#Christmas Carry all Pouch

[frankiecatphotography]

Christmas Lights Carry-All Pouch - on sale!

[yellojade]

[jungle-angel]

Your Ornaments Are History (Bob Floyd x Reader)

Summary: You and Bob wouldn't trade your cat, Pumpkin for the world, but there's a reason that you don't like to let her near the Christmas tree

Tagging: @floydsmuse @desert-fern and @bobfloydsbabe

Bob hummed along to the music playing from his phone in the kitchen as he began frosting the cookies that had come out of the oven. He couldn't wait until things had quieted down and you both had vacation time from work, seeing as he and the rest of the squad had gotten tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra performance at the beginning of the month.

He felt that familiar curling around his legs and the cheeky little meow coming from Pumpkin, your black cat who had chosen you and him as your family on Halloween night one year ago. "Hey, out, outta here Pumpkin," Bob told her firmly. "Go see if there's pack rats in the basement."

Pumpkin sure enough, ran off and disappeared. "You sure you wanna be scrawling notes this late in the afternoon (y/n)?" he asked.

"Bob we've gotta get everything ready for when the lesson blocks at school change," you told him, scrawling a few notes into your notebook. "Fortunately for you, you've got everything you need. I on the other hand, have nothing to work off of."

"You sure Ancient Egypt didn't produce any epic poetry or literature?" he asked.

"A hundred percent certain," you answered rather flatly.

Bob gave it some thought, his lopsided grin turning down a little into a thoughtful frown. "Ok," he said. "Ok.......let me think a minute......what's the closest you might be able to get?"

"We already did Gilgamesh," you answered. "And Homer and the Viking Sagas."

"Damnit," Bob hissed under his breath.

You suddenly snapped your fingers. "Wait, I've got it," you said suddenly. "I forgot about The Tale Of The Court Of King Cheops and about The Tale Of The Shipwrecked Sailor."

"Don't you also do mythology lessons too?" Bob asked.

"Well........yes," you said a little sheepishly.

"So Ancient Egypt shouldn't be too hard to figure out, right?"

"No I wouldn't think so," you answered. "Besides, it's not like we're......"

"MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!"

The loud curse from your husband gave you only a split second before you heard a crash in the living room and Bob running to pick up the Christmas tree that Pumpkin had managed to topple over. You could practically feel his nostrils flaring when you both heard that cheeky meow once again from the slinky black cat who wore the biggest grin on her face.

"PUMPKIN YOU ARE SO LUCKY I HAVEN'T TURNED YOU INTO A PURSE!!!!" Bob thundered.

Pumpkin meowed again and skittered off to her favorite hiding place, the mother-in-law apartment in your basement where Bob's parents had taken up residence. The front door creaked open a minute later and in came Joe, Bob's father, carrying a brown paper bag full of dinner supplies.

"What the fuck happened to your tree?" he chuckled.

"Cat," Bob answered.

Joe burst out laughing. "I knew that little shit was trouble when she showed up on Halloween night!"

"Love the cat to death Dad," Bob told him. "But if this is gonna be an ongoing issue....."

"Put some fuckin lemon and orange peels in it," Joe said. "That's all you've gotta do. It worked when we had Tootie living under our roof."

Bob let out a disgusted groan as Joe helped him stand the tree upright again. Bob shuddered at the memories of his sister Aly's so called "devil cat", a mean old thing who had scratched Bob and his brothers more times than he could count. Hell, that damn cat had scratched his brother Eugene's little boy when he had been a baby three years ago. But Bob had to admit, Tootie had been a smart little shit who had quickly figured out how to use the toilet in the basement bathroom.

Joe went into the kitchen and peeled a few lemons and oranges, leaving the fruit to be used for later baking or cooking. "Let'em dry for a good day and a half then put'em in a pouch and hang'em from the branches," he explained.

"Thanks Dad," Bob said.

"And don't worry," Joe added. "I'll show the little footwarmer later who the real boss in this house is."

You snickered a little as Bob went back to his task. "You really think he'll do it?" you asked.

"If we hear a scared meow coming from the basement we'll know it worked," Bob chuckled. "Although I have a feeling I won't wanna look out the basement window for a year."

You laughed picturing Joe scaring the shit out of Pumpkin. Yet you and Bob both knew that for as much trouble she might have caused, that damn cat was one of the best things to ever happen to your family.

[clonerightsagenda]

It is Wolf 359 day (also known as Christmas for some) and since I saw a stoat photoset on my dash I feel compelled to post about daemon hcs.

Eiffel - Word of God is raccoon, and it fits. The poor thing probably looks like she has mange during the season 2/3 timeskip, since there's no way astronauts are stuffing their daemons in spacesuits - they must have to go through some kind of pre-mission training to lengthen their range. They are not trained to get blasted lightyears apart though, rip. That's gotta hurt. Once he's recovered from his ordeal though I'm sure he takes advantage of their massively extended range to cause problems. There's no way I stole those donuts from the Urania's stores, commander! I was here in the comms room the whole time.

Minkowski - white-tailed eagle. This bird is found in Poland, and some versions of the Polish flag have a white eagle. It's also similar to but not exactly like a bald eagle - showing how Minkowski aspires to assimilate into Americanness but can't completely abandon her Polish heritage. Plus pilot = bird, it tracks.

Hilbert - rosencrantz-draws-things did a series of daemon paintings for the characters and while I don't agree with all their choices, I did like chameleon for him. He changes roles and faces when he needs to, whatever helps him survive.

Lovelace - The painting series I referenced gives her lioness, which I don't hate, although the logistics are a bit messy for a space station environment. Given the backstory I've envisioned for her I kind of want to spend more time reading about Puerto Rican fauna and get back to you on this one. How does the daemon situation work with her being a surrogate? Unclear but it sure keeps her up at night!

Maxwell - Ferret! The wonder twins have mustelid vibes to me, and I am always charmed by the story of the ferret who cleaned out the tubing of a particle accelerator.

Jacobi - Stoat to match Maxwell. They are the mustelid twins now. It just feels right.

Kepler - idk I don't care about him.

Pryce - Coconut octopus. Something a little bit unusual and unexpected, requires specialized care and upkeep, and octopi are extremely intelligent, with this species actively modifying its situation via tool use. She can carry him around in his own special tank.

