Popping In

I hadn't planned on posting yet but I thought this was sweet enough to warrant some notice. Made by students in Quinhagak (pronounced QUINNA-hawk) it's fun to watch and reminds you that Christmas is everywhere.Andrew's been to Quinhagak and it's a village like many others in Alaska. I imagine they used every person in the village to make the video.

***

Also, congratulations to Gretchen at Lifenut who has won the T20 Single Serve Brewer giveaway from last week. Here's hoping she's nice and warm all winter.

Who Am I Kidding?

I've been saying to myself all week that I'd get something written but I can't live with the delusion any longer. The only thing I've been writing is names on gift tags--I'm hoping to finally get to my Christmas cards this afternoon. Yes, I'm punctual.

I'll see you all next week after the holidays--it's been nothing but sledding and baking and wrapping and eating around here. Hope you're having a wonderful Christmas.

I hope to be back in January with all sorts of fun stuff--like another Write-Away Contest, as requested.

Yak Nym

I've wondered what "yak nym" means--probably "fat from the belly of an ox" or something equally tempting.  But this stuff is much better than any ox you could get. It's a fast dinner, goes well with a side of rice and steamed vegetables, and stretches meat a long way so you eat a little less of the red stuff. And if you're like most Americans, less is better.

1 green onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sliced gingeroot
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound thinly sliced flank steak (or other comparable cut)
bamboo skewers

Soak skewers in a bowl of water for 30 minutes while preparing meat. Mix all remaining ingredients except the beff in a bowl. Then, once sugar is dissolved, add beef and marinate 2-3 hours.

Skewer strips of beef on bamboo sticks then broil on high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables.

Tassimo T20 Single Server Brewer Giveaway

I know this looks kind of funny for me to be promoting a coffee maker (since I don't drink coffee) but for those who know me I have plenty of other weaknesses--i.e. hot chocolate.  And what caught my eye enough to agree to do a review was that this little gadget not only makes coffee but it makes fancy, nectar-of-the-gods, too-smooth-and-rich-for-words hot chocolate.

Yes, you read that right. In fact, it makes all kinds of great hot drinks but for my purposes I'm going to focus on the hot chocolate angle because that's what makes me so happy and warm.

The T20's claim to fame is it's ease of operation--just pop in the pre-packaged and prepared little drink disc--and *POOF* out comes your chocolate pleasure (or coffee, or chai tea or lattes or whatever--you have a whole flock of drinks to choose from).

One serving, instantly. It's the closest thing you can get to a Star Trek replicator where the computer creates your heart's desire at the push of a button. Your whole family can decide what they want to drink and each person can have individual servings in 60 seconds.

Each of the little drink discs (T-discs) has a barcode on them so that the machine reads the code and adjusts the operation and temperature accordingly.  Slim enough to fit in a tight space on your counter it's ideal for apartments.  Though I swear I could drink enough hot chocolate to keep a fleet of these things busy and happily humming.

The only possible downside would be buying the discs.  It's not a big deal, you just buy discs instead of powdered mix and it works out (if my calculations are correct) to about $.60 per cup for hot chocolate. I'm not sure what it is for coffee, slightly less I think. It's not a bad price and it eliminates the mess of spooning mix into the mug but you have to have the discs to work the machine.

So not only was I sent a T20 to review and love but I've been given a second unit to offer to one of you lucky hot drink lovers out there.  Whose with me? If you want your chance as this beautiful gadget just follow the directions below and think lucky thoughts.

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am, the morning of Saturday December 25 (that gives you through the last second of Christmas Eve to enter) go to the giveaway entry form on this page and enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in the following Monday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to all people with a U.S. address. Good luck!

***

And if you remember last week's giveaway of Jana Winters Parkin's beautiful book What Think Ye of Christmas? I hadn't had a chance to announce the winner because I had a hard time getting the winner to respond but after redrawing a new name I'm happy to announce that Lisa Lehmann of Lisa J. Lehmann Designs has won (if you haven't seen her jewelry yet be sure to check out her site, I have a pair of earrings that she made and I just love them). A beautiful book and beautiful jewelry.

Notice: I was given the T20 Brewer as a review product, free of charge. My opinions are my own and I wans't compensated for this post.

