The Ramblings of a Knitter

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T11:40:00.002-06:00

Sorry I've been away for so long. We've had a busy house this year. I hope every had a wonderful 2011 and are just as excited as us about what 2012 has to bring!

Family Vacation Here We Come!

2011-07-23T21:21:00.002-05:00

The last time we took a family vacation we landed in Branson, MO. It was fun. We were a family of 3 then.

Now, we are a family of 4 with one under one. Choosing a place that offered something for everyone (that could walk and talk) was easy. Deciding on a destination that would work us given the age of our boys was completely different.

We decided to drive instead of fly because we were afraid we'd be "that family". You know the one: baby crying, parents drinking, sibling crying because baby was crying... You get the idea. So, we decided we'd rent a mini-van. This would give us easy access to the back in case big brother had a hard time with little brother. This would also give us a DVD player. We already have a DVD player, but, it's not part of the car. This allows for more lap room for the big kid. Mini-van also accommodates the loads, and loads, and loads of stuff the smallest person in the family needs in order for this to be a happy family vacation. We'll see if we use it all.

Packing tonight and then we're off. I'm not telling where we're going. I thought I'd post pictures and let you give it your best try. Who knows, if you're someone close and don't already know of our plans, you might find a small treat upon our return. I can't say anymore as it will ruin the fun.

Tonight it's all about packing, packing, packing. We're hoping to leave early enough so the little kid can get two naps in during the drive. Cross your fingers and wish us luck!

House Number

2011-07-18T19:02:00.006-05:00

While my friend, Megan, was over today, we broke in my new Cricut machine. I wanted my house number to pop when looking at the front of our home in case we were to get crazy and order delivery (something that happens 1x per year maximum).

I got some vinyl and a friend that knew what she was doing and here's what we did:

Carefully line up the vinyl on the cutting mat.

Peel off vinyl and place on special paper that helps when sticking it to the door.

Wipe area with rubbing alcohol and rag.
DON'T use tissue like I did, it leaves fuzzies.

Rub the letters on the special sticky paper to ensure it sticks.

Carefully align the letters before rubbing them onto
the door to ensure they are in the correct spot.

Peel and wiggle at an angle so it comes off easier.

Wait for it!

So pretty!

Repeat steps for the abbreviation

Step back and admire.

Step WAAAAY back and admire some more!

Updated Fraps!

2011-07-18T14:21:00.003-05:00

My friend Megan came over to help with my new Cricut (whoot!) and we made fraps. Yes, we get a bit sidetracked, but, it's all ok. I wasn't pleased with the runniness of the frauppicinos that I made the other day so we decided to tinker. Turns out, if you ALMOST double the amount of ice, it's practically perfect. (I doubled and it was a bit too much)

Frappuchino Anyone?

2011-07-17T09:51:00.004-05:00

Found a recipe that would enable me to make a Starbucks Frappucino without spending eleventy billion dollars a shot. I never liked making my own because the ingredients seemed to separate before I was able to finish it (and I can slam a coffee drink if need be). Turns out, there is a secret ingredient, xanthum gum!

It's the magical ingredient that keeps things from separating. I've linked to the brand I was able to find. I've read you could use pectin too. Hubs (the scientist) says pectin forms a tighter bond making things thicker. Pectin is cheaper, but, I didn't remember that ingredient while at the grocery store yesterday. You only need a pinch so the price can be justified (I spent $13 and change on my bag, wowzers!)

I added coffee flavoring as I'm a fan of that. You could keep it regular if you'd like. I used hot coffee. I found my mixture to be a bit runny. Wondering if I used cooled coffee if it would be thicker. I'll be trying that later.

***For my friend Mary***
I didn't add whipped topping to mine as I'm not a huge fan of it. It adds a 'coating' feeling to your mouth when you have it at the end of the drink (it it lasts that long). Thinking the whipped topping in a can might have less fat content and would not have the same effect.

Give it a go OR come over and we'll make some together!!!

These flowers will never die.

2011-07-06T22:54:00.002-05:00

Got bored one day and made some flowers for the living room. I've got to be careful as these are addictive to make.

Flower Power!

2011-06-24T17:13:00.002-05:00

Made a 2nd flower. This time, smaller as I had less felt. I like it. For the record, I switched over to my low temp. glue gun. Fewer burns, but, I have to move faster as it cools (almost too) quickly.

Craft room inspiration

2011-06-24T11:37:00.001-05:00

I will be attempting this now that I have a rocking peg board wall!

