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!

12-14-11

Worked with my graduate student today on the wind turbine curriculum we are using at a school district in northern Kentucky. Cool stuff. We got an LED to come on.

12-13-11

I'm working with this red/salmon color of cotton yarn that is soft and delicious to work with. It matches my bed, so I think it would make a nice throw pillow or afghan too. I had another migraine today and had to cancel all my meetings. This is getting ridiculous. Too many migraines.

12-12-11

The reluctant hat model. I'm trying to make "guy hats" which are harder than "girl hats" so I often need a model to make sure the hats look ok on guys. I think this one was approved by the Squirt.

12-11-11

Long walk with Dan today across the arboretum, right on Cooper, back through some fancy neighborhoods off Tates Creek, and back.
Later went to the dean's holiday party. Came home, made a scrumptious guacamole and crocheted.
Photo of a hawk we spotted in a tree during epic walk.

12-10-11

First light

Ice

Fire

Gifts ready for giving...'Tis the season...

12-8-11

Today started off great. No migraine when I woke. Went to school and conducted a review session for the final I'm giving on Monday. Went out to lunch with four students. Then went to a REALLY COOL yarn shop up the street and bought four skeins of REALLY COOL yarn. Came home. Got a migraine. Got in bed. Pretty much stayed there all night, eventually venturing down to the kitchen to make a cup of hot chocolate and grab my camera to take this picture.

12-7-11

I'm working on my next engineering design curriculum which will focus on wind turbines and energy. Here is a prototype of the Lego kit I am assembling with my graduate student. Today I came home from school with a massive migraine and had to miss an afternoon of things I'd committed to. Spent the rest of the day and evening in bed. #ihatemigraines

12-6-11

Last day of class with my science methods students. Above is my elementary class, and below is my middle class. Poor Penny has the flu and cannot be with us on our last day. Today we built mystery tubes, did the fossil fragments lesson, and fossil footprints and evolution activities in the middle class. I will miss my biweekly dose of these people.

Dreary, rainy Kentucky. Just read in the paper yesterday that this is the second wettest year in recorded history, and if we get another 2 inches in December it will be the wettest. I am so sick of the gray skies and dreary weather. Please send some sun.

This pretty much sums up my mood today. Hanging on by a thread, alone.

12-5-11

Too busy to even get out my camera lately. However Dan convinced me to go for an hour long walk in the rain at night. Came back drenched and feeling refreshed.

12-1-11

Aza bought her first Apple computer and it arrived today! We are all mesmerized by the computer that talks to you.