Handmade Holidays

I am working on it--I have almost finished Pea's hippo, and have started a blue (Dumpling's new favorite color--currently, he is asking, "Is this blue?"-even though he knew his colors before he was two,  and if the answer is no, he declares that he hates it, so, phew..)  You can see our Advent Wreath there--already looking a little bit faded.  As much as I love Advent, there is nothing like the lighting of that second candle to strike fear into my heart.  But, we are doing fine, doing fine.  The thing is I want so hard to make the whole thing special for my children--have every day filled with thoughtful, meaningful activity.  And actually, really, they are-they are loving Mary's star path and the Advent wreath, and excitement is building.  I have read How the Grinch stole Christmas approximately fifteen times.

The kids have also been making placemats--they draw and add glitter to big pieces of paper, and then I put contact paper over them.  You can see what a warm December we are having--Dumpling would generally prefer to be naked than clothed, and when I can indulge him, I do.  Dumpling and I worked on this while Pea was at school this morning--sometimes he gets a little lost in the shuffle of Pea's and my crafting, so it is nice to have him have some time to work on something all by himself.

We also planted some Paperwhites and Amaryllis bulbs today, which I think will be too late for Christmas, but we will enjoy them whenever--if I can keep them alive.  We made a gigantic mess--they had that planting mix that you have to soak in warm water and I had one plant for each of them, and while I was helping Pea, Dumpling cracked open his dirt, and then while I was starting his, Pea decied to water her plant withouth anything underneath.  I know some moms are able to be careful and prepared and lay out something so their children do not strew the dining room with dirt, but I am not among their number.  I read that you could put the Paperwhites in the dark and it would help them to have shorter stalks, and I was thinking about putting them in the pantry, but Pea thought it would be better to cover it with a dishtowel.  It is sitting on our coffee table now.

This girl loves her kitty-cat.  And our killer cat is so tolerant and gentle with her.  I wish he were so gentle witth the birds.