N Style

Happy Birthday to Me

2006-10-10T18:32:00.000-06:00

Not exactly celebrating turning 37, but hey, that is the reality of the situation. Guess I should be thankful I've made it this far. I have a terrific family and really, when I get right down to it, a pretty terrific life. ;)

Happy Birthday to Me!

Viva Las Vegas, Baby!

2006-10-05T16:58:00.000-06:00

Woo Hoo! It'll be a whirlwind trip, but I got my vacation approved at the last minute. The kids and I are going to head out to Vegas tomorrow to hang out with Steve for 1-1/2 days. He's been raving about getting to stay at Ceasar's (one of my favorite places in Vegas). He talked up the pool for the kids. I guess it is one of the benefits of his working for an airline. We may as well take advantage of it and the free room. I'm not particularly thrilled about the seedier things the kids might see in Vegas, but overall, I think we can keep them from noticing most of it. And they are excited to go, as well.

Wish us luck getting on the plane!! Off to pack.

Adventure Club

2006-10-03T16:46:00.000-06:00

When the kids are off-track from school, they go to Adventure Club. Or Clark used to. Now that Shea is in school, as well, she started Adventure Club for the first time yesterday. Miss Susan said today that she has done very well. Going with the flow, blending in, everything has been a non-issue. It's always nice to know when your kids are easy-going and nice to get along with!

I think we're all adjusting (finally) to our special schedule this week with the kids going to Adventure Club and not school. Plus, Steve is in a conference in Vegas (note to any stalkers out there), so the three of us have had lots of bonding time, especially since they love to sleep with me in our big king-size bed.

Tonight we have a Den Meeting, although I'm feeling rather tired and my head is still stuffy from whatever it is I have. Can't tell if I'm suffering from allergies or a cold. Whatever the case I'm rather loopy from Sudafed and exhausted to boot. Here's hoping the boys won't get too crazy at the Den Meeting. Luckily I'm not hosting this month.

In knitting news I decided I couldn't deal with the mismatched stripes on the socks. I probably wouldn't have minded so much if I was knitting them for myself, but I'd like them to be a gift. I think they'd go over much better with matching stripes. At least I finally figured out how I had to mate up the pattern with my split skein. I rewound both of my mini-skeins by starting one from the middle and one from the outside. I'm also hoping it will remove the irritating twist that has occurred with one of them. Unfortunately, by starting over it's going to take me 3 times as long to complete, since I seem to have lost my knitting speed and desire. However, it will be worth it in the end because everything will match and my anal-retentive self will be all the happier.

Happy Birthday, Luan!

2006-10-01T20:41:00.000-06:00

Well, my sister's birthday is today. Won't say how old she is but she is 2 years younger than I. Lucky her! Since my birthday is coming up in a few short days, I'm not looking forward to it like I used to. :sigh: :big sigh:

In any case I hope she had a terrific one! :D

You're the best, Luan! I love you!

About Knitting Time

2006-09-30T08:29:00.000-06:00

I finally picked up my knitting needles for the first time in a week last night. Still moving along on the socks. And Luan's Noni bag.

Just as I fortold, I've been far too engrossed in Animal Crossing to get much knitting done. Embarrassing to say that I ended up purchasing 3 copies of the game - one for each of the kids and me - because I got tired of the kids' fighting and having to share my house with them. Now each of the kids have an original DS, and I purchased a used DS Lite for Steve, although he teases me that it was really for me. I keep telling him that if it was for me, I would have purchased a new pink or black one. :rolling eyes: I am such a geek.

We finally had a birthday party for Shea last Sunday with her friends. It was an Ice Cream Social theme and all of the kids had fun putting on far too many toppings! Most of their creations looked like Clark's. Making his/her own personal concoction was more fun for most of the kids than actually eating it.

With all of the sweets from the ice cream we decided to forego the cake I had purchased for Shea, so we all had another private family celebration on Monday. Shea was finally able to blow out some candles.

In the end I guess Shea ended up having a two-week celebration instead of a single day. Still can't believe she's five!

Happily friends of ours whom we've known from far before we all had kids moved back into town, after two years. We're having them over for dinner tonight, as well. Going to introduce them to Steve's other geeky pursuit Settlers of Catan - Knights & Cities.

Happy Birthday, Shea!

2006-09-17T17:38:00.000-06:00

My baby is now a big 5-year old! I can't believe it! Such a little lady and still so sweet! Everybody loves Shea.

We had originally planned to got to Minnesota for one of Steve's cousin's son's Bar Mitzvah, but the flights were too full. We were all so disappointed we decided to make a quick trip to the mountains and spent the night in Idaho Springs at the Indian Springs Resort. Personally, "resort" is considerable s-t-r-e-t-c-h of the term. The room was rather spendy for quality at about a Motel 6 level, and the "resort" looked all of its 100+ years.

The indoor pool had the tropical feel of a terrarium, albeit half of the roof was composed of blue tarps. Yet, the water was warm and the kids had fun.

Poor Shea. Since we hadn't planned to be in town, we didn't have her birthday party scheduled. Yet she was sad because she felt it wasn't her birthday without a party, and I guess, spending time with her family wasn't enough of a party. But we didn't forget about her birthday and brought a couple of presents along with us for her to open.

I think that in the end she had a pretty good birthday even though she didn't get a party with her friends. ;)

9/11 Remembered

2006-09-11T20:35:00.000-06:00

Never forget.

How can I? 9/11 was truly one of those events I will always remember.

I was pregnant with Shea and near the end of my 9 months. I decided to sleep in a little, since I wasn't feeling all that well and rather exhausted. When I first woke up the main topic in the news was the Bronco's Monday Night game and Ed McCaffrey's broken leg. I called in to work and went back to sleep. As I was driving in, I heard the news on the radio. A plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers! I had a glimmering fear of terrorist attack, and then it was confirmed as the reporter suddenly started saying that another had just crashed into the other tower! What chaos! What an immense feeling of fear and concern, anger and sorrow!

It was already all the talk at work when I arrived, and it continued to absorb everyone all day. The worry was palpable. Management tried to get us all to "show those terrorists and get back to work" but it was difficult when it was on everyone's mind, including our customer's. Plus, nothing could be shipped for the next few days.

Of course, it was stressful. Sadly, one of my greatest fears was that Shea would be born near the day. I did not want her birthday to be constantly associated with 9/11, since I knew it would remain emblazoned in our history books. I guess that personalizing the event was my feeble way of trying to cope with the situation.

My thoughts and prayers go out to eveyone who experienced loss from 9/11. You will not be forgotten.

Brew at the Zoo & Wine Too

2006-09-08T23:26:00.000-06:00

Fun night! We helped Kevin & Michelle serve beer at the Brew at the Zoo. Basically it was a "beer fest" with fancy foods, beer, and wine (albeit very minimal in the wine department) all with the ambiance of the zoo. The weather turned out perfect considering it was rather cold and rainy earlier in the day. Amazingly, we ran out of beer about an hour shy of the end of the evening. The cool thing about the event was that everyone was serving full pours; that is until they all started to run out of libations.

Still we had a lot of fun, and this will probably become a yearly event for us.

The kids had an enjoyable night, too, with our newest sitter. ;)

Animal Crossing Again

2006-09-04T21:16:00.000-06:00

OK. So I splurged yet again, and purchased another copy of Animal Crossing off of eBay. (You've gotta love eBay for the ability to find anything!) So far it's saved me $15, including shipping! Not to mention saving me referee time with the kids. Woo hoo! Hoping I'll see it by the end of the weekend. :)

Shea, Clark and I each have a person in town now. What I don't understand is why we all have to do the exact same things? I was hoping that we would save time by helping each other out with reduced rent, so to speak. Guess we'll see. I've been quite impressed by how much Shea has been able to figure out even without being able to read. Of course, Clark has already talked with everyone and even created his own constellation! Now, we're all working on convincing Steve to join our house, too. lol I'm such a geek.

In knitting news I managed to add another 1/4" to the socks, which seems to be about the width of each stripe. It's fun to watch the bands grow and see the colors blend. But the socks still aren't coming along as quickly as I think they should in my mind. I am concentrating on improving my purl tension. We'll see how it goes.

Too tired now to do much more of anything right now. It was a terrific weekend with a lot of friends preventing us from being homebodies. It actually makes it a little easier to get back to work for some reason.

ETA: So sad about Steve Irwin. I always found him fun to watch. He seemed to be so full of like! I feel so sad for his family. :(

Animal Crossing

2006-09-04T07:10:00.000-06:00

I broke down and finally exchanged the Nintendogs game that Steve had purchased on a whim but never gave the kids. Yes, Nintendogs is supposed to be very addictive, but we have a real dog. Why would a digital one be more fun? (That was a rhetorical question. I've been struggling with the fact lately that I really think that I turned into a cat person at some point. Poor Lilo. She's a terrific dog, and the rest of the family loves her. I, on the other hand, still miss our dearly departed kitty, Hunter.)

Anyway . . . I got all excited to play with Shea on Clark's DS (yes, his aforementioned hinted at birthday present), but Animal Crossing happens to be a game in which two (2) (!@#$!) cards are required to play together unlike the other games we have which only require one. How completely frustrating! I don't really feel like shelling out another $35 just to play with the kids on this silly game. But who knows? I'm currently in obsessive/compulsive mode about the whole thing to begin with, and all for a silly game. I'm such a geek. Plus, the kids are already fighting over who gets to play. Bummer to have 2 DS's and only one game that we can't share! Maybe I can hunt down a used one . . . .

At least I was able to gain about 1/4 inch on my socks. Other than that I spent much of yesterday cleaning the house, buying groceries, doing laundry, etc. I seemed to have very little time to do much of anything "fun". Guess that's why I woke up at 6:00 AM today and couldn't seem to get back to sleep. Here's hoping my last day of my 3-day weekend is a little more productive in the fun sense.

September Already

2006-09-02T10:41:00.000-06:00

Can't believe it's already September. Clark told me a couple of times earlier this week that this year has really "gone by fast." Interesting that he would notice this at barely 7 years old. I don't think I realized how quickly years can go by until I was 10 or so.

Steve, Luan and I have been testing our Brain Age the last couple of weeks. It's fun albeit somewhat frustrating. Personally, I'm not so good with the math calculations, which doesn't surprise me, because I recall being nearly last person in class who could complete 100 multiplications in whatever time period it was in 5th grade. I've done very well at the memory games and the color/word test, however. I started out at a brain age of 45 and today reduced it to 39. The target is a brain age of 20. We've completely hooked Luan, and now she's thinking about buying a DS just for the game.

