Yarn Along 12/28/2011

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~  from Ginny's blog
Hello fellow crafters and readers! Glad you stopped by. We are slowly recovering from Christmas- well, I should say I am. The children are just fine. Our days are filled with chaos at times and then other times are quiet and peaceful. Christmas came and went and, at points, it felt like an ordinary Sunday. Not that I thought there would be a fireworks display announcing Christ's birth(though this year I did feel it in my heart)but maybe I thought a blanket of piece would have cover my world... It made me feel a bit of menalcoly, for a lack of a better word. But in reality my day felt like something was lacking...it was an ordinary day. Maybe next year, we will offer our time to a soup kitchen or find another way to give back to Jesus for all he has done for us. Thoughts for another day...
But NOW is the best part of after Christmas. When my children are home and we are all together! The time between the old year and the beginning of the new year is one I treasure. And this week, with my bunch,  has been awesome! We have played many rounds of Sleeping Queens and sung countless Glee songs. It is better than I could hope for.
The handmade gifts I made were well received. Eldest rarely takes off her cowl, isn't that wonderful! Every knitter likes to see their recipients derive pleasure from the woolies(as well as warmth) The boys like their story stones. Mason (littlest) likes to empty his bag and keep his Power Rangers in it.... He did announce they need blankets and pillows so "mama, please make them!" 6 Pillows materialized yesterday (scraps from a sheet, each stuffed with cotton balls). I asked Eldest yesterday if there were full enough and she instantly brought me back to reality with her teenage knowledge. "Mom, they are great. I mean, only a Power Ranger will be sleeping on it. I think they are fine, Mom." Ah, my dose of reality :)
As you can see by my knitting this week, that a wee little blanket (for a Power Ranger) is being knitted up. No, it is not a coaster..... It is the Acorn doll blanket  by Joanna Johnson. I am using fingering weight wool and size 1 needles. I do feel a bit silly making blankets for little dolls, I mean Action Figures. But if my thoughtful Rainbow Boy sees a need that I can fill, 4 more blankets will follow after this one.
My reading this week has changed!  Inconceivable was so wonderful and very well written. It left no stone unturned and every question a reader might have, was answered. I really applaud the Savages. They are both what God wants us to be. Giving of themselves and creating a life for no other reason (and the most important one) that every Life is sacred. Truly heroic! The grief they endured for 8 months and the time after Little Man was born is just heartbreaking.
My next read is Choosing to SEE . It is Mary Beth Chapman's story about the loss of her daughter, the struggle to heal, and the unexpected path God has placed her on. (taken a bit from amazon but they said it better than I did!)

I am including 2 links to boost your days-- please visit their sites and read their messages. Soulemama's message speaks to my heart and righted my world-- isn't it funny how words have the power to do that! And Mary's message is one I will follow this coming year and I would instill in my children.
As Mary says:  Pick a word. And let it seep into your life this year.

Yarn Along 12/21/2011

Following Ginny with this week's yarn along. Sorry I didn't participate las week. We had our Youth party for our church and it was a blast! I think my feet didn't stop moving all day!

Same book, only the knitting has changed. I was knitting up a herringbone cowl for a bit of Christmas knitting. BUT after casting on for the 4th time and having to frog back too many times I threw my knitting across the room! And cast on an adaption of Annie -cast on 110 stitches using bulky weight and the broken rib stitch pattern. I sure do hope she likes it. I can not believe I let a knitting pattern get the best of me! The pattern wasn't difficult but making mistakes within the knitting is costly. I am disappointed that I gave up and even more that I lost my temper. And I am knitting something that well, it isn't the herringbone cowl and really nothing would give me joy except knitting/mastering that cowl....
Can't wait to catch with everyone!

Yarn Along 12/07/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! Ginny's blog
Hello All!

Another Wednesday is upon us! Reading and knitting-- love those 2 things and put together always starts my day of peacefully! Thanks Ginny for hosting this! Each week Ginny unfailingly host this- I am so grateful! I am still reading Inconceivable. And we are still reading harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. What a great choice! I have figured out I am a terrible reader when I read out loud. I stumble and bumble along and sometimes read quietly to myself-- it is not pretty!  But we are enjoying meeting Harry Potter. I managed to finish Cooper's hat! As soon as I finished the ribbing it was really flew off my needles! The mark above Little Man's eye is a Harry Potter scar he drew himself- we were having a Harry Potter Marathon this weekend! We all had scars!

I started a pair of handspun(not by me) mitts for myself! A guilty pleasure, knitting for me but a joy! The wool is mohair/wool mix and the coloring is just beautiful! Sorry for the confusion in the photo-- I am magic looping and knitting both at the same time so I don't experience second sock syndrome(or 2nd mitt syndrome-as the case may be). Also some legwarmers my daugher asked me knit her-- secret holiday knitting is tough to do and to accomplish!

