You may or may not have noticed that when my sidebar loads, way down near the bottom is a random image from my photo album. I generally look to see what’s there when I hit the front page of the site, but I usually don’t repost the pic. In fact, I think this may be the first time I have done so. For those who don’t remember, this is my Grandmother, and I made her those socks. I own and wear them now.

The picture is a pleasant one for me, in spite of that fact that I am beastly fat in it. I should post it to weight loss stories, LOL. There’s about 30 pounds or so more of me in that picture. That suit is about a size 16, and I now wear a six. Ok, enough strolling down memory lane, here. The next post will have something to do with knitting or crafting of some sort that isn’t all in the past tense.

So, today, about 6pm, I finished the secret Christmas stitching. Now that it is done, and one has been delivered and the other two recipients won’t be reading my blog, I can tell you that I was crocheting stockings for Micheal, The Clone’s boyfriend and That One. I am exhausted, but they are done, and for that I am glad. And oh by the way, do you know how hard it is to keep a secret in a house of ten? Really, really hard. Of course, I did do one right under the recipient’s nose, but I don’t think he realizes it yet. I hope. LOL.

We got the tree decorated last Sunday night, but it is still package-less, since we aren’t opening presents until The Clone gets here in January. I imagine I will spend some time wrapping things on Saturday, while the kids are with their dad. I always enjoy the time right after Christmas the best, so that suits me. I like the reverence of the season and not the bustle, so this delayed Christmas pleases me quite well.

Tomorrow, however, is the big family party on my dad’s side. It’s always fun. Or at least it is since I decided to quit worrying about it and just have a good time. That’s only been a few years ago, but now I only have a few minutes of nervousness instead of days of it. The children’s clothing is all together, thanks to Mama, and while it’s not quite as clever as these outfits by TeaCollection.com, it’s cute and fits their personalities for the most part. The littlest girls have the cutest little plaid jumpers! Of course, I work tomorrow, so I won’t get to see them until I get to the party.

Yes, yes, I know I need to put up pictures: Hat the First, The Stockings Three, The Tree and the cute babies. But first, I have to find a camera card. And before that I have to work. And before that I have to sleep and before that, I have to write another post while I wait for my hair to dry so I can go to bed, which I have been ready to do for a couple hours already.

That would be me. I know some of you are holding your guffawing sides, reckoning that I would never be more than 23 feet from electircal lighting, kitchen faucets and central heating and air, but you are wrong. I did actually take my plump little self into the woods, and I hiked 2.6 miles with the Cub Scouts. And I had such a good time that I volunteered to go back again with the church youth.

In knitting news, not much–you didn’t have any recommendations, and what with the woods and all, I haven’t had time. Plus, I am almost through with a book, so I want to see how it ends. And the tree is supposed to go up tonight, so I may not knit until sometime later this week.

In beading news, we did better at this weekend’s sale than at our previous sale. IOW, we haven’t given up yet. I was hiking instead of selling, but I am told that someone purchased one stitch marker. Apparently to decorate her cell phone. Yeah, I don’t unsterstand it either, but that’s ok. I don’t have to understand. No one bought any bookmarks, but I did sell a few necklaces in addition to the lone marker.

On a mostly unrelated note, I took my husband to get a cat scan yesterday, as you may already know, if you read my personal blog. I’ll find out if he’s sick or merely crazy on Monday. It’s kinda odd to hope his shunt is messed up, but I do. Mostly because the other alternatives are vastly less pleasant.

You know, I was thinking. Not so very long ago, this blog was all about babies and milk and my love/hate relationship with the Medela Pump’nStyle. *Shivers of horror* And now, DaBaby is almost three, and we aren’t expecting. That just feels weird to me, because always before, I’ve been almost ready to pop with the next baby, or even already popped. In fact, I have given most of my baby stuff, including those trendy maternity clothes from 1993, away. Yeah, quit laughing! What, did you go out and buy new Ingrid and Isabel each time you had a baby? All eight times? 😉

I did keep a couple of things, though. I kept the Original Baby Basket that my husband slept in as a child. We slept five children in that basket, and it will go to Country. When we were expecting Drama, the baby basket was declared no longer safe for baby use, and so we got a new bassinet. She will get that bassinet, but both Drama and DaBaby were placed in the OBB for a photo. How could we not?

I also kept the blankets that I made for each one. Along with the quilts made by their great-grandmothers. I guess it’s ok to admit that I am already looking forward to eventually seeing those things used again, though I am not ready for any of my children to be parents quite yet. I’m old fashioned enough to want them to do things in a certain order: first the hoiorse, then the cart, not the other way around.

And I’ll bet they will all be relieved when reading this post that I don’t have any maternity clothes left to hand down. I’m sure Juicy Maternity is going to be much more their style than my old stuff, LOL!

I had a great weekend, and I thought I would share a couple of pics.

My kids and my cousin’s kid playing a game together:

Beading with my aunt, her grand-daughter and Drama:

The beading was the bulk of the crafty type stuff, though I did knit with some old yarn that I am firmly convinced, based on the burn in my pointer joint was 100 percent plastic. Ouch. YOu can read more about the weekend on Midlife Musings, later today.

where the yarn is carefully contained in bins and baskets, and the fabric is folded neatly away in the cabinet, while the reading pile is teetering precariously on the corner of the desk, and I have lost the light bill somewhere in there, I am electing to spend more time reading and less time stitching. Besides, it’s a little warm to hold a sweater on your lap!

I’m thinking that if I am diligent, I can clear that pile by the end of the weekend, and then we can get back to the regular scheduled programming around here. And yes, there are actual knitting books in that pile, ya’ll.

I am going to avoid getting all mushy here and talking about how wonderful my husband is, and how sweet he is to me, and how much I love him and all that. I won’t tell you about the back rubs, and the pats on the behind as he walks by, or the way he slips his arm around me as we pass each other and just such. After all, it might embarrass him or you or something, and we can’t have that can we?

and so I did. Finally. Click to embiggen.