Doodles, Dogs and Bees

What would you do?

On your last day at home as a stay-at-home mom?

Well, I decided to finish blocking my Rosalie Hale scarf and it's completely gorgeous!  And sadly, I didn't magically become Rosalie Hale when I put it on, but I hadn't been counting on that whole-heartedly...  lol

 

And spending lots of time with my other favorite hobby too!  I don't often allow myself time for fun and games, during the day.  I fill my hours with mommy responsibilities.  But the last couple of days, before returning to work, I decided to pamper myself and have some fun! 

The boys are ready.  Scott's ready and I think I'm ready.  Tomorrow begins a new chapter.  Wish me luck!

She's Blocking, Baby!

My Rosalie Hale scarf is blocking!  I can't wait to wear this thing.  I'll probably have to steam it one more time.  But I CAN'T WAIT TO WEAR THIS THING! 

 

I feel sexy and vampirey already!

 

 

Knitting Plans

I certainly have big holiday knitting plans, for a woman who's going back to work next week!  I have projects sitting on my desk and more that I've just cast-on in the living room and I'm finding more patterns on Ravelry everyday...  Wow, when I get in the mood to knit, I GET IN THE MOOD TO KNIT, PEOPLE!  lol

This is the beginning of  another pair of Bella mittens.  They are so easy and fun to put together, quick and rewarding.  This pair is for my Twilight buddy, Mandy.

This little project was a complete surprise and totally unplanned.  But since I found perfect yarn in my stash, I'm sure it was meant to happen!  This is the Socktoberfest, Mystery Sock pattern for 2009!  They only give you a piece of the pattern at a time, so you don't know what it's going to be in the end.  I think so far, really gorgeous!  This portion is clue #1.  Clue #2 has already been released, so I need to get it in gear!   This is what I needed that second pair of dpns for, Marie!  Thanks again for letting me borrow them.  I can get both socks going now!

This originally was another mystery pattern project, but when I found out that it was going to be a knitting needle holder, I decided to make it something else.

 

Bee has been requesting accessories for Rainbow Bump the last few weeks.  I've knit her a new, blue sweater, a pretty yellow blanket and now an orange pillow!  (formerly known as the knitting needle holder.)

I'm also 6 inches shy of finishing my Rosalie Hale scarf...  can't wait to wear that puppy!  I'll post pictures when she's finally done!

Also got a top secret baby thing in the works for a friend of mine who is expecting in February.  Don't have to start this one til after Christmas...  if I can make myself wait that long.

 

 

Also making this for a boy for Christmas.    I'm making one in green for Bee.  Guh is making a blue one for Will.  She's already started on Will's and tells me the pattern is very fun and easy.  Cool!  I think the boys are going to love them!

Oh... and yes.  I DID mention something about going back to work.  I accepted a job at the Community Preschool, otherwise known as Here Wee Grow.  (nope, I didn't know it was part of the public school system either...  til now.)  I'll be working as a teacher's assistant, M-F, normal school hours and my work schedule will completely coincide with the boys' school schedule.  (No childcare needed!!)  I'm tickled to have this job! It just sounds perfect for me and our family at this stage!  So wish me luck.  I start on the 15th. 

It Seemed Like a Good Idea At the Time

I decided back in February that I was going to knit a sweater for myself.  The first sweater I've made for myself. And I was going to make it in a smaller size, since I was having weight loss surgery in April.  The sweater would be like a reward for reaching a weight loss goal.  Sounds fun, huh?

This is Mr. Greenjeans.  It's a cute, easy pattern.  I've loved the process so far.  I'm about half way done with the body (that is knit in one piece from the top down.)  But as soon as it started taking shape, it started looking really big to me.

So, I transferred it to scrap yarn yesterday and tried it on.  Sadly, I was right.  It's too big.  I wanted to wear it this fall and it's too big already. This is a problem, however, as problems go, I can't be totally bummed about this one.  I've been pretty successful with my weight loss so far and for this, I'm very happy! 

I've polled all my knitting buddies and the consensus is:  rip it and wait 'til you're a little closer to your ultimate goal weight to start again.  I have wise friends, don't I !?!

So with all my knitting time freed up, I will meet my goal of getting Bee's Cub Scout socks done by the end of the month!  Note to self:  Berroco Comfort isn't the greatest yarn to use for socks.  It's all I could find in the colors that I needed. But it's just too soft and stretchy and doesn't bounce back at all...  Live and learn.  I think maybe after a few washings, they'll be better.  They turned out really cute, though...  I'm sure the boys will love them. 