Maybe any readers can help me and offer words of wisdom. I am struggling this year with Christmas. I have so many mixed feeling. My great joy is that we will be rejoicing in Christ's birth- for the first time ever we will all rejoice is Jesus and we will do it loundly and with my love for God's Son. He is the reason for the season- I keep nagging  telling my children. But how do I incorporate Santa? The more I become a disciple of God the more I struggle with issues such as this-- don't get me started on the Easter Bunny! I hate lying to my children so these holidays are always stressful for me. I hate lying! And I am struggling with the amount of  gifts that, in reality, my children don't need. We do not need the extra clutter that toys bring. And the stress of cleaning up that always is the result of above mentioned gifts. We are having a bit of celebrating Advent each day. Eating a piece of chocolate and reading in our books but there is a knot in my belly. A knot because I know reading a page each day brings us one day closer to the "Big Day". I am so unprepared this year. I want a simple Christmas- one of wonder and rejoicing in Jesus. But my children do not want the same and they shouldn't. At least that is what I tell myself- they are only children, after all, and want the lots of presents-A living room full! But I know that a room full of presents is what they don't need. It is just the way the way of children. My children. I feel like a failure. I am struggling with finding the joy this year. And that saddens me.

Yarn Along

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~  http://www.gsheller.com/

My picture looks much the same as last week. I am at 4.5 inches of ribbing. I do hope I get this hat done! By I did manage to get a few things finished this past week. Sorry for the blurriness.

I can't wait to catch up with everyone!

We have much to be thankful for this year!

On the evening before Thanksgiving I am reflecting on this past year and how we were brought to this new place and over the last year quickly made VA our home. Much like the Pilgrims did many years ago. Although our winter was quite mild compared to past winters and we were fortunate to have the many amenities our fellow ancestors weren't able to have. Lord, how we have enjoyed them! We felt like pioneers sometimes-- embarking on new territories, uncharted land. Sometimes getting lost.
How much our little family has grown over the last year has been a humongous change- (not in number, mind you) but spiritually. I have found much beauty in our little piece of  ground. We watched the seasons change with wonder and watched each other change. We slowed down and (tried to) learn to listened to the quiet calm. We found peace and thankfulness that God brought us here to our new home. We were blessed with all the wonderful people that have touched our lives- past and present. So many opened their hearts to us this year. We are thankful for the food we eat each night and, as we bow our heads tomorrow, we will be reminded how we are thankful that we are all together enjoying the chaos that is mealtime in our home.  Most of all, though, we are thankful for the One who brought us all together.

Thank you all for sharing my life this year. I have learned so much for you- truly, I have. And I look forward to all the adventures next year will bring!

11/23/11 Yarn Along

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? from Ginny's blog

Good Wednesdays crafters! Happy Yarn Along! I am so pleased to join another week.  This week finds me still working on the ribbing for my son's Santa hat. Lots of K2 P2! I can not wait to add the red- it is the most wonderful vibrant red!
We are still reading Harry Potter. What a great choice as a first chapter book- each night we read my other "little" ones (and my husband!) have found their way into my bed for a listen! The week's read is Inconceivable . I saw on a fellow blogger's yarn along(Thanks Joy!) and it immediately went onto my book list. Carolyn Savage (and her husband) was impregnated with the wrong embryo during an IVF procedure. She choose not to terminate and eventually had to hand over the baby to the genetically correct parents- what a terrible heartbreaking decision/choice to have to make. To want a baby so very much and have to(by law) give him away. Reminiscent of another mama from long ago. 

You might be wondering about the cupcake, there was a birthday in the house!! My youngest little one turned

yesterday.



When I woke him and carried him down the stairs



into my neck he whispered thickly, "Thank you, mama". My eyes swelled and he melted my heart. And that feeling stayed close to me all day. So close to tears with gratitude and wonder all day. His daddy joined us to surprise him for lunch! As if having his Aunt and Cousin there wasn't enough! Mason was so thrilled to have his daddy present! It was a precious moment(when Mason saw him) that I will keep in my mama's heart forever. Mason ate pizza and played arcade games and giggled in a ball pit and climbed in tubes(daddy wasn't able join him in there-thankfully). My Rainbow Boy asked for rainbow cupcakes(with pink icing)

and scrambled eggs for dinner! I hope his day was wonderfully made- just like him.

** With this tutorial that I found at lovely Pinterest I made the shirt myself!

Yarn Along 11/16/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.

