Is It Really Over?

It's the last day of the year, and I'm not sure how to feel. The excitement of Christmas is almost over (we have one final celebration this afternoon), and the tree is put away, so things are right where they should be on the holiday timeline... but I'm feeling a little "blah."

Last weekend brought the excitement of Santa and presents, 

Holiday food and family, 

and we'll have some of that today, too. But the weather warmed up a bit, the sky is crying, and it just feels a little weird to have rain in place of snow for December 31st in Ohio. 

There's still plenty of Christmas decor in the house, which I'll probably tuck away tomorrow, 

and it'll be nice to have the house back to normal...but I think these guys are hoping we'll get at least a bit more snow this winter. To be honest, I'm hoping that too.

When I wake up tomorrow, what will be different? What will 2023 bring? What do I want it to bring? 

I'm still figuring that out, and if you're doing the same, maybe we can figure it out together. My main goals for the next 24 hours are to find some joy, eat something yummy and maybe cast on a selfish knitting project. 

I think I can, 

I think I can, 

I think I can... 

Now, because I probably won't be up until midnight, I'll end the blog here with a Happy New Year to all, and a Knit in Good Health!

Merry, Merry!

Happy Ho! Ho! Ho! to you!

Knit (and eat and love your people) in Good Health!

It's Still a Wonderful Life

It's Christmas Eve.

The knitting is not finished.

The baking is not finished.

The candy is not finished.

Christmas Eve services haven't even started, 

and I have not watched my very favorite Christmas movies yet. 

Can Christmas even come, what with my life in this state?

Of course it can, and it will, as it does every year, and aren't we thankful for that? 

What is done is done. The unfinished items probably aren't as important as I've made them out to be. Gifts are wrapped, visits are planned, and family is well-loved. The rest will certainly take care of itself. 

As you prepare for Christmas with me...or wrap up Hanukkah, or celebrate winter in another way...I wish you peace, joy and love overflowing. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Party On, Knittahs!

Some years we have a party, 

and I blog it within a day.

Other years, the party comes and goes, 

like the one that got away! 

This year's Knitmas celebration 

was like none we'd had before, 

With gifts and goodies and laughter, 

and three cheese dips to adore!

Cookies on the tree, 

with gift bags all around,

that beckoned to each gifter 

to pass those stuffers out!

Of course there was the Snowman Poop, 

which is long gone today...

but not before its photo...

this year I remembered, yay!

My stuffer's not in the picture, 

but I did keep one back.

A jar filled up with glitter 

is a great de-stressing hack!

Breathe and watch that glitter settle down...

Food and fun, and lots of stitches, 

laughter in every position; 

I'm not the only one!

As usual, we made the time 

for our favorite-est of traditions.

Annual Sock Photo!

Face-time with Alice and feet that were missing, 

it's still the season of ick.

See Alice? On my tiny, tiny Fire??? Lol...

Luckily, to get those gifties out, 

we know a couple of tricks!

Does a mailing box come in a more perfect size?

Then time to just hang out, 

and laugh and knit and sing - 

It was a two-hippopotamus-Christmas, 

four eye-rolls did it bring!

Before it was all over, 

someone started shopping online...

Seven knitters bought 14 skeins 

in nearly record time!

Not that we "needed" new yarn...(but clearly we did!)

Overall the day was amazing, 

and we can't wait for next year; 

But now we're all on to Christmas...

Eek! It's almost here!

Whatever your winter holiday is (Hannukah starts tomorrow, I believe, and there are many celebrations of light throughout the current season), I hope you are ready to do the things that comfort your soul and bring you joy. 

And, if you're in the mood, maybe have a little party while you're at it, too! C'mon! It'll be fun!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Merry Knitmas 2022!

Each year, the knitters gather for the holiday festivities, and TODAY is THE DAY! 

I get to host again, and I am excited to welcome my friends around my tree and my table. The stockings are hung (aka, the giant gift bags are perched under the tree), and my stuffers are packaged and complete!

It's almost time for me to start the last minute runaround of get ready items. Chili is in the crock pot, and  I've spent the last nine days auditioning Christmas socks for the annual sock photo...

I have 10 or 11 pair of Christmas socks, but 9 makes a lovely grid, so that's where it's at for this knitter!

But what will I knit during the party? That is to say, what will I knit if I sit down at the party? Hahaha! Maybe work on that third Pikachu hoodie, the one for her Teddy bear?

Or another, tiny elf-on-the-shelf sweater?

Or perhaps something else entirely? Goodness knows there are holiday plans and patterns needle-adjacent all the way through December!

If you're curious, I suppose the thing to do would be to check back next week to see what happens, just like you did today! 😉 In any case, you'll surely want to see how the party went!

Thanks for stopping by, Knit in Good Health and Party On, Knittahs! 🤘🏻

Slowing Down?

Advent.

A time to wait.

A time to look forward to good things.

A time to slow down and enjoy the Christmas season...

Unless you knit. 

Unless you have grandkids who know you knit.

Unless said grandchildren have birthdays in October, November and January, isolating Christmas knitting to mostly December.

Lol...

4 years old. Where has the time gone?

Throw in working at a church that has Big! Christmas! Events! every weekend in December, and an active social life, and Advent is not what I might dream it could be. 

So, in an effort to slow myself down, I've decided to do an Advent devotional every morning. But rather than starting one, I've started 4. Four 25-day devotionals with Bible verses, to see which one slows me down the best.

Oh. Okay. I see the flaw. But here I am, in the heart of this season full of family, baking and creative making, just barely treading water in this ocean of activity. I'd ask God to slow me down, but He might send me a case of Covid..

Which might work...but I'd rather not go that route again this Christmas.

Instead, I'll pick a devotional, just one. 

I'll plan my knitting intentionally, just one project at a time.

I won't freak out if I can't fit everything in. (In theory, I won't freak out. In reality, I'll probably have a moment or two...)

So, what are your December plans? 

Any stress in your life? Any good ideas on how to manage said stress? 

I'm all ears...and hands...there's still so much knitting and baking and candy making to do!

Now!, if not sooner!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health (if it keeps you from going insane!)

Two Novembers, one October. 
Also an April and July...phew!

Two Januarys, two in March.
No rest for weary knitting fingers...lol!

Need a Little Christmas?

As I looked back at pictures from Thanksgiving, a mere two days ago, 

I think back to last year's holiday season, when the house looked much the same. Cookies and lights on the tree,

Friends and relatives visiting,

lots of smiles!

Smiling faces are the best decorations! Still, I'd really like to add a few more Christmassy little touches around the kitchen and dining room. I've started with some Wee Evergreens for the counter...and I may add in some gnomes, but I'll have to finish the trees first!

A festive table dressing...I wonder what goes on the runner? Hmmmm, surely I have something. 

New for this year, maybe some greenery on the cabinets? I think I'd like to land somewhere between silly Christmas movie and "No, just a tree, thanks anyway!," (where I lived for 26 years...lol!) Pinterest, here I come...!

How do you decorate for the winter Holidays? Does your house look like a Hallmark Movie, or do you live with Grinches? Lol...

In the meantime, I'll just dump the rest of our Thanksgiving fun here, and get back to the knitting...because those little trees won't knit themselves! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! (Only 29 days until Christmas!)

Mmmmm! Dessert first!

Almost a teenager...all the attitude!

Baby's first bite of holiday rolls...

Stop the meltdown! Take him ouside. 😉 

Rocket balloons...

...with Cousins!

All the cousins (on this side of the family)!

Baby in a Bumbo!