Looking for a Rental?

Are you in the movie mood? I haven't been impressed with the offerings at the box office this year but we've hit some winners with the rentals lately. Earlier this summer I talked with Rob Reiner about his new movie Flipped (based on the book by the same name) and wanted to see it but it never made it to the theaters here in Anchorage for some reason.

However, we did pick it up at Blockbusters this weekend and it was a huge hit.  I can't remember the last movie I enjoyed so much that was appropriate for the whole family to see.  From Lillian to Andrew we all enjoyed this coming-of-age flick told from the alternating perspectives of the boy (Bryce) and the girl (Julie).  With a great supporting cast, it also has plenty of good messages without being didactic or maudlin (vocab words for the day) and at the end there were things you could discuss that enforced the themes.

Yes, a good movie--and how often do you get something of quality coming along?

Well, as it turns out, the answer is: the next day.  Because the next night we watched The Nativity, which came out several years ago but we never got around to seeing it. It was a matter of me wanting to see it and watching it by myself at first and then everyone slowly joining me until the whole family was watching and enjoying it. Which is saying quite a bit, given that I have two boys who think that high drama means nuclear-sized explosions and car chases.

Perfect for Christmas and for families, it's PG for a bit of the evil-Herod violence against the babies at the beginning which might be tense for small children but not offensively so. We checked it out of the library and thought it was great.

How to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

(and still have a Merry Christmas)

It's been a tradition ever since my Dad was little; we cut our trees. In the wild.

Back in the 40s and 50s Grandma and Grandpa would bundle up the family in search of the perfect tree but once my Dad and Uncle Jim were old enough (back then that could have been around 11 or 12, who knows?) they were assigned the manly task of getting the tree.  Dad tells the story of one particular year while, as a teen, he was out searching for a tree with his younger brother and once they were way out in the middle of the wilderness with nothing but lots of snow and a large handsaw between them he turned to Jim and said in his wickedest voice, "You know . . . Mom and Dad sent me out here to kill you."

Yes, that's our family and the Christmas spirit. As a kid I thought the story hysterical. Now, as a mother I think it's an abomination, but what can you do? 

Normally we go tree hunting on a school day so the kids have the added thrill of missing a day of class but this year we've already had three "snow" days (and I put it in quotes because it wasn't for snow but rather freezing rain and black ice) and a round of flu, ergo missing more days seemed a little irresponsible this year.  So . . . Saturday we had our traditional IHOP binge, complete with a round of country-fried steak for my little cholesterol inebriates, and it was off to find the perfect tree.

You never know what you're going to get. Sometimes you get a year with no snow so it's easier to find a tree when everything is bare and snow-less but harder to drag it out over the ground without denuding it of its needles.  Sometimes you get a blizzard where, after ten minutes, you're practically entombed in drifted snow so that you don't care and end up taking the first tree in sight . . . as soon as someone digs you out. Once we went and the ground wasn't even frozen, let alone covered with snow, and my overeager husband four-wheeled it into the back country until we practically plummeted to our deaths over a ravine but then got the truck so stuck we had to cut down trees just to back it up and get out.  Good times.

This year I was prepared for a tough time of it.  As in: make sure you bring the snow shoes because we'd had so much snow--and whatever we have in Anchorage is sure to be doubled up at Johnson's Pass where we go to cut.  I was really expecting it to be a bear of a time (without the bears--they're hibernating of course) and thought how glad I was that this was a man's job.  Andrew cuts and carries, I decorate. It's a simple division of duties that has suited me well over the years.

But Andrew and the kids hadn't been gone five minutes; in fact, some of the stragglers were still visible from the road, when Andrew had got to the spot, found the tree and harvested.  Just like that.  Or I should say that Spencer harvested the tree as he did the actual cutting and hauling. Andrew tells me he's training Spencer to take over the job so he can finally pass that torch.

So after an hour for breakfast, an hour and a quarter of driving in, and an hour and a quarter of driving out and we were only gone a total of four--count them four--hours and most of the extra time was for tying the tree to the top of the car.  We are nothing, if not efficient.

And here's our beauty, decorated and vertical in the living room.  My man knows how to pick 'em.

