Knits and purls of my life.....

Life.......

2011-12-18T16:49:00.004-05:00

Has this tendency to run away from me. Crazy busy lately. Enjoying the peace of a quiet home while the kids are at their grandparents for a few days. Then back to the hub-bub of the holidays. One Christmas knitting project down - knit my FIL some slippers he could wear inside his boots for extra warmth. Onto the next projects - 2 Maddox the Mischievous monsters for my nieces & a Grumpasaurus for my nephew.

Got an awesome gift from my friend Amy sent me an awesome Christmas gift this year. I got 2 batts of fiber to spin from WoodenSpinner Fiber by Brenda in Hot Stuff & Babbling Brook colorways. Soooooooo pretty!

And she sent me Itty-bitty toys by Susan B. Anderson. I look forward to making some of those for my nieces & nephews as well as other babies to come in the future. :) Thanks Amy!!! ♥

Now back to knitting........

Knitting....

2011-11-17T15:09:00.002-05:00

Yeah so I finished Hubby's scarf finally! Can't remember if I posted that or not & being too lazy to double check if i did. :P Then I got stuck because I have one to finish that is literally just putting the darn thing together but I have no time frame any longer on when it needs to be done by. So it's in the wait pile. I have another project that is mostly done but I don't like how it turned out so it's sitting to be finished and sent on to the person. I have my hat that I need for winter that I wanted to knit myself......since last winter. Hasn't happened yet. And i have a swap project (or a few) that I started, messed up and now need to tink it before I can do anything else. And lastly I took on the task of knitting house shoes for my father-in-law as a Christmas gift......was ok with the idea until I found out he has extra wide feet in one area only. I've only successfully knit socks for myself because I could try them on as I went. So we'll see how this works out....

The frustration......

2011-10-23T18:01:00.001-04:00

Tub has been one little problem after another to replace. Did I mention that hubby couldn't find the spout? Yeah and of course we find it after he has bought a new one. No biggie it's returnable. But frustrating & the tub could have been done a day before. It's mostly done now - not pretty by any means but it's done......mostly.

What a day!

2011-10-22T20:48:00.002-04:00

The tub - ugh! Guess hubby wasn't looking at it right last night & he drilled a hole in the wrong side for the spout to go into..... grrrr. Not to mention the walls & the tub combined didn't work well together. It was a very TIGHT squeeze to get the tub into place. Tore up the trim on my walls that wasn't right by the tub. I had to work at Jazzercise this morning so my jello arms were not carrying the tub into the room. We lucked out & had a friend who could help us come over. Then it was just up to me to remove all the things they couldn't get to because they were holding up the tub. Comedy of errors basically was the day. Get it in place & it becomes apparent that it should probably be tucked up under the walls. That's not happening because we weren't removing the walls. So hubby caulked where the tub doesn't quite meet the walls. It's not pretty but as long as it doesn't leak it'll do.

Off to clear off the bed so that I can eventually get to sleep tonight.

Sinus headaches.........

2011-10-21T14:45:00.002-04:00

Suck but laughing at my friend and I comment back & forth on her Fb status instead of texting each other is kinda funny..... And then I totally forgot that I was writing this & went to bed. /facepalm

Started that last night & now it's Friday. My email was hacked yesterday (can't remember if I blogged it & too lazy to check right now). Finally got that issue resolved this morning after MUCH frustration. Successfully contacted my employers about not being able to log-in to the payroll site. Was told something totally different than what the original email said. But hey it worked & I got logged in so I'm not complaining!

The bad of the day - our school districts busing issue! Older girls were late to school the past 2 mornings by at least 15 minutes. They have to drop off the high school kids first. Then today their bus wasn't there for almost 45 minutes. When it got there it was a preschool route driver & bus. But she got them from the school & home in 25 minutes - that's impressive with all the kids that are on that bus.

Installing a new tub in our bathroom. The old one cracked right in the middle & started to leak under into the floor. It's all ripped out now & waiting on the hubby to get all the tools he needs to start the rearranging of the pipes & junk. I get roped into helping install it when he finally gets all that stuff done. Oh joy!

Boston cream pie....cake?

2011-10-20T10:52:00.002-04:00

So I'm attempting to make the above listed cake for one of the maintenance workers where I live. It's all my friends fault who happens to work with him. I made J a cake for his b-day this year as I'd said I would last year & then didn't. So when his co-worker put 2 + 2 together at the football party J had he asked for a b-day cake of his own. His b-day is today & he wants Boston cream pie cake. Took me some doing to find a recipe that I could work with but I have it started & the custard (cuz it's not right with anything else in it!) cooling in the fridge. But I'm off to work in a bit. Gotta assemble the back this afternoon while trying to juggle all the other stuff that needs to be done today. Such is my life!

Hump day

2011-10-19T16:45:00.003-04:00

It's Wednesday again. My busy day of the week. Get up to exercise at Jazzercise, come home to shower, veg for about an hour, go to work, home to veg for another hour, older girls come home, start dinner, pick up youngest from Girl Scouts meeting, home to finish dinner & eat, then bowling and finally home to bed. It's crazy but it's my life lately. Used to be hubby picked up B from her meetings but with me working at Jazzercise in the mornings he has to stay home so she can get to the bus without being home by herself for at least an hour.

Tomorrow is going to be almost as much fun but only in the afternoon - kids off bus, take L for shots, home for dinner, then to church for worship team practice, older girls go to youth group, I go home & send hubby out to pick them up later. I love my life but I think I need some more down time than what I am getting. At least Wednesday night I get out & get to bowl. Not necessarily down time but it is me time & something I enjoy doing.

Busy busy busy.......

2011-10-16T20:23:00.002-04:00

The game yesterday was a disappointment. Well both games yesterday - football & baseball. Michigan & the Tigers lost. Then the Lions lost today. What do these things have in common? I watched part of all the games! LOL Not that this is why they lost.

Craziness! I tell you I swear that Sunday morning's are just pure crazy. Typically I do worship team first hour in the 2nd & 3rd grade room then I'm free to attend service. The last 2-3 Sundays I have been put into a small group because we are short Shepherds. No big deal seeing as that is what I do in there second hour - I have my own group. But I'm missing out on the message. Makes me greatful that I can either catch it on OPC's website or download it from iTunes. Seeing as I really don't want iTunes back on my comp I have been trying to catch it on OPC's website.

Then today we had the 'rush back home to change before heading back out to a birthday party for 2 boys' kind of afternoon. Party was good, kids had a blast & the cake was awesome. Took my knitting with me & finished Jo's mitts there to give them to her. She was so happy even if it did almost take me a year to finish them.

Hubs is driving me nuts. We have this whole lack of communication thing going on right now. On both our parts. But he has been assuming what I will think or how I'll act & then go according to that. It ticks me off when he gets me hooked on a tv show & then I find him watching it without me because 'oh you didn't seem interested in it'. Was I watching it with you? Then I'm interested. Some are more interesting than others or I'll read while watching to tire myself out. He takes that as I don't like it. Just so frustrating right now. And of course when I call him on it he gets all pissy with me about not saying anything to begin with about whatever. Vicious cycle.

Pain

2011-10-14T16:38:00.002-04:00

Man I'm loving working out but I keep getting all these aches or shooting pains in parts of my body that normally wouldn't do that. It sucks getting older! LOL The worst offenders are my feet. Haven't twisted my ankle yet but I'm starting to wonder if the shoes I got don't work for me. Which sucks cuz I got a good deal on them & have really only used them for 15 classes. I'd hate to have to go spend more money but if it stops the pain I guess I might have to do that.

Weekend is going to be busy - MSU (Mich. State) vs. U of M (again Mich.) game is tomorrow. The game that divides my house in half with 1 who doesn't care either way. Will be heading over to a friend's house to watch the game & hang out. Should be a blast. Then Sunday I have a birthday party for my BFF's 2 son's. That was fun shopping for them as I have no boys. But hey transformers are universal right? I liked them as a kid so why wouldn't these boys - not to mention they are Lego's too. It's a win-win as far as I'm concerned! ;)

On Ravelry I've joined the Spinning 12 in 2012 group. Planning to spin my bin of Sunshine Yarns roving & extras that are in there next year on my drop spindles. Pretty sure I can do that. It'll be fun either way I think. No knitting projects worked on. Mitts for my BFF just need to cast on the thumb on the 2nd mitt & weave in the ends on both. Should be able to do that tomorrow morning before the game starts.

ForEVAR!

2011-10-13T16:13:00.002-04:00

Yeah it's been that since I last blogged.....anywhere. Lots of knitting has happened since then. New baby in the family (not mine my brother's) - A BOY!!!!!! So there are 5 girls & 1 boy grandchildren wise for my parents. A whole new kind of knitting has been opened to me - boy things. :)

What else... I've moved from working in the clubhouse at Jazzercise to actually working out because I am a class manager now. It's 3 days a week vs. 1 day twice. But I think that would kill me right now if I attempted doubles. Some of the ladies who do I swear are crazy....

We had to put our dog to sleep. :( She got sick one day & couldn't sit or lay down without needing help to get back up. She'd gotten an infection from something internal that was causing her to be sick. Then she got a fever but since we didn't know how long she'd had it most likely she had brain damage. :( So our sweet girl who was anywhere from 11 - 13 easily went peacefully & with the least pain possible. It's rough I still think that I need to let her out or back in sometimes. The cat is besides himself as his play buddy is now gone. But he's surviving & taken to attacking my screen door in attempt to get the falling leaves outside. LOL He's not the brightest cat obviously!

And it's fall here & back to school now for a month. The only issue I have with it is the new company who pays us instead of the school district. We get paid 2 weeks after the end of the pay period. I've never worked anywhere that is like that. It of course screwed up my budget for this past month but I'm learning to deal & playing catch-up where needed. Just frustrating and I know how to plan better for next school year.....when everything will be due before school even starts. ugh

Knits in progress: Bella mitts for my friend Jo - made in FFtC yarn in Bella colorway. Sackboy for Dana's cake - it's freaking huge! Hubby's scarf that is perpetually ongoing. Keep telling him that I'm going to teach him how to knit so he can finish it himself. HAHA

Kids growing like weeds. Hard to believe that I have kids in 7th, 6th & 5th grade this year. Why must they keep growing?!

And..........

2011-02-03T14:24:00.002-05:00

I'm back! While I like WordPress I'm not so much into it for blogging. Seems like I used Blogger more as I am constantly on the Google page for other things. Might as well stick with what I know works right?

I've moved.....

2010-01-25T10:37:00.001-05:00

Because I felt like it I have moved my blog and combined with my weight loss one here. No real reason other than I felt the need for change :)

Crazy.......

2009-10-05T06:54:00.003-04:00

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?

2009-09-01T21:50:00.002-04:00

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......

2009-08-24T13:38:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-08-15T15:04:00.002-04:00

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

2009-08-01T13:45:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-07-29T10:17:00.002-04:00

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.....

2009-07-15T15:26:00.002-04:00

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......

2009-06-30T15:06:00.002-04:00

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......

2009-06-11T19:04:00.002-04:00

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 :)

2009-05-09T15:06:00.002-04:00

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

Just cuz.....

2009-04-24T08:28:00.001-04:00

These things are fun :) And it just shows how much Amy and I belong together HAHAHAHAHA :D

Which Bones Character Are You?

More on Bones. Created by BuddyTV

Random silliness

2009-04-23T17:04:00.002-04:00

So I took the How I Met Your Mom - Which character are you quiz on buddytv.com and these are my results. ;) hehe

Which How I Met Your Mother Character Are You?

More on How I Met Your Mother. Created by BuddyTV

In knitting and such I have one sleeve added to Keira's b-day dress and cast on the other today. Got a pre-birthday package from Amy. :) I got my Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in the mail and the J. Knits that I have been drooling over ever since she bought it last year. I'll post pics tomorrow once I have charged batteries in the camera or more time to take them. :)

Sunshine!

2009-04-18T12:32:00.003-04:00

For today and in my mailbox yesterday! YAY

I took pics just a few minutes ago because the kids have been all over the place this weekend already! J went to a girl scout pool badge event and ended up spending the night at a friends house after a playdate with her. Picked her up this morning and found out it was the first sleepover that had been hosted at the girl's house before - J was very well behaved. So glad to hear it! Miss emo-pants B comes back from her overnight with her troop this afternoon. Let's see how well she did and how clingy she will be when she gets home.

Now to the Sunshine-y goodness!

I ordered some Harry Potter inspired yarns this update (woot!) and one is a different base that is going to Amy in trade for her's in Twist base.

Dobby

Ginny

Hermione

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Merino Sport

Secret Pal finale

2009-04-17T23:16:00.002-04:00

Today I got a surprise, I knew my Sunshine Yarns order would be in the mail today, when my mailman knocked at the door and there was a box it stumped me at first. 1) I'd only ordered 4 skeins and 2) I didn't even bother to look at the label but was wondering why my yarn order was so heavy. Come to find out the lovely Bobbi sent me my final box after having moved. :) It was jam packed full with all sorts of goodies. As you can see below I got some Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Cotton Ball in Passion fruit, "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, EZ's Knitter's Almanac, Fit from Within, yummy Lindt Lamm chocolates, a super cool Interweave knits tote with a Franklin Habit drawing on it, a book mark, 52 rainy day activity cards, some cute tissues, a sheep coin purse or small notions holder, a sheep pez dispenser, a sheep magnet, a sheep mini memo pad & pen, a sheep list notepad, sheep notecards, and a sheep daily memo pad. Thank you Bobbi I love it all!

Yarns! VERRRY picture heavy sry.......

2009-04-11T18:42:00.002-04:00

I had to look at my blog to see what had indeed been posted already. All my new rovings were posted so now it's all just the new yarns from Sunshine Yarns and a few others as well. I bought a crap ton of cotton yarn from Meijer a while back. What it was on sale and I do have a plan for it. The women's fall retreat with my home church I am doing a workshop and teaching knitting dishcloths. All the completed dishclothes go to be sold at the Great Lakes Christian Home.

I bought some Cotton Fleece on ravelry. In Cavern and Charcoal.

Now the Sunshine goodies! I bought the following:
Night walk

Cabernet

Variegated Mini Skeins

Twilight yarns - Forks

Bella

Midnight Sun

Esme Island

And I have started knitting Butterbeer from Sunshine into the Spring Forward socks. Aren't they pretty?

now I am off to my aunt's for Easter. Hope everyone has a happy holiday and a great spring break if not already done!

I'm on a mission.....

2009-03-27T07:50:00.005-04:00

First off the Katy Perry concert is tonight and I need to clean my living room and vacuum a LOT. Mostly because my babysitter is allergic to cats. Can't have her getting super sick while we are gone almost an hour away! So I clean....

Knitting - Keira's b-day dress is on hold at the moment. I am attempting to make a February Lady Sweater in time for my sister-in-law's wedding. I got a cute dress but well it's got small straps and we DO live in Michigan so I want to be warm if it's not that day. :) I also picked up another project that I hope to have done as soon as possible after the FLS - a comfort blanket for this project:

Nautical Yarn info@nauticalyarn.com is the “clearinghouse” for the Ludington Chapter of Project Linus. We typically collect 100-200 blankets each year and deliver them to our local hospital for children who have been ill or injured.

This week we received a request from the Michigan National Guard. Camp Grayling, Engineering Company, Unit 1434 is requesting the help of Blanketeers from the Ludington Chapter of Project Linus. Two-hundred fifty (250) Michigan soldiers are being deployed this spring. These soldiers would like to give Project Linus blankets to their children for safety, security, and remembrance while Mom or Dad is gone for one or more years.

A total of 500 blankets are needed. While we don’t believe we can collect 500 blankets, we would like to assist with blankets for the more vulnerable age group, children between the ages of 4 and 10. Blankets must be delivered to Nautical Yarn by May 1 so they can be delivered to the soldiers prior to their deployment.