I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on ~ http://www.gsheller.com/
I thought I would share a "real" photo this week. We have a lot going on-- sewing, clipping photos of toys for our wish lists and playing with our toys(knitting for mom and pop up people for little man)
Oh my goodness I didn't blog at all last week. I did knit when I had a chance--all the UFO's I have on needles was the goal. I did manage to finish a corinthians hat for a co-worker of my husbands. If you have caught sight of me last week you would have seen me running around trying to baking mounds of cookies (for our youth spaghetti dinner) and tidying up our home in the process. No reading last week at all- that is hard sentence to type. I am reader- I have read since I was very little. All my life! It is sad for me to say my nose is not buried in a book these days. I can look at it as my life is so busy I just don't have time, right?
This week I am casting on a Santa hat for my oldest son. He will be in pageant at his school and is singing in a TRIO! And they are encouraging the children to wear Santa hats-how fun! Last night at dinner, I asked him which he would prefer...a handmade hat or a store bought hat. To be able to offer him a choice was such a joy! As you can tell he chose a hand knit hat. I am beyond thrilled!
My reading this week is for my son and myself to share. My son and I (the very same one I am knitting the hat for) have decided to start reading chapter books at bedtime. The decision was hard for me- I have so many books I want share with him- so many I read as a child- but choosing one is difficult! We have very different tastes! Harry Potter is one he and I both agreed on very quickly! Since all the movies have come out on DVD, I have finally taken an interest-- which means my little home has also taken an interest in the young wizard. I haven't read these books or watched one of the many movies all the way through and he hasn't either so I think it will keep both our interests. I think he (and I) can handle one chapter per night.
Wish us luck!
I can't wait to catch up with you all!

Yarn Along 11/02/11

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.


I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~  **from Ginny's blog

Hello fellow crafters! We are in the midst of changing our Halloween decorations into November decorations. I am at a loss for what to do. Any ideas? I have a pine cone garland and yesterday Mason and I made a wreath. Did you know if you mix red and green paint together they make brown?!

Sorry to go totally off topic on you. Little Man and I are very engrossed in decorating...can you tell?

Yarn Along this week is so exciting! I was able to snag Shepherding a child's heart by Tedd Tripp at the library this week. The views on it are very conflicting. I will let you know my thoughts on it next week, once I have time to digest it. We will see....

As you can see, I am knitting up a pair of kids fingerless mitts. I really like pattern. I haven't done thumb construction like this before. It is neat! They are for a little miss who's birthday I am sorry to say has passed and we sadly missed it. Hopefully they will keep her little hands warm while waiting for the bus. We have some other gifts planned that I don't want to speak about until they come to fruition.  Very exciting!

I can't wait to catch up on what others are knitting and reading!

**anyone have any tips on keeping my soon to be 4 year lillte boy engrossed in our crafting?

Happy Halloween!!!

Masks made from the template and tutorial here! Have a boo-tiful day.

Weekending....

No outside play today...

But we are so thankful a little boy was found! Thanks to all the volunteers and prayers to our God- it could only have been HIM who helped Robert find his way home before cold weather rolled in.

So we:

Started a beanie

Made some chili to warm us up

Listened to belly laughs and running feet play hide and seek. We learned about clocks and fact families added in some bubble sponge fun.  

What will tomorrow bring? Stay warm and dry.

Yarn Along 10/26/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

Taken from Ginny's blog

Hello Fellow Wool Enthusiasts!
Thanks for stopping by. This week I am playing catch up, I stumbled onto a UFO hidden in the depths of my closet. It isn't for anyone in particular(I actually think the cast on number is for a baby!) This past week I have cast on many woollies but one reason or another failed. Maybe it is this cold I am sniffling with or something else entirely because I can not seem to focus on the things that need to be knitted. I spent the better part of yesterday trying to knit up toe up socks for a little one-- toe up, fellow knitters! Impossible for me- ever hear of a square toe cast on? I did manage to have a set of perfect little booties come off my needles and they really were perfect(no action shots-sorry) and I knit up a Flower hat for the same little one. That turned well, except the I-cord in the brim was chunky at the seaming point. I think maybe I will provisional cast on next time and Kitchener stitch it closed. Any tips on seaming so that no one can tell I did it?
I also met a knitter at my son's school! Can you believe it?! She had on the prettiest cap and I told her how lovely it was on her- it was beautiful (trying to figure out the stitch pattern as I ogled it) She told me that she made it herself! And the following day I asked what pattern she used and she whipped it off her head and explained more about it! She made the pattern up! Can you believe that! Oh how I envy knitters who can do that. The knitter who knows the numbers to cast on for the proper fit and they instinctively know what type of increase/decrease to do.  Ahhhh the perfect knitter~
I am still reading the same book. It is a good read ( most days I read as I eat lunch) but I haven't had the frame of mind to read lately.
That's all from life here- I am baking cookies today as our cookie jar is empty-shocking, I know!) Maybe I will get a few rows in on this UFO while I am at.
Please go on over and read about Debbie She has given up blogging for the 20 days so that she can focus on the cry of desperate people in the overwhelming place of making a choice. She has been on my mind so much lately.

Did you enjoy your weekend?

*Photos from mine*

I hope you were able to get out and see a little bit Autumn!