Flowery Day

2011-06-23T09:45:00.004-05:00

Spent a bit of time this morning making a couple of flowers (and burning my fingers on hot glue).

Can you find it?

Here it is! I made it out of felt.

This one I made from satin.
(Can you see the glob of hot glue on my fingernail. Yipes!)

It's a pin!

New quilt project

2011-06-21T18:33:00.003-05:00

I was feeling crafty and in need of a 'girlie' quilt. After a quick trip to the local quilt shop I began. This is a picture of 'step one' that I accomplished today. Loving it!

Pictures to prove we moved.

2011-06-12T08:53:00.005-05:00

At the request of my younger sister and several friends, I finally made the time to take some pictures of the house. I'm not going to post all at once, rather, I'll be breaking them up into floors.

Today, the main floor. (Insert squees of excitement here)

Front Door
(free reflection of me in my jammies included)

Entryway
(living room on right, kitchen straight, stairs left)

Living room
(sorry about the lack of flash, this is the best I could get)

Standing at the far side of the living room
(See the front door by the clock?)

Standing in the living room taking a picture of the dining room
(pass through from kitchen)

Standing in the doorway from the kitchen to the dining room
(living room on right, window on left)

This was taken leaning over the pass through.
Wanted to show a pic from that corner.
Not sure it turned out very well.

Kitchen. Pic taken from doorway to dining room.
(cute hubby fixing morning coffee)

Kitchen
(taken from doorway by front hallway)

First floor bathroom
(one of the main reasons for moving)

Family room
(hubby calls it the man cave)

Man cave fireplace

Mr. Ed door in man cave

Another School Year has Ended...on a Sad Note!

2011-05-31T16:13:00.002-05:00

I have another year of teaching under my belt. My oldest will be advancing to 4th grade. My husband has finished another year teaching high school. What a sigh of relief!

Sadly, not all has ended well. The district office had a fire last last night/early this morning. It was said the building didn't have an extinguisher system in place. With all of the paper that was there, the fire spread quickly and the building and it's contents were deemed a total loss.

I have no words to describe feelings regarding what happened. We are very lucky it didn't happen during the day. We are very blessed that there were only two injuries as a result of attending to the fire and not deaths. We are thankful that the fire didn't spread to other buildings on the block. We are so happy that it was only things and not people. We are praying for the district and those affected as a result of what has happened.

On the Cusp of Greatness

2011-05-21T09:43:00.004-05:00

Aside from being busy moving (pictures to come), we've had a lot of other important things going on. The little guy has been busy trying to figure out some of life's more challenging moments.....crawling.

Soccer stuff

2011-03-13T10:48:00.001-06:00

I didn't forget how to blog! Whoot!!

Things are picking up at our house. Soccer season is officially underway. The big kid has TONS of stuff to wear to games. The little guy, not so much. I decided to whip up a bit of cuteness for him. I'm hoping it doesn't distract everyone from watching the match. He is terribly adorable in it.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T06:26:00.002-06:00

For the favorite men in my house! Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day Babies

2011-02-13T12:43:00.003-06:00

The big kid is now in 3rd grade and will have his Valentine's Day party at school tomorrow. He decided to take 'dips' to school for his classmates, hence, no photos. I didn't make them.

The little guy is celebrating his first Valentine's Day. He will be taking bibs to the other kiddies in his daycare room. I just finished whipping these babies up. Took only an hour to make these from start to finish. I LOVE how they turned out.

Flower Power

2011-02-12T23:00:00.003-06:00

This is what I made today. Does this mean I have a problem? (sorry that it's blurry, I had to use my camera phone)

Tangled Yoke Cardigan, FINISHED!

2011-02-01T10:37:00.002-06:00

Do you remember when I started this projects? It was an eternity ago. I started that project before becoming pregnant with the little guy. (He is now 5 months old.) On his 5th month b-day, I finished said project.

It was well worth the wait! So warm and snuggly. So soft and.....soft. I love every detail. I didn't make one mistake with this sweater (not counting the ones I frogged and re-did). It was the first project I spent big money on. It was worth every single penny! I highly recommend it...(cough, cough, mom, cough). Error free pattern and directions are easy to follow.

If you're super interested in the specifics, I posted about it on ravelry.

Enough babbling, enjoy the pictures. (giggling with excitement)

The Big Reveal

2011-01-31T09:07:00.003-06:00

Stay tuned for the biggest project I've had in a looooooong time! My Tangled Yoke cardigan is FINALLY finished! I've had it on the needles since March of '09. Yesterday I blocked it. Tomorrow, I'm wearing it! (I don't care if we have a snow day or not!!!)

