Auntie Ingrid has knitted amazing gifts for us over the years. She knitted outfits for my brother and me...and those same outfits have been worn by my kids! She is known for her amazing baby blankets...and I'm proud to say that our family with 5 kids probably has the biggest collection!

blanketsThen there was the hat she gave Kelly two Christmases ago. Kelly has officially worn the pom-poms off that hat, but continues to wear it winter, spring, summer AND fall. We WILL sew the pom-poms back on soon.

And then there's "Bunny". Adam's best friend is a little bunny that Auntie Ingrid made for his birthday. "Bunny" even made a special "solo" trip by UPS from Columbus, Ohio to our home in Canada, when we accidentally left him behind at a hotel, on a conference trip last year.  Incidentally, Auntie Ingrid made a twin bunny for us last Christmas. “Bunny” and “Back-up Bunny” are interchangeable and cover for each other as we rotate them through the laundry.

hat_and_bunny

Auntie Ingrid has officially outdone herself.

Although I often wonder why everyone starts with the Christmas decorations so darn soon, I am now quite prompt with our special nativity at the beginning of Advent...and how could I not...when we received THIS for Christmas last year?

(Sorry, if you don't have an Auntie Ingrid.)

nativity with camel

The kids are always moving the figures around and Baby Jesus already explored our whole house again, before I could safely hide Him away until Christmas Eve.

collageI may ask Auntie Ingrid for a 5th little sheep, so they can properly represent our kids. From what I understand, Auntie Ingrid used these patterns from Jean Greenhowe. I also noticed a different pattern in a book called Knitivity. I wish I knew how to knit!!

Again, sorry if you don't have an Auntie Ingrid.

 Copyright 2012 Monica McConkey