Cutter - I never settled (lol) on anything for him, but given I like the idea of him bodyhopping (this has been thoroughly debunked by Word of God but oh well) I imagine that he keeps around the old body's severed daemon as a smokescreen. This leads to a very animated, lively guy with a strangely inert, unfocused daemon which makes him even more unsettling to everyone. He's impossible to read.

Hera - I saved her for last because she's a special case. When AI reach sentience a block of code just pops up in their programming, and that's their daemon. They're not physical in the same way humans are - why would their soul be? However, product testing indicated humans preferred to see something daemonlike, so customer-facing AIs get holographic projections of cute, non-threatening animals like puppies or songbirds. Hera has a bird until Hilbert takes her offline. When she comes back, she has control over the projection and can make it look however she wants. It's not actually her daemon but she can use it to express herself in a similar way, including projecting her humansona, which scares the crap out of people the first few times they see a random stranger on board.

Daemons in microgravity would be their own headache. I imagine crewmembers get velcro pouches on their uniforms or toolbelts sized for their daemons to keep them from floating away. Smaller daemons are preferable in the same way that there's a height range for astronauts - this is why I'm conflicted about Lovelace. Also, you know I am a #hater of 'daemon touching = sex' in AU settings and believe there are multiple kinds of intimacy, and spaceflight involves everyone getting real cool about a lot of stuff real quickly, so I think by season 3 Minkowski and Eiffel at least are hanging on to each other's daemons when they're out on spacewalks both for convenience and emotional support. (Eiffel is still stressed out about it but more because he is really bad at holding a raptor and scared of getting slashed by talons.) Hera occasionally perches her projection on their shoulders which again doesn't mean the same thing to her but gets the message across. If Jacobi is working on something fiddly Maxwell will be wearing both their daemons around her neck, and vice versa.

Bob does not appear with a daemon while wearing his Eiffel suit. The alternative would probably be more upsetting.

[footballffbarbiex]

leaving food out for the hedgehogs with Eric dier please 🥰

from this list.

I've actually missed writing Eric!

-

she runs off ahead of Eric, her little ponytail bouncing as she goes. wrapped up in a thick, warm coat which has mitts attached to the sleeves, black fleece leggings and wellington boots which seem far too big for her little frame, she's well prepared for the cold autumn weather. the days of 20c+ were now a distant memory and in its place is an icy bite.

Eric had discovered that hedgehogs were coming into the garden when one of the dogs had come in foaming at the mouth with a bloody nose, causing Eric to go out and see what had happened. the small creature was still curled up in a tight ball when he'd approached.

"looking for some food, mate?" Eric had asked, more to himself than the hedgehog itself who, of course, could not reply. despite the change in the weather, Eric couldn't believe that it was already weeks before Christmas but seeing the small prickly beings now being out, it was certainly marking the end of the year.

and so today, while she was at nursery, Eric had stopped by the pet store and purchased two shallow bowls, some wet cat food, some dried mealworms and a small bag of specific hedgehog food to mix through it all. her excitement when she'd rummaged through the carrier was contagious, and he'd given himself a little pat on his back for thinking of doing this.

he carries the bag containing everything and follows behind her to where she chooses to set everything up. close enough to watch from the patio, but far enough away to not spook them.

"right here," she declares, waving her arms around with a flourish at her chosen spot.

Eric places everything on the ground and empties out his bag. in one bowl, he empties some of the bottled water into it - because even hedgehogs deserve filtered clean water - and she helped to grab a handful of their food, shake just a little of the dried worms in and help to open up the cat food pouch.

"it smells," she remarks, and he has to agree. cat food was one of the worst smells - other than when it comes out of the other end.

"don't get it on your fingers then," he comments as she scrunches her nose up and carefully squeezes some out with his help. she takes the fork that he offers and gives it a good mix, with some of it coming over the edge of the bowl.

"oops," she whispers, turning to look at him with a grimace.

"it's ok, it just means they don't have to work as hard to get that bit of their dinner," Eric soothes her concerns away, smiling as she looks visibly relieved.

"do you think they'll like it?"

"i think they'll love it. i can't see many others leaving out little snacks for them, but they'll need it."

"why?"

"because they need a nice full belly for when they go for their big sleep before Christmas."

"can't they just ask Santa for a big meal?"

Eric chuckles to himself and reaches forward to ruffle her hair a little. "if only it was that simple bubba."

[americanphysco]

What I Took

An Essay by Heather Sellers

From my mother’s house, in 1982, when I left for college—for good: her prized crimson cashmere sweater, which she never wore (Orlando, average temperature in January: 70 degrees Fahrenheit), the most collegiate item in our house, which I washed in warm water, which turned my t-shirts, sheets, and underwear pink, all of which I put in the dryer. I pulled out pink everything and the now tiny sweater. I wore it proudly. I called it a “snug.” I wore it with ultra-tight black jeans, black boots. Hair in a ponytail, long earrings I hand-made out of fishing tackle, as though I intended it all to be just this way.

A bowl with a rooster on it, cream on the outside and inside the most interesting shade of ochre, a color I associated with my mom’s happiest days, the 1950s, when she was a reporter, then a teacher, making a weeknight dinner, laughing with my father about this or that.

A blue floral pillowcase. From a set she used so much the cotton had worn to shining, was smooth as silk. How much I wanted my head where her head had been, my cheek against hers.

Her one gown, a color with no name, palest cinnamon mixed with skin tones, tulle. It never fit me. I wanted to give the dusty dress a proper life at college dances and in ballrooms someday when I was tiny and slender as she was, which never happened, could never happen.

Her father’s wood rosary, carried in a pouch in my purse. Her father, Patrick “Buck” Keating, died on Christmas Eve when my mother was fourteen.

I was never the same again, my mother said.

When I came back from university to visit, the first thing she said was: “I know you’ve stolen some things from me and I want my belongings returned.”

I looked my mother in the eye. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

I didn’t take her jewelry or money or even the paperwork I needed from her to get financial aid. I wonder now at what she chose, this seventeen-year-old girl that I was: a pillowcase, a sweater, a dress, a bowl, and a rosary. Are these the archetypal elements of woman to a girl? Mostly, I didn’t take. I assembled. I assembled just enough to make a complete and good sentence, trying to create a story a girl could live in.

