L to the third

A welcome visit

2012-01-27T07:00:00.013-07:00

My brother, John, is in town for a week; it's his first time in El Paso, so we've got ourselves a tidy little list of sightseeing that we'd like to do before he leaves. But most importantly, Sammy, Captain Husband and I are enjoying his company.

The weather continues to be sunny and warm here in El Paso, so John and I decided to take Sammy to the Westside Community Park to try and wear him down a bit (he had spent all morning trying to wear us out, so turnabout was totally fair game). We spent a little bit of time at the children's playground before deciding to go on a short hike; the park includes several acres of undeveloped Chihuahuan Desert with marked trails, benches and lookout points. And rocks...lots and lots of rocks--every boy's favorite.

Sammy seemed to enjoy the walk, even though he made sure to punctuate it with a tantrum or three after we had to restrain him from attempting to go down the rather steep hillsides on his own. Eventually he was distracted enough by a softball that my brother found to forget all about it and soon busied himself with throwing the ball and then running after it.

Along the Mission Trail

2012-01-26T07:00:00.004-07:00

After Sammy and I had our fill of fun at the petting zoo, I decided to turn our morning trip into an afternoon trip as well. The petting zoo sits along a road known as the "Mission Trail," a nine-mile stretch of Socorro Road, and is a part of the Royal Road of the Interior--one of the oldest roads in North America. Our first stop was the San Elizario Chapel, which was built in the 1880s; unfortunately, the building appeared to be in the stages of restoration and wasn't open to the public.

Located just across the street from the San Elizario Chapel is a building with a very interesting covered portico. Built as a residence in the 1850s as a residence, "Los Portales" now serves the San Elizario community as a museum and information center; Sammy and I toured the exhibit inside, which offered a lot of information on the history of the area.

We then got in the car and headed about five miles north along Socorro Road to our next stop--the Socorro Mission. The current structure was built in 1843 after the previous building was lost to flooding of the Rio Grande in 1829. Sammy and I quietly poked our heads inside to check out the interior, but the priest was meeting with some parishioners, so I didn't take any photos out of respect--but it was quite lovely with carved and painted beams and corbels that were salvaged from the flooded building and are believed to date from the eighteenth century.

We had one last stop left on the Mission Trail before we could head on our way home--the Ysleta Mission, the oldest continuously active parish in the state of Texas. The current structure is the result of many phases of rebuilding that have taken place over the years (it too lost a building to the 1829 Rio Grande flood)--the distinctive beehive-shaped bell tower was added around 1897.

Unfortunately the Ysleta Mission is closed on Sundays, so we weren't able to check out the interior, but Sammy enjoyed exploring the grounds while he stretched his legs a bit. Since this was more or less sightseeing on a whim, I think I'll do a bit more research and go back on a day that I know they'll all be open. We still had a pretty good time, though!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Strolling by the Socorro Mission

2012-01-25T07:00:00.003-07:00

{I don't know what it is about this shot, but there's just something about this lone man--wearing a cowboy hat, naturally--walking in front of this mid-nineteenth-century mission that makes me feel as though I was watching a still from an old spaghetti western come to life in front of my very eyes.}

A trip to the Licon Dairy Petting Zoo

2012-01-24T07:00:00.002-07:00

Sammy's runny nose had slowed to a trickle, and he was showing a lot more vim and vigor, so I decided to take advantage of some of the lovely weather we've been having lately. I loaded up the diaper bag and got Sammy situated in the car and we headed off to the Licon Dairy in San Elizario, Texas, a small town about thirty minutes southeast of downtown El Paso.

The Licon Dairy operates a small petting zoo that is open to the public free of charge; after the success of our trip to the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, I figured Sammy would have a great time getting up close and personal with all of the assorted animals. There was a pretty wide range of animals at the petting zoo--ostriches, donkeys, peacocks, and a camel to name just a few; however, I was surprised that a dairy petting zoo didn't have a single cow to be seen, but maybe that's just me.

There was also a little playground area that had seen better days, but it's appearance didn't deter Sammy from trying his hand at the tether ball for a bit; he just kept hitting it and saying "ball!" over and over again. I think I may have to attach a ball to a string in our backyard since it seems to keep him so happily occupied.

All of the animals were very friendly and would come right up to the fence begging for treats; unfortunately we didn't really have anything for them to snack on (apparently we should have gone into the dairy's small shop on our way in rather than on our way out--they had free bags of corn for the kids to feed to the animals). Being the resourceful mom that I am, I noticed that someone had dropped bunch of corn on the ground, so I showed Sammy how to pick them up and feed them to the patiently waiting deer and goats. I was actually surprised at how well Sammy did with the animals, but I suppose he's learned from having a cat for a big sister.

