Wouldja look at that!

Oh, the drama involved with the first lost tooth!

"you pull it, Mama...no, stop. it hurts too much...I can't do it! This loose tooth is driving me crazy!(me too!) How am I supposed to eat that with my tooth like this?!"

All evening it went like that. By the end of the evening I was ready to pull my own front tooth! After much fussing and wussing about blood and 'pulled muscles' she went up and stood firmly in front of the mirror with a wad of toilet paper in each hand. A few minutes later she explained: "I just stood there and pulled the last muscle and the tooth came right out! It didn't even hurt!"(yeah, right. what was the whole evening about anyway?)



Then there was the whole discussion of the tooth's (and maybe the whole experience's) worth. And where to put the tooth to be sure to get her money's worth. And what if she was awake when the Tooth Fairy came (You keep the tooth, I keep the $1) We don't believe in Santa Clause Mom, so why the Tooth Fairy? (Good question and I don't want to go into it right now.) And what would Papa say? What is going to happen to the tooth? Can I keep it and the $1? (Nope--if I pay for something, I better get to keep that something)

So much turmoil over a little tooth. And it is so little.

Could there be a lesson here? Something small and irritating in your life making you a little crazy? Wouldn't it just be better for you to yank it and let it go?

And on again this morning: "I can't believe I actually lost a tooth! I can hardly tell...see? you can't see it when I smile"

You won't even notice when it's gone and the absence of that small irritation will leave room for greater growth and be a mark of maturity among your peers.

Quick! Before it's 2008!

Kristine's Christmas Concert

Afterwards at home--the artiste gets the flowers

The first angel in the pageant at church. Her line was 'Do not be afraid' and she's been saying it every time we get to that part while reading the story from Luke 2--interrupting Grandpa, Papa and a CD. She's got her line down, though!

With her best friend in the balcony at church

The favorite (and only) aunt on Christmas morning.

A gift I made. The detail picture just doesn't look right. It's a lovely lace weight mohair blend that would not let me unravel for mistakes. After I broke the thread 3 or 4 times I gave up and left the mistakes in. It has a beaded border.

Another gift I made. I loved this yarn. It was so very variegated that every time the color changed, I was sure I was now crocheting with my favorite color. At least until the next one came up in about 8 stitches. It was supposed to be a poncho, but I think I just got carried away by the yarn that I kept going beyond reasonable poncho length. Lucky for me my DSIL loves this sort of thing as a skirt.

And the bibbley-bobs are so much fun!

This was the highlight for Jon. He'd been wanting a timberjack to enhance his firewood hobby, and his brother was kind enough to oblige. It's a lot bigger when it's out of the box and put together. It's sitting in a place of honor in my living room right now.

My own Christmas gifts? An ice cream maker from my SIL, and a wonderful BIG picture to hang in the living room from my BIL and some handy cash from mom and dad. Kristine gave me a timer that counts UP so I can see how long it really does take me to do things--like: is it really 30minutes to do chores? it doesn't seem like it. And: I've been spending how long on this crochet piece (or the computer) just now?! Important things like that.

We hope your Christmas was as blessed and merry as our own was and that your New Year will be as full of expectant promise as ours.

What should we get Papa for Christmas?

(Or Father's Day, or his birthday, or whatever event is coming up)

Consistent predicatable answer:

"A saw?"

As though he doesn't have enough, or maybe enough that work? Sheesh!

Cold weather gardening

'Mo-om I don't want to wear the flower tights...someone will say I've got dirt in my shoes'


Thanks Gramma.











I finally figured out my goofy dining room. It was really meant to be a dining room/crafting/sewing room! WhooHoo! I moved the corner bench under the middle two windows and turned the table the long way--it makes plenty of room for a sewing corner.
Now I just have to find where my sewing machine got stashed before Thanksgiving.

OHHHFERCUTE!

I've been studying some exquisite craftiness all around blogland. There is so much loveliness--so much inspiration.

I clicked over to a teacher-created curriculum site, thinking I'd download and print some Christmassy something to color. Instead, I came across this and thought about how much cuter we could do it...and here's the results.