Please help with this endeavor to help provide security for the children of our Michigan volunteer soldiers.

Nautical Yarn and several yarn companies, especially Plymouth and Berroco, have generously provided FREE kits to help with this blanket drive. Stop by Nautical Yarn to pick up your free kit (while supplies last).

If you are able to make a blanket for this endeavor to help provide security for the children of our Michigan volunteer soldiers, it would be greatly appreciated

Please email info@nauticalyarn.com

The nice thing about this is that if local - they have kits with yarn for FREE how cool is that. If not local the suggested size is 3 ft x 4 ft in a washable yarn. And then it can be mailed to them as long as it's there by May 1, 2009. So I'm heading out tomorrow and going to pick up some more yarn (I know I know really don't have space for it now but hey I'm knitting it I swear!) for the blanket that I hope to get done in time.

Spinning - I still have roving on my spindles that I need to take off and set, and one to finish spinning that half of the roving before I attempt to ply for the first time. I bought more Sunshine Yarns roving last week. posting pictures below. I bought yarn this week and let me tell you was it hard to NOT buy at least 1 of everything that I loved!

As promised :D

Second Roving of Sangria - a little more orange but I love it!

Peach blossoms roving - yum!

Color Collection - Sangria, Wildflowers, Rainforest, Daffodils, Bitterroot, Spiced & Arctic

And a little something green for ordering on St. Patty's day - a St. Patty's Day mini skein. :)

Now back to cleaning!

More sunshine

2009-03-17T15:36:00.003-04:00

What can I say stalking the site for updates is not good for my health....err I mean not good for my wallet. :D I bought more Sunshine roving today - more Sangria, some Peach Blossom that I missed last time and some Color Collection which is a few diff colors. Sounds super fun! What can I say I like getting things in the mail and since I am lacking in the swap department at the moment I am using retail therapy to remedy that.

Ok back to messing around the house before I get to run out for the evening and spend 'adult time' with some of my favorite ladies at the 'Bou!

Sunshine and Jesus Freaks

2009-03-17T10:11:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a great day. I got my rovings from Sunshine Yarns - woot! Pictures below. :) I bought Alpine and Sangria (got the last one!) and wanted Peach Blossom, Vampire and Watercolors. They were all so pretty it was hard not to get a box of roving like someone I know. >.>

Alpine

Sangria

I got the mail on my way to meet the rest of the worship team for the Winter Jam concert at EMU. A few bands that played were Hawk Nelson, The Afters, Newsong, Brandon Heath, Stephanie Smith, Francesca Battistelli and of course Toby Mac (formerly of DC Talk). The seats were general admission and we had nose bleed seats at the side of the stage. But the concert rocked. Toby Mac closed it out and had everyone on their feet singing along. He even closed it out with an old DC Talk song "Jesus Freak" it was AWESOME.

Knitting front - I have finally started a new project - Purple Summer Dress. I'm making this for Keira's birthday (my niece). It's a pretty simple pattern and I'll probably make more since I bought enough yarn to make at least one more in a different color. :) This is the top of the dress so far.

I did start spinning my roving last week at knit night. I'm about half way through the roving right now and I'd say mostly at fingering to DK weight of what is spun.

Cookies and yarns!

2009-03-09T19:10:00.002-04:00

Well Friday I drove to Lansing to deliver my family's orders of cookies. Man was it windy driving! But I also stopped at Threadbear Fiber Arts because they were having their bi-annual cleaning sale. They had some great deals (flat feet 50% off!) there and yes I bought stuff. I got some Flat Feet sock yarn, a new 1.2 oz. spindle (about 10" long), and some more roving. I love the person who dyes this roving. This is the third roving dyed by them that I have bought from Threadbear. :) I'm wondering if it's a local dyer....I should ask on Ravelry. And I did look at The Yarn Pirate's sale as well but I think I'm saving to buy some of the roving that goes online tomorrow at Sunshine Yarns. Some really pretty ones in the newsletter she went out!

Oh and today I used my 10% off coupon at The Dizzy Sheep to get some Mission Falls 1824 cotton yarn. I loved the little dress pattern they show at the bottom and thought it would be super cute for my nieces! I got enough to make two dresses in the colors Jade and Sky.

Knitting news - I wound my yarn from my SP13 spoiler into balls to get the socks started. I am starting to wonder about the mohair in it and if when I two-strand knit with the two colors if that will make the socks even warmer. These might end up being my around the house socks if that is the case. We keep out heat low in the winter to cut down on the bill so I am always bundled up since I am always cold. Go figure I live in Michigan! lol I haven't cast anything on yet. I am debating starting my roving I posted the other day on my new spindle instead of knitting right now. But with my table being in the car for cookie booths I have no place to prep the roving and keep it right now. Boo. :(

Swaps - waiting on my reveal box for SP13. My pal is in the process of packing up their house to sell it - so I understand the delay. I am also in limbo on my Princess Bride swap for the Odd Ducks group on Ravelry. I just patiently check my mailbox daily in hopes that I'll have either package soon. I signed up for another Odd Ducks swap - the 80s & 90s Nickelodeon shows swap. this should be fun!

COOOOOOOOOKKKIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

2009-03-05T08:27:00.002-05:00

That of course was said in my best cookie monster voice as I typed it. :) It's that time of year when my house starts to fill with girl scout cookie boxes that need to be delivered to family. And right now I only have one kids order in my house, well in my car really but you get my drift. Extra crap in an already small house is not fun. Good thing I am planning a trip tomorrow to deliver the cookies.

This will be the second of three trips to Lansing this week alone. Tuesday was my friend's father's funeral. I may not have seen her in about a year but I felt this was a trip that needed to be made to be there for her and her hubby. Tomorrow to deliver cookies. And then Saturday to run around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to visit everyone. Namely hubby's grandma who was just moved into a nursing home, then his parents because they miss us, and at some point my bff's from high school Em and Josh. But tomorrow will not only be cookie delivery but a trip to Threadbear - they are having a their bi-annual clearance sale that starts today. YAY 50% off Harry Potter sock yarns!

Knitting news - I bought some Sunshine Yarns Twist sock yarn a week ago in Butterbeer and Cornish Pixies - both Harry Potter colors. I also got the Harry Potter mini skein set in Twist. So pretty! I am getting my The Unique Sheep yarn into balls to start the pattern from my secret pal from SP13. I can't wait to see how they colors look knit together. So that is what I am casting on next. And then I am finally gonna finish the scarves on my needles. Really I am. I swear it this time... >.>

How my day really went.....

2009-02-27T18:35:00.001-05:00

Well my schedule wasn't quite how I said it would go. The table wasn't cleaned off until this afternoon. The kids were at the door waiting until the oldest wandered away after I got there. We went to where I signed up for our cookie booth to be - they told me I was wrong - no booths here. So I went to the other movie place they said yup booth is here. We set up my youngest (whose booth it was) goes to the bathroom and has an accident. We head back toward home but stop at the school because it's closer. She had everything BUT underwear. I stole some from the office, the principal knew I did it. ;) We get back to the booth and then things seem to go good for the rest of the time. I get home am told sil is going to be late. I look at my paperwork - I was right on the location that I signed up for. I called the person in charge of the booths - he said yup you should have been there. WE lucked out on being able to even be at the other location because no one was signed up for that time there.

*Bangs head on wall repeatedly*

YIKES

2009-02-27T08:22:00.002-05:00

I swear there aren't enough hours in the day for all the crap I need to get done. Today alone is enough to make me want to pull my hair or have a big dessert (or drink) waiting for me at the end of the day. Here is my schedule so far:
now to 10:30 clean off my folding table to use it tonight, find a place for all the 'things' (read crap) on the table;
10:30 get ready for work;
11:00 leave for work, remember to check mailbox at school for booth change and check for cookies;
1:30 done working head to cookie cupboard to pick-up booth order for tonight; come home and figure out how to fit long folding table, 11 cases of cookies, booth posters, 3 girls and their backpacks into my Jimmy after school today;
3:30 pick girls up slightly early from school to get to booth on-time to set up;
4-6 pm cookie booth and listen to my girls whine about how hungry they are from lack of food (like I won't pack a snack or something >.> makes note now......);
6:15 pack up and head home for oldest and youngest to get picked up and leave for the weekend;
Eat and then crash in bed.

Cookie booth time drives me crazy and this year I got the brilliant idea to pick Friday nights vs. Saturday afternoons. Something to do with a few field trips already being scheduled on the mornings available or something like that. Which means I have to RUSH from the school to the booth spot and get it all set up and hope that the girls remember. Not to mention that I will have my 3 girls at both the Friday booths and only 1 is in the troop and works the first Friday only. ARGH!

The oldest and youngest are being kidnapped by my sister-in-law for the weekend so they can be fitted for flowergirl/jr bridesmaids whatever they heck they are going to be in my sil's wedding. 2 of them are wearing flowergirl dresses and the oldest is having a bridesmaid's dress altered to fit her. I'm not paying for them and sil picked them out so I'm not complaining about it......yet. As long as it all works out I'm ok with it.

Knitting news - nada, zip, zero, zilch, nothing. I got nothing. The dish/wash cloth is sitting next to me forgotten because of all the craziness that is my week, well next few weeks. But I am finishing it as soon as the table is cleared off. That should be on the list...... And somewhere in there I wanted to actually go workout HAHAHAHAHA Yeah I don't see that happening today at all unless I go back out tonight.

Off to do my list of chores... :)

Hehehe good times

2009-02-21T01:03:00.002-05:00

So last night (well really a few hours ago now) some friends and I went out to celebrate one of their birthdays. We went to BD's Mongolian BBQ - if you have one local and haven't been go there before 4 pm (half price then) - awesome food. Mind you I don't drink much but when I do - look out. The last time we were here we had this Mango Madness drink and ordered them again. Well we were sat in HOT Joe's section. Two of us are married and the birthday girl is divorced........but we were ALL drooling over this cutie. I'll freely admit it. However I'm not the one who kept putting her foot in her mouth. :) We were his entertainment for the evening as he put it. LOL were we ever! Being that it was Tara's b-day she got a free dessert and he only brought one spoon and went in search or 2 more. Gen decided to not wait and after a few minutes took Tara's spoon when she wet it down and ate with that. She had tipped the dessert cup up to her mouth and Joe stopped by. He mentions that she is 'drinking that like a champ' and she just about spits it out. Then he says ' what am I going to do with you ladies?' At this time Tara and my drinks are gone but Gen still has some to go. She replies 'anything you want........did I just say that out loud?' We bust out laughing. Needless to say he got a good tip and when Gen payed with a credit card he asked to see ID - noted that she was from Florida and stated he would be moving there in about 6 months. As we wait for the receipt she says somthing silly about mentioning where she lives and if he is ever in the area to stop by her work (starbucks). Then she actually said it to him. We laughed harder at her.

We left and headed over to 5th Avenue in Novi. They had a live band - The Underdog. They were great I think there was only one song I didn't know the words to that they played. They even played "Video killed the Radiostar" by The Buggles - how cool is that (pretty cool I think!). But Tara only knew maybe 2 songs and kept looking at me weird for singing along to all their songs. I kept asking her how she didn't know the music because she is older than me and should have known The Buggles?!?! But we discovered a drink that really is dangerous - the Superman shot. Yummy and tastes like superman ice cream. I was DD and had fun watching them get smashed because let's face it I may be younger but I am a lightweight now. :)

Knitting news - 1 of 2 dish/wash cloths done and will have the other done tomorrow and be stopping at the post office or my local Meijer which ever is open when I venture out. Now it's bed time and strangely I am wide awake. This is not a good sign. Guess I have to go read myself to sleep now....

Bleh

2009-02-19T10:16:00.002-05:00

I decided to start spinning some of my fiber that I am hoarding instead of knitting right now. This in particular is calling to me.....

I have a few projects that I want to get done for swaps but they require me to a) finish other projects to get the needles or b) buy new needles. I decided to procrastinate a little. Just a little. :) But really I plan to attack at least one of the projects later to get the needles and get that swap box out.

As requested I am letting you all know that I posted an entry on the Mom's who rock blog. I went with the classic of Becca and the shopping cart and how the Meijer floor won. Complete with pictures because I have already proven that I am a mean mom who documents everything. Well what I can remember to that is. :)

I suppose I should get some breakfast in me soon. It was an early morning with trying to convince the hubby that not all coffee tastes like "burnt plant" to use his words. He made some yesterday and used what should have been - for me at least - a 16 cup serving of grounds! So to save my coffee maker I made it this morning....well I set the timer last night to make it this morning. But I did get up and add the chocolate syrup and silk to it for him. He is at the starter level where it has to have a TON of sugar to make it good for him. I just laugh because I used to be that way before discovering the flavored coffees.

On a different note my brother called me last night to let me know my Dad is selling his house. Why? Well because he and my step-mom are getting divorced - again. They are a long story to say the least. When I was 14 my mom and dad got divorced. My dad had already been seeing my step-mom and within a month of the divorce being final he was married to my step-mom. My brother and I tried to ask him to wait a while before getting married and we were told no. So then when it came time the summer after senior year to tell them I was pregnant she was moving out and leaving my dad then. She threw a fit about me being pregnant and having just bought me new clothes because duh I was preggo and couldn't fit into my old stuff. They managed to get back together in a year and were remarried shortly after that. Evidently the fighting has gotten worse between them and she just can't live with him anymore. My dad just simply told my brother "see what I have to put up with." We of course were not shocked because we knew what an uber b**ch she is and have had her rants directed at us as well. As much as I have come to like her and get along with her now - I love my dad more and want him to be happy. Hopefuly this time they will work it out - however that ends up being I don't care. I'm worried about the girls and how they are going to take it because she has been their Grandma this whole time but is not a blood relation. I know they will miss her and want to spend time with her - but will she. Gah that is a long paragraph of venting! Ok I'm posting this now - Thanks for listening. :D

Crazy

2009-02-15T20:50:00.003-05:00

Life is simply crazy right now. I haven't cast on a new project, ok wait that is a lie..... I have cast on Bella's Mittens by subliminalrabbit but I don't know how to use the magic loop method and am debating using dpns vs to circular needles to complete them. So cast on and joined but nothing else.

Kids are off on break this week and will have another break around Easter time. So yay no getting up early except to push the hubby out of bed in the morning and then turn the alarm back off!

I came home from church this morning/afternoon and was too wiped out. I basically had lunch and then crashed until about 15 minutes ago. And I still feel tired. Hope I'm not coming down with something. :(

I've been asked to contribute on a new blog: Moms Who Rock. A friend of mine started it and it will ahve stories and articales posted from other moms. So if you check it out - I know I am posting the round brush story on there and another one about shopping carts and where kids should not sit in them. But haven't posted anything yet. :)

Good grief

2009-02-07T14:15:00.002-05:00

The van thing on Thursday was all because it was too cold to start that morning. Hubby started it when he got home and it started right up. hehe So he put this fancy heater thing on it so it would start on friday.

This morning I went and worked out for the first time at Jazzercise. I chose the Lite class cuz well I suck and needed to see how much work it would be. I'm glad I went with Lite because it kicked my butt. In a good way though. :) But the instructor said it takes your body 8 weeks to get used to the adjustment when you start working out....hmmmm 2 months. Well as long as I lose I'm ok with that. :) I'm a little sore right now but it was fun.

Knitting - I am almost done with the second mitt. I have one more repeat to finish and then the end ribbing before moving on to the thumb. Then I plan to tackle the mistake I made on the first thumb. I somehow managed to drop a stitch and then when I picked it up skipped a row and need to fix it. You can't really tell but I know it 's there and if they were just for me I'd say forget it but they are a gift so it's getting fixed! And a super happy thought - our knit group is now meeting every Tuesday night! I'll have to see how that works in the budget and if the hubby will let me out once a week instead of every other! :D

Thanks for the virtual hugs and kicks in the butt - love you guys!