My mother always said to me: You could be so pretty if you tried.

What I took from my father’s house: nothing.

He, and every thing, every body, in that place smelled of smoke, gin, perfume, decay. Damp to the touch.

But wait. Wait. I did take something.

From his blue bedroom, from on his dresser. But it could have been from anywhere in the house, he strew porn magazines in the living room, bathroom, foyer, kitchen counter. I took the fall issue of the magazine Easyriders, containing the only such girl of his I ever came across, a girl who looked almost just like me. She was photographed, in her modest poses (am I airbrushing clothes onto her with faulty memory?) in mossy woods and dry fields, somewhere in the south—kudzu, pine trees—and paired with a gleaming motorcycle, of course.

The way the light fell through the trees, so familiar.

Her motorcycle was small. Similar to one I’d had, a Kawasaki 200. She looked like a junior high school student. She was so small, long wavy light brown hair. My hair. The only small-breasted girl I ever saw in those magazines.

Summer turning to fall, naked under her leather jacket.

I wanted to put my arms around her. Friend. It wasn’t her naked body that captivated my attention, but rather how she was doing life, her body along for the ride. I took her from my father’s house and with me to college.

Talisman. Marker. Back-up plan.

And I took from my father so much that was invisible to me, and I wouldn’t begin to see any of that until decades later.

[shakespearean-fish]

Strange Light

(something for the @inklings-challenge Christmas challenge)

The dark seemed to fall earlier every day. It couldn’t be much past the eleventh hour, and yet the clouded sky was already deepening into blue dusk. He needed somewhere to shelter for the night, a place in the trees and underbrush where the snow had fallen less heavily. The second night had been the best; he’d found an abandoned burrow and curled up to sleep with a drift of dry leaves to cover him. But, of course, he couldn’t stay there.

Although it was never said, he’d known full well when they pronounced the banishment that they meant to let him die in the wild. The allotment of food they’d sent with him was only just enough for two days; he’d made it last for five, and this was the sixth. Nothing was growing except for the brambles of withered yellow berries that meant poison, blindness if he was lucky and a stricken heart if he wasn’t. He told himself that there might be another town soon and a house willing to take him in, but it grew harder and harder to believe. Even if any such place lay in his path, he was of no worth to anyone.

As he toiled on, with snow drifting around his ankles and stray twigs reaching to tear at his cloak, he heard a strange sound carried by the wind. Deep voices, singing a melody that he tried to follow, in words of a language he could not understand. The hope that he was not alone drove him forward, but when the trees thinned and a clearing opened ahead, what he saw there froze his heart.

Five figures sat around a bright fire. They were taller than any man, with coats of grey fur and a pair of curling black horns on each head. The woodspeople, those in the town called them, although there were other, worse names. He had never seen one before, but he’d heard the stories. Hush, mothers would say to unruly children, or the woodspeople will come and take you away. It was said that they were savage, no better than beasts; that they would kill travelers and hang their bodies from the trees. The five ended their song. He was about to draw quickly back into the forest when the smallest one caught sight of him and shouted. “Look! What is that?” it said curiously, in the manner of a child. “It’s all hairless like a new cub.”

The other four turned to see him. “That is a man,” one replied. “And not quite full-grown.”

The tallest of them rose and stepped toward him; he would have run, but he had no strength left. To his own shame, all at once he began to weep, finally undone by fear and hunger and weariness. The creature gazed at him with dark eyes. “Poor little one,” it said. “Come.”

A pair of strong yet terribly gentle arms lifted him and set him down by the fireside. He sat there too stunned to move or speak, too numb to think of anything but the warmth beginning to loosen the dayslong ache in his bones. Perhaps it was a trap, a lure to keep him from escaping, but he no longer cared. They kept silent around him until his weeping stilled. The one on his right, who had answered the child, brought out a leather flask from a pouch at its side. “This will better you.” He drank and found the taste sweet but poignant on his tongue, and his hunger eased. “Where are you from?” the creature asked.

“From the town to the west.”

“What led you here? Where are you journeying?”

“I—I don’t know.” He was unsure of what to say, no more wanting to give them the truth than to lie.

The tallest looked at him keenly, but its face was grave and sad, as if remembering what it did not wish to. “They cast you out,” it said. “I have seen others in these woods.”

Under the creature’s eye, he couldn’t deny it. The words choked in his throat, and he only nodded in answer. “But that’s cruel,” the child cried.

“There is much cruelty in this world.” The tallest sighed. “Stay at least the night with us. In the morning, we can set you on a path to the next town, if that is your intent.”

“You are very kind. They always said you were dangerous,” he faltered, before he knew what he was saying. He thought they might be angered, but another of the creatures shook its head.

“Men are determined to fear us, and so they do. We did not expect one of them to come so near.”

“I followed your voices. Please, what were you singing? It—it was beautiful.”

“It is an old song for the coming of the Light.”

“What is the Light?”

“Who is the Light,” said the tallest in surprise. “Little one, has no one ever told you?”

The darkness was now drawn close around, the flames glowing golden on their faces, and they began to tell him a story that he did not know. And as he listened it warmed him more than the fire did, and filled him more than food.

[rayvvens]

Nosferatu aka Nessie aka Ness aka slimeball

Who wants a toyhouse description? You're getting one regardless to however you answered that question. Wahoo ˖⁺‧₊⟡₊˚⊹

A traveling tradesmen with all the scrapes and bruises to prove it. He’s surprisingly cocky for a man who frequently finds himself at the end of someone’s fist. 

Most of what Nosferatu sells or trades is entirely useless. Occasionally he’ll have some sort of potion that seems mildly handy. More likely you’ll find him offering items such a jewelry, coins and gems, herbs, shells, and any other trinket he finds amusing.

