These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Well, It's over.  I spent the entire day yesterday, boxing, sorting, labeling, and stacking. 

It is all waiting in the garage for Mr. G and our son Drew to put away this weekend.  I always challenge myself to get every last thing, and every year, after it is all put up, I find something left behind.  I was patting myself on the back last night, thinking I had gotten it all!  But this morning when I reached into the fridge for my coffee creamer, I found this.

 Drat!!!  My Christmas dishes go into the cupboard above the fridge.  Not an easy cupboard to reach.  Plus, in order to do so, I have to remove the things I keep on display on top of the fridge, which includes my prized Italian Biscotti jar that was a gift from my Mom.  I keep it safely secured to the top of the fridge using earthquake putty.  I would have to remove that again, and all of my cookbooks I keep up there.  The big heavy ones, like Julia Childs book.  Not gonna happen.  I will be keeping this creamer in my cupboard with my every day dishes all year.  Oh well.
I just wanted to share with  you a few of my favorite gifts this Christmas.  First, from Santa, my new garden wagon.  Boy will this baby get used.  I had one, and it mysteriously disappeared.  I missed it a lot.  And Santa knew!

Thank you Santa!!   My daughter Erika got me this sign.   We had seen it one day when we were shopping at Hobby Lobby and I didn't buy it.  She went back to get it for me.  I love it, and will actually try to remember to put those words into action in 2012.

She also got me a gift card to Joann's which I will have fun spending, I am sure!!  Thank you Eri!
Next were gifts from my oldest daughter Gennifer and son in law Jake.    Just look at how pretty they are.

They are the prettiest shade of Raspberry, with those darling leopard Wellie Sox to wear with them.  Can't wait for rain here, and snow in Big Bear!!
They also got me something that every good chicken farmer needs!

Love these Rooster "Pie Pants" as our family calls them!  The term Pie Pants was coined by my brother David.  He says at big holiday meals like Thanksgiving, and Christmas, you need to wear pants like this, with an elastic waist, so you can eat more!  He calls these pants "Pie Pants."   You can always save room for pie when you wear your Pie Pants!!!  Thank you Gennifer and Jake...I love these gifts!!
**  disclaimer.  It looks like I haven't dusted in a month of Sundays when looking at my mirror.  But I could dust every day, and there would still be a fine mist of powder residue in our bedroom.  I can't break the powder habit after a shower. 
Next...my son Drew got me such a thoughtful gift.  A pretty candle stick, and two skeins of yarn, and the new Sugarland CD!

Thank you Drew, I love these!!  I do need to get the right size candle for the holder though. 
My brother David got us a neat thing for the techie times we live in.

Charging and playing station for your ipod, iphone, etc.  And an itunes card to download some music.  I really must learn to do this stuff, since I just got my new iphoneS.  I know we will enjoy this a lot!  Thank you brother!!
My brother Mark has gotten me a mouse gift at every Christmas since our father has died.  My nickname is Mouse.  Or it was, to my Dad.  He got me a mouse for every occasion.  You would not believe the mice I have.  Some are small, some are huge.  Many are Christmas mice.  Mark has continued this tradition, and it chokes me up every year!  Oh how we miss our Dad!!  Anyway, this mouse was so cute.  He is made entirely of scrap metal and nails.  HEAVY!!  I can use it as a weapon if I ever need to take out an intruder!

I love him. Thank you Mark!!!!
Being the creature of comfort that I am, probably my most favorite gift of the year was from my Mom.  She has been with me recently when I was looking for a heated mattress pad.  I have heard that they are wonderful, and so much better than an electric blanket.  They are kind of hard to find, and a tad pricey too.  So with the holidays upon us, it wasn't something I was going to buy any time soon.  But what a great surprise to open up my Christmas package to find my very own!  I could not wait to launder sheets and flip the mattress, and get that pad put on our bed!!  I have had two glorious nights sleep!!!!  I love it!!!

Luckily it has dual controls, because Mr. G does not like to crank his side up to 10 like I do!  It truly is, like my friend Cheryl says, like laying on a giant heating pad.  Oh how nice this will be after a hard day of working in the yards!!   Thank you Mom...I LOVE it!!!
We had a very nice Christmas.  But as always, I am glad when it is all tucked neatly away until the following year.    Like just about everyone else, I will be cleaning and organizing.  I have lots of projects to begin, and a few to finish.  I have some great ideas for new products to work on for my hand mades shop.  I have books to read, people to visit, and fun to have.  As December winds down, I am reflecting on 2011, most of it good stuff, and anticipating 2012, hopefully, mostly good stuff too.
Happy Hump Day my friends!!!
XO  Kris