I'm still here; it's just hard to get computer time when I have to share with hubby and all three cherubs. We're sleeping in and filling our days with movies, quiet time with new toys, and the occasional Wii MarioKart tournament. So far the five-year-old boy is rocking that game. I have yet to play, but mostly that's because I've been knitting some goodies for myself.
The rest of the week will hold more of the same, plus an excess of football. Tomorrow is Rob's bowl game (the Gator Bowl, go Tigers!), so the kids and I will be braving the movie theater in the early afternoon.
I wish you all a very happy, healthy and safe New Year!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Scenes from the holiday
Christmas Eve dinner, or "Why I could never give up beef."
Granddaddy reads the bedtime story.
"Stop! We have to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Baby Jesus!" 
Don't stop on the dog, please.
Christmas Morning Casserole
Time for play
And always time for fashion statements.
Time for Blokus
Wii!Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Ten Things I'm Loving
Yesterday, Amanda had a post about Ten Things she's loving right now. Not only did that post give me a serious case of baby itch, it also inspired me to think about what things I'm loving right now. Here goes!
1. These three boo-boos right here.
2. Holiday Baking. Especially "baking" that only requires you to put the kiss-topped pretzels in the oven for about five minutes before you take them out and top them with M&Ms. It doesn't get any easier!
3. Dreaming of a white Christmas. Now that I live up North, it's not a total pipe dream. I took this picture on Tuesday night. I love how the lights look through the snow.
4. My sewing machine. I have worked that poor thing to its breaking point this year. Today I sewed on the binding for the third and final quilt. Big sigh of relief.
5. The fact that my parents will be on their way up here this Sunday. Of course, I'm worried about the weather forecast (it's not looking good for travel), so it may be Monday before they get here, but they're coming! And I'm so excited!
6. Christmas card season means there's almost always fun mail.
7. Ditto for strange packages showing up at the door!
8. The fact that, right now, at this very moment (and probably not too much longer), the kids' hampers are empty and the clean clothes are folded and put away.
9. Yarn. I can't believe I only started knitting over the summer. It feels like it's something I've always done. I can't get over how magical it is that I can take some sticks and a ball of yarn and make something wearable.
10. Yesterday I wrote out a list of all the handmade gifts I've made for Christmas this year. I was surprised at how long it was! I admit, I went overboard this year, but I just got caught up in my own momentum. And I spent a hell of a lot less time at the mall and Target this year, so that part was awesome!
What are you loving right now?Wednesday, December 17, 2008
I had pictures
It snowed yesterday, and I took some pictures. However, I hear footsteps upstairs, and this concerns me since it's obscenely early!
I'm feeling the pressure--eight days to go! I've been up since five this morning...actually, from five to six I was in bed trying to prioritize. At six, I went ahead and got up so I could take care of some computer things (trying to email Brownie moms and get our troop signed up for some trips). I'll be hitting the shower soon so I can hit the ground running after I drop the girls at school. I think my big goal for today is to finish the quilting on the last quilt. Anything on top of that is gravy!
I wish you all a productive day. Maybe tonight I'll have a glass of wine and post those snowy pictures at my leisure.
I'm feeling the pressure--eight days to go! I've been up since five this morning...actually, from five to six I was in bed trying to prioritize. At six, I went ahead and got up so I could take care of some computer things (trying to email Brownie moms and get our troop signed up for some trips). I'll be hitting the shower soon so I can hit the ground running after I drop the girls at school. I think my big goal for today is to finish the quilting on the last quilt. Anything on top of that is gravy!
I wish you all a productive day. Maybe tonight I'll have a glass of wine and post those snowy pictures at my leisure.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Like Handmade Toys?
I found a link to this today. This doesn't look good for many etsy folks--especially many lovely bloggers I read. Check it out, and take action!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Our Holiday Traditions
On Monday afternoon, I was so frustrated with the kids. How many times does one have to say, "please stop jumping on and off of the couch," and "please stop swinging your sister around before she crashes into the glass paneled doors of the wall unit/the TV/the sharp corners of the furniture"? I was ready for a drink or two, only then I wouldn't be able to drive them to the ER after the inevitable accident we were heading toward... so I was very glad and exhausted when they all fell asleep that evening.
And then I remembered, it's crazy season! Remember last year?
Visions of Santy Claus makes the kiddos nuts! It's funny how it takes me a few days of complete nuttiness before I remember this fact. Now I'm moving into survival mode here, which means these little crazies are gonna be making Christmas crafts and watching Christmas movies until the big man himself has come and gone. I gotta keep them focused on something, otherwise they just go bananas! It's one of our Holiday Traditions!
And in keeping with that theme, I thought I'd share a few more of our traditions.
When the kids were born, I bought an ornament for each of them. My grand idea was that I'd buy each kid an ornament every year, and when they were grown, they could take them. I had to stop this because the tree was going to be overrun with kiddie ornaments! Now I just get one for the tree, usually from our summer vacation. This year, we've added Lucy the elephant. We went to visit Lucy the Elephant in Margate, New Jersey during our week in Cape May. Lucy is breakalie, so she's up high!
2000 was a big year in terms of trying to start traditions, since that's the year Caroline was born. That year, I made this tree skirt out of felt. I then made Caroline's handprint on another scrap of felt (not easy to do with a six-month-old) and sewed it to the skirt. I think we've only missed one year on the tree skirt tradition. After I took this picture, the kids added their handprints for 2008. One of these years Rob and I will add our hands. This was the first year I had the kids do the handprint directly on the skirt. I was nervous, but it went well. It's fun to see how those little hands have grown.
