Beginnings of December

And here is some of what we've been up to since coming home. It feels like it's been a super busy week, but on paper this coming one is a lot worse. We shall see!

The pine allergy/sensitivity has been in hyperdrive this season

Despite all this, still didn't have the size I needed. Oh well, forced craft shopping is never a hardship ;)

Cowls for everyone!!! I'm following this pattern, and knitting with super bulky is supremely gratifying. 2ish hours on the needles and you have a finished product. 

Tada! I personally like cowls better than scarves because I never know how to tie scarves, and these you just slip over your head and you're all set. 

Watched a friend for a few hours. 2 kids is sooooo much easier than just one! They kept each other very entertained. 

Tree shopping. 

Hauling the harvest home.

Trader Joe's upped their price this year, but the boxwood wreaths were still reasonable enough to warrant the purchase of two. 

For the first time, we bought a full sized tree. It smells great, and with the addition of a few garlands and balls from the dollar store looks pretty filled out now.

The living room.

THE tackiest item I've boughten this year (so far....). From the Dollar Store, those lights are blinding. Going to have the kids decorate them at playgroup as part of our crafting party. The parents should love me. 

Cocoa and The Grinch. 

And then today, the reason for the busy week; decorating the church. We generally have this down to a science and are done in a few hours at the most. Today it took 5, and I have no idea why since we didn't do as much as we have before. Anyway, the theme this year is "music".

Maybe part of it was the wreaths required handling 4 separate times??

Shane "helped", lol

The horn was a thrifting find this summer (yes, we plan our church decor out at least a year in advance).

The finished front. I won't say I was right, but I have been begging to hang stuff high on the organ for years now and I'd say I was justified (for scale, the top of the organ enclosure is about 40' up). 

Simple front.

Our lucky iron fish arrived! No idea why I never got Hud one since he's been chronically anemic since he was little, but hopefully this will solve that. 

Tonight we went to an Indonesian concert. Over 2 hours and the kids did fantastic! We followed it up with a stop at the African food festival being held in conjunction but the food was way too spicy for the kids (awesome peanut sauce though!) and it was already past their bedtime. So, smoothies and a stop at TJ's for popcorn for Hudson. 

Hen's favorite was the dancers.

Afterwards they let everyone come up on stage and play the instruments since they're pretty indestructible (you play them by hitting with a hammer). The huge gong was my favorite. All in a all a very fun and exhausting day.