Well crap

2009-02-05T07:09:00.002-05:00

So this week is pretty much the week from hell. Monday we had problems with the van starting - come to find out that a fuse was blown. Tuesday - work was the pits....we broke up 2 fights in the first 20 minutes of recess and had 2 shipped teeth in the same mouth. Wednesday - we learned that I cannot have caffeine within an hour of my kids getting home from school - the drive me batsh*t with the silliest things. Thursday - the van won't start yet again and OH JOY happy 10 years to me today.....just the way I wanted to spend our anniversary - being a taxi driver! And the kids tell me they are out of cereal. How are they out of cereal already? I did by one of the 2 lb. bags and another 1 lb. bag. Well when hubby opened the 2 lb. bag it kinda exploded all over the floor - lost about 1/3 of the bag. Still should ahve had enough to get through the entire week.....well my kids spilled about 2 bowls full of cereal as well. Again still should have had enough - oh yeah the kids pour their own cereal and then DON"T eat it all and of course have had milk in it and throw it out. *SIGH*

And yes I could fix the van with the money out of my check but that is going to fix the bumper of a car that I backed into in a parking lot and made sure to do the right thing and leave a note. Got that call on Monday of this week too - again *SIGH* Well I guess I have to drive the hubby to work this morning adn them drop the kids to school and then try to figure out how I am going to have enough gasoline to get him from work this afternoon as well. This is turning out to be such a happy day!

Bleh!

2009-02-01T18:23:00.002-05:00

Where the heck did January go? Here I am thinking I still have some time but nope not a single bit left. Yikes! I have 2 swap packages to go out this month - preferably in the next 10 days as they should be to their destinations BEFORE the end of the month. I also have my 10 year anniversary coming up this Thursday. GAH has it really been that long! >.< And the middle monster turns 9 this month as well. And numerous other Girl scout events between the 3 yup 3 troops that all the girls are in. It's cookie time again - did I mention I am cookie mom for the youngest daughter's troop? SUPER busy is my life right now. So yeah this blog kinda slipped but hey I did manage to get 5 posts last month! Not that that really is a lot or anything, I'm just saying.......

And I just lost my train of thought because I left to do something else away from my blogger page......RATS! oh and it's dinner time anyways :)

Meme stolen from Amy........

2009-01-19T20:55:00.002-05:00

Cuz they are fun I say! hehe

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (indoor)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Wow I really have done less than Amy.....do I get extra points for having had more than one kid? ;) I think I should. lol

Knitting- I have frogged the Hedgerow socks. The ladders I was getting using dpns sucked so I will use my circs once I have finished to project currently on them. Which would be Porphyria some mitts that I am making for a swap pal. Yes, I am in more than one swap so I won't say which one in case they snoop. :) I also got a bunch of goodies for my swapees today. Hopefully they will both like their gifts.

I got a package!

2009-01-16T20:28:00.003-05:00

My hubby got the mail today and there was a package. I thought oh goody the book we ordered is here - nope it's from my secret pal! Look at the pretty yarn I got! yum sheep with chocolate kisses. :)

The yarn is from The Unique Sheep in Verve Lake Erie and Leili Tow Path - both are used in the included toe up sock pattern. :) And both are yummy! Can't wait to start this and see how long it takes me to get the hang of it. I love how I got Lake Erie since I live in Michigan - what a cowinky-dink. ;)

Thank you pal! I totally LOVE the yarn that you sent and the sock pattern is new and a new technique for me - YAY!

SIGH & SP13 QOW

2009-01-13T08:59:00.002-05:00

Cars are fixed YAY! Oh and I won a $200 visa gift card from the radio the other day - woot that went toward the repairs of course. :) Today is my oldest girl's birthday - she is 10 in about 2 hours. Where did the time go?!?!?!?!?!? Not to mention that she is almost as tall as half our family (my mom and aunts....ok not a big deal there) but if she keeps growing like that she will probably be as tall as me - 5'8" or taller since her dad is.....sigh

SP13 QOW - What is one thing you think you can't do that you really want to do in 2009? Please elaborate!

Well I know I can't crochet. I mean I can make a mean chain but anything further and the patterns confuse me. I have books and have borrowed books from my library and to me it seems that knitting is better explained than crochet is. Crochet is of course younger than knitting so that might explain it. I have even sat with ladies at our knit night and they took my pattern and ran with it but I was lost after the first part.

But what I'd really like to do but haven't would probably be tackling a big project like a sweater. Most likely the February Lady sweater to be exact. And of course I don't want to follow the pattern exactly - I want to do one of the variations off it. Or maybe it was more than one I can't remember which I liked better. It seems like forever since I was on Ravelry looking around.

Knitting news - I worked more on my sock at the Fiber party our knitting group had this past Saturday. There was a total of 3 of us there - the hostess, another lady and myself. We had a blast and were all local to the area so the crap ton of snow that was coming down all day and that night didn't bother us too much. I have started getting things around for a pair of mitts I plan to make. The pattern for Porphyria by Cissy Black is pretty and one that I want to try out with my Buffy the Vampire Slayer tvyarn. :)

Just call me car killer.....

2009-01-08T10:13:00.002-05:00

Well this is pretty much a week from heck and its almost over with. Earlier this week my van started leaking antifreeze worse than before so we stopped driving it. But we hadn't been driving the hubbsters car because of the wheel bearing starting to come loose. With the van leaking we had to use it and a co-worker said it should be fine for short trips. It made it 2.5 days before it got to the point that if I had driven it much more I think the wheel would have come off. At least I wasn't that far from hubbsters work and turned around to leave it there. SO glad he has some mechanical training and is order the part and will fix it today after work. When I parked the wheel was on an angle tilted in toward the engine so you know it was getting bad. UGH!!!!!! only 6 more months and then hopefully his car will be paid off and we can use mine as a trade in on someting newer. But this leaves me bumming a ride from one of the other ladies I work with for today since I am supposed to be working kindergarten for the regular lady and amd the only one today who knows how to out of those of us regulars that will be there. *SIGH* It'll all be better tomorrow when we take the van in for a fix as well and tehn it'll be back to having to working cars for a while longer until the next silly thing breaks.

Knitting news - nada, zip, zero zilch! Nothing is done. I worked on my hedgerow socks over break and got further than I had before I frogged them. But I haven't picked up anything recently for some reason. Not starting anything (prolly a good thing) and not finishing any of my current projects. At this point when I finish the two scarves I have to do it will be spring and they won't need them. LOL Hopefully I'll get to working on them tomorrow and Saturday while waiting on the van to get fixed. Fun fun!

Well gotta dash cuz I need to get ready before my friend gets her to pick me up. Hope everyone is having a better day than I am! :)

I got a package!

2009-01-03T11:23:00.002-05:00

And sorry pal for the delay in posting! Craziness is my life with the holidays and being sick - again. UGH!

About a week ago I got this awesome box in the mail from my secret pal. :)

Inside was even better - even Jack decided he HAD to smell everything!

So In my lovely package was the following: some colorful Catania Color yarn, a bar of goat milk soap - so pretty, some bath confetti (keeping this away from the girls!), Berkshire Mountain Blend coffee - yum can't wait to try this, an Herbal Tea sampler - the white pear was yummy!, a mug, a Christmas tree note holder and the cute dog card wishing me a brightly colored holiday!

Thanks pal!!!

Christmas was good I felt better then and I even surprised my Aunt with the Owl cloths with matching towel. But I had to borrow a needle at her house to get the button on the towel. She came over and saw the towel and said it was good work but didn't see the owl on it to know it was for her. hehe I just kinda started laughing and showed my mom who laughed with me. My aunt laughed later when she opened the gift and saw it. Then I had to print the pattern for her because she'd never seen a washcloth with a design in the middle. And I got her on ravelry too. yay!

My mom got me Fraggle Rock! Ok so she got it for both me AND my brother each. But she had gotten his first and then went out to get mine once I said I wanted it. hehe I got the better boxed set. We told Matt is was because she loved me better. :D I also got soem Nora Robert's novel's from her a shirt from her trip to Alaska AND a giftcard to Threadbear. That I had to wait a week to use since we were coming back then for more parties. I got some undyed roving and some size 2US circulars for a pattern I wanted to make. yay!

Now back to cleaning - UGH!

Snow!

2008-12-19T16:50:00.002-05:00

Secret pal I know in my email I said we never have snow days - guess I didn't jinx it because we have to day off today!

And the snow is STILL coming down outside.......and I am miserable sick with a common cold (yay!) and not the same thing the rest of my family has had. That's not to say that I haven't been productive today. Our oldest has a birthday party to attend tonight and will be sleeping over (woot 1 less kid!) until tomorrow morning. Hubster is driving her there tonight as he took the Jimmy to work - 4wd. But I made a floating necklace and matching bracelet for her friend in her fave color - blue. The friend's not our oldests that is. :) By floating I mean I used clear nylon wire and crimp beads to make sections appear to float on the wire.

I thought I'd share my swap from the knit group dishcloth exchange. This is what I made.

And this is what I took home. It's a pot holder! Two garter stitch dishcloths knit in complementing colors and then crocheted together around the edges. The same color yarns used, the pattern, some candy canes and yummy Nutmeg & ginger body spray. :)

This is the other side of the pot holder.

To top off my exciting day we confirmed that the hubsters parents will indeed be taking the girls from Christmas eve until possibly the weekend of the 3rd. I love that they are retired and willing to take the girls for a week or to in order to spend time with them. Gotta dash almost time to get the oldest to her party!

And then there was one.......

2008-12-17T20:21:00.002-05:00

As of right now I am the only one not sick or recovering. My hubby got sick this morning as I posted earlier. My middle monster has been complaining all week about her tunny hurting. The rule is 'if you haven't thrown up you are going to school'. So I sent her and then she didn't eat any of her lunch. Well for her that is guaranteed to make her throw up and she knows this. When I came in from the end of work my oldest was in the office complaining her stomach hurt. I asked if she thought she could make it to the end of the day after reminding her of the rule. She said yes and was sent back to class. I had some things to finish in the school for the youngest monster girls brownie meeting (secret santa gift to make). When I was done I put it in her locker and then found I had voicemail. It was my middle monster in the office sick. I sat with her for a few minutes and tried to get her to eat her chips from in her lunch as they were the mildest food in there. I finally made the decision to take her home and sent her to her locker. She then of course threw up on her coat and backpack and the hallway floor.

Being the smart mom that I decided to be I went to check on the oldest to see how she was doing. Her tummy still hurt and I asked if she was sure she could make it to the end of the day. She again said yes but when I felt her forehead it was warm. I decided to take her home early as well. Sure enough about 2 hours ago at least they both got sick.

Hubby is starting to feel better and is out at his computer - just in time for me to send him back to our bedroom. I get to sleep in the living room with the youngest as we are not sick. So I am crossing my fingers and knocking on wood that I will not catch it now. Hopefully the girls will be better by Friday. My oldest is supposed to be going to see The Tale of Despereaux with all the 4th grade classes at her school. Then all the classes have their holiday parties at the end of the day. Not to mention my family Christmas with my dad's side on Saturday...........EVERYONE has to be better by Friday!!!!! >.<

Jsut got off the phone and Saturday party has been pushed back a week due to weather and driving conditions for family coming from Chicago area. Ok they still need to be better by Friday for their parties I say. ;)

A Christmas Meme

2008-12-17T09:04:00.003-05:00

I saw this on a blog that I regularly read and thought 'what fun'! *steals it for her blog* >.>
Enjoy. :) Oh and on sick people front in our house B is better but Hubster is now down for the count with the same thing.....and I am dragging from less sleep. :( I will kick some serious butt if I end up sick. I haven't thrown up since roughly 1995 - not even when I was pregnant all 3 times.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Both and sometimes wrapped and in a bag. I'm ebil like that. It depends on what I can get to the easiest in my closet. I have a box of bags from past years that we recycle and boxes as well. Only a few rolls of wrapping paper. So mostly its bags and tissue paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
We have this super tiny (maybe 3 foot) Christmas tree - artificial of course. I got the tree when my step-mom moved in before she married my dad. That Christmas our main tree was a "themed" tree - all purple and teal and NO family ornaments allowed on it. I pitched a fit (being 15 at the time) about wanting to have my ornaments on the tree - even dad's old beer ones from when he worked for a distributing company. I still use it but not as much as my cat attacked it last year. I have this super old tree topper that was my great grandfathers and is of course glass. If broken the cat would be finding a new home so not ricking either.

3. Why are you willing to answer these questions?
It's more fun than dong nothing which is what I'd be doing right now.

4. When do you take the tree down?
The past few years it pretty much as soon as possible. Last year was the day after Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I LOVE eggnog and drink it every chance I can get and yes I KNOW how fattening it is but it's a love thing. :)

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hmmm tough choices probably my cabbage patch doll. I think I got that for Christmas.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
This year it is my cousin Kevin. We do a name exchange on my dad's side and I have no clue what to get him. I have to have it for this weekend of course. Looks like a visa gift card will be what he is getting.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
The girls - I have usually picked up many small items throughout the year for them and like this year misplaced them and can't find them. UGH.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
We do not. But I heard this awesome idea of what to do with one until Christmas day. Typically you see all the people gathered around the manger with or sometimes without baby Jesus there. But since its not Christ mas yet you spread the wise men, the angel, and Mary and Joseph out on the lawn and leave the manger empty. You then move them closer to the manger the closer to Christmas it gets.

10. Do you send your card by mail or e-mail?
Hand deliver at Christmas parties if I do them at all.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Probably the year my mother in law bought me a dress that was 3 times to big. Instead of giving me the gift receipt I had to go with her to the store to "try" to find something I liked, that fit to replace it. Being a bigger girl that was hard. It seems like all the plus size clothing is super frumpy at stores like Kohl's (where my gift was from). I think I ended up with a shirt to replace the dress.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
White Christmas and Holiday Inn

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Whenever I see something at a good price that I know would make a great gift for someone in my family I get it.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes and I plan to this year with some items from a fundraiser that wanted our business at school so they sent a sample kit. :D

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
I have to pick one???? Wedding potatoes and my Aunt's sugar cookies. I have gotten the frosting now but can't seem to match the cookies.

16. Lights on the tree?
Yuppers

17. Favorite Christmas song?
White Christmas or the Trans Siberian Christmas music and can't forget Feliz Navidad ;)

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Travel to our hometown as most family is still there and parties are all there. We make several trips as all parties are not on consecutive days usually.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s?
Pretty sure I can....

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Glass tree topper - old heirloom that I love.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Both because we usually have at least 2 parties on Christmas eve and then at least on on Christmas day. Or at least we open our presents at home that day.....if we are home.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Our town gets B U S Y because we have a big mall that people come to to shop at. Traffic is ridiculous. Or the people who insist on driving 20 - 25 in the snow because their car sucks but they have to be out driving to get somewhere - making you late to where you need to be (last night knit group :( )

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
My Holiday/Celebration Barbie ones. I now have too many to fit them on my tiny tree so they go on display somewhere the cat can't get them. Which means this year they will not be out. :(

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Hmmm Lasagna or stuffed shells - always have some pasta dish at my moms side and her broccoli cheesy casserole thing. Dads side - wedding potatoes. Inlaws was coconut cream pie but she doesn't make it any more.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Yarn, yarn, yarn, spinning wheel, roving and oh did I mention yarn? :D

QOW #2

2008-12-16T17:15:00.002-05:00

Part A:

Are you doing any holiday knitting?

Part B:

Have you finished?

A ~ Yes and no - not anything to give away to family but something for a Holiday swap at my knit group.