The last tradition I'll share with you today is what we have come to call our Christmas Morning Casserole. I found this recipe in one of those Christmas with Southern Living books, and I have made it for the last five years or so. Rob has strong feelings about this casserole--one year I told him I was going to skip it, and he said, "no, it's a tradition, you have to make it!" So there you have it. I make it ahead on Christmas Eve. The most labor intensive part is shredding the cheese. I suppose you could buy pre-shredded cheese, but we loves us some extra-extra-sharp Cheddar around here, so I shred it myself. Pop it in the oven, open some presents, and then sit down to yummy deliciousness!
Christmas Morning Casserole
And then I remembered, it's crazy season! Remember last year?
Visions of Santy Claus makes the kiddos nuts! It's funny how it takes me a few days of complete nuttiness before I remember this fact. Now I'm moving into survival mode here, which means these little crazies are gonna be making Christmas crafts and watching Christmas movies until the big man himself has come and gone. I gotta keep them focused on something, otherwise they just go bananas! It's one of our Holiday Traditions!
And in keeping with that theme, I thought I'd share a few more of our traditions.
When the kids were born, I bought an ornament for each of them. My grand idea was that I'd buy each kid an ornament every year, and when they were grown, they could take them. I had to stop this because the tree was going to be overrun with kiddie ornaments! Now I just get one for the tree, usually from our summer vacation. This year, we've added Lucy the elephant. We went to visit Lucy the Elephant in Margate, New Jersey during our week in Cape May. Lucy is breakalie, so she's up high!
2000 was a big year in terms of trying to start traditions, since that's the year Caroline was born. That year, I made this tree skirt out of felt. I then made Caroline's handprint on another scrap of felt (not easy to do with a six-month-old) and sewed it to the skirt. I think we've only missed one year on the tree skirt tradition. After I took this picture, the kids added their handprints for 2008. One of these years Rob and I will add our hands. This was the first year I had the kids do the handprint directly on the skirt. I was nervous, but it went well. It's fun to see how those little hands have grown.
The last tradition I'll share with you today is what we have come to call our Christmas Morning Casserole. I found this recipe in one of those Christmas with Southern Living books, and I have made it for the last five years or so. Rob has strong feelings about this casserole--one year I told him I was going to skip it, and he said, "no, it's a tradition, you have to make it!" So there you have it. I make it ahead on Christmas Eve. The most labor intensive part is shredding the cheese. I suppose you could buy pre-shredded cheese, but we loves us some extra-extra-sharp Cheddar around here, so I shred it myself. Pop it in the oven, open some presents, and then sit down to yummy deliciousness!
I have tried to put in a link to a pdf that I created, but I can't figure out how to make that happen. So I'll just copy the whole thing below:
Christmas Morning Casserole
Originally published in Christmas with Southern Living 1999
2 pounds mild ground pork sausage (or you can use 1 pound mild, 1 pound hot)
4 cups water
1 ¼ cups quick-cooking grits, uncooked
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Paprika
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs
4 cups water
1 ¼ cups quick-cooking grits, uncooked
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Paprika
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs
Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles. Drain well, and set aside.
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan (I use a Dutch oven), and stir in grits. Return to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; add cheese and next 3 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in sausage and eggs.
Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13: x 9: x 2. baking dish; sprinkle with paprika.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 hour until golden and heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Yield: 10 servings.
Make-ahead: Prepare grits mixture as directed above, but do not bake. Cover and chill overnight. Remove from refrigerator; let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake as directed.
This recipe can be halved easily. I put it in an 8"square baking dish.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Who's Bringing Sexy Back?
These boots are!Actually, I'm pretty sure Sexy was never here, so rather than bringing Sexy back, we'll say that Sexy has just arrived!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Getting into the spirit
This weekend, we bought and decorated our big-ass tree. That's really the only way to describe it--it's huge! The kids had fun decorating, which means I've finally accumulated enough non-breakable ornaments to keep them busy while Rob and I hang the breakables (or breakalie, as Caroline used to say). Now if we could just stop them from playing with the ornaments as they hang on the tree...I need to go move a couple of breakalies up higher!
And we got that Christmas card picture!
I finally got to put some buttons on Caroline's coat. They had all fallen off, and she'd been wearing this coat to school with no buttons on it! Now she'll be warm.
And I think I got this out of my system. I had wanted to make some fingerless mitts that would go with Erin's Rose Hill hat...I think I'm going to give up. I just love, love, love the bobbles on the bottom band, but it's huge--like the bottom of a sleeve huge. Since there's no ribbing, it doesn't close around the wrist. I could try making it smaller, but I'm ready to move on...maybe I'll come back to it eventually, but I was up early this morning thinking about knitting hats for the girls for Christmas.
And we got that Christmas card picture!
I finally got to put some buttons on Caroline's coat. They had all fallen off, and she'd been wearing this coat to school with no buttons on it! Now she'll be warm.
And I think I got this out of my system. I had wanted to make some fingerless mitts that would go with Erin's Rose Hill hat...I think I'm going to give up. I just love, love, love the bobbles on the bottom band, but it's huge--like the bottom of a sleeve huge. Since there's no ribbing, it doesn't close around the wrist. I could try making it smaller, but I'm ready to move on...maybe I'll come back to it eventually, but I was up early this morning thinking about knitting hats for the girls for Christmas. Does anyone else do that? Lie awake in bed thinking of new projects? It was six a.m., and rather than sleep for another half-hour, I was thinking up a color scheme and wondering what I could use from my stash...