When I was a kid my favorite ornament on the tree was a little bird in a nest that attached to the tree limb with a clothespin glued to the bottom of the nest. It was a partridge in a pear tree and we all experienced the true meaning of the season as the six of us fought and bickered about who got to put it on the tree each year.  I don't know how my mom stood it without throwing us into the snowbank and abandoning us to the elements.

Remembering how much I loved that ornament I made one of our own this year and it turned out so sweet and cute. You really can't get much easier than gluing a fake bird in a fake nest with a clothespin on the bottom.  It's crafting that even the most craft-challenged can handle and it looks so pretty--just see for yourself. I don't think ours is a bona-fide partridge--more of a chickadee perhaps--but it's still very pretty. One time we found a real bird's nest in our tree when we got the tree home and dried out in the stand, other years we might get only a lot of moose hair tangled in the branches but it's all part of the experience. Merry Christmas!

Mediterranean Pesto Sausage Soup

Seems I've been on a soup kick. Is that so wrong? Soups are healthy, filling, easy to make and are usually fairly economical as well.

We eat them at least twice a week, especially in the winter and this one was a new recipe I recently came across that is Fabulous. With a capital F.

olive oil
1 pound smoked pork sausage
1 red onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound red lentils
28 ounces chopped tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth
½ cup fresh basil, julienned
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
4 ounces pesto

Saute the smoked pork sausage in the olive oil until broken up and browned. Add the red onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender.

Add the lentils, tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until lentils are tender and breaking up.

Add salt, pepper and pesto and serve with julienned basil for garnish.

Nativity Sets

I have a couple nativity sets though neither is particularly full of sentimental value to me. I can't remember where I got the first one but it's the teeniest, tiniest, bite-sized nativity you've ever seen, with baby Jesus being about the size of a pea--a split pea that is.

The other I got at Walmart for about $9.95 because I figured I really ought to have a nativity set and as I didn't really like any of the sets I saw in the stores, one was as good as another so I went for cheapest.  Ten years later it's still not fancy or pretty but it's what we've got.

Now maybe if I'd seen one of these (and had plenty of money) it would be a different story.

How many nativity sets do you have? I know people who collect them until their homes are overrun with magi and barnyard animals. This faux-origami porcelain nativity from Gumps is really quite the thing, isn't it?

If you have small children and want to have the pieces last until the next year you may want this wooden block nativity. While it's not fancy I kind of like the simplicity. The nativity story dice also listed on the site is quite a nice idea.

Then there is this wooden triptych nativity.

And a nativity carved from a Tagua nut in Equador.

And a stone nativity carved in Kenya.

Or a Japanese imperial family.

Maybe a nativity made from recycled metal pop can strips from Zibabwe is more your style?

Or an African style family from Ghana?

I particularly like this wooden nesting set

and this Peruvian clay set with it's modern-yet-traditional look.

It's rather fascinating how one story can be translated so many ways, using whatever materials are on hand.  But my very favorite is the nativity my mother has. It's so simple and I love the way Joseph has his arm around Mary (the two figures are separate) as if it's really a family scene. The picture is hard to see but you'll just have to take my word for it.

A Christmas Book and Giveaway

We've got our decorations up and this Saturday we'll be suiting up to head south into the wilderness to harvest our very own Christmas tree so I'm definitely feeling the spirit of the season. Pictures to follow.

I wanted to share this beautiful book that I was sent to review that is more than just a sweet little book about Christmas.  If you've ever felt that Christmas was overly commercial or that the meaning of the holiday was lost among the wrapping paper and price tags then I completely (or should I say unreservedly? Unconditionally? Fervently? Take your pick) recommend that you read What Think Ye of Christmas? whose beautiful message shared through brilliant water color illustrations teaches that the holiday is still there and spiritually thriving if only we take the time to look for it in the many symbols of Jesus Christ. It's simple and full of hope and joyous--all of which we need more of in our lives, no?

The book is by Ester Rasband and this second edition is illustrated by Jana Winters Parkin (a blogging friend, if I may call her that) whose artistic credentials are as impressive as the book she's produced.  I'm so pleased that she asked me to review her work because it's not only added a greater depth to my enjoyment of Christmas but has given me a good gift idea for our friends that goes beyond the tasty yet transitory plate of cookies or fudge.

