Fifteen

Despite some seriously gross weather, I'm happy to report that Molly had a wonderful birthday!

I have to tell you that we did not plan to match -- I was trying to dress up my athletic pants a bit (they're really the only pants I can wear that fit in the boot, which I'm still wearing when we go out), and I only discovered she was wearing stripes shortly before we left to go to my parents' for brunch! I also can't get over how old and mature she is looking, especially when I see her next to me.

We had the whole family -- both sets of grandparents plus our siblings and their kids -- for brunch, and Molly was of course pretty well spoiled. We also got all the cousins together for a photo before the youngest ones had to go home for their nap:

I think it's pretty impressive that we got them all to sit, even if we didn't get everyone to smile and look at the camera!

Other than yesterday's celebration, it was a fairly quiet evening. Molly and her friend made holiday cookies and homemade pizza while we watched the Pitt women's volleyball team punch their ticket to the NCAA Final Four, and I did the usual cleaning and laundry. I also finished the last planned holiday knitting project! This is the hat for my oldest nephew, and in spite of my oversight in weighing my yarn before I started, the finished hat weighs 103 g and I still had 3 g leftover.

I say planned because yesterday I realized that I'd knit things for my brother, nephew, and sister-in-law but not my niece (not that I think she'd complain, mind you). But I felt like they all should have something handmade, so I started a quick hat for her that I can whip up this week. This is going to be a simple stockinette beanie with a rolled brim, and I'll add a leaf to the top. It might still be too big for her at the moment (it seems she has a smaller-than-average head), but if so it'll fit her eventually.

It's our last week before vacation, and of course it's going to be a busy one. Molly's holiday Glee Club concert at school is Tuesday evening, which the Mister will miss because it's the same night as his office holiday party. I'm expecting work to be busy. At some point we all have to pack, too -- which means I have to decide what knitting to take with me! I'm sure the next several days will fly by, so I'd better get started on my day.