When not going around in search of objects or customers he’ll be found at Hawk’s farm. Typically Hawk is begrudgingly healing the tradesmen of his many injuries. To repay the man for his troubles Nosferatu attempts to help around at the farm. 💚 Likes: Shiny things, Stupid trinkets, Colorful plastic objects, Glass beads, Cats, Green (the color), Ugly little creatures and critters, Bad chip flavors, Centipedes, Bags, Pouches, Pockets (he wants to have as much space as possible to carry junk with him)

🤨 Dislikes: Soap, Movies (he doesn’t like sitting still and staring at a screen), Dogs (he has been bitten by several), Sugary foods and drinks, Those stupid little gnomes people have during Christmas, Scarfs, Turtlenecks (hates having clothes around his neck)

[treewithabark]

Just an unnecessarily long post about dog gear I want- scroll by if you don’t want my ramble

So in feb I’m gonna have a treat yo self month because it be my birthday, and I may have a lil extra spending money from working a bunch of overtime during Christmas (I am knackered but I needed the cash and work needed my assistance)

And seeing as no-one likes buying me dog gear as Christmas/birthday gifts I’m gonna buy myself these nice things.

I wanna get Juno a lovely leather collar, nefjas person sent me a link to a German company who make elk leather collars in a martingale style??? Absolute perfection. I’ve been a sucker for martingales for a couple of years now and am reluctant to turn back.

What a delectable collar. So chic. So stylish. Fancy collar for my non-fancy mutt to strut about the town with (no flooded field walks for that collar)

Gonna pair it with a brand new cute dog tag because Juno currently wears Hana’s old one. I think after a year she’s earned her own tag, don’t you think?

Lookit!!! So cute!! It’s not Juniper tree but it’s close enough (don’t tell my partner, the tree surgeon, I said that). Would look so good with the collar.

And since my mendota lead is looking real ropey (haha, because it’s a rope?) I’m gonna treat myself to a new one. It’s served me so well but I did not look after it. Now it smells and is fraying and the leather by the clasp is loose. It just looks a mess. Love my mendota lead, don’t love that I’ve destroyed it. I did dabble with the idea of an adjustable lead but they’re all flat and I’m sorry but round leads are superior. I’m not ready to go back to flat. Mendota so comfy, mendota so röund, medota have goldish clasp to match tag and collar ring.

But do I stop the spending there?? I’ve been gagging for a ruffwear backpack but my lord £100 for a backpack??? I know it’s quality, built to last, and most importantly designed to minimise injury but it’s a rather frivolous spend.

My reasoning is that added weight to some walks may help reduce some pulling, she’s so much better but still gets excitable. It can be useful if we wanna go on longer hikes once my partner and I have time to do some weekends away. Carrying water etc. I really want to do a camping getaway at some point and having her carry her own food is adorable and practical. But also it could be useful on days where we want or need to be a bit lazier. Dog needs exercising but we’re burned out/ill? Cool, mile and a half sniffy walk with lightly packed backpack. If I wanna tire her out because we have plans and need her nice and calm? Boom, backpack walk.

Also, backpack cute. Backpack could have patches. Backpack bring joy to look at. Backpack make chronically ill days much easier.

Backpack.

Oh there’s also an adorable martingale collar on Etsy that I want. An unnecessary purchase but I so rarely find a martingale I really really like (I’m picky okay)

But there are things that I could spend my money on that is (arguably) needed more. Waterproof longline, new treat pouch, new walking boots because mine are leaky, dog toys that serve a purpose more than “it squeaks and can be thrown”. I also need a haircut and new prescription glasses but it’s more fulfilling to spend money on the dog.

GAH! Maybe I’ll win the lottery on Friday and I can buy it all. But until then I gotta budget and make informed purchases.

Anyway I just wanted to rant to the void because I usually do all this in my head but I wanna get more active on tumblr and sometimes airing these thoughts helps make decisions. And if you suddenly see me posting Juno in 4k completely decked out in new gear in the mountains? I’ve won the lottery, quit work to travel with dog that has a whole new wardrobe, captured on a top of the line point and shoot 😂

[bichettes]

dreaming big (league) || chapter eleven

word count:  4323 summary: merry chrimis and happy new year! the holidays are usually a time for joy and happiness but carrie's not feeling the greatest. warnings: slight body image issues, breastfeeding (#momthings) author’s note: this chapter was a draaaggg to write fr. i feel like the pacing is off and a lot of it is word vomit i think (esp the end). but ig it kind of shows/describes how carrie's been feeling for the first month and a half as a new mom which is all over the place. also how do we feel about me making little theme collages for a chapter (if it warrants it)? feel free to like/reblog! 🖤 prev | next

Carrie woke for the second time that night. Penelope’s crying had pulled her from her sleep. She turned on her lamp and slowly padded over to the crib where Penelope was wailing her little head off. Carrie picked her up and sniffed her backside first. Nothing.

“Is my baby girl hungry, hm?” She asked the little one. 

The moment Carrie picked her up the baby immediately began to calm down. She took one arm out from her shirt and sat down in the rocking chair, positioning her baby so she could feed on her. She watched Penelope with loving eyes as she sucked on her breast.

It had been two weeks since she gave birth and Carrie was exhausted. Exhausted but loving every moment of it. Penelope already looked bigger compared to when she was born, arms and legs looking like little sausages. Carrie wanted to eat her up. She leaned her head back against the chair and let the baby do her thing. When Penelope finished eating, Carrie draped a muslin cloth over her shoulder and burped her. Satisfied with her meal, she set her back down into her crib for some much needed sleep.

Carrie grabbed the automatic breast pump where it was sitting on her desk and attached it to herself so she could pump the remaining milk. The pump had been a gift一 among a few others一  from her teammates and it was a godsend. She did some late night (or was it early morning?) Instagram scrolling while she waited. She packed the extra milk into pouches and took them to the kitchen to be stored in the fridge. Carrie was about to head back up to her room when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Her papa appeared in the kitchen moments later.

“Hey, what are you doing up?” She asked him.

“Nothing, I just wanted to check on you. We heard Pen crying over the monitor.” Severino replied.

“Yeah, we’re fine. She just needed to feed. So I did that and pumped after.”

Severino got a look at his daughter. Her dark brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail with bumps at the crown; her old high school gym shirt had a wet spot on its chest and dried spit up on its shoulder; and she was wearing a pair of sweats that looked about two sizes too big on her. Probably Beckett’s. Carrie even had that exhausted look in her eyes. She looked every bit like a new mom. Severino wanted to help her as much as he could and he and Andrew both agreed that they would but to also give her the space to figure things out on her own. They would only step in if Carrie really needed their help.

