Christmas Time

Instead of starting this entry with a picture of grouchy old Ginger, I will start with a picture of my Mom's cat, Scout. Don't be deceived by this cute face! She looks all sweet and cuddly, but do not be fooled! Their is a Ginger lurking in there somewhere!
I hope everyone had a very nice Christmas. We had a quiet day - which was just what we wanted. Of course we were a little apprehensive about the whole day since it would be the first Christmas without Daddy, but it went well in spite of that. There were a few tears, but mainly stories about him that made us smile. L and I are in the picture above. He got a Beatles Rock Band for the Wii. I've never been a big fan of the Beatles. Now I know I will never be a big fan of the Beatles! ARGH! Beatlemania has hit our house! L has become a master on the guitar and R has mastered the drums. I was making a feeble attempt at drumming. If you look closely, you can see what R and L will do with a ream of paper, a stapler, a paper cutter and a few hours. They made paper chains for almost every square inch of the ceiling! Origami 'things' are hanging where the chains intersect. It got to the point where I was afraid to go to sleep for fear of what I would find decorating the living room in the morning!

Okay, you knew it was coming! Here's Miss Ginger showing her 'friendly' side! The other day she climbed in my lap while I was in the recliner and stayed there for two hours! I was scared to death to move! Would she go for my jugular? Was she just cold? Why was she letting me pet her? The world may never know.

R got these adorable earrings from Santa (who shops at the Woolery for those of you who are curious).

This is my gift from R. She and L have been stealthily knitting to make beautiful Christmas gifts for me. I will make sure we get a big picture of this so you can see just how gorgeous it truly is. She snapped these pictures before she wrapped it and the snow was still on the ground.

Here it is all folded up. It is just beautiful....in case I hadn't made that point before! L also made me a beautiful scarf, but I am waiting for some pictures of that before I share. When your kids spend every evening up in their rooms knitting their fingers to the bones for you, you know they are special!

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and that God will bless you in 2010!

A Day in the Snow

Snow is everywhere! We are not used to it here in NC, so it has just about stopped life as we know it. The secondary roads are just about empty. The newspaper wasn't delivered in some areas. And we are not going anywhere! When I opened the back door, the above picture shows what greeted me. I put the camera on the floor so you could see how deep it was. Here's a very misleading measurement. The snow blew off the roof and piled close to the house. It was this deep on the back deck, but we actually had about six inches of snow in the yard. What do you do with that much snow? Well, you play in it. You throw it at each other. You fall into it. You don't leave RL alone or else you end up with a snowball almost as tall as the children!
Here they are showing how proud they are of their accomplishment. It took all four of us to roll it into the front yard - along with a boogie board and a long board for leverage. Man, are we sore! Why yes, the children do look snooty. They are proud and feel they have accomplished something no one else on our street has!

Here's our snowman with all his parts in place. Don't ask how we did it! But, if one of the neighbors had a video camera running, I think they will win America's Funniest Home Video!

And this was where we left the snowman this evening. R had started carving a face by standing on a ladder and using her gardening tools! Tomorrow we finish this monstrosity! Wish us luck!

SNOW! GLORIOUS SNOW!

I just took this picture from the front door. This picture is without a flash.

And with a flash it looks so cool - you can see the flakes as they fall! Our Moravian star is going to be round soon! All the points are filling in with snow!

What a great early Christmas present!

Christmas Knitting

Finally! Something finished and something I can show you! I finished these two days ago - you can get a lot of knitting done in a dentist's office waiting room. I wanted to make something special for our grief counselor and thought fingerless mitts would be nice. R found this free pattern on Ravelry. They are called "Baby Fan Mitts." I used two skeins of Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino. I probably could have done it with one, but I like to knit two at a time and I had two skeins, so that's what I did! R has already dropped some hints that she would like a pair and I wouldn't mind a pair myself, so I guess I better get busy.

The color is actually a solid navy blue. It's just not coming across that way in the pictures.
Another bonus - I found this yarn in my stash just waiting to be knit into something special for someone special!

