12-31-11

Sunset on 2011. Photo taken from the roof outside my bedroom window.

Today was a quiet day since Dan and the chirren were hiking and rock climbing in the Red River Gorge WITH Frisbee-- so I had the whole house to myself. I "got" to work on my review materials, read some books, clean and shop, and take a nap. Nice.

This evening we ordered Mellow Mushroom as carry out (Kosmic Karma is my fave) and then Dan drove the "kids" downtown to start their New Year's Eve festivities.

Tomorrow I start my 6th year as a Blogger. Good night 2011! May 2012 be a year of peace, unity, solutions, and growth for all (especially for everyone in Chrissy's world).

Here's to another trip around the sun!

12-30-11

Woke up this morning and made these cute shark fin slippers for a nephew. So cute! Spent the morning with my mom, drove her to the airport, then worked on my annual review binder all afternoon while the kids were on the Bourbon Trail with Dan.

After a dinner of leftover gumbo and lasagne, Squirt and Root began creating their brew. Squirtmeister the Brewmaster.

Aza, lovely in a felted hat I got as a gift back in 2002. I'm felting a hat tonight and hope it turns out somewhat nice. We listened to O Brother, John Prine, and the Red Stick Ramblers tonight as Aza, Baza, Root, Jes, and Squirt made beer, hot toddies, laughed, looked at old photos, ate cake and ice cream, and warmed the house with their energy.

12-29-11

Hooray for apple pie (crust made by Aza, filling made by Mags)! Hooray for the first flowers of winter! Hooray for Nana visiting and for Root visiting Kentucky! (There he is with his Christmas gifts: a custom made hat, an oven mitt, and a honey pot). And hooray for the corn husk flowers I bought in Berea yesterday now gracing a little ledge by the back door.

12-28-11

Made myself this awesome hat from yarn I bought at Shaker Village. We went to Berea today with Mom to do some putzing around. Loved Powdermill Pottery!!

12-27-11

We went to dinner at Spindletop Hall, a fancy mansion with a bazillion rooms and every imaginable expensive detail. I found the bathrooms the most fascinating rooms in the house and thought the rest was just a lot of show off frou frou. Jes, my most adventurous child, decided to take a bath while we were there.

12-26-11

Day after Christmas, we decided to take the kids to see Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill. Here they all are wearing hats I've made them. My mom arrived today from her visit with my sister Stay. We had a nice dinner together with Baza (Andrea's bf) too.

12-25-11

Yes, this is my son. He is wearing the extra special hat I made for him. He requested a Jamaican hat and I created one for him that even included dred locks!

Frisbee even got something from Santa. Here he is opening it by himself!

I made Aza a scarf and ear warmer set. She was pleased- and it even matched the sweater she was wearing.

Aza made Jes this lovely cross stitch to memorialize the trip to Costa Rica we took last Christmas.

Jes made us a nice healthy lunch after I made stuffed French toast for breakfast.... mmmm...

It was a simple Christmas with simple, special, gifts and lots of laughter, warm feelings, long walks, togetherness, cooking together, just being together. Squirt made the best egg nog ever and I drank a bit too much of it. I cooked a chicken dinner with mashed white/sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas, salad, and bread (and gravy). We had chocolate cake for dessert- a gift from my dad. My mom arrives tomorrow so more laughter, more food, more special togetherness.

12-24-11

My Jes is home! She and Aza finished the evening by the fire looking at old photo albums together. Christmas Eve. I talked with my Grandma via our iPads and got to see each other. We welcomed Jes home and watched It's a Wonderful Life on TV.

12-23-11

Breakfast after a good night's sleep with my dear friend the Trumpeter and her daughter Lily. I crocheted Lily a hat on my way to C'ville and it fit her perfectly. I was at the hospital taking pictures the day that Lily was born 8 years ago. Such a lovely, smart, creative, and fun young lady. Just like her momma. The Trumpeter and I were in a rock band for five years together back in the late '90s and early '00s. She sang and played trumpet while I played keyboards. I got to do a little duet with Lily who also plays piano, quite well.

