My BIG Family Christmas...

On Christmas Day, my micro family gets together...and somewhere around the main holiday my two other families do, usually one before and one after. But...rarely do we all get together at the same time. There might be a reason for this - we a lot of people, 3 rowdy boys, and no one has a large home to do this in...so it can make for a boisterous event. Today was just that way...

And I've not really updated you a bit on what was gifted me before, because I figured one larger post would handle it! So here goes....

It was a CATTY Christmas (not that unusual, but Chris might think these were sent to the wrong person - at least some of them! (I don't have a single black kitty...except for these new ones!)

The tile is from Italy...Sis-in-law and niece went to Europe this past summer...And a coffee mug (I've SEEN this one on Chris' blog!) and salt & pepper shakers...from Big Sis...

This photo shows another mug and salt & pepper shakers with black cats on them (Mr. Biddles has a bit of competition here...) from my boss - no she wasn't at my Christmas today, but just to show you how "catty" this Christmas was...oh..and my other niece sent along the cute black cat key ring - can't wait to get the keys on it! (she also sent a cat notebook and her dad gave me a CD A Very Fine Cat as well as two notepads with cats on them...

Then, from Switzerland (and my other niece), this really cool garden cat (yes, a Siamese!).

Dear Daughter and family had given me this MP3 player and the where-with-all to download music...now if I can figure it all out, I'll be fine...hmmm...Michael Buble, anyone?
DD and family also gave me this. We knitters have a common affliction - we have chronically dry skin thanks to the wonderful fibers we're constantly fondling! Add in aging and a compromised immune system (which demands lots of antibiotic soaps and handwashings!) and you can imagine what my fingers are like in winter? I keep bandaids on them to help the cracks heel...(maybe that's TOO much information?) Well, I love this hot wax bath! It's just terrific, and I can tell a difference already...

Then, because everyone knows I'm a fiber addict...Sis-in-law and niece brought this handspun/hand-dyed yarn from Switzerland. Now I can't find anything to identify what this yarn is - I can tell you that I'm pretty certain there's no wool in it - I am guessing it might be linen, and they seem to think she might have said silk (not sure, doesn't smell like it!). I'd love your ideas for it - I'll have to see if I can estimate how manyyards there are, but it's probably fingering weight. It's a yellow-green and has a sturdy texture to it, hence my thinking it's linen...What to make with it? OH! And underneath? Yes yes...do they know me or what? Munz Suisse Chocolat! Yes, it's still in the box. (Promise!) *wink*

Big Sis went to visit family in Vermont this summer and wandered into a yarn store while she was in Montpelier...Jean, the owner, helped her pick out this yarn from Plymouth - Royal Llama & Silk in a lovely terracotta rose tone and the pattern for a 3-button wrap (Plymouth #1164). I've already emailed Jean to thank her. My sister admitted she really didn't know what to do - and Jean learned that I had a blog, went to her computer and looked me up, surfed around and said she thought she could help my sister pick out something nice!

No question about that, huh? That's what makes a good LYS in my estimation! So those of you up there in Vermont? Consider this my recommendation, if you're ever in Montpelier...here's her card! That's The Knitting Studio...


There were gift cards, too...coffee, and fabric, and yarn. Oh. And Fair Trade Coffee from the Green Mountain state, as well!

There's no way I can ever say thank you enough to everyone! I'm blessed with an amazingly thoughtful family!

It was a very busy day...the boys got lots of toys - lots and lots of toys...in particular a remote control dinosaur that I think was the hit of the year! And they fell asleep in the car on the way home (not surprising).

Big Sis seemed very pleased with her socks, the three who got hats were tickled with them, and Sis-in-law loved her Chevron Scarf...(she also got a Red Hats purple feather boa!!)

I've been relieved of my "Wrapping Paper Nazi" title (I think). Only the choicest papers, all the bows, and the gift bags were scooped up for reuse next year. The girls were amazed at what I tossed...but when you have little boys tearing paper apart? Might as well give it up. (I suspect my aunt and my mom are frowning down at me as I type that...)

I'll have photos of the knitted gifts soon - that is if Big Sis gets them emailed to me. Yes, Knitnana was dense enough to forget her camera today!

I'll be back before year end with my wrap-up of 2007 knitting, and then something of a plan for 2008.

Wow. This is one LONG post!
(((Hugs)))