B ~ Yes I finished the dishcloth the other night and am now working on another to have for myself because the pattern is really pretty! It's the Doily Style Dishcloth from www.sugarncream.com or off the ball if you get that pattern or even in the 2009 Knitting Pattern-a-day catalog - where I used mine from. :)

Becca seems to be feeling better - no more getting sick today and no fever so she will go back tomorrow. I better get going or I'll miss getting to knit group on time!

Something fun & silly

2008-12-16T10:36:00.001-05:00

Amy posted how she was Emmett from Twilight. I LOL'd a lot when I got my results and then told her we were made for each other. :D

Which Twilight Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

Day 18 or My weekend and then some......

2008-12-15T22:50:00.003-05:00

The hubster tried to be nice and call Sprint on Friday about our phones and get mine fixed for the constant shutting off it does. Well it must not have been my day because whatever they tried to have him to over the phone locked it "in progress" on an upgrade but also put it into emergency mode (no calls but to 911). It was in progress most of the night and when we called again they said go to a service center, which of course the tech rep was already gone for the night.

The next day I dropped off my phone and hung out. The rep who has fixed my phone for me before for the shutting off thing said "you should only see the 'in progress' screen after having me work on your phone". Evidently it could take up to 4 hours to get out of the update screen and to shut my phone off until 5 pm. then check it to see if the update was done. If not shut back off and try again at 7. If not then call the service center. Nope at 5 and nope at 7. Called and then took my phone in to switch out the SIM card was the next suggestion he was given.

He then ended up with my phone over night Saturday. Because if switching out the SIM card didn't work then I was getting a replacement phone - as in DIFFERENT model. Yeah the SIM switch didn't fix it either so finally on Sunday afternoon at 4 I got the call to come get my phone. I was switched to a Nextel Motorola i560. Why a Nextel? Not sure since I no longer have 2way on my plan but maybe has something to do with it being easier to switch the contacts between the Nextel to Nextel vs. Nextel to Sprint. Eventualy (3.5 months!!!!!!!) it will have to switch over to a Sprint phone.

As much as I liked the Nextel and Motorola phones since Nextel and Sprint merged I have had a ton of trouble with my phone. I don't know for sure what I will end up with next but hopefully it will be less problems. And if not thank goodness for the insurance I pay for!

Then this morning we wake up to fine out that our youngest was sick during the night and we kept her home from school. She was mostly fine up until I noticed her fever was back again and when she tried to take her second chewable pill was sick again. Poor kid. She didn't feel like eating much today either and sill me when I ran to the store this morning did I get any ginger ale for her - no but I did get some crackers! And she kept those down most of the day. So another day off school and only 3 left after that before break. >.<

Knitting front ~ I completed a dish/washcloth for a holiday exchange our knit group is doing tomorrow. Now to add some goodies to the package and it will be done. Other than that nothing else has really been worked on. I started a washcloth at the last knit night. I picked up some more cotton yarn over the weekend and some new knitting needles. Some dpns (size 7, 8" and 2, 5") and a circular needle size 4, 32".

Welp I should head to bed now since I will have to get up early to get kids on bus and try to make a store run for ginger ale and remember it this time!

ETA: This is my 100th post woot!

Day 17.5 or Silly me I forgot the funny part......

2008-12-12T06:59:00.003-05:00

So yesterday about the time that the kids would be getting off the bus and coming home there was a knock on my door. I look out the window and see some guy standing at the edge of my driveway, which meant someone was on my porch. Great the first thought was "that crazy Jehovah's witness lady is back again". Nothing against that religion - just that she has the worst timing on the days she comes here. Usually when I need to be getting in the shower to get to work, and ignoring her knocking only makes her open the screen door and knock on the front door. So I went and grabbed a hoodie to put on since I was in my pjs and answered the door. Well it wasn't the Jehovah's witness lady but a Navy recruiting officer. He asked for someone that had lived in this area a while ago and used my address for his info request. I simply stated that I'd lived in this house for 6 years now and that person would have possibly lived her before that (if during that time hubby would have been MAD lol). The poor guy felt like a smuck and then asks "so, you want to join the Navy?" To which I said no, not that I wouldn't serve my country in some form if I was needed to but I don't think that it would be the job or life for me in the long run. Not to mention that I am seriously out of shape for something like that. So he says he'll leave me a card in case I have any friends or family members who might be interested in joining. I told him I couldn't think of any at the time because there are quite a few already serving but thanks. His buddy ribbed him for "having the wrong house" for all we know (depending on how long ago it was) he could have had the right house.... But then they hung out in my drive for a few minutes after asking permission - to finish their ciggarettes before getting back into their car and ended up leaving before the girls got home.

So after that was all over I get online and im the hubby - so you want to join the Navy? hehehe

Day 17 or what the heck is this crap?

2008-12-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

A while back we decided to upgrade our internet connection when a representative came to our door. We could also get money back in a check AND a visa gift card from if we got tv and kept it for the required period. So we went for it. A month later I was notified that our rebate was available - but not the visa card redemption yet. Redeem the check, get the check - still no visa. Cancel the tv service and ask about it - it's put through and we wait. That was the end of October. Still no visa as the estimated ship date was 11/28 I had the hubby call today about it. Guess what - evidently we were to be mind readers on how to redeem it because we NEVER were told we had to call them or anything like that. Oh and since we no longer have the tv service we cannot get the visa card because you had to keep it for a month AFTER setting up the start process in order to get the thing. Well if we had all the details in the first place we would have gotten it back in October. UGH. I still think they should give us an account credit since proper instructions were not given on how to get the visa card. But it won't happen.

Then the hubby called Sprint about our phones. We had Nextel before the merge and they worked great. After the merge they worked ok. After we switched to the hybrids - they sucked a$$ and still do even though we no longer have the direct connect portion of the service. A while back I broke the screen on my phone and took it to the service center to have it fixed - thank god for the $5 insurance. So it was fixed and back to me within about 45 minutes. But after that it would shut off and not turn back on. Shut off after I ended a call (nope didn't hold it down that long), shut off when I hadn't touched it in a few hours. I'd go to use my phone and find it was off and I'd missed calls. Then there is the dropping calls and being in digital roaming in our house - wth? So the person he talked to was super helpful and tried to have him update my phone while he was talking to her on another line. Well......it locked up my phone and now I have to take it to the service center to get it replaced......for the 4th time now. But the bright light was she said we are due for a phone upgrade in April not June like we thought. Get it earlier adn I am happy cuz that is only 4 months away. 4 months left with this stupid phone - YAY!

Other than that I felt like crap this morning and stayed home from work. No knitting as my hands are giving me problems right now. I'd say it was from Guitar Hero III but it's my left hand that is bugging me and I haven't really played at all before it started. I'd say bowling on Saturday but that was my right hand. Sadly I need to knit as I have a washcloth to make by Tuesday for the exchange we are having....maybe if I go slow I can get it done.... We'll see I guess. I frogged my start on the Hedgerow socks and have since restarted but have not made it into the pattern as of yet.

Day 16 or ARRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

2008-12-08T19:29:00.002-05:00

Well I can't really say this day started out going well at all. I got up early to help out a friend who needed someone to watch her son for a 1/2 hour before the middle/high school bus arrived. She had to be to work early and the normal person to do this was having car problems. Ok no big deal he is great when his younger sister is not with him - like today. Got him to the bus stop and the bus was 10 minutes late. No problem my kids all woke up early this morning anyways. But I felt like I got no sleep last night once I got mine to the bus stop I came back with every intention of sleeping until I had to go to work. Yeah didn't happen.

Work went well up to a point. I got there late as I could not find my phone at all. But then the hostess of the cookie exchange was talking about the cookies she had sampled and said one tasted like play-dough. So we asked her which ones and she said they were egg shaped and were like red and green........sound familiar?

Yeah it ended up being my cookies. Let me just say the cookies are not meant to be a super sweet cookie - even with the glaze. Plus I'm not sure mine turned out quite right. But we had a blast ribbing her for the rest of work. She felt super bad about it but I'm not the type to be easily offended on something like this. But how funny is that out of the 25 dozen cookies brought she insults mine to my face the next day. This was probably my bright moment of the day. She later admitted to drinking while trying them so maybe that might have something to do with why she thought they tasted like play-dough - or so she said. :)

Then comes after school and the kid I'd watched in the morning locked himself out of the house by forgetting his key this morning. No problem he hung out until mom got home. Then my oldest was to get here and take a shower so she could go join her Junior Girl Scout troop in serving dinner at the local high school. Well when I told her to go use my blow dryer she got the BRILLIANT idea to raid mom's drawers and find my smallest round brush and try to blow dry her hair with it. Yes I am a mean mom and have pictures of this! And I reserve the right to blackmail her with them later - I have more and better than these ones.

The brush. As you can see she was crying because she got it that tight to her head and it hurt trying to get it untangled. Most of the ends you see are from where she cut the hair.

The hair pile from where she cut her hair trying to get it off the brush BEFORE calling for mom's help.

The cut after the trip to the stylist - missing the WHOLE time she was to be on the Girl Scout field trip tonight.

Will they never learn that scissors are NOT an option for hair problems UNLESS mom says so?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

Day 15 - long one :)

2008-12-05T23:20:00.002-05:00

Tonight I tried an old family recipe for cookies. This past week I have been trying to decipher it as it is what I call a "mom" recipe. When I'd asked my mom for her recipe for her cheesy broccoli casserole, her response was "you take some broccoli, some rice, velveta cheese and cream of mushroom soup and put it together." No amounts specifically just "enough to cover the rice and broccoli" was what I got. When asked for further details she said "its different every time!" LOL

So the cookie recipe while not written by my mom as it is older than her I am sure, it has the mom style of how to make the cookies. I found out later that when I'd asked about the missing temp and bake time the the reason it was missing was because the cookies used to be deep fried. Ok them! But my laugh today was looking over the ingredients and when they go in - 2 of them listed evidently don't get mixed in or so it read. LOL But they look like they turned out good and the first batch of glaze that I sampled since I did it wrong - tasted right. I even got a little festive and added food coloring to the glaze. :) Recipe below the pics if anyone wants to try them out. Oh and a random jack pic cuz he was extra silly today.

Aunt T's cookies

6 eggs
5 C Flour
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Oil
1 t Vanilla
1 t Baking Powder

Glaze - powdered sugar and water

Beat eggs until lemon colored (at least 5 minutes) and add sugar, oil and flour. (And vanilla - mix hte baking powder with the flour). You may not end up using all 5 cups of flour in the mix. But mizture should be slightly sticky. If large eggs, use more flour. Roll out in long roll 3/4 in. thick and 1 1/2 long (individual cookies - mine were smaller as they normally are when I get them from family). Bake until light brown. Glaze with powdered sugar and water mixture.

Bake temp 350 - 375 for 20 - 15 minutes. I was told 20 - 25 but when I put it on 375 15 min. was all was needed to NOT burn the bottom.

Things I learned with this recipe - my new hand mixer can only handle 3 C flour in the mix and then I have to hand mix the last C with a spoon in to the mix. Using an electric hand mixer does not take 5 min. to get the lemon color for the eggs. No matter how much flour you add - you still need to flour your hands when rolling the cookies. My family only uses recipes to know the ingredients not how to make the dish/cookies, etc. Enjoy and if it's still confusing contact me and I'll try to guide you through it. :)

QOW 1 & Day 14

2008-11-30T21:32:00.003-05:00

In keeping with the awesomeness that was SP12, I thought I'd take a minute to throw out a question for everyone to answer in a blog post...

Since we've just had Thanksgiving here in the US, I'm wondering what everyone is most thankful for this year. You don't have to be in the US or even celebrate Thanksgiving to answer. Just share with us! :-)

I am thankful for family and friends who despite how far away from each other we are that we keep in touch online weekly if not daily. I am thankful to have a roof over my head and food in my cupboards and money to spend on my family for Christmas this year. I am thankful for yarn and roving - to be able to have a skill that allows me to make something useful for those I love. I am thankful for a family that loves me no matter how cranky I am (or I love them no matter how cranky they are ;)). For my girls even when they are staying up past their bedtime on a school night..........brb must go rectify this. I am thankful for my cat and dog that they are safe in my house and not outside of worse (dog was from the shelter and cat was a barn cat). I am thankful to have a job even if it is only 10 hrs a week - it helps pay the bills. I could go on but I think I'll stop now.

Well this past weekend was interesting to say the least. Friday I'd planned to get up and head to Target to get a hard drive. Hubby bashed those plans because he wanted to get Guitar Hero III - the one with the 2 guitars for the Wii for $79.99. So I said ok - but you get to go out to get it. :D So since he ended up being on call for work on Friday but should be close to home in case he needed to head in - he went home on Thur night. He got up about 5:30 am and headed to Best Buy and got it and was home soon after. Said there was no one really looking at it there. New toy yay! More on this later.

So instead I took the girls and my mil to see Madagascar II at the movies. We'd had some gift cards for a theater up there for about 3 years now and I finally remembered to bring them with me on a trip! LOL The movie was cute and the girls were HILARIOUS when the music came on. They love the song from the first movie (and the second) "I like to move it". So of course when it started playing they started dancing in their seats. :D After the movie we went to Threadbear in Lansing *squee*. I bought some CoolSpun Cotton in 2 colorways, some roving to spin since I have made my second skein of yarn (woot!), something for my secret pal, some breast cancer awareness needles, and some super cute croc jibbets that are knit related! Pictures below of course. :)

My newest handspun yarn - Spunky Eclectic Rosebud Roving club May 2008. Single ply mostly worsted weight.

My take home from Threadbear. The girls loved the store dogs and were constantly petting them. :D

Saturday was lunch and then shopping - mostly wedding dress shopping for my sil who will finally change her name so there is less confusion - same first names as well as last except mine is hyphenated (now). Finally got home at 9 pm and promptly changed into pjs and sat with the hubby to play Guitar Hero III......until 2 am this morning. UGH I r sleepy but it was fun. Oh and I came home to find out how much clothes my hubby's grandma sent home with him OMG I think the girls have enough clothes now that next year they could almost not repeat an outfit the whole year. I have NO storage space which is what we told her after the last big batch we got. She said she will stop getting stuff but she loves spoiling them and the clothing is cheap to free where she works. Its a caring center with an overabundance of clothing at the moment.

Day 13 & Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T10:01:00.002-05:00

Happy turkey day for those celebrating it today in or out of the US.

I will be gone for most of the weekend as I was asked to stay with my in-laws until Saturday evening. All that to have a big girls lunch with my mil, sil and cousin. Meh. Good news though I'll be getting a new harddrive if I get out early enough on Friday morning. We need more space for tv shows! hehe Also I'll be getting a 17' LCD flat panel computer monitor from the MSU surplus store - score! I'll have DESK space to actually write on! Then the hubbster can have back this big HUGE honking moniter that he forced on my desk (a 21"er).

So yesterday I got to spinning on my roving that I got from Amy. Pictures below are of the make-shift spindle holder to wind the yarn around a chair. I got approximately 54 yards out of the 4 ozs of roving. Mostly thick but thin in some places (once I figured out what the heck I should be doing).

This is the yarn when I put it in to soak and set the twist.

This would be the final product this morning drying next to my computer desk. :) I LOVE this yarn!

And now we are off to visit the families and to be away from the internet *sobs* for the next few days. I messed up my laptop or else I'd take it with me. *sigh* Have a good one!

Hugs~Jen

day 12

2008-11-22T18:45:00.003-05:00

This week my van tried to die on me. Wednesday morning I went to drive the kids to school and had no power steering. I made it all the way to the school since one of the girls had to finish homework so we missed the bus. Driving was fun even though I worked my arms turning. Got there and called the hubby to tell him what was going on. then headed home since I was still in my pjs. :) The last time I had this much trouble steering my van I killed the water pump about a year ago. This time it was the belt tentioner (sp courtesy of hubby so I don't know if right lol) and of course my belt was shot too. So hubby come home and had a look then had me drive him back to work. That way I could get to work too. I priced the parts and total it would be around $85 to fix it.