Yarn Along 10/19/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~
**taken from Ginny's blog

Hello fellow knitters and readers! Officially back with photos this week-- unearthed the camera and the memory cards so please be prepared for lots of photos with my posts(from now on).
My book choice this week is Courageous. As you can see I found it at Wal**rt. I walked by it 3 times before it found the way into my cart. I don't normally read books that are movies first- it is usually the other way around. But the book assures me there are subplots, characters, and a backstory not seen in the movie. It is about police officers and the challenges they face with fatherhood. So far, it is really great!! The writing is very vivid and had me enthralled on page one!

This week I am working on my UFO's (unfinished objects). I seem to have acquired a bunch of them over the last year and that is very unlike me. Over the years, I am the person who can not start a book or project before she finished the first one. Having all these unknitted items, quite frankly, drives me crazy! This week I am working on a corinthian hat for a friend at my husband's job. His workmates have all asked for hats and I am always looking for someone to knit for who would wear something I have knit so I jumped on this in a hurry! This particular hat-not the pattern, it is perfect(I have knit it once straight through, then frogged it) - has caused me some stress. I love cables, I enjoy watching them form after each round- they keep my mind occupied and helps me enjoy the noise around me(rather than me stress about). I have knit and reknit a couple of hats with this wool. The wool I am using(cascade 220) is a great color, but it more like a DK weight. We(the wool cake and I) are both very tired of each other at this point. First it was too big, then not big enough. Mason is sporting that one around town now! I decided, after much angst, that holding 2 strands together produces a fabric that the wearer will enjoy. Once coming to that conclusion,  I used the pattern search at Ravelry (don't you love that place) and found a pattern calling for bulky weight pattern, decided to add some repeats for the top. And now, all I have are about 16 rows left. Hopefully today will be the day I finish it! *fingers crossed*
Thanks for sticking with me through knitting drama 2011 and this week's Yarn Along. I cannot wait to read what ya'll are reading and knitting!

A couple of things I want to share

I have a few minutes before I get my oldest son up for school and thought I would post some things I have been up to. Remember the hat from last week.... I went to do the decreases and found out that the I knitted the whole way without the right number of stitches. Some might say that isn't a problem, they would say just go on and finish the hat-- you knit 6.5 inches and you are 3/4 of the way finished just finish it. I just couldn;t do it. The pattern says 72 stitches and I had 68.  The perfectioniust in me, the pattern follower who follows patterns to a tee, the ruler follower in me would not allow it! Too look at it-- it looked fine. But I am sure if it was tried on a 6-12 month old head it would have been too long and too tight! So I painfully ripped it out. And decided to use the cast on and ribbing for a pair of bloomers! Did you know that cast on stitches for a baby beanie  almost equal a cast on stitches for a pair of pants? Do you think that means that a baby's waist is the same size as their head? Interesting thought....
I have been cooking again. Using lovely pinterest  as my guide. I do love that place and I spend entirely too much time there. BUT in my defense I have accomplished so much with it! Just some things I have made... maple glazed carrots, my first frittata with bacon and biscuits and bacon gravy on the side (it was delicious!), and this lovely sticky bun breakfast ring. I surprised myself with how well everything turned out.
I am making my own comet, making my own foam soap, and have put together a cleaning schedule that doesn't overwhelm me and most importantly gets the house clean! Sorry for not having photos, I still have yet to unearth our camera. Maybe today-- it would be nice to add photos to my blog again.... sigh.
Lately, I found myself in a role that for years I have fought. The cookie-baking, knitting, making a home for her family role. For years, that role felt like it was a pair of pants that were too big. I fought it tooth and nail. It felt wrong to want to stay home and take care of my children and make a home for my children and my husband, why is that? Now I realize that all I want to do is create a home for my little family. I feel like I am trying to make up for lost time. It makes me sad though, to realize how valuable my role in our family is and to finally embrace it-- after my girls are no longer so little. It would have been so much more enjoyable for all of us- if I had read to them each night before bed and had cookies for them each day when they got home from school. Yes, I stayed home with them and cleaned up after them and made their lunches each day(and I do those things now for them) the difference is that I embrace knowing that I like to do it. I don't try to hide it, embarassed and ashamed. So to all the mommas out there who look at the other mommas and envy what they have. It is okay to be who you are. Embrace your roles whatever they are. Remember your value is not determined by what others think of you or even what you think of yourself. Your value is determined by how only how God views you. Do something to make him smile.

Before you ever took a breath


Long before the world began

Of all the wonders He possessed

There was one more precious

Of all the earth and skies above

You're the one He madly loves

Enough to die!

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

In His eyes

You're beautiful!

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful!

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful!

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful!

You are treasured

You are sacred

You are His

Lyrics by : Mercy me from the song Beautiful

Yarn Along and Finally back online!