Stay tuned, I'm planning on posting pictures this week. I'm just too excited to not give a heads up. Whoot!!!

Look out world!

2011-01-23T09:50:00.004-06:00

Before man can run he must first walk. That's actually wrong. Before man can run, he must first roll over. Whoot little guy!!! (I apologize about the video quality, I grabbed the closest thing and haven't mastered the new camera yet.)

This is officially the 2nd time he rolled over.
Whoot baby boy!

The little guy

2011-01-15T11:21:00.001-06:00

Sledding

2011-01-10T21:08:00.005-06:00

Took the little guy to daycare in the afternoon for a couple of hours so we could take the big kid sledding in the park. First time on the toboggan run. I'm thinking he loved it!

Big kid and dad on their first run.
You have to click on this picture to see his face.
I'm thinking he loved it!

Big kid wanted to go on fresh snow.
Dad pushed him. You can see how far he got on 8" of fresh snow.
I laughed pretty hard on that one.

He heard me and got the snowball ready.
Lucky for me it was a powdery snow.

Yeah, he's walking. The snow is up to his knees!

Aaaaaaannnnnnnd, he fell in a deep spot.

My wonderful hubby!

Found another hill to go down.
Lots of tall grass showing through, but, VERY fast!

This hill makes it look like we had barely any snow at all.

Let it be known we had 8"!

Snow Day!

2011-01-10T12:47:00.003-06:00

We've had a snow day here. My homemade snow-om-o-meter says we've gotten 8" thus far (I took the picture several hours ago & it's snowed more since then). Not too bad for the first real snow of the year.

With that said, I've been quite busy here at home. Yesterday I did all of the laundry without the help of my DH. Those in the know will applaud me for this as hubs usually has this task.

I'm 1/2 way done with another noro striped scarf I'm making for my hubby (pictures to come upon completion).

I'm also 12 rows away from being done with the tangled yoke cardigan I started in March of '09. I know I said I wouldn't knit anything until I was done with the sweater, but, what can I say? I lied.

I can't say that it fits the way it was intended with my baby belly still hanging on, but, that will soon be taken care of. I'm just happy to be so close to the finish line on this bad boy. (pictures to come upon completion). The only thing left for it are buttons. I'll be going out for those, just not today with all of the white stuff on the ground.

I hope everyone is enjoying today even if you don't have a snow day!

Basic Wintertime Addition

2011-01-09T09:55:00.004-06:00

Here is a simple addition sentence for my knitting friends:

sleeping baby

+

a day that is promised to be filled with falling snow

=

an almost (hopefully completed) project
(I'm hoping to finish this winter scarf for my hubby)

Biscotti

2011-01-01T12:02:00.002-06:00

Now that the weather is cold, I'm loving my morning cup of coffee. Hubby makes fun of me because I have equal parts coffee to milk, but, it's the only way I get the milk in that I need.

I've been looking for the perfect thing to have my my morning cup o joe and decided biscotti is the way to go. I like the variety that I have to choose from at the local coffee shop, but, don't want to fork over so much $$$ each time.

I decided it was time to try and make some biscotti. For some reason, I was thinking it would be hard. Boy was I wrong. Granted, it's not a quick thing to make, but, the results are divine!

Take a lookie lou at my very first batch. Hubby says it's better than Starbucks. I'll take that as a compliment thankyouverymuch!

Santa goes to daycare?

2010-12-30T16:47:00.002-06:00

Just got an e-mail from the little guy's daycare. How cute is this?!?!

What a crafty week! Today, a blanket.

2010-12-29T17:58:00.004-06:00

When I was still pregnant, I got a good deal on some fabric at one of the big box fabric stores. It's the super soft bumpy stuff that baby blankets are made of. I just can't seem to remember the name of it. Anyhoo, I got a yard of mint green and a yard of brown.

They have been sitting in my craft room for MONTHS. It was getting a bit sad, so, the other day I decided to do something about it. I wasn't into cutting a bunch of squares, etc. so I took the yard and squared it up. Then I pretended I was quilting and put straight stitches every 5 inches or so in both directions. I had a package of satin bia ribbon that I slapped around the edges with two rows of zig-zag stitches. It's pretty simple, but, VERY soft. The little guy loves it.

I'm apologizing about the quality of the pictures, I'm feeling a bit lazy when it comes to digging out the good camera. I'm just happy that I remember how to post!

full size (I put my foot in the picture for scale)

close up

being put to good use (and yes, his shirt speaks the truth!)