We got the parts today and hubby fixed it and it works again yay! It's nice to have my van back again for at least now. Hopefully in the next year we can replace mine with a new used vehicle and I'll not have these problems again. YAY!

Knitting - I am trying to make a variation of the Leftover Dishtowel with the Owl dishcloth pattern at the bottom. It's to go with the Owl dishcloths I made for my Aunt. So far it's going pretty good as long as I continue to read correctly when I remake the pattern. :) I also have made a mini sock. It's sooooooo tiny and cute looking! Plus the colors ended up striping on the tiny sock. I figured out that if I went up a size on the needles that maybe it'll fit better on the sock blocker keychain than my first one did. But I messed up on the heel of the newer one and kinda haven't gotten back to it yet. Now to get back to thinking up good themed packages for my pal....... :D

day 11

2008-11-15T13:08:00.004-05:00

There are a few things I miss about not living in Lansing still - family being the biggest of course. But thanks to my Dad I became a big fan of Beaner's - now Biggby Coffee. He visited their East Lansing location a lot after they opened. And he is the one who got me hooked on coffee. So whenever I head home for a visit I pay a visit to the Elmwood location for a coffee. I was excited to find one in Wixom. But since I hardly ever end up out that way it seemed too far to travel for coffee. Then the Grand River/Novi location opened. I am more out this way but again not as often to justify coffee on a weekly basis there. Now I heard the news that in my small town of South Lyon there was one opening in the old Arby's. YAY! Truthfully SL and the GR/Novi one are about the same distance from me. However I am more likely to venture into SL at least twice a week. Seeing as how my LYS is there and my eye doctor and we lunch ladies venture that way for lunch at least once a week.

Maybe I'll finally fill a frequent customer card........ie. the one I've had since like 2003 that I got in Lansing.....maybe. :)

I finished the Spring Forward socks yesterday morning and then wore them to work. I LOVE them. And now have to work on scarves even though I really want to cast on some more socks..... But I must finish the requested items before I do another item for myself. *sigh*

Day 10 or Conferences UGH

2008-11-13T19:34:00.002-05:00

For the most part today's conferences for the girls were good information. I heard that L won't/doesn't lie to her teacher, can multitask and is not getting into as much trouble with her best friend as I would have thought. At least not in class - at lunch that is a whole different story. Grade wise she is great and reading ahead of where the projected level for that grade would normally be. Nothing new for any of my kids there - they all like to read. But we have to work on subtraction and her teacher suggested using flash cards and playing war with them. We will try this soon.

J'c conference came next. This is my UGH of the day. She is doing great and her grades would be higher if she had turned in her homework. I went 'wha........?' Every night we have asked do you have any homework or is it all done. And the answer has been yes. For the last 3 weeks nothing t has bee nturned in. When her teacher asked her why - she claimed to not have enough time to do the work. WHAT?! She has one activity she is in - Girl Scouts and then has some chores to do after school. She told me she lost one of the packets and between chores and running around to get her sisters from after school meetings she didn't have enough time to get the packets done. Ok they are sent home on Tue. and Fri. for the 2 subjects. The only day we go out after school is Wed. and her meetings are Thur. night. I fail to see how she didn't have enough time to complete them. Oh and her losing them - found them all in her room. She has now completed most of them with the exception of what is due next Tue.

Lastly B - great grades, loves her friends and cares about others in her class. But gets easily distracted with making sure they are paying attention or can hear/see etc. that she ends up not paying attention herself. Evidently her writing has come a LONG way since the forced journals in kindergarten. But when asked to read something in front of the class she talks really softly and cannot be heard.

UGH.

On to knitting news - I am almost done with the toe on my spring forward socks. Next project will be a dishcloth for the dishcloth swap our knit night will be hosting. And I have to get to scheming on ideas for my secret pal for this round. Not to mention Christmas gifts if I knit any. I think my brain is going to melt right now so I am heading to bed.

OMG

2008-11-11T22:42:00.002-05:00

So on the way home from knit night tonight and 96.3 WDVD and they are giving away Katy Perry tickets at Clutch Cargo in March.....not even on sale yet....I thought they played it while I was in Meijer. But I got to the light at my street and they started playing her song "Hot N Cold". So I called and was #10 and called back - busy - busy - busy - RINGS. And rings, then he picks up "96.3 you are caller 25" OMG HOLY CRAP I HAVE TICKETS! For March 27 and the hubby wants to go with because he has never been to a concert before. Plus it could be a date night since it is on a Friday and close to his birthday - so score for me! I'm so excited about this and can't believe that I won the tickets!!!!!!

I thought to ask Amy because she will appreciate it more than he will. But I had to ask him first because I live with him and it's only fair. BUT ***AMY*** if he decides it will be too much for him you are totally coming with me!!!

Day 9 ......well really my weekend

2008-11-11T08:21:00.004-05:00

**Disclaimer - my secret pal questionaire is linked on the side of my blog**

This past Thursday I went to MO to visit Amy to be in her wedding. Let me tell you getting there was an adventure and I started to wonder if I would make it at all. The hubby had all of Thursday off to take me to the airport and to get the kids from the bus. We dropped his car at his uncles to get the tires replaced and decided - for some silly reason like I had more gas - to drive mine to Toledo airport. Yeah, my van the 1995 Chevy that I am not even allowed to drive to Lansing in, we drove that. Got just outside Ann Arbor and my van overheated. Of course. That was around 10:30 am. According to everything I read and NWA's site said I needed to be at the airport at about 11:30 for my 1:30 flight. We got back to his uncle's shop to switch cars at 11:45. We were doing fine until about 13 miles outside the Ohio/Michigan border when we ran into construction. There went the 15 minutes we gained in driving smoothly. I had before getting to his uncle's shop called NWA and asked what would happen if I missed my TOL leg of the flight - it would cancel my ticket. UGH! And to rebook me out that day OR Friday would be $1500 for a flight from DTW to Springfield. But she reassured me that since I had already checked-in online and since I was only taking one bag with me - my carry-on - that I should be good to go. Just to have everything ready when I got to security and book it to the gate.

We got to the airport at 1:04 and boarding time was 1:07. Security was just inside the door and I had my book out with boarding pass and ID ready. Put my stuff in the bins after removing my quart size baggie of little bottles. Got through security, packed back up and went up the stairs. To the gate that was right there for me to get right on the plane because they had started to board as I started up the stairs. Talk about good timing. We flew a total of 17 minutes back to DTW for my connection flight to SGF (I know silly but I saved money even with the driving around we did). Got off at one gate and only had to go a few over to make the connection. I grabbed some lunch to eat and then waited. We boarded when it was time and got to the airport a little early but had to wait because NWA must only have one gate at SGF. But Amy was waiting and we took off.

The weekend was great - filled with tons of good jokes - frenched toes - Amy was beautiful in her dress. Mine was a little big, but it's ok. The bridal party dance was hilarious thanks to my fellow bridesmaid. The guys didn't know how to dance so we switched and danced with each other then switched to opposite guys. :) Amy and I serenaded each other during the grease mega-mix on the summer lovin' portion. All in all it was a blast and I can't wait to get back for another visit because now I really miss hanging out with her. I hadn't seen Amy since we graduated back in '98. But we have been online chat buddies since around the time she and her new hubby got together. But chatting online and hanging out together isn't always the same. And I got the bestest gifts ever for being her maid of honor - hehe that confused everyone! But matron of honor sounds so old! I got some clear sketchers that I can show off my knitted socks with, some stitch markers that Amy made for me, some beautiful yellow Tofutsies, COFFEE - some Mocha and Irish Cream from Gevalia, a pretty project bag and lastly while we were out shopping with her mom I got some pretty roving and a spindle. I also got some dpn's, some soak samples and a Kid's can knit book so maybe the monsters will be inspired to actually sit with their knitting longer than a few minutes. Isn't it all pretty!

The flight home was going to be uneventful until we noticed at about 2 that it was delayed. UGH! we got to the airport and were told to get right in because the flight was doing a quick stop before turning around and heading right back out. Well it ended up being on time but then once we taxied toward the runway we had to wait for the weight numbers to come in. And the computer had gone down. It was down a good 20 minutes before we finally got in the air. So I was a little late getting home not to mention that I was wearing flip-flops and came home to snow - dreaded 4 letter word!

SP13 Questionaire

2008-11-10T07:26:00.002-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

So far I have enjoyed knitting with everything that I have used. Even the acrylic (it's easier to teach the kids to use because I don't care if they destroy it! :) ).

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have my straights in an old crayon bank that the kids don't use any more. My circulars are in their cases and I try to keep them together in a bag close to my yarn stash.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I taught myself from Stitch 'n Bitch in January 2008 - so almost a year now. Intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I do and the links are here for amazon.com and here for wishlist.com. But are also on the sidebar under Secret Pal info. :)

5. What's your favorite scent?

I love Bath & Body Works products but every time I get a scent the discontinue it on me! Moon Light Path is my last one there still. Or The Body Shop's White Musk. Light floral scents are good, I like apple smellies as well. :) If you could see my collection of candles from Home & Garden Party - LOVE their pumpkin and apple scents! I have a ton and love how they make my house smell.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I love chocolate. Charleston Chews, Caramello's, Hershey's bars (plain and almonds), Chocolate yogurt covered raisins. I could go on forever. I don't like dark chocolate, but if you send me some it won't go to waste - my hubby loves it. :)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I learned how to make jewelry a few years ago. So I make earrings, bracelets, necklaces, anything I can bead on basically for gifts all the time. I made stitch markers recently as well. I scrapbook, but haven't really in a few years since the kids got into school. I am learning to spin on a spindle. I also do cross stitch when I remember that I have many patterns around the house waiting for me. And I at one point in time decided to try quilting......more to learn how to work my sewing maching than anything. LOL! I'm an equal opportunity crafter so to speak. :)

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Rock, pop, alternative, Christian, country, oldies, 80's - pretty much everything but rap and only some Opera. Kati Perry, Barenaked Ladies, Buckcherry, Billy Joel, Lifehouse, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, Lorrie Morgan, Reba, Peter Cetera just to name a few. Yes my computer and car can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Favorite colors are blue and yellow. But I love all colors - maybe not all together. Puce green would be a color I can't stand.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married with kids (3 girls), I have a cat and a dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I have made scarves for the kids and hubby but not for myself yet. I do wear scarves and mittens because I work outside so they keep me warm. Ponchos - not so much.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks because of portability. But outside of that reason I don't have a favorite thing to knit yet. I'm still learning and trying out as many patterns as I can.

13. What are you knitting right now?

2 scarves, a pair of socks and spinning some wool

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Oh yes please! I think being someone who makes things as gifts makes you appreciate the time spent when someone else makes something for you.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I have a little bit of everything. My only preference would be wood dpn's because they don't let the yarn slide off as easily as the aluminum knitting needles to.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I do not yet.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

My oldest UFO would be the hubby's scarf that I had to frog and start over - roughly about 6 months old now. Oh and the ballband dishcloths that I was to make during the Ravelympics.....but never got to them.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?

Christmas because I get to go home and visit with my family and friends.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Bookmarks - only because I read a ton, yarn, stickers, I'm starting a NKOTB collection of Donnie pins again....or at least trying to. He was my fave way back in elementary school. LOL :D. I like sunflowers......well that might be an understatement there. I am not into the fake flowers so much as the different household items (towels, placemats, potholder, etc.). I have some sunflower fabric as well for quilting. And lastly Piglet - yes from Winnie The Pooh. I have a ton of stuffed animals of him and I just love him. When I get repeats I share them with the girls. :)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I have a few on my Amazon.com wish list and on Ravelry.com that I'd like to get. No subscriptions right now - only because I don't think about getting them not because I don't want them.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Lace knitting but I was told this past weekend that all I needed to know were a few basic things and I'd have it. I've learned those making a baby blanket and socks so it's just a matter of finding the right pattern and having the right yarn to make some lace with. :)

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yes, my foot measurments are 11 wide. More specifically circumference is 11", foot length is 10.5", cuff would need to stretch to 13" and I like my socks 7" tall from the bottom of the heel.

23. When is your birthday?

May 6

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Yes, knitknitmama :)

Day 8

2008-11-02T13:17:00.002-05:00

WTH?!!??!?!?!? This morning M took the girls with him to church. I thought he took them all. I heard a noise on the porch and someone talking so I went to see what was going on. B was still in the house and I asked her if she had been outside. She said no. Well we didn't see what happened until we went to leave for church too. Someone had taken B's pumpkin off our porch and taken it behind our neighbors house and smashed it. WHY at 8 am on a Sunday would you choose the house that the people are awake in to smash tehir pumpkin. WHY would you take the one that was the farthest in on the porch? WHY would you be so rude to smash a 7 year olds creation? What is wrong with people these days?

I at least got a day shot of the pumpkins before it was smashed. But I wanted to put candles in them tonight and get a night shot of them too. :(

Order of pumpkins: J's, L's & B's.

Day 7

2008-11-01T23:09:00.002-04:00

Can I just say UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! first.........there I feel better now.

So Halloween was yesterday and as a school employee, the lunch ladies had to dress in theme as well. This years theme was superheroes. We decided as soon as we heard the theme to be - wait for it - super lunch ladies. A stretch I know but we got creative with it. We wore our "lunch lady" blinged shirts from the talent show last year, made capes out of the super pretty blue trash bags we have and wore black masks. And yes I continued to wear everything but the orange vest to my kids parties that afternoon. Only because the 4th grade teachers were super safeties and needed them for their costumes. :) I'm second from the right.

The girls this year were a ballerina (same as last year but a better costume), a princess and Tinkerbell.....but at the last minute she decided to be a different fairy - on that doesn't fly or something like that from the disney books.

And lastly I went out today to find shoes for Amy's wedding.....that is next week. I know I should have had them before now but I was slacking off. Even with that I managed to find a great pair of shoes in the hour I spent looking at 3 stores. The best part, other than they fit me is that the bottom is a rubber sole - so they are non-slip. Dancing here I come! LOL

But before I got those this morning was drama with B again. All of the girls have their ears pierced and I will put earrings in every now and again to keep the holes open. Well I recently put some earrings in B's ears for that purpose. Evidently she pushed the backs ALL the way up as close as possible on the back of her ear. Then this morning she comes to me and says that she had been feeling on her earring and now the earring is INSIDE her ear. Yup the ball part had managed to work its way into her earlobe. EWWWWWWWW! I took out the other earring because she had crammed the back up that far too. I managed to get the earring back through her ear and out the correct way without damaging her ear worse than she had done. I'll spare you the gorey details but it was pretty gross for a while after I put the bacitracin ointment on it. Needless to say none of the girls are now allowed to put any earrings in (L had helped her put earrings in about a month ago) and B will not be wearing earrings in the next month or so until I find some that won't go through the holes.

Day 6

2008-10-30T14:19:00.002-04:00

Well out of the 101 things this seems to be the one I am working on the most. Outside of knitting and reading that is.....I have cookies in my house again. home made sugar cookies that I am supposed to make frosting for. My sis-in-law comes down every year around Christmas and makes cookies that we take to the cookie exchange for the teachers. This year she came down early because she was having problems with her laptop and needed her big brother to fix it. She decided to either make cookies and we frost them while she waited or carve pumpkins. In true J fashion she brought stuff for both. So now I have about 3 dozen cookies to frost and 3 pumpkins to carve tonight. I'm not complaining about the pumpkins......much......I wasn't going to buy them this year or at least not 1 for all the girls. So that was good that she got them for them. :) But in making the cookies here - she killed my hand-mixer. Mine you it's about 10 years old now since it was a wedding gift. Truthfully it's been dieing for a while now but I hadn't used it since maybe last year this time. But darnit now I have to get kitchen stuff for Christmas instead of yarn! :( Sadly I'll have to buy it before then because I'll need it for the cookie exchanges in December! UGH! It's raining here can you tell?!?!?!?