“Ready to head back up?”

She nodded and walked over to him, wrapping an arm around her papa’s waist. He kissed her on the side of her head as they walked up the stairs together.

-

Christmas came in the blink of an eye. Carrie had no idea where the time had gone in her first month as a new mom. She was taking care of a newborn then suddenly her dads were setting up the house for the holidays then bam! Christmas. They had a busy two weeks as a family. They would be spending Christmas Eve with her dad’s family then Christmas itself with her papa’s family. Both gatherings would be A Time just due to the sheer size of each side. It would also be the first time the extended family would meet Penelope. The thought alone made Carrie both excited and nervous. She had grown significantly in her first month which made Carrie feel very good. She was doing something right at least. Dr. Patel was also happy with her growth.

Carrie had just finished bathing Penelope and was now changing her for her dad’s family’s Christmas celebration. This year it would be at her Aunt Isla’s house. Carrie took her time in lathering up her baby girl’s skin with lotion. It also gave her a chance to look over her from head to toe. Her skin was still so soft and smooth as ever. She turned over daughter’s right arm and found the misshapen patch of skin that was darker than her creamy beige skin. She knew what it was the moment she laid her eyes on it for the first time a month ago. How could she forget it, when she always saw the same patch of skin every summer for as long as she could remember whenever Beck wore muscle tees or had his shirt off during practice. His birthmark was bigger than the one Penelope had and laid against the side of his deltoid and stretched just past the ball of his shoulder. It was undeniably his birthmark that was placed on her daughter.

She had just finished snapping the buttons of Penelope’s Christmas themed onesie in place when she heard a knock on her door.

“Yeah?” Carrie called out. Andrew poked his head through the door.

“Can I take over?” He asked.

“Sure.”

Her dad stepped into the room and picked Penelope up from her changing table. He pressed a few kisses to her cheeks before holding her.

“Who’s the pretty girl? You are!” Carrie watched her dad shower her daughter with affection. “Your cousins are so excited to meet her.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhmm.”

Andrew pressed a few kisses to Penelope’s hairline.

“You can start getting ready, papa and I got her.”

“Thanks, dad.”

-

Carrie stepped out of the shower and wrapped her towel around her body, feet landing on the cushy bath mat. She patted herself down and began working her strawberry scented lotion from her arms down to her torso then to her legs. Her eyes caught her midsection in the mirror despite her view being slightly blurry without her glasses on. Before pregnancy, Carrie’s body was all muscle and defined lines. Thanks to motherhood a nice layer of fat had softened her figure. Her arms and tummy weren’t toned like they were in the beginning of the year. Red stretch marks littered her honey kissed skin, running down her belly and the tops of her breasts. Carrie had never really been insecure about her appearance before, not even when she was a chubby five year old and one of the bigger girls in her senior kindergarten class. She had her parents to thank for that. They had always ingrained in her just how perfect and beautiful she was to them. They were never concerned with her weight or her size as she got older. And when baseball became more serious and she hit puberty, Carrie’s body began changing. She had grown to be the tallest girl on both her papa and mom’s sides, standing at 5 '8 by the time she finished growing. Her weight just got evenly distributed as she grew and workouts increased. But now that Penelope was out of her, it wasn’t hard for her to notice just how much pregnancy had changed her body. She turned away from the mirror and continued getting ready for the party.

-

The three of them stepped through the front door of her aunt’s and was immediately greeted by the smell of mouthwatering food and chatter from all different parts of the house. Carrie toed her boots off and picked up the car seat that was holding Penelope’s sleeping self. She walked through the foyer and towards the open kitchen where the majority of the family was, mainly the older teens and adults. The little ones could be heard running around the main and upper floors of the house. Her parents, who had been walking ahead of her, greeted the family. Hugs and kisses were given as Carrie propped the car seat onto an empty space on the kitchen counter and began unbuckling Penelope from the confines of the belts keeping her in place. The baby let out a little whine as Carrie very carefully picked her up. She pressed a couple kisses to her hairline, soothing her. Her family waited with bated breath as Carrie turned her body so Penelope was facing them.

“Everyone, this is Penelope Rose.” She introduced. They all cooed at the little one.

“She’s beautiful, Carrie.”

“She’s so round.”

“How much did she weigh?”

Carrie went around the kitchen and the living room, showing Pen to everyone she encountered and answered some questions along the way. Her aunts and uncles took turns carrying and doting on Penelope so Carrie could eat. She walked over to the kitchen island and gravitated towards the glazed ham, which thankfully still had quite a bit left to it. She had loved her Aunt Isla’s glazed ham since she was a kid and that hasn’t changed. The familiar smell of it invaded her nose while she laid four pieces down onto her plate. An arm wrapped around her waist.

“I see you’ve already started on the ham.” Her aforementioned aunt commented. Carrie gave her aunt a hug with the arm that wasn’t holding up her plate of goodness.

“You know I can’t resist.”

“I already put some away for you to take home. It’s in the microwave.”

“Have I ever told you that you’re my favourite aunt?” Carrie joked.

“I heard that.” Her Aunt Olivia, her dad’s second oldest sister, piped up behind them. Carrie gave her a hug as well.

“You look good, Carrie.”

She gave her a small smile. The three women got to talking in the kitchen while Carrie ate. From where she was standing, she could see Penelope with her cousin Brian. Olivia and Isla updated her on each of their kids’ progress in school and how work was going for them. Isla was a dental assistant and Olivia worked in publishing. It was always so fascinating hearing her aunts talk about their careers because of how different they were. Isla was animatedly talking about a patient at her office whose parents neglected their dental health when Carrie heard a familiar cry across the room.

“Someone’s hungry.” Carrie said to her aunts before putting her plate down on the counter and walking towards her papa. Severino held Penelope out towards his daughter and she quickly took her, rocking the baby as she went to pick up the bag on the floor. 

“You can use our bedroom, Carrie.” Her Uncle James offered. Carrie quickly thanked him before making her way up the stairs to the second floor.