Christmas Morning

2010-12-29T11:19:00.003-06:00

What's to say?

Christmas gift for Dad

2010-12-28T18:33:00.002-06:00

Dad got a special gift for Christmas this year. My cousin, Joyce Ellen, found some quilt blocks that my grandma pieced together in a bag. Some of them were hand pieced and some were pieced together (I'm presuming) using her treadle sewing machine.

Joyce Ellen asked if I could do anything with them. I told her I'd put them together and make a lap quilt for Dad. When I opened the bag, it smelled just like my grandma's house. This is when I should say that she passed away quite a while ago and hadn't lived in her house for even longer. It was a terrific memory smell!

Any-hoo, on a trip to Ogallala this Thanksgiving, I took the squares with me. Mom and Michelle helped me design a top. Mom and I went to the local quilt shop and found the fabric. When I got home, I got to work.

Needless to say, I was so excited (and behind) about finishing it, I completely FORGOT to take a picture of the finished project. I do have a finished pic of the top. I'm hoping Mom will get some nice completed pics for me to post later.

I'm hoping he loved it as much as me. If not, I'm going to his house and taking it. It would look faboo in my living room!

Growing Baby

2010-12-27T17:40:00.003-06:00

The baby is entering a new phase in his life. On the 30th the little guy will get to experience the excitement of rice cereal. You are probably looking forward to this as much as we are. Hubs and I are calling it "operation sleepy time."

To celebrate, we purchased a high chair. When the big kid was little, we got a fancy schmancy high chair. It was great....in the store. However, our little dining area became much smaller when we added another piece of furniture to the mix. Long story short, we never used it. Got rid of it before he outgrew it. Best choice we ever made.

Well, along came the new little guy and his insistence on growing. With that said, hubs and I got smarter and decided to look for a chair that could attach to a regular dining chair. We questioned our friends and with a bit of online research, decided on one. It can recline, the height is adjustable, removable tray, and it converts to a booster. Hopefully, this will be the last one we need for our little guy. I especially like the neutral color.

What do you think?

Needless to say, the little guy is beside himself with excitement. Exhibit A:

An intense conversation

2010-12-26T15:04:00.004-06:00

An intense conversation between brothers. Sorry about the background noise in the first 1/2 of the video.

Halloween costumes

2010-12-26T12:46:00.004-06:00

The original plan was for the boys to dress similar. The big kid was going to be a storm trooper and the little guy was going to be Yoda. At the last minute, the big kid changed his mind and decided to be the same zombie he was last year. I can't complain, the costume still fit and we didn't have to buy another costume. So, without further adieu, da boys!

spooky zombie (I enhanced his costume with a staff & ball and chain)

A friend made this costume for the little guy. It was a shower gift.

Notice the glow stick light saber. I put athletic tape on it (sticky side out) and he was able to hold it. It kept us all safe from harm, you never know when a jedi will need his light saber....

Halloween feast

2010-12-26T12:38:00.004-06:00

Our tradition is to eat, then go trick-or-treating. This year, it seems like everyone was out earlier, so, dinner was cut a bit short. However, it was still tasty and fun for the big kid!

Here's what we dined on:

swamp stew

ghosts with black olive eyes and mouths

hot dog mummies

The final verdict = yum. The big kid didn't care much for the strawberry milk. I can't say that I blame him.

Stay tuned for costumes!

Halloween.....finally

2010-12-26T12:28:00.003-06:00

Better late than never I say. It was an evening of fun. Grandma was out of town so Grandpa came over to help pass out candy as it has become a tradition. The little guy and I stayed with him while the big kid and Dad went around the neighborhood.

Grandpa and the Little Guy

There was carving to be done

Mine was a witchy pumpkin

The big kid got to trace AND carve this year. It was a big deal for him!

Dad's pumpkin looked awesome when it was lit.

Sorry there aren't any outside pictures. This is the best we got this year. Stay tuned for the Halloween feast!

Christmas (one of several)

2010-12-26T12:01:00.003-06:00

Here's something the little guy got from G-ma and G-pa

Christmas Program Time

2010-12-04T17:54:00.003-06:00

The little guy had his first Christmas Program at daycare. He had a very important role to play. He was a candy cane. It's taking his sweetness to a whole new level.

Why is our house happy?

2010-11-20T07:44:00.002-06:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We've been like headless chickens around here! We've been working on fixing up our house the past few months with reason. We're trying to sell it so we can get a bigger house.