I've also been interested in checking out Animal Crossing for the DS, after reading a thread about it on my knitting board (of all places). I'm such a geek. (Steve has started World of Warcraft, though, so he's a geek, too.) Only problem with starting something like this is that 1) it will cut into my knitting time, 2) it will result in my house being even more disorganized than it is. Not that I should encourage the kids to play video games, but I think it might be fun to play with them. May have to consider asking for my own DS for my birthday, since my knitting stash is doing just fine right now. ;)

I still wasn't able to find the pattern match after rewinding the sock yarn into 2 balls. Yet it has made it considerably easier to start my next pair of socks. I'm hoping they won't look too silly being mismatched and all.

Oh, for the Love of

2006-09-01T19:01:00.000-06:00

Socks. I was anticipating spending my first evening of a 3-day weekend restarting (for the third time) my new socks with my new yarn - Lana Grossa Meilenweit Fantasy.

However, the yarn gods had something else to say about that. Here I thought I was so clever to knit 2 socks on 2 circs using 2 ends of one ball of yarn. All I have accomplished thus far is casting on, knitting one side, and getting lost in all the needles and tangled in the yarn. Why is it that the mere change of yarn gauge and reduction to 1 skein could create such havoc?

:sigh: BIG :sigh:

Back to the drawing board or maybe I should say ball winder. Me thinks I must now rewind my yarn ball into two. On the bright side I might even find the stripe pattern and get my socks to match.

So Thankful

2006-08-28T18:46:00.000-06:00

So very, very thankful. We've been so worried about Steve's father going in for Quadruple Bypass (which ended up being a Quintuple Bypass) that I'm very thankful to report that he's doing quite well, all things considered. Now we can only pray for a speedy recovery.

We love you, Grandpa/Dad! And we hope you're feeling better soon!

Of course, I'm thankful for my family. What would I do without them? I really should make it a point to tell them more often. In fact, I came up with a little "game" we play at night with the kids. We each have to tell each other a little "sweet thing" about why we love each other. Sometimes we don't always know what to say beyond, "I love you so much," but it really is the thought that counts.

I am not, however, very thankful about work. Having a job is good - yes. But being constantly stressed and interrogated about what you did six months ago is not a good thing. I could just scream. I'm hoping that things will start looking up. They can't truly get worse, can they? At least that's what I keep telling myself. Yes, I should be thankful for my job . . . .

I am very thankful for my knitting. So great at relieving stress. Just mindless enough to get me to relax but challenging enough to keep me from brooding.

Casting On a Noni

2006-08-27T21:27:00.000-06:00

Got a chance to cast on for Luan's Noni bag today. The kids helped me wind the hanks into skeins this morning.

Gotta love the colors she chose! (Forgive the photography. The burgundy color is really a deep burgundy brown.)

Plus, it's pretty awesome how quickly it knits up since the pattern calls for a double strand of Cascade 220. Again I'm still in awe at how soft it is! It's almost tempting me to use it for a sweater, but sadly it's just an "almost." Since KnitPicks' Merino Style makes me itch, and it's just a little bit softer, I cannot let the Cascade 220 lull me into thinking that I can wear it as a sweater, although a cardigan might be an option, especially since you can't beat the sheer amount of colors it comes in. Hmmm . . . .

Socks Complete!

2006-08-26T20:32:00.000-06:00

I finished my first pair of socks! Of course, they're not perfect - a little too big for Clark's foot, especially the heel, which I made too wide. But they're finished. And Clark likes them. That's all that counts! :)

I got a little bored with the stockinette at the end. I think it's because I was expecting them to be done "so quickly" that each inch felt like a yard. Plus, I still need to learn how to do a more shaped toe. But they're finished. And Clark likes them. And that's all that counts! :)

Clark's MRI

2006-08-22T15:31:00.000-06:00

Luan stuck around until today to be with us at Clark's MRI. We had to be at Children's Hospital by 9:30, since he was supposed to have anesthesia for the procedure. However, after they looked at him, they decided to give it a try without anesthesia. Luckily, he did very well and held still at all the right times. It helped that he could watch a Jimmy Neutron movie during the process, and he wasn't bothered by the tight space of the machine. Therefore, we were in and out of the hospital in about 45 minutes.

We walked downtown for a while, and then we had lunch at a small Mexican cafe. Clark enjoyed spending time with all of us, and he liked getting to take a day off of school. Of course, his favorite part of the afternoon was spending some time at ESPN Zone playing a few race car games.

We all liked this mock Coors Field made entirely out of Coors Original and Coors Light paraphenalia. Pretty creative!

The doctor's office later with his results, and I am happy to say that everything came back normal. Now we have only the appointment with the neurologist to find out what we do from now own regarding his "Benign Rolandic Epilepsy."

Awwww moment. Clark made a Lego house for Shea's fairy, which was a present from Auntie. The columns supporting the plastic bowls were for bathing and showering. The yellow "throne" is the potty, and the room in the background is the kitchen, I believe. The fairy even gets her own go kart. Sometimes it is nice to have a big brother.

New LYS Find

2006-08-20T16:17:00.000-06:00

Found a new LYS today with Luan - Colorful Yarns in Centennial. They have Cascade 220 on sale this month, and I had to check it out since I was in desparate need for some yarn therapy. What a fabulous shop! Such a terrific selection and some awesome prices, too. I had some doubts about Cascade 220, since it's 100% wool, which I can tend to find rather scratchy, but it is wonderfully soft. Maybe not soft enough for a sweater but more than adequate for the Noni bag I plan to knit for my sister (early birthday present). Great sis (and Auntie) that she is, she even purchased me an adorable Lantern Moon sheep tape measure, which I am just too cheap to purchase for myself. I got a white one and she got a natural colored one, although we both admired the black sheep. Shea came along with us and enjoyed modeling all of the silky scarves. Happily, I think that I may have converted Luan into a knitter, since she's working on her first knit scarf out of Fun Fur, and she purchased another lovely scarf kit from Colorful Yarns. :D

Happy Birthday, Clark!

2006-08-19T22:43:00.000-06:00

My sweet boy turned 7 today! Can't believe yet! Yes, I still remember when he was just a wee baby not even 6 pounds. He's such a big boy now. So grown up. And all too quickly.

Of course, we couldn't have a quiet birthday. No, shortly before the time we were to pick up my sister (Auntie) from the airport, Clark and Lilo (the Golden Retriever) decided to have a tussle with Clark's foot connecting with Lilo's face. This was at such an impact that Lilo's tooth poked through her lip and Clark had a somewhat deep gash across the top of his foot. Poor Lilo. She wouldn't let Steve or anyone help her, and finally managed to pull her tooth out of her lip. Steve promptly took her to the vet. Of course, I was worried about "the Boy" and took him to the doctor. He didn't need stitches, but the doctor did use surgical strips to help bind his wound together, since it was just deep enough that a normal band-aid probably wouldn't suffice. Although I think that Steve still believes I overreacted about the boy a bit, the dog only needed some antibiotics, so I think he overreacted about the dog a bit. Auntie got picked up a little late, but everything turned out OK in the end.

We were mostly worried that Clark wouldn't be able to bowl at his birthday party, but as you can see he was none the worse for wear. It was pretty cool because it was Cosmic Bowling at Brunswick with many of the lights turned off.

Clark's Birthday Week

2006-08-14T20:48:00.000-06:00

I fully admit that sometimes we spoil our kids, but what are birthdays for? Clark will be turning 7 on Saturday. He begged to open a few of the presents he received, including his big present from us. Of course, we caved and let him open them. (I thought it both clever and funny that he told us we would get tired of his constant nagging, if we didn't let him open his gifts.)

We spent much of the afternoon putting together his Lego Sponge Bob from his grandparents. I love that he built most of it himself!

And if you've ever wanted to know what the inside of Bob's head looks like, here it is:

Not much going on - eh? ;)

I won't publish what we gave him for his birthday, since I know we spoiled him (although hopefully not too much)! Suffice to say it was small and and useful for video games. He's very lucky to have techno-geeky parents, who love gadgets easily as much as he does.

In knitting news I have come to the realization that Clark's socks are far too small. They're even a little too small for Shea, and I don't think I'll have enough yarn to make two pairs of socks. So back to the frog pond I go, continuing my string of bad luck knitting. I think I'll be able to quickly recover on the socks though, since I'm understanding how they're constructed now.

I Can't Believe It!

2006-08-13T20:31:00.000-06:00

I'm knitting socks! Yes, socks! I swore I'd never knit socks, but since there aren't a lot of things to knit for little boys during the summertime, I finally broke down and started my first pair. And two at a time on two circs, too! ;) (My favorite tutorial is Sheron's.)

My progress so far:

Unfortunately, I'm using an acrylic yarn, and I think they may be a little too small for Clark's foot, but he is able to squeeze into them. I was afraid they might get too saggy being acrylic and all, if I didn't make them a little snug. I'm crossing my fingers that they won't be too snug.

Of course, now I have to eat all my sock snubbing and admit how truly addictive they are - knitting them in a pair is especially cool, since I was very worried that I'd have Second Sock Syndrome.

Me thinks this may be an excellent way to use up some of my scrap yarn.

Renaissance Festival

2006-08-07T21:53:00.000-06:00

Since we had such fun at the Renaissance Festival last year, we decided to attend it again this year. It's a little spendy but a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we forgot to let Shea wear one of her many princess costumes. We lucked out on the weather though, as it was one of the coolest yet this summer, although I still managed to get sunburned. (When you live at altitude, it's really important to wear sunscreen no matter how long you think you might be out in the sun. Silly me for forgetting this! All of my worst sunburns have been from Colorado.) Anyway, I digress.

We ate turkey legs in true Renaissance style.

We shot arrows. Clark has really enjoyed archery, since trying it out at Cub Scout camp.

Of course, this meant we had to get Clark his own bow and arrows set. (Had to get a shot of him with his name. ;))

We even watched some jousting this time.

Amazingly, Shea did NOT want a princess costume from the festival. She was enamored by the somewhat scary looking gargoyle puppets, and she just had to have one.

I guess that every princess should have her very own peachy-pink gargoyle. ;)

Clark's Update

2006-08-06T19:16:00.000-06:00

I forgot to note earlier this weekend that we finally received an update on Clark's emergency. It seems he has Benign Rolandic Epilepsy. Unforutnately, we won't be able to get him in to see a neurologist until October, after all of his tests are complete. However, I guess we'll have all of our homework done by the time we meet with the neurologist.

