It gets me every time

I think it's inevitable.  

You find out you're pregnant and you immediately start watching TLC's A Baby Story. 

 It has happened to me with each baby.

And now, in addition to crying during every episode, I am also tearing up during the commercials.

Have you seen this one?

Love it.

Rock it, girl

You know how there are some girls that seem to be most comfortable wearing makeup?  And then there are others that feel their best looking more natural?

I think I'm a little more of a natural girl myself...a little under-eye concealer and blush and I'm pretty well set.

But there is one girl in my house that most definitely likes to be made up.

She's sporting Electric Blue nails this month...and seems to be feeling very pretty.

I feel like Diana Ross should be playing in the background.

Love you, Toni.

When do you start?

My front door is bare.

It seems too early to bring out the Valentine's Day wreath and decorations.

Maybe I need to come up with a door decoration for January.  Something New Year-ish.

What do you do?

Have you gone ahead with your Valentine's things?

Is this what is called "the January blahs"?

Christmas Eve Sweater 2011

This is an embarrassing post.  

I love the sweater, so that's not the embarrassing part...it's the photos.  Eeek.

I tried to do a photo shoot solo today and, as a result, the photos are very sorry looking.

The kids would have taken better photos!

For the second year in a row, I knit a sweater for myself to wear on Christmas Eve.  I've used the same pattern each time, Ellie by Nikki Van De Car.  She writes the blog, What to knit when you're expecting.

The first year I knit it, I made it snug...this year I made it a little bigger so I'd be able to wear it comfortably while pregnant.

I lengthened it, and added some extra rounds of Garter stitch around the neckline so it wasn't quilt so "off the shoulder".

The Garter stitching at the hem, cuffs, and neckline is one of my favorite details.

It's one of those sweaters you could just kind of live in. 

I keeping thinking of it as my "boyfriend" sweater, I'm not sure why...maybe because it's a little over-sized.

Or maybe because it feels good like a boyfriend.

Either way, I'm not breaking up with it anytime soon.

Hanging in there

The weather has turned cold, really cold...and there is a crazy wind whistling through our windows.

It's that bitter, slaps you in the face, miserable stuff that Minnesota winters are known for.

I'm so grateful for our fireplace.

and quilts.

and hot tea.

We're only leaving the house for mandatory outings.

Like visiting my mom in the hospital.

How are you ushering in the new year?