Happy New Year!

Okay so it's 15 hours early but the sentiment is still there!

We had a wonderful Christmas. It's amazing how your mood changes when your husband is home with you & not off in a combat zone!

We opened stockings on Christmas eve after the wee one went to bed & then did presents on Christmas morning. Santa was very good to me!!

MIL & FIL arrived around dinnertime on the 26th for a few days visit. We had a great time with them & MIL & I did some power shopping on the 27th & 28th. I got some great deals @ Bath & Body Works for next Christmas' gifts as well as dishcloth exchanges (soaps etc).

We drove to Opelika to Darlene's Knit Shop (our oasis in the desert of box craft stores that is Columbus) for yarn for her scarf & yarn for me to make Kelli & Dave's baby presents. They left on Friday for ATL to spend the weekend w/ MIL's sister & will drive back to VA today.

We're staying in tonight as we always do on New Year's Eve. The thought of being on the road with every drunk in town doesn't appeal to me. Combine that with the inflated price of drinks & cover charge & I'm all about staying in!

We started a tradition the 1st yr we were married of fixing a late supper (930/10pm) & using the good china & getting a little dressed up. It's worked well & something we enjoy. Tonight's menu is london broil, garlic mashed potatoes & broccoli w/ hollendaise. We'll open a bottle of champagne at midnight for our toast.

Hunter goes back to work on the 3rd & the wee one starts back at school on that date so I'll have my mornings free again. I have so many errands to run that day it's insane. I also need to schedule my spa day (Christmas present from Hunter----facial, full body massage, body wrap, mani/pedi & hair cut/style) or at least get in for a hair cut. I'm trying to find a new style. I've had it like this for too long & want to go a little shorter (just above my shoulders). I'd love to get a thermal straightening process done but am going to wait on that. I have a couple friends who've had it done with much success but I'm apprehensive.

I have 2 knitting projects on the needles & a 3rd in the wings. Two friends are paying me to make hats for them (one felted & the other not) & since I took a little hiatus from knitting this month I need to get going on them. The other project is a baby kimono for Kelli & Dave's baby due in May. With all the pregnant women I know I need to get going otherwise I wont have anything done by the time the showers come along!

Last yr I counted all the projects I'd knitted in '05. It was pretty cool to see. Here's the list for '06:

54 washcloths/spa cloths
9 felted bags
9 baby blankets
8 prs of socks
8 baby bibs
5 scarves
2 felted boxes
2 baby kimonos
1 shawl
1 felted bowl
1 toddler sweater
1 pr baby pants

I can't help but think I'm missing some things. I scoured my knitting journal (Char Loving's book--it's awesome!), my uploaded photos & blog. But something's nagging at me that I've forgotten. Oh well.


I want to wish everyone a safe, happy & healthy New Year! May all of your dreams come true in '07!!

Merry Christmas to all!

The wee one showing off her mad tree decorating skills!

We're enjoying the time we have together & are getting ready for the ILS to come down in a couple days.

Hope everyone has a safe & happy holiday!

xoxo

Every Christmas stocking needs. . .

this book. Bitter Is The New Black by Jennifer Lancaster.
You'll find it in the biography section of your local bookstore & if they don't have it ORDER IT. It is one of the snarkiest, well written books I've read in a long time. You can thank me later (preferably with yarn. Lorna's Laces will work just fine).

Still no knitting here. I have 2 hats that I'm being paid to make but I just cannot pick up the needles. Maybe after Christmas.

Today the wee one & I stayed in. I made my Mom's old fashioned sour cream cookies (YUM) & am contemplating some pumpkin bread. The cookies are a family tradition---we had them every year at Christmas. The only difference is I didn't frost mine & made them round as my cookie cutters were being used by a certain someone who was playing with play-doh!

The ILS will be here in a week. Hunter has successfully changed his leave dates so we can both entertain them. I have no clue what we're doing other than dinner @ Chef Lee's one night (it's nationally ranked in the top 10 of Chinese restaurants so FIL is always asking if we've been).

Off to get the wee one ready for her rest & hopefully Mommy can get a few zzz's in before we take Libby out to play ball.

Have you ordered the book yet? DO IT!

Hula Hoops are fun

The wee one at her friend's b-day party on Saturday.

I really should be knitting! I have 2 hats that Ive been commissioned to make & I haven't picked up my needles to start! One is felted & Kiri picked the prettiest yarn (Nature Spun sapphire & trendsetter yarn in squiggle). The other is a grumperina pattern & is going to be a beautiful blue cashmere blend for Ann-Marie to coordinate w / the scarf I made her earlier in the year.

Maybe I'll start them tonight.

Christmas is one week away and. . .

I am done with everything! All of our gifts have been shipped, cards are sent, local friends have received their gifts, our gifts are wrapped & under the tree, goodies have been baked.

This week we have a MOMS mallwalk followed by a visit to Santa, a trip to Monkey Joes & a shopping trip to ATL. My ILS are coming down the day after Christmas for a few days.

The only thing that's a bummer is the weather! It's been in the mid 70's here for the past few days. I WANT SNOW! At the very least I'd like more seasonal weather! I'm wishing for the snow meiser but all we're getting is this:

http://www.ourmedia.org/node/117996

I really can't complain as Hunter is home with us this year as opposed to last yr when he was in Ramadi. This year is special since next year he'll be gone again.

4 yrs ago today. . .

Hunter & I were married! Here we are on the steps of the court house afterwards! I look thrilled & he looks perplexed! LOL

Happy Anniversary sweetie----I love you more than you know & am so honored to be your wife!! And the best part---you're home this year!!!