Crazy.......

I thought I was before but the past few months have proved that either I wasn't that bad or that it can just get worse. Knitting has been my sanity and of course this morning I do not have time to post the pretties that I have finished. My dad and step-mom divorced for a second and final time and much bickering and weirdness happened afterwards. See I may not have always liked my step-mom but I did grow to love her in the end. Her being the uber-bit$h that she was is what i needed to get out of an environment that wasn't healthy for me. So yeah I love her for that because I totally could have been one of those girls in school who was knocked up at 16.

School started and again busy stuff going on. This is my last year as the PTO fundraising chairperson. Can't say I am sad to see it go and really we only do one thing. This year it was decided that I would have all the little things (box tops, ink cartridge returns, etc.) reported to me and then I'd report them to the PTO. No biggie but now it's more work than ever before on top of me working, being a Junior troop leader (yeah more on that later), watching a kid in the morning (again) and being down to only 1 car. Oldest daughter J's troop bridged most of their girls last year and their leader moms as well. So this year the 10 remaining and of that 5 returning needed a leader - no on wnated to do it. So I steped up cuz how hard could it be to lead a troop for 1 year right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA And on top of that I was scammed into watching on of the kids I'd watched before a few years back in the morning YET AGAIN. Not thinking that yeah I'd have her even longer in the mornings because of the late school start this year. >.< I love her and her mom but it's hard not to feel taken advantage of some days. Was tol that I needed to drive hubby to work this morning due to his ride/boss needing to drive his wife to a dr. appt. No biggie right? Was supposed to have her and texted mom and said 'If I am going to have your daughter Monday morning you need to make other arrangements for her because I have to drive hubby to work and don't have room in my car for her too.' Legally I had no seatbelts and I wasn't getting arrested or given a ticket because I had her daughter in my car. she argued 'What do you want me to do? No one else will take her. And am not asking her dad....' Dad ended up watching her this morning anyways because I said can't no way I can fit her in. Just frustrates me to no end sometimes the crap that I get myself into and then have to get out of because I am too nice a person. But the spine is growing and I doubt that I will be going through this hassle much longer.

And it's school fundraiser time. Yay! But I keep getting emails for people to volunteer - not that this is a bad thing - but the fricking info just went home on Friday 10/2 and i had emails starting 2 weeks ago! Ok thanks for being overeager to do this but I don't even have a schedule yet for the PE classes until later this week! UGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

And now I must get ready for work and try not to take my lack of sleep out on the kids. *SIGH*

Wait what?

So today we had a meeting with all the lunch supervisors that are coming back this year to discuss the change in lunch times. Seeing as we have over 650 kids in the school, 14 long tables (1 designated peanut free), and the changes in time starting had made it something to puzzle over. We found out today that the way our principal worked it so that it goes along with the limit on how many kids can be in the cafeteria at once per the fire marshall - there will only be a 5 minute overlap of the grades.

How does this change our work schedules? Well we now are no longer all coming in at the same time and working together. We picked grades and we will come in 10 minutes before that grade comes to lunch and then be there for 2 hours. We are to clean as much as possible after coming in from recess before we have to leave. And those with the lower grades will do the mopping and the rest of the cleaning. Good in theory but we'll miss chatting with each other and this kinda eliminates us going out to lunch after work. Maybe we'll have to get together before or something. I took 1st grade as I don't work Wednesday's at the school and then the lunch lady who works Kindergarten who has no kids on Wednesday's will work my grade for me.

So now I work from 12 - 2 pm - darn this later start time but hey I don't really have any thing going on during the day. It'll just take some time getting used to. Hopefully the kids won't be too bad - I subbed in the Kindergarten lunch last year so I know a lot of them. But the thing that got me was not only are the start times changed but we start a day earlier and end a day later! They added two full days to the school year this year. Somehow I'd caught the ending date change but not the start date - they go back next Tuesday not Wednesday! ACK! I thought I had one more day - nope! So the kids are going to be so frickin' tired next week once school starts. Ugh so am I. We may start later but the girl who comes over in the mornings so I can get her on the bus will be here at 6:15 am. The bus doesn't come until 8:28 am. BLEH! I'm gonna need me some really good green tea really soon. ;)

Knitting - Amy's b-day sock colorway has been revealed. She couldn't wait and I wanted to see if she could guess it - she did. :) Weasleys Wizard Wheezes from Sunshine Yarns was the colorway - she gets rainbow socks! And I repeat Amy if they are too big - send them back and I'll keep them! hehe ;)

Started my Ishbel in Emmett from Sunshine Yarns on the way to Michigan's Adventure with the in-laws. Have finished chart A and working on chart B once I get the lifeline in.

And now it's bed time since I need to get up and be to the Jazzercise Clubhouse tomorrow by 10 am. First morning of back to back work there. Should be interesting and I guess I have to figure out what we are doing in between the first and the second class times. Maybe a picnic lunch in the park tomorrow. Really don't feel like driving home in between.....

We have a freeloader......