Now, on this very cold morning, I'm off to work on more projects. I only have two more packages to mail out--the postman and I got well acquainted on Friday afternoon. Then I'll probably be in the yarn store this afternoon instead of at Lowe's exchanging Christmas lights!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Getting there
Quilt top #3? Done! And huge!
Ornament exchange? Done! Just need 5 more envelopes...and about an hour to wait at the post office while they calculate postage to ten different addresses.
Quilting on Quilt #2? About half way done. The beauty of waiting until crunch time is that plans become much simpler out of necessity. Forget free-motion quilting...there's no time for that! Amanda Jean had this great tip about masking tape (she used it to channel quilt and the light bulb just went on for me). I don't want to jinx myself, so...
And what woke me out of my early-morning stupor today? Thinking about designing my own fingerless mitts. I admit, I'm a knitaholic. I'm already lining up post-Christmas projects! What a wonderful illness!
Ornament exchange? Done! Just need 5 more envelopes...and about an hour to wait at the post office while they calculate postage to ten different addresses.
Quilting on Quilt #2? About half way done. The beauty of waiting until crunch time is that plans become much simpler out of necessity. Forget free-motion quilting...there's no time for that! Amanda Jean had this great tip about masking tape (she used it to channel quilt and the light bulb just went on for me). I don't want to jinx myself, so...
And what woke me out of my early-morning stupor today? Thinking about designing my own fingerless mitts. I admit, I'm a knitaholic. I'm already lining up post-Christmas projects! What a wonderful illness!Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Time to Git 'er Done!
It's crunch time here in Crafty Christmas Wonderland. That means that all these quilts that I've been lazily working on for the last few months have to get done in the next 22 days!
Oh, crap!
I'll be at work in my workshop/underground lair today. I promise I'll surface with pictures by tomorrow or Friday at the latest.
Hopefully, the pictures will be of some completed works. If not, there may be more Xmas card pictures (something else I haven't done yet).
Wish me luck!
Oh, crap!
I'll be at work in my workshop/underground lair today. I promise I'll surface with pictures by tomorrow or Friday at the latest.
Hopefully, the pictures will be of some completed works. If not, there may be more Xmas card pictures (something else I haven't done yet).
Wish me luck!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Christmas Shopping, my way
I have learned the hard way not to say "I don't really know" when asked what I want for Christmas. That year, I received $100. Cash. In single bills. Taped to the inside of a box. Taped to each other. Tape was everywhere. It was horrible.
Now I make a list.
I include various "price points" on that list. (I hate the phrase "price point." Just say "price." That's what you really mean, isn't it? People just say "price point" so you'll think they have an MBA.)
Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah, this list is offered to my hubs and family as a public service. It's also good for birthday gift ideas (my birthday is in late November--you didn't miss it, I didn't tell you about it!). Some years I aim big--really, if you ask for a new car, an iPod seems reasonable in comparison... (I turned 38 last Tuesday and am still wondering where the last 12 years went.)
This year, I gave my parents and my brother (he turned 36 on Thanksgiving--we're a bunch of turkeys) a list just for them. I usually make one list, but then Rob has to call my parents to make sure there's no overlap (two ipods would be overkill, I admit it).
Which leaves me without a list to give Rob. I did some brainstorming with him last week, and here's how that conversation went:
Him: What do you want for Christmas?
Me: I could use a new iron.
Him: I'm not buying you an iron for Christmas.
Me: But the electrical cord of the iron gets as hot as the face of the iron, and I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing.
Him: {silence, maybe crickets in the background} I'm not getting you an iron for Christmas.
So, this morning, fully armed with the knowledge that this may be my only present this year (and totally okay with that...maybe 80% okay with that--I still want the iron), I ordered myself these.
They're even better than a sparkly pink tiara!
Now I make a list.
I include various "price points" on that list. (I hate the phrase "price point." Just say "price." That's what you really mean, isn't it? People just say "price point" so you'll think they have an MBA.)
Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah, this list is offered to my hubs and family as a public service. It's also good for birthday gift ideas (my birthday is in late November--you didn't miss it, I didn't tell you about it!). Some years I aim big--really, if you ask for a new car, an iPod seems reasonable in comparison... (I turned 38 last Tuesday and am still wondering where the last 12 years went.)
This year, I gave my parents and my brother (he turned 36 on Thanksgiving--we're a bunch of turkeys) a list just for them. I usually make one list, but then Rob has to call my parents to make sure there's no overlap (two ipods would be overkill, I admit it).
Which leaves me without a list to give Rob. I did some brainstorming with him last week, and here's how that conversation went:
Him: What do you want for Christmas?
Me: I could use a new iron.
Him: I'm not buying you an iron for Christmas.
Me: But the electrical cord of the iron gets as hot as the face of the iron, and I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing.
Him: {silence, maybe crickets in the background} I'm not getting you an iron for Christmas.
So, this morning, fully armed with the knowledge that this may be my only present this year (and totally okay with that...maybe 80% okay with that--I still want the iron), I ordered myself these.
They're even better than a sparkly pink tiara!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
We're back
I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving! Are you sick of turkey yet? We are back from three days and two nights in beautiful New Jersey. We had fun visiting with family, and Rob and I even got out for a date night last night. We discovered a new game, Blokus. Rob's family loves to play games, and we played Blokus for hours on Thursday. Ironically, I just bought it last week for Christmas. It may be getting opened a little early!