Well back to the shawl since I need it soon. Hopefully it will go faster once I finally stop messing it up. >.>

Day 5

2008-10-26T18:26:00.002-04:00

Got up this morning to go to church and got the kids in the shower. I was blow drying my youngest daughter's hair and see this section of hair that is shorter than the rest. Evidently Lily had raided my purse and my gum stash. Took some back into their room and gave some to Becca. Becca then proceeded to after chewing it get it stuck in her hair. Lily got the brilliant idea to cut the gum out. I have to plead guilty to this - that is my threat to them if they ever were to get gum stuck in their hair. Gum is a big no-no for them. So needless to say after looking at the section closer.......it was past what I could do cutting her hair. I took her to get it cut and it turned out very cute. It frames her face and is layered a little in the back.

Day 4 Part 2

2008-10-23T16:44:00.002-04:00

I had coffee.......a lot of coffee this morning.....well not a lot but more than I should have had. :D I had a buy 1 get 1 coupon given to me last week for Caribou Coffee - and I have one more because the hubby got on and he doesn't drink it - YAY! So anyways! I went and got to medium (see I was smrt!) carmel high rises and took them with me to the school. Then I got to spend the morning knitting after we totaled up all the classes that would be there. Then worked in the cafeteria and came back to knit some more! I am about 1/4 of the way - maybe more - on the hubby's scarf cuz that's what I had with me. I probably won't get to knit more tomorrow as all the rest of the classes will be finishing then. But we shall see. must make dinner now.....it was demanded of me that I come up with what we are eating. Later!

Day 4

2008-10-23T07:48:00.003-04:00

Drive by post on the way to get the kids to the bus......I'm draggin butt today and yesterday was no better. I slept like crap last night again. I give up and I even tried to go to bed early again but got distracted by making cookies. I'd pulled them out to make earlier in the evening and then had to make them because one of the girls got into a package and ate some. GRRRRRR!

On the knitting front - not much is actually getting done this week......at all other than the kids fundraiser. My life is the school this week. And now to drag a brush through the youngest kids hair and get her socks on and out the door. Later.

Day 3

2008-10-21T20:09:00.002-04:00

I am sleepy - I slept bad last night and was once again at the school all day long. I was leaving at the end of the day and one of the mom's who'd come to help with the first class asked me where my cot was. Yes I truly live at the kids school during lap-a-thon week. In case for some odd reason someone forgets their time or has a kid get sick. That way I am already there to fill in and I'm not the only one. But I am the only one there from the start of the day to about 5 minutes before school gets out. And my lol of the day was as I am getting ready to turn out of the sub where our school is I get a call - from my oldest. "Are you picking us up today?" Um no, if I was then I would have sent in a not to your teachers like I need to when picking up kids and ACTUALLY stayed at the school to get you......duh! If I leave when I have been I can get out before everyone, get home, let the dog out, get the mail and then go get the kids from the bus.

So this afternoon I had to mail some books for PBS - got 2 off my shelf WOOT! And I needed to get food cuz it was grovery time this past weekend but I was lazy and cleaned. I know - weird. But when I was in Sam's club I saw the Knitting 2009 Calendar that has a pattern a day on each page (desk calendar). It was $8.46US.....lowest you can find it on Amazon.com is $9.68. I already looked through mine tonight and saw that there are a ton of great patterns that I can't wait to try. :)

Well it's off to bed for me now. I know I suck because it's only 8:20 pm EDT but I am wiped and I won't be able to function tomorrow if I don't get enough sleep tonight. At least this morning I didn't have to be up there right away but I had to be awake and the hubby woke me early with the alarm. He had to get his parents from the airport since we had dropped them off to safe on parking for them. My bed's calling me...........nite......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Day 2

2008-10-20T07:47:00.003-04:00

Quick drive by posting this morning as I'll be spending all day as a school slave. The first day of many this week. It's lap-a-thon time - our fundraiser. I slacked off on the volunteers this year so I have to fill in a ton of slots myself. I really am thinking this year will be the last year that I chair this position on the PTO. I just dropped too many balls this past month for it. I even forgot to send out the reminder notes this past week. I could send them out today but that doesn't mean that everyone will get them in time for their shifts. I'm still not looking forward to being there all day and then working during lunch. I bought some adult lunchables - basically the same thing but with 2 meats and and AndesTM mint in it - YUM! Ok time to pack my lunch and get the obnoxiously already ready kids out the door.

Grins and giggles

2008-10-19T15:59:00.000-04:00

I have decided to join the 101 things in 1001 days movement. Below is my list of 101 things I want to accomplish. I plan to move this to its own page and link it on the side. Like I need another blog to keep track of - doh! >.<

On a side note - Amy has my bridesmaids dress now. It came in a few days ago even though they told us 11/7 it would be here. LOL Oh and she said it fits her. :) Being the same size comes in handy....I think we are the same size everywhere....I hope we are otherwise it might make me super busty....ok wait is that really a problem? Nah! hehe *evil grin*

Start date: 10/19/08

End date: 07/17/11

Items in italics are in progress.
Items that have been completes will be bolded.

Home
1. Clean out the fridge
2. Clean out and organize the freezer
3. Clean out and organize the containers
4. Organize the kitchen cabinets
5. Clean out and organize the laundry room
6. Clean out and organize the master bath
7. Clean off the kitchen counters and find a home for all the clutter
8. Clean out and organize our bedroom (go through closet)
9. Donate unused clothes
10. Wash, fold and put away laundry as soon as it's done
11. Find a home for all the paperwork I need to save
12. Organize my books
13. Find new homes for all unwanted books via PBS
14. Clean up and organize my computer desk area
15. Clean up and organize my bookmarks
16. Clean the kitty litter every single day (0/1001)
17. Fill the flower bed - something other than Lily's of the Valley

Kids
18. Wash and fold kid's clothing and have them put it away
19. Sort through kids clothes & donate what it too small/won't wear
20. Clean out and organize the kids room
21. Organize kids closet
22. Clean kids bathroom
23. Go through remaining toys and get rid of old/destroyed/too young ones

Food
24. Organize all my recipes, either online or in a binder
25. Organize all my cookbooks and mark favorites for easy access
26. Make weekly menus for a year (0/52)
27. Make grocery lists from the menus and shop by list (0/52)
28. Watch sales fliers to put my food money to best use
29. Try 10 new recipes (0/10)

Money
30. Make a budget
31. Update checkbook weekly by Sunday for 4 months (0/18)
32. Pay off Visas
33. Pay off Art Van
34. Stick with budget for 12 months (0/12)
35. Pay off loans
36. Get other loans out of default
37. Save money each month - even if it's only $20 (0/32)
38. Put at least $30 into HSA a month
39. Only buy coffee from Caribou or Starbucks twice a month (1/64)

Fun/Recreation
40. Fly on a plane (9-6-08)
41. Travel to at least 2 states I've never been to before (0/2)
42. Organize all my photos
43. Upload my favorites to my Flickr account
44. Take at least one roll of 35mm film every other month & get it developed
45. Get & learn Photoshop
46. Wear 5 pieces of favorite jewelry (0/5)
47. Watch the sun rise 10 times (0/10)
48. Cross-stitch 10 things (0/10)
49. Make at least 1 new piece of jewelry every 2 months
50. Make a trip to the cabin for a week's vacation
51. See at least 10 new movies (0/10)
52. See Twilight with the lunch ladies (11-21-08)
53. Watch all of inuyasha
54. Watch all of Gilmore Girls
55. Watch all of Charmed

Health
57. Lose 70 lbs. (0/70)
58. Walk an average of 10 miles/week for a year (0/52)
59. Try Jazzercise class and join once a credit card is paid off
60. Play Wii Fit 2 hrs a day (0/730)
61. Wear a bathing suit and feel good in it!
62. Get 8 hours of sleep at least 5 night a week

Enrichment
63. Journal (blogger) every day for a year (1/365)
64. Read 150 books (1/150)
65. Try 12 new authors (1/12)
66. Read 12 classics (0/12)
67. Read 5 works of nonfiction (0/5)
68. Read the entire Bible in a year
69. Complete the current Bible study with the church
70. Learn HTML
71. Learn CSS

Eco-Friendly
72. Buy more rechargeable batteries
73. Dispose of batteries that don't hold a charge
74. Replace remaining bulbs with CFLs or LEDs
75. Recycle - find a local station to drop things off at
76. Use only natural cleaning products
77. Recycle the kids drink pouches
78. Use Eco-Libris with every new book purchased
79. Eliminate use of plastic bags while shopping
80. Instead of purchasing something immediately, plan to make it or buy second-hand

Family
81. Give 10 "just because" gifts (0/10)
82. Plan a surprise party - Annette's going away party
83. Give handmade gifts at all holidays
84. Go see Nana - not on a holiday
85. Visit family every 3 months
86. Send out Christmas cards to our family & friends for 2 years (0/2)

Knit
87. Finish current knit projects (0/6)
88. Knit a sweater - decide on THE pattern
89. Actually knit sweater after buying yarn
90. Knit a pair of socks for he girls (0/3)
91. Knit a pair of socks for the hubby (0/1)
92. Knit and use only washcloths for household cleaning
93. Buy only 3 skeins of yarn every 3 months
94. Use stash yarn for projects in queue that won't matter if acrylic
95. Organize printed patterns in binder

Misc.
96. Sell unused photo albums on eBay (0/3)
97. Order Terracycle bags
98. Organize my day better by writing schedules
99. Balance family & me time equally with time schedules
100. Try 1 new game that the hubby likes (0/1)
101. Have a date night with the hubby

mornin......

2008-10-17T09:23:00.002-04:00

My brain is on autopilot right now since my coffee is just now finishing brewing........slow morning. Gotta get into a better routine - ugh!

Knitting - i have pictures now of BBBII & Hubby's scarf. Oh and silly Jack sleeping on my monitor this morning. See too easily distracted in the morning to remember coffee......and yes i have one of those fancy ones that you can pre-program to start brewing at a certain time. But that takes thinking the night before and my brain = mush right now. So now the pics!!!

Jack on my monitor......

Hubby's scarf

HCH's bunny blanket buddy

Finished.....

2008-10-15T14:39:00.002-04:00

BBBII (bunny blanket buddy 2) was finished last night at knit night. I love that it is a super quick project and that if I have everything with me can be finished in a half a day tops. Now to just get it to Em and Josh for their son. :) I planned to work on my second socks second sock but I left my row counter at home and since I am on the heel repeats I wasn't going to mess with it unless I knew where I am. Even then I can't remember if I moved it up after finishing the last repeat or not. *sigh* might have to frog to the beginning to make sure......good thing I am only on the 4th maybe 5th repeat.

This of course meant that I HAD to work on hubby's scarf since I brought it with me and short of starting a new set of wash clothes to finish the owl set......it had to be done. I got most of the way back to where I was when I first frogged it. I'll take pics later today so that I can get them on here and ravelry.com. Now I must get back to fundraising calls.....oh joy!

Cast on....

2008-10-12T16:24:00.003-04:00

I cast on the second sock yesterday. YAY! Hopefully I can finish it in the next 2 weeks......I doubt this as I really should be making calls about the fundraising help I need today and tomorrow. Ugh! But hey I can work on it when I am not needed during the lap-a-thon since I'll be there EVERY day that week. *SIGH* Wonder if I can get someone to take it over from me next year......

Truthfully I don't mind doing it but it wears me out within the first 2 months of school. Then in December I organize a cookie exchange for the teachers. We parents provide the cookies and they get to take them home. The big problem is that I don't have a local number so not too many people will actually call me about it. It stinks and here I am procrastinating again on doing this. Ok really now I have to get offline and make these calls. If I stay here any longer then I'll go back to reading the Midnight Sun draft on Stephanie Meyer's website.......man those books are like crack! I literally read all 4 of them in a week. No wonder I am putting things off! >.> Ok seriously now I'm cleaning the litter boxes........

I got a package!

2008-10-01T13:57:00.002-04:00

Thank you secret pal!!!!!

My mailman just knocked on my door - this usually means that there is a package for us that won't fit in the mailbox, etc. Sure enough I open the door to find a Loopy Ewe box inside my door - WOOT!

So of course I tore it open with the camera in hand to snap pics of my goodies. I got some Soak with sock yarn samples - both very pretty colorways. Not to mention nice to pet. :D

A Keychain Sock Blocker. I've been looking and looking at this a couple of time because it looks too cute! Plus being a new sock knitting addict it will help me practice for smaller feet. hehe

And last but not least some absolutely LOVELY Trekking Hand Art yarn in 504 Brazil colorway.

Non-knititng related......

2008-09-27T12:53:00.002-04:00

My oldest is learning her states this year. They are learning them in regions but she has the list of all the states to practice spelling. Her first test was a week ago and she failed it. We didn't realize she'd only been practicing her spelling of ALL the states and not trying to place the names with the ones in the given region. This is how the first test turned out:

See the blue arrow, that's the Maine upper peninsula. LOL! We then found this website to help her and on her next test she aced it. http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf She now knows where all the states are from repeated playing. So we are now having her practice spelling them and working on the site a couple times a week.

QOW #13

2008-09-24T16:19:00.002-04:00

If you were told you could never again buy yarn, would would your last yarn purchase be?
If you were told you could never knit again, what would be the last thing you’d knit??
In a given year, how many times do you buy yarn? And what is your favorite place to buy yarn from? A festival? A shop? Online? Dish your favorite places!!
Lastly, with Fall in full swing in many areas, what is the one thing you look forward to most?

#1 I think my last yarn purchase would be a sheep. That way I could spin my own even after the dreaded no more yarn purchases date. :D

#2 Ummm can I say never ending scarf......... Yeah I didn't think so. ;) I think I'd knit a really super warm sweater that I loved the pattern of.

#3 In this year so far I have bought yarn.....ummm lemme count......at least 15 times so far I'd have to say. Hmmmm tie between buying on Ravelry in trade/sell and my LYS The Knitting Den.
Ravelry because I can get yarns from people who bought a colorway and didn't like it for about the same price they paid or less. The Knitting Den because the ladies there are super helpful and really nice. And they haven't kicked me out yet for having my monsters with me running around the store in and out of rooms they shouldn't be in. :D

#4 Fall wise the colors changing and being able to walk outside and crunch on the leaves. Knitting wise.....probably making some fingerless gloves to keep me warm. Oh and knitting on my porch once it gets too cold for bees.

I've enjoyed this swap and look forward to my reveal package and getting to know my upline spoiler and downline spoilee better. :)

And their off.......

2008-09-19T19:48:00.003-04:00

I posted a few of my barbies on ebay a while back and they sold on the second go round. I needed the space for other stuff and I might post more on there in the future.......but that means venturing into the closet and I don't think I am ready for that right now. :) Anyways, I went to the post office today to mail the boxes and a little something to my brother........ok the box was 5 lbs. worth of blankets. Baby ones to be exact for miss Madelyn to use since my girls are too big for them. But holy crap - it cost me more to send a 1.75 lb. to CA & the same to TX than it did the 5 lbs one to within my own state. WTH is up with that?!?!?!?!

