Last night my friend and I went to check out the Christmas lights around town.  We went to one of my favorites over in West Seattle.

First, here’s the nativity scene.  Your standard nativity – 3 wise men, Mary, Joseph, LBJ (Little baby Jesus) and a few assorted animals.

But upon closer inspection, the LBJ was not the one that came with the original set.  It was a doll.  No problem.  Apparently the LBJ is a popular item for the teens to swipe off the lawn.  But it’s not the soulless doll eyes that’s strange.  It’s the fact that LBJ has a hat on.

That’s a knit hat.  Who knew that even as a baby, Jesus was a fashion icon.  I mean, we all know he started the Air Jesus sandals trend (Mom, air Jesus sandals are Birkenstocks or Teva sandals).  I had no idea that he was responsible for single handedly bringing the knit hat in fashion.  Not only did he die for our sins but apparently he should be the next winner of the VH1 fashion icon lifetime achievement award.

There’s also a few strange things going on with the Santas that were on the lawn.  For instance, apparently this Santa and his “ride” were out drinking.

I mean look at them.   They can’t even stand up.

Or perhaps this Santa.  At first glance everything looks normal but…

it looks like that dog is covering up Santa’s naughty bits.  That dog does not look happy.  And what is that look on Santa’s face all about?  It’s very upsetting.

and lastly here’s Kink and her good friend Bob sharing a moment.

This is just a quick post to show all the goodies that I got in my package from Intarsia Bindoff!

This first one is of everything but the cute little project bag.

and here’s the yarn, small buttons, and stitch marker close ups

and how about the cute little notebooks, book, tape measure and stitch markers

and here’s the front and the back of the bag

I’m going to try and snap a few pictures of Bob the Christmas tree tomorrow while there’s still a little bit of light.  He always looks so great with the last rays of light shining on his branches and needles.  So far he and the cats are getting along famously.  Kink likes to hide behind him and pretend she’s in the forest.  Jimbo just doesn’t seem to notice him.

I haven’t been doing a lot of blogging lately because my fingers are needed to finish up some last minute knitted Christmas gifts.  So on that note, I’ve got to get back to knitting.  There’s only so many days left  before Christmas!

Bob the Christmas tree arrived last night.  He was a bit wet from his trip but when he got into the apartment and his stand he was very thankful.  He’s just hanging out now.  He’s half dressed (lights and the tree topper) and today we’ll find a proper outfit for him.  The cats have so far just sniffed at him and have decided to leave him alone.  Which I think Bob appreciates.

As for the rest of the day, I’m heading over to my friend Marc’s house for a morning of breakfast and budgeting.  I’ve enlisted the help of Marc, my friend Linda and my parents to help keep me on the straight and narrow.  Mom and dad don’t know this yet, but once a week or every other month, I’ll be emailing them my spending for the week.  In some cases I have a feeling it will be just a trip to Starbucks for my knitting group.  My goal is to do this for at least 6 months.  After 6 months hopefully it will become a habit, just like brushing my teeth.  My goal would be to save up enough money for a trip for my 40th birthday, which is about 4 years away.  It’s my 40th.   I want to go big.  So I think saving for four years would be about right.  Right now, I would like to go back to England.  I want to visit a few friends and perhaps, if i plan it properly I’ll be there for the Jane Austen festival in Bath.  OR if mom wants to go, we could do the Chelsea Garden Show.  Maybe while I’m there, I’ll meet up with some of my UK ravelry friends.

If that happens, I’ll have to plan a separate trip for me and dad.  I won’t force dad to go shopping with mom and I again.  Dad, start thinking of places you want to go that you know mom won’t want to go to

It’s been a bit chilly here in Seattle.  It’s about this time that I really dislike working in a warehouse.  It’s super cold and being a big concrete building doesn’t really help.  Thankfully i knit up a pair of worsted weight wool socks last year.  At the year least, my toes are warm.   When I get home from work, my nose is still running.  It takes about an hour of real warmth before I stop sniffing.  And it’s because of that, that I spent the evening sending out resumes.  I’m really hoping that I can get back to me and get a career again instead of something that I just do until I find something better.

As for this weekend, it’s going to be picking up the Christmas tree tomorrow evening and getting it all set up.  Then the rest of the weekend will be about watching movies, reading, knitting and a little swimming.

I heard rumors, but I didn’t think it was true.  But it is!  A new Holga that uses 35mm film.  There’s 2 versions.   One that has the signature holga “mat.” And another with no mat.  Damn those Lomo folks.  They always seem to know when I’m jones for a Holga fix.