Because the kids spent two nights with their cousins (super late bedtime and up with the sun), I anticipate all sorts of drama this evening. At least we have an extra day to recover before school.
I am taking the kids to see Bolt this afternoon. Daddy's game is on, and it's best to clear the house of impressionable people while Daddy yells at the TV. I'm so glad football season is almost over. I'd so rather take a nap this afternoon instead of sitting through a movie...
Because the kids spent two nights with their cousins (super late bedtime and up with the sun), I anticipate all sorts of drama this evening. At least we have an extra day to recover before school.
I am taking the kids to see Bolt this afternoon. Daddy's game is on, and it's best to clear the house of impressionable people while Daddy yells at the TV. I'm so glad football season is almost over. I'd so rather take a nap this afternoon instead of sitting through a movie...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Finish one...
And start another...
And in between, try to get a Christmas card picture!
We're gonna keep trying.How are you spending your week?
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Saturday already?
Where did the time go? I've been feeling kinda stressed lately, like I've taken on a few too many projects! I try to keep plugging away, but things like laundry and dinner and homework keep getting in the way. The kids are off all next week...this means a break from homework, so that's good. On the other hand, it means that the kids are home all week! Rob is taking Wednesday off, so maybe we can have a little family fun. On Thursday, we're off to New Jersey for a couple of days--with the dog. That means that I get to give a dog a bath between now and Thursday. Such fun!
My high school reunion is tonight, and I'm pretty bummed to be missing it. We moved from South Carolina the summer after I graduated, so there really are quite a few people that I have not seen in 20 years. I can't decide whether Facebook is helping to ease the pain or making it worse! I can only hope that lots of people take pictures and post them on FB.
Hopefully I'll be able to get some things done next week and post some pictures. Those fingerless gloves at the top of the post are another gift. I am making some mitts for myself but in a different pattern (and I think I like the gift ones better!). Enjoy this cold weekend!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Because I'm too lazy to email my friends...
Got this in my inbox this morning and figured I'd do it here.
Welcome to the new 2008 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you. Some of you may get this several times; that means you have lots of friends. The easiest way to do it is to hit 'forward' so you can change theanswers or copy and paste. Have fun and be truthful!
1.What is your occupation right now? Domestic goddess
2.What color are your socks right now? white
3.What are you listening to right now? The Snorks (on the TV in the other room)
4.What was the last thing that you ate? Go Lean Crunch Honey Flax and Almond cereal--and a cup of coffee, of course.
5.Can you drive a stick shift? Since I was 15!
6.Last person you spoke to on the phone? Rob
7.Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes
8.How old are you today? 37, dammit
9.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Baseball...this is so not a question to ask a woman!
10.What is your favorite drink? COFFEE
11.Have you ever dyed your hair? yes
12.Favorite food? Chocolate ice cream
13.What is the last movie you watched? the whole thing? hmmmm...we started watching War, Inc., on Friday and gave up after 20 minutes.
14.Favorite day of the year? hmmmm, Christmas?
15.How do you vent anger? I YELL!
16.What was your favorite toy as a child? Don't remember having one.
17.What is your favorite season? Summer, then fall.
18.Cherries or Blueberries? neither
19.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? emails are always nice!
20.Who is the most likely to respond? Cori, but she doesn't read my blog
21.Who is least likely to respond? everyone
22.Living arrangements? a house
23.When was the last time you cried? Can't remember, which is probably a good thing.
24.What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes, baseball cards, rubbermaid containers of out of season clothes
25.Who is the friend you have known the longest that you are sending to?hard to say, since I'm posting it here
26.What did you do last night? Ate dinner, watched TV and knit (knit or knitted?).
27.What are you most afraid of? Something bad happening to my kids
28.Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese, please!
29.Favorite dog breed? In light of yesterday's post, do we have to go there?
30.Favorite day of the week? Friday!
31.How many states have you lived in? 6
32.Diamonds or pearls? Pearls, although as a practical matter, diamonds are more durable...
33.What is your favorite flower? Daisies, hydrangeas, roses, was I supposed to pick just one?
Okay, that's more than enough about me; now consider yourself tagged!
Welcome to the new 2008 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you. Some of you may get this several times; that means you have lots of friends. The easiest way to do it is to hit 'forward' so you can change theanswers or copy and paste. Have fun and be truthful!
1.What is your occupation right now? Domestic goddess
2.What color are your socks right now? white
3.What are you listening to right now? The Snorks (on the TV in the other room)
4.What was the last thing that you ate? Go Lean Crunch Honey Flax and Almond cereal--and a cup of coffee, of course.
5.Can you drive a stick shift? Since I was 15!
6.Last person you spoke to on the phone? Rob
7.Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes
8.How old are you today? 37, dammit
9.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Baseball...this is so not a question to ask a woman!
10.What is your favorite drink? COFFEE
11.Have you ever dyed your hair? yes
12.Favorite food? Chocolate ice cream
13.What is the last movie you watched? the whole thing? hmmmm...we started watching War, Inc., on Friday and gave up after 20 minutes.
14.Favorite day of the year? hmmmm, Christmas?
15.How do you vent anger? I YELL!
16.What was your favorite toy as a child? Don't remember having one.
17.What is your favorite season? Summer, then fall.
