Father's Day FO

See what I have been up to....

These are the Felted Clogs from Fiber Trends. I gave them to him like this. Yes, I have my shoes on..... I thought it would be much easier for Mom to felt them so that they can make sure that they fit his feet well. I'll make sure to take a picture when they are all done. This pattern was really fun and very fast to knit. I can see a few more pairs to be knit for Christmas.

And while I was out taking pictures of the house for Catherine, I thought I would take a few of my roses. I don't know too much about rose growing but right now they are looking beautiful.

So whip me with a wet noodle

I know it's been a while since I last blogged. What kind of SP hostess makes their people blog once a week but yet slacks herself? A crappy one!

In my defense I have been busy. School has started. Summer semester is shorter than fall and spring, so there is a lot of work to do in a short time. In one class I have 2 assignments and 2 quizzes a week. Finding time to do the reading has been a challenge.

I do have thank you's to say! The first is to my Vacation Swap pal, Michelle. She made the Bucket Hat from Chicknits.I just love it! She also sent a PERFECT soft cooler. Really, the cooler fits perfectly in the van between the front seats. She sent a small battery fan, a freeze pack for the cooler, pink flip flops (they are already in the van), and a couple packs of Lik-m-Aid. The kids thank you and thank you for the candy! And also not pictured is the beautiful soft yarn that she sent me, that is already in my stash waiting for the perfect pattern.

Isn't the model cute :-)

I also need to say thank you to my Knitters Tea Swap pal, Cynthia. How cool is to have a pal whose blog you read? Cynthia found the time to put together a wonderful package for me in between running the Warming Grace project. As a thank you I'll be knitting some squares, won't you knit a couple too?

Cynthia sent me a lovely mitten pattern and yarn form Fleece Artist. The colors are just beautiful. I also got three types of tea, two tea diffusers, biscuits, tea cakes, and toffee. Oh and a FELTED TEA COZY! Can you believe that she made this for me...and the poor thing sewed on so many buttons to a felted piece? She is just amazing!

And Katie...she thanks you for the tea cakes. Really, this American had never had them and when Katie took her first bite, her face LIT UP. I big mound of frosting and chocolate. She as in heaven. She told me to thank my nice friend so Thank you Cynthia!

And my last thank you is to Glacia. That lovely woman sent me a box filled with Time Out bars for Greg. When I called him at work to tell him they had arrived, he almost yelled. He told me to hide them from the kids, and not to eat any. I didn't eat any but I did try the coffee bar...YUMMY. I LOVE chocolate from outside the US. I'll keep her supplied with grits, and she sends chocolate!
She also sent some sock yarn, notepads, notecards, footsoak, soap (that Katie took), and cards (that we used tonight). Thank you so much....and Greg thanks you even more!

I really haven't been doing much knitting. School really has taken that time away from me. I did work on a sock while watching Katie at her gymnastics class on Wed. I've only been working on this pair for a year now!

Now for a funny, kind of , story. Today we were outside playing. The weather was beautiful. 72 was the high. You gotta love the California high country! See our backyard? See that we live IN the woods?

We kept seeing a helicopter circling overhead. The kids thought it was kind of neat. I didn't think anything of it. Lots of people have burn piles this time of year and I figured it was keeping an eye out for one that got away. Well turns out that it was looking for something. A BEAR. Lovely. Greenville had Mountain Lions, and now we have Bear in the backyard. We might stay inside tomorrow!

Knit on People!!!

Heading back to class...Tahoe....and Norway

It's official. I am now a college student again. Tuition has been paid, books need to be bought, and classes will be attended. This summer I am taking 2 classes, 4 units, and this fall I'll be taking 3 classes for 10 units. This will of course cut into my knitting time but I can't tell you how excited I am to be going back to school.

Ok I am dreading taking classes with a bunch of 18 year olds, but since all of mine are night classes I hope to get lucky. Was I that annoying when started college? I am sure I was.

I am finished with my slipper socks. They are winging their way to Iraq right now. I sure hope that they fit. And that they make it back to the US intact.

Now what to knit next? Green Gable, Cherry, Diamond Fantasy..... Needles need to be bought for all of these so nothing will be started tonight.

Today we took a drive up to Lake Tahoe. It's so nice to be able to hop in the car and be at the lake in 45 minutes!

What a view the playground has. I wonder how much the houses across the street would sell for. They were nothing special, not huge, not new, just regular single family homes. Bet they would be at least a million.....