Moving on.....It is the start of fall allergy season for me and my oldest two girls. UGH! What did I do today, went to WalMart and bought the generic Claritin. DUMMY! I was on Claritin before and needed a decongestant for all the drainage down my throat. But I don't have a stuffy nose right now. :D Crap now I'm out $14 on meds that I can't use unless I don't want to sleep at night. :( It is of course a 24 hour pill which means that I can't take what I would at night without risking overdose or something like that. So it's a chicken noodle soup night here at our house. Homemade of course - YUM! It smells great right now.......I wonder if the chicken is cooked enough yet. I make it super easy - see below:

Super Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

4 - 5 Chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 12 oz. bag of Egg Yolk Noodle
Some bouillon cubes for flavoring
1 stock pot
1/2 pot of water

Thaw chicken and cut into cubes. Put pot on stove with water in it. Put bouillon cubes, chicken and about slightly over half the bag into the pot. Turn stove on and let sit until boiling, stir often. Let boil for about 5 minutes and soup should be ready to serve.

See easy. Otherwise I'd probably never make it. LOL Oh and this is pretty much my mom's recipe and yeah it's more details than I would have gotten from her. Her response to recipe requests is "I do a little of this, add a little of that and I get this size but eyeball how much I use each time...." really frustrating sometimes let me tell you! But yummy the noodles are super smooshy!

Girl drama......ugh!

2008-09-17T08:07:00.002-04:00

My oldest being the brat that she can be has taken to not listening to mom lately. They have a friend who lives right across the street. Who is the same age as my youngest but loves playing with my oldest. They like to walk to the bus with her. The mom and I have traded off mornings and I walked the past two mornings with them. So this morning I woke up and my allergies have pretty much swollen my throat shut (ouch and thank god for tea!). I'd told the girls I wasn't walking this morning. Not that I won't get them to the bus, but I'm not walking. Mind you the bus doesn't get here until 8:15 am and it takes about 5 - 8 minutes walking to get to the bus stop, 1 minute driving. So at 7:41 am my oldest goes across the street to see if their friend can walk.......without asking to leave the house. The middle monster soon follows and the youngest is left here almost in tears. They knew I was going to brush her hair (too thick for her to get all the tangles out herself), but still left her. To make matters worse when she got out there she thought she saw her sisters and the friend walk around the corner. I quick caught up with her and walked to to the corner with the plan to call them back and make them wait the 10 minutes extra that they didn't need to leave so early. They weren't around the corner. This meant they had to have gone inside the friends house. So B starts to whine because we can't find them, she's cranky and upset of course. I tell her to knock on the door and see if they are there. She makes me come up to the porch with her and then proceed to knock so lightly that not even their dog hears her. And the dog will bark as soon as she thinks someone is there. I finally tell her if she isn't going to knock loud enough for someone to hear her then she can come back home and sit on our porch until they come out. We knew they were there still because she could see her sister's backpack inside the door.

Long story short, they come out 2 minutes later and she tells them they suck (in not these exact words :) ) because they left without her and didn't ask to go across the street. The friend's mom tells her all she had to do was knock or just come right in - which of course sets B crying. She has become SUPER emotional in the past year and the littlest thing will set her off. I don't get it but I have to live with it. To make it even better the oldest has a planner that must be signed daily, so does the middle kid. Well middle kid had dad sign last night and it's in her backpack. Oldest gave it to me and it was still sitting on the table where she put it. So I signed it and called her over to get it. She was almost ungrounded too. Man it sucks to not listen to mom. :) But she is to the point that she just keeps taking off and going somewhere and not letting us know. The biggest one was riding her bike with a friend to about 5 blocks away from where we live. So she goes and does something silly like this and gets another 2 days added to her grounding. She keeps this up and she will be grounded for the whole month all because she decides to not ask a simple question. Silliness I tell you!

On the knitting front.....

Spring Forward

I started a pair of socks in the Spring Forward pattern from knitty last night at knit night. It took me most of the night to remember what the heck I was doing. Good thing I brought my books! :D I decided to use my new Tofutsie yarn - so pretty. And to appease the hubby I started his scarf when I got home. I'd have taken it with my but I was in a super rush to get out the door last night that I didn't look well enough for it. My BFF Amy sent me this shoe link yesterday after asking all super sneaky like - "have you ever tried on sketchers? i want to know what size shoe you wear >.> an 11? i know you have monster feet :D" I asked her what she was looking at before she sent the link and she said "presents for you :o". hehe! I made a mad dash to the mall once the hubby got home to try on something similar in style - with my socks to see if they would fit and they do! :D

Question?

2008-09-16T14:15:00.002-04:00

Has anyone ever gotten to the point in knitting that you have so many projects you'd like to start and have yarn for but don't know which one to do next? Or have yarn but aren't sure which pattern to use it with? That would be me right now. I have one scarf on the needles right now but I'm thinking of frogging it and possibly doing a different stitch as the moss/seed stitch for the scarf is driving me batty. So much so that I really don't want to pick it back up. Sad but I need to get it done soon before it gets too cold. Plus the hubby is insisting that I start his scarf next. Because he claims he will support the knitting habit as long as he gets something out of it. The downside - he's color blind so if I say "isn't this an awesome shade of green?" He says "green I thought it was red...." etc. Very frustrating. So the kids have to oh and ah with me over colors. :D

My dilemma now - do I start his scarf, finish Lily's, or start the next pair of socks? And if so on the socks - which yarn and pattern? Choices choices!

Well it's off to the post office for me now as I need to ship out ebay sales and a little somthing for my secret pal. Hope s/he enjoys it. :)

Then there were two......

2008-09-13T20:49:00.002-04:00

I have now completed my first pair of socks! Just need to weave in ends and fix a gap in the heel pickup area. And now I am laughing really hard at my big dog* trying to crawl under the kitchen chair to get something that one of the kids must have dropped. She is literally on her belly under the chair with the back legs digging in to get further under it. Yup looked like bread or something. However when I moved the chair to help the dog I found the cat hiding back there while eating the said food. No wonder the dog was trying to get back there! She of course can't share with the cat.....it's not allowed! LOL

*Big dog = German Shepard mix with we thing greyhound or something along those lines.

Music Meme

2008-09-10T20:10:00.002-04:00

As seen on Meg's blog the music meme. Here's the rules:

A.) Go to musicoutfitters.com

B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year

C.) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline or italicize your favorite. Do nothing to the ones you don’t remember (or don’t care about)

D.) Optional, but I highly recommend checking out some videos on YouTube while you're at it.

Mind you there are more that I dislike but I didn't want to spend all night striking through all of them. Kinds bummed that there aren't more alternative music on here, but such is life. Now back to bed for me as I feel yucky!

1. Too Close, Next
2. The Boy Is Mine, Brandy and Monica
3. You're Still The One, Shania Twain
4. Truly Madly Deeply, Savage Garden
5. How Do I Live, LeAnn Rimes
6. Together Again, Janet
7. All My Life, K-Ci and JoJo
8. Candle In The Wind 1997, Elton John
9. Nice and Slow, Usher
10. I Don't Want To Wait, Paula Cole
11. How's It Going To Be, Third Eye Blind
12. No, No, No, Destiny's Child
13. ~~My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion~~
14. Gettin' Jiggy Wit, Will Smith
15. You Make Me Wanna..., Usher
16. My Way, Usher
17. My All, Mariah Carey
18. The First Night, Monica
19. Been Around The World, Puff Daddy and The Family
20. Adia, Sarah McLachlan
21. Crush, Jennifer Paige
22. ~~Everybody (Backstreet's Back), Backstreet Boys~~
23. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing, Aerosmith
24. Body Bumpin Yippie-Yi-Yo, Public Announcement
25. This Kiss, Faith Hill
26. I Don't Ever Want To See You Again, Uncle Sam
27. Let's Ride, Montell Jordan
28. Sex And Candy, Marcy Playground
29. Show Me Love, Robyn
30. A Song For Mama, Boyz II Men
31. What You Want, Mase
32. Frozen, Madonna
33. Gone Till November, Wyclef Jean
34. My Body, Lsg
35. Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
36. Deja Vu (Uptown Baby), Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
37. I Want You Back, 'N Sync
38. When The Lights Go Out, Five
39. They Don't Know, Jon B.
40. Make Em' Say Uhh!, Master P
41. Make It Hot, Nicole Featuring Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and Mocha
42. Never Eve, All Saints
43. I Get Lonely, Janet
44. Feel So Good, Mase
45. Say It, Voices Of Theory
46. Kiss The Rain, Billie Myers
47. Come With Me, Puff Daddy
48. Romeo And Juliet, Sylk-E Fyne
49. It's All About Me, Mya and Sisqo
50. I Will Come To You, Hanson
51. One Week, Barenaked Ladies
52. Swing My Way, K.P. and Envyi
53. The Arms Of The One Who Loves You, Xscape
54. My Love Is The Shhh!, Somethin' For The People
55. Daydreamin', Tatyana Ali
56. We're Not Making Love No More, Dru Hill
57. Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind
58. I Do, Lisa Loeb
59. Lookin' At Me, Mase
60. Looking Through Your Eyes, LeAnn Rimes
61. Lately, Divine
62. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Backstreet Boys
63. I Still Love You, Next
64. Time After Time, Inoj
65. Are You Jimmy Ray?, Jimmy Ray
66. Cruel Summer, Ace Of Base
67. I Got The Hook Up!, Master P
68. Victory, Puff Daddy and The Family
69. Too Much, Spice Girls
70. Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are), Pras Feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mya
71. How Deep Is Your Love, Dru Hill Featuring Redman
72. Friend Of Mine, Kelly Price
73. Turn It Up [Remix]/Fire It Up, Busta Rhymes
74. I'll Be, Edwin McCain
75. Ray Of Light, Madonna
76. All For You, Sister Hazel
77. Touch It, Monifah
78. Money, Power and Respect, Lox
79. Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve
80. Dangerous, Busta Rhymes
81. Spice Up Your Life, Spice Girls
82. Because Of You, 98 Degrees
83. The Mummers' Dance, Loreena McKennitt
84. All Cried Out, Allure Featuring 112
85. Still Not A Player, Big Punisher Featuring Joe
86. The One I Gave My Heart To, Aaliyah
87. Foolish Games/You Were Meant For Me, Jewel
88. Love You Down, Inoj
89. Do For Love, 2Pac
90. Raise The Roof, Luke
91. Heaven, Nu Flavor
92. The Party Continues, Jd
93. Sock It 2 Me, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott Featuring Da Brat
94. Butta Love, Next
95. A Rose Is Still A Rose, Aretha Franklin
96. 4 Seasons Of Loneliness, Boyz II Men
97. Father, LL Cool J
98. Thinkin' Bout It, Gerald Levert
99. Nobody's Supposed To Be Here, Deborah Cox
100. Westside, TQ

It's a heel!

2008-09-07T21:38:00.002-04:00

Sock number two is on the foot portion now. Well sorta I gotta go back and fix the pickup on one side but then I should be onto the heel.

But my brain was being sucked into a webcomic suggested by Laurell K. Hamilton in her blog - "The Devil's Panties". It runs with the subtitle "It's not satanic porn - Honest!" hehe Her site has her comic as well as her other drawings featured. I should also mention that LKH mentioned her in blog due to the fact that Jennie Breeden (TDP lady) was doing kilt blowing with a leaf blower at DragonCon. :D And there is or was this past year a calendar of said action. I love this lady! :D http://www.thedevilspanties.com/index.html

As promised......

2008-08-31T19:55:00.000-04:00

Here are the pics of my DRT box that I got the other day. :)

Yes, that is a Scrubbing Bubble from SC Johnson. The lady who tagged me works there so she had to send it to me. hehe :D

I got a bag with some Reese's Whips & 3 Musketeer bites in it - yum! The Scrubbing Bubble of course, some pretty blue, yellow & blue yarn for my dish rag to make and a yellow and blue dish rag that was made for me. My fave colors!!!

Dish Rag Tag

2008-08-30T21:58:00.002-04:00

So I got my box today. At 2pm and got the dish rag done by 5:15 pm. Unfortunately the post office was closed at that time. I can get postage on the box tomorrow if I make a run to Meijer.....but the box won't leave the post office until Tuesday. Darn holiday weekend! I'll post pics of my box and dish cloth tomorrow. It's bed time now.

QOW # 12

2008-08-27T20:07:00.003-04:00

I'm sure most of us have a proudest moment when it comes to knitting. A project or technique that you've tackled and completed beautifully. What is your proudest knitting moment??

And on the flip side? What is the one thing that you can't get right? What is that one project that you've never been able to complete? Or that you did complete but then hid away instantly because it was too embarrassing?

Proudest knitting projects - well hell the fact that I can now knit makes me proud seeing as how I taught myself from a book and the net. :D But seriously ;) my new sock.

The flip side - teaching myself to knit was very frustrating and took roughly 3 attempts to actually get it to take and for me to learn right. It was one of those things where I'd knit it, then frog, then knit, then frog, then knit, etc.

Can you say dense?

2008-08-25T14:28:00.002-04:00

That would be me for not properly reading the Jaywalker pattern the first time......

I have finally figured out the foot portion of the stinking thing and can now attempt to finish my first sock. It figures that AFTER I pm'd Grumperina on Ravelry that I would figure it out myself. And now that I have that figured out and have knit 2 rounds I am back to cleaning. Why? Well cuz I miss sitting on my couch and having room to move at my computer desk. It only took about a week for this to drive me crazy - we have progress! ;) If you've seen my room you know what I am talking about.

I am however multitasking while I clean. I am finishing up my BFF Amy's birthday gift so that I can mail the box before the end of this week. :D Yes I am slow. :P And while I am doing that I am also thinking of what little things I plan to send to my SP next...... Back to cleaning now!

QOW # 11

2008-08-22T10:19:00.001-04:00

This week's question of the week is: "What's the best thing you've ever received in the mail?"

Good question, since I have gotten a lot of packages and things from family who live out of state for birthdays and Christmas gifts in the past this will take some thinking on before answering.

Off the top of my sleepy head I 'd have to say the quilt my Aunt made for me as a graduation gift. She bought all kinds of sunflower fabric and put it together with a big sunflower in the middle. Even though it was a bit bigger than a twin/single size I still use it on my queen sizes bed. :)

There was also this past Christmas when I had sent out an email prayer request because of some medical problems I'd been having. My mom forwarded it to the family members that I missed. Next thing I know there is a check in my mail to help pay the medical bills that we were wondering how we were going to add to our budget. It wasn't the only check but the only one I got in the mail.

And of course there are the lovely packages I get from my SP. :D

Off to grocery shop now. :)

Socks

2008-08-19T22:26:00.000-04:00

I have pictures....really I do but my batteries in my camera are dead right now.....I know I need to charge them but it requires being able to find the charger. But more on the sock later...... Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning - ugh. So the kids came back and brought a new bike for the youngest girl and a desk. Because one of the girls voiced that they could use it. Even after I told my mom-in-law that we'd need to rearrange before taking the desk - they brought it with the kids. Grrrr Which meant we had to rearrange the oldest girl's room to fit it in there and then try to get all her stuff back in the room. Well we got the room sorted and are now trying to get everything back in it's place. My living room pile has grown to not include just my stuff any more but some of hers too now.

I realized today that the sock wasn't working out right which meant I needed to tink it back to the last known section that was correct and then try again from there. That is what I spent all of knit night doing. But I have roughly 6 or 7 rounds left to tink and it should be ready to knit again. I thought I was to follow the heel gusset pattern for the foot. But I think I was only to follow the established pattern and then slip a stitch every other round like before but NOT k2together/ssk on the other rounds like for the heel. And somehow that will get me to 84 stitches at the toe shaping. The wording on the pattern is funny and I've looked at the toe-up version to see if I could figure it out from there - nope not much difference.