18.Cherries or Blueberries? neither
19.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? emails are always nice!
20.Who is the most likely to respond? Cori, but she doesn't read my blog
21.Who is least likely to respond? everyone
22.Living arrangements? a house
23.When was the last time you cried? Can't remember, which is probably a good thing.
24.What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes, baseball cards, rubbermaid containers of out of season clothes
25.Who is the friend you have known the longest that you are sending to?hard to say, since I'm posting it here
26.What did you do last night? Ate dinner, watched TV and knit (knit or knitted?).
27.What are you most afraid of? Something bad happening to my kids
28.Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese, please!
29.Favorite dog breed? In light of yesterday's post, do we have to go there?
30.Favorite day of the week? Friday!
31.How many states have you lived in? 6
32.Diamonds or pearls? Pearls, although as a practical matter, diamonds are more durable...
33.What is your favorite flower? Daisies, hydrangeas, roses, was I supposed to pick just one?
Okay, that's more than enough about me; now consider yourself tagged!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Unsolicited Life Advice (an occasional series)
Here's your piece of Unsolicited Life Advice for today: Never get a dog.
Because they'll decide that you are the only one who is qualified to take them out to pee in the early morning, or the middle of the night. Which suits the hubby-who-can-sleep-through-anything just fine.
Because the dog will eventually turn twelve.
And because his memory and body will start to fail him.
And you will take him out to pee at 10:20pm. And the dog will pee. And poop. And then you will go upstairs and go to sleep.
And the dog will wake you at 11:00. P.M. And you will leave your warm bed and take him downstairs and outside. And he will pee. And poop. And then you will go back upstairs and go to sleep.
And the dog will wake you at 1:00am. And you will stare at the clock for a few seconds. And then you will desperately try to cling to the fleeting memories of what you think was a pretty good dream--but they will vanish. And you will leave your warm bed. And you will make sure you have a good grip on the bannister before you trudge downstairs, only half awake, to let the dog out. The dog will probably pee. And then you will go back upstairs and go to sleep.
And the dog will wake you up at 4 something. And you will fight the urge to cry. And you will, once again, leave your toasty bed and grip the bannister a little more tightly. And you will let the dog out and not even watch him as he pees or sniffs every blade of grass or just stands there sniffing the wind and looking confused. And then you will go back upstairs and be thankful that you can have another two hour nap before you have to get up for the day.
And then you will wake on your own at 6:30. And after ten more minutes, you will force yourself to get up and start your day. And after you are all showered, made up, and dressed, you and your dog will go downstairs to start making breakfast and school lunches.
And you will discover that the dog has pooped in the dining room.
And peed on the corner of one of the rugs in the foyer.
Never get a dog.
Because they'll decide that you are the only one who is qualified to take them out to pee in the early morning, or the middle of the night. Which suits the hubby-who-can-sleep-through-anything just fine.
Because the dog will eventually turn twelve.
And because his memory and body will start to fail him.
And you will take him out to pee at 10:20pm. And the dog will pee. And poop. And then you will go upstairs and go to sleep.
And the dog will wake you at 11:00. P.M. And you will leave your warm bed and take him downstairs and outside. And he will pee. And poop. And then you will go back upstairs and go to sleep.
And the dog will wake you at 1:00am. And you will stare at the clock for a few seconds. And then you will desperately try to cling to the fleeting memories of what you think was a pretty good dream--but they will vanish. And you will leave your warm bed. And you will make sure you have a good grip on the bannister before you trudge downstairs, only half awake, to let the dog out. The dog will probably pee. And then you will go back upstairs and go to sleep.
And the dog will wake you up at 4 something. And you will fight the urge to cry. And you will, once again, leave your toasty bed and grip the bannister a little more tightly. And you will let the dog out and not even watch him as he pees or sniffs every blade of grass or just stands there sniffing the wind and looking confused. And then you will go back upstairs and be thankful that you can have another two hour nap before you have to get up for the day.
And then you will wake on your own at 6:30. And after ten more minutes, you will force yourself to get up and start your day. And after you are all showered, made up, and dressed, you and your dog will go downstairs to start making breakfast and school lunches.
And you will discover that the dog has pooped in the dining room.
And peed on the corner of one of the rugs in the foyer.
Never get a dog.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Show and Tell
Blogger is being annoying lately--it's reversing the order of my photos. Usually, they come up in the blog in the order I chose them for uploading, but not this week. So I'll do things in reverse order today--isn't that supposed to be good for preventing aging brain? Or am I full of wishful thinking?
Anyway, I got the sewing machine working again yesterday. Not sure what caused all the drama on Monday--needles do break sometimes. Often, when a needle breaks or my bobbin thread runs out, I'll take it as a sign that I need to step away from the machine and do something else.
On to the good stuff! This is the Rose Hill hat, designed by Erin at house on hill road. It was really easy. Knitting the bobbles was the only part that was slightly tricky, but it went really quickly. I'm modeling it here, but this is going to be a gift. I have a large head, so I use myself as a fit model for hats--if it fits me, it should fit anyone! Erin has the pattern in a pdf, so if you want to make this, hop on over to her blog to get the pattern. I may make a few more of these.
This is my first attempt at one of these birds. John at Quilt Dad made a bunch of these a couple of weeks ago, and I just loved them (they've also been popping up in other places in blogland, just can't remember where right now). The pattern is a free one from Spool. The funny part is that the Spool shop is in downtown Philadelphia. Maybe one day I'll actually get down there.