We've lived in and loved our current home for the past 12 years. Every room has been touched by our hands and, in my eyes, improved. It's a happy house full of giggles. At present, it's a house filled with growing boys, a husband, and me. Perfect fit.......until they start growing.

Hubs and I started our family in this house and know it will be hard to let it go, but, it's time. It's a beautiful little starter home. Loving the location. We'd like to be closer to hubs work so we can see him more. Granted, it's only 20 minutes in the am, but, it will be much more time in the pm.

If you know if anyone that is interested in a house filled with hugs in every corner, let me know!

Happy Baby

2010-10-26T06:50:00.002-05:00

Da Boys!

2010-10-15T22:35:00.002-05:00

Tonight the big brother wanted to spend time with the little brother during 'carpet time'. You really had to be here. It made my heart melt! They love each other so much.

Big brother can always make little brother smile. I can't wait until he can make him giggle. We're in for a LOT of fun times ahead!!!

Until then, this will have to do:

Making Our House Happy (part 3)

2010-10-15T22:32:00.003-05:00

Today I was able to finish painting the lower part of our house (the brick, not siding) and the side door on the garage. Didn't take pictures as I had too much paint on my hands. Now, it's up to hubby to get on the ladder and finish the high parts as I don't do ladders. Can't wait to see it tomorrow when I pull up to the house after soccer!

General goofiness

2010-10-14T08:17:00.001-05:00

We've been working on his wrestling stance

Be weary of these characters

Why am I distracted?

2010-10-08T09:12:00.002-05:00

When I'm not making the push to get the outside of the house ready, I'm distracted by the smallest things!

Making Our House Happy (part 2)

2010-10-06T16:52:00.000-05:00

Front basement window is done!

Making Our House Happy

2010-10-05T20:07:00.003-05:00

The house is badly in need of painting on the outside. Last weekend, I bought the paint. Today, I started painting. So far, I only have the garage door painted.

before

after

One month ago today.....

2010-09-30T22:09:00.004-05:00

This little foot came into the world.

and this little boy became a big brother!

Can you guess the face?

2010-09-29T10:56:00.002-05:00

Best Day Ever (again)

2010-09-26T06:42:00.004-05:00

The big brother went to his first Husker football game last night with his dad.

Remember when he proclaimed the day he became a big brother to be his "best day ever"? That has been replaced by a Husker football game with his dad. Wishing I could have been there. He opted to not put action figures in his pocket because he wanted to "enjoy the experience" (his words, not ours). Dad said he must have had a good time because he didn't stop talking the entire time (which was just over 4 hours)!

This is the best picture I have.
Sorry for the quality,
they were sitting on the East side of the stadium.

Almost forgot one of the funniest parts! They got home at 10pm. Big brother told me he didn't have dinner yet. Apparently the hot dog, piece of pizza, bag of M&Ms (he calls them en & enms), and soda were just a light snack!

Halloween ideas

2010-09-19T11:36:00.003-05:00

Anyone want to guess who the new little guy is going to dress up as for Halloween?

Fall Craft Time!

2010-09-18T21:38:00.003-05:00

I wanted to make some pumpkins to jazz up the buffet this year. Saw some online that I fell in love with so I decided to make some. So far, I've only got 2, but, need to whip up a few more. Took less than 15 minutes per pumpkin. I love easy projects that are so cheap to make! Everything was from my stash.

(sorry for the quality, took it with my phone and poor lighting)

This counts as a smile right?

2010-09-15T16:13:00.002-05:00

Wax On, Wax Off

2010-09-13T08:12:00.003-05:00

I had commented to my friend how difficult it was to shave while pregnant. She said I should try waxing my legs. I tried in college and totally botched it. It's a great story to tell and always had me in tears of laughter at the end. Long story short, hubs had to help pull the strips off and it wasn't pretty.

I know that most of the problem resided in my attempting to do this on my own. Since then, I have taken an oath to NOT touch anything up on myself that would haunt me for days without the ability to hide it in public (this includes all waxing, hair cuts, and self tanners). I am proud to say that I have kept with that promise to myself to this day.

Which is why I jumped at the chance when my friend Jenn said she'd give it a go. (NOTE: Jenn is a stylist and knows what she's doing, I wouldn't accept an offer from someone like me.) Turns out, it wasn't that bad. Now I don't have to worry about shaving my legs! (at least for a while)

This is about the time I was having second thoughts.

