Pajamas, Prayer, and Bad Christmas Photos

Yes, I know it is the ninth of January

and I am just now posting photos of Christmas morning.

But I have been trying,

in my VERY LIMITED UNDERSTANDING,

to make something of these blurry photos.

You see, 

I DID make the girls matching Christmas jammies.

And Ahnalin received

the Disney Animators Mulan Doll

from her Daddy and me.

And she received her Molly doll

from her Nana and Papa.

And I made matching jammies for Molly too.

And India received a biography about her 

favorite boss.

And Don received a t-shirt with his namesake

on it!

And me.........

Yeah, my Hot Rockin' Hubby 

bought me an iPad2!

I still need to learn so much about 

how to use my drafting programs on it.

It feels super decadent to me,

but it is my computer.

I have been using Don's old 

MacBook and he needs it back!

So, I need to figure it out.

I am VERY open to any and all

tips and thoughts from 

anyone!

After we opened our gifts

and had some breakfast,

we headed to church for the Christmas service.

It was a beautiful service,

worshiping the newborn King Jesus

with our new church family. 

Because Don is the music minister,

he made the decision to 

have India join us in singing the

Christmas carols.

So, I got to sing with my India

and my HRH together.

What a gift!

After church,

the girls put their Christmas jammies

back on because they were so cozy.

And yes, the oven DID catch on fire

while I was making the Spanikopita.

I had planned on taking lovely photos

and posting the recipe. 

Really. 

But I couldn't find Ahnalin's camera

and my phone was taking these blurry shots

and I used too much butter

for the first time in 23 years of making this

and THE OVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE!!!!!!!

So we ran next door

and the neighbors had a fire extinguisher

and brought it over to put out the flames.

And God protected us so much,
because the fire was contained
to just the inside of the oven.

Thankfully,

the rest of Christmas dinner was food

I could make on top of the stove. 

So crazy!!!

Don wanted to clean the oven

but I said it could wait until

after Christmas dinner!!!!!!

He did it anyway. 

It is very clean now. 

Thank you Don!

After dinner,

we went to see 

The Muppets for the 2nd time.

This time, we all sang along.

You see, it was at the bargain theater

and everyone else was in a Christmas mood, so 

EVERYONE WAS SINGING ALONG!

It was a lovely Christmas day!

And yes, I am going to buy a new

fire extinguisher.

A few days later,

Ahnalin and I drove India to the 

airport so she could fly out to visit

her Chicago buddies!

She had a wonderful time,

but is SO READY to finally

have her surgery.

So, this morning

we are heading to the hospital for her

pre-op with the anesthesiologist.

Her surgery is set for 12:50 tomorrow,

but we are praying that the hospital will

move up her surgery slot so she can 

go in earlier.

With her Type 1 diabetes,

fasting for surgery is difficult.

Please, please pray for my girl.

Please.

Please pray that the surgeon will

be able to repair the tendons in her

right foot. 

Please pray that he can figure out 

what the strange lump is on

her ankle, and correct or 

remove it.

Please pray for India as she recovers,

that her blood sugars would remain stable

and that her immune system

will behave, for once,

so she can heal.

We really covet any prayers sent our way.

Thank you so much. 

I will update soon.

Sivje

What Ahnalin Made Us For Christmas

This year for Christmas,

Ahnalin made all her gifts!

I am so proud of my girl!

She came up with the ideas all on her own

and then planned out how she

would design and sew them.

Our family is CRAZY for 

The Muppets!

In fact, we saw the movie

for the second time 

on Christmas Day!

(This was after the oven caught fire,

because I learned that you CAN use too 

much butter in Spanikopita!)

So when Ahnalin saw this Kermit

fleece at Joanns,

she HAD to have some to make

a scarf for Daddy!

She wanted to embroider his

name on it,

so she set up the font

and hooped

the fabric too.

Then she sat and kept an eagle

eye on it while the machine was

embroidering.

Afterward, she cut strips on

each end of the scarf and tied knots.

