Monarch Post

holiday

2009-12-28T16:51:35-07:00

It's always so pretty first thing Christmas morning... before the un-wrapathon begins...

The boys are wearing their U. of Utah pj pants I made.

Behind Sophey is the bookshelf Mike made for her. We waited see what color she wants it painted. We'll be painting it white soon... And to the right is the baseball coatrack Mike made for Jesse.

Poor Miss Greta doesn't like Christmas much. She shivers and shakes all morning.

The ham in the fam... Ainsley sporting her totally unique Christmas morning style. New cap, with new jammies, the apron I made, the coffee mill Mike made for her, and the coffee cup Sophey gave her. I don't know what she's set for-- coffee in bed followed by baking? But she's adorable, whatever the agenda.

And Sophey with her apron I made too.

Mike also made Corbyn a gorgeous inlaid wood box and a beautiful side table for me. It was a lovely day, filled with lots of laughter and joy. And best of all, this crew of ours. Not many dull moments around here, let me tell you!

We're still lingering in Christmas here... playing with new toys, parents and kids alike, and I've been terribly lazy the last few days. Doing my best to not even get to the grocery store! It's nice to be home and cozy. I'm snug as a bug in a rug... and quite happy about that!

See you after the New Year!! Lots of love to you. xoxoKelly

merry christmas!

2009-12-23T23:27:36-07:00

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely, Love Divine;

Love was born at Christmas;

Star and angels gave the sign.

~Christina Rosetti

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS! xoxoKelly

wrapping it up

2009-12-22T22:46:19-07:00

The neighbor gifts were delivered tonight.This year I found a site loaded with creative food gifts--Organized Christmas. As soon as I read the name, "Cranberry Hootycreeks" I knew they had to be the neighbor gifts this year. How can you not love a cookie mix named Cranberry Hootycreeks? And all my favorite ingredients too: pecans, white chocolate chips, and cranberries. Yum. I went all out with a country kitschy look to match the name;) But I admit, I do love the giant clothespin recipe holder. Organized Christmas also has matching recipe cards to print. I'm glad they're organized, makes me feel kinda that way too.

I've wondered if neighbor gifts are a local thing. Do you do anything like this? It's fun to get such a variety of goodies just before Christmas. So far we've received fudge, popcorn balls, chocolates, peppermints, a bottle of rootbeer, and a roll of paper towels filled with candy in the tube. That was a creative one.

It's snowing again tonight. Perfect powder snow. The stuff Utah is famous for; covering up the old crunchy snow from last week. Just perfect for a little white flannel blanket look; wrapping the houses up all snuggly, right before Christmas...

We could have used that extra snow last week for the Brownie scout Christmas sledding party.

The Brownie party crasher would have appreciated it too. I'll bet I know what he'll be doing more of tomorrow with our new fresh powdery snow...

It's almost the big 25! Hang in there guys! xoxoKelly

merry

2009-12-19T22:11:05-07:00

It's looking very Christmasee here now... I'm loving my four "new" thrifted vintage Christmas glasses filled with votive candles on the kitchen windowsill.

And the snowflakes hanging from the kitchen lights...

Favorite decorations.

Indeed!

White poinsettias (our favorites) and greenery everywhere.

The old Santa collections.

Santas need dogs too:)

New ornaments just brought home from school...

And old treasures.

The guards are guarding?

Why the stockings, of course;)

Dreaming of sugarplums, for sure. xoxoKelly

elves and more elves

2009-12-16T20:43:31-07:00

The elves have been making elves here. How cute are these guys? I found the pinecone elves project in Martha Stewart's December magazine. Decided they would be just the perfect kid-made Christmas gift to send our Ohio grandparents. Marthas' elves are of course, pinecone perfection, but hey; we have character over here;)

The sled was something I picked up at the craft store a couple years ago, it was just waiting to be painted red and filled with elves:) Looking at the photo now, doesn't it kinda feel like that? Happy, excited, the guys on the left are looking slightly terrified... barreling along, picking up speed, every day flying by faster... Are we going to make it there for Christmas? Hope I don't sled right past!!

Do elf slippers keep shopping feet from getting so tired? I need a pair tonight. But only one or two last minute things to find, and the shopping will be finished. Yippee!

School finishes here on Friday for winter break. All the more time for fun. xoxoKelly

wish lists

2009-12-12T13:47:50-07:00

Whoa. Crazy busy week. Lots of elf work going on here... shopping, making, baking. But it's all good, and I'm doing my very best not to stress out and enjoy the season this year. In between everything; Mike had oral surgery yesterday, but he's doing really well today. He was a happy man yesterday--Percocet, the couch, and complete control of the remote... We have a rule here, if you're sick, you get the remote and the tv.

Anyhoo, this is what I'm excited to see if Santa brings this year. It's on the top of Sophey's list. Out of the Pottery Barn catalog. I LOVE that catalog. It's my very favorite. And I'm so glad there's one more year I get to order from it before my last child has outgrown it all.

