For the seventh birthday we may have stumbled upon a new tradition. By a happy accident we discovered a candy factory in the city which I’d never heard of (although my mom remembers it from her childhood). I spied a Christmas open house listed on their website and the plan was set. The littles were excitedly counting down the days for weeks.

Finally the day arrived and we finagled a few friends to join us. We arrived just in time for a candy cane making demonstration. Just as I was lamenting my forgotten camera my friend started snapping photos on her iPhone for me.

This is the giant pot that was bubbling with HOT sugar.

They set up this work surface with the metal dividers than poured out the hot sugar – yes, our children’s eager faces were this close to the action (yikes!!).

In went the food dye. Mmm, gotta love that Red Dye 40.

Then they sprinkled the sugar with flour before adding the natural oil based flavouring – root beer!

This was my favourite part – it was incredible to see how quickly the mixture was hardening (although still incredibly hot). They folded the candy over itself a few times to mix the colour and flavouring (oh, my Canadian is showing in that sentence).

Then he took the lump over to a lethal looking hook and threw the candy at it – toss, pull, toss, pull. My arm flab could use some of that action.
(Note the kids with their faces pressed against the caution tape, awesome.)

Then the colours were rolled together.

The candy was kept warm and turning in this machine. It was pulled out the end and snipped to the proper length.

Then they were wrapped around a shot glass for the tradition hook on the not-so-traditional root beer flavour.

Samples of warm candy cane were not only yummy they also helped remove a wobbly loose tooth – now all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth.

(I added a mixer to my wish list.)

The rest of the tour led us past many sticky sampling possibilities.

Then the five biggies each chose a candy cane to take home (they’ll be on the tree Christmas morning). Four kids chose quite easily, one kid had a line form behind him while he hummed and hawed. Can you guess who that was?

I could understand his dilemma. At least he didn’t choose bubble gum…

We all agreed it was so much fun we’ll mark the date for next year!

Well, folks, we’re yarnin’ along here again.

Really, do I have to? You know I love to but, yikes, every week I seem to get myself all hyped about my dream projects and then the reality of whatever I spend the rest of my day doing (by which I mean no disrespect to the lovely people who would rather me not sit around knitting) hits and I realize my knitting awesomeness was more imagined than real.

But that’s me. Whereas I’m generally pretty realistic in my expectations (perhaps Dan would prefer to disagree) when it comes to knitting I’m all talk.

Case in point: Of the projects I mentioned last week two haven’t been touched and one was pulled out (albeit from a very early stage). Instead I cast on a Rae (see my Rae Noel here) to finally get started on a gift which I had deliberated over for far too long. I felt certain it was the right knitted item for the intended recipient, started knitting, returned to deliberating, and finally decided it’s too late to change my mind.

Oh, hand-made (by me) gifts, what a tremulous relationship we have. I love to make you but fear for your rejection.

So that’s that. I have a list as long as my arm of projects I’d love to have done as Christmas gifts…but you know how that goes.

Reading on my own has been scarce this week. I’ll admit to spending more time gathering far too many Christmas ideas while browsing pinterest than reading the books I have started. The kids and I have been enjoying lots of Christmas themed stories lately.  We pulled our Christmas books from the boxes in the basement and then raided the library shelves for more. Tonight we enjoyed Great Joy, Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia, The Story of the Nativity and The Berentain Bears’ Christmas Tree.

And off I go to finish the increase portion of the Rae – fingers crossed I’ll be on the decreases by tomorrow!

::

joining with Ginny for another Wednesday yarn along

There have been many projects, celebrations and preparations happening in the jay house lately. It’s been December busyness at it’s best. Now that the first birthday of the month has passed we’re fully into Christmas mode.

We’re keeping up with old traditions and making new ones. A tree came home for trimming, the lights strung and the ornaments hung. We’re making fudge (recipe here) and turtles (using this, of course), nuts and bolts and shortbread. Packaging preserves, cutting snowflakes and gift knitting. We celebrated with friends who filled our home with such a surge of love and joy that I feel it buzzing still.

These are busy days not without their stress as we try to keep our home tidy (just in case anyone is interested in that for sale sign*) but full of excitement as we deck the halls. And as always we try to keep a balance between doing and resting, getting things done while we relish in this special season of joy. The littles enjoy the advent with great zeal and have gotten somewhat fever pitched in the excitement of lights, tree, treats and special plans.

We have lots of ideas for later in the week after Dan’s parents have arrived but for now we’re baking up a storm while we squeeze in a few more school lessons before we have far better distractions.

* Some of you have kindly asked about our house being on the market. I haven’t said much about it simply because there hasn’t been much to say. No bites on our place, a lowered price here, a house we hoped would be ours selling before we got to it. We’re taking it in stride, though, and letting it be. Trusting and reminding ourselves to be patient.

::

How you enjoy this beautiful season? Do you have a special celebration or tradition to share?