There is a discount on Parkin's website if you purchase more than 5 copies which is a great deal on the already reasonable $9.95 for this hardback book (plus an extra 5% discount if you type CHARRETTE in the discount box at checkout)

She is giving away a copy of the book to one lucky person who will get to see for themselves how great the book is.

Here's how to win:

Before 12 am, the morning of Saturday December 11 go to the giveaway entry form on this page and enter your name and email. I will pick one of the names at random, contact the winner via their email and publish the winner's first name and home town in the following Monday's post. See the bottom of the entry form for more details.

This giveaway is open to all people with a U.S. address. Good luck!

Planting Flowers

When I was a young-ish teen I read a story that's stuck with me.  It's an allegory about a young man named Malcolm who, on his way to work one day, comes across a random stranger who irritates him.  Maybe the stranger cuts him off in traffic, maybe he unknowingly insults Malcolm--I don't exactly remember--but in memory of the offense Malcolm picks up a small rock and puts it in his pocket so that he won't forget what was done to him.

Throughout the day Malcolm rubs his rock, reliving the rudeness.  So begins a habit and from time to time in the coming week Malcolm repeats his odd ritual, picking up rocks any time someone does something he doesn't like.  Sometimes the offense is a little thing, sometimes it's a bigger insult, but soon Malcolm's rock collection is thriving so well that he begins carrying a backpack for all his rocks.  Each day there are more rocks and, as stories often go, things progress until finally we find Malcolm stuck in his home with all his precious rocks, living as a virtual prisoner with all that sedimentary baggage.

Rumor of the collection grows so that eventually a local school plans a field trip to Malcolm's house to see the famous rocks but when the teacher and students show up they quickly realize that Malcolm's rocks--far from being valuable minerals and beautiful crystals--are just a bunch of dirty stones and pebbles.  In confusion they ask about the rocks' histories and once Malcolm explains his collecting habits the teacher looks around and says: 

"Well can we see your other collection?"

Now Malcolm is confused.  "What other collection?" He says.

"You know . . . the collection you have that represents the good things that people have done for you. If you've picked up these rocks for every insult you've had surely you've got another collection for the good things people did for you?"

Of course Malcolm has no such collection and the conversation brings on an epiphany.  It changes him in true Ebenezer Scrooge fashion so that he cleans up his house, gets rid of his rocks and decides to live his life differently. It isn't long after that that people begin to notice how beautiful Malcolm's garden is and, one day, while a neighbor stops to reflect on the beautiful flowers she sees Malcolm nearby.

"Your garden is so beautiful," she says, "Every time I see your home and your flowers it makes me happy."

Shortly after that that she notices Malcolm once again out in his garden, planting yet another flower in token of the kind words she'd given him.

Now I know that the story isn't as famous as Aesop's fables or as deep as the Biblical parables but it made an impression on me that has re-emerged during this season of gratitude and giving.  We talk about Thanksgiving and being thankful but I've found there is a huge difference between being grateful and giving thanks. How often do we have good things happen in our lives--whether great or small--and we think about how we are grateful but that is as far as it goes?  We may even toss off a casual "thanks" but that's not the same thing as actually giving thanks.

Gratitude is possibly the most important character trait we can cultivate because it's bound to so many other positive attributes.  If we are grateful then we are humble because we acknowledge what others have done for us and how we benefit from others' generosity.  We recognize how we don't have it all and are dependent on other people, on the world we live in and on God. If we are grateful we are content with what we have and are not greedy for more, especially at the expense of others.  Gratitude keeps us from coveting what others have which keeps us more honest, frugal and kind.  It gives us the inclination to take care of what we have and share it with others to spread the goodness we've received.

But if all we ever do is feel grateful then we're only half there because, frankly, none of us say "thank you" enough.  We're so quick to call a company that's given bad service but how often do we take the same effort to report a job well done? How quick am I to point out when one of my children slips up versus when they demonstrate making an extra effort? Misfortune tends to bring out the "why me?" but good fortune tends to make us pat ourselves on the back as if we've earned it.

