Whew.

I haven't posted anything in nearly a month and I haven't knitted in nearly as long. I could go into boring detail about everything that has been keeping me busy but would rather not re-live it. (Not that there was anything bad, on the contrary. Not bad, just exhausting.) Instead I will simply recount the lessons I have learned.

1. I am a tad too anal about where my dishes are put away. I never though I was, in fact I always prided myself on how open minded I was. Denial I guess, because it really does bother me if someone stacks the pots and pans their way instead of mine.

2. I am turning into a fairly decent cook. It's taken me half my life, but I'm getting there.

3. More than any thing else, children desire time and attention from the the grown ups in their life. Everyone needs to be validated.

4. Getting up in the wee hours of the morning to go shopping can be somewhat productive but is really quite insane.

5. Parents need to take a few steps back and let their children succeed or fail all by themselves.

6. We can not let winning or losing define who we are or how we feel about ourselves.

7. Making 200 hydro bracelets for your son's entrepreneur's club craft fair can prove to be somewhat tedious and quite painful.

8. It's not all about money. More money is rarely the answer.

8. It truly is better to give than it is to receive. But as my wise son pointed out, it's OK to receive because if you are giving, someone is receiving.

Which brings us to how we should do our receiving......

9. It's all about gratitude.

The craziness is pretty much over, it's time to relax, do some serious Christmas baking, and......KNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happiness to you in your life ahead!

Tender Mercies.

I have been looking for a set of size six double pointed needles for quite some time. I prefer the old fashioned metal ones that they don't make anymore. So you can see that something like that would be rather hard to find.

Our townhome community had it's semi annual carport sales on Friday and Saturday. A neighbor, knowing my passion for yarn, called me up and said she had small bag of yarn and some other knitting stuff. Would I like it ? She would let me have it for 50 cents. Well, nearly 2 and a half minutes later I was at her carport, two quarters in hand.

Well you guessed it, mixed in with the yarn was a set of vintage metal dpn's SIZE 6. Heavenly Father loves me, and he knows the desires of my heart. No matter how small and seemingly insignificant those desires may be. Such a loving and caring Father. I am constantly amazed.


Here is my Sunday hat with flower. I took the idea from this knitted flower pattern. I used a vintage button for the center and sewed a pin to the back.


I have finished 3 hats for the 20 hats project. Look here for pictures. They are so fun to make! I guess part of it is the instant gratification of having them done so quickly! But the thought of my creations keeping a little tiny head nice and toasty warm, makes me smile.


Here's a shot of one of Simon's games. (he's the gray and black dude in the center) Their team made it into the finals so we have two more weeks of games to go. Go Warriors!!!

Happiness to you in your life ahead!

The Tummy Bug

Nothing much to report. We have all been taking turns with a rather virulent tummy bug. It has passed (no pun intended) from one member of the family to another and then back again. The good news is that after a day and a half it's pretty much over and one can get back one's feet as it were.

I did make it to church on Sunday and I had many compliments on my hat. (I will post a photo of the finished product soon.) I also finished two hats for the 20 Hats Project. (Which I will also post photos of soon.) I am trying several different patterns to see which ones I like. This one is cute, but you really do have to bind off loosely or the sides are noticeably different lengths when you go to sew them together.

I have really over booked myself. I need to learn to say no. This week I have to be over at the school every day except Monday. Today was my day to work in the office and make copies for the teachers (just an hour and a half while Levi is at school, they have several "copy parents" that come in and help out, reduces copy machine traffic I suppose). Tomorrow is Simon's Entrepreneurs Club meeting (they asked me to help out with the 6th grade group, last time I didn't really do anything and I don't know if they really need me, but I said that I would go). Thursday is my morning to help out in 1st grade ( I go every other Thursday, this is something I really enjoy, the kids are so delightful!). And Friday we are having our first meeting with Isaac's Odyssey of the Mind team (whew).

And to top it all off I am team mom for Simon's soccer team. I need to decided on a end of the season, thanks to the coaches type party and email everyone and let them know what is going on.

So goodnight from me the 1st grade room mother, copy parent, Odyssey of the Mind coach, soccer mom, maid, chief cook and bottle washer, nurse, homework tutor........you know, what the world calls a "stay at home mom".

Happiness to you in your life ahead.

20 Hats Project

Today while browsing the new patterns on Knitting Pattern Central I stumbled upon the 20 Hats Project. Members have a goal of knitting 20 baby hats for a hospital for Christmas 2007. I'm very excited to participate!

