Vera Bradley Christmas Stockings

We sure do love our Vera Bradley around here. I got Delaney a Christmas stocking for Christmas, and mom got me one. (Mine's on the left.)


Happy New Year! This is the second year in a row I've managed to post a photo a day! I still haven't decided if I'm going to try again in 2010

Kindle love

Thank you, Santa, aka the best husband ever!

He also satisfied my yearning for glossy, full-color photos:

I love my new Kindle! I'm reading Stephen King's latest, Under the Dome, and have downloaded free samples of approximately 3,245,978 books on my wish list. You might not hear from me until next Christmas.

Happy 5th Birthday to the amazing Kasper! Looks like you'll have back-to-back birthdays with the latest cousin!

2009 Ornaments from mom

Every year mom attaches an ornament to our Christmas gift as a clue to what it is or who it belongs to. Even the dogs get presents from Nana :-)

Some of the Cronin grandkids

Happy Birthday, dear Eleanor...Happy Birthday to you!

Cam, Joe, Courtney, and Delaney on Christmas Eve.

Family Christmas Photo 2009

Our first photo with all four of us and both dogs.
I HATE having my photo taken when I'm fat and avoid the camera like the plague because of that (and because I'm usually the one with camera in hand). But every once in a while I have to remind myself that you all see me in real life and already know how fat I am :-D. I don't want to regret not having photos of myself with the kids, so I'm going to make more of an effort.

I'm just getting around to loading Christmas photos on the computer, so photos from our Cronin Christmas Eve are coming soon. In the meantime, here's the gingerbread tree Delaney made:

So much easier than a gingerbread house.

Photo Fail

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas.
I was trying to capture one of those adorable "puppy in a Christmas stocking" photos. Things didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped:

Merry Christmas!

I've photographed the Easter Peeps and the Halloween Peeps, now it's time for the Christmas Peeps:

Speaking of Peeps, I really miss my peeps Dad and Eleanor at Christmas. But guess what? We bought some of those friends and family tickets on Direct Air that you can buy ahead and then plan your travel dates anytime between Jan and Dec 2010, and Delaney and I are going to try to go during February vacation! Cam has his state track meet, so he won't make it this time, but we bought a total of four tickets, so we'll make his travel plans later.

O Christmas Tree

I asked Chris to get me some jewelry from my friend Lisa at islandseaglass.com, and he gave me this pin early so I could wear it up until Christmas. I love it! Lisa is so talented--you can check out her website, but her stuff should be seen in person to really be appreciated. (She doesn't put a ton of her stuff on the site because people steal her designs--isn't that awful?)


So it looks like Baby Woodford is not making her appearance just yet. As I write this at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Michelle had been sent home by her doctor rather than being sent to the hospital for a c-section.

I've got all my shopping, wrapping, baking, and cleaning done, and I'm looking forward to Christmas Eve with the Cronin side of the family and then a nice Christmas Day at home. Merry Christmas; love you all!

Woodford Family Christmas

If we don't have a new Woodford baby by now, we should have one by the end of the day!

Scenes from our Woodford Family Christmas on Saturday, in no particular order. And Sarah, I apologize for not giving you proper ear credit for the mice in yesterday's photo.

Kasper in the hat I made for him:
Phoebe loved meeting all the cousins and aunts and uncles. She's such a friendly little dog.
Molly:
Hannah:
Declan in the hat I made him. I think I picked a good color combination for him:
Hmph!
Allie is so good with her cousins:

Kasper is a boy after my own heart:
Shylah and Delaney telling each other they're getting nothing but coal:
Dog lover Sarah made fast friends with Phoebe:

Christmas mice

Annette and Emily are very good at making treats. They brought these cute little mice on Saturday.
Aren't they cute? Annette and Emily are Bakerella-ish (www.bakerella.com).

I, on the other hand, gave up halfway through my holiday baking day.

Doggie Scandal

Have you heard the rumors? Baxter and Phoebe are sleeping together.
She looks guilty, doesn't she?

New Ornament for 2009

We had a lovely time at our Woodford Family Christmas on Saturday, and I'll get some photos up soon. In the meantime, here's today's photo of the day.

We add at least one new ornament a year. This year's is East Quoddy Head lighthouse, which we bought when we visited there this summer.

C'mon!

I know it's the season of sharing, but I don't know why Baxter is putting up with Phoebe stealing his bed.

Christmas lights

I love taking blurry photos of Christmas lights and seeing all the patterns and colors in the intersecting circles that emerge.

Our Family, in ornaments

Phoebe's first month

We've had Phoebe for a month now. I'm kind of surprised how much I like having two dogs.
How could anyone resist this face? Delaney had her doing a fashion show that day.
She's kind of like a cat. She likes to sleep curled up on my desktop.
She won't wear the hat, though. She doesn't share my affinity for elf culture.
It doesn't look like it here, but she and Baxter have become best friends and play together all day long. And I've discovered how hard it is to get a photo of two dogs at the same time.
Seriously, if you can resist this face you're probably dead inside.

Blue Jay

It's been a while since I posted a bird photo.

Ornament

Ornament from ye olde alma mater.


Happy 18th Birthday to Connor!

Our Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how evergreen your branches...at least until I forget to water you and your branches turn brown and become a fire hazard.


Happy Birthday to Annette and Molly!

Wooden snowman

Christmas Wreath

Dude, I am soooo tired!

I know, Dad. Phoebe's getting the blog love again but not Baxter. Couldn't resist this one.

A thing on my wall

Happy Birthday to my awesome big brother Mike!

At the vendor fair I participated in a couple of weeks ago there was someone from At Home America setting up her booth near me. She was struggling trying to get this candle thingy to fit in her display, and when I said, "Hey, that's really pretty," she told me I could have it for 10 bucks if I took it right then. Sold! I apparently got a good deal. She told me after the fair that she had been planning on selling it for $40. I've got it hanging on my kitchen wall.

Snowfall and new specs

Sunday morning after our first plowable snowfall. The good old tire swing again.


And my new glasses, which I got for--and I kid you not--$12.95 ($17.90 with shipping).

Annette told me about this website where you can get prescription glasses for $8. I splurged and got a $12.95 pair.

Peace

Yarn wreath

Last year everywhere I went on the internet I seemed to be hearing about the wreaths Starbucks had up in their stores for the Christmas season. I thought they looked pretty cool, so I decided to try making one this year. You can see a photo of one of the Starbucks ones here:
Starbucks yarn wreath

Here's mine:
Closer view:
You can find tutorials online really easily. Some used floral wire and pins, some used hot glue. I used a combination of both. If I make another one, I'll look for a cheaper alternative than the styrofoam balls I wrapped the yarn around. They're kinda pricy. I used shatterproof ornaments from Walmart. The glittery ornaments are from Walmart too.

Peace on Earth

Another Christmas candle shot.

The doggies

Do you like the new hairdo Baxter tried out yesterday? It looks very avant garde to me. Or maybe it's an homage to Christ.
Phoebe had a good time pulling the sticks out of his hair and chewing on them. She spends most of her day chewing on poor Baxter. Here's a picture of her butt:
I like the little butterfly/angel wings thing she's got going on there.