19-month update

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

The month of January seems to be whipping by at a break-neck speed because I swear it was just the other week that Sammy was turning eighteen-months old. Thanks to his nasty head cold and a recent trip to the doctor's office, I actually have some bona fide vitals, as opposed to making an educated guess for this update; Sammy's weighing in at 28 pounds and is 34" tall. I keep hoping that he'll grow at least another inch and a half before his second birthday--supposedly your adult height is your height at the age of two, doubled. With any luck, Sammy will be the first male on his dad's side to break the 6' height barrier (thanks mostly to my awesome genes, of course).

Sammy's still down an incisor, but with the way he's been acting lately, I can't help but wonder if it (and perhaps a two-year molar or three) might be making an appearance soon. I guess I can't really complain--Sammy is generally a very well-behaved little boy whenever we go out in public, making random small talk with strangers, and being a unrepentant flirt. The downside to this is that he saves his truly nasty behavior for the confines of our home and lately the slightest little thing sets him off (diaper changes are the biggest offense--he screams like a banshee and kicks like a mule). The whole Jekkyl and Hyde bit really has me questioning my sanity from time to time.

This kid is a sponge and there are some days where I find myself truly marveling at his ability to retain and apply new information. Santa brought him a foam alphabet/numbers bath toy for Christmas, and lately Sammy's been gobbling up the alphabet as though it's soup--he loves to point out the letters on my clothing and try to identify them. I could be mistaken, but I think Sammy's picked up a bit more words this month than he did last month.

New words:
Night-night, good night, bye-bye, baby, breakfast, tick-tock, clock, rock, "Blue's Clues" (he only started watching the show last week and is OBSESSED), apple, what, yeehaw, dude, knees, arm, hot, hat, yes, this way, alright, spider, toot, pee-pee (I discovered his knowledge of this word during one of our lovely shared bathroom breaks; I was trying to pee in private--silly me--and he barged in, pointed at me on the toilet, and triumphantly yelled, "PEE-PEE!" Hey, I suppose I should be happy he's putting two and two together).

New tricks: Taking myself or Captain Husband by the hand and leading us around the house, trying to open the exterior doors of the house while saying "bye-bye," telling me when he needs his diaper changed (he's accurate about 50% of the time), and brushing his hair. Sammy's also really good at following instructions and is starting to put his toys away when asked. He's also an excellent hand holder whenever we go out, which makes me pretty happy, especially if it means I'm not spending most of my time chasing after him whenever I'm trying to take care of some errands.

TGIF

2012-01-20T07:00:00.003-07:00

I think Sammy's pretty close to kicking this thing, whatever it is: he actually slept through the night on Wednesday and woke up yesterday morning in a pretty good mood. Sammy's coughing--okay, more like hacking--with a bit more force, though, so we'll be visiting with our doctor this afternoon just to play it safe.

Since he still isn't at 100%, we decided to spend another day at home in self-imposed exile. After three days being stuck indoors, I had to pull out some new tricks to keep Sammy entertained, like my old cell phone and a teepee that my aunt made for me years and years ago.

Sammy even managed to entertain himself for a bit after those things lost their novelty.

Pretty soon, though, he was clamoring to go outside; his new trick is going up to any door in the house, announcing, "Bye-bye!" and then trying to open the door.

Hopefully we'll get some answers from the doctor this afternoon and then Sammy will soon be on his way to a clean bill of health. Until then, we'll be fighting off cabin fever!

Feeling a little sheepish

2012-01-19T07:00:00.004-07:00

Soooooo...Sammy is still a snotty, coughing mess and I am slowly beginning to follow suit, which means we spent all day yesterday holed up in the house surrounded by boxes of tissues, watching horrible day-time television. I hope you don't mind me using a photo from this weekend's trip to Ranch & Farm museum because seriously, no one wants to see Sammy and me in our current state, even though our bright red noses might be a good match for texture Thursday. Here's hoping we kick this thing soon!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Under the weather

2012-01-18T07:00:00.009-07:00

{Sammy woke up yesterday with a runny nose, a bit of a cough and some truly heinous stomach issues. Even though he looked and sounded miserable, that didn't stop him from spending some time playing with his favorite toys in the playroom.}

{I'm hoping that the B.R.A.T. diet and some pedialyte will soon have things under control; I hate it when my little guy isn't feeling feel.}

Ranch-hand Sam

2012-01-17T07:00:00.002-07:00

I'm quickly learning that the best types of activities for us to do as a family involve wide, open spaces for Sammy to run around, and the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum was no exception.

