Christmas Day, in Which I Take Many Blurry Pictures and Then Post Them Because I'm Compulsive Like That

Aidan eagerly watched his fox take shape on Millie's needles in the weeks leading to Christmas and was thrilled to finally get to play with him.

Cadence felt the same way about her Pang-Pang (penguin).

I took bad-quality pictures of Annika giving her gifts to Susannah because they had been so many weeks in the making. At the NYS Fair this year, we talked to a scrimshaw artist whose work captivated Susannah. I contacted the artist the month before Christmas, asking for advice on how to help someone begin scrimshaw. She was wonderful and gave me all the information I needed, as well as sending Annika a package of bone and ivory scraps to give Susannah to practice on and offering to give her a personal lesson if we were ever in the area.

Annika gave her a few tools of the trade, including an exacto knife, beeswax, and an antler (thanks, Andrew!).  She gave them to Susannah one at a time, explaining that they were weird gifts, but that she could use the knife for paper art, the beeswax for making chapstick, and the antler for decoration on her dressertop (which Susannah already has filled with rocks and feathers).

Susannah bought the story and was utterly surprised when she opened up the last gift, the bone and ivory with an encouraging letter from the artist.

It was one of the highlights of our morning, and I'ma grateful for talented people who freely share their knowledge with young people. Millie has formed a wonderful relationship with a spinner/knitter that she also met at the state fair this year, and it has become a gift not only for Mildred but for our whole family.

On to the stockings!  We had to wait for Skylark (also sleep-deprived) to wake up.

When she did wake up, she kept trying to rehang her stocking, little realizing that there were three tiny gifts inside.

Good thing she's too young to realize much, because I accidentally ran out of oranges before I got to her stocking and stuffed an apple in its toe instead of the traditional orange.

Thank you, Terry cousins!  This was another highlight of Christmas Day.

For you, G-ma O.  Zeke and Luci trying on their Darn Tough socks! They were overjoyed.

The boys' last present-- Nerf guns from Grandma and Grandpa Owen. We haven't had a moment's peace since! ;)  Seriously, though, Best Present Ever.

Annika and Susannah requested mp3 players from G-ma and G-pa O., so I guess they're nearly adults now! They were surprised and thrilled by the colors, G-ma. Well played!

That evening, we decorated the sugar cookies before the cookie company arrived.

Decorating went very well.