Chronicles of Christmas

I'm a senior and it feels like it! I'm so busy busy busy! Which is why I have not been documenting my life here on this blog.  If I was busy with interesting things... I may have let you all hear about it, but at the moment all my business is rather lame and stressful: just know I would love getting an extra prayers you sent my way!

But I still wanted to update my blog with something so I thought I'd throw up some pictures with short descriptions about Christmas Break. (graphic pictures included at the bottom!)

Our cute Christmas Tree!

I got Miss Aubrey some nail-polish for Christmas!

In an effort to recreate effectively, we decided to do what everyone wanted to do.  That meant we went on a winter time drive/picnic.  It was so fun, we drove for a few hours and then pulled over for our picnic.  We never got out of the car once! 

Miss Aubrey so excited for the picnic!

One of the sights of our picnic!

 We took pictures of our cute-o parents, which turned out to be funny, because Aubrey was walking by and thought the picture was of her.. So funny!

 We also decided to go to Burlington and find the Brumbies! (Man from Snowy River reference anyone?) Or rather the wild mustangs! I didn't even know there were any till we packed up our car and headed out to the wide open spaces of Wyoming! We drove forever on a crappy rode, and I thought we'd never find them. Just as we started to give up hope, my fearless father spotted them while he was glassing around!

They kept getting closer and closer!

 We also did a lot of things surrounding the great elk hunt of 2012! Including:

• Ty and Dad glassing around, hunting, and killing an elk!
• My mom dad and I processing said elk for consumption.
• And a family walk-about to recreate the hunting experience for those of us who didn't go:

You know I love to include shocking pictures from my real life so here's a bunch from the processing:

The elk sits in our garage for about a week!

Then we bring it in...

Sit it down on the counter!

and start cutting it up...

to make steaks, roasts, and hamburger!

Pictures from our walk about:

We made our way up to the exact spot the elk was shot, killed, and gutted!

The stomach contents (pictured here) was all that was left!

The camera fell so we adjusted!

My cute family!!

This is just what I've got time for right now-- but you can probably expect another post on Christmas or from my birthday real soon-- so stay close!! 

I have a brand new hobby!

I KNIT!

That's my new skill. And it's not really that developed, but no worries -- I've got BIG dreams! 

HUGE even. Someday.. I'll even be fast! I'll knit blankets. It'll be awesome!  

Anyway.. I thought I'd show off my projects!

My Scarf For Aubrey:

This girl know how to work it!

My Identical Scarf for Camilla

This girl also knows how to work it!

I sort of feel bad about the color of the scarf, but I thought it would work for my sweet nieces.  Of course the girls apparently only wear the scarfs with their pajamas (see pictures above) so no one really cares about the color! 

My sister Toni is crocheting master and she has taken it upon herself to crochet baby-blankets for the newly arriving babies in our family.  She asked me the other day if she's that weird aunt who's always making unwanted things.  I told her of course not -- she's making useful things.  No 1 or 3 year old really NEEDS a scarf so apparently I'm that THAT aunt. 

But each scarf I make makes me feel great and crafty, so I'll keep purling along. And the more I practice the closer I get to knitting even cooler things. So in 5 years when all you ever get from me is something knitted -- just know it was made with love and it brought me joy to give it to you. 

I apologize in advance!

Also.. a quick display of my other crafting talents (A PINTEREST PROJECT no less):

I made these headbands for my nieces for Christmas -- Camilla got one too, but it's not pictured.

Unfortunately this was also an unwanted gift because none of nieces really like to wear headbands.. Too bad.. Someday I'll make them something they love! 

I will say that one day over Christmas break Miss Aubrey was saying goodbye and of her one accord said: "Thank you for making me a scarf.  You're a great aunt!" And gave me a giant (as giant as her little arms can give) hug! I felt so valued! So maybe they do like them after all! :) 

I do feel like I've prepared myself well for spinsterhood though - every Friday night I spend at home with a rom-com playing while I knit makes me feel a little old, but to be honest I super love getting a chance to hang-out in p.j.'s AND do something productive at the same time! 

So here's to elite-crafting!