OK, it's official! I've got a great new "gig" going over at Scrap-Poodle, called ScrapMentor. It's an online scrapbooking "classroom" where I'll be teaching courses on a range of topics - stuff like chalking, journaling, making altered items, and more. I'm starting off with a Scrapbooking 101 class that will run for 24 weeks. It'll start off from the very, very basic - presuming the student is coming into the class with no prior knowledge of scrapbooking - and will gradually build on itself, day by day. There's no cost for it, so if you'd ever considered taking up scrapbooking but didn't know where to start - or if you've been at it awhile but want to fill in some gaps in your own repertoire - please check it out! Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! And don't forget to register for the newsletters so you'll be eligible to win free stuff.
Oh, and Happy New Year!
Here's the first picture I took with my new camera. Other than my finger across the lower-right corner, I think it was a good picture! That's Mary (Marbear) with Thomas, feeding him some ice cream. She's a soft touch. ;)
Incidentally, I really like the camera, EXCEPT that it won't play nice with my operating system. Windows 2003 is apparently too new an OS, and Sony has NO DRIVERS for my model (the S40) on their site. Hrmf.
This was one of the best, and worst, Christmases ever, for me. Our home was full to bursting with happy people, and presents, and merriment. Everyone seems to have appreciated the presents that were chosen for them (I shopped for everyone this year, except myself, of course), which was very gratifying. I got lots of great presents myself, including a new digital camera, an XM radio receiver for the minivan, and (though it is not yet here) a scanner that will accommodate 12"x12" paper!
But Michael was dog-ass-dragging-sick all day. I mean, he managed to get through the three-hour orgy of opening presents, but only just barely, and as soon as that was over he went back to bed. He stayed there for the better portion of the day, joining us for tiny "taste bites" of dinner, before slinking back off to bed. I felt really horrible for not being able to make him feel better, and it certainly made the day somewhat subdued to know how awful it was for him.
Sooo, there were some ups, and a really huge down, but I'm still very grateful that all of my children are healthy and happy, and I know that I am truly blessed and loved. And that's really rather the point (for us, anyway).
I'll be offline beginning later tonight, and through tomorrow. But from our family to yours, may the peace, love, joy, and magic of this season be with you throughout the coming year. Hold close to those who mean the most to you.
Well, here it is, my Christmas gift to you. Please do not hold me responsible for the hours of mindless mousing you are about to sink into that thing.
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Santa doesn't wrap presents for this house. Santa does well to
get the presents assembled by daylight.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Multi-colored on the tree, one string of red on the mantle, and one string of white
icicles on the house. Hopefully by next year we'll get more outside lights strung. :)
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No
5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I can find the time. We did it last week this year.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Toss-up between Mike's Christmas morning stollen, and my cornbread dressing
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Stockings. I loved finding out what would be in the stockings.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My brother told me when I was 8. The pig.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope. Mike won't let us. :)
10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? It varies. This year, Adam's insisting we leave chocolate chip, along with
carrots for the reindeer.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, as long as I can be INSIDE the house. :)
12. Can you ice skate? No way.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift as a child? I think it was the Easy-Bake Oven.
14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Not working, not answering the phone, and focusing only on family.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pie!! Chocolate, coconut, or pecan.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Waking up to the smell of Mike's stollen, and watching the kids react to their presents.
17. What tops your tree? A snowflake
18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? Both
19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol? Jingle Bells
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Ick.
Parts of this song are just striking WAY too close to home. It's called "It's So Chic to be Pregnant at Christmas" by Nancy White.
It's so chic to be pregnant at Christmas.
I feel like the round yon virgin of yore.
Cuz though I have a warm bed to sleep in
There's no room for me when I go to the store.
Cuz the aisles are so narrow and crowded.
Christmas shopping has never been such a pain.
Oops, here comes another Braxton-Hicks contraction
And I'm knockin' over knick-knacks again.
Ooh the salesclerks are so friendly this Christmas.
One said, "Oh, GOD, lady, don't have it here!"
Their discretion and manners go right out the door
When I and my stomach appear.
People like to put their hands on my fundus
And they want to know exactly when I'm due.
I say, "Why do you care? Are you plannin' to be there?
I could use an extra labor coach or two."
I am such fun at a party
Trying hard to get high on life
Desperately avoiding the smokers
And being introduced as someone's little wife.
(Chorus:) Not-so-little wife
No, I enjoy being pregnant at Christmas
Though my identity is draining away.
And if I ever get asked my opinion again
I'll simply smile and continue to crochet.
It's so biblical to be pregnant at Christmas
No matter what stories you believe.
And only suffer from gravid senilis
And heartburn and nausea and charley-horses and overwhelming fatigue and frequent micturation and varicose veins and swollen ankles and shortness
of breath and that .. tired achy feeling in the groin.
But I won't be alone on New Year's Eve!
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
A BIG thank you to my friend Mo for getting me the right lyrics - from the singer herself, even!
My quilting frame is an endangered species. A month and a half ago, Mike was moving my heavy scrapbooking bag around and he accidentally broke one of the diagonal support legs. I called the manufacturer, and they shipped out a replacement part which fit perfectly and solved the problem.
Then, a couple of nights ago, one of the kids was leaning on the quilt frame, and broke the OTHER diagonal support leg. I called the manufacturer up again, and explained to them what happened as I dug around looking for my credit card to pay for the replacement part. (It's a BIG wood piece.) But they're sending it out to me, either today or Monday, FOR FREE! How cool is that?
Now, I take this as a sign that I really, REALLY need to finish up that quilt and get the frame out of the way. It'll be my next big project, after Christmas. And if anybody is out there looking for a good-quality, natural wood, adjustable quilting frame, made by people who actually care about their customers, I HIGHLY recommend the Grace EZ3 Millenium Quilt Frame.
We had another obstetrician visit yesterday. Blood pressure was 142/80, and everything else was normal. We had another ultrasound, and she still looks like a "she." The doctor didn't do any measurements on the baby, other than fundal height and heart rate, but I got some more looks at her face, hands, feet, ribs, and other assorted body parts.
We also got flu shots for everybody. Or, rather, we thought we did. Thomas was accidentally given a tetanus booster, poor baby, so he will have to go back for another flu shot.
Other than that, we just go back in two weeks for another checkup. Guess that means we're entering the homestretch!
The challenge was to scraplift this layout. To be honest, I did not (and do not) like that layout - I think it's discordant and it makes my eyes hurt. But I LOVE my interpretation of it!!
"Behold, the fortress of doom! I disguised it, so no one would be able to recognize its doomness." - Adam