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! Ginny's blog

I'm Back! So much to catch up on. Everyone is doing great. Settling in and keeping busy. Internet in our home has been spotty at the best of time but Comc**t came into our area this month we took fulll advantage as quick as we could. And look at us-back online! I am trying to catch up with everyone so please bear with me. I have missed you all so very much!
I have been busy making our house a home- cooking and nesting. Trying each day to leave our mark on our new "digs".  I have been madly pinning and trying to catch up with fellow knitters when I can get a few waves of a good signal to blow our way. There is never a ball of wool far from reach. I am sorry to say that good books are few and far between these days. I miss books with a passion. (Can you hear the sigh that went along with that sentence?) I am reading the bibly weekly through a study group at my church using this workbook and my handy bible. Anyone have some good recommendations for some nice gentle reads?
I have discovered that I like to bake, who knew? I have been making making these by the cookie jar full! And these when I just want to show off. They are so easy! I have been knitting on a Just Jussi pinwheel beanie for a new little miss (little one at our church) who born last month. And I ordered some wool for some surprise gifts for Christmas.(more on those in a couple of weeks-knitpicks says my order will arrive by the 15th!) I started a seamen's scarf. Such a wonderful technique and the lace pattern keeps me on my toes! There are a lot more UFO's (unfinished objects) in my overflowing basket but that will keep you (and me) busy for now. I still have to add my projects(from the last year!) to ravelry but I will in a couple of days when I dig out our camera. No more taking project photos on my sweet oh so patient teenage daughters' phones!
Bear with me and I look forward to catching up with you!

Moving and not sure what to do now....

I missed Ginny's Yarn Along this week. But I have some books (and my knitting) laying around. More on that in a bit. The reason for my absence is we recently moved! This past weekend we moved all our belongings to much bigger space! A whole house!! I have trying to cram all the cooking and nesting that I have missed out on these past few months into 5 short days! Baking muffins, cooking family dinners, giving haircuts, trying to organize my girls, playing with the boys, knitting a bit on this pretty bit of fluff  for my future "grandmother's" truck and reading The Dirty Life has kept me very busy. I am loved being so busy. Our Internet  is so spotty and that has been a blessing, for me, anyway. Don't ask my girls their opinion on the subject. It differs. Having NO TV the past few days has been wonderfully peaceful.! Though hearing "I'm Bored" at least twice an hour is not so much fun-- Cooper doesn't like the things I think of him to do....We are all feeling very isolated- especially today. We may venture out for a bit somewhere today. The boys need to some running room-- other than our home.

Now that the bulk of work is over I am at odds- I have no idea what exactly to do now. I feel lost. I have so much I want to do-- so many things I have learned over the last year that I want to implement NOW. I hardly know where to being. Now that I am at the point of being able to do these things that I don't know what to first...which means that I am overwhelmed and I don't do anything! Not good for someone who has now so much still to do. The bathroom floors and fixtures need to be scrubbed, the storage container we are using needs to be unloaded a bit at a time, and dinner will need to be decided on sometime in the next couple of hours.

It will all work itself out, right?

Yarn along 7/27/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ taken from Ginny's blog

There is alot on at our family table this week. I am planning a move that I am in no way prepared for. I am knitting sparingly and I signed up for something called a busy bag swap. I haven't done one since I hosted a babywearing swap years ago. I am involved in a swap full of crafty manipulatives made for preschoolers.  I was chosen to make Button Snakes. Yes, a simple task when only making one snake but I needed to cut out 300 pieces of felt! I panicked a bit as I gazed out the mountain of felt. Dreading the amount of cutting involved and decided in that moment to recruite my youngest daughter, Makenzie. What a great idea!

Boy, did we have a nice peaceful bonding time and as always a lot of laughs.  I noticed we aren't very good with direction- we lack knowing our left from our right at a moment's notice. And we are terrible at math. This is the time we needed Taylor-- but she is away at a church retreat this week. We did our best to muddle through. We cut the felt in record time. Sat down to color coordinate them- found out we didn't have enough, cut more felt. Then the fun really began! She began cutting the slits into each felt piece and I sewed on the buttons. We worked for a couple more hours until I realized that my baby might be tired. I said to her, "Makenzie, you can go on to bed." Her response in a really quiet and sure voice,"I am not stopping until you do." That made me giggle. She knew her mom would sit and sew on buttons until all 30 snakes were completed! I finished a couple more until I heard her say,"How about we stop in 7 minutes-- that would make it midnight?" I readily agreed. Suffice it to say we will completing more snakes today on Yarn along Wednesday. But it(knitting) is there in the background, as always. Shortly after my post last weekend,  I decided to put away my wool things and knit on some cotton. I fell in love with wife, mom, KNITTER's hanging towel and cast on for a Simple Mitered Dishcloth. I blew through that-- it was an enjoyable knit and I was finally able to finish something completely--even adding on a button! I do love a finished dishcloth! I moved on to Camp Minocqua on red peaches and creme. WOW,  I love the fabric coming off my needles but it is time consuming and every stitch I make I doubt! It is not even lace! Normally I can find a groove in my knitting but with this dishcloth I can't seem to find it. My knitting compass has gone missing! The pattern is well written and only worked over 4 rows. But I find myself  double checking each row and frogging back even if I suspect an error. But like I said, I love the fabric coming off my needles so it all worth it and really it keeps my mind busy while the kids play in the water for hours at a time.