Saturday was my cousin's wedding in Lansing - we ended up missing the wedding because of well the time just got away from us. Made it to the reception - had a blast - and then dropped off the girls at my in-laws house for the week. We finally leave and get home a little after midnight to find a little white fluff ball of a dog sitting in my old computer chair that is out with the trash cans in our yard. He growled so we stayed away but left out some food and water and went to bed. Morning comes and he is on the porch but if we go outside he hides. Not growling any more though. We eat breakfast and get around to go to church and next thing we know he is at the screen door looking in at us. Ok so we needed to leave and head out. He backs away a little but stays on the porch and finally scoots close enough to sniff me and let me pet him without growling or biting. We go to church and come home to find the neighbor trying to coax him off our porch. Our neighbor loves all animals so that was no surprise that he would be over once he spotted the dog. Won't go to him but as soon as I go up the steps he is all over me to pet him. Then Hubby decides since it is raining off and on to try and get him inside. He comes in sniffs around, scares the poo outta the cat who then hides and plays with our dog.

We took him for a walk (HAHAHA) ok so he got 1 street away and sat down refusing to walk any further. We ended up putting signs at the mailboxes hoping that someone will claim him soon because he is a yipper dog. And let me tell you as much as I love my cat - he annoys me at night when he needs to 'explore' my side of the bed or sleep on me when I need to get up and go to the bathroom. I like the dog but I'll be glad when he goes to his owner - hopefully soon!

Knitting - Amy's socks are done, her surprise gifties are done - box WILL go out into the mail today I promise!!! Started my Hermione hat yesterday and frogged it today. Need to learn to not cast on in a new form while watching a movie instead of paying attention. >.<

Knit knit and knit some more!

Next project became Amy's b-day Monkey socks. the Sunshine Yarn used is remaining unnamed until Amy gets the socks to involve a hint of surprise in her gift. :) Next up will be my Son of DRT washcloth depending on when it is sent out and the race officially starts!

Life in general right now is hectic to say the least. The girls are constantly going places and doing things and playdates everywhere! We went to the lake in a local State park the other day with friends. My back is SO burned right now. UGH! made it really hard to sleep last night since I normally sleep on my back. Not to mention the tag on my top was killing me. Thank god for tagless clothing!

I got my super awesome Princess Bride swap package from my Odd Ducks swap group. Grace/Nerdy on Ravelry was kind enough to step in as my angel for the swap and sent along some very lovely goodies. I got a beautiful knit hat (must find out the pattern!), some peanut butter cups from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, some hot cocoa mix from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, beautiful roving in Sunflower Farm (my fave flower!), and the package smelled so darn good from the enclosed tea - mint green tea and dreamland herbal tea. She also enclosed a little goody for each of the girls - their envelopes had a chocolate bar and a bookmark in them. Which of course are already gone and in use. :)

Swaps

On Ravelry I am part of the Odd Ducks group and have been moding for the Addams Family swap. This has come to a close and we are just waiting for all packages to be mailed and to see what kinds of goodies everyone came up with to send. The next OD swap I am moding is Jim Henson/Muppets swap. Signups are still open until midnight EST on Ravelry Odd Ducks group if interested. :) I'm hoping to hold out on this swap and then join the Buffy swap in this group when it opens for signups - trying to stretch the monies coming in until school starts again and I am back to work.

And today kicked off the start of signups for Son of Dish Rag Tag. Yes, I have already signed up and paid to be in it this year. It was just a blast last year - and I absolutely LOVE the scrubbin' bubble that I got from the person who sent me the package. Can't wait to see the pattern that we get this year. And it's not too late to sign up if you are interested. Cost only $1 to cover the initial sending of the packages with patterns in them. Link to the left will take you to the signup page.

Knitting - finishing up my Drops of Twilight (Ravelry Link) in Twilight Sky - Sunshine Yarns for the sunhine september KAL. Yes we know it's not september yet but that is when the KAL finishes so the name works. ;) Then to figure out what to knit next - so many favorites to little time! Think I might do Dragon Breath socks (Ravelry Link) in my Dobby yarn (Ravelry Link) - Sunshine Yarns. Need a change of pace from scarves after this one. Not that is it really a hard pattern but I need something quick and relatively sinple to work on next.

yay for knitting!

the dress for madelyn was a hit and should fit her. i actually did my first little bit of crochet around the edges and it didn't look too bad! then i made my blue hobo or mary poppins bag using the grrrlfriend market bag pattern and some sugar and cream yarn i had just sitting around. made a mini one as a gift and am currently working on the drop scarf version of the clapotis. which i have to fix some boo-boos on right now so back to it!

It's done.....

But I can't share it here......at least not yet I promise there will eventually be pics shared of my mom's Christmas gift. :) It looks so pretty and dried fast from the blocking that really brought out the pattern so well.

