Life in Beta

This Christmas was by far the best I’ve ever celebrated in my entire adult-life. Everything was just perfect. I was able to spend time with everyone I love, and our visits were full of happiness and laughter. I really couldn’t have asked for more; for the first time in years, I really felt the Christmas spirit. (I think everyone else did too.)

As you can probably tell, Benny had a fabulous Christmas too!

I got so many amazing gifts. I can’t really list them all but a few of my favorites were a pair of Birkenstock sandals from my hunny (I’ve always wanted a pair!), a grinder attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer, homemade flannel PJs made by my mother, and an amazing Pashmina/silk scarf my future in-laws brought back from Italy! There were too many other wonderful things to name too. Even better, everyone seemed to really enjoy the gifts Mike and I picked out for them! Watching Ben’s face this Christmas was priceless too. Santa done good this year. Ha!

Hope everyone else had a fabulous holiday as well. Now I’m attempting to catch up on emails and work and generally trying to transition from vacation-mode to work-mode again. (Not easy!)

P.S. I still have sponsor slots open for January! Check out my sponsor page for more info.

I looked at the calendar the other day and it hit me just how fast the holidays are approaching. (Yikes!) It’s time to figure out my Christmas knitting, while there’s still some hope to get it done in time.

First things first: Little Man needed his own Christmas stocking.

Pattern: Cross and Leaf Stocking (from Fair Isle Stocking II) by Mimi Kezer

Yarns: Cascade 220 Superwash, 1 ball each of Christmas Red, Army Green, and Aran (cream), Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Collection Cashmere Fleur De Lys, 2 balls in Envy (green)

I love knitting fair isle. I find that it goes super-duper fast because I get really caught up in it. I get so eager to see the patterns and colors form into a design, that I knit-knit-knit till my fingers hurt. The progress in the picture was after only two evenings of knitting.

I can’t wait to finish it. I think some fair isle mittens (Christmas gifts!) may be next. I’m hooked on color work again.

If you’re interested, the PDF pattern (which actually includes two super-cute fair isle Christmas stocking designs) is available from the designer via Ravelry or via Etsy for only $8.

My childhood Christmas mornings were always just the three of us — Mom, Daddy, and me. For the first time in quite a few years, we got to be just the three of us again on Christmas morning. It felt really good to relive those childhood memories of opening gifts with my parents before the rest of the family arrived.

Dad, as you can see in the picture, was apparently a very good boy this year. Santa brought him one heck of a haul! Lots of clothes, a wood chisel set, and an electronic golf score keeper were a few of his gifts. I knitted him a new hat too.

Dad and I went out on Wednesday afternoon to go gift shopping for my mom. (‘Cause like most men, he’s a last-minute shopper!) We had a good time picking out things off her wishlist, and by the looks of that smile, I think she was happy with what we picked out too!

My grandparents came over later in the day. That’s my Grandma Rita in the photo. I know my old friends who read this blog will probably hardly recognize her. Emphysema has really taken it’s toll, especially in the past year. But she’s an extremely tough woman and she’s doing her best to not let it slow her down. Spending Christmas with her was the single most important thing to me this year, and I’m glad I was able to do so.

Of course, who can forget Kodi-dogger? He loves Christmas. For the several days leading up to the holiday, he spent every night laying under the Christmas tree, waiting expectantly. Mom said he’d done that ever since she put the tree up. It’s as if he knows that Christmas tree = new dog toys. He was actually the first family member on Christmas morning to get to rip into his packages. He loves opening gifts and he got lots of toys and treats. When his toys were all opened, he “helped” the rest of us rip paper of our packages too. I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog that enjoyed Christmas quite as much as he does.

Late on Christmas day, my friends descended on the house and round 3 of gift-opening was under way, musical instruments were busted out, and much silliness and laughter ensued…

Excuse the crappy photos from my cell phone. By this point in the evening I’d gotten too lazy to mess with a “real” camera. Also probably too drunk, thanks to the lovely homemade wine Alan and Erica brought with them! (Heh.)

I’m so grateful to have ended 2009 on such a high note, spending time with so many loved ones. Hopefully this is a preview of good things to come in 2010!

That’s just a little over two weeks, ya’ll!

So, how’s your Christmas shopping coming along?

Remarkably, my Christmas shopping is all but done. I think, like a lot of other people this year, I’ve scaled back my shopping quite a bit. I also don’t have a lot of people to buy for, which makes it much easier.

I always seem to get a case of the bah-humbugs early in the season — ya know, when they start putting out Christmas decorations in the stores at Halloween time. While I realize that retailers’ motivation is to get us in the mood to Christmas-shop, it seems to have the opposite effect on me: when it’s thrown in my face so many weeks before I’m ready for it, I resist out of spite.

The Christmas spirit didn’t really hit me until this past Saturday. I’m not sure what finally triggered it, but I woke up with a hankering to gift shop. Unfortunately, it had to wait till Sunday because I was teaching a knitting class at my local yarn shop that day, and had a holiday party that evening.

Sunday afternoon I was on a mission, though! I was going to finish my Christmas shopping in one day, dang it! And you know what? I did! Aside from a couple gifts I’m still making at home and one gift that I can’t buy till I drive back to Pennsylvania (from a local chocolate shop in my hometown), I am done and it feels so good!

I spent Sunday night wrapping all the gifts I bought. I’d totally forgotten how much I enjoy wrapping packages. I think I might just have a little tiny bit of Martha Stewart in me, because I really get a ridiculous amount of enjoyment out of creasing the wrapping paper just-so and tying a perfect bow. (I’m sick, I know…)

Even more exciting, in eleven days I’ll be leaving Tennessee to go back to Pennsylvania for the holiday. I am so looking forward to my mom’s holiday cooking and being with my parents, grandparents, and all my friends who are also coming home for Christmas.

The not-so-fun part is that I decided I’m going to drive home, which means about 11 hours in the car by myself. Keep your fingers crossed for me that there aren’t any major snowstorms in Kentucky, Ohio, or western Pennsylvania the day I’m traveling! Though I have all-wheel-drive, this Yankee-girl has been in the South too many years and just isn’t so accustomed at driving in snow anymore!!