Snow!

It is C-O-L-D here! We got a major rain-turned-snow storm over the weekend. Why does snow have to look so soft and fluffy - like I want to lay down in it and roll around it??? NOT! It sure is pretty to look at when it's falling and when everything is newly white. However...I have the hardest time getting warm (must be my Arizona native blood). It does help with the Christmas spirit though. Monday night we made sugar cookies from a new recipe taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks website http://www.thepioneerwomancooks.com/- super yummy!

I'm still cranking out the gifts for Christmas - finished up two aprons for the kids' teachers using the Sunday Dinner Apron pattern by Vanilla House Designs. That brings my total apron count to 10...2 from this pattern and 8 from the Friday Night Apron pattern. I love the aprons - they are so easy to make and turn out so cute! I have had a terrific time finding fabrics to suit each person's personality and the sassier the fabrics the cuter the apron.

I found a set of dish towels at IKEA (3 for 1.99) that I turned into aprons for the kids to use while making Christmas sugar cookies. Will post pics of them here soon. They are super excited to have their very own aprons and my son wanted his right away to wear to dinner. I explained that it wasn't necessarily an over-sized bib but for cooking/baking purposes but then again...why not!? My oldest daughter and I made a sock snowman tonight based on the advent activities found on the Bella Dia activity advent site: http://belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/christmas_book_activity_advent/index.html. She named him "Oatmeal" - the 'cast off' name from Frosty the Snowman. He is adorable and we had a great time. Wish there were more hours in the day to do all the crafty activities available for the holidays!

I sent off all my out-of-town packages this week and the 'hand-made' items for my brothers and brother-in-law was a spice mix a la "Emeril Lagasse". I put the mix in little glass jars found at IKEA and wrapped in fabric remnants. It wasn't quite as labor intensive as the aprons but since most of them enjoy BBQ'ing and have turned out to be excellent cooks I think it'll be well received.

I have a couple more aprons left to make for Mom and one SIL and need to find a cutesy tootsie pattern or make up one for my little one. She will most likely get a kitchen from Santa (SHHH!) and I found some adorable pink fabric that would make a perfect kitchen apron to go with it! A new robe is the latest request from my son - perfect for the birthday bear to bring him (his birthday is the 26th). Anyone have a great robe pattern or tutorial???...