* Gratitude Sunday *

Joining Taryn from Wooly Moss Roots for Gratitude Sunday. A heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.

~ I am just ever so grateful for our time up north. Such a wonderful way to spend Christmas.
~ SNOW! Oh it was so wonderful to have a bit of snow, and then to also leave said snow and come back to a bit warmer weather.
~ I am very excited to start planning our spring garden, things start hopping here in Arizona pretty soon. Love checking out the seed catalogs, and looking up gardening ideas.
~ I am very grateful for the time I get each day to create something... knitting, sewing, baking, cooking, whatever it is it fills me up.
~ Being able to nurse my sick baby.
~ I am loving these weeks that the big kids are home with us instead of in school.
~ Having my dear husband home for so many days
~ CHICKENS we are getting today!
~ Weather nice enough that the kids play outside
~ Really good books

A holiday (mostly) in black and white

out in the snow

fiona in the "cabin"

fiona and daddy on the first hike

out and about

hike #1

the christmas tree at the cabin

fireplace that was on ALL THE TIME

walking down the road for another hike

can you see the flakes??

fiona riding the "sausage"

sunrise chrsitmas morning

a wee bit of a dark photo of nanny helping fiona open gifts

the tree in black and white

after the gift opening

fiona and her new book

my lovely teenagers

cae making a snow angel

hike around fool's hollow lake

mike trying to fish the $20 bill out of the lake

here we all are!

fiona and daddy at the lake

sagan looking for squatch prints

cae looking lovely

fiona snoozing on the hike

daddy carrying rowan

cae and rowan catching snowflakes

snow

cae outside

the big kids on a hike

on the side of the road

on the way home

What can I say... such a big bunch of photos and still not even half of the ones we took. So many great adventures. A hike everyday, it snowed twice... once on Christmas even even! Lots of time spent outside, lots of time spent in front of the fire sipping hot cocoa and watching holiday movies. Music was made, books were read, stuff was knitted, cookies were eaten. It was a wonderful way to spend Christmas.

Crafting and playing

note pad holder and awesome pencil

note pad holder

using crayons on HOT rocks

rowan really loved this craft

snowflakes using coffee filters

decorating mugs with sharpies

decorating mug with sharpie... with tongue out

babies on an adventure

rowan and fiona holding hands

fiona, daddy and the semi creepy santa

RAINBOW!

Over the last couple weeks the kids have been busy crafting all sorts of goodness. Decorating mugs with sharpies, making snowflakes, "painting" hot rocks with crayons. And playing always, always, playing.
I had to throw in a photo of the rainbow we got during the days and days of rain we got last week, because, well it was just awesome.

Yarn Along and all the gifts

Joining Ginny from Small Things for the weekly Wednesday Yarn Along.

the skinny bear

flock of burly sheep

niece's gift

biggest son's vest

son #2's vest

son #3's vest

oldest daughter's skirts

youngest daughter's quilt

son #4's quilt

current WIP

I finished all the major projects! I wish to shout it from the tree tops! I have knitted three vests, 8 hats, a scarf, two pairs of mittens, two cowls, 4 sheep, and a blue bear! I started a shawl that I hope to have finished up before we head out of town on Sunday and I have a project all lined up for while we are on our vacation! (hehe)
I have also made two quilts (using Ginny's quilt that she made for her wee one as an inspiration), and two skirts.
I am just so happy! This will truly be a real handmade holiday! The first we have ever really done. I love all the planning and the struggles and the thinking I would never get it all done, and here we are less then a week until Christmas and I am finished.
I hope everyone else's projects are wrapping up nicely. :)