I have since moved on to birthday knitting.....which really is last minute knitting because Madelyn's birthday is Saturday.
>.>

<.<

But really I already had a gift ready for her - it was requested that I make another Bunny Blanket Buddy a while back from my brother. Because the one I made for her sister Keira - is Maddy's favorite toy! hehe I just so happened to already have a blue/periwinkle one sitting here sans face and told him so. He however requested that it 'has to have the scary face on it like the other one' - he quoted my words back to me after I told him it was faceless. :) So I have to getthe face on it but I wanted to make a little cotton dress for her like I did for Keira. Using my Mission Falls 1824 Cotton in Aubugerine I cast on the Bella Colour Toddler Jumper (Ravelry link).

The sad part was I cast on while watching kids at the Jazzercise club house since they were mostly older kids entertaining themselves. I did so before I realized I did not have a row counter or a stitch marker to my name with me. >.< So I made so by using my ring as a stitch marker and got to second row. Now to get back to it so I can hopefully get it done by the party time. We might not be going :( so I might have more time but I'm hoping to get it done by Saturday just the same.

I suck......

at this it would seem lately. I dunno what my time is spent on *coughknittingcough* that there isn't a spare moment to actually blog. So as promised this post is somewhat picture heavy - I decided to do mosaic's of what I have bought/compleated/been gifted vs. individual picture posts.

This is all the Sunshine Yarn that has been bought in the last 2 months as well as the 1 skein that I won in the May KAL in the Sunshine Yarnies group. :)



(Top Row: Glideroy Lockheart, Phoenix, Jasper & Emmett. Middle Row: Twilight Sky, Alice's Porsche, Starry Night & Wisteria. Bottom Row: Snape, Dept. Of Mysteries, Dumbledore, Phoenix rovings.)


This set is of my completed knits so far this year.



(Top Row: Snowflake socks in Night Walk, Snowflake Socks in Cabernet & Leisel in Jasper. Bottom Row: River Rapids Socks in Cornish Pixies, Porphyria Mitts in Buffy & Lily's scarf.)


This set is of things that have been gifted to me and other yarns bought.



(Top Row: Mission Falls 1824 cotton in Aubergine, Merino Yarn [Odd Duck Swap] & Sisu [Odd Duck Swap. Bottom Row: Merino Roving [Odd Duck Swap], Araucunia Ulmo Multy & Greenfield Village Yarn)

And now I gotta dash to make it to the clubhouse on time and then on to knit night! :)

Current knitting project - My mom's Christmas present so no sneak peeks!

Life......

Has been crazy enough that I pretty much forgot I even had a blog. Not quite sure how that was possible but I just haven't blogged in months it feels like.

Life in general - school is out the kids are home and I am once again crazy. However I can send hem to play and sit and knit because with the exception of 2 days a week - I have no where to be. Went to Mackinac Island with Julia a week ago - had a blast and I loved being almost in the UP. Made me contemplate going further up north and I just might have if I was driving......Hubby would have killed me though. Maybe next year with or without him I want to go up there.

Yarns - Yes I have bought more. No I am not posting them here.....at least not right now. I'll do a separate (picture heavy) post with them in it and possibly the completed knitted items.

Knitting - 2 pairs of snowflake socks, some porphyria mitts in my Buffy colorway, a pretty scarf, and I am almost done with Lily's scarf (finally!). It has become my mindless tv knitting.

Spinning - I finished spinning half the roving I started forever ago at knit night on my newest spindle. Now to get it off there in hopes of plying it with the other half once it is spun as well. And yes there are some more rovings that will be posted in the new yarns post as well. My bins are overflowing - but I'm not buying any bigger ones just knitting with the stuff I have to make room for more. It's getting some Christmas presents out of the way early this way. :)

Back to cleaning now seeing as I was roped into having a playdate at my house when the house is a mess. Darn kids!

B-day pressies and such! picture heavy sry :)

First off I finished the Sunshine Yarns Butterbeer socks! Had to take a pic of them with my cat as the colorway was almost his coloring. They are so pretty - see:






Then I cast on my next pair in Sunshine Yarns Cabernet for the May KAL. I am knitting the Snowflake socks. :) Aren't they pretty so far? I am of course on the foot portion now and haven't taken current pics.




Wednesday was my b-day and Amy sent me the rest of my gifts. I'd gotten the yarn & stitch markers earlier as we traded Weasley's Wizard Wheezes - she got twist and I bought the merino sport to trade her. :) And the ebil sneaky woman bought this yarn around Christmas time an teased me with it when all along it was for me - EBIL! J. Knits superwash sock in AC# 130 soooooo pretties!




She made those project bags for me and some pretty stitch markers (family set and Twilight!!!!!) that are not in the pics cuz I forgot them. >.> So here they are! And the lovely coffee cozy that she made a few of but I love it and will use it often instead of the cardboard ones! :) Aren't the bags awesome?! The bowling one is super special and appropriate - a friend of ours from her school dragged her to join our team one year and we have been BFF's ever since!






And my newest Sunshine Yarns rovings. :)

Bella in 65% Superwash Merino/ 35% Silk


Wisteria in 100% Organic Merino