So there I was in the bread aisle at the grocery store contemplating a change of loaf. We are creatures of habit after all and I always just run through there, grab the usuals and push on without further thought. But the usual bread just wasn't cutting it for the kids sandwiches anymore, and I needed something just a little softer. I am staring at the myriad of choices and brands, avoiding the Wonder bread of my youth because of all the unpronounceables on the label and looking for a replacement. I am favoring our usual brand, since that is what I am comforable with, and I find something that could be a replacement. Out of habit when choosing a new item I turn it over to look at the ingredients and am shocked to see high fructose corn syrup listed. Really for what possible purpose do you need high fructose corn syrup in bread? So shocked as I was I picked up the loaves we usually buy and sure enough it is on their labels too. I was outraged,! All I have to say is shame on you Pepperidge Farm!! That's right Pepperidge Farm puts high fructose corn syrup in their bread. It took me another 10 minutes or so to find a bread that didn't have any objectionable ingredients, but days later I am still upset and feel a little violated that I put my trust into a brand and it let me down. I am not sure where the trust originated - maybe it was recommended by someone, maybe I tried it somewhere and liked it, but I made the mistake of not checking the label. Never again!!

Maybe I started shopping too early, maybe the rain has me looking for some cheer, or maybe I just want to see the huge smiles on their faces when they rip open their gifts, but Christmas can't come fast enough for me this year. I have never had so many problems waiting - it's like I am five again wide awake at 4 am and shaking with anticipation willing the sun to show its first rays so my brother and I can go charging down the stairs (The rule at our house growing up was we couldn't go down till the the sun came up and we had to get my parents up then, but not a moment before. Otherwise my poor parents would have been woken at 1 am every Christmas and we would have opened our gifts in the black of night and gone back to bed)  We now have the same rule in our house.

But I keep looking at the presents under the tree and thinking "What if I just let them open one? Just one wee little gift." And for a moment a smile creeps across my face while I imagine the  "oh my goodness oh my goodness" as they hug and kiss the gift and jump with joy - since mine are still little enough that everything they get makes them so happy. Then reality settles in and I remember that if I do it this year I will have to keep doing it so I grimace and wait, but waiting is soooo hard.

I have always looked forward to opening gifts on Christmas. When my husband offers an early opening for me I resist easily knowing I can wait till Christmas. But this year it's different, I am now on the complete other side of the equation - the parent. This is the first year I think my kids truly understand and appreciate the holiday and that is making it so much harder for me. Like being transported back to childhood but now instead of the getting it is the receiving that makes me giddy. Now let me back up to say that I have always put a lot of thought into my gifts,and take my giving very seriously, but with your kids it is an entirely different playing field. So I will busy myself with baking cookies and writing out New Year's cards for the next few days to keep me from letting them open that one wee gift. But if you see me smiling you will know I am still thinking about it!

B was hopping with excitement the moment she walked through the door from preschool this afternoon - ok so she is always hopping but this was different. She just couldn't wait to show me what she made at school today - a bracelet. It wasn't until she told me how she made it that I was happily surprised. With the help of another student she learned how to thread a needle and she sewed - yes I did say sewed a button to ribbon to make her adorable ribbon bracelet (it even has a buttonhole...)
I wasn't expecting her to be able to conquer the needle for another year or so, and I was so excited I proposed that we make a small pillow. She was beyond thrilled and couldn't wait. And when I say couldn't wait, I mean she was can we do it mom, can we do it, I mean right now can we make the pillow. How could I possibly say no to that level of excitement???

So upstairs we went to look at the fabrics. She picked something out(of course it was pink) and we went to work. She decided to make the pillow for her doll. I will say that I helped minimally - she really did do all the work - she threaded the needle and moved it in and out of the fabric, then  stuffed the pillow and closed it off. All I did was guide her a little and cut the fabric into her pillow size. Wow - it worked out so well and she and I are both ridiculously thrilled. Of course then she started talking about her next project (which would start in 5 minutes of course) and I had to pull the brakes especially when she started in on the fact that we were going to make some pretty embellished things. Ah, the wonder and joy of a child...

So we have been sick and cooped up inside so I used the Craftsy site to learn how to make crochet critters or amigurumi. I keep seeing them everywhere and since I am still a crochet newbie I figured I needed a little help. The workshop was really easy to follow and now I feel confident I can tackle other critters. This is the owl I made for the girls who have dubbed her Sweet Pea. One wing is bigger than the other but hey that is what screams homemade.

Okay so I also learned how to make a granny square, but I refuse to accept that that means anything!! 

Next project up is to finish the Christmas stockings for the girls. I figure I will tackle Tarik's and mine next year. I just need to sew them up and add the names. Shouldn't take long but I have been procrastinating on them for months now. I really just don't like the finishing aspects of knitting... Here is my granny square - not sure what to do with it - any suggestions?

Today we experienced yet another household item that I never imagined would be considered such grand entertainment - the scanner! 

In the loft we have a scanner that does 50 or so pages in a batch and the paper feeder hangs out into the kitchen. So as the girls were eating lunch with the babysitter today I was scanning some documents when laughter erupts from the kitchen. I pulled out the earbuds to hear the girls chanting "more e-mails mom"(everything is an e-mail apparently) So I put more documents into the scanner and they giggled with glee. For the next 20 minutes they were highly entertained by the paper disappearing into the scanner. Who knew and why did it take me so long to discover this?!? I wonder if I could figure out a way to make the blender that much fun...

What an adventure! We went to the Ice! exhibit at National Harbor today where it was a balmy 9 degrees inside the exhibit. How amazing all the things that were carved - the theme this year was the Grinch and the girls even got to take their picture with him - which excited them beyond belief. Of course Rory wasn't sure what to make of the giant green creature at first, but by the time we left she was smiling shyly at him.

