Tale of the Stockings

I have been distracted lately. And lately I mean for about a month or so. You see I have been working on this. This is Chasey's elaborate Christmas stocking that I am cross-stitching. I wouldn't be doing this at all, especially now, if it wasn't the fact that everyone in our family has one except him.



Years ago, when I just had baby Taylor I foolishy decided that I wanted to cross-stitch him a Christmas stocking. I found one at the store that I liked brought it home and got to work. What I didn't realize when I purchased this was how difficult it was and how long it would take me to finish it. But I stitched away and several hundred hours later finished it I did. It looked great and I was happy with it.



Well when baby Bennett came along, instead of hiding Taylor's stocking and pretending I never made him one, I foolishly found another stocking that was part of the same collection and made him one. I remember this one as being the hardest and most time-consuming to complete. This was stitched on white aida cloth, not navy.



After my cramped hands and beat up fingers recovered from Bennett's I again foolishly decided that I might as well make one for myself and Scott and make it a family thing. What was I thinking?

So I found this one that I liked for me. I remember starting this one, getting about 10 hours into it, putting it down one day and saying to myself "I'll finish it some other time. I'm too burned out." But I really hate unfinished projects. I must finish them. So a few weeks later I picked it up again and plowed through it. Well I don't know if plowed is the right word, considering each one takes me at least three months of constant stitching to finish. But I'll go with plowed because that is how I felt when I was working on it.



And then I was on a roll. Hey I'll just squeeze Scott's in too right?



Then I smartened up. As soon as I found out I was having boy #3 I immediately got online, found another manly stocking, ordered it and had it finished by the time he arrived. I knew I would not have time to finish it after he made his grand entrance. Nice huh?



And then we get to my Chasey love. After I found out I was have a boy I fully intended to get to work on his. But it didn't happen. He arrived and I thought to myself I must start on his. But it didn't happen. We started building a house, moving and all the other things that can distract a person and I didn't get around to it. But that little, very annoying voice in my head kept telling me I must complete it. So about a year ago I started looking online for his stocking. The problem was, that I had made all of the cute ones in the collection. There were some cute girly ones, but that wouldn't do. So I found one that I liked (but was discontinued) and ended up chasing it over and over on ebay. I don't know how many I lost.

Finally about 2 months ago they released another one. I loved it, bought it and got to work. I now stitch every little moment I can find. Swimming lessons, lacrosse games, doctor's appointments. Every evening until I forget how to count and my eyes go crossed. I am very close to being halfway there. But not quite. I won't let myself believe I am over the hump yet. Hopefully by fall it will be complete. Just keep stitchin', stitchin', stitchin. What do we do we stitch.

Red Neck Entertainment

Last weekend we went with the Larsen clan to the Bluffdale Demolition Derby. Watching not-so-bright men repeatedly give themselves whiplash in an attempt to be the last car running is pretty entertaining. Especially when you have 4 boys that love nothing else than to watch the cars crash, smoke and occasionally light on fire. Hmmm does that mean the Larsens are rednecks? Most likely. Good fun nonetheless.

Quirky Kid

I admit I have been less than stellar about posting lately. I don't know why. Just busy I guess. But I have been wanting to post about Owen lately. At this moment in time he has some interesting quirks about him.

For starters he has decided that Taylor's pajamas look nice on him. Every night he hunts them down and insists and I mean insists on wearing them to bed. He also loves to wear socks to bed as well even though it is now summer. I am fairly confident, that combined with Taylor's jammies he is cooking himself alive at night. And while I am talking about socks I will continue. I can't get him to stop wearing them during the day. He has decided that socks with sandals that are 2 sizes too small is the way to go.



I have also had great, great difficulty trying to get him to transition into summer clothes. He loves wearing 2 shirts at a time. One long sleeve under a short sleeve. If I try and get him to wear just a short sleeve shirt he throws a fit and tries to bargain with me saying that if he can just wear a long sleeve he will push the sleeves up. Nice try kiddo. Let's not even mention shorts. There is no way he is wearing those things. Just this morning he asked me where his pants were with the long sleeves. It is time to put all of the winter clothes away. Out of sight, out of mind right?

And last but not least, Owen has turned into our little squirrel. He discovered an unused drawer in my kitchen and has been slowly adding bits and pieces of this and that to his collection. Silly kid.

Guests for Dinner