Harrington House

So Much Elfin' Fun

As I have mentioned before, Elfie can get into quite a bit of mischief.  Take last night.  Do you know that he had put most of Jack and Amelia's presents in my bedroom closet ... and they found them!  I immediately ushered them away from the goodies to find Elfie (who was still at his post downstairs) while an un-named master elf hid the toys again.  When I returned to the scene with Amelia and Jack, the toys were mysteriously gone.  Oooh!  I told Amelia she must be doing a good job of being good because it sounds like Santa and his elves already have her presents ready and now they are just playing fun tricks with her.  So, today, Elfie upped the ante (for distraction purposes) by hiding baby candy canes in fun spots, getting chocolate all over his face, and leaving powdered sugar footprints all over the counter.    

Gracious sakes...   :o)

 

Speaking of crazy elves...

 

It seems Christmas is creeping up on me faster than ever this year!  So this week, I am trying to bake small batches of cookies and candies in order to get my fill before the season is over.  Like I mentioned the other day, Amelia is all about some kitchen time these days, and I am taking full advantage of her eagerness.  I hope she is always this excited to spend time with me.  :o)

Tonight, we made SNOWBALLS!  

This cookie is, by far, one of the trickiest recipes I've ever attempted.  This is my third year baking them.  I have tried various recipes and variations in technique.  Every time I put them in the oven, I say a quick prayer.  Ha!  If you have ever made these, then you know what I mean.  If you have made these, and you do NOT know what I mean, then I want your recipe!

As soon as I get a free second, I promise I will post recipes for this and for the other things I've mentioned this week since I have gotten several emails regarding the recipes.  I am in a major hurry to curl up and watch the Burgermeister Meisterburger!

 

Southern Snowfolk

Amelia and Jack's nursery teacher at church made these melting snowman cookies for them.  I thought they represented the South's snowmen pretty accurately.  The snowmen never last long enough.  Just like the sugar cookies.

From the Oven to the Tree

Today, we cranked out about three cookie sheets worth of goodies to hang on the tree.  Amelia Kate wants so badly to be in the kitchen, so I have been cooking up ways (pun intended) to satisfy her heart's desire.  I am so happy she wants to spend time with me there.  Although, I am inclined to think that she would take up big with anyone who would let her stand on a stool and mix concoctions in big bowls.

The tree sure smells tasty!

 

High Hog Heaven

It is time again for that grand Atlantan tradition of riding The Pink Pig at Christmastime!  I do believe Amelia Kate has been more excited to see Priscilla than the man in the red suit.  (Shhh, don't tell him, though.)

Now, at some point, I intend to find Jack something special for him at Christmas that isn't so pink and glitzy.  I just didn't want to deprive him of the right to grow up and say he rode the Pink Pig.  (Because I am so sure that will be of grave importance to him one day...haha!)  Soon enough, this will be a tradition for me and Amelia.  

Amelia was so completely taken with Miss Priscilla.  As soon as she saw her, she made a beeline for her and hiked a leg to get onto Priscilla's lap without even asking.  I tried to stop her so I could at least ask if that was okay, but Priscilla and her "handlers" assured me it was fine.  Before hopping off Priscilla's lap (reluctantly hopping off, mind you), Amelia hugged Priscilla's neck and told her she was beautiful and she loved her.  It is very rare that I see Amelia so genuinely taken with something, so it was precious to me.  :o)  

Amelia & Priscilla the Pink Pig - 2010

 

THE END!
And what a cute end it is...  ;o) 

 

Making Merry

We've been busy decking the halls, donning our gay apparel, and flat-out making merry.  And let's not forget the Christmas carols.  Last night, I rocked Amelia Kate to sleep while singing "Silent Night."  I tell you, I could barely get through it for the tears and the emotion.  There is something so tremendously and beautifully gripping to a mother holding her baby and imagining what it must have been like for Mary holding baby Jesus.  Not only did she have the joy of adoring her precious son, she was adoring the Messiah.  "Jesus, Lord at thy birth...."  Amen!

 

 

One night last week, after Jack and Amelia had been bathed up and greased up, we surprised them by a Christmas light drive.  Amelia was "sooo mex-cited!"  ;o)

But that, of course, didn't mean she wanted to take pictures.  I don't know what I was I thinking...

 

 

This is the 3rd year Santa has sent Elfie to check in on us ... and, my gracious, he has been into plenty of mischief this year.  It's one of the highlights of our days (the babies ... and mine) to see exactly what he is into each morning.  We all love Elfie.  :o)  

Now, we've also been elbow-deep in sugar cookie dough ... and it has been glorious!

Hope y'all are all making VERY MERRY, too!  

 

OH!  And before I forget ... I had to share one of my favorites for Christmastime!!  I can (and do) listen to this song a million times over ... so good!  

(Mis)Treating My Windows

These are my favorite window treatments...(mis)treatments, rather.  I have had them up now since what seems like the dawn of time, and I still absolutely adore them.  They are fashioned after The Nester's notorious no-sew method.  If I could be a cheerleader for mistreatments, I would buy some pom poms and practice my herkies.  I have some variation in just about every room in my home, but these are the original ones for me that started it all.  They are literally cut and clipped.  No hemming, no glue, no hand stitches, no trim.  Silk fabric, cut and clipped.  And poofed.  And loved by me.

The Great Christmas Tree Hunt

Jack Fell Down & Broke His Crown

(This is Jack's new smile.  It is, as you can see, an extremely aggressive attempt to show every tooth he has managed to grow in his little head.  Bless his heart, I love it.  And, yes, he is inside my dryer.)

 

Oh, Jack Jack.  You, my son, are some kind of something.

The other day Jack had an incident.  An accident, rather.  It was aptly dubbed by my friend Karen as the day Jack fell down and broke his crown.  Praise the Lord...and I mean, praise the Lord, that he is well and with not so much as a scratch or knot.  He fell down the entire flight of stairs.  Hardwood stairs.  I was actually at a Wednesday night group with some friends from church, and Mike was home with the babies.  They were at the top of the stairs together, fixing to go down, when Jack went bump.  According to Mike, he was running one step behind Jack until they both made it to the bottom, where he scooped him up to check him over a hundred times.  Amelia Kate's rendition of the event varies only slightly with the addition of a colorful four-letter lovely that Daddy spouted as he scrambled down the stairs after Jack.  (To settle any curiosity, it was the "sh-" one.)  Please, please imagine my face when I hear that trash come falling out of my 3-year-old daughter's mouth.  Of the many things I have learned during my three-year stint as a mother, swift retrieval of composure was the talent I called on at that moment.  I calmly told her she cannot say that word, to which she faithfully assured me that she had not said it ... but that daddy had been the one.  Oh my... Let us hope her memory does not serve her for this.