The bird is one of my ideas for the Christmas ornament exchange. Here is my other idea. I can't remember where I got this pattern--it was somewhere online. If you're dying to know, I can go look it up for you. The one on the far right is the only one I've actually stuffed so far, but you get the general idea.
These remind me of Hershey's Kisses--maybe I'll find some silver fabric and make a few of those. Or maybe I'll just go get a bag of the real thing! I loves me some Hershey's Kisses!
And finally, I did knit something for myself! Here is my hat. You may recall that I tried knitting this earlier with some non-bulky yarn and ended up with a baby-size hat. This one actually fits, and I love all of the colors in it.
I had to get over the fact that I do not look good in a brimless hat and just remember that I love the yarn. Besides, when it's really cold out, you're just trying to stay warm, it's not always about looking good!
Anyway, I got the sewing machine working again yesterday. Not sure what caused all the drama on Monday--needles do break sometimes. Often, when a needle breaks or my bobbin thread runs out, I'll take it as a sign that I need to step away from the machine and do something else.
On to the good stuff! This is the Rose Hill hat, designed by Erin at house on hill road. It was really easy. Knitting the bobbles was the only part that was slightly tricky, but it went really quickly. I'm modeling it here, but this is going to be a gift. I have a large head, so I use myself as a fit model for hats--if it fits me, it should fit anyone! Erin has the pattern in a pdf, so if you want to make this, hop on over to her blog to get the pattern. I may make a few more of these.
This is my first attempt at one of these birds. John at Quilt Dad made a bunch of these a couple of weeks ago, and I just loved them (they've also been popping up in other places in blogland, just can't remember where right now). The pattern is a free one from Spool. The funny part is that the Spool shop is in downtown Philadelphia. Maybe one day I'll actually get down there.
The bird is one of my ideas for the Christmas ornament exchange. Here is my other idea. I can't remember where I got this pattern--it was somewhere online. If you're dying to know, I can go look it up for you. The one on the far right is the only one I've actually stuffed so far, but you get the general idea.
These remind me of Hershey's Kisses--maybe I'll find some silver fabric and make a few of those. Or maybe I'll just go get a bag of the real thing! I loves me some Hershey's Kisses!I'm also toying with the idea of trying a stuffed, 3-d star. I tried it last year with felt and it was a disaster. I may try with these cute fabrics this year! I'll be sure to show you how that turns out. I tell you, considering how annoyed I get with all the Christmas decorations out in the stores now, I sure am having fun making these ornaments!
And finally, I did knit something for myself! Here is my hat. You may recall that I tried knitting this earlier with some non-bulky yarn and ended up with a baby-size hat. This one actually fits, and I love all of the colors in it.
I had to get over the fact that I do not look good in a brimless hat and just remember that I love the yarn. Besides, when it's really cold out, you're just trying to stay warm, it's not always about looking good!Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tuesday...
Yesterday was a frustrating day. I was full of grand ideas--I was going to start sewing an apron for a holiday swap. The thread (at least I hope it's the thread) was giving me all sorts of problems with the tension on my machine. After a few false starts, I decided to move on to another project. I'm also never going to try that thread again (it's rayon and slippery as hell).
So I moved onto starting to quilt Caitlin's quilt. Put in the quilting thread, change needles, drop the feed dogs, and get busy, right? No. The needle would not catch the bobbin thread--no stitches. What's a girl to do? Hey--let's try putting the feed dogs back up to see if it'll stitch that way....broken needle! Awesome! Time to turn off the machine and go do something else.
I spent my creative time working on my Rose Hill hat (go see Erin for the pattern). And no, it's not for me...one of these days, I tell ya...
This morning, I spent two hours cutting out fabric for a dress for me. Have you ever cut matte jersey? It's like trying to cut water. It's all done now, and it's going away for a couple of days until my patience levels are restored.
This afternoon I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I may try to fix the sewing machine running again so I can piece some blocks for Caroline's quilt. I may start playing around with Christmas ornament designs--I got my list for swap today, so I'm all excited. Then again, I may just put away the mountain of folded laundry that has taken over my bed OR clean out the refrigerator...it's all so exciting!
Happy Tuesday
So I moved onto starting to quilt Caitlin's quilt. Put in the quilting thread, change needles, drop the feed dogs, and get busy, right? No. The needle would not catch the bobbin thread--no stitches. What's a girl to do? Hey--let's try putting the feed dogs back up to see if it'll stitch that way....broken needle! Awesome! Time to turn off the machine and go do something else.
I spent my creative time working on my Rose Hill hat (go see Erin for the pattern). And no, it's not for me...one of these days, I tell ya...
This morning, I spent two hours cutting out fabric for a dress for me. Have you ever cut matte jersey? It's like trying to cut water. It's all done now, and it's going away for a couple of days until my patience levels are restored.
This afternoon I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I may try to fix the sewing machine running again so I can piece some blocks for Caroline's quilt. I may start playing around with Christmas ornament designs--I got my list for swap today, so I'm all excited. Then again, I may just put away the mountain of folded laundry that has taken over my bed OR clean out the refrigerator...it's all so exciting!
Happy Tuesday
Monday, November 10, 2008
Here are some pictures...
A couple of weeks ago, I went by my new favorite yarn shop and picked up some yummy yarn. A couple of these are going to be used to knit items for ME. I have yet to knit something for myself--I've been so busy making Christmas presents for everyone else. I do hope to knit myself a sweater, but that's going to have to wait until after the holidays.
