Sunday, October 30, 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

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.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

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.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Did you enjoy your weekend?

*Photos from mine*









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

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

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!

Monday, October 17, 2011

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



Wednesday, October 12, 2011

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!