As for L, he is doing great! We are finally feeding the boy solids and he is happy, happy, happy! However, the soft foods around here didn't go to waste. RL ended up in the dentist's chair yesterday and now he is on soft foods! It happens.

Still Here - Still Busy

Since I can't show any knitting projects - completed or in the works because some recipients might be lurking about - you'll just have to settle for Ginger in front of the Christmas tree. R was playing around with the camera the other day and managed to get Ginger to sit still - on a stool - for this picture. That is quite the amazing feat! As for other things going on around here, well, there are plenty of other things going on around here! We just got home from Ls wisdom tooth extraction. Apparently the procedure was a little more detailed than they had originally thought. I get the willies just thinking about it! The tooth was impacted and sideways, pressing against his back molar. They had to go through bone to get it out. I know, I know, makes you kind of cringe, doesn't it? We are loaded with pain medication, ibuprofen, soup, ice cream, pudding and yogurt. I think we're good to go! We'll only have to go through with this one more time as the dentist told us next time to get the rest done at once. I dread that day, but probably not as much as L does!

As you can see in the above picture, the tree is decorated thanks to my two elves, Mom and R. I need to take some pictures of the ceiling. You'll never believe it! The kids went a little wild with paper chains. They are everywhere and a few other places I didn't think they could reach. Never underestimate the power of creative children!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today Daddy would have been 77. I sure do miss him. He was a good buddy!

Happy Birthday Daddy, I love you.

Where Have I Been????

Good question! What a busy month November turned out to be. I don't know if 'busy' is the right word. Chaos is closer to it. This was our first Thanksgiving without Daddy, so we were kind of dreading it. It went better than I thought it would. A few days before Thanksgiving we had a little excitement. RL was taking the whole week off, so we were looking forward to an easy week. L had other plans. Monday evening he had extreme pain in his right jaw. I knew what it was. I didn't want to say it out loud, but I just knew those wicked wisdom teeth were finally showing up. After begging a dentist Tuesday morning to see him, it was indeed his wisdom tooth. The right bottom tooth is impacted and infected. A week of penicillin later, we are looking at next week for surgery. This one absolutely, positively needs to come out, so it will be the first. Do you know how expensive this surgery is - with dental insurance?????? Too unbelievable much! Merry Christmas to us! Add to that some other surprises and stressful situations and you have our November! There are some exciting things to report, but pictures need to be taken first. I'll give you a hint - somehow our living room has turned into the paper chain extravaganza from 'Elf'. Every morning there are new additions. But, you have to see it to believe it! I'll post pictures very soon! Hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving.

Happy Veteran's Day!

No pictures to post today. I would have flown our flag and took pictures of that to share, but Ida has decided to sit her big old storminess right on top of us. Rain for two days now and a couple more in the forecast.

As for the knitting front, the holy terror of a sock has finally decided to behave. Thank goodness! I had a minor setback the other day, but I was actually able to fix it with just a little bit of help from the resident knitting guru. I love it when I can fix my mistakes and then just take it to her to check. I never wanted to learn how to fix mistakes because I wasn't going to make mistakes! Ha! Double Ha even!

Hope everybody is having a nice day and remembering our veterans. Stay warm and dry!

The Knitting Blues

I've been knitting a pair of sock for at least two months. I want them finished last month! It's a pattern I've done before, so I should be familiar with it. The first sock went well. No problems, minor ripping back. The second sock....well, it's not playing nice. I have started knitting it three separate times. I am sick of this sock. I've made mistakes I've never made before and I'm tired of it. I just want it finished. To make matters worse, I had a knitting accident that set me back. I always knit on the love seat. Sometimes I leave my knitting on the love seat and a needle will fall between the cushions. No biggie - I just reach down and get it out. Well, this time when the needle fell between the cushions, it didn't fall, it stood - straight up! The next morning I went to sit on the love seat. Thank goodness I sit like my Mom. I tucked my left leg under me and then plopped down on the couch. I thought I had been shot! I jumped up off the couch and grabbed at my leg to pull out this:

This is one of my favorite Knit Picks needles. I even straightened it out a little bit before I took this picture. I know there are a lot of thoughts out there ... I could have sat directly on it and had to pull it out of my butt.... I know. You're all thinking it. It was one of the first things I thought!
On a happier note, we have fall in all of it's colorful glory.
I took these pictures out front today. I'm sure my neighbors are wondering when this Floridian is going to get used to fall and quit taking pictures year after year.

