What a busy weekend! We started out with driving down to where my mom lives – normally an hour away we spent half the drive going 50 km/hr and NOT getting passed! Snow and ice on the roads until we hit the main highway… the boys were very impressed at how slowly Daddy was going! Once we got there fun was definitely had by all! Ken napped in the basement for a nice chunk of the time and my mom and I took Trinity downtown to do some shopping. I got myself a slightly smaller magnetic ring to go over the one I have on my left thumb to better keep it on when my thumb is NOT swollen. My mom picked up a weeping Buddha…

After we did our little bit of shopping and woke Ken up we headed over to Mom and Mike’s cabin. A definite work in progress but wonderful location and lots of nice features… there is talk of adding a septic tank and getting a functioning bathroom in as well! The current outhouse has a huge window in the door!! Odd!

My mom also taught me how to make a pillow with a cross stitch in the centre. I watched carefully and am hoping I can reproduce it myself with some of the pieces I have already made! This piece is a commission so I won’t post pictures just yet but I am very happy with how it turned out! I also scavenged through her fabric and patterns and got a couple ideas of things to make next! I am so going to have to invest in some stuffing!

Talk about a REAL completion – my mom finished off Aidan’s stocking for me, I now have it in my hands COMPLETE! I am so pleased!!! I cannot wait to get together the cash to ship it down south to the little boy it was made for!

So now with my new box of supplies and things from my mom’s house I am looking forward to a craft filled week. I have to get the boys’ ornaments prepped and sorted for giving, do something with my dissected teddy bear parts AND maybe even make each of our 4 kids and my nephew a stuffy!

Of course after we got home from our day trip we had our weekly gaming night with Chris and Chris. Since (he) Chris has a night job starting tomorrow and is looking at imminent surgery it is probably going to be our last for a while! Bah! But we had fun and they treated us to Edo Japan food.. mmm.

We lucked out as Chris and Chris were also free THIS afternoon so that we could all go back to the John Walter museum and see how they make stew on the wood burning stove (oh and some more scones).

The interpretors were so nice and the weather perfect. The boys spent most of their time running in the snow and playing in the woodpile (suggestion of one of the interpretors). Trinity was all over the place giggling and running and falling down in the snow. It certainly didn’t bother her!

The stew was absolutely delicious, on top of the normal things (beef, potatoes, carrots, onions) they also added home made sauerkraut. It was not overwhelming but added an amazing kick to the stew! I would love to give it a go but I am not sure Ken would be too enthused! Chris and Chris went into the 1901 house for a tour as well. I think we all had a great time. I am a little sad – they are not open from Jan-Mar which is a huge chunk. Though it IS rather cold around here then.

In the morning the twins went off  to Sunday School and came back with adorable advent wreaths made out of playdoh. They are a little garbled on what you use them for and how they work though Zander was VERY clear that you COULD touch the candles when they are NOT lit.

We had our weekly run to H&W though Ken went in without us – another 8lbs of strawberries for 8.00. So I will be busy tomorrow cutting and prepping a large chunk of those for freezing. This Christmas I am determined to have some strawberry featured dishes. I am debating making the chocolate candy cane cake I made years ago by a Kraft recipe. I found it again online.

I am excited about the pattern page – we have added our first in a line of Chibis – a penguin… right now I am working on a bunny. Whispers of a panda and even a dragon to come! The mind reels with ideas sometimes! Hopefully by tomorrow I will have another couple up for sale and our freebies sorted out. So check back!

The mountain of laundry that calls me to fold it and the unknown response of the MP has us a bit unhinged for tomorrow. I would LIKE to go to a HLSA gathering at a park in town but we may have to head to the government office… I also have a card to resend since the post lost the original which means a trip to the local thread store and the pressing need to both pick up our photo cd from the photographer AND envelopes for my Christmas cards… there simply is not enough time in the day is there? Oh well all we can do is give it a go!

Loving the Puppy! (Zander)

I am so proud of both the girls - Trinity for getting up the courage to go near and Harley for being so patient!