Belly Pic and Early Christmas!

Well, we’re day 2 into December and the sit-down-and-put-your-feet-up-nazi (cough…cough…Knut…cough) has let up and let me resume normal activities.  Yesterday I was eager for some fresh air and walked down the gravel driveway to our mailbox, which exhausted me for way too long afterward!  I suppose it would be easier if the wind weren’t so cold!  Most of the walk is fine until the last few yards to the mailbox where you walk past the trees and are no longer under their protection and the wind comes up strong!  I can’t walk fast enough to hurry at this point, so it’s just a matter of waddling as fast as I could to get the mail, turn around, and get back to the spot on the driveway where the trees block the wind again.  I’m sure everyone would have laughed at such a sight.

Today I’m planning on making some Christmas cookies with the kids as a fun activity.  As ready as I feel for this baby to come, I just can’t sit and wait anymore.  I’m not pushing for her to come out, but I’m certainly not going to stand in her way!

I had Silje put her math lesson down for a moment to take my picture today.  I’m still mourning my awful haircut (not the worst, but definitely made it to my top 5 least favorite hair cuts) but I thought I should have this 38 weekish picture taken for the main occasion of not good hair, or that I have mascara on, but that I’m wearing one of the few shirts I have left that covers my entire belly.  Most days, half of it is just hanging down, or I wear my b-band to try to cover the bottom half!

Today I got a SUPER fun package in the mail, and I just thought I’d share it.  As my family knows, I’m not a very patient person.  Growing up, when we got our chocolate Easter bunnies, I would devour mine in about one minute, while my sister would take a small bite every day to make it last for weeks.  Nope, not me.  As soon as something is in my hands, it’s opened and devoured.  You never know what tomorrow will bring, right?  I mean, Jesus could come tomorrow.  Leave nothing unfinished in this regard.  That’s my advice.

What I’m gearing up for is that I got a kind of Christmas present in the mail today that I’ve already opened up.  I mean, it’s kind of a gift.  It’s more technically called a “swap.”  My internet buddies and I did a “stock mama’s stocking swap” under the premise that as mothers, we are often the gift buyers for the whole family.  If something is in our stockings, it’s because we put it there.  So the rules of the swap were we had to make/buy10 items to send in to the hostess who gathered all of the items together.  (The hostess this year was the sweet diva who gave me Sergio, my serger, just because.  And if you remember right, she used fabric to pad the entire machine for shipping.  I mean…a seriously cool woman.)  So 30 of us sent her these 10 items, and our “wish list” of favorite colors and things we were hoping to get back.  She then divided up all the things sent, and packaged up 10 things from other divas that she thought we would like.

(I’m sorry I didn’t take pictures of them, but I made and sent in handmade knitting needle roll-ups to organize and keep knitting needles.)

So my 10 stocking stuffers came in the mail today, and knowing me…I just tore into it.  You know, just in case Jesus comes tomorrow and I might never get the chance otherwise.  Plus, look at all of this stuff.  My stocking isn’t even big enough to fit this all!

Would you like to see the goodies from my friends?
 
Let’s start with THE YARN!

One lady sent me a skein of handspun BFL wool.  Seriously, I nearly fainted.  I’ve always wanted to knit with BFL wool (stands for blue-faced-lancaster breed of sheep wool) but I’ve never been able to afford it.  Not only is this that luxurious wool, but she spun this wool herself on her spinning wheel.  I’ve never knit with handspun wool before and I’m so excited I nearly jumped up and down enough for this baby to come out.

The other wool?

Malabrigo.  I’ve heard of this yarn.  I’ve dreamed of this yarn.  Malabrigo wool is a brand of wool that’s legendary for it’s softness, but I’ve never been fortunate enough to come across it and doubt I could afford it if I did.  This skein is merino wool combined with silk, and dyed in this gorgeous teal and purple variegation by my friend Jillene.  If that wasn’t enough, she sent it in a knitting project bag with some stunning stitch markers attached.

Now for the other goodies:
make up bag filled with chocolate…always a good gift.

Some pin cushions which I’ve been in desperate need of and had on my wish list.  I’ve been meaning to make myself one, but you know how it is with things for yourself getting put on the back burner.  One of them is for next to the machine and is weighted with a thread catcher attached, and the other is in this adorable basket and has magnets inside to attract the pins.

And then of course, from my friend Ginny, who I’ve done business with before (she makes the most gorgeous jewelry and stitch markers) I got some more stitch markers, some stationary, and treats.

More treats and some coasters, some handmade jewelry. Gorgeous.

And last but not least, I was a bit giddy to see that one of the gifts was from my friend Tracey. Tracey has been a friend and kindred spirit for awhile. Her love for the Lord is so apparent and she has so much wisdom. You see, Tracey is a midwife, and serves a community, many of whom are Amish and do not wish to go to a regular hospital. Her quiet spirit and love for the Lord is respected by the small community she lives near, and is invited into their homes for the most amazing births.  I love hearing Tracey tell stories. Anyway, she made for the swap a mug cozy. Not only are there yummy things to go in a coffee mug, but you can wrap the cozy around the mug, and use the clean mug to store little office supplies that she included that are handy to have in a sewing room.

I think this package could keep me busy for months planning and scheming what to do with this amazing yarn, but in all reality, the treats and chocolates may not make it to Christmas…or Saturday. Now I have to be a good girl and finish up that Christmas stocking and a few other Christmas gifts before I start knitting with mine. O, this is going to be hard!