Plum Stitches

merry, merry

Not sure how time past so quickly this month, but I hope you all had a very happy holiday season.

Cookie decorating by Phoebe

We had a lovely Christmas.  I am finding though, as our kids get older we struggle with gifts and how many are too many, etc.  I've always been a fan of the stocking stuffed with small fun, gifts, which was the route we went this year.  Chloe's big present was an American Girl Doll, which she's probably too young for, she'll grow into it.  And Phoebe, well she got nothing as extravagent, but she's at an age where something small and simple can entertain for hours.

Best part of the holiday weekend was all the snow that fell on eastern seaboard - almost two feet in Jersey City!

a few gifts

I am making a bit of progress on the homemade gifts.  Trying to not over extend myself with them, in hopes that I will actually be able to make almost everyone a little something.

Pattern:  Very Warm Hat, The Opinionated Knitter, Elizabeth Zimmermann

Yarn:  Plymouth Suri Merino

Needle Size:  size 6 circular

Sizes:  one on the right is for a toddler, one on the left could be a child or an adult with a small head

Notes:  I like this pattern, it's a simple hat but reversible and very easy to make.

Pattern:  heavily improvised

Yarn:  fun fur of some sort, in my stash

Needle Size:  size 8 circular

Notes:  not much more to say about this, because I've made soooo many of them!

We had another crazy weekend of spending time with friends at various parties and now it's the middle of the week.  Last night we headed to the New York Botanical Garden's Train Show with neighborhood friends and their kids.  I've been wanting to go to this for several years now and it's just never worked out, so I'm happy that the tickets were purchased we went, despite how cold it was.

One of the nesting dolls that I ordered:

matryoshka dolls

My obsession this holiday season is with the matryoshka doll.  Actually, I've been obsessed with these little dolls for quite awhile, but this year I've seen them everywhere, from traditional to non-traditional themes.  My grandmother had a set, very similar to the first picture below.  I used to play with it constantly when I visited.

Some favorites I've seen in the midst of my holiday shopping.  I did buy two different ones for each little lady's stocking.

from Golden Cockerel

 

From CB2

from Perpetual Kid

from eCrater

 

lottery

It's official, we submitted our application for one of the public charter schools in Jersey City.   The lottery is in early January with only about 35 spots for kindergarten and about 600 people entered into the lottery. 

After touring four schools we've decided that if we don't get a coveted 'free' spot at the Charter School, we're sticking with the Montessori school in our neighborhood that we and Chloe love so much. If we do get in, I'll be really sad to leave, but Phoebe will be starting there in the fall, so we won't be completely cutting the cord.

Phew, who knew the whole kindergarten process would be so time consuming and stressful (to a degree)!

elf on a shelf

The female elf (which is really just the male with an attachable skirt) has joined our household for the lead-up to Christmas. So far, she's been a huge hit with both kids.  We were skeptical that Chloe would even believe the story behind it, but she has, and is in complete awe of the little lady.  Phoebe on the other hand, just notices that the elf moves to a different spot in the kitchen, daily, if not more.

Since living in JC and having kids we haven't developed much of a tree purchasing tradition.  Each year we seem to go to a new place, but this year we headed back to our old stomping grounds in Hoboken.  Made me realize how much I missed all those older Italian men laughing and joking.

 

happy december!

Our good friend Wade, who lives in the neighborhood took these.  So nice to have such talented and generous neighbors!