Sammy had no shortage of things to see and places to explore; he especially liked visiting all of the farm animals and attempting to "speak" their language. But even the incessant mooing of a toddler couldn't rouse these old Longhorn cattle from their nap. Time for a random fact: Did you know you can tell how old a Longhorn cow is by its horns? They have rings just like trees--these guys were pushing nineteen years old.

The facilities of the museum were just amazing--the horse barn was definitely the nicest barn I've ever been in. After all, it's not every day that you see a barn made out of cedar.

Sammy only stopped running around long enough to talk to the animals and then he was off again like a flash; thank goodness Captain Husband was there to chase after him, which allowed me to focus on taking a ridiculous amount of photos.

We really couldn't have asked for better weather, either; it was bright and sunny with a high in the low 60s. It was just perfect for strolling around outside and spending the afternoon together.

The highlight of the afternoon for Sammy was discovering how water fountains work. Simple pleasures for simple minds, right?

As we left the museum, we spotted a pair of napping owls just outside of the entrance. They certainly had the right idea; Sammy and CH had a contest to see who could fall asleep first once we got in the car and on our way home.

An unexpected side trip

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Captain Husband, Sammy and I all piled into the car on Saturday morning to make the 45-minute drive to Las Cruces, New Mexico; a local organization was hosting an antiques show that I had marked on my calender several months ago as I'm never one to miss an opportunity to check out some old stuff. Unfortunately the show was kind of a bust, but I was determined not to let that long drive go to waste, so I suggested that we head over to the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

Set against the backdrop of the stunning Organ Mountains, the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is a 47-acre interactive museum that boasts a collection of antique farm tools, works by local artists, and a small, self-contained farm with all sorts of livestock including sheep, goats and cattle.

I was seriously impressed by the place--after all, I really wasn't sure what to expect when I decided to go there on a whim. But I had a feeling that it would be something that all three of us would enjoy.

I especially liked all of the photography opportunities, like this awesome windmill on the grounds of the museum. If you look closely at the windmill's tail, you can see the dings left by someone who used it for target practice years and years ago. Speaking of photos, I took nearly two hundred in the span of about two hours--I'm afraid you're going to have to come back tomorrow to see some of the highlights of Sammy and all of the livestock (since I haven't finished editing them yet). I'm such a tease, aren't I?

A productive day

2012-01-13T07:00:00.015-07:00

After the debacle that was Wednesday, in which Sammy and I spent most of the day in our pajamas trying to keep sane while someone *ahem, Sammy* threw tantrum after tantrum, I resolved that Thursday was going to be different and thankfully it was. I had a lot of errands to catch up on, like going to the post office to mail some woefully belated Christmas gifts, depositing some checks, and picking up some much needed supplies, like milk and garbage bags.

As we drove around, crossing things off of the to-do list, I noticed that my turn signal was doing some rather interesting syncopation, which usually means that one of the bulbs was on it's way out. I pulled into a parking lot, put on the brake and flicked the turn signal on, and then ran around the car to figure out which bulb was the culprit. I'm sure that the whole process looked pretty comical to anyone who happened to be watching.

I ascertained that it was the rear indicator, so Sammy and I added a stop to Pep Boys to our list before heading home for some lunch. We were greeted by a friendly employee who showed us where the replacement bulbs were located; he then proceeded to look up the right bulb on the handy little computer system (I remember when you had to look up the bulb type in a booklet the size of phone book--wow, that must date me). He located the bulbs and as he was handing them to me, he said "Now you won't be afraid to use this system the next time you come in!" I shot him a look and said, "Um, I've done this before, you know. But thanks for your help." Ugh.

I pulled out my car's manual and set about removing the tail light assembly after I had put Sammy down for his afternoon nap. This was the first time I had to change a bulb in my current car, so I ran into some issues trying to remove all of the screws, but after a few choice swear words and a liberal application of elbow grease, I soon had the old bulb out and the new bulb was working like a charm. Here's to a great weekend, everyone!

