Christmas break is over already?

I can't believe how quickly this break flew by.  It was relaxing, relaxing and relaxing... just what I needed!  It was also filled with an abundance of knitting!  All of the students are back and today is the first day of classes.  Hopefully it is my last first day of classes as a student.  

My computer died just after Christmas and I unfortunately lost all of my photos.  Here are a few highlights of the break taken once the new hard drive was installed (thanks to the nice apple store people who fixed my computer even though my warranty had run out just two days prior).

We had a wonderful WHITE Christmas here in Wheaton.  It was so calm and pretty outside and very, very snowy.

I got this wonderful thing from my dad and I have been winding up a storm ever since.  Who knew that this would be so much fun?

Grant gave me a gift certificate for yarn and the packaging was perfect.  This was one of his rock climbing ropes all wound up and tied with a bow.

I made myself a new pair of Christmas slippers.

... and wound the leftover yarn for a future project.

Grant and I went hiking in the snow at Starved Rock State Park.  It was chilly but beautiful outside. 

And finally, this is Elijah.  I did not come up with the name, rather that is the name of the pattern I had to knit him.  This was a fun thing to knit once I finished all those Christmas presents I had been working on.  He is so cute!!

We have more fun things to share from the last three weeks, but I'll have to make you wait in anticipation for that.  

Happy first day of classes!