This is my friend Jenn.
She's having waaaaaaay to much fun with this.
I'm thinking my laughing instead of shouting was part of the humor.

Bath time!

2010-09-09T21:30:00.001-05:00

I'd like to say the little guy was happy during and after bath, but, I'd be a liar. At least he has a clean belly button now! Whoot!!!

Guess what happened on the 30th?

2010-09-06T10:55:00.002-05:00

We have a new little guy! He was born at 1:59pm. Just one pic for now & lots of updates later. Right now, lots to do at home and very little energy to work on.

For now, just stare at the cuteness that is our new baby.

Baby has someting to wear

2010-08-29T14:03:00.004-05:00

A quick baby project. I wanted to dress up some of the plain onesies before the baby arrived and had a few things in mind. Right now, I only made three, but, have already had hubby request a few more.

a trio of cuteness

proud Nebraskan

game day ready

a touch of formal wear

I wouldn't think twice about making these again. A super cute and easy baby gift!

His room is almost done!

2010-08-22T20:57:00.006-05:00

We just have a couple more pictures to hang, but, I can't wait. Here is the big guy's room (note to readers: with the anticipation of a new little guy, current little guy will henceforth be know as big guy).

Let it be known that everything I found for his room, besides the awesome Behr paint, was on sale or clearance! Whoot!!

New 9 cube shelving system

new bean bag (can't go wrong with blue flames)

same loft bed, new comforter

same stuff, just orange walls

new curtain, same toy box & hamper

better shot of the curtains

same big boy, new reading spot...I think he likes it

And so his room is changing...

2010-08-22T15:54:00.004-05:00

I think everyone knows we are expecting our 2nd child in a couple of weeks. As of yesterday, everything in the baby's room is done (minus the bottom trim on a curtain and a small accent pillow for the corner chair).

Therefore, today, we started on the big kid's room. We told him he could pick whatever color he wanted for his room. In hindsight, this could have turned out very poorly. He chose orange.

Hubs and a friend of hubs have been painting all day. I have been shopping for accessories all day with the help of my mom (couldn't have done it without her help and advice). Friend had to leave & hubs is working on 2nd coat of paint. Here's a peek of what we've got so far & I must say, I'm in LOVE with the color!

A friend we can't do without!

Excellent job on the edging!

The room was painted yellow when we found out we were expecting our first little guy.
Now that he's 8, we thought it was time to let him grow up.

Started painting and found a piece of tape that
was on the wall that we missed. Whoops!

Can I Still Call Him "My Little Boy"?

2010-08-22T15:45:00.002-05:00

The little guy started third grade last week. Can I still call him, "My little boy"? I'm a bit sad at how big he's gotten. Just look at this!

Starting 3rd grade

2 1/2 years old

More Crochet to Show

2010-08-15T10:32:00.003-05:00

I am continuing to use use the same book in order to improve my techniques. I am continuing to love how everything has turned out.

Motif #118

Motif #1
This was the first circle I did, but, I had a huge error in it.
I wasn't comfortable posting with the error, so,
I frogged and re crocheted it.

I can crochet!

2010-08-06T09:37:00.003-05:00

I've been looking into a few crochet blogs lately and felt the urge to teach myself something new this summer. While on a trip to the bookstore, I stumbled upon this pretty little number:

The book alone is so pretty I had to have it.

My summer duties have come to an end and I found myself with a week of no commitments. Feeling like a week was not enough time to start a new knitting project (that and I have so many unfinished jobs to pick up that I'm still ignoring) now is the perfect time for me to better understand crochet.

After a bit of reading, I dove into my stash, grabbed a hook, and started experimenting. Please note that I haven't blocked them yet, so, some of them will look a bit wonky. So far, here's what I've accomplished:

Motif #8

Motif #4

Motif #6

Motif #25

Motif #41

Knitting Group Ladies

2010-08-05T16:53:00.006-05:00

The wonderful ladies from my knitting group (you all know who you are) threw a baby shower for our newest addition last night at our weekly knitting group. Hanging out with this great group of people and chatting is enough for me, but, when they decided to put their talents to work for the newest member of our family...well, words can't say how lucky this kiddo is!

I have to thank my friend S for remembering to bring a camera. I failed to do so. I also failed to hold still on some of the shots as I was quite giggly and excited. Sorry S! (I didn't put names of who gave them to me because I wasn't sure if they were ok with it. If the ladies are, they'll let me know and I'll edit and post their blogs...but only if they tell me to.) Check out the awesomeness:

Baby blankets, rubber duckie, two crocheted washcloths, and....

a Curious George toy stacker.

crocheted snake and....

super duper soft hat and socks!

