Merry! Merry!

Last weekend we celebrated Christmas about four times. The Timpany's came to town, then with friends, then with the Piper's. I had a fantastic time with lots of family and friends and of course, my new BFFs: Grover, Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster. On Christmas Day, we went for a walk along the Elwood Bluffs and saw the Monarch Butterflies that migrate to Goleta every year. I also really enjoyed being home with mom and dad who indulged me by playing lots of "tunnel" and pushing me around in my new Radio Flyer wagon. I hope that your holiday season was just as much fun as mine has been and I hope you enjoy a healthy and happy new year.

The Gauntlet was Thrown

Hi, this is Jessica, Miles's mom. I have hacked into Miles's blog to tell you a quick story about his new Christmas stocking. I was decorating the home a couple weeks back, pulling out all of our holiday decorations, when I noticed that we really didn't have stockings for myself or Miles. Danny has an amazing stocking that his late grandmother made for him. It's red felt with an embroidered Santa, beads, and lots of love. It's an exemplary stocking. So I hopped onto Etsy.com one night and tried to buy Miles and myself a couple new, cute stockings when Danny glared at me with a judging look and pronounced: "You can't buy a stocking!" And thus the gauntlet was thrown. I had to make them. And I had to make them well enough to hang on the mantle next to Danny's grandma-made-old-school-home-ec-class-taking-fabulous stocking.

So I took myself, and an unruly toddler, to Craft Essentials. We walked to the back of the store where all the fabric lives, along with a gaggle of old ladies who know their stuff, and I threw Danny's stocking down on the fabric-cutting table and said: "I need to make one of these." Everyone took a step back and sucked in their breath while sizing me up. I'm pretty sure I had poop and cracker crumbs on me somewhere, so the gaggle took pity and guided my shopping. I left with a bunch of supplies and a polite request to leave the toddler at home the next time I visited as he left a wake of destruction and strewn beads in his path.

So, here it is. Miles's stocking. Not bought, but made with love. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!