99 Octopi

I would like to share with you a little bit of our Family's Christmas Traditions.
Every year my mother makes a hand-made ornament for each of her grand children. This sort of started as a fun crafting activity and grew into necessity. You see, my mother has many grand children. She knew she could never afford to buy them each a gift for Christmas and so this became the family tradition. I so excited not that we have five children that our family tree is starting to fill out with family decorations.
This year my mom decided to make Octophrost, Santa of the Sea found at Futuregirl. He was just too much temptation. She knew it would take a while and started early this year (May or June I think). It took her about 8 hours to make each of the Octopi. She finally finished this week with number 99. That leaves her 5 for her own tree.
Here are the photos......

There once was a woman who lived in Mizzou
She has so many grandkids--a hundred or two,
I would have spanked them all soundly and sent them to bed
but she loved them and sewwed them all octopi instead.
-Glynn

I love how this guy just blinks at you, keeping his Christmas day secrets to himself.


These two are plotting some Christmas mischief. What out who's house they go to!

Hannah, Sarah, and Caroline

These are the helpers that helped Grandma stuff the tree with the 99 octopi.

"The Octopus' Garden"

I'd like to be, under the sea

In an octopus' garden in the shade

He'd let us in, knows where we've been

in his octupus' garden, in the shade.

I'd ask my friends to come and see

An octopus' garden with me

I'd like to be under the sea

In an octopus' garden in the shade.

We would be warm, below the storm

In our little hideaway beneath the waves

Resting our head, on the sea bed

In an octopus' garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around

because we know we can't be found

I'd like to be under the sea

In an octopus' garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about

The coral that lies beneath the waves

(Lies beneath the ocean waves)

Oh what joy for every girl and boy

Knowing they're happy and they're safe

(Happy and they're safe)

We would be so happy you and me

No one there to tell us what to do

I'd like to be under the sea

In an octopus' garden with you

In an octupus' garden with you

In an octupus' garden with you.

(thanks Kathie for reminding me!)