Breaking the First Rule in Knitting

2006-08-06T07:50:00.000-06:00

OK. I admit it. I'm completely frustrated about my knitting today. I broke the First Rule in Knitting:

Do NOT knit a gift for someone without first considering if the receiver would want such an item.

Shea does not at all like her Summer Swing Top. She says it's too long. Since when did 4 year old girls get to be so picky about their clothes?! Yet, Shea always had very strong feelings about what she likes and doesn't like - she loves super tight, extra long socks, for example. Clark and Steve think I should make her wear it anyway. I don't think I can because I also broke Rule No. 2 in knitting:

Do NOT purchase cheap yarn just because it is cheap. In the end it will just look cheap.

I finished the Summer Swing Top yesterday with the button hole details instead of the ties. The casting off and on gave me some fits, and I agonized over how long to make the straps. It's complete except for weaving in ends and sewing on buttons. However, I can't make Shea wear it because I think it screams handmade and out of cheap yarn, no less. :BIG sigh: At least it was a super quick knit. I'll try to get a photo up even though I'm disheartened.

Of course, now I really want to cast on for my next project. I held off going to my LYS yesterday because I thought I had enough stash items to work on my project list. However, now I'm realizing that I broke the Rule No. 3 in knitting:

Always buy MORE than the pattern calls for - at least one skein, if only for swatching.

For some silly reason I bought KP Andean Treasure to knit Tempting, but I only bought 5 skeins. This was a few months ago when I considered knitting something other than a scarf. Now I realize that I have completed underestimated my size. It would probably fit snugly, which is OK, but I think it will be too short. I just don't think I'll have enough yarn.

And I had purchased Rowan for Jenna Adorno's other sweater featured on Knitty Gritty and SnB Nation. Now, however, I don't think I want to wear it with the big bow - way too cutesy for work. (What was I thinking!?) Yet, since I purchased two different yarns to work with I think they will look strange together without the bow/belt dividing them. I guess I could try wearing it with a belt instead, but overall I'm just not as excited about knitting it now.

So now I have 5 balls of Andean Treasure, 2 balls Rowan Calmer, and 3 balls Rowan All Seasons Cotton. All are small yardages. I have absolutely no idea what to knit with them now. And of course, who knows if I'll ever be able to match the lots, since I purchased them so long ago.

I'm now off to find patterns based on yardage. Wish me luck!

Knitting Update

2006-08-03T15:35:00.000-06:00

Still not interested in getting back to work on Mystery Stole 2006, but I have made great progress on Shea's Summer Swing Top. Hope to have it completed this weekend. I plan to redesign it to button at the top instead of tying. Haven't taken any photos though. I am a little concerned about knitting something in Caron's Simply Soft. It's an unbeatable price, but I think I have officially become a yarn snob. The acrylic just doesn't look quite right. I don't know if it's because it's just a little too bright or a little too shiny. I'm disappointed with my yarn choice now, but I'm so close to finishing and it's come together so quickly (only 1 week!) that I plan to go ahead and complete it.

1st Day of School

2006-08-01T17:15:00.000-06:00

Not only was it Clark's first day of Second Grade, but it was Shea's first day of Kindergarten, as well. They were both so excited!

Steve and I walked them both to school, although they ran ahead to the end of the block.

I couldn't believe it, but I didn't cry when Shea entered her Kindergarten Enrichment class. I think it was because she was so thrilled to be going. She didn't know too many kids in her class, since most of the children she knows are attending Kindergarten first and then Enrichment in the afternoon. Yet Shea is easy-going and she wasn't scared. I'm hopeful she'll make lots of friends.

Clark ran right to his second grade class. He has most of his best friends in his class, and he's enjoying being in the mobile unit, since both B track, second grade classes are the only classes in the trailer.

I can't believe how independent they've become!

A Long Update

2006-07-28T19:58:00.000-06:00

Haven't posted in a long while due to a slight family emergency. I don't like to go into to many personal details, since this is posted on the Internet for anyone and everyone to see. However, I think it might not be a bad idea if I get comments back about people who have experienced a similar situation. There are positives to web sharing, as well.

In any case, a few hours after we arrived home from camping with the Cub Scouts (which I post about below), we did some TV watching together. Unfortunately, we had just started watching our recorded episode of Pimp My Ride (one of Clark's favorites, of course), and Clark is suddenly looking at me with horror in his eyes. The left half of his face was distorted with his eye twitching and his chin twitching and pulling to the right. At first I thought he was making faces, but the look on his face proved that he was frightened about what was happening. I recall screaming something like, "Clark, what's wrong!" Steve then looked over and thought he might be choking. He picked him up and gave him a small Heimlich. I was concerned that it was more serious than choking but hoped that was all it was. We kept trying to get Clark to talk to us, and then I started to realize that he really couldn't communicate or if he was we couldn't understand what he was saying. Suddenly, he seemed to snap back to normal as quickly as he snapped out.

Since he was fine so quickly, we weren't certain what to do. We contacted our "Ask a Nurse" line from our insurnance company, and they suggested that we take him to the emergency room at Children's Hospital. Clark and I promptly left, and Steve stayed home to watch Shea. We were all in shock - hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

Luckily, it wasn't too busy at the Emergency Room. We were quickly admitted and waited for a doctor. Once we explained what happened she said that she would request a CT Scan. Clark was very brave and did well. It took another 45 minutes or so for the results. The results came back normal, but the doctors diagnosed it as a possible partial seizure. It was also suggested that we have an EEG performed and a MRI, as well, to rule out anything else and clearly identify what happened.

It was shocking. I couldn't believe Clark could have epilepsy, since he plays so many video games, and we had never seen anything happen before. Plus, there didn't seem to be a history of epilepsy in our family. We were able to schedule his EEG for today, but we wouldn't be able to have his MRI completed until mid-August.

Steve and I both took a vacation day to take Clark to his EEG. It was pretty intense because we had to keep him up until midnight the night before and then wake him up at 4 AM. He needed little sleep to ensure that he could fall asleep for the test. Before falling asleep, the technician had him hyperventilate by blowing on a pinwheel. Then she placed the strobe light in front of his face and tested him with various speeds. Finally, he took his 20 minute nap. The technician had me lye down next to him for comfort during the tests, and I even fell asleep for a few minutes.

We're now anxiously awaiting the results. Still fearing the worst and hoping for the best. It is hopeful that the CT Scan would have picked up anything terribly wrong yet it came back normal.

Last weekend we headed to Lost Burro Campground near Cripple Creek, Colorado, for a fun time with Clark's Troup 252 campout. Our tent is the orange one in the middle.

It has literally been YEARS since last went camping. Steve and the kids convinced me to go, by saying, "It's only for one night!" It was a nice time. The campgrounds were lovely even if the bathroom was a 7 minute walk. (I don't do peeing in the outdoors very well.) The kids had a lot of fun. Shea joined right in with the boys on everything.

Here she is building her marshmallow gun.

We had some fun campsite neighbors who kindly shared their bubbles with us, too.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of the kids playing with the campground kitty who promptly seemed to hang out at everyone's tents. We woke up a couple of times to find him/her cuddled up in our "vestibule." Such a tiny little, black kitten. It made the kids ask to have one, and I must admit that I'm seriously considering it.

Mystery Stole 2006 update - I attempted to start working on the second half of the stole. Unfortunately, my knitting was not cooperating. I decided to start working on the other side of Clue 1. There was way too much slack in the cast on that I needed to tighten up. (The knitty provisional cast on instructions were terrific, but I doubt I'll ever use two needles or a larger one to cast on over again. ) I ended up with about 2 feet of extra yarn. Yet I ran into a snag at the end because there was a knot! It may have been my first cast on slip knot, but whatever it was it would not budge. Since it's laceweight yarn, I just can't seem to get into the knot to lossen it up. I was so frustrated I decided to give up and start over. I never frogged it though in the hopes I might be able to finally work the knot out. However, the more I think about it the more I think I won't complete this stole. I'm not overly thrilled with the design and my bead placement.

With Mysterly Stole 2006 set aside I decided to take Shea's Summer Swing Tank to Clark's EEG. It's nice to work on something a little mindless after the lace of the Mystery Stole and Ella.

A Finished Ella

2006-07-19T16:57:00.000-06:00

Here she is in all of her unblocked glory.

Pattern: Ella
Yarn: handpaintedyarn.com Lace Pure Wool double-stranded in Buscando Azul & Emaral Blue
Needle Size: US Size 8
Started: 6/11/06
Completed: 7/19/06
Special Notes: This was a simple lace pattern that remained challenging and fun to knit. I love the V shape of the shawl, and I think I may actually use it. I am rather pleased with how the two yarn colors blended together, but the Buscando Azul is much more of a royal blue color than it appeared on my monitor. I may knit Ella again in a different colorway some day. I'd love to try handpaintedyarn.com's merino lace, since I've heard it's softer than the Pure Wool Lace. Now if only I could get the energy to block her.

Back Home from Breckenridge

2006-07-16T18:29:00.000-06:00

We just returned home from a fabulous weekend in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado. We picked the perfect weekend, too, to head out of town for a couple days, since it was over 100 degrees here at home. We had such a fun time with our friends - the Browns. We stayed at the family condo of one of Steve's former co-workers. It was only a short walk to town and the brewery - perfect for beer and shopping!

We even brought our family dogs - Lilo and Charlie, the Browns' cute black shar-pei/lab/golden retriever mix. There was a dog park just across the street, and Lilo and Charlie had so much fun socializing with other dogs and running around. Truly, I don't think you could live in Breckenridge without owning a dog. (Sadly, no pooch pics to share.)

One of the highlights of the weekend was going down our first Alpine Slide. Of course, the boys loved to go as fast as they possibly could! Shea finally agreed to try it out and loved it, too, albeit at a slower pace.

Poor Shea she had a stomach bug that resulted in mostly stomach cramps all weekend, and I spent way too much time in numerous bathrooms in Breckenridge.

Regarding Ella, she is frustrating me terribly! Tried to make some headway this weekend, but after restitching the same two rows three times, I've decided to try to figure out where I made my mistake, and if I have to frog a four or five rows, then so be it.

Regarding Mystery Stole, I'm half way through Clue #1 on the first side. I'm uncertain if my bead placement was a good idea - can't decide if I like the beads at all. However, I'm going to keep on knitting. Since Clue #2 has now been released, I have to decide if I should continue on one side only, or remain a little behind and work on both sides.

