Merry Christmas!

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2: 10-14

The modern Nativity by Mckenna

As I turned to the Nativity last night to remember the reason for Christmas, I was startled by my little girl's pet shop animals in the scene! Let ALL creatures great and small rejoice in the birth of our Saviour!

We have had a blessed Christmas at our house this year. It has been full of wonderful traditions: baking peppermint cookies, attempting Gingerbread houses, feeding the reindeer, and setting out snacks for Santa.

Here's hoping your Christmas has been filled with love and hope.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cheesecake Bites

What can you make for a holiday treat that takes three ingredients, can be made in under 30 minutes, looks amazing, and tastes out of this world????

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cheesecake Bites



Ingredients:


Break and Bake mini Chocolate chip cookie dough

Premade Cheesecake Filling

Cherry Pie Filling


You will also need some festive paper mini muffin cups.




Preheat the oven to 350F.


Have some elves help you place the cookie dough in the muffin cups.



Bake for about 10 minutes. You may have to squish the centers down lightly with a spoon to form a "bowl" when you take them out of the oven.


Pipe the cheesecake filling into the center.



Add a spoonful of cherry pie filling.





YUM!


I had these at a party once and do not know the official source of this recipe. I do not claim to have created this recipe. Just putting it out there!

Tipmatic 1027

A couple of years ago, my mom brought me my Great Aunt Evelyn's sewing machine.



It is a German made Pfaff from the 70's....but, it is a great machine.



It has collected dust in my closet for about two years as I have worked to survive potty training and all of the other drama that comes from preschool twin girls.



I took the machine in to a local shop to have it looked at. The only real problem was the feed on the stretch stitch!



...so $29 later, my sewing machine is up and running.



...lots of projects on the docket.



Stay tuned.

Vintage Knit Hatband

I am rarely able to watch television shows in real time and I have not made the leap to DVR yet.

Netflix is by far my favorite creation of this century...so far. I have been known to consume entire seasons of a television show in a weekend.



My most recent obcession is Mad Men. AMC's period drama depicting the complicated relationships of men and women in the early 1960's. I just love the detail...the furniture ...the clothes...it is something to behold.

Learning to knit has conincided with this obsession...and in one episode, Sally Draper ( the daughter of the main character) was dressed in her darling little coat and the DARLING little hatband.

I realized that there is nothing in the way of warm, feminine head gear for little girls these days.

I was on a mission.

After two hours seeking out a vintage knitting pattern for this "darling little hat" that had no name.... I finally found it... THE HATBAND...circa 1961.

So, it was off to Hobby Lobby for a set of #5 and #8 needles and some fuzzy, girly yarn....

....and I whipped up a precious little hat that will accomadate pigtails and ponytails and still keep their little ears warm.




I simply stitched some premade felt flowers on the side for that little extra....something.


For you knitters...since I can't seem to locate the illusive link...here is the pattern!

No. 693 Hatband

Gauge: 9 sts. = 1 inch

• With No. 5 needles cast on 4 sts. for tie string and work in ribbing K1, P1 for 12 inches.
• Change to No. 8 needlesand garter stitch. Increase 1 st. in each st. (8 sts.)
• Work even for 2 rows. Incr. 1 st. in each st. (16 sts.)
• Change to stock. st. and keep the first and last 3 sts. on needle in garter st. for border.
• Increase 1 st. after and before the 3 border sts. every K row until there are 24 sts. on needle. ( I would make this more like 20 for a little girl)
• work even until piece measures 12.5 inches above tie string.
• Decr. 1 st. after and before the 3 border sts. every K row until there are 16 sts. on the needle
• Change to garter st. and K2 tog. across row (8 sts.)
• Work even for 2 rows
• K2 together across row (4 sts.)
• Change back to No. 5 needles for tie string and work in ribbing K1, P1 for 12 in.
• Bind off.
  
  
  

Breakfast with Santa

'Tis the season.... I have finally gotten into the Christmas spirit.

It took me a while. I spent the first 2 weeks of the month battling three terrible colds: mine and the girls.

We are finally over it, and thanks to Daddy and Nana the girls have a Christmas tree! Not sure I would have mustered the energy.

Today, the girls and I attended our annual Breakfast with Santa today! It is always so much fun!!

The girls really got into the spirit this year ....and we are NO LONGER AFRAID of the big guy!!! HO HO HO!

Morgan asked for a Hello Kitty Barbie Doll (what?)

Mckenna asked for a Moxie girl mermaid

....to my surprise (and delight) I have found the "elves" make both of these strange items!!

Gotta love those elves.

....now for a stirring rendition of a holiday favorite.

I'm back...

It has been a while since I have posted on here....facebook has been serving me well to keep up with friends and family. But, the blog is so much better for searching up old content...I have had the BEST time looking at some of my old posts.

I got a new Flip camera for Christmas and look forward to logging all of the girls misadventures!!

I have also taken up knitting and my sewing machine is being repaired as we speak. Hoping to have some great little projects to post!

Well Deserved Rewards

After many tears (mine) and trying EVERY trick ever to get girls fully potty trained....SUCCESS! We just took the pull ups at night away an POOF! No more pooping in the pants! Thanks to my DEAR friend Shelley and my Mom for their support and therapy!





The girls got to go to Toys R Us and pick out ANYTHING they wanted for proving they were DONE WITH DIAPERS!!! Here are shot of their new toys (not an everyday thing at our house!!)

My animal lover picked a kitten that purrs, meows,

takes a bottle, and kneads with it's paws!!

My little "wild thing" picked a princess guitar (believe me...

I tried to duck that one!)