Here is the pair that Guh made for our Dood.  I just love making the heel and toe a different color.  Makes them look so special.  (I'm easily pleased...)

 

 

 

So, now I have time to work on this.

And this.

 

Can't complain.

Success, Kind-of

 I was pretty excited to see that every single one of my entries in the County Fair won a ribbon. And most of them got a purple ribbon, which is first place!! Then I looked around and realized that every open class entry won a ribbon.  And my feeling about that?  What's the freakin' point?  I know they want to encourage everyone to participate, but really, isn't it a contest? 

Pets and Hobbies

A summertime event just happened!  The pups got the very first tomato from the garden.  I had promised tootsie-pop and she's been waiting for months.  They were happy puppies!

I've only done Roma tomatoes in the past and they're small enough just to give them to the pups whole.  This was a big hybrid plant, so we took it inside and washed it and chopped it up.

And these are for our latest crop of baby butterflies.  Soon as I'm sure they have full bellies, we're going to set them free.  Maybe tonight.

Seems like it's been all about animals around here the last couple of days.  Our little betta, Azul, is sick too...  He's been hiding and acting sluggish for a couple of weeks before his thick-headed caretaker (that would be me) finally noticed grey spots on him (and only after part of his fin fell off during the last aquarium cleaning.)  Ugh!  So he's on medicine and is getting frequent house cleanings.  I sure hope the little guy is going to be ok. For a fish, he's been surprisingly fun and animated.  I've been very taken by the little guy.

In knitting news, here is Mr. Greenjeans.  I haven't read ahead in the pattern yet, but I'm dying to start on the cable part...  hoping it's next.  My goal is to have this done to wear to Vail in November.  I think it's a safe goal.  Maybe I'll have it done even sooner.  I made it two sizes smaller than I wore when I started, knowing that I was going to have weight loss surgery.  But this size is the size I'm wearing currently...  so the sooner I finish, the better.  (Amanda, have you ever known anyone take so long to knit a sweater as me?  I'm always blown away at how fast you knit!)

I haven't gotten very far on the Cub Scout socks...  My goal on them is to just have them done for when scouts resumes at the end of August. 

And finally here's my Rosalie scarf.  It will have to be blocked, obviously.  My goal for this is just to have it completed before fall, when I'll next be able to wear a scarf.  It's so drapey and soft.  I think I'm going to love it.  (Of course, I was given a beautiful, white, hand knit scarf for Christmas last year.  Thank you, Sandy, I love it!  But I couldn't resist making a Twilight-inspired scarf.  I know you understand.)

So that's all that's on-the-needles at my house for now...  you know, unless I find another irresistable pattern out there.

Off to find more coffee.  I hope you have a great Friday! 

County Fair Entries

County Fair Entries, originally uploaded by doo010101.

I think this is it... my county fair entries for next month. I'm entering the red skull mittens for my mother and I still have to decide between the two scrapbook pages. (you can only enter one.)

I hope this is going to be a fun process. In my current frame of mind, I'm really extending beyond my comfort zone to participate in something like this... I hope it doesn't bite me in the butt.

Wish me luck. Judging isn't until end of July. I'll keep you posted.

Always so good to get home!

The boys and I got home yesterday from our first summer break trip to Colorado.  We had a great time.  The boys weren't ready to come home yet. 

Got lots of pretty pictures of the flower gardens at Guh/Umpa's houses.  We knit and shopped, got to eat out.  It's always fun there.

Fell in love completely with their new pup, Tigger.  He's a labradoodle.  He's so sweet, his coat is so soft.  I had no idea labradoodles could be so small.  He's 2 years old and only weighs 8 lbs.  He's the same size as my larger toy poodle...  What a cutie-pie!

Got started on our Cub Scout socks.  I'm making Scotty's Wolf socks and Guh is making Will's Bear socks.  No, mother, I'm not going to tell everyone about telling you the wrong size needles and your having to rip it and start all over...  (I SWEAR I DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE!!)

And so even after telling her the wrong needle size, she gave me this!  Isn't it gorgeous?  She started this afghan in 1983 and I found it, in her basement, a couple of days ago.  She's giving it to me, if I finish it.  Gotta look up some crochet stitches on the internet, but I'm thinking it's going to be beautiful!