Knitting Injury

2006-07-08T09:30:00.000-06:00

So I woke up this morning with a very sore (like a pinched nerve or cramped feeling) right hand ring finger. I think it's from all of knitting I've been doing lately, and working with laceweight and stiff Boye's cables is not helping in the least. Plus, my back feels strained too. AAARGH! Since when did knitting, what I thought was the ultimate couch potato sport, become hazardous to my health.
Bummer, too, because I don't know how much it's going to hinder my knitting today. But like the knitting athlete I am, I will persevere, injury or no.

Mystery Stole 2006

2006-07-07T05:14:00.000-06:00

Woo Hoo the first clue has been posted! It looks to be fabulous! Can't wait to do some knitting tonight!

:Later:

I managed to complete the first couple rows, but it's not easy. I'm still struggling with the laceweight fiber. And now I truly understand why everyone complains about the stiffness of the Boye's interchangeables' cables. As I noted before, I'm attempting to use a cable as waste yarn to be picked up later. However, since it's so stiff, it's difficult to keep it out of the way. It's hindering my knitting, and it makes me grip everything too tightly. I'm hoping that once I get into a few rows of the pattern it won't be such an issue. I am a little concerned that I'm not going to be able to use my beads. I'm hoping to get more comfortable with knitting lace. Right now, I'm just frustrated.

And I haven't made good progress with Ella either. Somehow I've been off 2 stitches, and this after frogging 3 times! AAARGH!! (My pirate speak in recognition of the opening of Pirates this weekend. Me thinks we'll have to make it a point to see this one in the theater.)

Back to Work

2006-07-05T18:28:00.000-06:00

It's so hard to go back to work. Gotta purchase lottery tickets more consistently.

Myth or Not - Biscuit Bullet

Don't know if you've heard the biscuit bullet story about a woman who thinks she's been shot in the head because a refrigerated biscuit container explodes, hits her in the back of her head, and she thinks the biscuit dough is her "brain".

Well, Steve left a package of crescent rolls dough on the counter with the intention to make it for dinner. It sat out for about 45 minutes and promptly exploded it's end, shooting half of the dough out of the container onto the counter and sending the other container half with dough shooting upwards and into a nearby box. Sadly we didn't take a photo as proof, and I don't even recall hearing any "explosion." Yet it would be safe to say that you shouldn't leave unattended dough containers alone on the counter . . . .

Now he just spilled a pint glass of beer all over our upstairs computer desk. I think the husband should not be left unattended. I don't even want to know.

And with that I think I'll do some knitting.

ETA - I finished the first side of Ella yesterday afternoon. I'm hoping to get her mostly finished before I start on the Mystery Stole.

Fireworks

2006-07-04T22:05:00.000-06:00

Actually, only the sparkler variety. Typical of July 4th in Denver a huge thunder storm moved in right as we were getting ready to leave for fireworks viewing. There was even a Tornado Warning issued for Arapahoe County. Only the rain didn't start at our house until around 10:00 pm. We decided not to attempt to try to view any Aurora's fireworks display, since it seemed highly likely we would be sitting in the rain.

The tornado warning really spooked the kids, but once they started to relax, Steve broke out our stash of 4 year old sparklers.

Here's Shea modeling her 4th of July tee-shirt. Funny thing is she hates to wear tee-shirts, since she thinks they make her look like a boy.

Taking a computer break to play Tetravex, our latest family game.

Poor Shea she was still a little intimidated to try the sparklers, but maybe next year.

Happy 4th!

2006-07-04T10:29:00.000-06:00

Love the 4th of July, if merely for the fireworks!! The kids always get excited to see fireworks. It will be a late night. Too bad I go back to work tomorrow.

Hoping to get some knitting done today, too. Making good progress on Ella even though the decreases look more like increases and I spent all evening reknitting what I thought was an error but wasn't. Oh, the craziness of knitting. I would post a photo, but it looks like a lumpy mess right now.

I am very pleased that I finally figured out how to complete a provisional cast using my Boye's circular needle cord for the "waste yarn" last night. This was an awesome tip posted by one of our Mystery Stole 2006 members. I can't wait to see how it works, when I start knitting on the "waste yarn" side. I looked for cast on directions at See Eunny Knit and KnittingHelp, but it was the article at knitty which really helped me understand how to do it. Put it this way, I didn't wrap the needle around the yarn. Instead I wrapped the yarn around the needles. Maybe not the most efficient, but I think it worked. In my mind this provisional cast on creates figure 8's around the needle and the waste yarn. Anyway, that's how I would describe it. We'll have to see if I did it correctly once we get the first set of instructions. Here's a photo of the cast on with one knit row. The bottom cord is the "waste yarn."

Have a Happy 4th of July!

On Blogging & Backpacks

2006-07-03T08:20:00.000-06:00

There are blogs and then there are BLOGS. Sadly my blog remains only a blog. I envy blogs like these knitting ones:

See Eunny Knit
Knit-Errant
Athena Dreams

Funny, informative, and don't forget the beautiful photos. Oh, to be able to have such an awesome read. I must admit my favorite blogs I read are rather eclectic (and not all about knitting), and I randomly keep up with them at best. But they are fun to peruse, and you can't help but feel like some of these people are friends that you woule like to get to know better. I guess that's what I like about blogs. You get a glimpse of another person's life and realize that we all have something interesting we can share and maybe even some idiosyncrancies that are frustrating yet heartwarming in that they are idiosyncrancies we share with perfect strangers.

So with this in mind I've done a little blog updating of my own. Since I love to see lots of photos, I've changed my blogger design to a more streamlined one. We'll see how long I like the new look. If only I took more time to learn html and do some customizing, but how can I manage a beautiful blog, keep up my knitting, feed my children, go to work, and all of those other mom/wife/friend/employee type things? Oh well, at least I can vicariously live thorugh the lives of better bloggers than I.

Shea is so excited to go to Kindergarten. Since our Super Target now has school supplies out, I went ahead and let her pick out her very first backpack.

Knitting, Noni & New LYS

2006-07-01T10:56:00.000-06:00

Six days off, and so far I have burned off two doing pretty much nothing. Even much of my Ella progress is heeded with knitting errors on my part and much frogging. I keep reminding myself that I originally took the time off for a trip to Minnesota, which we had to cancel due to high flight traffic. (Yes, maybe we should plan to buy tickets instead, but it's not an easy thing to budget for a family of four who is used to traveling non-rev.)

Tuesday evening Steve and Clark returned from Magness Camp.

They asked us to meet them at Red Robin for dinner. Since Shea and I had a little time between Shea's swim lesson and our dinner date, we stopped by Hobby Lobby. I purchaesd an additional set of Boye's US Size 4 interchangeable needles along with another cord. Plus, Shea picked out some Caron's Simply Soft in off white (looks like a pale yellow) and pink for the Summer Swing Top. Now I just have to finish Ella and squeeze in some time with Mystery Stole knitting to get it finished before summer ends.

I left work early/on-time Wednesday afternoon to catch Superman Returns with Steve and the kids. (Steve actually took two weeks off!) Overall, I rather liked the movie, and mostly because Brandon Routh is just too hot not to enjoy looking at. However, Shea got pretty bored - only one potty visit though. The story seemed to move very slowly, and there wasn't as much action as I would have liked. It concentrated on Lois and Superman's relationship instead of Superman's herorics. It didn't help that the movie is quite long. I think that Clark enjoyed it, but again the whole love story thing probably wasn't very impressive to a six-year-old boy.

However, that is about the extent of doing anything so far on my vacation. Thursday I spent with the kids while Steve ran errands purchasing items for this homemade saki he plans to start with a friend next week . We attempted to go to the school playground, but that was cut very short due to Shea dramatics (sobbing about everything) and the heat.

Yesterday, was my errand day. I've decided that since my Mystery Stole is in a pastel, I would attempt to make it more jewel-toned-like with beads. It will be my first time knitting with beads, and since I don't even know the pattern (why it's a mystery stole), it's probably not one of my brightest ideas. But once I get something like that in my head, I can't get it out. I purchased a smaller crochet hook to use with some tiny Mill Hill aqua beads. I, also, visited a terrific bead shop, Bead It, which carries a multitude of sead bead colors and varieties. Bead heaven! I bought some teal colored triangular beads. Should add quite a bit of sparkle. We'll see which ones I ultimately decide to use, if any.

I finally took some time to visit the new knitting store, which ironically replaced one of my favorite scrapbooking stores. It's called The Knitting Habitat. What a beautiful shop! The service was terrific! The owner Gina and her assistant Terry really made me feel at home! The yarn selection is outstanding with everything just calling at you to touch it. And the store samples are sooo inspiring! I plan to make it a point to frequent the shop often, even if my budget doesn't like it, especially since it is so close to home. ;) I purchased a mini Kacha for Shea's Summer Swing Top. I think this may be the best way to easily count rows.

In more knitting news I also purchased three (yes 3!) Noni bag patterns. Couldn't help myself when I found they were on sale at Diva Knitting. My sister was particularly enamored with my cable purse during her visit all the while giving me specifics on what she would like best - larger, wider, colors, etc. Since I don't particularly like duplicating anything, I think I'll knit a Noni bag for her instead. Now the fun begins with deciding which one and what colors, yarn, etc.

Visit from Auntie & Toby

2006-06-25T18:12:00.000-06:00

My sister, "Auntie" to the kids, and her boyfriend visited this weekend. It was nice to take Friday off and spend some time with my sister. It's been over six months since she was last here.

Friday we took the kids out to lunch at Chili's - their request - and then spent some time shopping for flip flops and other summer stuff at Old Navy - my request. The kids got a little tired of our shopping habits of looking at everything for the best deals. We finally had to cave and take the kids back home for a low key afternoon. We had pizza for dinner after a short trip to the school playground.

Saturday we went ot Clark's game against the Marlins. Luan and Toby loved watching Clark and seeing how cute he looked in his uniform.

Steve spent most of the afternoon getting packed for the Cub Scout Magness Camp. Meanwhile, Luan and I ran some errands at Target, Clark played XBox with Toby, and Shea just played. (Guess she fell asleep in a pile of pillows behind Toby's chair, and they lost her for a while.)

Saturday evening we went to the Rockies game with dinner at Flying Dog, as usual. The game had a 35 minute rain delay. And did it ever ran. We ran for cover in the upper tier above the Mile High seats.

