Well, I should have known my wonderful family couldn’t make it through a holiday sans drama. I am however happy to report there was no choking on my part. I shall pat myself on the back if you don’t mind. Why is it that family members think they can get away with things the average stranger could not? I am a very passionate person and get accused of hurting feelings when I am simply trying to help or share my own opinion. Most everyone in our family tends to state how they feel without the concern of the other party, why can’t I? I am the only one who must censor themselves. There is no two way street. Therefore, this Christmas I made the choice to keep my mouth shut and to remain indifferent to the conversations going on around me. Basically, I said hello, smiled at the appropriate moments, and said goodbye. I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if that too didn’t backfire as well.  HL and I received a nice little email Christmas night pretty much asking what my problem was. Again, I chose not to say anything since I had already declared a “throwing in of the towel” a few weeks prior in the latest “panty in a wad” episode.  After much discussion HL and I have come to the conclusion that the issue is that I am passionate sometimes to fault, we have the ability to think outside the box on many issues, and we certainly have broader views when it comes to parenting, education, religion, and politics. We are not “yes (wo)men”.  Also people assume HL doesn’t care about much of anything because he is so quiet but believe me he has no problem calling a spade a spade or seeing the gray when everyone else sees black or white.
Are we crazy because:
1. Our daughter was taught to obey us at an early age? That everything is not for her taking, playing, etc. That we didn’t spoil her in the sense that we let her do whatever she wanted to keep the peace. It certainly wasn’t a walk in the park but we knew that eventually it would be worth it. We can take her anywhere and do most anything now because we have a very well behaved child. We can take her to Target and she doesn’t expect to get a toy or candy. Sometimes we allow it and sometimes we do not. It all depends on a number of things that have or have not transpired within the last days or weeks. However, a firm “not today” is all it takes to end the conversation.
2. We are information gatherers and do not take what people tell us at face value? Especially if that person has something to gain from us by not stating the complete truth.
3. We disagree with others at times and have our own opinions, beliefs, or family and personal standards we live by?
Perhaps it is because we have lived in other places besides the old school, bible belt south and have been around an array of people with different beliefs etc that we are able to jump out of this stereotypical box and buck the system at times. We don’t have to conform to the norm around here. We can be different and we should be different. I do not know why we have a problem with other members of our family but we have officially cut the cord. The end. Finished. Done. Since HL and I made that decision we both feel loads of relief. We don’t have to walk on eggshells around anyone or make decisions based on whether or not we will hurt a family members feelings. I am free to be me around those that I am still close to and I now have the time to rekindle friendships that I put on the back burner while I tried to befriend family members. Internet, that just does not work. It doesn’t work at all.

Last but not least in this whole crap full of family drama I would just like to say that yes, my husband does read my blog.  He actually encourages me to write here. He can also keep up with what I am “entertaining” myself with while he is away in another country. He can also see photos of projects, our daughter, & our home when he is homesick. He enjoys reading my blog and has said that it helps him understand me better so that he may be a better husband. What more could I ask for?

Happy Holidays!

Okay now that the obligatory wishes are out of the way…I really want to say please give me the strength to keep from choking the crap out of one or all of my family members this year.  Please let me be able to bite my tongue and smile at the loads of crap that come out of their mouths.  Please give me the strength to be “happy” and “full of cheer” this year for my precious daughter because she cannot help that she was born into a family that would rather keep turmoil brewing than to breathe. She also cannot help that her dear down to earth dad is not home to keep her mom’s anger & hurt feelings in check.  And most importantly please, please let Christmas pass in a blur so that we may get back to our normal routine which includes staying the heck away from those that bring negativity into our lives.  The End. Boy, I feel so much better putting that out there.

Wishing you a wonderful, crap free holiday season. ~ The Offshore Family

We have a new addition to our family.  Here she is in all her cuteness.

My good friend and neighbor gave her to us for Christmas.  Well, she really gave her to KP but of course I’m the one that spends the most time with her already.  She is a little Chihuahua and she needs a name!!!!!!  Internet please help us name her.

I usually try to keep things organized.  I’m sort of a neat freak but it is certainly not something I am proud of.  It takes time away from my family at times and it takes time away from the things that I want to do like sewing or knitting or reading.  However, before I can sit down and relax with the family or sit down and knit things must be tidy. It’s a vicious cycle that haunts me.  I love that within the last few years there are websites that help the OCD type person that I am.  I absolutely love Paperbackswap and Ravelry to name a couple. Too bad there is nothing close for sewing supplies.  Today I am spending time sitting in front of the computer, going back and forth between my yarn and book stash to make room for new and get rid of the old.  I just finished updating my Bookshelf at Paperback Swap.  Go check it out and see if there is anything you need.  There is quiet the selection because HL and I differ drastically on what we each read.  He is more of a Dean Koontz & Stephen King guy and I’m more of the chick lit, Oprah’s Book Club, vampire romance junkie.  Okay, so basically I read anything that doesn’t scare the crap out of me like Koontz & King.  My best online friend, Chasley, is sending me the Sookie Stackhouse Vampire Series that True Blood is based on. Apparently, it’s all the rave after the beloved Twilight Series.  I’m currently reading Marked part of the House Of Night Series about a vampire finishing school but after Twilight it just doesn’t grab me but I’ve been told to hang on it will get better.  Oh and speaking of paranormal books & series I just found out about The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison.  This one is about witches.  That’s all I know about it but it doesn’t have awesome reviews at Amazon and PaperbackSwap.

For those of you who knit or are just nosey here is my stash at Ravelry.  I’m still updating it but it should be complete by tonight.

After I am finished with that I will move on to what is next on my list…my closet.  HELP!

I finished this beanie for Makinlee a few days ago.

I love it but I wish I would have taken the time to knit from both ends of the skein to prevent all of the color pooling.  Maybe on the next one I will remember to do that.  I’m sure she will love it since she has been after to me to knit her something.  It’s her special stocking surprise.

Here are photos of the long awaited wooden toys HL made during his last weeks home.

This is the kitchen.  We copied one we found on OhDeeDoh with help from Jessica at Balancing Everything.

I just loved the vent hood and the simplicity of the entire design.  HL totally rocked it out with only a grainy photo to look at.  He’s awesome that husband of mine.  We chose not to finish the wood and only applied a, homemade by moi, beeswax & jojoba oil finish to it.  Don’t tell Makinlee but her Aunt Jamie is going to supply the new kitchen with brand new stainless pots and pans  on Christmas Eve. Santa may even have a few pieces of handmade felt food for her stocking.  We shall see.

The playstands, the perfect playstands oh how I wish I had my own.  It is so magical and peaceful underneath them.  The nephews were over this weekend and the kids just sat underneath and played the day away.  Such perfect fun.  This photo doesn’t do the stands justice.  The hand routed hooks are covered with silks but the detail is amazing.  My guy, KP’s daddy well he just rocks!

We decided to go ahead and let daddy give Makinlee these items because there was no way I would be able to haul them up the stairs to the playroom by myself if Santa delivered them.  That’s the thing about an oilfield family.  Christmas is when daddy is home because daddy trumps Santa.  There is another wooden surprise in store for Christmas morning.  I cannot wait to see Makinlee’s face when she discovers it!!!  She helped build it and didn’t even know it.