But the biggest bestest thing I hear tonight was that I should not have to clean the wool I got last knit night! YAY!!!!! S said I should be able to card right from the bag and that it would have had to have been washed when it was first cut. Otherwise it would have been smelly and growing mold by now. Next project is carding, dyeing the wool and spinning it. I think I want to dye it first and then spin it that way I can choose what order the colors can be in. But maybe it will be easier to spin then dye it. S showed me some she had spun from the Suffolk she had - sooooooo pretty! But I must finish the sock(s) first then work on the other wash clothes before moving onto spinning. :D

Well bedtime now for me. :) PS to my upline SP hope your summer is going great and all with getting ready for school to start again! I can't wait for my kids to go back.....and not just because I get to work again either. ;)

UGH!!!!!!

2008-08-17T17:02:00.002-04:00

I HATE cleaning....this really sucks right now. The living room is looking nice mostly because all my extra crap has not made it out of the oldest daughter' room yet. But the kids are due back either Monday or Tuesday from being away for a week and a half. Now if the younger two had their room clean I'd just let them all camp out on the floor in their room until I got everything out of her room. But they get their cleaning skills from their mom. In other words they are pack-rats just like me and procrastinate on cleaning anything and everything. I mean it only took me almost 48 hours of looking to find the title for our house. Which of course was needed to refinance our mortgage so I had to find it ASAP. Of course I found it in the last possible box it could be in. If we still had everything in the old computer room - I'd have possibly found it in half that time......probably. :) And I suppose if I filed everything like I should I might have found t faster - but where is the fun in that. So needless to say I need to empty my closet of things that I no longer need/use on a weekly basis or have never used ever. I did get rid of a bunch of things in cleaning to get to the closet. But trust me there is much more that really should go. Some has sentimental value, some none other than I thought they could be used for something at some point in time. Like those canvases I have from back when I wanted to paint and the oil paint that I am sure is gone bad by now.

So why have I waited until the last minute to clean you might be thinking (other than procrastination :) )? Because my hubby has been off this whole past week from work and wanted me to spend time with him. But after the movies the other day he has spent his time on the computer playing Eve.com and I have been working on my knitting projects as much as I could get away with. I have on occasion had to play Rise of Nations with him to stop the whining. ;)

So on to knitting right?!?!? I almost have a sock done for the Ravelympics 2008. This is only one of the 3 events I entered myself into. The other projects should go fast once I get this sock done and I might even finish the other one before the Ravelympics are over. Maybe.... :D

Well I suppose I should get back to cleaning so I can clear off the kids and my beds tonight. The oldest daughter's because I need to get it done before she gets here and leave myself less hassle during the week. Mine because I want to sleep on it tonight. Which in essence really involves a lot of clothes folding and finding room for them in my dresser or on hangers. Wish me luck!

QOW # 10

2008-08-13T10:16:00.002-04:00

Here's an odd sort of question...What Olympic event would best describe you knitting/knitting style?

I'd have to say any type of team sport like basketball, hockey, etc. Something where you are constantly competing to be in the lead. I knit, get distracted, realize I've made a mistake, tink or in worst cases frog it and start over from that point. It's a struggle to get ahead sometimes. A good example is my Jaywalker socks.......my first socks. I got the cuff down no problem finally and then started the pattern once I had 1" of cuff done. I get as far as I would like of the pattern for my socks and try to start the heel flap only to realize that I somehow have 2 stitches extra. Not a lot mind you but I should have an even number for the heel and the instep stitches - both of the extra two were on the heel side. So a frogging I went.

Does anyone reading this have any tips on cleaning wool to card it? I joined the Fiber Prep group on ravelry to see what they said but have not gotten a definite response. The wool is Suffolk from 9/03, doesn't feel greasy to me but has lots of little objects in the wool still. I don't think it needs much cleaning but I don't know if I can go straight to carding it or if I should wash it first to get it clean. Whatever I end up doing I will have to trap my cat in a different room because he keeps trying to play with the bag. lol

Well this is day 5.5 of being kidless. Hubby happens to have the week off because work was slow and he had oodles of vacation hours just sitting there waiting to be used. So we have been out to eat 3 times now and Monday we went to Home Depot after dinner at Burger King to get my spindle makings. I got a 3 foot long Oak dowel and the eye hooks. But it took us asking 3 people to finally find the rubber grommets that my Spin It book suggested. The first 2 guys told us they didn't think they carried them but to try looking here. Each time a different place. Finally the third knew what he was talking about. Yesterday we went to the movies and saw a double feature of Brendan Fraser - yum! First we saw Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D - which was super cool. Mike enjoyed it and it was neat because it was the first time he had been able to watch a movie in 3D - he's color blind but this wasn't the typical 3D movie with the red/blue glasses. They blurred it on the film somehow and the glasses brought it into focus to project off the screen. It took a while to get used to but wow! Then we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner because we were hungry and chose to go to the 5 PM movie. We saw The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Awesome movie and so glad we went and saw both. Both of which were during their matinee hours so it saved us major money that way. We have one of the super expensive movie theaters in our area - and only one of them. I miss being in Lansing and having 3 theaters to choose from. Then we came home and that was when I realized I'd screwed up the sock.

Down for maintance.......

2008-08-09T15:13:00.002-04:00

We were informed last week that our cable provider will no longer be servicing our area. Ummm ok doesn't bother me - we don't have cable/dish, etc. But AT&T is coming in to provide cable.....and cable internet. SCORE!!!! So we are switching from DSL to Cable modem as of Sunday. Yup, Sunday - go figure. But I can get rid of the land line now. The land line we only use for other kids to call parents from. The land line that we ONLY have for the DSL. however the downside is that I have to remove EVERYTHING from my little corner in the living room. Why? Well because the cables come up through the floor behind all my crap. And the installers aren't allowed to move anything so I have to. :p It's a good thing the girls are gone until the 18th (happy dance) so I can use the oldest's room as storage until the install is done.....or until I get motivated to move it all back to my corner. :)

"Hi my name is Jen. I am a pack rat and major procrastinator. I hope to someday de-clutter my life."
"Hi Jen." lol

So tomorrow I will be unable to respond to email, blog(s) & comments. Or at least until the new modem is installed. But I have my knitting to keep me occupied at least. I cast on the Jaywalker sock's last night. Frogged it this morning and started again. I now have about 1/2" of the ribbing done. I'm still getting used to the dpns but it seems to be going ok so far. I look that the other yarn I bought in case I don't have enough in the Scout's Swag for the Jaywalker's, and keep thinking it will look pretty in one of the other sock patterns I have waiting for yarn. We shall see what happens......

Back to cleaning the slave-master hubby says....... :P

Gotta love my LYS!

2008-08-06T11:46:00.005-04:00

So on Friday I am starting some socks for the first time during the olympics. How do I plan to do this with the kids at home and not lose patience...... It's simple their aunt is kidnapping them that afternoon so they will be gone all weekend!!!!!! *does a happy dance* There is also a possibility that they will be staying through the following weekend with my in-laws, but that hasn't quite been confirmed yet so we don't know for sure. Either way a free weekend sounds great to me. Did I mention that there are 26 days left until school starts?!?!?!?!? Not that I have it marked on my calander or anything....... >.> LOL

Back to the socks, I looked at the pattern and realized that I was 35 yards short on the yarn I had compaired to the one used in in the pattern. DOH! Being that I have big feet for a woman and that these are my first socks - I thought it was a good idea to have the amount of yarn stated in the pattern. Just in case. So that lead me to try and find a matching color to my Scout's Swag....... Harder than it looks. However my LYS came through for me and I have a beautiful green to use on the toes and heels. It's even machine washable too - yay! I'll just have to air dry them. Plus I bought my DPN's that I will need for the socks. Now to practice with them.......and hope I don't break one! >.<

QOW # 9

2008-08-06T11:46:00.002-04:00

This week. our question is about your knitting... In many communities, "the fair" is a great place to visit and spend time with your family. It's also where many have entered one product or another (jams, cakes, even knitting)...

Have you ever entered your knitting (or anything else) in the fair? Would you ever consider it?

Personally I have not because I am just a beginner. But my grandma has entered and won first place for her crocheted tablecloth. I might consider it once I am more confident in my efforts and know more about what the heck I am doing design wise. :D

Well off to the library to return and most likely check out more knitting books!

Knit Night

2008-08-05T22:23:00.002-04:00

Tonight I think my subconscious was getting the best of me. I have joined Ravelympics and have two events I am entered in with 3 projects total. However one of them is crochet. I do not know how to crochet. I do however have Stitch 'N Bitch: The Happy Hooker and my Knit Night friends to help me. One of the ladies tonight picked up my pattern and started it for me. Hehehe However since I had no clue what she was doing I had to pull it out and try to figure out what my pattern was saying according to SNB:THH. I have some of it but not all of it figured out. I think that I need to practice from the book before I start to work on the pattern.

But our leader tonight was the b-day girl as well. Who as I was heading in brought in a trash bag full of wool - for whoever to take home. And D brought in her spindles because she was spinning but also to show me different ones for when I look for one. So D was showing me all kinds of tricks for spinning and then she and S both tell me to take the bag of wool home. Once I card it - using a dog brush will work according to D - then I can kool-aid dye. Can you say even more incentive to buy/make a spindle?!?!? :D So I am looking at which method will be the cheapest of the two (buy or make) and then I'll do whichever hopefully in the next few weeks. The hubby said he would even drill the dowel for me to put the hook in it. Isn't he sweet!

Well it's bedtime for me the coffee is wearing off and I am tired from not sleeping well due to a bad sunburn I got on Sunday.

Favorite things

2008-08-02T12:40:00.002-04:00

Stolen from another blog because I thought it looked fun. :)

Sport: bowling - yes it is a sport
Game: I think it's called Michigan rummy for cards, World or Warcraft for computer
Color: all blues and most greens
Movie: Grease & Sweet Home Alabama
Broadway play I have seen: None
Broadway Musical I have seen: Phantom of the Opera - the movie only
Song: "What I Didn't Say" Saving Jane
American city I have visited: Indianopolis, IN, Chicago, IL, Lake Linden, MI, Cincinnati, OH, Toledo, OH, St. Louis, MO, and too many more to list in Michigan
Foreign city I have visited: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Book: Suspense, Romance, Mystery, Fiction & Sci-Fi
Children's Book: Anne of Green Gables
Classic television show: Facts of Life
Recent television show: Bones, Numb3rs
Actor: David Boreanaz & John Ritter
Actress: Michaela Conlin
Perfume: my fave Bath & Bodyworks scent - White Cherry Blossom
Food: spaghetti & meatballs in meat sauce
Dessert: milk chocolate candy - yum!
Chain Restaurant: Olga's
Local Restaurant: Don's Traverse City
Car: 1957 Chevy Bel-Air in Teal with cream trim - LOVE the fins!
Condiment: dill relish
Kitchen Appliance: coffee machine
Home Appliance: my computer or laptop
Beauty Product: White Cherry Blossom shower gel by Bath & Body Works
Piece of clothing: blue jeans
HGTV Show: don't watch it - requires having cable
Food Network show: ditto above
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb
Male Songwriter: Jeremy Dundas
Female Songwriter: Charity Daw
Holiday: Christmas
Ballet I have seen: The Nutcracker - only on tv
Disney character: Piglet
Flower: sunflower or anything yellow
Alcoholic drink: almost anything with Kahulua
Non-Alcoholic drink: carmel marvel from Biggby's
Magazine: Self
Animated movie: Robin Hood
Television network miniseries: Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
Season: Fall
Male vocalist: Tyson Ritter
Female vocalist: Poe
Day of the week: Friday
Household Chore: laundry
Ice Cream: Coffee or cinnamon
Candy: stick candy
Artist: Van Gogh

It's a weekend....Warning picture heavy

2008-07-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

Well Saturday we spent the day visiting with family and meeting my new niece. Madelyn says "hi".

Her blanket is done I worked on it all while we drove and a little while we were visiting to get it done.

Even my mom's cat Gizmo liked the blanket - Mike had to pick him up hissing and all so I could get the top picture. And yes that is Gizmo's head in the left of the top picture. LOL

Then I super quick like made the bunny blanket buddy for my other niece, Madelyn's sister Keira, just so she wasn't left out. :) The animal cookie monster (Keira) at Ukai for dinner on Saturday. Which ended up causing us to miss the bowling part of Mike's 10 year reunion because they had changed the time and I missed it. But we had fun and Keira loves fried rice! If I had let her keep my fork I'm sure I would have been wearing more than I got to eat of my friend rice. LOL

Bunny Blanket Buddy from the Lion Brand website, made with Lion Brand Homespun in Lavender Sachet. This is pre-face, I haven't taken pics of that yet. :)

I planned to start the owl dishclothes on the way home Sunday, but I ended up driving home. Look at me traveling and bringing 3 projects to work on. LOL

Sunday was better for the reunion - sorta. There was a picnic set to start at noon but no one was there until 2 pm. Ok fine and then we only had about 5 other classmates showup. Mind you I was friends with 2.5 of them so I was ok with this. Let me explain this - I moved in 7th gade or else I would have graduated with my hubby and all my friends from elementary school. And the 2.5 - the .5 is someone who I was friendly with but she wasn't someone that I hung out with outside of school. Nothing against her, we just never seemed to be that kind of friends, but she was another one I'd known since like 1st grade. Then one I knew but only because we'd had a class or two together and in middle school only one year. The last one had only gone to high school with them so I didn't know her at all. But hey I thought it was worth it even if it started later than planned. :) Me. LaRae, Heather & Haley.

QOW # 8

2008-07-30T10:43:00.003-04:00

Here is question 8! Enjoy!
What is your favorite supper for a hot summer evening? (For added "flavor", post a photo or recipe link)

Hmmm well the best supper is something I don't have to make. :D I guess that means things that are grilled -hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and steak are all great on the grill. Add a side of broccoli with cheese and maybe some mashed potatoes or even baked potatoes and it's a meal! Although the best way I have had potatoes on the grill was when they were cut up, doused in butter some garlic & onion powder, wrapped in foil and cooked on the grill. YUM! They are sooooooooo good but not so good or you. :)

QOW # 7

2008-07-23T10:08:00.002-04:00

We are all creatures of habit and when it comes to sitting down to knit, it's no different…

What is(are) your favorite place(s) to knit? and
What supplies (besides yarn & needles) make the setting perfect for knitting?

Favorite places to knit - My couch is comfy and I can knit while watching tv or movies. I've been knitting at my computer lately. Knit Night is held at a local coffee house and even though my knitting and I come home smelling of coffee it is a small price to pay to be with my new friends. And when it is not raining or too hot I've been known to sit on my deck in a camp chair and knit until it gets dark enough that I can't see unless I turn on the porch light - then I head inside.

Supplies that I try to always have with me - I have this old make-up bag that I decided to use to hold my crochet hooks instead of leaving the floating at the bottom of my basket of yarn. But also in there is a pair of scissors, a tape measure, my little tin of stitch markers, my row counter, bits of left over Noro because I love the color, and some needles to finish up a project when needed. I try to always keep the make-up bag with my current knitting project in my knitting bag. That way n matter where I am if I am done with a project I can finish it up and have it ready to block if needed or to give to the intended person if they are around and blocking is not needed.

Speaking of blocking - acrylic yarn baby blankets - should they be blocked to get them to lay flat/ make both end even if tension loosened as I went in knitting? I am almost through my second skein of yarn on Madelyn's blanket and keep thinking it needs to be blocked to get the ends to not curl up so much (it should wave but they are literally curling up probably because they were stitched on a smaller needle?). And really I only have until Friday to get it done if I am to block it the blanket would need to be dry and ready to go out the door on Saturday by 10 am. Guess this would be a good excuse to get some blocking pins soon. I've never blocked anything I have finished yet - mostly because the scarves didn't need it (or so I think) and because I wasn't sure on the first blanket which I still have (BAD me she had the baby in April!).

Bleh. Well breakfast time for me now. :)