How do you feel about Valentine's Day

I must confess, I'm not much for V day.  When Hubby and I were newly together, he would get me flowers and chocolates, balloons and teddy bears.  Over the years, we've stopped with it altogether.  It seems too much like a Hallmark holiday.  Created to sell more stuff.  Hubby and I know we love each other, we don't need candy to say it. 

The kids are at the age that they love stuff like this, though.  Today we're off to a Valentine's Day party with our homeschool friends.  After filling out 72 cards, complete with Barbie and Lego stickers, I'm about done in.  They love giving and getting fun cards and candy.  It's another party for them.  Who doesn't love a party?

 

My feeling is to look at this and think about the waste.  Yes, I could have had them make cute little valentine's from scrap paper and recycled items.  The fact was, that I could barely make myself get the easy pre-made valentines from CVS.   Maybe I'm just not a romantic person.  Maybe I'm just a Valentine's Grinch.  Either way, I just don't like this holiday.

The Remains of the Day

The wrapping and ribbons, boxes and bows.  This is all that remains of all the money spent, thought put into gifts, wrapping carefully done.  The kids happily ripped open their gifts, thrilled when Grandma and Grandpa arrived with more goodies.  We really try not to go overboard.  The kids get 3 presents each from us and 1 from Santa.  However, there are also gifts from the grandparents and aunts and uncles.

Overall, we seem to have a far smaller Christmas than most, but still quite impressive.  The kids can really enjoy their gifts when they aren't so overwhelmed.   When Noah was little, we used to go a little overboard.  He never really enjoyed it.  He would open a gift and then be irritated that we wouldn't let him play with it, because there were so many more to open. 

I've thought for years on the wrapping paper issue.  My family has always saved boxes, gift bags, ribbons and the like.  We also tend to be rather crafty as well, I keep thinking that we should make fabric gift bags to use for family gifts.  My thought was to use up the rather large pile of wrapping paper first.  I had a nice box set up to throw all the paper in for recycling.  Then Hubby informed me that there was a large sign in front of the paper recycling at the dump prohibiting any wrapping paper.  Huh?  For whatever reason, it must all be put into the trash.  What a waste.  I guess the wrapping paper will last virtually forever now, waiting to be used on non-family gifts.  Next year I'll be wrapping everything in fabric.  Sometimes, I just need a little push.  How was your holiday?

Merry Christmas

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  I'll be back soon to talk about New Year's resolutions and goals for the upcoming year.

MMM, pie

I'm thankful for Chocolate Pecan Pie.  It is about as non-local a food as I can get and I love it.  I'm so thankful for all that my life holds.  I hope your Thanksgiving is as wonderful as it should be.

Completed market bag

I did it!   The body of the bag I wasn't worried about, it was the handle.  It has an applied I-cord.  It turns out, I-cords aren't very difficult.  Who knew?  The kids are fighting over the bag right now and making lists of colors they want them in.  It didn't really take very long to do either.  We went  and got some more yarn, but need to find different colors somewhere else.

I'm sorry that I haven't been writing much lately, life has been getting in the way.  I'll be posting more soon.  Still working on the garden expansion and lots of other things.

Getting moving on the Christmas gifts

I signed up for Crunchy Chickens Hand for the Holidays challenge this year. This isn't my first year doing hand made gifts.  Last year my Mom and I decided to do as many home made gifts as possible.  I made hats, scarves, dishcloths, socks and lots of baked goods.  This year I'm doing the same.  I've already done one item for my brother's girlfriend, but have lots to do.

This is the start of a market bag that I'm making.  The kids are wanting to have their own, so I may be making quite a few of them.  The handle on this is scaring me a little.  I've never done an I-cord before, so there will probably be lots of frogging happening before the final product is finished.  There are still lots of other things to be made as well.  Is anyone else working on gifts already?