Speaking of hats, here is the hat I made for church on Sunday. I'm still working on the flower.


It's a little more gathered at the top then I expected, but it looks good on. Kind of reminiscent of the 20's flapper look, especially with a big I-cord flower on the side! Charlston, charalston, hoochy coo and boo boop pa doo.

I have a couple other projects on the back burner. It's interesting how the creative process goes. Sometimes something just feels right and sometimes it doesn't. I have unraveled pieces that represented hours of work because I knew in my heart that I would never get around to finishing them. I am trying to knit something special for my sister for Christmas. (I can't say what it is, because she reads my blog and it's a surprise.) I am on my third try and hopefully this one is a keeper. I don't know why this one has been so difficult, maybe because she is one of the most important people in my life and I want this to be perfect. She is also an extremely patient and understanding person. And being related to me she is used to getting her Christmas gifts around Easter.

I'm having company for the weekend and my house is a mess (as usual). The laundry is piled up and I haven't emptied the dishwasher yet from yesterday. Ah, but at least I have my priorities in order knitting, blogging, knitting, and watching my season one collection of The Mary Tyler Moore show. Life can be beautiful!

Happiness to you in your life ahead!

Halloween.

It has been a good day (as Halloween's go).
Here is a brief accounting of the days events:

First Grade Halloween Show

Me. Wearing my costume.
(Apple Hat from Cheap Knitting Patterns.)

Party, party, party!

Two little devils and a skeleton.
( I knitted the devils headbands and tails using
Darling Devil Set from Lion Brand.)

We took the boys out trick-or-treating for a while this evening. When we came home we sorted the loot and put the majority of the chocolate in bags in the freezer (clearly labeled as to who's loot it is, of course) for future munchie attacks. I did find time to finish my lavender hat for church. I'm now working on the flower. It didn't turn out quite the way I expected, but I am still pleased. It's getting late and I am tired. So, happiness to you in your life ahead,

Elvis has left the building.

Just a Monday, I suppose.

Today has been long and difficult. I haven't felt well and I spent the afternoon in bed. It is so frustrating to not get things done when there is so much to do.

I did start on a hat. Yesterday in church the Relief Society president said that November was hat month and that if we wanted we could all wear hats in support of a Sister in our Ward who is on her 4th round of chemo for breast cancer. She wears a hat every Sunday so now she won't be the odd man (or woman) out. I think it's a sweet gesture and will be fun! I am using the blue blog patterns: beginners hat. I am doing it in a nice lavender color and I hope to add a funky I-cord flower with a vintage button center. We'll see how it turns out.

A while ago I made this baby bassinet that I got from cheap knitting patterns. Although I have boys I have to knit something pink every once in a while just to keep my sanity. The boys thought it was cute though and said I had to make a baby for it. The pattern I used for the baby is Bev's little pocket muggins. Bev's version doesn't include legs, but Levi kept insisting that the baby needed legs. I just made two more arms and they worked out just fine. My boys are my biggest fans. They love everything I create, that makes me happy. Levi says "Mama, did you "mitted" this? I love it, it's beautiful"! What more remuneration could one want?

I also knitted part of Simon and Isaac's Halloween costumes. But that's another tale for another day.

Happiness to you in your life ahead!

Hello.

During a conversation with a very dear friend of mine I found myself apologizing for going on about some details that she didn't really have to know about. She assured me that it was all right and that I was just an out loud thinker. I thought for a moment and realized she was spot on! (after all thats what friends are for, right?) I tend to work things out verbally. This can be somewhat difficult for someone who is home all day with just a four year old for company. Which brings me to the allure of a blog. A place for my thoughts to go when my brain is full and there is no one around to share the load.

Besides raising boys, knitting has become what I think about most. I'm addicted and perhaps a little bit crazy. Which I have noticed from reading other knitting blogs is not at all unusual. In fact I feel that slight insanity is indeed the norm among the knitting community. We talk of our ever growing yarn stashes and we create amazing things like bananas, aliens, and digestive systems.

Being a mom, a wife, and a knitter is indeed a full time job. The pay is decent and the benefits are glorious! I wouldn't change a thing. As I struggle with health problems and the day to day stress of life it is my faith that gets me through. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for two hands that when equipped with two pointy sticks (or 4 lovely little dpn's) and some yarn I can create something delightful that will make someone else smile.

Being still a somewhat new knitter I hope to some day create and post original patterns. But for now I will just share my projects and whatever else comes to mind...............

Happiness to you in your life ahead!