Upon entering the bedroom, she took off the red knit sweater she had dressed herself with and set herself up on their bed. She gently tugged the pacifier out of Penelope’s mouth and brought her to her chest. It was quiet for the first few minutes, save for the sounds of her daughter sucking on her. Carrie watched as her daughter focused on the task. 

She found solace in the bedroom. Carrie loved her dad’s family with all her heart but she was a bundle of nerves upon arriving at the house. She knew they were happy for her but she was afraid it would all change the moment they saw her with a baby. The thought of her family switching up on her when they realized that it was real and not just a bump in her stomach was too real for Carrie. She was ready to brace herself for the possible drama the night might’ve brought. Carrie stroked Penelope’s chubby cheek.

“This is your grandpa’s family. They love you very much. And tomorrow you’re gonna meet your lolo’s family and they’re gonna love you very much too.” Penelope looked up at her mom with her big brown eyes. “I know you don’t understand me.”

Penelope finished her feeding and Carrie went through the motions of burping her and pumping the remaining milk before they went back downstairs to enjoy the rest of the party.

The remainder of the night went by smoothly. Her uncles and cousins got drunk as the night went on, which meant her dad did as well. She watched him as he began to stumble a bit about the house and became increasingly goo goo gaga with her papa. It was cute, disgusting, and embarrassing for her to witness. 

The exhaustion began to hit Carrie by 10 and she knew it was time to go. Penelope had long since passed out in her car seat, unbothered by the rowdiness of her family. Severino had eventually caught his daughter sitting on the couch with the back of her head resting on the couch cushion fighting to stay awake while she rocked Penelope’s car seat with her foot. He knew it was time to head out. He tugged on the hem of Andrew’s sweater.

“Andrew.”

“Yes, my love?” Oh, he was so out of it.

“We should go.”

“That time already?”

Severino tipped his head in the direction of their daughter. Andrew followed the direction of where his husband had shown him.

“Oh, yeah. Okay.”

Andrew took the responsibility of saying bye to the whole family while Severino took care of acquiring the leftovers. He managed to get Carrie’s glazed ham (thank God no one touched it), a heaping pile of cranachan, steak pie, and shortbread that Andrew’s mom had poured herself into. Severino was able to wake up their daughter with minimal pushback then went out to warm up the car. It didn’t take long before Andrew and Carrie were making their way out to him with Penelope in tow.

-

Carrie watched her cousins’ kids run around the living room as she held Penelope. It was Christmas day and they were spending it at her Tito Frank’s house, the oldest of her papa’s siblings. There was no shortage of activity from all corners of the house; from the dining room, to the kitchen, to the living room, to the upper floor, and even to the basement. Each room had at least a few people in it. Carrie caught bits and pieces of conversations being had in both English and Tagalog. She overheard her papa discussing restaurant business with her Tita Corie while her dad was asking one of her younger cousins about school. A beeping came from the entrance of the house, signaling the front door was opened and closed.

“That’s probably your Ate Elaine and Mi Cha.” One of her titas commented. Carrie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Papa told me they couldn’t make it.”

Before could reply, she saw her favourite cousin in the doorway of the living room with her girlfriend a couple steps behind her holding a tupperware.

“We’re here, sorry we’re late.” The pair went around the living room, giving hugs and kisses to the family. Elaine stopped in front of Carrie.

“There she is.” 

Carrie stood up and gave her cousin the biggest hug she could with Penelope in her arms. She did the same with Mi Cha. Both of them peered at the baby in her arms, cooing at her when Carrie adjusted her blanket. Tears began to form in their eyes.

“She’s gorgeous, Carrie.”

“You did good.”

“Thank you.”

Mi Cha cleared her throat. “My mom made you this.” She said, holding up the white tupperware.

“What is it?”

“It’s a seaweed soup my mom said they make back home that helps with postpartum. I told her it’s already been a month but she insisted.” Mi Cha explained.

Carrie wanted to cry. “Your mom is so sweet. Tell her thank you for this.”

“I will.”

-

Later into the night, Carrie found herself pumping in one of her cousin Andrea’s bedroom while Elaine and Mi Cha took turns burping their (unofficial) goddaughter. She watched on fondly as her cousin walked around the room and patted the baby’s back. She saw the look of complete adoration written clear as day on Mi Cha’s face. They had been together for nearly 6 years now, having first met in one of their electives for their social work program. The two of them didn’t start dating right away as Mi Cha was still in a relationship with her girlfriend from high school for the duration of the program. The pair had broken up not too long after graduation and it took Elaine another few months after that to build up the courage to ask her out. Carrie still remembered the nervousness that rolled off of Elaine’s body when they discussed her asking Mi Cha out on a date. It made Carrie want to smack her usually confident and self-assured cousin upside the head. Mi Cha flopped down on the queen sized bed next to Carrie and rolled over so she was laying on her side.

“How’re you feeling?” Mi Cha asked.

“I’m okay.” Both Elaine and Mi Cha gave her a look she was unfamiliar with and it made a pit settle into her stomach. “What?”

“Now we want the real answer and not the one you’ve been giving everyone else. Your dads told us what happened.”

Carrie felt the familiar burning in her nose and eyes that she seemed to be dealing with almost every single day since having Penelope. She cannot be crying again, for fucks sake. And goddamn those two for using their social worker selves on her. Carrie let out a shaky sigh before she delved into what she had been feeling for the last month. It was her first time saying out loud how scared she felt about what happened. She confided in them about how she would find herself riddled with panic at times when she was home alone with Penelope, thinking about the very real possibility of her parents being the ones to raise her daughter. They let her cry about it openly, something they knew she hadn’t been allowing herself to do since giving birth. Elaine passed Penelope off to Mi Cha so she could comfort their cousin. 

If anyone were to walk in on them, they’d find an interesting sight before them. They’d see Elaine knelt down in front of Carrie with her hands cupping her face while she still had her breast pump still attached to her and Mi Cha sitting on the bed with Penelope. It looked a little ridiculous but it’s what Carrie needed. The two women gave their cousin hushed reassurances and praises as her crying calmed down. Elaine wiped the tears from Carrie’s cheeks.

“This is so stupid.”

“It’s not stupid.”