AHHH my reading. I have been so focused on my my bible reading. I had gotten behind a couple of days ago due to life, in general-- my birthday, sick kids, and add in a migraine and all that put me 3 days behind! UGH, I hate not being on my reading schedule! BUT yesterday I managed to finish the rest of Numbers and read through Deuteronomy and started on Joshua. AND the best part, I enjoyed what I read and I understood it! Some passages I read really stayed with me. So much I circle them!

It looks like I really rambled on enough. I can't wait to read what everyone is reading and what you all have been knitting on!

Yarn Along 7/21/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

**taken from Ginny's blog

Yes it is that time of the week again-- I love seeing what others are reading and knitting! I am a day late this week-- it was my birthday yesterday! No reading or knitting done yesterday! Can you believe it! But today, life is back to normal and I am back to picking up my needles and books :).

What is STILL in my picture is the grown up FLS. Still in the same spot-- I think I need to change up my knitting-- is is possible to be too hot to knit with wool? Maybe a simple cotton washcloth or towel? Or maybe my KAL at Wife, Mom, Knitter. My reading is a bit heavier this week.... I am still working my way through the bible in 90 days! We will be moving soon and any house we choose will be quite larger than anything we have lived in-- there will be alot more work involved for me cleaning and maintaining it. and I have come to conclusion I need help with it! I do think the girls and boys can help out and not leave it all up to mom. I decided that I needed to implement a program to share in the work(not having mom do it all). I researched and found this program (thanks to the Duggar's first book) that is christian based. Managers of Their Chores and using the program that came with it. http://www.titus2.com/ecommerce/products/prod_listing.php/1150 This book helps create chore charts and chorepacks for all the kids regardless of age. As well as teaching mom and dad how to teach the reasons why we need chores in our lives. The book is really quite good, it reads well and makes sense-- It helps teach our kids the importance of chores and becoming servants to the Lord. Both things that we can improve on. It is a lot of work but once I implement it I think it will function very well.

As you can also see in the photo I am reading the Duggars second book. I might as well come clean.I find their way of life fascinating! I keep looking for something to be really wrong with this family-- you know, maybe some brainwashing. BUT I just can't find it-- they teach their children right from wrong without using punishment-- they use discipline and God's love. It works for them. I am interested in how to do that with my boys. Anything I can to do to help with bringing up kind and gentle thoughtful boys, I am all for!

I can't wait to catch up with everyone to see what you all are reading and knitting!

Yarn Along 7/13/2011 My favorite time of the week!

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

**taken from Ginny's blog
This week I have had plenty to read! Not much knitting has gone on. Though I think of picking up my needles constantly. Of a certain KAL I should start! Knitting carries with it a sense of calm. Those needles weld so much power for me. And I have needed the calm that comes with when I pick up my lastest knitting project. The reason- We are looking at houses this past week and trying to choose a house(in our budget) that will fit us all. Needless to say, I have needed to knit more than I could.

The red covered book is my bible(I will send a lucky reader my new to me bible(read the bible in 90 days) if you can tell me why my cover says "Let's roll")-- I am reading it everyday(it takes me all day to read it). I know I know-- alot of information went on in the last sentence! BUT please bear with me! I am on Day 3-- it is going well.  I struggle a bit. I read the beginning (of my reading)the night before, read a bit in the morning and finish off in the afternoon. It is working well for the moment since we haven't had to leave the house. I would like to change it up and read all my reading in one setting but I don't know if I will be able to. I have the biggest fear of getting behind. Once I get behind in my reading, I just know I won't be able to catch up. When not catching up on my reading I am reading Friendship Bread by Darien Gee. It is really quite good! I love reading about friendships between women-- all the people in this book are characters I can relate to. It is the start of a whole new series about the town of Avalon in which these 3 women live in who are baking Amish friendship bread and healing over events in their life with the help of each other. As well as passing their starters all over town! It makes me want to create a starter but then who would I give all those bags too? I am more of a homebody that I realize, I think! I am not the type of person who does chain mail type of things-- I don't want to put another person in an awkward position of saying no nor am I bold enough to ask. But who's to say I won't get the urge to create a starter after the end of the book? We shall see.
 I haven't gotten to much knitting accomplished this week. But I am very excited to say that I have done a 1 row buttonhole successfully--twice using Elizabeth Zimmwerman's method! EZ sure knew what she was doing! I have about 10 rows or so before I stop increases-- then the real fun begins-- LACE! Well, enough lace to keep me occupied!
Totally off topic but each week I have received comments to what I am writing and I love them! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KIND AND THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS! I am truly grateful! I haven't quite figured out how to respond to each comment nor do I know what the etiquette on how I should respond--email or how to add replies to my blog.... What do you all do? How do you handle them?

