Fork in the Road

Today I completed my MA in Literature. Oh I wonder where I will go from here!

Four squared

Anne tagged me for the 4-squared photo meme. Rules: go to the fourth folder of your picture file and upload the fourth picture. I won't tag anyone, but feel free to play along if you want. I have two pictures because I have two separate picture files on this computer. This picture was taken in January of 2007, so E was about 4 months old. The shirt he is wearing was one of my favorites. He looks so cute in red. I think he was trying to suckle on my cheek--he was a really great at letting me know when he wanted to eat again. The picture does make my heart melt a little though.

This is from this summer, Evie is holding our neighbor's baby who was about a month old in the picture. E loves babies, and puppies, and kittens, and trains....He will be a good big brother some day.

O' Tannenbaum, Fa La La La La

Our tree decorating is multi-phase. Every year, we each get one new ornament, Everett picked his out this year, he fell in love with the Santa truck! Before Evie goes to bed, we put the new ornaments on the tree with him, and then we read stories and tuck him in. Then Russ and I get to decorate the tree together! We always get a "pasture cedar" so our tree usually has a little "Charlie Brown" attitude, but it fits our little cottage. And every year, Russ asks, "Do we have to put all the ornaments on?" Then when the tree is twinkling and all the ornaments have been hung, we settle into the couch, cuddle up with a glass of wine, and watch Christmas Vacation for the first time of the season.

In all its tilted glory--you can't really see them, but I strung cranberries and buttons into a very cute garland!

These crocheted snowflakes are like the ones my brother teethed on. Thankfully, Evie hasn't ever shown them much interest.

Evidence of our tree's pedigree, even with magical adjustment from Russ, the topper still leans a little!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

These are a bit out of order, as I am going to post the tree-trimming/decorating separately. This morning Evie told me he wanted to play with Thomas by the tree, so we set up his track and he proceeded to be the poster-boy for wooden train tracks during the holidays. So sweet.

As a child my mom made a creche from fabric. We loved adding animals to it each year. When Russ and I got married, mom gave us one just like the one she made when I was little. Last year was the first year Evie was interested--especially in the baby Jesus. I must have put it back in the box last year without the baby, because this year he is still missing. Looking over just now it looks like Mary is now on furlong too--maybe she took the camel to look for her baby...

Our stockings, not hanging by the fire, because I am afraid they would burst into flames--our little woodstove gets so hot. I can't take credit for Russ or mine, but I did do the polar bears on E's. This year I will add some more. My mom made our stockings --eventually I got two, because my original became a bit tiny in comparison to everyone elses...

Saint Nick to watch over me while I do the dishes--making sure I am nice, not naughty.

This year I decided to decorate the outside too. Since we didn't put up lights, I substituted greenery.

My flower boxes, now appropriatly decked in red and green!