Nativity Peg Dolls

 

Leif poses with the small army of Nativity People (and Animals) that I made for all the little local cousins as Christmas presents.

As a  child, I loved to play with our creche, but I was in constant fear of breaking things, especially the camels' spindly legs!

I figured Leif and his cousins might like to play with the Nativity People, too, and it would be nice if they (and their parents) didn't have to worry about anything breaking.

Enter the wooden peg people Nativity Scene.

From the Left, Sheep, Donkeys, Camels, Angels, Shepherd 1, Shepherd 2, Joseph, Baby Jesus in front, Mary in Blue, Wise Man 1, Wise Man 2, Wise Man 3, Star.

Each of the Wise Men carries a present (each of the three carries a different one), and each Shepherd carries a Shepherd's Crook.  The Angels have little wings on their backs :)

It took me around 5 full days to paint all of these little peeps, animals and stars.

I was going to leave the little Baby Jesus' heads bare, but I asked Twops and she said to do the little curly cue hair on his head.  I did, and now that's my favorite thing of it all! :)

This is an individual grouping (what each family got) pulled out from the large bunch.

They were each packaged in a little muslin drawstring bag (Susan made them) that I had stamped Joyeux Noel onto, and tied with a Christmas-y or plain ribbon.  Of course, I forgot to take a picture of all that in the Christmas rush.

 

Close up of the little faces and terrific haircuts that I gave some of them (heehee).

Overall, I was pleased with how they came out, but when I saw how some other (more artistic) people had painted their peg dolls online, it made me want to cry :\ they were so good.

Nevertheless, Leif loves to play with his set, and I think it will help build his understanding of Christmas as he plays with them each year.

Maybe next year I'll add in King Herod and soldier characters for an element of good v. evil.

Or not.

:)

Quick Leif Story of the Day: As mentioned in previous posts, Leif has actually taken to Mary Poppins after watching it twice.  The other day, I began to sing (song bombed by the movie playing in the background as I baked the day before): "Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Mary...." at which Leif burst out in song, "Mary makes the sun shine bright!" <3

Bread + Cukes + Bike Rides

Leif enjoying breakfast this morning: Black Raspberry Jam on homemade bread and milk.  We bought him new Leify-sized glasses - mainly in part because I was tired of handwashing the metal ones he'd been using prior!

The cucumber jungle.

It creeps out from the trellis and into the driveway...

the watermelons creep on to the driveway from the other side.

I've got to be careful when I park the car! :)

First beans on this plant...I think this one may be a Christmas Lima. 

The only other option is a Thai Long bean...and this looks like a larger pod type, not a long Thai Bean!

I can't tell which plant it's on, because the plants are all intertwined, both on the ground and up the trellis.

The Thai Long beans have really shot up and have big dark green glossy leaves.

I've yet to see a bean produced from them, but they're Thai, so they like the heat and humidity of Summer here.

Well, at least, that is what I'm hoping.

Our days have been in the upper 90s, and "feel like" 104, according to the weatherguy.

A Cancer Update:  I went to the Dr. this week, and they don't like how the skin graft is scabbing.  If it scabs too heavily (it is heavily scabbed now), the graft won't take.  I told them the reason it was scabbed was because the bandages weren't sticking at all.  The last time I was there, a nurse put a bandage on it, and by the time I got to the checkout counter, a man was telling me my bandage was off.  The counter was all of five steps away where the bandage had been put on. 

Anyway, the nurse this time didn't believe me that bandages weren't sticking at all.

Then she tried to put a bandage on my ear.

4 attempts later, I think she believed me.

She finally switched up the type of bandage with a roar of frustration (okay, maybe that's a bit of literary license on my part) and it stuck enough for me to get out of the Dr. Office.

Either way, it's funny the things that have changed due to this.

Not things you'd expect, but odd little things.

Like the fact that I can't use my ipod.

And I can't sleep on my right side, or even lean that way when I'm sleeping on my back.

Funny the little things you don't think of and take for granted everyday.

But soon, I'll be healed up and good as new.

And then I'll be rockin' that ipod.

:)

I'll leave you with a Leif story:

Jason and Leif took a bike ride as I was putting the final touches on dinner.

They rode out to the airport, and then turned to come back, riding alongside the runway.

"Daddy, go faster!" said Leif.

"I can't go faster, Leif.  I'm pedaling against a headwind." Jason said, and explained about headwinds.

"Wind?"  Leify called out into the breeze,

"Can you stop slowing us down? We need to get home to Mommy and dinner!"

:)