Not just for knitting anymore!

I joined up for reading the bible in 90 days! I am excited to do this as I have wanted to join a Bible study since last November. I saw this on mine of blog reading trips and thought "Why Not"! I ordered the materials and they arrived lightening fast. I am never one to leave "new to me" reading materials sit! I really tried to wait until today but I dug in over the weekend. I am glad I did! Let me tell you right from the start I was intimidated! I tried the first Bible, then another I had on hand, then finally I was able to piece it all together using my tried and true NIV Study Bible. It took awhile. I won't lie...it isn't easy. It is downright hard. I am terrified of not understanding something in this great book. It will be a challenge and a Journey that I know I will acquire a great deal from.
Mondays will be the day that I blog about my reading (just until October). I hope you all will be with me as I travel along reading the Bible. If you want to sign up please do at http://www.momstoolbox.com/blog/2011/06/21/bible-in-90-days-sign-up/ I would love to have a buddy to read with. My husband and daughter would love to thank you as I am already sure they are tired of all my questions!

Thought maybe you would like this... A 19 Elsa Beskow book giveaway!

I wanted to share with you a giveaway of some amazing books for any library. I was blog reading this morning and stumbled on This giveaway. 19 books to win! This blog writer will send you 19 amazing books! Can you believe it? Sounds good, huh? The books that will be given away look amazing. If I had a little girl I would hang the images in her bedroom! Well, I still might with Mason. Both my boys are going to love reading these books-- the pictures are so vivid! I don't think I will win, mind you. I am not that bold-- I do hope to though. :) I will be looking in the library and ordering one or two in the future, for sure.
I hope you enter and good luck!
Have a great weekend!

Yarn Along

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ **From Ginnys Blog

It is raining here in VA but I managed to get an outdoor shot before the rains set in. I am so excited about this week's read and what is on my needles. I have cast on (that makes about 3 items that I am knitting on at one time--sigh) and am knitting up a February Lady Sweater for ME! I am also doing a bit of research as I knit along and using  Elizabeth Zimmermann/Knitter's Almanac instructions for the buttonholes. And as I am flipping through Elizabeth Zimmermann's book I am once again drawn into the writing. The pictures she creates in a knitter's mind is so vivid. I love words like pithy, don't you?
I am also knitting on some I-cord so I can string up our our summertime fun cards! Be prepared for a photo as soon as I finish. I need to knit about 5 feet or so--hopefully the remaining 4 feet go well. Taylor had her 15th birthday! And she made her own rainbow cake. I was there to control  supervise in case there were questions or concerns. And, of course,  for the clean-up.

It was yummy(everyone agreed-even Cooper!) and it was a mathematical equation at the same time! Perfect for her!

I can't wait to see what other bloggers have been reading and knitting on! AS EZ SAID-- “Knit On, with confidence and hope, through all crises.”

BOYS ARE THE BEST!!!

**I placed this post here as a diary moment of sorts. I needed to write this down as a way that I could rejoice in my boys. There is no disrepect meant for girls**
This fourth of July for us was very ordinary. I loved it! I adore ordinary. Pictures will follow soon! I get my strength from the everyday-ness that is my life. It was wonderful to spend time with my family.
For a long time I mourned that there would never be another little girl in my life. A little girl that I mourned for a long time. I mourned that there would never be any more hair braiding, no more fun crafting (as only little girls can do-- with sparkles and stickers), and no more cute little outfits in my life. BUT this weekend I was able to watch and absorb having a little girl who was a little girl who loves pink, loves braids and was very girly. AND you know what... I didn't much care for it. Please don't misunderstand me. I adore my girls--both of them equally for all the gifts they have given me.  I love them. I enjoyed every moment I had with them when they were little. I think I mourn for that period and I am sad that they grew up so fast more than anything else. I know so much more now-- I would be a "more perfect"-more creative, a more patient mother. I would be MORE!
I realized that I LOVE MY BOYS! I adore them. I love their splashing and dirt. This different way of life my husband and I have embarked on is such a rare joy. I love the way they smell -- fresh out of the shower smelling like dial soap and shampoo or sweaty from playing outside. The looks on their faces when they hold fish or worms is priceless. It is crazy what I have grown use to- not bathing them everyday, not worrying about if their outfits match or if their braids are even. For a long time, if asked I would say I didn't like the noise or the dirt that comes with my with boys. I didn't enjoy them. I was always thinking how to contain them! But watching life this weekend, I am so happy for my "lot" in this  life. GOD knew what he was doing when he placed these four souls in my care. I am so glad I realize what I have right in front before they grew up and away from me! What a bounty I have!