Why is it that when bad things happen it seems that the cameras are always rolling but often when the good things come around it's when no one is looking but those are the times when it's especially important to pause and give back a thank you. Maybe we stop and say a sincere "thank you" to the person responsible, maybe we write it down in a journal to remember, maybe we say a quick prayer or put on a smile--giving thanks comes in many forms--but the point is to do something. The world could use as many flowers as it can get.

Spanish Potato Soup

You go along, thinking you've seen every soup under the sun and then one day without any warning you come across a new recipe and just like that your world is a little bit better.

It's got that regular old potato soup base but then with addition of paprika and tomatoes it becomes something so much more . . . so much better.

I LOVE it.

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 large sweet onions, finely diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 large potatoes, cubed
2 tablespoons paprika
1 28-ounce can pureed tomatoes
6 roma tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon crushed thyme
9 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups light cream
sliced olives for garnish

Heat the oil in a large stock pan, add the onion and garlic and potato and saute for five minutes until the onions begin to soften.  Add paprika and cook another few minutes.  Add the can of tomatoes and chopped tomatoes (I just used half canned and half fresh because that's what I had on hand but you can go either way with it). Add the thyme and brother and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl mix the corn starch with a bit of water to form a white liquid and add to the soup. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 more minutes until thick.  Season with salt and pepper. Add the cream and serve with olives on top.

Best Christmas Gifts 2010

I've nearly got all my Christmas shopping done which is a Christmas miracle in itself. I'm organized, I'm top of things, but when it comes to holidays I'm always busy having fun rather than shopping and planning.

Here's my list of Christmas gifts I'd recommend. Some of them are already here and wrapped, some are on the wishlist for coming years, but all are guaranteed and certified to be 100% great gifts.

1. The Icelandic Design Nepalese Cardamom Earflap Hat from REI. (have you ever had such a string of modifiers in your life??)  But despite the offensively long name that means so little I am in love with this hat. I can see myself skiing with those cute little pompoms waving in the breeze. I hope they make it in godzilla size for my extra enormous head.

2. The Kitchen Sink from Sea to Summit. I have a man who is obsessed with backpacking and light weight camping who would go bonkers for this. You can see how tightly it folds up and how big it gets so you can . . . do dishes on your vacation??

No, it doesn't make sense to me either but I know he'd love it.  Lightweight, waterproof and folds away--three things that he adores.

3. Lego Board Games. My boys are big Lego fans and have a Chevrolet-sized tub in their closet that they still bring out when they're looking for a good time. They've played the Lego video games but since video games are not kosher around here I was thrilled to see a new line of Lego board games.

You see here the Minotaurus game but they also have the Ramses Pyramid, the Pirate Code, Creationary, and Monsters--all promising to be just as interesting as this one.  And the best thing is that, unlike the regular Lego blocks which have a 7000% profit margin on little cheapo pieces of plastic that they sell for a fortune, these games are actually quite reasonably priced.  $20-30 depending on where you shop. Now that's a good buy.

4. Dragonstrike. When my kids were little they had a babysitter who brought this game with her when she came over and it made her their very favorite babysitter. They loved the game so much that I thought about buying it for them myself at Christmas but then I decided that that would just ruin the whole magic of her visits.  You can't put a price on a good babysitter now, can you?

Anyway, it's a board game with a mechanical dragon that attacks players' pieces and I don't remember much more about it than that. What else do you need? It's on sale at Amazon for $40 but I've seen it on sale in stores for as low as $10.

5. Go! Go! Sports Girl Dolls. For those of you who are just as disgusted with the creepiness of the Bratz plague these dolls ought to please you. I was sent one to review and immediately gave it my mother's stamp of approval. Lillian is a big fan of the Groovy Girls dolls and these look and feel very similar to those only they are athletic-themed.  One is a gymnast, one a swimmer, one a ballerina, etc. This one (the gymnast) is Maya and Lillian will be getting her for Christmas.

Plush, huggable bodies that are perfect for a purse or pocket and won't jab you in the eye when you take them to bed.  They are the same size as the Groovy Girls so you can use the accessories interchangeably.