We had lunch with some more good friends and then hit the road... but first stopped at our favorite bagel place in the whole wide world and bought a dozen to bring home. Long ride back to Kentucky, but I crocheted the whole time thanks to Dan's new headlamp which was a gift from his colleagues at work.

12-22-11

Breakfast with my dear dear friends whom I've known since the play group days when our tots were toddlers. Twenty three year friendship. My goodness, they knew me with I was Aza's age. Wow.























I went on the Downtown Mall with my good friend the Zen Lady and we ran into my old student (who is now 25). We had lunch at Revolutionary Soup and I had my favorite, Peanut Tofu. Oh my, was that goooood.

Afterwards, I took a drive out into the country to see our good friends the Farmers. They raise chickens and goats, and.... Mr. Farmer teaches math at the local community college. We met when we were in baptism classes together prior to Squirt and their oldest daughter being baptized. Long time... 21 years.

I did not sleep last night due to the fact that I forgot my medications at home and was probably so mad at myself that I stayed up all night. So this evening, I developed a lovely migraine and went to bed at 8pm after a chicken soup dinner with arugula salad with the Zens.

12-21-11

Where is Chrissy headed? Over the mountains and through the woods... to the old home place we go.

12-20-11

Yesterday Aza and I decorated a tree out back between the house and the studio. We strung lights and hung red and gold glass balls. Today it was drizzly outside and I thought it would be cool to take a picture. You can see the house on one side and the studio on the other, reflected in the red ball. Water drizzles on top. Lights behind.

Today Dan came back from his trip to Colorado, during which he got to visit with Jes and Root.

12-19-11

I love trees. When we had to cut down the fig tree this fall, I was very remorseful. When we lost our Japanese Snowbell to the drought, I was so very sad. Whenever I have a Christmas tree, I love it and water it, and it becomes part of my family for a few weeks and then... then I pitch it by the side of the road. Not nice. So this year I decided, no tree chopping allowed. I designated our cactus as a Christmas Cactus and decorated the whole sunroom with lights and ornaments. So there. I have the holiday spirit!

12-18-11

Woke this morning at 5am and could not go back to sleep... so I made the shoes on the left. They are really the same size, the picture just doesn't show the sizes right. Buddy and Fossy may like them, they may not... but I had so much fun making them, it's worth just getting photo with my 2 year old and 3 year old nephews wearing them once!

THIS beauty was inspired by a hat I saw online and I just had to try and make it for a 2 year old niece I've never met. I call it "Silly Hat" and hopefully this little niece will think it's the best silly hat in the world.

I worked some today, played some, cooked some, and thought a lot. Favorite part of the day: watching TV on my iPad with Aza in my bed, with her cross stitching on her daddy's side, and me crocheting on my side. Cozy.

12-17-11

Alligator Slippers for Buddy! Today I got up at 4am to say goodbye to Dan, crocheted a hat for my niece, went back to sleep, got up and went shopping on a Saturday (it wasn't too bad) for groceries and MORE yarn, had lunch and a visit from a student, cooked dinner and then made these adorable slippers.
I need to work on: book chapter, presentation for STEM summit, and the best practices award for ASEE. However, I would rather crochet.

12-15-11

This is what I made from the soft cotton red yarn. It's a scarf. I think I know who is going to receive this as a gift. Not positive though.

I just love this one. The pattern was fun to make. It's a little on the small side, so I need to find a smallish person to give this one to.

This one is made from the softest alpaca yarn ever. Hmmmmm.... who gets the blue alpaca?

Organic cotton.

Oh, and this one is a blend of silk and alpaca and it's just as soft as a pillow. Who gets this one???

I like this one but it's a little on the large side. I need a big head for this one.

I think I know who is getting this one. I love it! Cottony softness.

I have a special request already for this one, so it has dibs. But I have a ton of yarn left so could make more.
Are you on my Christmas hat gift list this year? I guess you'll just have to find out! I'm having fun making all these hats and picking out yarns from different stores. The tradition of homemade Christmas gifts continues!