Christmas Obsession 2008

I finally finished the Cate’s Quiet Book on Christmas Eve. I would have done so sooner but a) I didn’t have a pattern, just made it up as I went along and b) I didn’t actually start putting it together until 2 weeks ago. Rule #1 of Quiet Book making: plan on it being very labor intensive, sort of comparable to having a baby. Seriously.

I am happy with how it turned out as I wanted it to be personalized just for Cate. I plan on making one for each of my grandchillun’s but I will start much earlier next time. When I was little my Grandma Clifford gave me one of these she purchased from a Relief Society Bazaar. I remember it to this day. This partly explains my obsession with making one.

Anyway, something that time consuming and obsession producing deserves to be documented. Here’s the cover. As Cate’s nickname is Cater bug, it’s fitting.


Can’t start too early with the colors, eh?


I actually saw this face idea on another ladies blog and liked it. The face is actually a pocket that contains all the face parts. Itsy Bitsy Spider is Cate’s favorite fingerplay right now. The Spider climbs up the spout and the rain and sun detach with Velcro.


My kids call this the creepy hair page. I bought this fake hair from All a dollar, it was on a headband as a costumey thing. I cut it up and put it to good use. The comb is attached at the top with a piece of elastic. The frog I love. Zip open his mouth to find 3 plastic finger puppets: a ladybug, a fly, and a grasshopper.


Turns out this purse is her favorite, It’s the boa thing, she loves fingering it. It also has a mirror inside. The Teddy Bear’s Picnic is my fav page. The red checked tablecloth is actually a pocket for all the picnic stuff.


Some hearts to unbutton. The door and window open to reveal a stick figure family. Who doesn’t love fishing with magnets? Each fish has a little magnet sewn inside it’s body. The pole is just a stick with a magnet attached.


Classic peek a boo. And what would a Quiet Book be without shape matching?


Peek a boo uncovered.


Some Circus finger puppets: a lion, an elephant, and a tiger. And an A.S.S. family tree. Our little mugs velcroed on. So she won’t forget who her fam is.


Another favorite page, kind of like the very hungry Caterpillar book by Eric Carle. And Mail a letter.


The letter I made out of an old plastic lid. I cut it up and attached a label. I love mail.


I told you this quiet book was tailor made, right? One can’t begin too young to become keyboard familiar. The note slides over the keyboard for some name the note practice. Also the whole keyboard is a pocket for other notes. The dog is special as the collar is made from an old watchband of mine.


I love this page. Inside the zipper pouch are some clothes.


Like these. And tying shoes is an important almost lost skill. Most shoes today have Velcro straps.


I think this page turned out sweet. The night nite bear snaps onto the moon and goes into his crib. See his little blankie on the next page?


That’s it, people. It’s safe to say, ‘long walk part of gift’ on this one. I loved making this.

not Christmas without some cardboard, eh?

You will recognize the cardboard Stable painted years ago when the kids were small. I can’t begin to count how many times it’s been used. The Bishop reinforced it this year with wood.

Last week Kenz and Megs helped me paint three inn fronts to add to the scenery collection. The Bishop framed some cardboard with wood and let me have at it. The only thing I forgot to add was a ‘No Vacancy’ sign. I will do that next year. But oh people that was some very lovely cardboard we painted on and the good news is the Bishop said he had access to all I wanted. Merry Christmas to me.

Liturgically gifted

Given my feeble attempts at Thanksgiving for a meaningful ‘High Worship service’, Kody graciously accepted my assignment to come up with something for our Christmas dinner Friday night. This is because everyone pronounced my previous little dinner program as lame. They didn’t like the quotes I had them read, or the statistics quoted and maybe it was all a bit much. Still, I thought my tie in to the movie Shenandoah was brilliant. And the goat in Budapest story, how can you not love that one, hmmm?

Anyway, to Kody I suggested a choral reading, perhaps. Come up with something occasion worthy, I said. Something like Mass maybe, where the worshipers repeat back stuff.

Here is what he came up with:

(Note: He cleverly intertwined every running family joke and jab into a kind of liturgical rap and the stanza “Thus we remember” we all repeated in unison. Loved it.)

The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

The snow has fallen, winter's white now covers our lands
Frozen men populate the lawn, and balls of ice fly from children's hands.
Lights like stars reflect on glass and ice,
shining like the new star, that first Christmas night.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

The old Christmas mornings, the little Walker children must be held back,
while Belle Ma enjoys symphonies and Father Sir's on his Mac.
The shrieks and squeals of the children, by the smiles of their parents are met.
Signaling that it's truly better to give, than simply to get.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

First Janzten the oldest, a grown man has become,
And every computer battle, of his has he won.
A jokester, a funster, brings us all great delight,
Giving joy unto others, as the Great One gave sight.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

Next Meghan went to Canada, with the Gospel to spread.
She came back with maple syrup, and a husband instead.
She lives her life to love and help others everyday,
While the Savior's life, prepared us a way.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

Now as parents, Kenzie and Brig are individuals to emulate,
Though they claim everyone only wants to see them when they bring Cate.
Why this would happen is not a surprise to me,
As 2,000 years ago, for a baby did 3 wise men come to see.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

When talking PC's vs Macs, Father Sir's in it to win it,
Plus, he gives us someone to talk about for a minute.
He supplies us with power to light our homes and stay warm in our beds,
While the little Baby Jesus had nowhere to lay his head.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

Belle Ma to some, Toots or just Mom to others,
No matter her desires, she always lets us have our druthers.
She's the angel of our family, bringing heaven to our home,
Sent from heaven like the Christ child, with whom we're never alone.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

This evening tonight, around the tree gather we,
as a family to love, as a family to be.
Sadly after this life, we would not be together again,
If not for that sweet baby, born in Bethlehem.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

That first Christmas night, our loving Father gave us His greatest gift,
a gift to warm our souls, and our hopes to lift.
Amid the candy and toys and football on TV,
Don't forget the gift that Jesus gave you and me.
The true meaning of Christmas, thus we remember.

birthday gals

A belated birthday shout out to this lovely hospitality queen extraordinaire. Who in the fam hasn’t slept over at Pamela’s when visiting Arizona. She truly is the hostess with the mostest. Happy B-day 2 days late.


I am posting this pic of you because it has special memories for me. The coat, do you remember? You gave it to me years later and it was my favorite. So very warm, best coat ever. I wore it everywhere for such a long time. Secretly I hoped it would make me look like you:)

Another B-day greeting to our very own latin Oprah, Lacy Lee, er Eloise. What can I say? Umm, where to begin? Let’s just say the whole family has been blessed by her example, humor, wit, and talent. Lacy gives new meaning to the word unique.

Here we are some years back in her bedroom discussing some good book, no doubt.


And here she is being taught the finer points of fishing by Grandma Ethel. As a portender of things to come, Grandma becomes disturbed when Lacy starts using the fish as puppets.

Happy birthday, ladies. Love, love you.