Randominium

I'm feeling super un-motivated today. It's bitter cold outside yet the sun streaming through the window is so warm it feels like I'm sitting on the beach - ahhhh. How about some random bullets:

• I'm working on a care package for my college freshman brother. So far I'm putting in cookies, wool socks, a knitted hat, cash, what else? Ideas? He is facing finals next week and is stressed out to the max, poor guy. I wish I could put a plane ticket in that care package because I miss him terribly and feel the need to feed and spoil him thoroughly.
• My son told me this morning that when I volunteer in his classroom it increases his popularity by at least 10%. That gave me a chuckle. I'm glad I can help, buddy.
• My littlest man has had an ear infection for three weeks but the real pain seemed to come to a peak earlier this week. He spent Monday and Tuesday laying on my lap watching cartoons. It's torture when your kid is in pain. This morning he seemed ready and roaring to face the day which is great... so far so good! Lets hope that this darn ear infection is going to go away and STAY away now.
• I'm knitting Route 66 socks, I'm crocheting a mega granny square afghan out of my Peace Fleece stash, I'm knitting slipper socks for my husband, a sweater for my oldest son. Needless to say, my needles and hooks are busy and progress is slow. Hopefully I'll have it all done by Christmas. The Route 66 socks are total selfish knitting though and of course what is drawing all of my attention. I'm awful like that.
• I'm going to make lots of Christmas cookies this year and will be mailing out most of them. I'm thinking Egg Nog Snickerdoodles from the latest Cooks Country, peanut butter dream bars (old 4H recipe), waffle cookies (Grama Betty's prize recipe), chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies (Cooks Country), I saw a recipe for hazelnut lemon curd cookies (also Cooks Country) that I'd like to try, and I dunno -- whatever else strikes my fancy. I hope to get most done this weekend. I'll also make, truffles, peanut clusters, fudge and dipped pretzels. Most will be going to my sorely missed brother.
• I made some penny rug Christmas ornaments. Two are designated for my boys -- I stitched their names on to the backs of them yesterday. (photos to come) I took one of the ornaments that my Grandma Martha made me off of our tree as a reference. It felt so wonderful to use one of her hand made ornaments as a guide. It felt like she was sitting right there with me and I was reminded of so many reasons why I loved her and also how much I am like her today.
• I have a kit to make two needle felted gnomes that I'm going to make in to ornaments. I think my parents will get a kick out of them.
• We bought a waffle iron a few weeks ago. It's been fun to make waffles with my boys. They both love to mix up the batter and the little man is in charge of letting me know when the red light turns to green.
• We have NO snow. Well, a dusting but that is it. We're all twiddling our thumbs waiting for the first big wallop of snow. When, oh when will it be?
• When I tell people out here that my boys love to sled, they correct me and say "oh, you mean sliding?" I think it's because 'sledding' refers to snowmobiling out here.
• I miss all the Christmas lights in Des Moines... we used to love driving around looking at lights. There are a couple of houses here that decorate but nothing like living in a city.
  

OK -- back to my sock, my sunshine, and my tea. Cheers!