The answer is probably never!

Twenty-Five

Twenty-five years ago today I married my best buddy. Boy, I sure am glad I did.

Chocolate Cake Hangover

This is a picture of Mom's birthday cake. Oh man! Too much! It was G-R-E-A-T! It was a Devil's Food cake with Rocky Road icing. R is the queen of Rocky Road icing. I think we could have just left the cake alone and eaten the icing. It's more like fudge anyway. Mom took a piece home with her and had it for breakfast with her coffee! Needless to say, she is flying like a kite!

My terrific Ravelry buddy sent me the best Halloween surprise package! The little flag above is adorable and perfect for this week. She also sent a pumpkin scented candle, which smells great. Some ghost shaped Peeps and some Red Bird candy canes which just melt in your mouth! And the wonderful surprise of YARN! She dyes it herself and that makes it that much more special.

Here's a little peek of it with the flag.

Here's a different peek. It is perfectly fall-like! I am anxious to make a pair of socks out of it. I've already gotten it wound into a ball. Now just to narrow down the pattern selection......
Karen - this is your leaf picture. I think that a memo went out to every tree in the county and told them to put on their annual show! It is officially fall everywhere!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Have you noticed that it's birthday month?

L, Daddy, R and Mom way back when the kids were in elementary school.

Today is Mom's birthday. She managed to have Kelly while she was still 19 and then the next day celebrated turning 20. I imagine she was a little too sore and preoccupied to really 'celebrate', but you get the idea.

I've had a hard time getting a good picture of Mom to put on here. She does not like to have her picture taken. Kind of hard to avoid when your husband's a photographer in his spare time!

This year is a little different, as you can imagine, but this birthday is going to be a good day for Mom. The birthday shopping is finished - and I can't share it with you because she might read this before we give her her gifts! (I can tell you that one of the gifts has been off the needles for a while.....hmm, wonder what it is???) We hit the Hallmark store and looked at every single card they had. We are fixing dinner for her and making sure she does as little as possible. Per her request, I've promised not to sing to her as Marilyn Monroe. Gee, she sure is demanding! Maybe as Eartha Kitt! :) R will make her special 'Granny Chocolate Cake' tomorrow and we'll be ready to celebrate!

By the way, I did sing as Marilyn Monroe to my sister today. And darn it! She was at home. No fun to embarrass someone when they are alone!

Happy Birthday Kelly

Today is my sister's birthday. See how well we have always gotten along?

Mom told me that when I was born, Kelly jumped up on the bed to tell her hi. Mom showed her me. Kel went, "Oh Yeah."

She and I couldn't be any more different if we tried. She is a super early chipper morning person. I am not. She is skinny. I am not. She loves to exercise. I do not. She loves to clean. I do not. She loves, loves, loves to iron. I think she has a mental illness or an addiction to starch. She goes to bed shortly after dark. I am getting my second wind somewhere around 10:00 PM. She sews quite a few of her clothes and does a beautiful job. I can sew elastic into flannel pajama pants. I think I did a pretty good job on a button hole once....

When our grandfather passed away, Mom took this picture that was on his refrigerator. She said he would look at it, shake his head and say, "That girl." What else can you say about a grin like that? That it looks like it hurts? Well, it kind of does look like it hurts, doesn't it? But that's her - putting her all into it.

Here we are at my Father-in-law's viewing. We hadn't seen each other in about three years. (I'm trying my best to do the 'Kelly grin', but it just isn't working for me.)

