A December List

Yesterday was baking day.  Part two.  I took all kinds of pictures.  My sister in law got the most beautiful hand crafted box from her mother for Christmas.  I took tons of photos of it to share. We mixed up a double batch of cut out cookies, an army of gingerbread men, and several dozen oatmeal raisins.  Nana was a frosting fiend.  Aunt Kaylyn painted Hannah's nose red.  Emma had on her Mrs. Clause dress and my mother's old apron.  All precious.

But I didn't have a memory card in the camera.

D.R.A.T.

I have a new camera, and it is way smarter than me.  I'm trying to learn all I can, but so far I'm outfoxed.  I need something that flashes or beeps to tell me when my memory card slots are empty because, unfortunately, this isn't the first time this has happened to me.

So....you'll just have to imagine Nana's kitchen completely covered in flour, Kaylyn and Hannah mixing up strange colors of frosting, and Emma wearing a cute dress while biting the head off a gingerbread boy.

I got home from baking day(s) and started making lists.  And checking them twice.  I'm obviously prone to forgetting these days, so it seemed wise to start pulling together plans.  Making lists is a mixed bag.  On the one hand, I like to feel in control of all the things I have to do.  On the other hand, seeing it all in black and white can feel a bit intimidating.  In the spirit of December lists, here is a list of happenings around here over the last few days...

At our church Christmas party we were honored to witness a surprise proposal.

Two of Hannah's friends are now engaged.

So fun!

Emma got a new bird feeder.  We hung it from a branch directly outside the living room window so we could keep an eye on visitors.  Speaking of keeping an eye....this picture is a riot!

Emma will go anywhere with Big Bro' Max these days.  She is his constant shadow and biggest fan.  They are quite a team, these two.

I finished a quilt for a new baby boy.

And I succumbed to a moment of weakness in Anthropology with Hannah.

We ventured into her very favorite store in search of a birthday gift for a friend.  One of the greatest pitfalls of holiday shopping for others is the danger of falling in love with something for yourself.

I fell fast.  And hard.

I was merely strolling by the table where it sat.  It was so....noticeable.  All I know is that it was firmly in my grasp before I even realized I had picked it up.  I tried to return it to its rightful spot, but it was so.......not put down-able.

So I carried it.

And the longer it sat in my arms, the more comfortable it became.  I may have whispered sweet nothings to it while complimenting it on its magnificent shade of Tiffany blue.

Just in case you didn't notice.....HELLO.

Orange met Fabulous and fell in love, and they had a baby flower.

Shame on me.  In this very season of giving I fell prey to Anthropology goodness.  And I caved.  This delectable display of orange perfection will make me merry every day of my life.

It tops my current list of Most Favorite Things.