And this last picture is just for Glacia. You never thought you could find your dream home in the Sierra Mountains did ya? I cracked up when we drove past on our way up, and I made Greg pull over on the way home just for you. Enjoy :-)

Don't Mess With This Guy

Oh. My. Goodenss.

This is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time.

http://amirtofangsazan.blogspot.com/


And thanks for all the get well wishes. I got a bit worse before getting better. I still can't eat very well, and the biggest blisters on my feet are still there..... a few more days and I should be back.

I'm a Leper

Why oh Why do I have to get every illness that the children get? Even the ones that the doctors say that adults don't get?

I have Hand Foot and Mouth. Katie and James had a little fever last week, Ben had a fever and a sore, ONE SORE, on his tounge last week. Now all children are fine. I on the other and have huge blisters on the bottom of my feet, small ones on my fingers, and my mouth is like raw meat. I can't eat, I can't drink, it hurts to even talk.

A call to the Doc confirms what I have. She is AMAZED that I have it as an adult. And I think she finds it funny that I got it the most severe.

I would have no idea what I had if I wasn't told that it was going around the preschool when I dropped her off this morning. (Yes there is sill school after graduation...California is screwy) Gee, guess that could be why I keep getting blisters in places that I shouldn't.

So I am sitting on my butt, knitting some but the blisters get in the way, and being HUNGRY. Really, any ideas what I can "eat" through a straw? And anything with tomatoes, OUT OF THE QUESTION.

I just keep repeating 5 to 7 days, 5 to 7 days.......God help me.......

Special yarn from a special person

I am very lucky. A while ago I sent Susie a gift of two different colors of Spunky Electric roving. She had helped me out with something so this was my thank you gift to her. She spun one up and knit a "Thor" scarf for her husband. The other was spun but not knitted. She asked me if I would like to have it. She was afraid that I would be offended. There is no way that I would be offended, what could be more special that making something out of homespun yarn.

I have no idea how to spin, and while it would be nice to learn, I can just see three small children "helping".

So I got my yarn while I was away on my trip. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I wasn't sure what to make with it but I think that I will make some comfy socks. I think just a simple stockenette stitch. That will really show off the yarn. I have two must finish projects on the needles, then these will be cast on! Check it out. Beautiful colors from Amy, beautiful yarn from Susie.

Thanks again Susie, you are truly talented!

The first Graduation

Katie has graduated preschool!

She went from this,

(Lining up for their big entrance)

To this,

(Graduated Mom, got my shades)

To this,

(the whole class)

and finally to this.

(Ben is in the red striped shirt)

The poor guys dropped when we got home. Graduation and then a BBQ at the park.
Is it normal to cry at a preschool graduation? I sure hope so. But I hid my face anyway......

Why do they have to grow up? And what I am going to do when she starts Kindergarten in August? Here they go ALL DAY. She is so ready to go and I haven't really come to terms with it yet. Can't she just stay 4?

My Vacation

Thank you to everyone who sent me well wishes on my trip. I had such a good time. I was a bit jet lagged when I got home, but other than that, that trip was just what I needed.

This may sound crazy....and I am sure it will to all of you that live in the south.... but hear me out.
I had a layover in Atlanta both ways on my trip. The Atlanta airport is huge, and of course my flights were in different terminals. To get to another thermal, you have to go underground and walk or take a twain. Once I got to my correct terminal and took that escalator upstairs, the heat and humidity hit me right in the face. It felt SO GOOD. Getting a drink and hearing that accent made me so happy.

The whole time I was in Florida I was so happy. The weather was hot and sticky, the voices were beautiful, the whole state was beautiful. Flying over the western half of the US was brown and dead....then you get to the Southeast and everything is green and beautiful. I didn't really "do" anything while I was in Gainesville, just spent time with my sister and her family. It was very fun and very relaxing.

Whoops, forgot to add that I was so happy to go into a restaurant and order a sweet tea. SWEET TEA! And I didn't get looked at like I was an idiot. When I first moved to Ca I remember going to KFC with my Mom. Now I am no big fan of KFC but they always had the best sweet tea. So I order one. The girl looked at me like with a blank stare. Then told me they had sugar I could add..... I almost cried. No more sweet tea for me. And yes, I drank a couple gallons of it while I was there :-)

I came home and told Greg that we need to go. I want to move back to the east coast so badly. California has never felt like home to me. I am an east coast girl at heart and I need to go back. Greg would be happy to move there in an instant but as much as I want to go I can't. As soon as I can convince my Mom and Dad to move with us, we are out of here :-) I'm giving it 3 to 5 years. Then I HAVE to be back in the south. We are thinking the Carolina's.....maybe Georgia.