Sunday was spent with breakfast at Cafe Opa, and then Steve and Clark headed to Magness Camp. Shea attended a birthday party this afternon, while I took Luan and Toby to the airport. She gave them a quick good-bye, but after the party, she really missed them.

In knitting news, I finshed my swatch for Mystery Stole 2006. This was the swatch I liked best on US Size 4 needles:

I can tell that I need to practice lace style casting on and off. Plus, I'm a little concerned that the color is too pastel, as pastel is not recommended for this stole, but since this is the color Zephyr I ordered before I knew about the Mystery Stole KAL, I'm going to go ahead and use it.

2nd Grader

2006-06-21T20:43:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Clark's last day of First Grade. I must admit that it was bittersweet. I can't believe he's finished First Grade and now he's a big second grader! The years truly do fly by as quickly as everyone says they do.

Ella is coming along nicely even though I manage to miscount or miss a yarn over every other row or so.

I finally received my Jaggerspun Zephyr in Teal. I hope to be able to swatch soon for the Mystery Stole. It's much finer than I thought it would be, although I don't know why since it is laceweight after all. I can't decide if I want to continue with Teal, since a jewel tone is suggested for the Mystery Stole. I'm hoping I'll be able to decide once I finish swatching.

Father's Day

2006-06-18T21:18:00.000-06:00

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there!

Steve's gift from us/me was a bottle of Scotch. ;)

The great father and husband that he is, he agreed to make a road trip to Estes Park for the Wool Market. I thought it might be fun for the kids. That was until about 10 minutes into the trip and Clark and Shea started arguing in the back seat for the best spots to put their pillows. Then we took a wrong turn due to crazy highway numbers and went on a 45 minute detour. Eventually we made it to Oskar Blues Cajun Grill & Brewery in Lyons, CO. The food was awesome and the beer was great, too!

After lunch we headed to Estes Park, only about a 30 minute drive from Lyons, to the Wool Market. The kids loved petting all of the animals. Steve didn't even realize how many different animals provide wool to make yarn. We all liked the alpacas and llamas. I thought the bunnies were the softest, although Steve and Clark voted for the alpacas. I failed to purchase anything, although I did get to see Brooks Farm Yarn in person, and it was as beautiful as I thought it would be, yet just as expensive. Since I'm rather stocked on my stash with many projects lined up, I convinced myself not to spend another $50 or so on yarn.

We browsed for a couple of hours at the Wool Market and then decided to head to Estes Park for ice cream. We were very surprised at the number of tourists, but we lucked out on parking and found a nice ice cream parlor for the kids and a coffee shop for Steve and me. We left in enough time to get home at a decent hour. Unfortunately, Clark ended up getting car sick on the way back. Poor guy! The winding road between Estes Park and Lyons was just too much after having ice cream. It was sadly ironic that Clark got sick on both Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Lovin' Lace

2006-06-15T04:53:00.000-06:00

What is it about lace? Is it the beautiful pattern? Or the way the light catches in between the stitches? Is it the lovely drape? Or how something so elegant can be both practical for warmth and frivolous for airiness? Maybe it's the color or it's pure sexiness? Whatever the reason I was immediately drawn to it, and it seems to be one of the hot knitting trends.

Even though Ella isn't the laciest pattern it has started out as a good learning experience. I struggled with both knitting with laceweight (albeit double-stranded) for the first time. I was very close to purchasing a set of Denise needles, since my Boye's were frustrating me - too pointy, not pointy enough, too slippery yet a pain to work with the lump between cable and needle. And the p2tog tbl and k2tog tbl's - even more aggravating. I even broke one of my lace strands struggling with a p2tog tbl stitch. Well, I finally figured it out last night! Why didn't I check out KnittingHelp first?! I was picking up my stitches from the wrong side. Not only was I getting an extra YO because I wasn't differentiating between a p2tog tbl and a k2tog tbl, but I was twisting my stitches. Whew! Thank goodness for KnittingHelp! That site is such a boon for knitters! Now I don't even have to splurge on a set of Denise's.

Now I'm knitting along rather nicely, if I do say so myself. After knitting Calla, I'm more familiar with how lace stitches look on the needle. It's helping me count my stitches because it's a little difficult to use markers, since the count changes with every row. In fact one of my fellow Mystery Stole 2006 participants noted that as one gets more familiar with knitting lace the use of lifelines could be come non-existant. She points out that fear and over analyzing are the lace's biggest roadblocks. The aids of markers and lifelines help at first, but the knitter soon learns how to read her stitches and correct mistakes just like any other knitted pattern. Cool! This gives me hope that someday it won't take me six weeks to complete one lacy tank top.

Speaking of Mystery Stole 2006, I joined on a whim thinking it would be a great way to test out my Jaggerspun Zephyr. (Hoping it arrives in the mail today!) What a great group! There is already a nicely sized group of Colorado participants. I'm getting really excited to get started. I'm hoping I'll have Ella complete before we receive or first clue July 7. A jewel toned or white yarn has been suggested. Too bad I only have a pastel colored yarn in 1200 yards, but we'll see. I'm hoping I'll still be pleased with the results.

I think we may get to visit the Estes Park Wool Market on Sunday! Convinced DH that it might be a fun road trip. AND I think I'll have my new camera in time, too! :D

Red Rocks, BHTM & True Blue Ella

2006-06-11T14:20:00.000-06:00

Last night's date night at Red Rocks was THE BEST! It's the third time we've seen Big Head Todd & the Monsters (well, fourth actually, if I count the fact that we completely missed them due to severe traffic when they opened up for Dave Matthews at Mile High in 1999) and the second time we've seen them at Red Rocks. It definitely won't be the last! We'll have to make it a yearly tradition. ;) Their music is nice on the radio, but seeing them live really showcases their true talent. Steve agrees that they truly play some of very best live shows he's seen, and he's seen many a concert. I, on the other hand, completely think they ROCK and that nobody could compete, but I won't divulge my concert-going past, as it's not exactly the stuff of rock legends. Todd Park Mohr is a guitar-playing, song-writing god, and it doesn't hurt that he's tall, dark & handsome. ;)

Of course, there isn't a better venue than Red Rocks, and last night's weather was perfect, especially since we didn't get a freak rainstorm, which are common to the stadium. Wish I would have brought my camera, but I didn't think it would be allowed inside. I saw quite a few cameras which made it past security, however.

I'm hoping to cast-on today for Ella. I'm using my handpaintedyarn.com Lace Wool in Emaral Blue and Buscando Azul.

I was inspired by Liz's Athena Dreams blog and her Ella made of KnitPicks' Shimmer. After e-mailing her she advised she used US size 8 needles. Here's my swatch.

Calla is Finished!!

2006-06-10T13:31:00.000-06:00

Woo Hoo! I finshed it this morning. I should probably block it, but I wanted to wear it today.

Pattern: MagKnits Calla by Sauniell N. Connally, Size S
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton
Needle Size: US Size 3
Started: 4/27/06
Completed: 6/10/06
Special Notes: It is a beautiful pattern, and I really loved the challenge of knitting it. Other than my frustrations near the end of knitting the top of the tank, it was never boring and fun to knit.
I altered the pattern by knitting it in the round. I got a little confused with the decreases at what would have been the ends of each panel, so it looks a little odd on the sides at times. Plus, the straps look a little wonky where I stitched them together since they all got a little uneven at the ends.
One thing I will have to say is that I either need to learn how to knit cables without a cable needle or I need to invent a needle that can't be lost. I was continually dropping it in between the seat cushions of the couch.

We saw Cars this morning. What a terrific show! I just love PIXAR.

Tonight we get an entire date night - going to a concert at Red Rocks. Since we'll be home so late, the kids will be staying at a friend's house, and we'll spend the night at a hotel.

June Update

2006-06-09T15:37:00.000-06:00

I'm so close to finishing Calla that I'm actually getting excited about knitting it again. I've really struggled since I started working on the top tank. I've had to frog nearly every row I knit. I can't believe I actually made it this far!

I caved and gave into the awesomeness that is ebay and JaggerSpun Zephyr. (Check out the seller sarasiegel, as she's wonderful to work with and her prices can't be beat!) You've gotta love it when you can get an entire 1 pound, 5040 yard cone of 50% Chinese Tussah silk & 50% fine grade Merino wool. All of this for only $40.23, including shipping! It took a lot of debate, but I finally decided on Teal. Since it's one of my favorite colors, I'm hoping that I won't get too tired of it after knitting 5000 yards worth of projects.

My eBay auctions went really well! Other than the constant trips to the post office to ship packages, I'd do it all over again. Now I just have to decide where to order my camera and place my order.

Here's a fun site to check out: www.crumplebags.com. The design is very unique and you've gotta check out any store that gives you stuff for beer. ;) Cool bags, too.

On Frogging & Baseball

2006-06-04T08:47:00.000-06:00

I'll start out with the baseball. It's been a baseball weekend. Clark had his first Tee-Ball game Saturday morning. It was great that his grandparents were visiting and could see him. He did very well - got some hits, runs, and catches.

Plus, we went to the Rockies game Sunday afternoon. It was HOT! HOT! HOT! But Grandpa managed to catch a Marlin's home run ball, and Clark was the lucky recipient of it. Very cool! Our very first game ball. We even saw Grandpa's catch later on the evening news.

As for the frogging, I haven't had much luck with Calla lately. It seems that for every row I knit I've ended up frogging it later. UGH!

Made it to the Weekend

2006-05-26T16:36:00.000-06:00

AND it's a 3-day one, too!!! Woo Hoo!! Even though this week has flown by, it's been rather stressful. Took home too many extra projects from work. But I am not working extra this weekend!

Still organizing, too. I've added more eBay listings. And I've been trying to convince myself to post even more - especially some more dolls which I have been collecting for years now but never look at. I can think of only a few that I truly love and can't bear to part with. I've pretty much sold most of the ones that aren't my very favorites. Now I've just got to work on parting with the ones that I like A LOT but don't LOVE. It's difficult for me to let go. However, if I keep reminding myself that I want this camera - Canon PowerShot S3 IS - then I'm hoping it will behoove my frugal nature to win out over my pack rat tendencies. So far the battle is a stalemate, but I'll keep you posted.

Parent/Teacher Conference

2006-05-25T05:09:00.000-06:00

Clark had his last parent/teacher conference for 1st Grade last night. I'm rather sad that he's moving on. We've loved his teacher Mrs. Judkins, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the progress he's made. He's really become his own person, and Mrs. J. says he's "like a sponge." She can throw anything at him and he'll just soak it up. We need to keep him challenged, or he could easily get bored. It's always nice to hear nice things about my kids.