And lastly...  we've decided that Will's old enough to have his own room.  He'll be moving into the room that was previously the guestroom when our cousin Devan goes home.  Both our boys are getting excited about the whole process, I think.  So this solar system stuff is what we've purchased for Will's new room.  He's going to use Grandma's antique bed and we're going to make the whole room over for a young man.  Also planning on some small changes for Bee's room too, just to make it special for him as well.

We'll be traveling down to the Denver Airport tomorrow to pick up cousin Devan, who is spending the next three weeks with us.  We're all very excited to have him!!! 

Saturday morning before my next surgery...

o My lap-band surgery is coming up on April 30th and I'm a little bit nervous about the whole thing.  Right before my hysterectomy, last December, the anesthesiologist told me to go to my happy place.

I thought I'd share my happy place.  It's the park behind our place in Avon, Colorado.  We've had so many good times and already created so many fond memories there!  There's no place happier for me.  So, this is what I'll be thinking of lots this coming up week, while taking the last few steps in preparing for this surgery.  Don't misunderstand, as anxious as I am about the future, I'm twice as excited to have this done.  I'm already thinking in terms of being smaller, healthier and feeling better and it's AWESOME!

Also have some knitting news.  I finished my Mrs. Beeton's.  And just as I'm finishing them, we have a warm spell.  I may not get to wear them til next fall...  but I'm pretty sure I'm going to love them.  Especially under a coat sleeve, they'll keep that little draft from getting in.  It's going to be lovely, I just know it!  I used an aran weight yarn, so they're very thick and warm. (the wrist part of the pattern is also knit double-stranded).  I think if I decide to make another pair, I will use the sock weight yarn that's called for, just for a more dainty, delicate feel.

And here's the progress on the Queen Anne lace scarf.  Scott hates it, but I think it's going to be adorable with a cute little shirt this summer.  I'll show him!!  lol  I'll probably finish this up this weekend.  I want to take a project to Colorado with me next week too.  Not sure what that's going to be yet.

The weather here is kinda cold and dreary again this weekend, so it's a good time to do indoor stuff.  Maybe the rain will hold off...  if it does, the man I hired to clean up our flower beds will be here tomorrow.  He and his son garden in the summer-time for fun and bonding time and so the kid can earn some extra money.  I'm very excited about getting everything pretty again.  They're even going to prepare my barrels for the garden!  So this year, I'll only have to do the fun part:  planting, caring for and eating!   I had already decided to do a smaller version of gardening this summer because of all the time the boys and I spend in Colorado at Guh/Umpa's houses.  Now, however, we learn that our nephew from Georgia would like to come for an extended visit this summer and that'll keep us at home a little more...  I'm re-evaluting my summer gardening plans...

Do we live in Forks, Washington? (the rainiest place in the country)

It was dreary yesterday, calling for dreary today and tomorrow.  I don't mind it yet and it's SO much better than snow.   It's cold too, just not quite cold enough for snow! 

Come Sunday, I know, the sunshine is going to look and feel like pure Heaven!

The bulbs sure love this kind of weather.  Maybe there's hope for them afterall... 

Knowing that the weather was going to keep us indoors this weekend, I was trying to think of some fun things to do as a family.  I wanted to take the kids to a movie, but Sidney being Sidney, the movie I wanted to take them to is already gone.  I think Race to Witch Mountain was here one week... So, that's off the table.   Was also thinking that we could take a trip to the Scottsbluff Zoo tomorrow, but the weather just isn't right for that yet.

I have some knitting I'd like to do.  These are my Mrs. Beeton's, not progressing nearly as quickly as they should be, because I was distracted by this: 

This is the Queen Anne lace scarf, a free pattern on Ravelry.  It's crocheted, but I found all the stitches on youtube and was able to put it all together pretty easily.  This yarn is so colorful and happy.  (beautiful Noro silk garden lite, of course.)  Can't wait to wear this one!  It just screams "SUMMER."

I have some cooking I want to do also.  Bought stuff to make beef stew in the slow cooker...  something perfect for the kind of weather we're having.  And it's beef and potatoes, I know my husband will be happy.

As for what my boys are going to do all weekend, I'm not sure.  Maybe some Cub Scout stuff, maybe some budget stuff, maybe some video games and/or movies at home...  It's going to be a peaceful, at-home weekend, I'm pretty sure.