“No I mean- look at me.” Carrie gestured to the breast pump still attached to her chest and her puffy face. “I’m crying to you guys about something that was my choice while I’m pumping.”

“You know we’re always here for you, right?” Elaine asked, still wiping her tear stained cheeks.

“I do but you guys didn’t need all of that.”

“None of that.” Mi Cha shook her head. “We love you and we’re here for you.”

All Carrie could manage to do was nod, in fear of possibly triggering a fresh round of tears if she spoke. They let her finish pumping before passing Penelope back to her. It was perfect timing because-

“Yo, they’re starting karaoke soon.” Their cousin, Phillip, informed them with a knock to the closed door.

“Shit, someone needs to get to the mic before Tita Corie can take it and hog it for the rest of the night.”

“Oh fuck-”

The three of them scrambled.

-

The holiday interlude between Christmas and New Year’s found the Panganiban-St.James family doing absolutely nothing. Andrew took the week off of work and the restaurant was always closed until the first Monday of the year. The coming new year was an exception however, because 2018 would be starting on the first Monday, so Severino made the executive decision to open up on the 8th instead, giving him and his staff much needed extra time off.

On Boxing Day, Andrew and Severino got up early to do some shopping while Carrie stayed at home with her babies, too exhausted from the party the night before. Their family group chat was active though, with pictures being sent in by the dads of clothing they thought Carrie would like for herself or Penelope. The pair ended up having a pretty successful trip downtown, coming home with a few new items for each of their closets, a playmat for Penelope, and the best deal of the day: a new TV. The plan was to replace the one in the basement with the TV in the living room and put the new one in the living room. Good day overall.

They spent the days leading up to New Year’s Eve puttering around the house or sitting in the living room watching every corny Christmas and New Year’s themed movie the W Network had to offer. Carrie would stand around the living room with Penelope in her carrier while her parents cuddled on the couch and gave their commentary. It was quite amusing hearing them complain and make fun of the dialogue between the two love interests in the movies. Penelope, the angel that she is, stayed silent despite her grandparents’ squabbling. Carrie kissed her baby’s soft head as both her papa and dad groaned and whined at the TV.

-

“Five… four… three… two… one! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

The living room erupted in cheers with poppers and confetti to accompany it. Pocket change and five dollar bills were thrown up in the air for family members to fight over on the wooden floor. Carrie watched on as her family members from both sides greeted their partners with their first kiss of 2018. She spotted her parents in their own little corner of the living room, heads tipped towards each other. It was a sweet picture. 

And Carrie needed to get out of there.

She carefully pushed past her family, offering new year’s greetings as she worked her way through the crowd. When someone asked her where she was headed, she gave the excuse that she needed to check on Penelope to make sure the noise didn’t startle her awake. Carrie felt an ache settling into her chest as she made her way up the stairs and towards her room. She made sure to turn the doorknob all the way before giving the door a gentle push open and didn’t release it until the door was closed once again. Her feet took her straight to Penelope’s crib where she was splayed out on her back sleeping the night away without a care for the commotion happening a floor below. Carrie watched her daughter’s chest rise and fall for a few moments before she settled onto the floor with her legs crossed. She rubbed at the spot on her sternum where she could feel the ache sitting just behind it. Carrie closed her eyes and leaned back against the slats of Penelope’s crib.

She had imagined her year going differently than it had. A lot differently.

For the past 18 years of her life Carrie and Beck had spent New Year’s Eve together. (This wasn’t an exaggeration; there were photos of them as babies from NYE 1998 all the way to last year as young adults). Earlier in the year Carrie had imagined that Beck, Catherine, and Michael would make the trip back home to Toronto while Beck had Christmas break off from school and they’d spend the holiday together. If that wasn’t feasible, they’d at least FaceTime as the ball dropped and Beck would promise to come see her as soon as possible and he’d give her that New Year’s kiss like he promised.

But neither of those things happened. Because they weren’t talking anymore. Because Carrie made a snap decision because she was scared. She knows it’s 100% her fault but fuck, it hurt. 

Who knows what Catherine would’ve done if she told Beckett back in March. She knew the woman had a mean side to her. She’d seen it whenever Beck acted in a way she didn’t like or got a less than remarkable grade in school. 

“This is not who we are, Beckett. This isn’t what we do.” Catherine would say, her words coming out quick and curt. There was no room for debate. Beckett always seemed like his mother’s words didn’t phase him, like water rolling off a duck’s back. But Carrie always knew when her words would hit a little too hard and dig in a little too deep. It was in the way his lips would downturn just a very small fraction and his normally kind, brown eyes shifted into something mean. Carrie had been on the receiving end of that look sometimes when Beck’s performance was less than what he’d expected. It was something she was well versed in. 

Carrie also saw Catherine’s mean side when she and her father would discuss work issues around the kids when they thought they wouldn’t give two shits about what they were discussing. Her dad always tried to be nice about the issues he had but Catherine could not care less. She went in hard on the people she talked about whether it be fellow colleagues or management. How had Carrie not noticed Catherine’s bullying attitude as a bad thing until it was sicked on her? Would Beck having a baby be another thing she’d be disappointed in? Carrie didn’t want to find out.

This is not who we are, Beckett. This isn’t what we do.

Carrie kept her hand on her chest and took a few steadying breaths, eyes still closed.

“It had to be this way,” Carrie whispers to herself.

This is not who we are; this is not what we do.

“You’re better off without them.” She took a big breath in and let it out. “You are not a disappointment.”

(I am not a disappointment.)

This is not who we are; this is not what we do.

Carrie was going to make this work. 

She had to.

-

taglist: @paris-roubaix

[frankiecatphotography]

Ginger Cat Sleeping Zipper Pouch - on Sale!