It happens

2012-01-12T07:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was just one of those days where nothing really went all that well. Sammy woke up in a mood and pretty much stayed that way--screaming was the preferred method of communication for most of the day. It was sooooooooo much fun. Obviously I wasn't all that inspired to pull the camera out, as I was too busy trying not to pull my hair out. By the end of the day, though, Sammy's mood had improved enough that he was actually pleasant to be around, otherwise I may have had to donate him to the local zoo. Now if anyone ever had any doubts about Sandy being the most laid-back cat in the world, please keep in mind that Sammy did this for over half an hour, with some breaks thrown in here and there for extreme corporal cuddling.

No cats or laundry were harmed in the making of this video, although I never did get around to folding it last night. Oops!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Strolling

2012-01-11T07:00:00.006-07:00

{I will be the first to admit that I am one of those tree-hugging, hippie parents who actively searches out gender-neutral toys for my kid--I see no reason for toys to be gender stereotyped and try to keep things nicely balanced in regards to Sammy's play things. Why shouldn't a toddler own both a toy power drill and a glitter-covered Hello Kitty sippy cup?}

{So when Sammy spent the better part of a play date last month pushing around a doll stroller, I made up my mind to get him one with some of the Christmas money sent to him by his great-grandparents. Sammy loves this thing--he'll put his favorite toys in the stroller and push them all over the house; it's only a matter of time before he attempts to put Sandy in there. Since the weather was so nice yesterday, I decided to try a little experiment and see if Sammy would take his stroller on a walk all the way around the block.}

{Man, I should have tried this a long time ago. Sammy had a blast--and the task of pushing the stroller (and keeping it upright) kept him focused enough that I didn't have to worry about him trying to dart off into the street, which means I was actually able to enjoy the walk, too.}

{I think Sammy's Baby had a good time on the walk as well, even though there were several harrowing wheelies and tight turns here and there. And that's why you should always wear your seat belt, kids.}

A snow day in El Paso

2012-01-10T07:00:00.001-07:00

We woke up to snow-covered mountains yesterday morning. I don't know if the novelty of seeing snow in the desert will ever really wear off on me--for some reason, whenever snow falls in El Paso I get all excited just like a little kid.

Sammy and I had a play date on the east side, which meant we were going to be traveling through the Franklin Mountains via Transmountain Road. I knew from previous drives that there was going to be some pretty gorgeous snowscapes along the way, so I made sure to bring my camera along.

There's just something about the juxtaposition of snow and cacti that I love; maybe it's because 95% of the time the mountains are brown so to see them covered in white is a nice change from the monochromatic norm.

Snow is a very ephemeral thing here in the desert, so most of it had already melted by the time Sammy and I made our way home a few hours later. Thank goodness I stopped to take these photos first thing in the morning--of course, it would have been even better if I had convinced Sammy to leave the warmth of the car for a few photos, but he was. Not. Having. It. Oh well, maybe next time!

Taking down the tree

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Captain Husband and I resolved to take all of the Christmas decorations down this weekend, and for once, we actually stuck to the plan. We managed to get everything organized and put away in record time, even with Sammy and Sandy Cat "helping."

And by helping, I mean eating the aluminum tree, stealing ornaments, throwing tantrums when not allowed to play with said ornaments, and removing everything that had been nicely packed away and placing it haphazardly all over the floor.

I already miss the warm glow of the lights of the Christmas tree--the living room seems so much darker now. And the mantel is so bare without my creepy/vintage elves and other decorations. I suppose this just means I'll need to start working on my Valentine's Day decorations because I currently have zero in my home decor arsenal.

And just for fun, here's one last Christmas-inspired bokeh shot; I had to get just one more before I put everything away. Do any of you still have your decorations up?

Memories, dreams and reflections of 2011

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

1. Me!

2. I Love You: My two favorite guys

3. Still Laughing... : I'm still not sure what brought this on, but this face cracks me up every time.

4. Winter Wonderland: Okay, so the desert may not exactly conjure up visions of a winter wonderland, but this is what I've got to work with down here.

5. Birthday: Sammy's first birthday party.

6. Friends: My lovely lady friends threw me a slumber party before we made the move to Texas--I miss getting to see their smiling faces.

7. I Was Inspired... : I took the leap and bought a sewing machine this fall; there are so many inspiring projects floating around on the internet that I almost don't know where to begin!

8. Spring Fever: I shot this on the campus of UNC this spring--the spring foliage there was so pretty.

9. Travel or Vacation: Everything but the kitchen sink went with me on our epic road trip from Virginia to Texas this summer.

