last month it was Christmas

I think that it took me this long to sort and crop pictures because I simply needed to recuperate from it all - from the mess (which is still present to some extent) the noise (which has subsided a bit now that the kids have school again) and the chaos (which never really ends).

this morning I finally set to it and decided that I would pick only a couple of pictures for each of the kids and talk about their Christmas.

Erica -
opening a Tshirt she's been begging to have for some time...

and here she is modeling said shirt. In all our geekdom, this is funny. there aren't a lot of people around here that get this, but she's okay with that... she enjoys being 'elitist' in her nerdy-ness.
I'm okay with that, she's not snobby about it, just different. I like that she feels special and more of an individual. I really like that because she doesn't feel like she has to be a certain way to be a part of a crowd - that she, being herself, is good enough.

back in August, she was robbed. it's a very long story, but the nut shell is it was at our church building and there was a dance which included much of southern and central MN. someone walked off with her mini back pack which contained all of her bobbin lace supplies and many of her other crafting items. she was devastated.
I had to replace these for so many reasons.

Tim-

every time that Timothy goes to a friend's house who has Super Mario Smash Bros. he begs me to get him the game... he totally loves it.
this begging has gone on for years. so I finally caved in this year.

I am making it a tradition for the next few years to make a blanket for one of my kids for Christmas. Two years ago Connor got his. Emma got one last year. This year was Timothy's turn. I want these blankets to be unique and suit their personality perfectly so that they will get to use and love it for many many years.
Timothy got this one. The TARDIS. I made a pattern/graph and crocheted it with a few different techniques to get the effect that I wanted. and it turned out beautifully.

I have since sold the pattern quite a few times. I had one person inquire about how much I would charge to make one. I guess it was a bit steep for her because she hasn't gotten back to me... oh well, I only really made it for Timothy so anything else is bonus

Emma-

Secret Santa visited our house a couple of nights before Christmas. it was exciting and the kids were buzzing with glee.... but I was a buzz kill when I made the kids wait until Christmas day to open most of them.
How on Earth did Santa know that she LOVES littlest pet shop toys. I guess that's why he's Santa

this year I tried to get the kids games in which they needed to actually think and touch the game in order for it to work... (ie: no video controllers involved - with the exception of Tim's game)
a few months before we had been to my sister's house and they have Mastermind. I used to have that game when I was a kid and I used to play it with my mom for hours when she was sick. those moments with my mom are still so precious to me. so when Emma said that she really liked that game, I just had to get it for her. it's terrific and so much fun, we've enjoyed playing this game together.

Connor-

along with mittens and necklaces and blankets and so on... I make toys. I did not make the pattern for this, I found it on one of my crafting community sites. but I saw him and knew Connor really should have one. we hadn't seen the movie, Despicable Me, yet but I knew that it would be a hit. Connor likes him very much and Ronan wants one now (he might have to wait until his birthday)

last year when Timothy got his tent and sleeping bag for camp Connor started telling me that I needed to get a tent and sleeping bag for him. I heard his stories about how I was going to get him a sleeping bag and tent over and over and over. oh, and by the way, they had to be Star Wars sleeping bag and tent. I asked him if he would be mad at me if he didn't get them and he said YES.
I shopped for Star Wars themed sleeping bags and the only ones out there are just boring! then for all their boring-ness, they are also expensive enough to cause a heart attack.
so I figured if I was going to have to spend a fortune I was going to get something cool beyond words.
to you Star Wars fans, that is a Tauntaun. the zipper pull is a light saber. it is the most awesome Star Wars themed sleeping bag ever invented!

Ronan-

Ronan loves Iron man. I may as well name him IRonan man. last winter I made Ronan some mittens with circles on the palms to represent Iron Man's flight stabilizers and energy weapons. he adored them and would even wear them in the Summer time while playing Iron man.
We found this Arc Light that attaches to your kid's shirt and when you press it, it lights up and makes sounds like weapons charging.
Ronan is letting me have it -- psheww

being that my children are born geek, they love toys and stories that are not traditionally children's toys or stories.
Doctor Who, for example. They love Doctor Who about as much as I do and that is a lot. it was a part of my childhood and now it is a part of theirs.
so when I asked my 3 year old what he wanted for Christmas, I really shouldn't have been surprised to hear him say "a Doctor Who toy"
he specifically wanted a TARDIS. guess what he got for Christmas.
It was great watching him open this. he ripped a bit of paper and then realized what it was then went kind of frantic trying to rip the rest of the paper. it was like his arms and hands didn't work right, he was trying so hard to get it open immediately.
:)