs, no bracelets though those just get in the way at work. I'd like some knick kknacks for my stocking like new needles for my sewing machine, new rotary blades, more pins, more bobbins. Really I want my girls to have a good Christmas. They have been good this year. I know I have threatened to call you at night night time for R, she has such a hard time going to sleep and staying asleep. Other than pushing my buttons as a good, healthy, three year old should be she's such a great big sister. Even today she said to H after a kiss on H's cheek, "Oh, H, you so sweet, I love you so much. You the best friend, I so proud!" Aweee!!!

Thank you so much, Santa!
Lisa

p.s. I read R the story about The Polar Express last night, and she asked if she'd get to go on a train ride like that boy. I said I'd ask you but she might be too young. If you are up for her energy, please make a stop at our house.

I will never understand how the house gets so messy so quickly! Never! Thursday I had the house picked up. I needed to vacuum, mop, clean our bedroom, and organize my desk a bit, but those were all small things. Two days latter I was going to pick up the living room (this was last night) but decided I would just get mad, so decided to wait until today. Lordy is it a disaster. The girls room isn't too bad and the kitchen will be better with a load of dishes run and the counters (and floor) given a good wipe down. I don't understand, I worked both those days and I made a Little of the mess but seriously?

Today was going to be spent binding away. I have to make more holiday cookies because a 6 foot 4 inch not blue or furry cookie monster ate all the ones I already made to mail out. Oh well, as long as he enjoyed them right? The 3 foot 6 inch cookie monster helped too. So I think I will wait on that kitchen floor. Drink my Decaf Christmas blend for now, tell you a bit about whats going on. Clean the living room, make cookies, and then tackle binding. I hope to be able to mail things out tomorrow or Monday at the absolute latest.

I have made a lot of things, I will post pics when I am totally done. It'll be a little more incentive to finish tonight. I hope the girls cooperate. R and I slept in until almost 10! so no nap for her. H woke up around 12 and again around 6 to eat, unusual for her, but whatever. She's been having a lot of gas/tummy trouble at night, from like 5 until she finally gives into sleep. No fun, especially since A is usually at work those times. And I am worn out by then if I open.

I meant to leave this longer but my Christmas Blend (yes darn it it's decaf but if I have regular H gets SOOO gassy and then it starts a horrible cycle of needing caffeine and gas so no rest so more caffeine....ugh!) is inspiring me so I want to at least get this living room back in order!!! TTFN, know a post with pics will be here tomorrow or Tues! Hooray!

so tired....

goodness, I am so sorry I haven't posted anything. I have been online a lot lately, but H has been really fussy in the afternoons and I am stuck rocking or bouncing her, neither of which is conductive to typing. Also not conductive to cleaning, cooking, or sewing. I keep telling myself "treasure these moments, she's going to be grown up before you know it" but in the midst of it all I can think is "I NEED A BREAK!"

I won a give away, from Therica....I will post a picture and more info when I get the camera out of the car, but it's -8 and A is actually at work with the car....bummer.

I haven't made much progress on anything, but I did make yummy cookies with the girls. I also have a cute pic of H and I in our wrap which makes keeping her happy and my arms free easier, but it will have to wait. I think I have Tues off.

I just wanted to let you know that we are all healthy and alright here, if not sleep deprived!