Merry (Early) Christmas!

So, we are entering the land of Christmas craziness, and I'm going to be even slower on the blog than usual! I'll leave you with a last charming shot of my dear boy--about to celebrate his third Christmas !?!?! In January, I will be back with a bazillion posts on all my gift knitting, Christmas celebrations, LOTR marathons with yummy lembas, and so much more!

Cutie Pie Thursday: Christmas 2011 Outtakes

This is what happens when I ask for a smile.

This is only marginally better.

This is pretty great, but we've lost an arm.

He needed to take Christmas pictures of mama, too.

I actually kind've liked this one, but it looked a tad suave, GQ for a Christmas picture.

"And then I said . . ."

And, of course, a quick shout out to Mama Cool, who celebrates her birthday today! Yay! Happy Birthday!

Cutie Pie Thursday: Cocoa Time

Don't talk to me before I've had my cocoa. *

Seriously.

Ah, that's the sweet chocolatey stuff.


Yeah, that's the stuff.

*Not actual Lincoln quotes, but imagined mama comments. Also, these pictures are actually presented in reverse order taken--he looked crankier at the end of his cocoa photo session than at the beginning, which is pretty par for the course.

Cutie Pie Thursday: 1/2 Birthday Hat #3

When Lincoln was six months old, I made it a tradition to knit him a hat for his half-birthday. This year, I made him an owl hat.

It's pretty cute, and he was certainly smiled at as we were out and about yesterday, but I think I'd like to give the beak another try in a bulkier yarn. The hat is big, but it still fits him, and he had fun wearing it. He never tried to take it off until it was warm!

I can't believe he's been around for 2 1/2 years--it simultaneously feels like forever and just a few seconds. Now, what hat to knit for next year?

Socks & Stockings

My second pair of socks, knit out of a self-striping yarn called "pink burst"--I really loved knitting these over the year, and have made it a goal to always have a pair of self-striping socks on the needles.

A manually striped Christmas stocking, knit for my dear friend Hannah's wedding--I thought a new couple deserved new stockings!

I really didn't get any awesome photos of these stockings, but they really did knit up fast! It was fun to bounce back and forth between giant stockings and normal-sized socks.


I didn't do a perfect job on these socks, but I like that. If they were perfect, I think I'd have a harder time wearing them, and I love wearing them. Handknit socks are the best thing ever--unfortunately, I'm not getting that much faster. My first socks took a few years, this pair took about 10 months. Maybe next year I can make two pairs!

Cutie Pie Sunday: Third (!) Thanksgiving

Hmm, tomorrow seems to have a had a fluid meaning for me this week! Anyway, here are some images from our lovely Thanksgiving, a beautiful day that involved a walk to the park! Blogger has scrambled the images a bit, and I'm in no particular need to order them, so there you go.

Buzz Lightyear, space ranger, visits the first Thanksgiving. Lincoln asked for forks for his pilgrims and indians, as they were eating food.

The lad enjoys pumpkin pie while looking at Grammie's cranberry/apple pie.

I high-five a turkey.
Lincoln and his Cool Cousin enjoy some tummy time.

And of course, the requisite shot of the lad attempting to eat a drumstick. He really couldn't make a go of it, but he gave it his best effort.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I was peeling and chopping potatoes yesterday for the mashed potatoes, I discovered this potato. It felt a bit like a sign--in the midst of all the Thanksgiving craziness/stress/food, remember the love. Cheesy, I know, but that's what makes the holidays different and special--we try to remember and show the love we have for our family and friends.

One of my favorite knitting writers/bloggers--the Yarn Harlot--writes about what an expression of love making socks for others is, as socks wear out and get holey in ways hats and sweaters won't. I think food is the same--making it is an expression of love, as it will get eaten and otherwise disposed of by the body. Food doesn't last, and I hope as you're preparing/eating meals this season, you will remember the love.

Come back tomorrow for Cutie Pie Thanksgiving pictures--drumsticks! Toy pilgrims! Football!