it's Christmastime around here...

This year I got an early start on decorating. I skipped right over Thanksgiving and cleaned like a fiend. And then I decorated.

Just the living room so far. I went a little crazy making a coffee table scene. At first I thought about making a village under the tree, especially since we got a train this year, but it seemed too hidden and I didn't want Alfredo reaching over the tracks.

3 trees...

 a lovely pink one...I made a skirt for the little round table using two real petticoats! And that perfect green bow? From Target.

 Alfredo has his own tree with his own village. It changes daily.

 

And this year, we have a REAL tree...

  

Here are some detail pictures of that crazy coffee table scene...

 You can't really see it in this picture but the lady on the horse is holding the tinsel that's wrapped around the tree. I think we've all found ourselves in precarious positions like that while decorating for Christmas!

 I bought the two bigger evergreens at the nursery where we bought the tree (they were 50% off!) But this little sappling was found out in the forest behind our house.

 I've done a few Christmasy things in the kitchen...

Alfredo is in charge of this little nativity set. It's one of my favorite things...

 The idea is that we all come to the birth of Christ so there are all sorts of people represented...fisherman, ministers, townsfolk...isn't that lovely?

And I just whipped this up this morning. Target has the most luscious tinsel and I knew I wanted to do something fun with it. I wrapped it around an orphaned embroidery hoop part (I don't know what happened to the other part!) and then hung a sweet vintage ornament in the center...

 And now it graces my kitchen window.

 While I happily worked on this quick project, Alfredo played nearby...

 It's a candy party.

 everybody likes chocolate.

 But I found him just like this...

This toy is on his most-wanted list, at the very top. I bought it for Seth's birthday present. It's really more appropriate for older kids (like Seth!) so I thought I'd test it out a bit. Since it arrived yesterday afternoon, I've noticed that Alfredo just sits by it and stares. He's studied it and studied it and cannot wait until Seth opens it. 

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

a trip back in time

Want to take a trip back in time?

Thalhimer's Wishbook, 1960

My cousin gave me this gem last year. Isn't it amazing? I was flipping through it the other day and left it out on the kitchen table. Later I overheard Alfredo saying "I want this! I want this! I want that! I want this!"

I really wish they made toys like they did 50 years ago. Boy do I ever want a Coca-Cola machine ($3), a pink kitchen set (complete set $44.95), an owl clock ($3), and that one-man-band beat stick ($4)!

look meleen! they're still there..

So my friend Meleen asks me at Silver Bella if Alfredo still had dimples on his hands. Dimples on his hands? I ask. You know how itsy bitsy babies have dimples on their hands? We've all seen those sweet little things. Well, at some point (about Alfredo's age) Meleen said that those sweet little dimples go away and knuckles take their place. 

I couldn't wait to get home to see his hands...

Sure enough, he doesn't have knuckles yet! I can tell they are on their way though! (note to Rich who is in charge of it: he needs a fingernail trimming)

Today he put on a finger puppet show for me...

 he had a voice for each character

 and silly jokes that had us both giggling

a nicely developed storyline

 some twists in the plot

 action and adventure

 a lot of sillyness

 and this was the grand finale...

Can you tell I'm feeling better? Three posts in a single day!

And what's more, Inspired Ideas now has its own little site. Click here to see. And you won't believe what I included. Look on the archives page to take a trip on the wayback machine...copies of Volume One, affectionately known by me as the dinkies. Oh, and click on updates to join the mailing list and you'll be among the first to hear about the next issue.