Christmas Miracles

I'm doing the annual tradition of watching Christmas on Mars.

Made in Oklahoma. It's the only space movie where astronauts have teeth missing, and half the crew have a tell tale Oklahoma Southern accent. (And then Fred Amistad is in it, because he's a drummer?) It could be a bad movie, but it is saved by a near perfect soundtrack- and so it becomes our Christmas tradition. 

Three small miracles have occured today. They are all but small miracles, but so is Hanukkah. 

Miracle #1. For two months, I have been attempting to catch a clever rat. This rat has, on at least four occasions, eaten food in the traps and set them off without getting caught! Meanwhile, he has eaten lots of chicken and bunny feed--- until today. Today, I found that rat dead in a trap-- a Christmas miracle!

2. BAH started beer yeast going yesterday, but it was seven months old and completely dead. No bubbles. Then, at 8 PM tonight- a Christmas miracle! The beer yeast bubbleth over! It lives! There shall be beer! 

3. After a week of rain, it's snowing! 

Well, it's dandruffing at least. 

So, Santa's milk and cookies are waiting...

Wait.., did someone eat one?

 Oh, wait. I did.

Merry Christmas!

Fa la la la la

Big Z, age 8, was making up a Christmas song in the car today. I didn't record it or anything, so I'll have to paraphrase, but it went something like,

"And the goblins attack, and we fight them off with our Christmas Joy! And with the matches that we light with one finger!"

La la la...

"Did you like my song?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah! It made Christmas way more action packed than I thought it was!"

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, I never knew that goblins attacked on  Christmas! And we had to fight them off with our Christmas joy!"

"Oh, I was just combining the Christmas story and the Hanukkah story."

Reindeer

Milk and cookies for Santa, bucket of water for the reindeer... a nylon sock full of birdseed for the chickens (I bet you didn't even know Santa had chickens) and a homemade sword and shield for ... Defense? I just hope the reindeer don't poop on the carpet. 

There Be Bunnies Here, Captain!

Santa only had to endure driving the sleigh through a blizzard, hiking through negative ten windchill, a dead wolf, a creepy voice from a creepy house, a bunch of creepy noises from a creepier barn, near frostbite and... well, that's enough. Santa very nearly turned back when she saw the dead wolf and heard the creepy voice from the creepy farmhouse. Someday, Santa will tell the whole story. With pictures. But, today, Santa is just patting herself on the back and saying, Mission accomplished.

Little known fact: Mariah Carey and I were born on the same day...

... but only one of us is a natural blond. The kids really make this song worth while:



God jul!

Solstice!

Happy solstice, everyone! Remember: the solstice is the reason for the season! No one really knows what time of year Jesus was born. The Christian holidays tend to coincide with the pagan holidays that came before them.

I don't care. I'll celebrate anything!

We do open some gifts on Solstice at our house. It's our tradition. But Santa comes on Christmas Eve at midnight, even if some people don't entirely understand that.

This little diddy is actually about pickles!

Intentionally Awkward Family Photo

I crocheted chicken hats for most of the family for Christmas. Little Z is being a rebel with her cow hat. BAH is wearing her hat. My neice, Emily, appears to have taken off the hat and handed it to future Uncle Bryce just before the photo. She has really great hair, so I forgive her.

I didn't have time to make them for most of the guys! I thought they would never wear them anyway- except for my dad, and he liked his, of course. He's all about the gag gifts.

I got the pattern from Roses. Thank you!

Christmas would not be complete without a family meltdown

I got this image here, but I don't know who took the picture.

Happy Solstice

The Zombie Doll, Final Look- Lock up the kids

I didn't want to post this before Christmas and spoil the surprise for Jen, so here it is now, in all its glory, the finished zombie doll:


Christmasy, isn't she? The head is removable (velcro) and attached with a bit of pink elastic, for that head-hanging-by-a-tendon look.

I really got into this. I don't know what that says about me.