Anyway, I got NO knitting done. I was just too tired on the flights to do any, and too busy with my niece and nephews while at my sisters.

I have a FO to show, but it's for a swap so I'll post after I have sent it off.

Oh and go tell Cath congrats on naming a Socks That Rock colorway! Can you believe all the free yarn she got!

SP8 Questions.

Thought I should get this posted for you SP!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like everything except really scratchy wool. I am pretty sensitive to the scratchiness of wool. For example, I can make bags and such out of Noro but can't imagine putting it on my skin!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have some handmade poutches for my needles.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've only been knitting for a little over a year. I have been WATCHING knitting my whole life :-) My Mother has been knitting since she was a child. I would call myself an advanced beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I do. I think I have 2 under different emails. hummmm. Email me if you really want to know.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) I love food scents. Pumpkin pie, apple, banana bread, ect candles.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Ummm YES! Peanut Butter Cups are my fav, with tootsie rolls close behind.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I don't spin, I do cross stitch but haven't done any in a while. I just don't have time.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I listen to all kinds of music. My Itunes is filled with mostly country but there are a few rap songs and a lot of pop and alternative as well.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? My Fav colors are a soft pink and soft yellows. But I like blues, purples, and greens also. I can't stand bright reds, muted reds are OK, but bright reds are NEVER worn by me.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married and have 3 kids. Ages 4, 3, and 15 months. Sometimes I have another child as well.... he's 42 :-)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? No ponchos, but I do wear hats, mittens and scarves. Swiveling snow is cold work :-)

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks ;-)

13. What are you knitting right now? Socks :-) and I am getting ready to start my first sweater, Green Gable.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? It really depends. I love all my wood ones, but addi's have their place too.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? No and No

17. How did you learn to knit? My Mother

18. How old is your oldest UFO? 1 and a half years. It's the Irish Hiking scarf. I just need to finish it!

19. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving and Halloween. It's my fav time of year, and I love getting together with family at Thanksgiving!

20. Is there anything that you collect? Wow, Yes there is. I collect Wades that you get in Red Rose tea, and all country cows, willow tree angels, Wedgewood Jasperware....I am sure there is more :-)

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I just signed up for Interweave a few days ago, but that's the only magazine subscription that I have. There isn't anything that I can say I have to have. I do love the gathering of lace book. I got it for my Mom for Christmas. It was hard to part with :-)

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I think I would like to try Magic Loop. My friend Catherine loves it, and it seems to go faster than DPN's.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes I am. I wear a 7.5 shoe and I am too lazy to get up to get the tape measure :-)

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) Jan 8th. I share it with Elvis.

Oh Big Ol’ Jet Airliner

WHOOO HOOOOO Can you see me jumping up and down in excitement?

Tomorrow (I can say that because it's after midnight) I will be on a plane, bound for Gainesville, Florida..... all alone! 5 days of hanging out with my sister and her family.... I can not tell you how excited I am.

I wasn't even jealous of all the pictures of Maryland Sheep &Wool ....maybe my trip next year will be there!

Anyway, have fun while I am gone, I know I will!

Go Vote!!!

So any of you that are in the Socks That Rock (do I need to link) sock club know all about the name that yarn contest. You could submit a entry to name the color of the May yarn.

I of course sent mine in, and it didn't get picked. But Catherine's DID!!!! So go HERE and vote for Fairgrounds. She will win some yummy yarn if she gets the highest number of votes.

The contest ends today so hurry!!

It's been electric around here.

My poor little blog is being neglected. Seems like there is a lot of that going around blog land. Personally, I think that the warm weather may have something to do with it. That's part of it for me.

Now that the snow is finally gone, and the sun is finally shining,we have been spending a lot of time outside. I love it, spend the afternoon outside and the kids drop right at 7 pm.

I have been knitting. Not as much, but I have been really busy. I am one of the hostesses for this round of Secret Pal. Entering info into the database, and completing the participants page took a lot of my knitting time away. Now that matches will be going out soon I hope to pick up the needles again.

