WISHING EVERYONE A

LAME-NESS

I have been a lame blogger girl lately. Like all the other blogger buds, I have tons of fun and games happening in my life with Christmas and all the festivities, but really not motivated enough to get posting it. My bad. Hope everyone had a blast and blessed Christmas and an AMAZING New Years Eve!!!




Had to share this cute baby.... 2008 is just around the corner and will be the year that my dreams of becoming a mother will become true.... The year that so many of us will realize our dreams and others will grow closer with each passing month. Keep the faith and hope.

SNEAK PEEK

Of Tate's soon be to finished Kingdom..... just a peek thru the doorway.

Still to do before total reveal.....

I have to do the window treatments.... a project that will involve power tools.

And accessorize the walls.... hang her name and frame the Mary Engelbreit print and hang.

PRESENTS

Seeing this on a gift just makes my body tingle from head to toes!

Kind of makes Tate real......

CHRISTMAS WITH THE SWACS

Kind of sounds like a Christmas movie or something. Don't ya think?


I know I have talked about this little group of Single Women Adopt China (hence "SWAC") that I belong to before. Besides all the snuggles and play with the kiddos, there is such love, warmth and concern felt for each other. I am so lucky that during the long wait, I have these sistahs to hang with.

Waiting momma Leanne (LiLi) always adds such energy to the group. Somehow after the eating winds down, up starts a dance-a-thon. The video clip below of Eliza (Lala) is from our most recent meeting. Twinkle Toes was able to join us this time. She and Liza danced and did make overs on each other and the good sport, LiLi.

Oh man, I love my little Twinkle Toes niece!

If my SWAC sisters are reading this blog, just know that I love you all so very much! Thanks for the love and support!

BOOGIE ON BABY!

Miracles really do happen at Christmas time! Last night was our SWAC (single woman adopt China) Christmas party. During the laughing, playing, and dancing, I hit the wrong button on my point and shoot camera revealing that I have a video camera of sorts. Here for your enjoyment boogieing babies.... Eliza and Charlee and Liza..... a true miracle that I was able to share this with you.

SO MUCH TO WRITE....

So little time.... MUST share pictures and text will came later!!! I had a spectacular fun time!!!

What you really want to see.....Tess in all her amazingly breathtakingly BEAUTY!




This was the last picture I took of Tess as we were leaving for the airport. She fell asleep within seconds of being in the car, so I just got to kiss her one cheek SOFTLY and leave her and Julie at the curb.

My arms and heart ache for her and I miss chatting it up with the Divine Ms Julie.

SMILE....

First glimpse of Tess...




And now.... the amazingly beautiful Tess.....



Who I will be trying to do this to tomorrow, IF Tess will let me so quickly..... I have warned Julie that I will be chapping Tess' cheeks with all the kissing and snuggling (IF Tess will let me) and Tess should have extra cream put on her face to prepare for this KISS FEST!

This is just what my not-so-rare disease needs..... A temporary "fix".

AM I GETTING A RARE DISEASE?

Here are my symptoms....

• achy arms
• lump in throat
• pain in the pit of my stomach
• listless gazing off looking at nothing
• anxiousness with a known cause

I have googled my symptoms on the Internet. I have cross referenced to the medically precise information found on Gray's Anatomy and ER. Nothing in this renowned medical community can explain it. The only medication that would cure my disease would be this long proceed of waiting coming to be DONE .... and spending this Christmas with Tate.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT CHALLENGE

Julie over at Tess and Back has asked those who have Christmas crafts project to show. I term myself as a frustrated artist, one that cannot paint or draw. Since I have this burning need to release my artist in me, I have gotten into design and creating. I am not what I would say a "crafter"... I just do "stuff".

I am not decorating once again this year for Christmas except for my dining room light so I just kind of dug around in some of the boxes and came up with these. I am a lover of all that is red and bright and a child's dream of Christmas. All my ornaments and decorating are in this theme. I use red plaid and glossy red berries and beads. Next year when I have Tate, I will most definitely go all out for her. This year, not too much.

These 12 x 12 inch pillows are felted wool. I did these little softies two years ago. The Santa is from a pattern, the snowman was of my own design. I just love the snowman pillow.

I have been loving the snowman decorating for a mantle piece have collected quite a collection. These are three of my experimental ones. They are from my own design and weighted with beans on the bottom so they do not topple over.

Many years ago I made these stockings. We never had cute stockings for Christmas, just the standard plain red felt you get at the store. It might have something to do with this being an American tradition and we celebrated the Norwegian traditions for Christmas. Getting a little into psycho analysis, I guess I missed the cute stockings and made these as my first Christmas craft. They are made from a kit.

ORNAMENTS

Necessity is the mother of invention.... Salt dough hearts. I used small heart cookie cutter, small paperclips for the centers and high gloss red craft paint then a high gloss lacquer. I have about 40 of these and will place all around the branches. Just looks so cute! My own design.

Another one of my designs. These are small jointed Teddy Bears made out of felt and floss. They are about three inches tall. I have about 6 of these.

Made from a pattern about 15 years ago. These are brass sheets cut and punched. The Santa to the right was real detailed and took a while. During this time, I cut out 6t stars and placed them in the kitchen window for the holidays. I loved them so much that they have been up year round since.

If you took Julie's challenge, let me know.