Rolling Along

December just keeps rolling right along.
Each week seems to end with something big that keeps us focused and humming and merry.
This last week it was the girls cookie walk at school.  16 dozen decorated cookies later I thought I may not have one ounce of cheer left for the actual event on Saturday.  Couple that with solo parenting most of the weekend while Ian writes a grant at work and I was sure it was going to be rough.  But it wasn't, not at all.  We had a blast picking out cookies and seeing all the girls' teachers and friends and school.
The merriness just keeps on coming and it's been a great (if not extremely tiring) weekend.

Almost five years later I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of some things.  One being having my bigs girls' birthday the day before Christmas.  Somehow we always seem to find the time to prepare for her special day and Christmas too.  This year we're finding it in pockets of time.  Little bits here and there to discuss and craft and ready.  On Friday we got all the party bags ready.  Ainsley wrote the name of every one of her friends on their bags and then we all decorated with new stamps and markers.  Louise wrote her own name on her bag.  Ainsey carefully chose the gifts for each friend and they're waiting in the basement for her fun morning next weekend.  I may be just as excited as she is (no way I could be MORE excited).

Christmas is yet again catching me a bit off guard.  I felt so prepared about a month ago and now I feel like I'm treading water.  I'm not worried about the things that I still have to make, just the purchases.  It's dreadfully hard to get out with my little people these days that any outing needs a careful orchestration and preparedness that I rarely have the stamina for.  So I'm learning to use my weekends well, as much as I dislike being out with the crowds. It's worth it for quiet afternoons at home.

This weekend those afternoons, and mornings with daddy working have been filled with activity.  I pulled out Felix's newly felted stocking to needle felt and the girls were enthralled with my roving wool.  So I switched gears and went to work with them on projects of their own.  They are loving their new craft.  For those interested I simply use small squares of 100% wool felt, merino roving, a needle felting "sponge" and needles.  The girls choose their felt and roving and place the sponge below their project, then place the felt where they'd like it to go and poke away until the wool agitates enough to hold.  I of course help lots.  It's quite tricky to hold the wool in place and felt at the same time and those needles are sharp! but they get such satisfactions out of it and I am thrilled.

Another fun "project" of late is preparing for the arrival of baby Jesus.  One night I constructed this hilarious manger out of popsicle sticks (it was actually quite fun) and put tiny balls of yarn and scissors in the girls' advent stocking for the morning.  They were puzzled. Then I explained.  Each time they went out of their way to do something kind of helpful they could cut a length of yarn to place in baby Jesus' bed.  Each day the pile will (hopefully!) grow and grow with yarn to make a soft warm place for the baby to lay.  I plan to sew a small swaddled doll to place in the manger on Christmas.  I hope it's a simple reminder of the real reason we celebrate this time of year.

So today I am tired.  I feel bad for Ian having to work so much over the weekend and the next few days.  But I am thankful for the snow we're getting today and for the fun in the week ahead preparing for Ainsey's birthday and then next week readying for Christmas in earnest.  It's coming up so fast and I'm getting rather excited for it all.

I hope you have all had a good weekend!