I have had a request from my friend in Iraq. He wanted me to make him some slipper socks. It may be 10,000 degrees over there but he informs me that the "tin can" that they sleep in gets really cold. So wool socks out of Regia 6 ply are on the needles. The first one jumped off the needles, well as fast as a men's size 10 can get done.... the second heel flap is being knitted right now. I am trying to get them done before I leave for Florida on the 10th.

I won a contest over at Mary's Wool Palace. She sent me this beautiful yarn and some chocolate. The chocolate is gone. I can't say what it tasted like, but you could ask my husband. The man is a candy addict. I think that this will be a beautiful lacy scarf. Right now it is getting to know it's new siblings in my stash.

I also got a package from Maureen at 5 and a Beagle. She was so sweet to think of me and my cow obsession. I didn't take a picture of the cute cow kitchen towel or the potholder. Both are in the laundry.... but look at these.

Can you stand it? Cow sissors. I love them. They were hidden in my knitting bag immediately. Katie was eyeing them, out of site out of mind right?

And now for a baby story. I can laugh now but at the time I was a nervous, crying, shaking mess.

All the kids were in Katie's room playing the other night. First let me tell you that she has a night light on top of her dresser. It's one of those plug in candles that you get at Christmas to put in your windows. Well, Ben somehow knocked it off the chest of drawers, it hit wall, bulb broke, and fell behind of the dresser. Greg and I were not aware of any of this.

Greg and I are cleaning up after dinner and we hear James start to cry. This was no "he took a toy" cry. He was screaming! Katie comes running yelling "FIRE, FIRE IN MY ROOM" We take off down the hall.... James has the broken nightlight in his hands. Greg picks him up. I rip the light out of the wall and tell greg to check his hands. I thought he may have gotten shocked since the 'guts' of the bulb were still there. We couldn't find a burn or any cuts. I looked down at the nightlight and it was wet.

What? OH MY GOODNESS. He put it IN HIS MOUTH. He had two burns on his tongue in the exact shape of the filaments. I of course freaked out. By that time James was back to being a happy baby. Drinking milk and eating a cracker. I thought he may have a hard time eating until his tongue healed....but he's been fine. The next day you could barely see any marks. I was ready to call 911 after it happened. Good thing Greg was around. See I am the uptight, freak out at everything one and Greg is the laid back, never gets excited one. We balance each other out.

SO the fire was sparks in his mouth. My baby was on fire. This little incident has earned James a new nickname. Sparky, the electric baby. Or just Sparky for short.

Do boys ever stop getting into things?

Grits and Sticks

Kris informed everyone through her blog that April 14th is world grits day. She and Katie decided to do a Grits with Sticks photo shoot. I of course had to play along. Now I love some grits in the morning. And my favorite way to eat them is so so bad for you.

I cook up some bacon, crispy, crumble the bacon in the cooked grits and then, are you ready for it? I pour some bacon grease into the grits. OH MY GOODNESS. It is the most wonderful breakfast in the world. I can see my Dad now, shaking his head as he thinks how my arteries are clogging. But really, I don't do that too much....it grosses my husband out (Damn them Northeners)

I am headed to Florida next month and I plan to bring some grits back. All that I can find here are quick grits, and instant. Quick I will buy, instant? No way. And while I am there? I will eat at a Cracker Barrel. I LOVE Cracker Barrel and there isn't one anywhere around here. My sister lives in Gainesville, FL and I hope that there is one by her. Ah, 5 days of not being Mom. I can not wait. I so deserve this.

Now for my Grits and Sticks photo.

This is the Bijou Scarf from Morehouse Farms. I keep dropping stitches in it and not finding them for an inch or two. I think it's the lace weight yarn and the size 11 needles. This should be a fast knit but it's not. At least not for me.

The colorway is Meadow and it is just beautiful. I really do love the yarn. I will be ordering from them again!

Dinner and Children Call!

Edited to add: I do not add ALL the grease from the bacon, just about a teaspoon to the whole pot. It adds the bacon flavor to all the grits.

I need help.

Well thats a given. but I need help setting up my wireless network. It is set up, and I can get online with my laptop all over the house. I just have no idea how I can accress the files on the desktop from my laptop.....

Anyone out there that can help me so I can get back to knitting? :-)

Thank you to everyone

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for their words of support for my Brother in law. He is out of the hospital now, still in a lot of pain but happy to be home. He was actually shot 6 times but 5 hit his vest. Thank God he was wearing one.

I have started a scarf out of Morehouse Merino Lace, the Bijou scarf. It's beautiful yarn and I think that my Sister in Law will really like it. It's more of an accsory scarf, they love to go out to eat so I think it will get used.