10. Summer Days: I can't wait for it to warm up a bit so I can take Sammy back to the zoo's splash pad.

11. A Day In My Life: Laundry and kitties.

12. All Smiles: My sweet nephew, Henry.

13. Autumn Harvest

14. Family or Home: Sammy and my parents hanging out before we made the move to Texas.

15. Celebrate!: Sammy and Captain Husband meeting for the first time after nearly a year apart.

16. Let's Do It Again... : I think we'll be making a regular habit of sledding at White Sands.

17. I Miss You: I miss having my mom within driving distance and getting together with her over the weekends.

18. Beautiful: Monarch butterfly on Fort Bliss

19. Dress Up

20. Macro

21. Holidays: This easily could have used as my still laughing choice...mother of the year right here!

22. My Favorite

23. Don't Ever Change: I hope Sammy never stops loving on Sandy--they're the best of friends.

24. Just Because...So There!: I just love this shot of my dad and Sammy sitting back, eating chips and watching football.

25. Hopes and Dreams: 2011 brought a lot of changes to our family (CH coming home, moving to Texas) and I know that we've got some even bigger changes heading our way this year (hello, new baby!); my hope is that we'll be able to handle everything this year throws at us and remain a happy and loving family.

;

Up, up and then away

2012-01-05T07:00:00.001-07:00

Captain Husband and I have started a bit of a tradition for whenever people come to visit us from out of town; taking them up to Rangers Peak on the Wyler Aerial Tramway. One thing we're going to have to keep in mind the next time we decide to do this is the fact that it's about fifteen degrees cooler on top of Rangers Peak thanks to the winds blowing about. I had planned accordingly when I dressed Sammy in several layers, but kind of forgot to include myself in those plans and was a bit wind-blown and chilled.

Armed with his several layers and warm puffy vest, Sammy attempted to brave the 25 mile per hours winds, but even this toddler has his limits. It wasn't long before he was asking to go into the gift shop to take a break from the stiff breeze. Of course, the expansive display of desert-themed stuffed animals may have had something to do with it.

After soaking in the endless vistas for a bit, we decided to call it a day and headed back down the mountain; even though it was a short stay on the top, my in-laws seemed to really enjoy the unique perspective on El Paso that the tramway had to offer. It was a fun way to spend their last day in town--I think when they come back in the summer months, the breezes on top of Rangers Peak will feel a bit more refreshing.

It was hard to say goodbye to Grandpa Cosmo and Nany Pat--it was really nice have two pairs of extra hands around the house these past couple of days. And I know Sammy really enjoyed having two very attentive playmates who were more than happy to cater to his every whim and demand. Come back to see us again soon!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: I suck at keeping secrets

2012-01-04T07:00:00.009-07:00

{I was going to try and keep this under wraps for at least a few more weeks, but I just can't keep my big mouth shut any longer: Sammy is going to be a big brother this summer! Hopefully this new development explains my lackluster posting lately--I really feel as though I've been phoning it in over the last month or so and slacking off on visiting everyone's blogs. So far I feel pretty good, although I have been incredibly tired, like going-to-bed-at-9-pm-every-night and taking-a-two-hour-nap-every-afternoon tired. With any luck this symptom will pass as I enter the second trimester, but until then I'll synchronize my naps with Sammy's and prop my eyelids open with toothpicks or something.}

Going sledding, desert-style

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

We spent most of New Year's Eve day taking in the beauty that is the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico; this excursion marked Sammy's first time to White Sands so we were really hoping that he would have a good time. Turns out we had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Sammy couldn't get out of the car fast enough--it was as though he realized he was about to go play in the most awesome sandbox ever and he was off like a bolt of lightening. If you're ever looking to tire a toddler out, just drop him off in the middle of the desert. Sammy never stopped moving for the two hours that we were there.

It was a beautiful day to spend outdoors--the sun was out and the temperature was in the low 60s. Despite the warmth, there was still a lot of snow remaining at White Sands, which had Sammy completely captivated.

During one of his brief breaks from running around like a mad man, Sammy did some sledding with Captain Husband on the dunes. It was hard to tell who was having more fun--CH or Sammy!

In addition to partaking in the fine sledding that the dunes had to offer, Sammy also sampled some of their, um, tasty wares and tested out the sand's exfoliating qualities.

After going down the dunes with CH, Sammy was anxious to do some solo runs, so of course we had to oblige him. I think we've created a thrill-seeking speed demon.

After about two hours out in the sun--of which most of that time was spent chasing after Sammy--we were all pretty beat and ready for a late lunch. It was a wonderful way to spend the last day of 2011.