The first two on the string are Mr. Gingerbread Man and our own Kristine (you can't see the braids in the picture, but that's all she'll wear currently). Next is Uncle Chris and Aunt Alyssa made by Alyssa herself (except for Alyssa's right eye--it fell off and I had to substitute something. Sorry Alyssa) Next to Chris is Papa wearing one of his worn out black tee shirts and an outrageous teal blue peaked cap. And then it's Aunt Ruthie in a lavender slip dress and a blocky three cornered hat (where does she get this stuff?).


Dootdoot and Abby are together, with Dootdoot having a good hair day, and wearing an adorable diaper in Kristine's new favorite color. Kristine couldn't remember if Abby had red boots or a red hat and since the hat was easier to make, she has a hat.


These last three are something of a mystery. Kristine says they're twins (the outside two) with their little sister, who smiles bravely despite the deep part in her hair.




And here's the full effect. Except you missed the giggles and snickers and guffaws involved in the making. You'll have to come out and see for yourselves.

Be assured that this is very serious business for the primary artist. Criticism and laughter at the display will not be tolerated. However, if you laugh just for pure joy at the creation, you will be applauded as a true art lover.

Routine

"Monkey?! Get the camera!"

"Why? Is something cute happening?"

"No, just routine"


The fastest tongue in the west (so fast I couldn't get a pictue of it)















The start of something good















duck and goose creche











This morning















4:00 PM or so

A Diller, A Dollar

"You know Mom, when most kids go to school, the teacher's aren't still in their pajamas."

Very, very true.

Jewelery

Ah, well...I guess it's time to write something again?

We've had some life happening around here...Jon's dad, Denis Audet passed away on November 15th. It was an amazing thing--watching him 'decrease' (for lack of a better word) and seeing Jesus 'increase' over the last few months. We were all waiting for the miraculous healing. Waiting for him to wake up some morning and be perfectly healed and fully energetic. And it did happen, just not here. Jon had been there that afternoon and was planning on going back the following morning to do some repairs, and the last thing his dad said to him as he went out the door was, 'See you in the morning'.

And so we will.

Then it was a whirlwind of Thanksgiving preparations and finding ways for all the family to get here for the memorial service and then grieving together when they got here. And then it was the memorial service--a wonderful tribute to a life well lived--and the let down afterwards. And now it's the living without a beloved father.

And so we've kept ourselves busy. Jon's been helping his mom clear out some of his dad's stuff and rearranging her apartment. Kristine and I have gone back to school, and I've realized again how much I have to 'forge' this relationship with her. And how very important it is to both of us that we do forge this relationship.

I don't make many friends very easily. I have just a few very good friends, and I am very choosy about with whom I make those friendships. Not because I'm snobbish--although I've gotten that reaction more times than not--it's just because relationships are precious to me and I'd rather have a few, well guarded, well tended relationships than a hundred casual acquaintances. Just as I'd much rather have 3 or 4 large beautiful gems than a whole bucketful of agates.

On the other hand, there are people who I would not call 'very good friends' (in a tea sharing, woe bearing, laughter living friendship), but are people whom I love very dearly nonetheless. These are the people who consistently live out Christ for everyone to see. They never fail to encourage me even when they have no idea that they have and continue to do so. They don't burden me with their own troubles, and they don't expect me to care (but I do, just because they are so precious), but they want to know mine and, somehow, lift me up. I sometimes look at these lovely people from (as I perceive) afar, and wonder how I could add their graciousness, their sparkling sweetness to my own 'collection' of gems and really envy the people who do 'own' these friendships. And it's just then, at that very moment that I'm gazing wistfully at their charisma, that they, in unconscious charm, tell me what a precious and beloved friend I am to them. And I feel myself the richest girl on the planet.

Den was one of these jewels. He was wonderful here. It was so much fun to see him sparkle as he shimmered and reflected light with his faceted character. And all I can think of is Malachi 3:17. "They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts. "On the day that I make them my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."

What a beautiful sight it is! To see all those jewels--those saints who have forged a relationship with the King--shining, reflecting the light of the everlasting sun.

How good and sweet are the memories of Den's life. But how much better is the knowledge of his future!