Today is our 5 year anniversary. We're planning on going to see an early movie this afternoon with Andrew and going out for a bite to eat after wards.

This is a picture of us 5 years ago on our wedding day in the Registrar's office in Glasgow, Scotland. We eloped and go married at 10 AM with lunch at noon. Only Husband's parents were there as our witnesses. It was nice and stress free.

Doggy sweater I made for Scout. It didn't work out as good as I was hoping. In the end the pattern didn't end up making much sense and then I did some troubleshooting and flew by the seat of my pants and ended up with this. It doesn't stay on her all that well. I think she needs something with actual arm holes.

The No-Sew Fleece Blanket I made Andrew for Christmas. Initially I was going to make a smaller blanket and make mitts, a scarf, and a toque with the fleece. But after I watched some videos on how to make the no-sew fleece blankets I decided it would be best to make a bigger blanket so I didn't have anything left to make the other stuff. I think it turned out very nice. I don't know if I would make them again. It was quite an expensive blanket. $23. I think I would only make it again if I got a really good deal on fleece.

The hat that "Santa" brought for me this Christmas. I love the hat but a certain 4 year old seems to have claimed it as his own. It was time consuming with all the stopping and changing colours, but it is a good way to use up scraps and it looks hella awesome. I want to make more of them!

Now that Christmas is over and after all that time I spent making the round ripples for my friends wedding and I'm sick of crocheting I've moved back into my cross stitch that I anticipate will be complete sometime in 2012. If I squint I can sort of tell that it has trees. :P

Cheers!

Our very old washing machine has started leaking. Husband reports that one of the pipes on the bottom is cracked. We have been talking on and off about replacing the washer for about a year now. It's been a little temperamental since we moved in to this house 2 years ago.

We have some Emergency Fund money and some Christmas Money so I'm scoouring the internet for the best deal I can find....

Christ was not born at Christmastime
invoked by practised choirs,
embraced by plastic mangers
and fulfilling our desires.
No kindergarten was his home,
no drummer boy his page,
no earth had frozen snow on snow
when God had come of age.

Instead on the periphery,
eccentric through decree,
the power behind the universe
was born a refugee;
a refugee from heaven above
became the world's creator,
and chose an unknown peasant girl
as host and liberator.

-Final verses of "The Antichristmas Carol" by John Bell

So far I have spent $274ish on Christmas. This is presents for Husband, Andrew, the dog, the Secret Santa I participated in, and stockings for the 3 of us. Husband and I don't usually exchange gifts...but I did buy him a few little things this year. I told him about this, so I wonder if he's gotten me anything.

I've paid off $143 of it and I'm deciding how I want to pay off the other $130. I know, I know I didn't pay cash for everything. Spank me now. I can take it.

We have $30 in our house fund so I am planning on using that. That would bring the balance down to $100. I'm thinking of taking $1oo out of our Emergency Fund. I know Gail would scowl at, but really using the EF is better then having debt right? Spank me now. I can take it.

I still have to pay the sitting fee ($180) for the photographer for my whole family's portraits. The sitting fee is my gift to my whole family (ie. parents & grandparents and extended relatives). I don't have funds saved for that (except for money in the EF). I know, I know, spank me now. But i have a super secret plan. We almost always get some money for Christmas from people, so my plan is to use our Christmas money to pay for the sitting fee as we aren't taking pictures until December 29th. Super secret plan sound okay?

This is the really the first year that I have not stressed about Christmas. Actually, I've hardly given it any thought. Once I decided to do the photography thing and I agreed with my friends not to exchange gifts and Husband and I don't really exchange gifts. All I've had to worry about is presents for Andrew and Christmas stockings for the 3 of us. It's nice just being able to relax and enjoy the season...especially with 2 weeks off work!

How is it possible that it is only 5 days to Christmas? When did this happen? We only just put up our tree on Friday (and actually that is only halfway done because we can't find 1 box of decorations in the basement). I still have Andrew's stuff to make. We have not planned the Christmas Eve service yet (and I haven't even started to think about the January First Sundays service which is fast approaching). Our house is a mess (thanks to a busy November and December where everything got put the side and piled up).

Yarg. So much to do and so little time. It's times like these that I make lists. :P I haven't made a list in a long while, maybe that's been part of my problem with feeling in control and organized? I hope this helps me focus and get things done!

This week all this stuff needs doing:

• Organize First Sundays Material.
• Find that box of Christmas Decorations! (it has all my heirloom decorations, that's why I'm worried about it)
• Read "Mission Shaped Children"
• Plan Christmas Eve Service
• Make Andrew's Blanket, scarf, mitts and toque
• Put away laundry (there's about 6 baskets waiting to be put away)
• Decorate the rest of the house (aka find homes for the decorations sitting on the coffee table)
• Work on Personnel Policies for daycare
  
• Clean, Clean, Clean

I think this is the skin I've decided on.

It makes me feel....different. It feels like fireworks, if that makes any sense.

I'm tired of this skin. It doesn't look so crisp and fresh to me anymore. I'm ready for something different. I'm browsing and googling....Get ready for a change folks.

This is a video of the church 1conference that I went to in November. The workshop that I went to in the morning was for youth and it was so encouraging because there was actual real live youth there! Sometimes I get discouraged because I am very nearly the only person between 12 and 45. It was also very encouraging because the Moderator of The United Church of Canada was at that workshop. It was a big honour to have her there with us, the young people of the Church and the folks that work with Youth. The afternoon workshop was about how community gardens and markets can change neighbourhoods for the best. It was very inspiring.

Well, it's been a while. I haven't posted in almost a month. I've been uber busy and not had much creativity. I've also not been working on anything that I usually post about. We've fallen off the money bandwagon sort off (I'll admit that I've pulled out my cc a few times in the last month), I've barely made any crafts/crocheting (honestly!), and I've not been in the mood for any lists. :P

I went on holiday to Calgary (see that expired ticker up there?). Had fun. Took a zillion pictures. Went over budget (but not by much). Came back. I've been busy, busy, busy, busy since then. Actually, this post has taken me 3 days to write. :P The Children's Ministry is going well. I find it hard and scary and chaotic, but exciting, rewarding, and fun all at the same time. My full time work is there and boring. Same ol' same ol'. At home we are in full swing for Christmas now. Getting things ready and getting organized is tough work. lol. I've got a zillion things I want to do before Christmas...and I hope to get 5 done.

Due to a stroke of luck (ok, it's not luck, it's called being a Public Servant) I received an extra week's vacation this year. woot for me! I thought about saving them for an 'emergency', but then I said fuck-it and booked off the Christmas Break. I had a few days left of Annual Leave as well, so I am off from 19 Dec to 03 Jan!!!!!!!!! 2 weeks!!!! I'm so excited and have big plans....but will be happy and settle for lazing around and watching TV.

It's good to be back! How is everyone else doing?