Look at this ridiculously adorable cake and cupcake set... it may have made the email to Santa list too. We'll have to wait and see;)

Here's my "Mom Christmas time reminder list" for you (and me)-- take care of yourself. Don't stress, it will all be okay. What gets done gets done. Relax, and enjoy the little things. Does that take care of it all?! Oh, and bundle up if you go out and play:)

What's at the top of your giving or getting list this year? xoxoKelly

sweethearts

2009-12-08T16:59:16-07:00

Back from Palm Springs. We had the best time. It was a little chilly for the pool, so we spent our time eating, looking, shopping, eating... Did I mention eating already? We went to such a great restaurant Saturday for lunch, we headed right back over again for dinner. Then we went to Barnes and Noble for the rest of the evening. We had to get married; nerds need each other.

This is a shot from the Palm Springs Art Museum. Couldn't take any photos inside, but it was a wonderful place. Totally inspiring.

I think I want these in my backyard, right next to my imaginary pool:)

But cast in concrete or not, I've got all the love in the world... romantic getaway weekend planned by my sweet, sweet husband. I am the luckiest girl.

And a really lucky Mom too...

Corbyn babysit Jesse and Sophey Friday until Ainsley could get there. Before I left, I told Corbyn (the tormentor of siblings) to be nice to his brother and sister for the weekend. Apparently he got the message; he took the kids out for the evening to a brand new indoor amusement park. He said he thought that was a good present for me. Apart from that fainting spell, I thought so too;) And my girls baked up a homemade birthday cake. It was sitting on the table when I walked in the door. Ainsley said, "The frosting is from scratch Mom, and you know that means it was made with love!" I sure do. Thanks guys.

Creating a storm of homemade Christmas gifts for my kids today. Five projects down, several more to go... gotta keep spreadin' that sweet homemade LOVE! (I'll have to share the gift projects after the holidays.)

Take care! xoxoKelly

weekends, here and there

2009-12-03T19:18:08-07:00

Meet my new birthday present! Isn't it gorgeous. It's been sitting in a bag since the Mothers Without Borders charity bazaar, waiting till it was officially my birthday (It's Saturday, but today is close enough, right?) When I saw it, I told Mike I'd picked out my birthday gift! It's hanging across the upstairs hall banister now, giving lots of personality to a spot that was boring.

Never got around to posting photos from the bazaar weekend. These are some of the women who have been taught to sew by Mothers Without Borders. They sustain themselves now with sewing skills.

Such talents. Fifty plus natives, sold out. Mothers Without Borders helps find ways for those talents to be shared, and the crafters now earn incomes from their folk art.

Even the children are being taught to sew and crochet to sustain themselves with a trade. Look at their beautiful art!

I have to say, buying that quilt and knowing each dollar would go back to Africa to do lots more good felt really, really, really good. Beats WalMart (where I don't go anyway) shopping all to heck...

........

I'm tagging along with the husband, who has a conference in Palm Springs this weekend, for my birthday gift. Just the two of us for three days-- I won't know how to act!? But I plan on learning fast at the pool;)

Take care, hope your weekend is wonderful too! xoxoKelly

December 1st

2009-12-01T14:32:00-07:00

Today is World AIDS Day. There are so many simple ways to help fight this unparalleled humanitarian crisis now, via the internet. Here are a few places to start from... It only takes a click or two. Click on over to World Vision and make a specific donation. Or, while you're out and about holiday shopping for a certain item this year, look for the Product (RED) label on products from Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, Motorola, Gap, Microsoft, Dell, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, and now Nike. A portion of the sales will go to fight AIDS in the poorest of countries.

Half of all HIV infected children under the age of two will die. Who would they have grown up to be?

We have so much in America, and they don't even have a chance without our help. xoxoKelly

beauty is...

2009-11-28T12:07:44-07:00

" Beauty is..." That was the title for our kids school-wide art contest this year. We're grateful for a school that still places a strong emphasis on art education. The "Reflections" contest had categories from A-Z. All forms of visual arts-- painting, photography, 3D art. You name it. Dance, film, poetry. It was fun to see all the kids stepping on stage, grinning, and receiving their purple ribbons.

Sophey and Jesse took home three ribbons between them. And Sophey won a district level award for her 3D hand sculpted pink papier mache piggy bank. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder-- pink pigs and soccer fields, it all depends on your perspective, doesn't it?

Pink skirts on the dog-- that's pretty beautiful to me too. Lots of giggling here lately. The kids seem to get more creative when the weather gets cold, and there's less to do outside. And Winston doesn't seem to mind at all; he's just happy to be part of playing time.

And my own beautiful thing last week? A fabulous local childrens'/moms' book and gift store who saw my designs, bought a whole big load of my handcrafted items--ornaments, brooches, bracelets, scarves, AND sock monkey outfits!

We started talking sock monkey making, and apparently, all her store sock monkeys needed clothing. They are now stylishly dressed in my new sock monkey couture;) Clothing certainly makes the monkey:O

I'm back in my studio today-- making more goodies. I worked like crazy right till Thanksgiving. So Thanksgiving was low key and relaxing for us this year. We skipped the turkey and grilled steaks-- yep, really. No shopping yesterday either-- I avoid Black Friday like the Black Plague... Monday will be a Christmas shopping day.

Hope you're all enjoying the long holiday weekend! xoxoKelly