SAVE THE TOYS AND THEIR ELVES!

Here we are in the middle of another month. Well, not quite the middle, but as Eleanor called from her room tonight, "It 2 days it will be 2 weeks until Christmas!" Let's not ponder that too too much. The elves are working as diligently as possible. I assure you.

Before I go too far--I know not too many folks read my blog but if you do and I haven't sent you this yet, please go HERE:

HANDMADE TOY ALLIANCE

and sign their petition HERE:

SAVE HANDMADE TOYS IN THE USA FROM THE CPSIA

you do not have to donate at the end, just so ya know.

Thanks.

Now, we have been going going going, (note how that sounds like boing boing boing, yah.) And I am ready for those slow winter days to start happening.
I have not been taking very many photos but managed to capture this:Yes, they're mushroom hunting, for chantrelles. Turns out we're growing food in our backyard (okay nearly our back yard) without even trying. Chantrelles do not have much a taste, I've decided but it is fun to hunt mushrooms and we have enjoyed eating them. Everyone seemed to enjoy the mushroominess of Thanksgiving, too, with mushroom omlettes for breakfast and spinach mushroom chevre cakes in acorn squash rings with carmelized mushrooms for the non-turkey option. now doesn't that sound better than tofurkey? it was beautiful too, see:
you don't get the full effect without the cakes and onions but it was pretty yummy.

we have also been crafty, of late. we made some little things to send off to our friends who just moved. i think i forgot to photograph them. i will have to check the archives. the children have also been doing some advent calendar activities (thank you family fun! i will not resubscribe but i will use your website without reservation!) on the day that the activity was 'decorate every door in the house' they went into full snowflake production mode and soon, every door was decorated. then, we ran out of scotch tape. we're still out. of course :) that's what you're supposed to do at this time of the year.
this morning, i needed to finish up a project, gus and eleanor were sequestered away in 'the workshop' formerly known as gus' room, and lucy wanted to 'do something christmasy' so i found a pile of old christmas cards and she cut them up into 'ornaments' and other things.

the new banner picture is a from a card that eleanor made for me. here is the front of the card:


for a long time robert has been saying, we should scan some of these 'girls' in and more recently, you should put them on your blog. this one, with the yellow dress was too much cute for me. i had to show her to you. i may try to do up an embroidery of her, ala soulemama because she is just so great. don't you want a dress like that? i do.



oh, p.s. i finally finished the sweater for baby cousin (yah, it's sideways, but i'm going to bed, instead of rotating it. gnite y'all.)