Yarn Along 6/29/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. ~
**From Ginny's blog**

Hello all! I am still knitting on Summer Love(I am on the sleeves!!) BUT I couldn't hold out any longer-- I have casted on for another project! Reinette -in lovely brown superwash wool. For no one in particular-- just for me, I guess. I haven't done a whole lot of reading or knitting  this week but a book or my needles are never far from my thoughts or my hands.
 Reading-- I am still reading Union Quilters. Again, I am afraid I haven't read much this past week. I did pick up 15 minutes outside at Borders last week. It is a lovely read-- full of ideas for an indoor girl to do with her outdoor boys(they require being outside at least part of the day) and this is a great way to accomplish this! It is really great-- it breaks down the activities into months of the year.
The children and I have been at Vacation Bible School this week! It is in the evening but I feel like the time we wait to go to VBS has been spent getting ready to go to it! The boys have asked every hour, "It is time to go yet?" Which means I have tried to plan activities that will result in that question being asked less! And dinner has been something of a thorn in my side. The first night we had sandwiches-cold sandwishes(ugh). The next night was something more involved(again, ugh...chicken patties) and last night was crockpot night! A pot roast, green beans and potatoes, and italian rice! All dishes were made in 3 crocks! Tonight will be sloppy joes (again, in my beloved crockpot). I am not designing the meals for all of us to eat gathered around the table-- rather for all of us to eat at different times. I am not a fan of this way-- I prefer for us all to eat together. But for a week it will do.
Taylor's(Eldest) birthday is tomorrow- 15 years old! How(and when) did that happen? We will be making a rainbow cake and pigs in a blanket for dinner! I wonder if they can be "crockpotted"? That is what my Little Miss has asked for so that is what we will make.
I, ordered a "new" bible (well, new to me-- I bought used on amazon) so that I can read the Bible in 90 days. I have wanted to join a bible study for a long time and this is a great way to do it. "It is not a study of the Bible, instead it is a read through." Sounds perfect to me!

Saturday afternoon

Before

After

This is how our walk went.

It was suppose to turn out like this...

But that's okay...it turned out great in the end!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Yarn Along 6/22/2011

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~*** Taken directly from Ginny's blog

I am still working on the Summer love tee for Mason. I have finished with the length and I am hemming the bottom using a new technique. I picked up the Union Quilters from Jennifer Chiaverini. It was a bit confusing as there were a great deal of characters brought in in the first 10 pages or so BUT a trusty pad of paper with a family tree of sorts and I am good to go! I haven't read any of the other parts of the series but I looked up the author's website and was reassured that book was okay as a stand alone read. It really isn't what I expected-- it is so much better! I can't wait to start reading the series after I am done this book! BUT look out-- I am sure I will be bitten by the quilting bug! That is what happened with knitting-- I read The Knitting Circle after my miscarriage and read some Blossom Street books (I love series books--can you tell?). Decided to pick up some needles and with the help of some friends.
It is dreary here at the lake today-- hot and humid but so dark. I expect the rain at any minute. The kids feel the doom and gloom and are acting accordingly. We will use this time today to run out for some dinner fixings(taco salad) and pick up some new workbooks. The summer bridge books I bought Cooper are just too hard for him. I am concerned that he did not receive the education he would have gotten in MD. I have no idea what he was suppose to learn this past year. I did print out some work for the girls yesterday and Taylor said the work was too hard for her!!!! This coming from my sometimes too bright daughter! I worry that our move might not have been the best for children's education. Taylor(Fish Catcher) was in the top 10% of her class in Maryland-- there was a whole classroom full of Taylors! But here the teachers have no idea how to handle a child of her caliber.


My other daughter, Makenzie,--who I do not speak enough about-- is doing fantastic! Honor roll and learning so much--- if we weren't here in VA she would be suffering in her school work and would be too social. Here she is able to be both and do both incredibly well. I am so relieved she was able to make the change--I didn't realize how hard is was for her at the time. The hurt I inflicted on her by not realizing how much pain she was in, isn't something I am proud of. I always knew the move would be great for her as a student and would make her a better all around person-- with our church and the types of people she would surround herself with here in Virginia-- I knew the move would good for her soul. BUT, the move itself must have been so scary for her. My girl is tough-- moving from a school where she knew everyone from birth and was in the "best social circles" was so very hard for my girl but as Makenzie always does she pulled it off with grace and strength.
Our week is slowly passing-- we are recovering from renting our home and looking into finding a home to fit us all. Not much in the creative process happening-- still growing my hydrangea. Not looking good.... no roots and Adam mention something about mold??? I need to get some batting for my coasters and find quilting scraps-- in storage, of course! Maybe Friday will have all of us in a better mood and more at peace.