Christmas Creations 2010

In light of Advent Conspiracy, Graham and I have taken up the tradition of making Christmas presents for each other.  Last year I framed a quote he liked, and he made me earrings.  Sweet, simple, quick.  This year we set much higher standards.  Went above and beyond.  And it was awesome.  We both happened to recruit his oh-so-creative genius step-brother Thadeus who is a Carpenter and artist/sculptor, and this is what we came home with:
 

 A Cribbage board (he really wanted a travel-sized one...) and a poop stool!  (Read this article about postures for bowel movements for more info on the stool...this is not so weird if you've spent much time with us since I've been a women's health physical therapist and have gotten very comfortable talking about poop).  Besides the fact that they are incredible gifts and were made (mostly) by our own hands, it was cool to spend so much time with Thadeus (so much time that he didn't really get to make his own woman her Christmas gift...oops).  The thing with "in-laws" is that you don't really get to spend a lot of time with them apart from your spousal unit, but when you do get to, it's just a little different dynamic.  So, of this year's Christmas gift giving, one of the best parts was just spending time getting to know another part of Graham's family as my own.  Which is the whole point of Advent Conspiracy--Spend less, give more: of your time, of yourself.  Mission accomplished. 

The pegs are old railroad nails I got for $1 at Hippo Hardware