I'll be sitting out here while I knit. When Rob's sister came to visit a couple of weeks ago, she helped us get the fireplace going, so now I'm set!
Last week I finished Caitlin's quilt top. It is sandwiched now and waiting for me to get my free-motion quilting freak on.
Before I came here to post, I saw in Google Reader that some of my favorite bloggy peeps have new posts, so I'm off to read all about your adventures!
I'll be sitting out here while I knit. When Rob's sister came to visit a couple of weeks ago, she helped us get the fireplace going, so now I'm set!Last week I finished Caitlin's quilt top. It is sandwiched now and waiting for me to get my free-motion quilting freak on.
And after spending a couple of weeks playing with this beautiful fabric from Buffy, I was unsure of what I was going to do. Then I saw Amy's block yesterday, and it all fell into place. Here is my November block for SewConnected:
Before I came here to post, I saw in Google Reader that some of my favorite bloggy peeps have new posts, so I'm off to read all about your adventures!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Feeling Good
It was an exciting evening! It is a new day, but it also feels like a NEW DAY. I feel proud of my country. It's been a long time.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Barack the Vote!
We're back. The kids are off from school today, and voting takes place at the high school right outside our neighborhood, so naturally I made the kids walk. The long way. Really, what else are we going to do today?
Anyway, we got there and got in line. I brought snacks for the kids--because you know they can't go more than 45 minutes without a snack--and we waited. Since school was out, the kids saw lots of classmates, and there was lots of running around and having fun. They only got cranky toward the end, when the lines were squishing together to get into the gym.
So we finally get up to the voting booth, and I won't let the kids in because I don't want them pushing the "vote" button before I can cast my vote. So I make my choices for office and then I get sidetracked by the idea of taking a picture of my vote. Unfortunately, the flash is obscuring the print, and the kids have now snuck under the curtain into the booth, so I just press the "vote" button and we leave. On the way out, I overhear some women talking about some bond question and laughing about how long-winded and nonsensical it was (and I did remember reading this among all the papers taped to the side of the gym when I was in line)...so it appears that I missed some things! Oh well, I did cast the most important vote.
And it only took an hour and a half!
Go vote!
Anyway, we got there and got in line. I brought snacks for the kids--because you know they can't go more than 45 minutes without a snack--and we waited. Since school was out, the kids saw lots of classmates, and there was lots of running around and having fun. They only got cranky toward the end, when the lines were squishing together to get into the gym.
So we finally get up to the voting booth, and I won't let the kids in because I don't want them pushing the "vote" button before I can cast my vote. So I make my choices for office and then I get sidetracked by the idea of taking a picture of my vote. Unfortunately, the flash is obscuring the print, and the kids have now snuck under the curtain into the booth, so I just press the "vote" button and we leave. On the way out, I overhear some women talking about some bond question and laughing about how long-winded and nonsensical it was (and I did remember reading this among all the papers taped to the side of the gym when I was in line)...so it appears that I missed some things! Oh well, I did cast the most important vote.
And it only took an hour and a half!
Go vote!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Happy November
November already...seems like just yesterday I was saying the same thing about October. For a quick Christmas update--the first quilt is still sitting in a chair waiting for me to finish sewing the binding onto the back, the second quilt top is 80% done, the third quilt has 3 out of 56 blocks sewn. The hoodie still needs to be finished, and the hat and mittens I made for Bobby have been frogged because I'm too lazy to make a gauge swatch and they were too small...I have my work cut out for me!
So Friday was the Greatest Day on Earth to be a Kid. I never did get a picture of Caroline--she nearly snuck by me at the school parade, and she went trick-or-treating with a neighbor. She was Sharpay from HSM1 (blue dress). Here are the other two, all ready to get some candy!
Saturday, I finally succeeded in getting the whole family to go apple picking. It was a beautiful day, and the kids had fun--they even said so!
On the way out to the orchard, I was telling Rob that I could make and freeze apple pie filling, and I could make apple sauce and apple butter. With huge beautiful apples and three very enthusiastic pickers, we ended up with over forty pounds of apples! I made four pie fillings for the freezer and one actual pie on Saturday. Now I still have about thirty pounds of apples to process...
So Friday was the Greatest Day on Earth to be a Kid. I never did get a picture of Caroline--she nearly snuck by me at the school parade, and she went trick-or-treating with a neighbor. She was Sharpay from HSM1 (blue dress). Here are the other two, all ready to get some candy!
Saturday, I finally succeeded in getting the whole family to go apple picking. It was a beautiful day, and the kids had fun--they even said so!
On the way out to the orchard, I was telling Rob that I could make and freeze apple pie filling, and I could make apple sauce and apple butter. With huge beautiful apples and three very enthusiastic pickers, we ended up with over forty pounds of apples! I made four pie fillings for the freezer and one actual pie on Saturday. Now I still have about thirty pounds of apples to process...Saturday, November 1, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Some People Know How to Party
Hey--is that Betsy Ross? Or Abigail Adams?
And did you know that Ben Franklin had a dog?Wednesday, October 29, 2008
"Good Morning, Chicken Noodle!"
That's what Caitlin said to me this morning when I woke her up. Is there anything funnier? (No, there is not.) We all woke up late today. I usually roll out by 6:30 at the latest so I can shower before the madness begins, so imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes and saw the clock reading 7:19. The kids rolled out pretty well--they move a little quicker when they know I'm making pancakes for breakfast.