Vest (yes folks, the entire thing is cabled....you KNOW I didn't make that one!)

Jungle themed interactive baby blanket. The animals can be pulled off, ~~slobbered on~~ played with, and stuck back in place.

Your eyes are fine, yes, it's a Halloween costume.
YODA!
I found a pattern for a light saber that
I'm going to need to whip up to go with this bad boy!

Crocheted star blanket.
Best part is, it's recycled yarn from another knitter's handmade sweater.
Makes me love it even more!

Wishing this cute sweater would fit me. So soft.

A bit of crochet for the baby

2010-08-03T08:35:00.004-05:00

I've been working on some toys to accompany the animal theme of the baby's room. I've linked them to my ravelry account if you're interested in details.

Lion

Hippo

Baby Bear

Giraffe

Another photo from class

2010-07-30T11:34:00.004-05:00

At the end of a week long class at Fort Robinson, we learned how some units would march. Needless to say, my coordination wasn't present and all of the laughing made me wish we were marching by a bathroom.

This is a pic a friend took just as I was mentioning my wish for a restroom.

Here's another one that just cracks me up. Let's play a rousing game of, "Can you spot my belly?"

Still Preggers

2010-07-15T07:36:00.002-05:00

Went on a class trip to Fort Robinson for my master's program. A friend borrowed my camera and told me I needed more pictures of me pregnant. Here's one she took. (Carhenge, I know, glam non?)

Wall fancies have been hung

2010-07-01T20:20:00.004-05:00

We've been slowing down on the baby's room but still have a few pictures to share. I want to start by apologizing for the horrid pictures/lighting. I promise to do better the next time.

It looks a bit dinky now, but, once I'm done whipping up the crocheted/knitted goodies for the baby, they'll line the shelves. You can already see some that I've made. Not to worry, there will be another post about them later.

Found some cute jungle pictures to hang above the changing table. We tried to make sure they were high enough to escape the grasp of little hands. We'll see if it was all for not in a couple of months.

We have also purchased letters spelling out our little one's name. I found beautiful ribbon that I affixed to the back of the letters, tied with a bow to hang from the wall. However, you'll have to wait for that. We've shared the name with family members, but, I'm not ready to share that with the world yet.

We do have a 3D ultrasound picture of the cute one. I was hesitant to post due to geeking people out. If you're interested, post a comment. If enough people want it, I will. It really is amazing to see if you haven't seen one yet.

Hazard of Bed Reading

2010-06-22T06:49:00.003-05:00

One of the things my son loves to do is read in bed. Now that it's summer break, we give him a little more 'bed reading' time as he calls it. I commented that he looked a little tired and maybe he should just go straight to bed.

He pleaded and we caved. So, when we went in to tell him it was time to be done, we found this:

He's such a cutie!
He's read this book a zillion times.
Not my first choice in literature but I'm not 8, or a boy...

Craft Room Finally in Working Order!

2010-06-19T22:12:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure how long you've been following my little blog, but, a while ago I was wondering what to do with my craft room. I even posted pictures of what it had become. Picture that with a lot of baby furniture, etc. piled on top of the piles.

Fast forward to now. Hubs was itching for me to begin organizing the space. I had no idea what to do but knew that it wasn't working in it's current condition. I've tried working with the existing storage spaces and it just wasn't panning out. With the purchase of our new living room furniture, we were able to get rid of our futon. Problem with that was I stored all of my yarn under the futon. Now I had even more clutter to organize.

Now, if you know anything about me, you know that organizing things is very stressful for me. I get panicked, can't make a decision, and eventually wind up avoiding the space all together. It's quite sad really. All of the free summer time and nowhere to craft!

Hubs got fed up with it and kicked me out of the space. I wasn't allowed in the room until it was done. Had it not taken all day, I would have listened to him. Problem being, I like being around him. So, I would sneak down from time to time just to sit and talk.

He gave me exactly what I never knew I needed. An organized room with tons of storage! He put the room together yesterday and spent the better part of the morning helping me organize. Here is my new space:

Books, magazines, patterns, ball winder, swift, and DVD player.

Small craft projects go in this cabinet.
There are big plans for the (ick) brown doors.
That will be saved for a later post.

All of my yarn is stored on the left shelving unit.
On the right, my fabric.

My fabulous sewing cabinet.
Lots of hidden surprises in this cabinet.
I'm saving that for another post as well.