The exhibit was really neat - Who-ville in all it's color glory was there carved piece by piece from ice and then assembled. I can't even imagine the countless hours that went into creating the exhibit. Before we entered the there was an exhibit on the art of Dr. Seuss and it was really neat! There were lithographs of Yertle the Turtle, and the Sneetches along with advertisements that Seuss wrote during WW II. Upon our exit there was a giant Christmas tree made entirely of Peeps!! After we left Ice! we walked around the town center - it was our first visit here. It was pretty quiet as it was winter, but we did get to visit the world's only Peeps store. It smelled delicious in there!!  We stopped briefly into the Launch Center for the Children's Museum and will have to return to explore further at some point. All were exhausted but we had a great time!! See all the pictures here!

I am a knitting fiend!! We went to Webs this summer and I got  great deals on some yarn that I just had to start knitting with. Then I decided that I needed to take a few classes at Fibre Space to increase my knitting repertoire and well my inner knitting diva has been rewoken, and I have been knitting, knitting, knitting. I have decided to conquer patterns that I have previously feared, and have finished a few projects that I am really proud of! 

First up, a vest for my mom - a birthday gift that is made out of some great cashmere/merino yarn.  I can't wait to give it to her - this is the first thing I have ever knit for her and I love the color( and the pattern - Montague from New England Knits). The picture doesn't do it quite the justice it is this beautiful camel butterscotch color and is super soft. It has a really pretty lace pattern on the back that reminds me of waves. I am really hoping that she loves it as much as I do!

And as with my reading, sewing and really any other thing I am working on I have several projects going on at once. So I am also in the process of finishing up a sweater for Brynna. I made it a larger size, just in case it took me forever to get it done, but hopefully it will be finished in the next week or so and she can start wearing it now. I just need to finish sewing up the sides and add the collar for it to be finished. It is a gorgeous purple and washable of course. It has little pleats on the bottom that make it flare out and is so very girly for my girly girl. The yarn is also from Webs and the pattern from The Rowan Story Book of Little Knits which is a book of just gorgeous patterns for kids.

And not to forget Rory, I started this adorable owl sweater that I just fell in love with when I visited Looped in Dupont a few weeks ago. You can get the pattern on Ravelry. Rory came with me to the yarn store and I let her pick her own yarn. Following in her sister's footsteps I have another hot pink girl despite all my efforts to expand their color palette. I just have to figure out short rows and I will be able to do the collar and sew on the button eyes and it will be ready to wear!!  Then I plan to make one for Brynna too!

And believe it or not I am actually working on something for myself for once and am making these great bird in hand mittens while learning how to fair isle. I am almost done with the first mitten, and am excited to get them done. The weather is turning cold and I could use them soon!! 

If only I could read and knit at the same time, then I would really be getting somewhere!!

What a wonderful weekend we had! Thank you NJ Leary's for coming down to stay with us for Rory's birthday celebration!! It was so nice to have you here. And thanks to everyone else who made the celebration special for her.

Today is clean up day. Actually the house doesn't look too bad. I just have dishes to deal with. Instead of doing them yesterday the girls and I had movie night and a pajama party (which we plan to do again for Rory's actual birthday tomorrow). We popped some popcorn, hopped on the couch and turned down the lights. Brynna really loves to get under the covers and lay down to watch, whereas Rory still has about a 15 minute attention span and wanders around during the movie. That is okay with me since it is really just an excuse to get to snuggle with everyone for a little bit.

Now if I can just catch up on some sleep tonight...

another quick post. A successful birthday party for Rory was had today. Hard to believe our baby is already 2. How is is that time seems to fly so fast these days? Like the princess that she is she let her sister and cousins open her gifts for her and they each brought them over to display them to her as she sat in the swing that was brought over for Baby Clare, with her thumb in her mouth and a dismissive manner. Ahh the things you can get away with at 2!! Now off to bed!

Ok it is the morning of the 8th but I am writing for yesterday!! Be quiet already conscience I was really busy last night! Oh and I updated my journal page. I love these pictures of the girls that we took last week when we were out celebrating Gagi and Gaga's anniversary at Chima in Tysons. Rory looks like a flashback to the 60s gogo girl and Brynna chose the dress she was wearing - what a surprise it had bling!

I have been painting the office for the last two days. Since we have so much crammed into that tiny space I am having to do it a little bit at a time. Plus it is taking three coats to cover over the old color. It was a pumpkiny terra cotta before which was actually okay, but we decided to paint in a chocolate brown instead. It just feels warmer, and it contrasts nicely with the white desk. I have half the room done, but the majority of the actual painting. I started with the biggest wall first, the rest is just bits and parts of other walls, and the space is pretty small, so I should be finished tomorrow. Tarik helped by painting a section for me last night, when I was too beat to continue. It is hard work moving all that furniture around, then taping and rolling. Today, Tarik is working up there so I can't do anything till tonight but I should be able to finish all but the wall with the futon tonight. Plus, I can only work when Rory is napping or Tarik is home. It'll be nice when complete, then I can check one more thing off the list!

Yesterday, Rory and I went to Target to get a few halloween goodies and we found some fantastic stuff. This is the year I decided we need to start celebrating the holidays with more house decorating. It is so important to me that the girls feel some excitement and fun around the holidays and so Halloween decorating has begun. We found a silver glitter skeleton, a giant spider web and this hysterical dancing skeleton. When she first turned it on Brynna jumped a mile high as the skeleton starts singing loudly immediately and it took her by surprise, but she quickly got over it and now all we hear is Rory saying "again, again" when he is done! Which is great because the girls are both running fevers and are a little pink cheeked and since they are stuck inside at least they are entertained.

I think we are going to make brownies later! Nothing makes you feel better than chocolate! and warm chocolate - even better!!