Everytime one of us has a birthday, she calls and does her best Marilyn Monroe singing "Happy Birthday Mr. President." Ever seen a mortified teenage boy? Come around in August when L has his birthday and that phone rings! I guess I should go practice my Marilyn Monroe so I can call her today. Hope she's in the middle of Wal-Mart when her cell phone rings.......

Turkey Time Prep

Knitting for babies is great. The amount of yarn needed is minimal and the patterns are adorable. Now that there is a baby in Mom's neighborhood, I have a greater reason to knit baby stuff than ever before.

This is a turkey bib for Raj. I hope that you can see the turkey design. I never can get the picture of designs like this just right. The pattern is from http://downcloverlaine.blogspot.com/2009/10/gobble.html She designs the cutest bibs and washcloths! Go look up her designs.

Turnip Time

The kids are major Halloween freaks. Having read some history on Halloween and learning that the early jack-o-lanterns were actually carved out of turnips, the kids have been after me for years to carve their own. Year after year I have forgotten. Today they decided to go to the grocery store with me. They remembered to get turnips. Using a knife and a wood carving kit, they carved to their hearts content while RL and I fixed dinner. By the way, there is WAY less mess with turnips than pumpkins!

Here are the finished products. L's is on the left and R's is on the right. R pointed out that it's a little funny that her turnip has one front tooth and L's has two. Long story short - L lost a front tooth in a hammock incident when he was about five or six, so it is a little ironic that his has two!

Once it got dark enough, they took their turnips out for a photo shoot. I love the way you can see the face shining on the steps.

This is my favorite of the two turnips together. Might have to do this every Halloween!

Alpaca Yarn and Finished Knitting

Complimentary pictures (for Karen) of leaves in the front yard.
Doesn't this look like the plant in "The Little Shop of Horrors?" R planted cotton this past summer and this is how far it's gotten. Looks a little menacing.

This was my purchase from the Alpaca Farm yesterday. Isn't it a pretty shade? I think I'll it with the other color I got in May.

Here's all the info on it.

This is last May's color. I think they will look pretty together. Any idea on what I should make with them?

Here is the Baktus that I have been working on. I love the blue variations. RL and the kids got this yarn for me when they went to Gatlinburg a couple of years ago. It's sock yarn. I made a serious mistake and didn't find the exact center. So the side on the left of the picture is slightly shorter than the side on the right. Some how I am going to make this sucker work! It's nice and warm, but slightly 'wonky'. My resident knitting guru told me she would have ripped it out to the correct center and started over. I couldn't bring myself to do that. I WILL make it work!

Field Trip!

Today was the Open Farm Day at Credence Farm. Of course we had to go and see how the alpacas were doing. First you have to speak to Henry.Here Henry and I are getting reacquainted.

Mom then had to get reacquainted.

The boys hadn't met Henry yet, so that was the next task.

Henry is not alone in the doggie department there. This is Jessie. A very friendly fella in his own right. His whole butt shakes once that tail gets going. There were a couple of other dogs, but I was there for alpacas, so I didn't catch all of their names.

On to the Alpacas! This is the newest of the bunch lying down on the job. He was only nine days old. So cute.

Here he's standing up and being like the big guys!

Once again, I like the black one.

This time we got into the field with them - avoided a few 'land mines' and R got these pictures.

We had to share some fall leaves. We haven't had massive color change yet. Some of the trees are bare, some of them are totally green and some of them are like this one. It looks like a paintbrush just touched it up here and there.

Back to the alpacas! One of them would move and the rest would follow. Not a free spirit in the bunch!

These alpacas were in the barn and a little closer for a photo op. They are a year old.

Of course there was alpaca to be bought. Mom bought a pair of alpaca/merino blend socks. I was so ashamed - they were machine made. Oh Mom..... R and I got some spun alpaca - I'll try to get some pictures when the sun decides to cooperate again. R and L got some peacock feathers. I'm not sure why. Guess because they were just so pretty! That's our field trip in one entry or less!