Sunday etc.

2006-05-21T07:19:00.000-06:00

OK, so my scrapbooking party was a bust. It was really not a good weekend to host one based on everyone who said they couldn't come. Unfortunately, it was the best weekend for my schedule, and I probably won't have time to host another one until late mid-July. I won't go into all my woes with hosting parties to begin with, but suffice to say my timing s*cks. However, on a positive note the house looks so much better, I'm making headway on organizing my scrapbooking area (although right now it looks worse than it did before ), and I got some knitting done instead, which I probably would have done instead of scrapbook anyway! :)

I'm bummed I had to miss this month's SnB though. Spent time cleaning the house instead. I have yet to make it to one because I always remember them at the last minute.

Here's a progress pic of Calla. I'm really trying to get this done quickly because I'm dying to start on Ella and join the Amazing Lace. Plus, with all of Erin's photos of her Kool-Aid dyeing success I'm afraid I'm going to be sucked into trying that, too. Resistance is futile . . .

Another recent obsession - wanting a new camera. I'm rationalizing it by saying that I don't know how I'm going to get great photos of Clark playing T-ball. So I've been checking out dpreview again. (I think it's the best site for comparing digital cameras.) Guess I should start working on getting a raise first though.

I've spent most of the day loading eBay auctions - nearly all of my collection of scrapbooking magazines and idea books. This is, of course, due to my attempts at getting organized. I've uploaded 14 different auctions, so I'd say it's a really great start. Check them out, if you are so inclined.

It's been a hot, summer-like day here, too. And it's been full of summer-like activities. Not only did the kids help Steve bathe Lilo, but they also got to have late afternoon ice creams from our local ice cream truck (well, it's more of a van really and not very cool or fun looking at that). Clark chose a Darth Vader fruit punch, berry confection with gumball eyes, and Shea chose a cotton candy flavored popsicle. YUM!

Getting Organized

2006-05-19T18:14:00.000-06:00

Or trying to anyway. I've had it. I fully admit that I have never been very organized, although I frequently dream of a perfectly organized desk and house.
So lately I have been watching a lot of organizing shows for inspiration, which helps keep me going for about 15 minutes. My biggest problem is clutter. It's not as bad as what you see on the shows, but I do have my problem areas - namely my scrapbooking area and the kids' rooms.

I'm working on letting go of much of my scrapbooking stuff. It all needs to fit back into my armoire/desk. I plan to ebay quite a bit and probably Freecycle the rest. (What an awesome tool Freecyle is! I learned about it awhile back from Erin.)

For the kids' rooms I need to work with them to find an organizing system that works.

Unfortunately, I think that's my biggest problem. What works for me? What works best for them? Organizing products are spendy, and to put it nicely I'm on the frugal side. And then whenever I buy an organizing product it doesn't always work out as nicely. I guess I should plan and measure each type of thing. And here's the big point: When the types of things no longer fit the size of the container, then a decision and purge must be made. The ironic thing about my issues with organizing ultimately come down to I'm too anal and perfectionistic (not a word but go along with me) to generate a plan (because they will never be perfect), so that makes me a slob which also goes against my anal and perfectionistic nature.

Suffice to say I'm pulling my hair out. But I will keep working on organizing.

Batter Up!

2006-05-15T21:19:00.000-06:00

Clark's first tee-ball practice was tonight. I think he did a fabulous job, if I do say so myself. His batting was rather consistent, he hustled for the ball nicely, and he even caught a couple. The most important part is he's enjoying it. I would love for him to have a sport that he enjoys - besides the car racing thing, that is. ;)

Planning a scrapbooking crop this weekend. Mostly to have a party and do something a little different. I'm getting to know quite a few scrapbookers, and even though I'm not so into it lately, it would be terrific to get inspired to get into it again.

Of course, this means I really need to focus on deep cleaning the house this week. Wish me luck!

Happy Mother's Day!

2006-05-14T11:55:00.000-06:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there!! You all deserve it!!!

My Mother's Day started with a bit of a bang. At 3:30 this morning Clark came running into our room saying he threw up in his bed. And yes, yes, he did. And a lot, too. But since I am the mom and Steve can't handle cleaning up messes like that very well, I cleaned it up and quickly got everything into the washer. TMI, I know, but that's the bummer of how my Mother's Day started. Not letting Clark eat too much yet, since he's a couple more mile episodes since this morning. Hope he gets to feeling better soon. I'm now worried about anyone else getting sick. Unfortunately, I've known directly & indirectly quite a few people who have caught the stomach flu this last week. We've been bleaching everything all morning.

Thought I'd take photos of the wonderful cards my sweet children made for me.

Some pages from Clark's booklet:

I chuckled about the high heels & tank top comment.

And Shea's card. I can't believe that her handwriting at 4 years old is better than her dad's.

Calla Progress

2006-05-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

Calla is progressing nicely, and I'm quite pleased with the results so far.

However, now I'm really wanting to start on Ella again, and I'm considering her for my teammate in the Amazing Lace. Haven't confirmed yet, though, because I'm not certain about my available time right now. Work has been a little crazy lately, and I don't anticipate it calming down any time soon.

Hoping to get some quality knitting time in tomorrow though. It is Mother's Day after all. ;)

No More AI

2006-05-10T21:21:00.000-06:00

I am hereby boycotting American Idol. I cannot believe that Chris was voted off tonight. DH & I are still in shock. What a bummer! Doubt I can finish watching this season. I really thought that Chris & Taylor would be the final two. Guess that's what I get for thinking.

Second May FO

2006-05-07T19:37:00.000-06:00

Finished my second project in May - my final Mother's Day gift & another Fulled Lopi Tote.

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino in Black, Bernat Ping Pong in Pink Power, No Boundaries (eyelash)
Needle Size: 9
Started: 4/29/06
Completed: 5/7/06
Felt Cycles: 2
Special Notes: I had to increase a needle size when doubling the Patons with the Bernat Ping Pong, and unfortunately, the two didn't felt well together. The Ping Pong is too bulky in comparison I think. Plus, the Patons bled onto the novelty yarns, dulling the hot pink colors. Overall, however, I love how the Patons felted.

Before:
After:

National Scrapbooking Day aka National Homebrewers Day

2006-05-06T09:24:00.000-06:00

I've been catching up on some fave blogs - trying to get motivated to finish knitting MIL's felted bag, but not so thrilled with the novelty I'm using. It's got these flags every now & then, and I WAS anal-retentively trying to get them all to go to the front. I've since given up after 5 rows. I'll just pull them through at the end.

Today is National Scrapbooking Day, but wouldn't you know it's also National Homebrewing Day. For the last 3 years DH has reserved his kid-free time before me. He's lucky this year because I've been off the scrapbooking wagon lately. Guess I should find out when National Knitting Day is. ;)

Went to the Rockies game tonight. What a great game! JJ pitched the entire game and shut out the Astros. We sat way back in the backfield under the scoreboard - a long way from the action but still fun to watch, anyway. The weather was perfect - only a little chilly. And the nice couple behind us just thought the kids were cute & great, which is always nice. We only had to make one trip the playground, and the kids decided to split licorice and Dippin' Dots instead of cotton candy this time. It was nice that it was a quick game - the kids didn't get so antsy.

Another Baby Hat

2006-05-05T16:59:00.000-06:00

My first finished object for May - yet another baby hat for another co-worker.
Pattern: Mix between Barb's Twizzle Baby Hat and Stitch 'N Bitch Umbilical Cord Hat
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Jimmy Beenz
Needle Size: 8
Started: 5/30/06
Finished: 5/3/06
Pattern Notes: Same as my other baby hat, only in blue & purple. I've got to mix up the colors, or it would be too boring to complete again. Crossing my fingers that it doesn't look girlie.

Clark & Steve had their haircuts tonight. Shea didn't have hers cut, since we're still working at growing out her bangs. We went to a cozy, little Italian restaurant next door this evening. It was nice to be complimented on our kids' good behavior by both the server and a couple having dinner near us. Not so unusual, I guess, but the kids can certainly drive us crazy.

Random Thoughts

2006-05-03T10:31:00.000-06:00

Fun sites I've visted recently:
Lace Extravaganza - everything about knitting lace
Knit Motorcycle - recently featured at the Georgia Museum of Art
Pimp My Snack - recommended from Not Martha (another cool site) - see snacks gone wild

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends isn't just for kids, but then again I still love cartoons and you've gotta love the theme song.

I hate getting colds - mostly because if I get a cough it sticks around for months. :(

I'm happy Chris still remains in the running on American Idol, as I've voted for him since the beginning, although DH has been swayed by Cat's beauty.

Haven't watched House in months, but this week I got snared by their 2-parter. 24, on the other hand, remains as infuriating as ever. Would it be so difficult to quickly play back "the evidence" to another cell phone, answering machine, PDA, what have you??!!!

Knitting has really increased my TV viewing, and May sweeps hasn't helped.

A Finished Page

2006-04-30T15:23:00.000-06:00

Doing the Happy Dance, since I actually completed a scrapbook page today. Granted it was for MemoryWorks and a little late at that, but I'm hopeful that I'm starting to enjoy scrapbooking again.

It's a simple one, but I'm rather pleased with how it turned out considering my scrapbooking woes lately.

Supplies used:
Junkitz paper & rub-on
Etcetera chipboard tag
Heidi Swapp flower jewel
Making Memories buttons
Making Memories Misunderstood foam stamp
Staz-On ink
May Arts rick rack
Flower - unknonw manufacturer
Office Depot transparency
Font - Angelina (downloaded from Internet)

Finished Objects

2006-04-27T04:59:00.000-06:00

Now here's my post to catch up on my Finished Objects.

I completed a baby cap for a co-worker. (Sorry for the poor photo.)
Pattern: Mix between Barb's Twizzle Baby Hat and Stitch 'N Bitch Umbilical Cord Hat
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Jimmy Beenz
Needle Size: 8
Completed: 4/2/06
Special Notes: This is my second version of this hat although with different yarn colors. It's a little large for a newborn. I should probably reduce the number of cast-on stitches.

I also finished my first felted project - a little purse for Shea.
Pattern: Hello Yarn Fulled Lopi Tote
Yarn: Plymouth Galway & Lion Brand Fun Fur
Needle Size: US Size 10
Completed: 4/9/06
Special Notes: Since it was a worsted weight yarn I used the smaller needle size, but increasing by two sizes from the yarn's recommendation, as suggested in the Knitty article: Felt This! I went ahead and casted on 80 stitches due to the smaller yarn size but only knitted to about 9 inches instead of 16 inches. The Galway yarn felted beautifully with only one 15 minute pass through the washer. Then I broke a felting rule by throwing it into the dryer, but it sped up the entire process and I was extremely pleased with the results.