[yellojade]

Powder Room Carry-All Pouch

[scrollnshops-blogs]

Designer Potli Bags for Women at ScrollnShops

ScrollandShops.com is a trendy multi-designer online store in India. It houses multiple designers under one roof who believe in curating exquisite and premium handcrafted styles by local artisans and designers. ScrollnShops offers an extensive array of pret and couture, including Western clothing, Indian wear, royal designs, and classic styles for women, men, and kids. At ScrollnShops, we have something for everyone that will complement your style and enhance your wardrobe. Potli bags play a crucial part in Indian ancestry. Potli bags have a long and exciting history that is firmly ingrained in Indian culture. These decorative pouches have been a favourite accessory for ages, representing elegance and history. These bags are not just useful accessories but also wonderful works of art, frequently embellished with intricate details and brilliant colours. Some of the most popular potli bags include Green Silk Embroidered Potli, Rust Tissue Potli Bag, Printed & Embellished Potli, Floral Embroidered Potli, Handmade Potli Bag, Hand Embroidered Potli and more.

A potli bag is a compact pouch or drawstring bag made of fabric, usually silk or cotton, that is embroidered or adorned with beads or sequins. They are frequently worn as part of traditional attire, particularly during weddings and other grand or cultural ceremonial occasions. They are available in a wide range of colours and designs and can be constructed from multiple kinds of materials, including velvet, satin, and jute.

When it comes to buying designer potli bags, there are very few brands that provide the most optimum potli bags, and ScrollnShops is on top of that list. At ScrollnShops, we offer several kinds of designer potli bags with distinctive and beautiful designs influenced by Indian culture and style. This stunning piece of art is handcrafted by our talented artisans, and each piece has a unique flair along with originality intact. Women love to carry designer potlis with Kurta Sets, Anarkalis, and Lehenga Sets for weddings, mehendi, haldi or Indian festivals.

ScrollnShops offers designer potli bags handcrafted from high-quality fabrics such as cotton, raw silk, silk, tissue, velvet, crepe, chanderi, and with stunning embroidery of beaded pearls, sequins, zari, lace, gota patti, and much more. Prints and patterns include floral, wallaby, block print, stripes, or abstract art. Potlis can have permanent or detachable handles with buttons. These are handmade using a Dori, fabric strap, or chain and can be styled as a sling or clutch.

Categories Related to Accessories

bag

potli

clutch

scarf-and-stole

footwear

headband

belts

keychains

Presenting Trendy Designer Potli bags by Indian Designers at ScrollnShops

Ajiesh Oberoi | Kusmi | Mandira Wirk | Nero - Accessories | Priyanka Jain 

Designer wear for all your special occasions:

Valentine's Day | Party | Holi | Republic Day | Independence Day | Ganesh Chaturthi | Raksha Bandhan | Navratri | Diwali | Christmas | New Year | Wedding | Mehendi | Sangeet | Cocktail | Roka | Reception | Haldi | Festival | Birthday Party | Casual & Daily | Women’s Day | Eid | Travel | Holiday | Vacation | Beach | Work | College and more!

Other Categories

Women Indian Wear

Women Western Wear

jewellery

accessories

men

kids

Related Reports:

[aligirl1213]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: HP BEST IN BAGS LAST 1- Canvas Make Up Bags.

[mikebags2020]

Mike Cosmetic Pouch -Black

Large capacity design: Large opening large capacity bag, double zipper plane design bags for women, easy to pick up, the top comfortable handle is perfect for your personal travels. The internal size of the layered. The fabric is made of high-quality PU material, ensuring a soft, lightweight, and durable construction.

High-Quality Materials: Waterproof, sturdy and durable small square travel bag is made of high quality premium soft and comfortable PU leather, easy to clean and special water-resistant surface to prevent internal products from getting wet.

Multifunctional Makeup Travel Bag: This can use travel, but also be used as a toiletry bag, purse,  bathroom bag, etc. Perfect for business trips, vacations, outdoor activities and picnics.

Portable design: Beautiful and strong handle  Toiletry Bag. Made of high-quality soft PU leather fabric, with All metal zipper Robust and durable easy to open and close. suitable for long and short weekend trips or camping. Let every trip have an exquisite look.

Perfect Gift: PERFECT gift for girls, women or families on gift box on Mother's Day, Women's Day, Diwali or Christmas. Suitable for your family trip to pack all women toiletries.

Key Features:

high quality premium soft and comfortable

Comfortable Carry Handle

Suitable for your family trip to pack all women toiletries.

waterproof PU leather

Specifications Brand - Mike Bags  Type - Travel Pouch

Product Details:

Number of Compartments- 1

Material - PU Leather

Physical Measurements:

Dimensions: L 23x B 12 x H 12 cm Capacity: 3 L Weight: 200 Gms

Manufacturer Details: Manufactured, Packed and marketed by - Mike Bags manufacturers India Pvt. Ltd, Moula Ali, Hyderabad - 500040

[demon-blood-youths]

"Ink! Merry Christmas!"

He's grinning widely, the scent of chocolate, and cinnamon wafting from him as he did so. He was dressed in a Santa Suit, mostly because he'd played Santa a few times for the guild before. He had a large bag with him, clearly filled with gifts. To and from who? Only he knew the answer to those questions.

"I have some gifts for everyone here. They're all marked with who they're for, and who they're from. I got something for everyone I know, Gajeel sent some for some of you guys too, and so did Erik."

He was looking around for somewhere he could place the gifts, the bag was pretty sizable, so Ink would know there was a LOT inside it. The Fire Dragon was all but bouncing from foot to foot a grin on his face. (Natsu @ignis-venenatus for Ink & the other DBT he knows, plus those Erik and Gajeel know)

"Natsu! Merry Christmas!"

Ink is happy to see the Fire Dragon Slayer and she is more surprised to see him wearing a Santa suit. It's good to see Natsu in the holiday spirit. She sees that he has a huge bag. Are those presents inside.

She was correct when Natsu said that he brought gifts for everyone and the gifts are marked for some of them. "Oh, Gajeel and Erik did? That's very nice of them! Rust and Ophelia will be happy to hear this! They both got presents for them!"

She doesn't know what it is but it will be special for them. But! Ink got something for Natsu.

"Thanks for the gifts! Also, I got you something!" Ink presents a small present to the Dragon Slayer. The red gift wrap has a design with pine trees. Inside, there is a pouch that carries small firewood that can help Natsu replenish his fire magic during a fight. Not only that, these wood sticks are good for producing fire and each other has a delicious taste when setting it ablaze.

"Before you go, take the cookies and hot chocolate on the way out. It's pretty cold out there!" Ink tells him.

@ignis-venenatus