The handsome wool cap

was India's gift to Daddy.

I think he looks very handsome in his new

scarf and cap from his girls.

Don't you agree?

She made this beautiful

red ruffled breakfast pillow 

for her big sister.

I am over-the-moon

in love with it!

I couldn't get it to 

photograph very well,

so yes, it is 

outside in a tree 

in this picture.

Again,

she drew out what she wanted

to make and then 

figured out how to make her 

design a reality. 

 

She wanted the ruffles on the top

of the pillow, 

not in the edge seams.

And she wanted India's name

embroidered too.

She tried to do it by hand

but got too frustrated 

and decided to use 

the alphabet stitch 

on my machine.

It is very well loved already

because India took it with her

on her trip to Chicago.

And for me..........

She made me a fabric envelope.

She wanted me to help her 

with the buttonhole.

 

So I had to do it with a blindfold

over my eyes.

I didn't actually see this finished

until Christmas Day.

She made the rest,

all of it.

And the best part............

what was in the envelope.

Oh my. 

Yep, I cried.

I am not sure how I feel 

about her 

thanking me for adopting her.

I mean, 

I am so blessed and grateful.

But wow. 

I have so many feelings 

about this one........

But I LOVE LOVE LOVE my present.

 

It was made with love by my sweet

precious baby girl.

And when we go through

days where her RAD pops up

with a vengeance,

I can think about my letter

and know she loves me. 

I love her heart.

I love her so very much.

Thank you Ahnalin for 

our beautiful,

"Made-with-love" 

gifts.

You are one of my very favorite gifts.

All Four Of Us In A Single Shot!

It doesn't happen often.

I mean, we very rarely are in the 

same place at the same time,

when we are dressed in decent clothing,

makeup on and hair brushed,

and,

at least appear,

in our right minds.

But yesterday at our new church,

Sebastopol Christian Church,

I grabbed a new friend

and handed her my phone.

I threatened my family 

with mayhem if they made 

anything less than the most

charming and lovely 

smiles.

And there you have it!

Look closely at the hand on India's leg.

It's mine but it looks like it is hers,

only the fingers are opposite of what they should be.

It makes me laugh!

And I am pretty sure that 

India was saying 

"TAKE THE PICTURE ALREADY!"

Ahnalin refused to sit up straight 

and actually smile.

But hey!

There we all are now. 

Whew!

Now.....back to my sewing.
Unless I finish India's Christmas dress,
she will likely be dress-less on Christmas day!

Happy Sewing!

Candles, Cocoa And Change

Tonight we lit the Shepherd's Candle of Joy.

We love Advent Sundays in our family.

They are my favorite tradition of the 

Christmas season!

We usually use a brass Advent wreath or 

a red cutout metal Swedish Advent wreath.

But this year, we are using the wood and greenery

wreath that Ahnalin and I made at the Advent Festival

at our old church. 

( More about this below.)

In this picture, we were singing

"The First Noel".

I can't tell you how much I love this picture.

I love love love love it!

Every Sunday night of Advent, 

we read the Bible verses,

sing the songs,

pray the prayers,

and light the candles.

Then we enjoy dessert and 

salted maple hot chocolate.

Last week, we had chocolate cake

and the same salted maple hot cocoa.

Do you see my darling Christmas Goose china?

I love it!

And the first Sunday of Advent,

we had dark chocolate brownies

and salted maple hot cocoa.

And yes, I have lots of different Christmas china.

All of my dishes for the rest of the 

year are super practical,

but I love my wonderful Christmas dishes!

And in case you were wondering,

the "Salted Maple Hot Cocoa"

is my own concoction.

You see, I had been very, very committed

to the Anti-Inflammatory diet, 

and had avoided all sugar, wheat, corn and potatos

for months.

But pure maple syrup is allowed occasionally. 

And I loved the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

at Starbucks, so I wanted something similar for me!

So, here it is!