I havent done too much knitting because my hand has been hurting. I went today to get x-rays done. I think it is just a tendonits and really nothing serious.

A better post tomorrow with pictures. I am beat. I spent the day at preschool helping with the Easter party......WOW 32 3 and 4 year olds can really wear you out!

Everything is on hold.....

all works in progress are on hold. I haven't felt much like knitting the past two days.

Yesterday at 6 am I got a call from my Sister in Law. Her husband is in the Army, special forces. You know, the kind of soldier that goes on a mission but can't tell you where he is or what he was doing.....Well anyway he has been deployed to Iraq, and he was shot. Not a fatal wound but a serious one nevertheless.

For the past two days my sister in law has been playing where in the world is my husband with the Army. Right now he is in Germany, and soon he will be on his way to Walter Reed. He is in intensive care and on a ventilator, the bullet when through his lung and collapsed it. It entered his back and exited his neck.

I wish that there was something I could do for my SIL. She is going crazy in NC, and we are here in Ca. My Mother in Law is going to fly out there, and I hope she get some comfort knowing that if I could just up and leave I would.

They have two young daughters who are taking it well. Their youngest is so sweet. She just wanted to know if Daddy has a big hole in him or a small one. When Becky told her just two small ones she said "Oh then that's OK"

She has asked me to knit something for her so all my WIP are going to be put aside. What to make her is the next question. She really has no use for wool in NC. maybe cotton socks? I don't see her in a shawl.....Maybe a bag....

I have another friend in Iraq as well, and after emailing him and asking him to be careful, he tells me how they exchange fire with the resisters everyday...great.

By nature I am a worrier......I can't even imagine what the mothers and spouses of our deployed troops feel like. They are much stronger than me!

We have a winner!!

Emy guessed 15 inches. She was the closest, we had 18 inches. Since then we have had about another 18....I am so sick of snow. Just this morning I was out clearing the driveway again. I talked to my Aunt in upstate NY and they have NO SNOW on the ground. Don't you think there is something wrong with that picture?

I have not really been knitting. My wonderful husband got me a laptop computer, something that I have been wanting for years. Being able to take it with me when I go do genealogy research will be so helpful! Now if only I could get a small portable scanner..... :-)
Most nights I have been playing with it...and not knitting. I did pick up my knitting again yesterday. Relaxing and knitting really helps when you have something that oh want to take your mind off of.

I got my first STR club package yesterday. I didn't really like the color at first but it is really growing on me. I think with a pair of tan pants it will look really nice. I do love the pattern, it's just beautiful.

Sorry no pictures but I don't really have anything to show! I have to go pop a chicken in the oven for dinner...I am making Chicken 'al La King, one of the kids fav meals.

There is still time.....

Go ahead and enter my contest!

Read about it in the March 4th entry, and then email me at knitwitmomma AT earthlink DOT net

No one has guessed correctly, but someone is close!

The Star is a Shining!

I have finished the shining star hat for James. It's a little big, but that's good, he will be able to wear it next year too. Katie was my model..James was not in the mood.

I am really unhappy with the cast off edge. It just doesn't look as "neat" as I think it should.

This is the closest that I could get to the color of the yarn.....

Here you can see the star.

I really loved this pattern. It was a fun and fast knit. The yarn, Aurora 8, is a dream to work with. Next to the skin soft and 100% merino wool. I would love a sweater out of it!

The Embossed Leaves socks are coming along nicely. I can't wait for them to be done. I on the other hand, am down for the count. I have an ear infection! First one that I have ever had and boy it hurts. I hope to feel better tomorrow. The doc gave me some wonderful antibiotics to knock it out of me. I actually put the chains on the van and drove to the Doc in a snow storm. Now you know I'm in pain if I drove on the white stuff. We get a break tomorrow and then it's snow Thurs, Fri, and Sat. Isn't spring almost here?

And because you didn't get a James shot...here he is.

Wait you want to see my other child???

Yes I had to crop the photo.....I am sure you can figure out why. Good thing it is warm in the house.

Come on a Field Trip!

Come in and enjoy my snow covered backyard....

The view from my sliding door onto the deck.

Looking down the deck toward the garage door and the steps down to the yard.

Looking over the deck at the yard.

The snow was just too deep to be wakling down there for some close up shots!

....and for good measure,the beautiful sky in the front yard!

Thanks for thinking of this Becky!!!