The zoo crew

2012-01-02T07:00:00.004-07:00

The in-laws arrived last week, so it's been a bit crazy around the house as we all try to navigate the habits and schedules of four adults and one toddler. We finally got our act in gear and set out to explore what El Paso has to offer and went to the zoo on Friday; the weather couldn't have been better as it was sunny and in the low 60s.

The animals seemed to be enjoying the warm weather, too, as they were all out and about. The Malayan tiger, for example, spent a good deal of time running around in front of the viewing window, putting on a private show for Sammy, who was absolutely enthralled.

We then headed off for a bit of a respite from the El Paso sun where we relaxed in the underwater viewing area of the sea lion exhibit. We had the whole place to ourselves, so we were able to sit down and watch as the sea lions performed their underwater acrobatics routine.

I'm not really one to make resolutions, but I'm hoping to be better about taking photos every day, so to that end I'm joining up with Gina and Sarah in their Project 366 Rewind; you should join in on the fun, too!

Sammy's top 11 of 2011

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Time to recap my favorite eleven photos of Sammy that I took this year (you can check out last year's top ten by clicking here)! It was really difficult to narrow it down to only eleven, but somehow I managed--I hope you're prepared for a cuteness overload. Here they are, in chronological order (you can watch Sammy grow up in front of your very eyes):

Bubble Boy (March 2011)

Snuggling with great-grandpa (April 2011)

Unofficial diaper model (May 2011)

Invisible mustache twirl (May 2011)

Quite possibly my favorite photo of Sammy, ever (June 2011)

Wishing the rain away (July 2011)

Hunter S. Thompson, Jr. (August 2011)

If Sammy were in a band, this would be the photo in the cd jacket (September 2011)

Portrait of the artist as a young boy (September 2011)

Splashin' Sammy (September 2011)

Sheriff Sammy (October 2011)

I hope you enjoyed this little blast from the past--see you all next year!

Texture Thursday: A visit to the archives

2011-12-29T07:00:00.003-07:00

My in-laws arrived the other day, so we've been busy getting caught up and having a belated Christmas with Captain Husband's family. As a result, I've been very, very bad about taking photos, mostly because Sammy took a bit to warm up to his grandparents and was thus attached to me for the last twenty-four hours or so. But I'll be busting out the camera today, don't you worry! So, in the meantime, please enjoy this photo of our friendly neighborhood red-naped sapsucker enjoying a little treat in our backyard.

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: A camera question

2011-12-28T07:00:00.006-07:00

{I've been noticing this rather odd phenomenon going on with my camera lately; weird light reflections are popping up in nearly all of the photos that I've taken indoors recently. I honestly have no idea what's going on and have tried asking the almighty Google, as well as the oh-so-talented Ashley Sisk, but it's still a bit of a mystery. I know my camera is in desperate need of a cleaning, but I don't think that's the root cause...I've also adjusted my aperture and other settings to see if that has anything to do with it, but to no avail.}

{This lighting/reflecting issue has become even more apparent since I've been taking photos with the Christmas tree in the background so I'm bringing this issue to my readers. Hopefully someone can tell me what's going on here or at least how to work around it. Anyone have any ideas/theories?}

A Christmas recap

2011-12-27T07:00:00.002-07:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas with their family and friends on Sunday! Captain Husband, Sammy, Sandy Cat and I spent our Christmas hanging out together and playing with the new toys that Santa brought for us.

It was so much fun watching Sammy this Christmas; while he initially didn't know what to do about all of the presents in front of the tree, he soon got the hang of it after CH and I got the ball rolling.

The biggest hit by far was the giant fuzzy kitty pillow; Sammy spent most of the morning dancing around with it, hugging it, and throwing it on the floor and then jumping on top of it. Santa hit a home run with that gift!

A stocking for Sammy

2011-12-26T07:00:00.010-07:00

I will freely admit that I'm a procrastinator and this holiday season was no different; I didn't have the tree decorated until Thursday last week and it wasn't 'til Friday that I decided to make Sammy's Christmas stocking. I had all of the supplies for nearly a month but for some reason I just couldn't get my butt in gear...however, there's nothing like a fast-approaching deadline to light a fire under me.

I found the tutorial for the stocking on Prudent Baby and I can easily say that Sammy's stocking was the most advanced sewing project that I've attempted to date. It involved bias tape, people. I decided to embellish the stocking with a felt applique rather than quilting it like the tutorial suggested and I think it turned out pretty cute.

I think Sammy liked it, too, especially the pom-pom trim. Of course, the little goodies that he found inside of it yesterday morning probably helped form a positive opinion, too.