Not Missing This!

Just checked the weather in Spokane...snow and down to -3 tonight.  Here in beautiful Roatan we are basking by the pool.  It's so nice here!  Our house is gorgeous, we are situated on a lovely bay, with a view out through a reef to the Atlantic Ocean.  I have mostly been knitting, reading and lounging by the pool, and that's perfectly fine with me.  Rumor has it that the more adventurous members of our party are going zip-lining today.  Those of us who are "gravity people" are trying to get out of it.

Paradise

Pia, Katie and I arrived in gorgeous Roatan this afternoon and were met by Patty, Tony, Junior and Franklin (our home's caretaker and his grandson, great guys!)  The island and the house are as beautiful as we had dreamed, and we are already living la vida loca (no idea what that translates as, but you get my drift).  It's so warm here and it's so much fun to get to spend Christmas with my kids, Tony and Patty. Thanks all of you for making it possible for me to join you!  Happy Christmas, Santa is on his way!

Packing!

Our trip is almost here!  I've thrown swimsuits, shorts, flip flops and underwear in  my suitcase, along with a rather pitiful pile of gifts (hard to pack a full load of Christmas presents in one suitcase):

I also threw in a jigsaw puzzle (Great Shipwrecks!) just in case Katie is completely housebound and we get bored.  The knitting projects are selected and yarn is ready to be wound into balls. 

I can't believe it's finally time to head to sunny Roatan (or Rwanda as my dear relatives insist on calling it)!!!

Getting Crafty

The gang and I went to a family night at the Y, where they had a bunch of tables set up for Christmas crafts.  Of course, we especially loved the ones that involved marshmallows.  We made Reindeer Chow and Snowmen using 'mallows, licorice whips and pretzels.  Those didn't make it home, but they made some very cute ornaments for their tree.

GAK!

Once AGAIN, I am working on transferring my store to a new host.  It's a total PITA, and I find I need to learn a lot more about computer programming and codes and HTML language than I ever really wanted to know :-(

Hopefully, I'll get it all figured out before we leave on our trip and have the store & site up and running pronto.  Send strength and patience thoughts my way, I'm going to need plenty of both...

True Believers

Is there anything more grand than a child who still believes in Santa?  No, there really isn't.  And the boys are in various stages of 'true believing'. 

Mikey is still a T.B. at age 5 of course.  On our walk to school this morning, he asked if I believed.  I replied,  "YES. OF COURSE I DO."  We then had a discussion about what Santa is bringing and how many days left till the big day.  It's hard being a good boy right up to Xmas day!

The twins at 10 are wavering a bit.  The logical part of their brains knows that "Mom buys the presents", but they totes WANT to believe.  Liam told his mom that the Santa they saw this weekend wasn't the REAL Santa, his hair was too light. Real Santa is at the Mall.  And then he asked his mom "do the reindeer REALLY fly?"  Al is pretty sure Mom is Santa, but just in case he's believing.  You don't want to miss out on the really good presents by dissing Santy.

Riveria is 11 and totally over the whole Santa thing.  But trying to be a good big brother and not spill the beans.

I vote that we all endorse Santa 100%.  The world needs the jolly guy.

It's Official!

Christmas season is upon us!  We watched "White Christmas" last night (well, I watched an hour of it, then had to go to bed, but really I have the whole movie and all the songs and dialog memorized so it's okay).  Love this movie SO much: Bing! Rosemary!  Vera-Ellen's creepy tiny waist! Danny Kaye and everything he does!  Mary Wickes (the housekeeper)! 

And of course, my sister B & I do a mean version of "Sisters".

Once I've watched "It's a Wonderful Life" at least one time, I'll know it's time to get those presents wrapped!

Such a Dilemma!

The hardest part (for me) of packing for a trip is what knitting project to take?  I can throw clothes in a bag willy-nilly and I'm fine with it.  But I agonize over the knitting bag.  I need something that is going to keep me busy for the entire trip, but not be so difficult/have so many skeins of yarn involved that I have to carry a ginormous bag.

For our Roatan trip, I have to also consider how much I would enjoy sitting with a lapful of wool.  I was going to take a sweater project, but think that might be a bit too warm :-(  So I'm wavering between socks and a shawl called "Galadriel's Mirror", which is really pretty.  I have this yarn (Caper Sock in color "Alexandrite" from String Theory), so I'm all set to start knitting the shawl.  And I have tons of sock yarn, so I'm good with that, too.  What to take...maybe both!

Oops She Did it Again

Here's the remnants of yet ANOTHER expensive Addi knitting needle that dear little Lucy decided made an excellent chew toy.  Along with my lace project.  Alas, the needles can't be salvaged, but the knitting project is back on new needles (and I've finally learned I need to put my knitting away!)

It's 80 in Roatan Today!

Just a couple more weeks until the Longi's head off to bask in the sun on Roatan!!!  I can't wait, especially after the crappy weather we've had here lately.

Poor Katie is stuck in her humongous knee brace for our entire vacation :-(  We will have to rig up a big floatie for her so she can at least lounge in the pool while we bring her drinks and fan her.

CARSON!!!!

Sorry, I just can't say that name without shrieking :-)  Katie and I got to visit with Megan & Ryan in the hospital and meet Mr. Carson P.  And he is the cutest little bean. 

I know his mama was ill, based on the outfit that Cars was wearing: ratty diaper, hospital issue t-shirt and scrappy receiving blanket.  Were she up to par, he'd be decked out in his finest duds.  He was presh anyway.  And Auntie Lowdie got to snuggle and hold him for a long time, which was a treat.

BTW this boy has the fingers and toes of his mother; in other words, they are prehensile and I'm going to start calling both of them "My Left Foot" bc they can totes paint and do just about anything requiring opposable thumbs with those feet.

The Sad Story of Pam's Christmas Gift

Here is my nearly finished (and super cute) Aggie Bear from "The Odd-Bod Knitted Bunch" book.  This was going to be Pam's Christmas present, until she started leaking 'pellets' at an alarming pace. 

Maybe I will make another one, but not before Christmas.  You're getting something else, Pammie!

Sitting Very, Very Close

We had a grand time at Logan's 4th birthday party!  She was a gracious hostess.  Hadley asked if she could help Loggie unwrap her gifts, and Logan said, "No, Hads, but you can hold the bows".  Hads was pretty happy with that, as she had already gotten the ixnay from her mama on 'present unwrapping help'.  She then asked if she could sit 'very, very close' to Logan, and her wish was granted.

We also got to meet and cuddle new baby CARSON, he's a doll.  Albeit a doll with ginormous feet.  He will never tip over.  Hope you are home and feeling better, Megs!

ACK!

I'm working on a present for Loutie, and it has to be PERFECT, because 1. I love her and 2. she's a fabulous knitter and I would be ashamed to give her something that is less than fabulous.

I WAS nearly done with the gift, and it was looking very very cute.  Then I got the brills idea to stuff it with those little beads.  And ignored the package warning that says "make a lining".  ACK. ACK. ACK.  My adorable gift is leaking beads everywhere.

Prezzie is getting put down for the weekend while I consult with Susna on how to fix this mess...

This is why it takes us 45 minutes to walk to school

Mind you, the P's live about 5 blocks from school.  But there's just SO much to do on the way...This morning, Mike found a 'wormhole' in the snow and he just had to crawl in it and be a worm for a while.  Meanwhile, the brothers were busy pelting each other with snowballs.  All fun and games until snow gets down the back of your neck.  Then you cry.