It's right around the corner

Today I suddenly realized that Christmas is right around the corner. Last week I ordered some yarn in order to work on our required "home made gifts" tradition. Now that the kids are older and pretty much get everything they want, when they want it we instituted a new tradition last year. Each person draws a name from a hat, they must make a gift for that person and they also have to shop for their stocking spending exactly $20. Last year was pretty interesting.  Brian made me a table in woodshop at school. Shelby had Brian and she made him a cell phone holder out of clay and then decorated it with very Brian things. Andy had Shelby he made her a... it was so exciting I don't remember what it was, either does Shelby. I had Andy and I made him a fleece blanket for his bed. It is still in the box I gave it to him in. Oh well....for the most part they got it. They realized that it is easy to just go buy something for someone (especially when mom hands you the money) but that when you make something special, and personal for a person there is a lot more meaning to it and thought put into it.  I am sticking to my tradition again this year and even expanding it to homemade gifts for the girlfriends. I think they will both appreciate that I made them....they are sweet that way.  Here is the beginning of Allie's scarf.....