The snow is pretty much all gone. It's like we dreamed it or something! It's still pretty cold and windy, but at least now I don't feel like we fast-forwarded a couple of months.
And yesterday, at Caroline's dance class, the teacher was teaching them the dance from Thriller. I can't decide what is worse: the fact that I wanted to go into the class and dance along with them, or the fact that I realized that Thriller was popular when I was 12...which was 25 years ago!
Time to go sew something...
The snow is pretty much all gone. It's like we dreamed it or something! It's still pretty cold and windy, but at least now I don't feel like we fast-forwarded a couple of months.
And yesterday, at Caroline's dance class, the teacher was teaching them the dance from Thriller. I can't decide what is worse: the fact that I wanted to go into the class and dance along with them, or the fact that I realized that Thriller was popular when I was 12...which was 25 years ago!
Time to go sew something...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
What month is it?
Still October, right? Are you sure?
Are you sure it's not January?
I'd better get to knitting...we're going to need more mittens!
Are you sure it's not January?
I'd better get to knitting...we're going to need more mittens!
Monday, October 27, 2008
A quick hello!
Before we rush out the door to dance class. I'm still battling that feeling that there aren't enough hours in the day! Today was productive, although not nearly as productive as I would have liked...but I realize I'm being unrealistic. I made covers for the rocking chair cushions, and Caroline came home from school and moved right into that rocking chair...we could have a problem here! I also cut out the panels for the curtains, and I finally finished putting in the zipper on the skirt I'm sewing. So yay for me--I really did do a lot today, and all of it got done while I continued to battle this lingering headache. I swear, a low-to-mid grade migraine just sucks after the second day or so.
Tonight Rob has to work late, and we'll have to postpone our Heroes viewing because we'll be watching the World Series. The Phillies are so close, and the whole region is going nuts. It's exciting.
And now, I must put the dog in the crate and corral three children into the car...
Tonight Rob has to work late, and we'll have to postpone our Heroes viewing because we'll be watching the World Series. The Phillies are so close, and the whole region is going nuts. It's exciting.
And now, I must put the dog in the crate and corral three children into the car...
Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday
It's Friday, and that means that at about 8:30 tonight, I can relax! Today is shaping up to be busy. Caroline's class has invited parents to visit their Insect Zoo at 11:45, then I have to dash Bobby off to school at 12:30. Both girls are going to a quilt shop this afternoon to learn how to sew--Caroline's brownie troop is doing it for a try-it, and since Caitlin is now a brownie, she's coming along, too. I'm tickled to death by the idea of them learning to use the machine, but I also have visions of them bugging me for machine time at home...when I don't even have enough time to finish my projects!
Anywhoo, today I'm going to Joann to get the quilt batting and some foam for cushions. I also need thread...and lots of other things!
My latest project for the house is this room:
We call it the sun room. It used to be the "toy room," but I moved most of the toys to the basement. The previous owners added this room after construction...they used it for their beautiful dining table. We don't have the money to spend on a beautiful new dining table for this room. Plus, it'd be overkill--there's already a table in the kitchen and a table in the dining room--how many tables does one house need?
My game plan for here isn't all that specific. I just want to take some of the edges off. I have fabric for curtains, I just have to sew them and hang a rod. All those windows can make it super hot/cold in the house, so curtains should help even that out a little. Then I'm making cushions for the rocking chair and for a bench you can't see in the picture. The patio furniture is going to go back outside. We brought that in before Bobby's party in September...and now it's time to remove it. We put our Christmas tree in here, so it'll definitely happen by December.
Here's my wall hanging quilt for over the fireplace:
Just have to sandwich, quilt, and bind. And hang on the wall...
And with all the sales at Joann's lately, I've been stocking up on patterns. I have cut out a skirt to make, I just need some thread. Hopefully I'll get some of these other things made before too long--hard to get excited about making fall clothes in the middle of winter!
Well, I find this post is similar to the state of by brain--all over the place and easily distracted! And full of exclamation points, too. I'm always reminded of that Seinfeld episode...
Anywhoo, today I'm going to Joann to get the quilt batting and some foam for cushions. I also need thread...and lots of other things!
My latest project for the house is this room:
We call it the sun room. It used to be the "toy room," but I moved most of the toys to the basement. The previous owners added this room after construction...they used it for their beautiful dining table. We don't have the money to spend on a beautiful new dining table for this room. Plus, it'd be overkill--there's already a table in the kitchen and a table in the dining room--how many tables does one house need? My game plan for here isn't all that specific. I just want to take some of the edges off. I have fabric for curtains, I just have to sew them and hang a rod. All those windows can make it super hot/cold in the house, so curtains should help even that out a little. Then I'm making cushions for the rocking chair and for a bench you can't see in the picture. The patio furniture is going to go back outside. We brought that in before Bobby's party in September...and now it's time to remove it. We put our Christmas tree in here, so it'll definitely happen by December.
Here's my wall hanging quilt for over the fireplace:
Just have to sandwich, quilt, and bind. And hang on the wall...And with all the sales at Joann's lately, I've been stocking up on patterns. I have cut out a skirt to make, I just need some thread. Hopefully I'll get some of these other things made before too long--hard to get excited about making fall clothes in the middle of winter!
Well, I find this post is similar to the state of by brain--all over the place and easily distracted! And full of exclamation points, too. I'm always reminded of that Seinfeld episode...I wish you all a relaxing weekend!
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