Salted Maple Hot Cocoa

Serves 4

4 cups milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt

3/8 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup boiling water

whipped cream 

(yeah it has a bit of sugar. I don't care!)

cocoa powder to sprinkle on top

In a medium sauce pan, heat the milk on low heat.

(Be careful not to scald or burn the milk or you get a yucky

brown film on it.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder,

salt, maple syrup, vanilla, and boiling water until foamy.

Carefully blend the cocoa mixture into the hot milk.

Pour into 4 mugs and top with whipped cream.

Sprinkle a bit of cocoa powder on the top of the 

whipped cream. 

YUMMY!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

And the change I was referring to.........

Well, we have loved our time at Santa Rosa

First Presbyterian Church,

but we are so excited for our next adventure!

Last Sunday was our final Sunday at First Pres,

and this morning was our first Sunday at 

Sebastopol Christian Church!

Don is the new 

Director of Music and Worship

at SCC! 

We had such a fun time 

in worship with our new fellow

singers and musicians. 

We can't wait to get to know new friends

and serve in new ministries.

God is so good!

And the best part is that 

we will still be able to see

our friends from First Pres because we 

are staying in Santa Rosa!
YAY!!

I am so grateful to God 

for the gift of His Son

and the gift of worship.

Happy Advent!

A few Christmas Pics

My beautiful girls in their new jammies for Christmas Eve

I love my girls so very, very much.

They are two of my favorite gifts I have ever received.

On Christmas Eve, Don and I performed in 4 services at our church.  Both of our girls came with us and spent the whole day at the church.  India served in the kindergarten classroom for two of the  services.  They had the option to go home instead of staying so long but both wanted to stay

with us. By the 8:00PM service, I was totally shocked that Ahnalin was still awake!
But our friends, Lance and Anna, also performing, brought their 6 week old Alaskan Husky

puppy to stay backstage. My girls could not get enough of this sweet baby!

And yes, I must admit something, though it pains me to do it.

The dress that Ahnalin is wearing? Um...it is store-bought! Can you believe it????

I made her two new Christmas outfits this year, and she wore a store-bought dress!!!!

I had purchased this dress, and a blue one just like it, when she was two, before I started

smocking, and only paid $7.00 for each of them. They were stored with several clothing items

that I had put away until they fit her. When she went digging through her clothes, she found them and said "Mama, the tag says 5!" So, we pulled them out and she has been wearing them. Whatever!

After we got home from the 8:00 service, at almost 10:00PM, the girls changed into their  new Christmas Eve jammies and got ready for Bed. Nana gave her a new blanket that must have been drenched in sleepy dreams because Ahnalin fell asleep within seconds. This NEVER happens!

Ahnalin does not ever fall asleep on her own, so we were all rather shocked!

She has been battling her asthma rather fiercely the last week so that probably contributed to her exhaustion, and it was late....and Santa was on his way!

Ahnalin had been begging for a "Dick and Jane" book ever since reading one at my Aunt Linda and Uncle Jay's house this summer. As soon as she opened the book Christmas morning, she situated herself on the sofa and began sounding out words.

We managed to find two different Alice in Wonderland type books for India, both of which are out of print. She dove right in to them with a big smile on her face.

Ahnalin insists on a birthday cake for Jesus every year, and we have to sing.

Of course, Ahnalin gets to blow out the candles. Did I mention that she decorated the cake?

I managed to get a picture of the girls in the family on Christmas day wearing their Yaya's Aprons.

A few of them are internet shy, so I blurred their faces. But they are MUCH prettier in person than their blurry faces suggest.

Ahnalin and Daddy had fun playing with Ahnalin's new art supplies. She received several art

supply sets, but she uses them like water and runs out of pens on a consistent basis,

so she was thrilled to receive new art things.

India and her cousin, or "twin" as she likes to call him, had fun opening presents.

We had a wonderful day of family and good, good food.

My hot rockin' hubby finally relented and bought me a new iron. He had refused

for a long time because he, like many men, are afraid to buy appliances for their wives presents.

