Queen Anne would be proud

One of our Enrichment groups is a "Needle craft" group. I learned a little knitting and it got me to pick up the old crochet hook again. I found this crochet pattern online called "Queen Anne's Lace" and made this scarf.

Anyone out there got some cute crochet patterns to share? It is SO addicting!

Queen Anne’s Lace Scarf:
I used 1 skein of Red Heart Super Saver in Shocking Pink and a size “J” hook
Chain 6 and join into a ring.
1: Chain 3,work 13 dc into ring. DO NOT JOIN! Chain 1,turn. Work a sc into next 2 dc. *Chain 4,sc in next 2 dc. Repeat from * five more times (6 loops). Chain 6,turn.
2: Slip stitch into the 1st free ch4 loop. Chain 3,turn. Work 13 dc into the ch6 loop. Slip stitch into the the 1st sc of the 1st motif,chain 1,turn. Sc in next 2 dc. *Chain 4,sc in next 2 dc. Repeat from * five more times (6 loops). Chain 6,turn.
3: Slip stitch in 1st free ch4 loop of adjoining motif,chain 3,turn. Work 13 dc into ch6 loop. Slip stitch in next free ch4 loop of adjoining motif,chain 1,turn. Sc in next 2 dc. *Chain 4,sc in next 2 dc. Repeat from * five more times (6 loops). Slip stitch into next free ch4 loop of adjoining motif. Chain 6,turn.
4:Repeat step 3 for desired scarf length. I worked a total of 50 motifs and got a 60 inch scarf. End off and weave in ends.
This pattern can be done with just about any yarn,but I wouldn’t recommend a boucle or textured yarn,as that would take away from the lacy effect.

More Christmas??

In case you haven't had enough of our Christmas photos Brad put together a cool montage... so check out the video.

Winter Wonderland

Brad made a little video of our Christmas vacation fun:

The day we went sledding Elise acutally got frost nip. The apples of her cheeks were white, so we sent her to the car. By the time I ran back to take a picture she had already defrosted a little but you can still see the remnants. It was strange as none us felt cold and Elise didn't even notice.

Happy 2009

Ethan and Abby loved getting ready for our New Year's Eve Party. The little ones were a great help making the decorations, putting toothpicks in appetizers, mixing punch etc.

They were SO excited for everyone to come!

At one point we had 24 people, but by midnight only 14 were left standing to bring in the new year.

Ethan was barely standing... he fell asleep around 10:30 and had to be awakened just before midnight so he wouldn't miss out on the big event, although he was too tired to really enjoy it anyway.

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MADE OUR 2008 SO WONDERFUL!!

Christmas- Part Deux

Thanks to record snowfalls of 25" of snow in 24 hours in Coeur D'Alene and Spokane followed by repeated dumps of snow on the area, my mom and Karl were unable to make it down for Christmas.

They sent their presents for the kids GUARANTEED delivery before Christmas, but not even UPS could beat mother nature.

As a result the kids got Christmas- Part Deux, the day after Christmas and it was exciting to be able to open presents... again!!
Everyone made out great with a new pair of skates and clothes.
It is impossible to get skates here, so this was a real treat! Thank you!!
I also wanted to post this picture of the Tech Deck skate park Ethan built for Elise a week and a half before Christmas. He wanted to give it to her for Christmas, but couldn't wait and gave it to her right away. He spent SO much time on it, and I thought it was so thoughtful as it wasn't for himself at all since he didn't have any skateboards of his own to play on it. It was also cute how excited he was that he couldn't wait to give it to her. :-)
It works pretty good too, and they've had a great time playing with it.

Believe

I figured I had better hurry up and post Christmas, as New Year's is now upon us....

The kids left this note for Santa

(you'll want to read it)

(we wouldn't want to offend Santa by suggesting he needs to eat "healthy" food and trim down a little!)

Abby did NOT go to sleep until 1:30am, which is about the time, Ethan woke up, and by 2am Elise and Samantha were up!! I gave up and went to sleep at 2. Then... at 4AM we were awakened by the noise of children milling around in the living room peeking in stockings!!

We sent them upstairs until we finally caved in around 5:15 and got out of bed to open presents.

Stylin' Elise in her new sweater, jewelry and boots

Samantha was a little bummed this year because she had asked us and extended family to send money to put in her flute fund this year instead of Christmas presents, so there were not many presents under the tree for her. Then when all the other presents were opened we found this one...

(I love Elise's comment in the video "I told you not to loose hope" :D)

Thanks to generous family we were able to get the flute she wanted (although she still has to payoff her part of the flute), and she can now practice and play her way to a college scholarship! :-D

The kids cooked up this idea Christmas Eve and told us it was our present...(yes, this is our shower stall draped in a table cloth and a sheet)

This is what we discovered when it was unveiled Christmas morning...

I thought it was sweet until I saw the SHARPIE sitting by my bathroom sink!! Why would they use permanent marker on my glass shower??? Samantha assured me they "tested it". Sure enough... it does come off... and so my children live to see another sun rise.

Speaking of sunrise... I went back to bed around sunrise at 7am until I got up to make breakfast around 8. Brad needed a nap later in the day too.

We had a wonderful Christmas and are so grateful to everyone who sent gifts and cards and made it such a wonderful day.

Thank you!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It wouldn't be Christmas without some sugar cookie making.

Or a good dump of snow.

(Star LOVES playing in the snow!)

Stringing popcorn and cranberries
Fun playing out in the snow on Christmas eve
(even though Samantha tried hard to act like she wasn't having any fun)

Even after supper the little ones couldn't get enough and went outside for another hour and a half!!

Could it get any better?

Well, maybe if your mom let you make a gingerbread house... so many of my blogging friends have pictures of their families making gingerbread houses etc. and my kids asked me a few times but... I kept avoiding it until the season was over. My poor kids. Perhaps next year I will be up for the challenge, frustration and mess.