7 Quick Takes (#16)

1) We are having a DIY Christmas over here.  I am up to my ears in yarn, fabric, wood, paint and nails.  But it's going to be AWESOME!!!!!   I only learned how to knit/sew in the last 2 months and I set a small and private goal for myself to get some stuff done and mailed off in time for Christmas.

Well, I DID IT!!!!  I may have been the only person in the hour-long line at the post office yesterday with a grin from ear to ear since I was so proud of myself!!!

And we are exhausted.  

I can't post pictures of the final products until after Christmas since the recipients read the blog.  But rest assured I will!!!!

2) Now Jason and I get to have fun designing and building the kids Christmas present from "Santa".  I spent time at Home Depot, Goodwill, and Joanne's Fabrics to develop the idea.  And if it turns out half as good as we think it'll be, it's gonna be a goooooood Christmas :)  Here is a picture of our inspiration:

3) My sister-in-law and my adorable niece and nephew came by for a visit this week.  These kids are SO FLIPPIN CUTE!!!  They just turned one and are tearing up the town :)

Leo tried to follow them around for a photo shoot but most of the pictures ended up like this:

These kids move fast.  But he did catch a couple good ones :) 

4) You know the sweet nostalgic commercials and pictures of small children baking Christmas cookies with their parents??  Kinda like this one:

Christmas Baking 2010

They are a complete scam!!!!  I bought a gingerbread man cookie cut-out yesterday and decided to make cookies with the kids.  Novel idea, right?  

Perhaps if it 'tis the season to clean flour from every surface, article of clothing, strand of hair, etc.

It was a lot chaotic and only a liiittle teensy weensy bit of fun.  

MADNESS!!!  It was complete MADNESS!!!!

Even the baby was covered in flour by the end....

5) Despite the fact that I will do all my Christmas baking in a dark quiet corner sans tiny people, these cookies were amazing.  I found a "healthy" whole wheat gingerbread cookie recipe on Heavenly Homemakers and gave it a whirl.  They don't taste healthy - they just taste delicious!!!!  I will be making them again for our Christmas feast.  But this time, I will generously flour the pans before baking.  These guys are sticky!

6) We wrote and mailed our letters to Santa this week :)  This was a Christmas idea that went off a lot better than the stupid Christmas cookie idea.  We'll do this one again.

7) I don't know if this video is "viral" yet, but it should be!!!  It's absolutely adorable!!