Next, I felted my second bag - a Mother's Day gift.
Pattern: Hello Yarn Fulled Lopi Tote
Yarn: Takhi Donegal Tweed Homespun, Moda Dea Gleam Blue Topaz, Lion Brand Fun Fur
Needle Size: 10
Completed: 4/17/06
Special Notes: Felting this bag proves that I must purchase a zippered pillow case. Not only did I have to send the purse through 3 different cycles, but the laundry bag I was using kept coming open and, of course, this would be the yarn which could ruin my washer's pump. I spent quite a while scooping out as much fuzz from the water as I could. I'm still not entirely pleased with the size (too big & floppy) and plan to run it through another cycle with my second Mother's Day Lopi Tote. It's actually greener in person than my photo shows.

Finally, I finished The Leg Warmers.
Pattern: my own design
Yarn: Plymouth Dreambaby DK
Needle Size: 6 (picot bottom edging) & 4 (ribbing & top picot edging)
Completed: 4/22/06
Special Notes: Since I've posted many times about my woes while knitting the leg warmers, I won't bore you by reiterating them. Needless to say, I've very happy I finally finshed them. I added ribbon (from my scrapbooking stash - at least it's a little helpful) to the eyelet holes at the top. The ribbon is supposed to keep the leg warmers up because there isn't a lot of stretch to the yarn, but, of course, it doesn't work as nicely as I thought it might. Yet it does add a pretty touch, and the beads are from a Shea's princess purse handle which broke probably a year ago. Don't know why I've been saving them for so long, but Shea likes to play with them. (She calls them her "babies." Very cute, but a little odd. I just love listening to her play talk.) I thought it was fitting that they could be used for something dear to her once again.

Whew! Wow! Now that I have it all written down, I'm realizing that's quite a few projects for only one month. Right now I have 2 projects on the needles. The second Mother's Day Lopi Tote and my Calla Tank.

April Happenings

2006-04-26T17:14:00.000-06:00

Since I've blogged so little in April, here's a quick update:

Easter weekend - we went to Phoenix for a quick visit with Grandma & Grandpa Coffey. The kids really enjoyed it. They begged to go swimming every day, but they really enjoyed spending time with their grandparents.

We decorated Easter eggs:

We got Easter gifts from Auntie:

We also played a very long game of Uno that after shuffling the deck 4 times and switching out all of the players we finally determined Grandpa won because he had the fewest cards:

The next day we visited with Jeff & Lisa and got to meet Aaron for the first time. What a cutie:

We saw the Fountain Hills Fountain:

We took a picture of Shea on Shea Blvd:

Shea gave Grandpa a haircut while Clark took a nap:

Shea loved the big bunny she got from Grandma & Grandpa, and everyone at the airport just thought she was so cute:

We arrived back home very late Saturday night, but due to the delay we got free TV on our flight back. We were so thankful to Irene and her family for watching Lilo and letting us pick her up at the late hour. The kids really wanted to have her home.

Steve & I woke up a little later than normal on Easter Sunday, but the kids had already found all of their eggs left by the Easter Bunny. No photo ops of the egg hunt, but I did manage to convince them to let me take a shots of them together in their new clothes.

The Browns kindly invited us to join their family for Easter luncheon, and we spent a very enjoyable day over at their house. The food was fabulous but the company was even more fun. Steve & I played the game Apples to Apples for the first time, and it's quite a hoot. You really get to know how people think about things. We also watched much of King Kong, but I was happy that I didn't sit through the whole 3-hour experience. It may have been cleverly filmed, but it truly dragged on and on in way too many places.

Last Saturday 4/23/06 we went to the Rockies game. Our first family trip with our season tickets we share with three other families.

Unfortunately, the Rockies lost, but right when we walked in we saw Barry Bonds' first home run of the year, and the kids loved their cotton candy, of course.

On Monday we went to Skate City. It was for Clark's Cub Scout Troup meeting, and the kids first time roller skating. They both loved it. Shea's skates were locked, and she basically spent the whole evening walking around the rink. Clark started out with locked skates but once he was on regular skates he was fearless. Even though he kept falling down he would get right back up and try to skate as fast as possible. Steve and I were much more hesitant. Steve had braking problems, and I just had problems all around. Every time I would skate too fast I got scared and started to lose my balance. I only went around twice. Oh, to be young again.

The Joy of Swatching

2006-04-26T04:54:00.000-06:00

Or maybe I should say the pain and agony of swatching.

After seriously contemplating joining the Design your own Tank KAL at Knitting Help, I finally decided to just go ahead and knit Calla from MagKnits instead. I realized I was spending way too much time trying to design my own version of Calla. It's a lot less brain damage for me to knit Calla rather than "reinventing the wheel." Plus, the cool thing about knitting is that I don't have to design my own FO's unlike scrapbooking in which it's always considered best to design your own layout, techniques, paper, embellishments, and so on. Of course, I'm being a little facetious, but I love the freedom of being able to do whatever I want with knitting without worrying about some "police" judging my work. It's very liberating.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the swatching. Since I'm working with Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton (which I recently learned has been discontinued) and it's not the same gauge as the original Calla, I have been forced to make a swatch. I didn't think I could find the original yarn locally, but I did find a great sale on the Debbie Bliss at my LYS, which is sadly going out of business. So far I have attempted at least 5 different swatches, but I keep frogging them all. And I'm not even frogging because of needle size. I'm just trying to get used to the cable and lace pattern and restarting it after I make a mistake. Plus, I'm attempting to alter the pattern for knitting in the round. I find it rather frustrating to make swatches knitted in the round because of all the extra strings hanging in the back. The funny thing is that all of this effort for the last 4 days has thrown me back into scrapbooking. I attempted to make my first page in a long time last night. It's not going well either. Oh well, back to the drawing board. I'll figure out something tonight especially since it's TV Turn Off Week for Clark, and we're all working at not watching TV, although honestly it's much more difficult for me to not get on the computer. Leave it to me to finally try to catch up on my blog during TV Turn Off Week, when I'm not even supposed to be on the computer! So don't tell Clark, but I will work at trying to get caught up, since I have a lot of completed objects to post photos on.

Catching Up

2006-04-08T06:59:00.000-06:00

I did finish my MIL's scarf in time for her birthday, although we had to send it via second day air. Plus, I didn't have enough time to make it as long as I would have liked, so I added fringe to the ends. The fringe helps finish it off.

I took the kids to see Ice Age: The Meltdown last night. They really enjoyed it. The kid behind me kept kicking the back of my seat - not surprising at a kid movie. I quietly asked him to please stop once, he looked at his parents who didn't notice and then stopped for about 10 minutes. At least he only kicked it off and on the rest of the movie. One other note to self: do not order 2 medium sodas to share with the kids. By the end of the movie Clark really had to go. After he kept telling me he could wait just a couple more minutes to the end, we finally ended up leaving right before the end because he couldn't hold it any longer. Unfortunately, the poor guy had to walk further than usual because he was used to going in the men's bathroom with DH, but he made it in time.

We went to Clark's District Pinewood Derby race this morning. Clark's car won 3 out of the 4 races it was in. Unfortunately, Clark didn't get a trophy though. Everything was judged by time and not by number of races won. I guess he was racing slower cars. Clark was a little disappointed about not placing, but I think his parents took it even harder.

One Leg Warmer Down

2006-03-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo!! I finally finished one leg warmer!! Can't believe it took me nearly 2 weeks for such a little thing, but I did learn a lot:

picot edging - not exactly fun but it has cute results,
designing on the fly - also not as fun as I thought it would be and involves lots of frogging,
increasing in ribbing - luckily I never did have to do this because it looks to be a real pain, but I did do a lot of research on it and could probably tackle it fairly easily next time,
picot bind-off - it's not that difficult if you aren't distracted by small children, which is hopeless in my house - took at least 10 different attempts and 3 hours to complete.

Now the difficult part. I have to make a second one! UGH! But at least I've finished the picot edging.

Of course, my knitting schedule has been interrupted by a last minute gift for my mother-in-law. What am I thinking?? It's got to be in the mail by Thursday at the latest!

The yarn is completely fabulous though. It's Color Me Happy, and it even smells wonderful - kind-of like patchouli. The other night when we went out for sushi I noticed a yarn store - Midnight Sun Fiber Arts, but the kids wouldn't let me go inside. I finally got the chance today, and what a lovely little store, too! There is a fabulous selection of yarns and beautiful items for spinning and weaving.

Sushi, Xanadu, Nippon-Kan & Rowan

2006-03-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

Took the kids out for their first sushi last night. Steve was having dinner with a vendor, and since he's not much of a sushi fan, I thought it would be a fun, new thing to do with the kids. Clark had a field trip to Nippon-Kan today, and they got to eat a Japanese meal. Unfortunately, since they make a lot of their dishes with peanut oil, it may not be a good thing for Clark to try with his peanut allergy and all. That meant he had to bring a lunch. He really wanted to try sushi.

So we went to Blue Koi, a nearby sushi restaurant that some of our friends and neighbors have been to. The kids enjoyed trying the California rolls, terriyaki chicken rolls, and shrimp tempura rolls. (I though that cooked sushi would be the way to go for their age.) I also ordered some crab rangoons and shrimp shumai. Clark really enjoyed the sushi, although he wasn't too keen on the avocado. Shea didn't like the sushi so much. She mostly ate the crab rangoons and shrimp shumai. I was surprised that they actually felt full after eating only a few pieces. We also had green tea ice cream for dessert. Shea said it was like "eating perfume." They loved the ice cream. Then we ordered a California roll to go for Clark's field trip.

Confession time - I have always loved Xanadu. Don't know if it's because of Olivia Newton-John, ELO, Gene Kelly or goofy Greek mythology references (probably all of the above), but I've been a closet Xanadu freak, since I was in middle school, which at my age means A LONG TIME. Anyway, I finally decided to rent it from Netflix. (Gotta love Netflix! We've been subscribers almost since their inception!) I thought that Shea would enjoy it, and she did! Of course, she loved Olivia and the singing, but she also really like the ruffled, pastel dresses Olivia wore. Perfect Shea clothing. And too funny that she noticed the leg warmers, too! I kept gigging about the over-the-top early 80's fashions and cheesy computer graphics! Clark on the other hand fell asleep while we were watching it. He's such a boy!