But I REALLY REALLY wanted a new iron!!!

So, this is what he got me!

WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

It is the Rowenta DX 8900, also called the "Sewer's Iron" because it does not have and auto shutoff!!!

I had the previous version of this iron for nearly 20 years until it died a sad and painful death.

I had purchased it's predecessor to make my wedding gown in 1988, and loved it every second I owned it. But when it died, I could not afford to get a new one. So, I have asked for one every gift-giving occasion since then. Finally, after a prolonged Facebook campaign, in which he realized I really did want it, he relented and ordered it for me. Merry Christmas to meeeeeeee!!!!

He also bought me a headlamp so that I can see my handwork when the light is dim. Can you say "Smocking in the car"? Yep!!! That would be while I am in the passenger seat. I promise. Really.

Oh and he got me a shirt that says "My Husband Rocks".

I love it! He does, you know. I mean he ROCKS!!

So, Christmas was really nice. We got to be with family and we got to celebrate Jesus.
It was perfect.

Christmas Sewing and a Gaggle of Yayas

Everyone is getting "Yaya's Aprons" for Christmas this year. However, when my niece came up this weekend for a visit, I broke down and gave the girls their aprons early.

After all, they are all great-granddaughters of the original "Yaya".

I sized down the apron for Ahnalin. This size will fit a size 5 very loosely,

and will probably fit until she is about 8 or 9.

I figure I will need to make a smaller size as well to fit maybe 2-4.

As we have been baking, the Christmas music has been playing, one album after another,

Ahnalin grabbed her Nana for a little impromptu dancing.

 However, Nana was not wearing her apron at the time.

They had style, grace and flair!

India was manning, or "girling" the Kitchen Aid mixer.

My three chefs are pretty proud of their matching aprons.

They actually baked three kinds of cookies.
However, I have no photographic proof as I forgot to take those pictures!
They baked Raspberry Thumbprints, Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Gingerbread cookies.
I promise you that they tasted great!


One of our family traditions every year is new jammies on Christmas Eve.
Since the girls know this is part of the deal,
 I started letting them be involved in the design process.



Ahnalin wanted pink flannel with snowmen and a big ruffly skirt.

India loves Volkswagen Bugs, so I found this darling cotton knit and we both fell in love.

I kind of messed up on the embroidery. Well, actually, I walked away from the machine and it

ate up the fabric! Thankfully I was able to salvage the top.

This little blanket was for a friend whose baby is due 3 days after Christmas.

I love the Minkee fabric and the knit from Chez Ami.

The fabrics sew up so beautifully and are so soft!

I ended up sewing wayyyyyyy more aprons than I had originally planned.

None have yet made it onto my Etsy site, as they all seemed to sell before I got them finished!

The plan is that next week I will finish the writing on the Yaya Apron pattern,

 so that I can get it out to testers.

The sewing machine is put away for a few days.

The project for today was making Spanikopita for Christmas!

No sewing machine was needed for this project.

But oh, how yummy!!

I have to get ready now. Don and I have to be at the church in an hour.

We have 2 Christmas services tonight and 4 tomorrow.

We LOVE serving at the Christmas Eve services.

In case I do not check in again before Christmas,

I want you all to know that I so appreciate you all!

I pray that you feel the Love of Jesus this year.

I pray that you reach out to others in Peace.

And I pray that you have Joy in your hearts.

In His Grace,

Sivje

My angel girls

Ok I know this is a photo from Christmas morning, but let's just pretend that I am not posting this in February. ok? Every year we give the girls a new nightgown or jammies for their present on Christmas Eve. This year, since they are on to us anyway, I decided to let them help design their gowns. I had a bolt of white flannel in my fabric stash and knew that would be the base for our creations. India chose a smocked style and picked the smock plate as well. This was especially sweet because this gown is the first thing I have smocked for her.
Ahnalin chose a round neck style and picked a gingerbread embroidery design and red rickrack. They both looked like angels.