...there's a light on this tree that won't light on one side.

....Well not quite a light, but more like a couple of branches have fallen off.....okay not a couple of branches, but more like half of one side.

What can we expect though....the was given to us for FREE from my mom who bought it if off e-bay for $10....we've had it for three years, but only up for two...last year we put up a little red tree for Andy's Star Wars' ornaments.

So, with a gift certificate from Andy's Uncle Donny, I bought us a new Christmas tree the day after Christmas when everything is half off....probably if I waited a couple more days it would of been 75% off, but then I risk that all the trees are picked over or none at all left. For $30, I think we got nice tree...so much simpler to put up.....instead of a having to put in each branch, all we had to do was install the bottom and let the branches fall down, since it has hinge branches....and too top it off, only three sections......SO NICE!

Oh, you want to know why we took down our Christmas and put up the new one instead? Well, simple, Santa Claus has NOT been to our house yet! He is coming tonight! We had to wait until Andy had another day off, which is tomorrow....Santa wanted to make sure all of us are going to be together.

And YES, I picked up two NEW very cute stockings!

Santa Still Hasn't Made His Stop!

Everyone keeps asking Alex what Santa brought him for Christmas.....Alex just says, "Nothing." You see, Santa Claus has not made his stop here yet.

I told him that we would not be home for Christmas, so he could skip our house for the time being and come Monday night (tonight), instead! I had to explain to Alex who he made all the stops possible....time zone, different religion, family gathering at a relatives house, and families not being home that night.

Even though we were not home for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, Santa still left a couple of presents at Grandma's house.

Christmas Day was a little hectic for us. In the morning, we opened presents at Grandma KayC's, with Uncle Kris & Aunt Andrea and the kids....Kamille, Aidan, and Ayla LOVE their quilts that I made them.

At noon we had to be at Nanna's (my mom's).....first time she has cooked and made an actual meal, where we sat down to eat....usually she just has finger food, which I'm okay with. More toys, but also some coloring stuff as well, which they love playing with.

Later in the day...about 5:30 pm.....we went to Nana & Grandpa's. More & more & more toys....Nana always makes sure that she gets everyone something and spends the same amount of money on everyone....even Andy and me get something from her and it's usually more than what she should of spent on us...I keep telling her not to buy us anything and just buy for the kids, but she will NOT listen to me. Anyways, while there, Jon was playing in the stairwell and there is a door at the bottom, which he smashed his finger in, and not just once, but twice, with the same finger.....he finger nail is all black & blue....I just hope that it doesn't fall off.

So, since Santa is not coming until tonight, this gave me the day after Christmas to get some really great deals. V.Motion games by V-tech were BOGO Free, so I bought four.... I'm going to give Alex all of the games, but I now have them for Valentine's Day and Easter....also video games were BOGO 1/2 OFF....even though it was select games, I got a couple for the Wii and also the Nitendo DS Lite....all at Toys R US. At Target I got a new Christmas Tree....about 15 branches broke off of ours...a few NEW ornaments...the boys get one each year....and also NEW Christmas Stockings.

Until next time....
Claire

Nephew #2 Quilt is Done!

The quilt that I need to mail out tomorrow, is FINISHED! I've been working on it for the last four hours, while also doing laundry (3 loads) and I helped the kids pick-up toys before the went to bed.

I took pictures of it, but I'm too tried right now to get them posted....so hopefully I can get that done sometime this weekend.

Tomorrow we have Family Christmas with my dad's side of the family. It will be different this year...2nd year that he has passed away, and also my oldest step-sister and her family will not be there. They moved to Colorado a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that they'd be here, so I could at least see her kids.

Anyways, first thing in the morning, I need to go out and find something for my stepmom, but she is the hardest person to buy for. She's not a candle or The Body Shop or one of those pre-though of, pre-packaged gift kinda of gal. She's more of a practical person, but that's I go completely blank. I haven't really been over to see her since last year....it's hard, since everything reminds me of dad.

So, maybe I'll just get her a gift card, even thought I think a gift card is a coop-out. I feel like I was lazy about the gift, but at least I know she's not going to re-gift it or through it out or sell it in a garage sale....

We'll see what happens...I usually find the best gift at the last minute!

Getting Ready for Christmas

Where has the time gone? SERIOUSLY! I can't believe that a week from Friday it will be Christmas Day.

I feel like I haven't gotten any of my Christmas shopping done....oh wait...I HAVEN'T! But, at least I do NOT have to shop for the nieces and nephews this year, because as I have mentioned all year, I making them a quilt....they all have too many toys anyways.

Now this is where I'm starting to get into a bind....I have three quilts left to finish....one to bind, one to quilt, and one to make a bottom for. Well, I think I'll get them all done, but I need to get the one that still needs to be quilted DONE....this one will need to be mailed out. I'm hoping to get it done by Friday and get it in the mail by Saturday. Fingers Crossed!

Maybe, I wouldn't be in this situation if I hadn't been distracted, by two birthdays, decorating the house for Christmas, and trying to decide how to juggle all the Christmas' that we'll need to go to on Christmas day.

Turning last years Christmas cards in wall art....

Adding ribbon to basic pieces that I already had in the house.



Putting the tree up...


And creating a fabric wreath that Rachel created for Moda Bake Shop ....

So, that completes the Christmas decorating....I know it's not a lot, but it's usually just the tree...I've gradually adding to the decor every year.

I Believe in Santa Claus

When I was about 4 or 5 years old, I remember seeing Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer flying the in the sky on Christmas Eve.....I know because it was soooo dark out that all I could see was Rudolph's bright red nose.

Now earlier that day, we were at Grandma Scott's for the family Christmas gathering (my mom's side, with 3 bothers and 2 sisters.....Uncle Terry, Aunt Trelby(sp?), Uncle Kim, Aunt Karen, my mom Gail, and Uncle Alan). There was a gift exchanged and I remember I received a Popple, a purple one.

Later on, someone, but I don't remember who, read the book "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" by Golden Books that was based off of the movie, to all the little kids that would sit still and pay attention.

I remember that we got home late and was getting ready for bed and I just happen to walk over to the big bay window upstairs and looked outside..... And there in the far the distance night sky was a bright red light.....Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! I shouted to my mom to come and look and she told me that I better hurry up and go to bed or he might skip our house. I don't remember a time when I ran to bed any faster than I did that night.

Yes, I did make it to bed in time that night, because in the morning there were a ton of Christmas presents under the Christmas tree.


Now I have remembered this memory a couple of years ago and I like to think about every year around the Christmas Season. I think I have to give credit to my mom for not ruining my sighting of Santa Claus that year. I don't remember how old I was when I discovered the truth, but I wasn't completely shocked. And I didn't put two and two together until recently, of what my childhood memory really was.

What I really saw was the red light on top of the water tower that is located on the other side of town. But from that far away and through all the trees what a 4 or 5 year old little me saw was Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer making their way throw the little town of Hicksville, OH.