I took a day off today to help chaperone Clark's field trip to Nippon-Kan. Of course, the kids really loved it. They got to see a little bit of Japanese culture, take off their shoes, fold an origami samurai fan, and watch an Aikido demonstration. The organization even gifted our elementary school Peakview with three beautiful carp kites! Perfect, they said, to fly at Boys' Day and Girls' Day.

Then we had lunch, and all of the kids enjoyed trying to eat with chopsticks! Clark enjoyed his sushi, and I'm happy we brought some for him.

All I can say is that I have the DEEPEST respect for the Kindergarten and First Grade teachers who have to deal with 20 some overly energetic kids all day! I was exhausted by the time we got back, and we were only gone for 3-1/2 hours.

It did give me a little free time to head to Knitty Cat before I had to pick up Shea and Clark. What a beautiful store! I must admit that I have finally become a full-fledged "yarn snob." I've been obsessing all week about starting Ultra-femme and trying to find a substitute for the GGH Soft Kid Mohair (too warm and potentially too scratchy). Knitty Cat had everything (Rowan, GGH, and so much more) to actually look at! So much better than trying to make a decision about color and texture online! Since I found Rowan All-Seasons Cotton and Calmer in the perfect shade of periwinkle I've been considering, I went ahead and purchased them. At $50 it's my largest purchase for one knitted item yet. Calmer is my sub for the mohair. Of course, it's not the same gauge, but I'm hoping that it will be shapely without being bulky or overly warm. It really feels luciously soft. Can't wait to get started.

I will not start Ultra-femme until I'm finished with at least one of Shea's leg warmers! So much for my last project schedule. Ultra-femme has now been pushed to the front of the line. ;)

The Leg Warmers

2006-03-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

I have frogged these !@$% leg warmers at least 15 different times! The first one was too big. Then it was too small. And I've already mentioned how I've struggled with the gauge. Now I've realized that I need to work a lot of increases into the 2x2 ribbing to make it fit properly. Since Shea is very picky about the fit of her socks, I'm certain she will be obsessive about the fit of her leg warmers. I'm crossing my fingers that I have finally figured out a good design with a perfect fit!

On a positive note I'm now very familiar with creating a picot edging shortly after a cast on.

Maybe tomorrow I'll have a photo with some progress to be proud of.

Clark's 1st Pinewood Derby

2006-03-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

WOW! Not only did Clark's pinewood derby car do very well, it made the best track record time four different times. This was his best time!

He won the blue ribbon for the Tigers group and the first place trophy for Pack 252.

Steve was so proud, especially since he kept telling everyone he was worried about the car because of its veering to the left. A lot of thanks goes to Steve's co-worker John, who has helped his son Patrick repeatedly win both his Pack's Space and Pinewood Derbies.

Here's a photo of The CAR:

Now he's qualified for the Centennial District Pinewood Derby Race on April 8th. I think it's just so fitting for the boy who loves cars! :) I'll let you know how it goes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2006-03-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to wear green today. I've always loved St. Patty's day - guess it must be the Irish in me. ;)

Still no photos to show progress of Shea's leg warmers. This is the perfect example why I should swatch before starting a project. Of course, this is a simple design that I'm making up as a go along, but the Plymouth Dreambaby yarn is not cooperating. It's the first time I've used an acrylic microfiber. Right now I'm none to pleased with it. Yes, it is extra soft, which was why I purchased it in first place, but I'm a fairly tight knitter yet I was getting gaping holes in stockinette with the suggested needle size. Then I went down 2 needle sizes only to find that it's still not the right size and I should have made more decreases from my picot edge. On the next try my Boye's decided to start coming apart on me, and a huge tangle developed. To my extreme frustration I had to frog again.

I doubt I'll get a chance to start over tonight, since I have Bunco. But I'll try it one more time. We'll see if it goes well. If not, I may move on to a project for Clark, although I haven't quite decided what to knit yet.

Next Project - Shea's Leg Warmers

2006-03-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

Last night I tried to start some leg warmers for Shea. (I should have finshed weaving in the ends of Tubey, but of course, I'd rather knit instead.) I'm really struggling with them though because they're super tiny.

I'm trying to use the two circs method, since I'd rather not have to purchase more dpns, but I'm struggling because ladders keep showing up. (I always have this problem with 2 circs rather than dpns for some strange reason.) Also, I'm attempting my first picot edge, and since the piece is so small, it makes it very challenging. Plus, I always get confused on the right side vs. wrong side out when knitting anything circular.

Hopefully, I'll make some progress tonight. I have nothing to show because I keep frogging my initial attempts. I will figure this out though!!!

Tubey is Finished!!

2006-03-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

I finished Tubey tonight! I still have some ends to weave in, but I wanted to try it on. Honestly, I can't say I'm in love with it. I think the colors turned out a little too 80's, and I should have made the next bigger size. Plus, although the KP Merino is very soft, I'm still finding it rather itchy - maybe because it's a little too snug.

Pattern notes:
Pattern: Tubey from knitty.com, XS size
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style
Needle Size: 7

Next time I would definitely use a larger needle size for the sleeves. It's a little too close in the armpit for me. Also, a solid color might be more flattering for my figure. I think the stripes make me look both flat chested and pudgy at the same time. I am happy that I made a 3/4 length sleeve, since I constantly push up long sleeves anyway.

Date Night

2006-03-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a birthday party in which both Clark and Shea were invited - Clark because he's one of the birthday boy's best friends and Shea for his little sister to have someone to play with - Steve and I had a Date Night! Since we had a gift certificate for PF Changs that was where we went, making it a free Date Night, too! :)

PF Changs was yummy, as always. We enjoyed being able to sit and talk.

New Glasses & a Finished Object

2006-03-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

Here he is! Clark has been impatiently awating the arrival of this glasses. He admits they take a lot to get used to and feel kind-of weird. Yet he still loves that he gets to wear glasses for reading. And he sure looks cute! :)

Shhh . . . this is the reason I haven't blogged lately. I was furiously knitting away to finish my first attempt at lace - a scarf for my sister. Thing is, she's leaving for Asia for three weeks on Monday, and I wanted to send her off with something new. I hope she likes it!

It was knit with Handpaintedyarn.com's Novelty Buotone Pure Wool - Treintaytres. I used Blue Sky Alpaca's Opera Scarf by Deb Peterson. It was probably not the best yarn choice for my first lace project. The little "buttons" woven onto the yarn made it difficult to keep an even tension. Needless to say, it took me twice as long to complete the project because I frogged at least one row for every row I knitted. As everyone who has ever knitted lace recommends, lifelines are invaluable!

Now I'm off to finish Tubey!

Home Alone

2006-03-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

Now that the kids have started going over to friends' houses more often it is becoming more common that I have some time alone at home. I guess I have mixed feelings about it. It is nice to do whatever without the help (or hindrance) from little ones, but the house also seems a little too quiet. In any case I guess it's a good excuse to do a little blog updating even if I should be doing some kind of house cleaning.

The other night Clark officially became a Tiger Cub - the first grade Boy Scout. It was a fun ceremony in which the dads (or adult sponsor) painted their faces and the boys did a cheer. Clark also got a chance to paint his dad's nose. Here's a photo of the two of them after we got back home:

Here's a shot taken by Shea of the rest of her family. Shea's actually getting pretty good at taking pictures.

And here's a progress shot on my sweater. (Obviously I'll still have a couple of hours of finishing to do once I finally finish the knitting!) I've taken a little break from it because I'm trying to complete a scarf for my sister before she goes on vacation in Asia, but we'll have to see how successful I end up.

I finally got my ball winder from Joann's yesterday. I love how quickly and easily it operates. However, I can definitely see why I will need a swift in the near future because I still had to guide the yarn off of the chairs I was using to hold the hank. Too bad my Joann's coupons expired the very day I finally decided to order a swift once and for all. Serves me right for being on the fence about purchasing one. I just kept hoping I could get away without one. I guess I could but being the gadget girl that I am, I know I'll greatly appreciate the efficiency of a swift.

Successful Cropping

2006-02-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

The crop at Archiver's was rather successful for me, if I consider that I rarely complete anything at a crop. It's just very hard for me to concentrate and be creative in a room full of people. I like to be in my own space with my own things. However, it's awesome to have a store to browse for whatever you might require for a page. In any case, I completed my pages for the ongoing mini album I have been making for my mom, which compares Clark and Shea by age as they grow up. Plus, I am 3/4 of the way finished on a layout which I have been meaning to complete (never started) for almost a year now.

Of course, if there was ever a category for "shopping extraordinaire" in the scrapbooking big contests, I'm certain I would be a finalist. It's not necessarily that I buy everything but that I buy everything for a purpose. At least that's what I like to think when I'm purchasing it. I managed to find paper and embellishments for three other layouts while I was at Archiver's. Total bill: around $15 for an average of $5 per page. Kind-of on the high side, if you ask me.

A Croppin' I Will Go

2006-02-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'm headed out off to Archiver's for an all-night crop. Haven't been to a crop in over a year! I didn't even know what to pack, and since I've been on scrapbooking hiatus, I don't even have any projects in the works. I'll be happy if I complete only one layout! LOL!

Clark and Steve had eye appointments today, and they both need reading glasses!

Gotta go! Will write more soon.

New Knits, New Blog

2006-02-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a new blog, so please bear with me, as I try to figure out how to customize it. My other one was sadly untouched in almost a year, and I felt it was a little too scrapbooking related. Thought I'd make my blog a little more generic to incorporate my new found love of knitting. Yes, my friends, I am officially a Knitting HO, and I love it.

I didn't sign up for the Knitting Olympics (aka KO) but I have been challenging myself to finish Tubey. Here are a couple of progress pics:

Tuesday 2/21

Today 2/24

And I got my yarn order from Handpaintedyarn.com:

Since working on Tubey with yards and yards and yards of stockinette, it has pushed me over the edge to try my skills at attempting lace. I plan to use the two blue skeins for Ella and the other two skeins for scarves.

Now I'm just waiting impatiently for my ball winder from Joann's. Still debating on getting a swift. I'll let you know how it goes.

Shea came up to me tonight and said, "Do I look pretty? I have on lipstick and eye shadow." Oh, how she loves make-up. She is such the girlie girl, and she did look pretty. She was happy to let me take some photos even if she had pizza sauce on her face.

Off to do some knitting. :)