Yesterday I spent Thanksgiving with some close friends of mine and their family.  I have been blessed with such great friends and their families take me in as, I like to call it, the foreign exchange student from the other side of the country.  I had a great time and got to spend some more quality time with their little baby boy (he’s all of 2 months old and super cute).  As I was having a great time at my Thanksgiving dinner, my family back east, was experiencing something completely different.

My aunt had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer a month or two ago.  She had unfortunately lost her battle with cancer on Thanksgiving.  My aunt was truly a great person.  She had the best sense of humor and was one hell of a cook.  We will all miss her greatly and I know that she’s up in heaven with her family and my grandparents.  I’m sure her and grandma are looking down on us and wondering why can’t one of us make a decent pie?  And I know that she is making everyone in heaven laugh.  We’ll miss you Aunt Jean.

Since it’s coming up on the end of the year I’ve been taking a look at the past year and seeing what I could do in the coming year to make it better. I’ve decided to call this coming year – the year of living cautiously.
What I mean by living cautiously is, paying closer attention to my budget. I did a pretty good job this year, but I want to do better. I keep hearing we’re out of the recession but I personally haven’t felt it. So I will commit to really sticking to my budget. No straying from the budget unless it’s an emergency. And an emergency is sports related injury, car troubles. Not my yarn stash is getting low and I need to replenish.
I’m also calling this the year of cleaning up the WIPs (for all you non-knitters, that stand for Works in Progress). I’ve got at least 4 on the needles right now. The plan is to either frog (rip it all out) entire project or finish it. I will not have more than 2 projects on the needles at once. It sometimes help to have another project to work on when the first project stumps you. And while I’m on the knitting, I would like to start the one big project a month again. I know I have more than enough patterns that I want to do, and I should have enough yarn to at least knock out 2 of them.
And the last thing I’d like to do this coming year is to bring back the one race a month challenge. I got a little sidetracked when I did it last time. So hopefully this year will be a better year for challenging myself.
As for NaNoWriMo, well I’m waving the white flag. I’m done. I didn’t get to 50,000 words. I got to 30,000 and then I just couldn’t get anything else out. I may pick up where I left off after the New Year. But for now I’m happy with what I’ve done and maybe I’ll try again next year.
Santa dropped off an early Christmas present for me… my KitchenAid Mixer! I had no idea that Santa shopped via QVC. Thanks Santa! Next year I’ll be sure to whip up some cookies, bread, cake and a pie all using my KitchenAid mixer!
One last thing, I have a crush on a couple of the guys on Saturday Night Live.
Bobby Moynihan – He plays Guy Fieri and in the most recent episode of SNL he played Jake “the Snake” Roberts on What Up With That? sketch.  He’s just genius.
Jason Sudeikis – He plays Joe Biden. One of my favorites is the Rear Window sketch they did recently or  the Cloud Gazing sketch. His timing is spot on and his delivery is genius. Not to mention, in the “What Up With That?’ sketches, he’s one heck of a dancer.  He’s the one in the red track suit.

I know I haven’t been posting a lot recently.  I’ll have to remember that the next time I decide to do NaNoWriMo.  I feel like I’ve used all my words up on my novel!

Our lovely quidditch team captains asked us what we’re thankful for and what makes us smile.  And since Thanksgiving is coming up, I thought I would share with all my friends and family.

I’m thankful for:

• the family and friends I have.  I don’t think I would be the person I was if it weren’t for them.
• all the new little babies that have been born this year – Sterling, Lucy, Andrew and Simon.  I’m so happy that you’re all healthy and happy little eating, sleeping and poopin’ machines
• the time that I got to spend with grandparents.  I know the teenage years I might not have cared to much for spending time with the family, but looking back on it, I’m glad for that time.
• my ability to laugh even when you just think you can’t laugh.
• my health.
• chocolate

Now for the things that make me smile:

• chocolate
• Jimbo when he’s annoyed with Kink and all he can do is lift his head up and sigh
• the movie Amelie
• knitting
• swimming
• cute little baby pictures from friend’s kids
• Saturday Night Live – actually I’m smiling and laughing

I feel like I’ve been doing nothing but writing recently.  Unfortunately none of it on my blog.  So I’m sorry for that.  But the novel is coming along swimmingly.  Or at the very least, it’s going.  It’s been fun and tough and I’m really enjoying it.  I’m amazed at what happens when I sit down and just start typing.  It’s difficult in the beginning, but once i get going, it’s like someone turned the faucet on.  I’m a little behind because we’re halfway thru the month and I’m at a little over 20,ooo words.  But I’m feeling confident that it will get done.  Now if I could just believe that I’ve got the next Bridget Jone’s Diary (a light hearted chick lit book that can be optioned out for movie deals) I’d be even happier.