6. Plush Animals by Mamma4Earth. Since we're talking huggable you can't get more huggable than these knitted animals in 100% soft merino wool.  Horses, chickens, giraffs, daschunds (or "dash-hounds" as Grace used to call them) and aardvarks are all there and they're seriously adorable.

If you'd rather make one yourself you can also buy the patterns there at her Etsy shop. Now go and see for yourself and tell me that that lion isn't the cutest thing you've seen all week.

7. Leather Bags from Adeleshop. I mentioned earlier that I bought one of her bags this fall and I absolutely love it.  I get compliments on it all the time (someone even mentioned that a little leather yellow purse is the "it" accessory to have this year) and I still can't believe that it's handmade it looks so professional and high-quality.

Working in Halifax she's sold a lot of bags and her best ones are gone but I bet if you dropped her a note you might be able to get a custom order if the one you love is sold.  Her prices are quite good, you'd never be able to get as fine a bag at a department store for the same price.

8. Sea Glass Bangles from Sistercreation. Again with the Etsy (I love shopping there, you can find the most unique gifts) and though these are sold, another benefit of Etsy is that you can often get the seller to make you one as a custom order. These bracelets are so beautiful and simple and I have this thing for beach glass.  I even sent Andrew the link with a not-so-subtle note that if he wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas this would be it.

9. Battleground game. My nephew has this game and every time he and the boys get together to play it it's a success.  It's just a whole bunch of pieces of medieval warfare--catapults, trebuchets, projectiles, etc.--and the boys spend hours hurling things at each other for points.  Better for points than for blood I suppose.

Anyway, my sister got her version for $10 and my brother in law found one on clearance at Toys R Us for $10 but I have looked for two years and have never seen such a good deal since.  The one on Amazon is $80 (but hey, free shipping, right??) which I can't bring myself to pay but the game is nearly worth that much it's so fun.  Maybe I can find one after Christmas.

10. The Name of This Book Is a Secret by Psydonymous Bosch. I have a reader who loves puzzles and anagrams and humor and this book promises to deliver.  The first of a series of five (or in hoity-toity language a "pentology") where each book is based on one of the five sense, this one incorporates the sense of smell and was published in 2007.  All five have now been published so if your little reader likes this one they won't have to be kept waiting to find out what happens next.  

Hodge Podge

As my title suggests, I have here an odd mix of items for your attention. A plethora. A veritable cornucopia of links. First, courtesy of my favorite husband, is a fascinating preview of a new documentary called "The Joy of Stats" (yes, I know, statistics thrills me about as much as standing in line at the DMV but pretend with me for a minute).  Four minutes of your time might change your mind about how you feel about statistics after this classy little show.



Then, a photographer that is different from your average.  I'm a bit of a grump when it comes to the funky, crazy, bizarre, modern engagement photo. I don't like the couple hanging all over each other and I don't like that vogue washed-out look designed to make the photo look as if it's sat in a drawer for 50 years.  I don't like the weird camera angles and ripped jeans attire but I do like Jason Lee's creative photography. Somehow it's not just about the gimmicky stuff, it's about the models and how their personalities come through. Design Mom has some of his kid portraits here and his personal site has gorgeous wedding photos. Definitely not the average make-out picture that seems to be so prevalent.

Next, Design Sponge has a beautiful paper leaf wreath that is so simple and beautiful that it seems the perfect holiday decoration unless it has to compete against these perfect tiny gingerbread houses.  If a traditional house is too big to tackle and makes you weak in the knees, these little beauties look much easier and prettier with their simplicity.

Finally, I'm making hats right now and this refitted retro pattern from Noro is going into the "I want to make" pile. 

Oh . . . and one more thing.  I promised you zebra heads, didn't I? In her art class Grace has been making a paper mache zebra head (don't ask because I don't know why) and she brought it home for a coat of paint last week. It's got a plastic animal eye that looks completely real and it's really kind of spooky to see the whole thing on the kitchen counter while it dries.  She left it out overnight and when I came down to the kitchen and bumped into it in the dark I nearly wet my pants it scared me so badly.

Can't wait to see what it looks like finished--I think she needs to make a whole menagerie and use it to decorate her future bakery.