Here is the person responsible for my wonderful space!
He really is the love of my life.
Thank you honey bunny!!!

Baby Room Remodel...almost done!

2010-06-19T22:02:00.003-05:00

So far, I'm very happy with the results. We're at the point where we need to get a couple of things for the walls and decide on what type of curtains I'm going to make. I need to be sure to get enough fabric so I can make a coordinating pillow for the glider/rocker chair. It's exactly what we were looking for. I mentioned it to a friend at knitting group and she happened to be getting rid of hers. I can't believe how lucky we were! Thanks Julie!

We are keeping all of the baby items in the room.
Please disregard the stroller and swing for now.

Don't the colors go great together? I'm in love!

Changing table. Note the artwork that still needs to be hung.
I'm waiting until I get the rest of the wall decor before deciding where everything goes.

Another changing table pic.

Crib and swivel/glider chair.
I can totally see myself falling asleep in that chair holding a snugly baby!

Baby room pause

2010-06-17T22:28:00.004-05:00

We took a break today. I washed the new bedding we picked out for the room. I even set it up. Then, got sidetracked by life. We went to two doctor's appts. today (3D ultrasound pics taken & awesome) and decided to go fishing with friends.

So, instead of baby pictures and room progress, I'm going to prove that we do know how to do things besides work on the house!

A legitimate catch. Excellent work honey bunny!

We threw out the little guy's line first.
He caught this one before we had a chance to bait the 2nd hook!
He's a natural.

Hubs caught this one first, but, I had to save it for last. It's just too ridiculous! See why I love him so much. He has bouts of goofiness every now and then.

Transformation into a Baby Room - Phase IV

2010-06-15T19:22:00.004-05:00

The carpet has been installed and now it's time for furniture. We got a brand new beautiful crib the other day. With the bones of the room in place, it was time to bring in the bed.

Waiting to be unwrapped.

The little guy helping dad out. I'm loving every minute of it!

Learning how to use an alan wrench.

Dad showing him how to remove the wrench. It was a snug fit!

Voila! All it needs is bedding.

I'm loving the color of the wood.

So far, this is all that's in the room. We are still looking for the perfect chair.

This is one of the few things we have left from our first son's baby room.
It's a dresser that we use as a changing table.
It's been used by every boy in our house!

Now it's decision making time. How will I accessorize? I'm a bit stumped right now. I'll need to do some window shopping. We tried to look for crib sets but found ZERO. The only store I've seen them at is the only kids store in town. It would be nice to have a bit more variety than that. I'll need to do some digging. If anyone has suggestions, my ears are wide open.

Transformation into a Baby Room - Phase III

2010-06-15T11:23:00.003-05:00

Carpet people! We have beautiful carpet in the baby's room. The installers did a wonderful job. We're off to the hardware store for new outlets (can't have off white outlets with white trim). Once that's done, we'll start bringing in furniture. I'm super excited!!!

Carpet people! We have beautiful carpet in the baby's room. The installers did a wonderful job. We're off to the hardware store for new outlets (can't have off white outlets with white trim). Once that's done, we'll start bringing in furniture. I'm super excited!!!

Transformation into a Baby Room - Phase II (part 2)

2010-06-14T21:24:00.003-05:00

I was able to get a picture of the room with the painting done. Tomorrow we are getting carpet installed. Then the fun starts. My fantastic parents supplied our wee one with a new crib! The little guy and I went with my Dad to the baby store and picked it up this evening. We are very excited to put it together tomorrow.

For now, I'll leave you with this:

Sorry about the glare. The walls were still a bit wet but I wanted to show them off before the carpet came in.

My little hambino! He did a great job helping and is excited about all of the work there is to do tomorrow. We are planning on painting his room Wednesday.

Transformation into a Baby Room - Phase II

2010-06-14T15:11:00.005-05:00

Painting = ugh

I don't think you have to know my husband, or me for long to know that we love a freshly painted room. We just don't like to do the painting part. We've tried to leave the gallon of paint into the room and see if it would paint itself, but, that method doesn't work.

Since hubs likes edging less than me, I edged the room. He used the paint roller (between soccer games, etc.) and the little guy and I finished using the roller. So far, we only have one coat of paint up. It's take me FOUR HOURS. Is that even normal? The room is only 9'x11'.

You'll be seeing the room with only one coat of paint as it will be too dark by the time we finish. Tomorrow, when the carpet is installed, you'll see a finished paint job and a lovely floor!

So far, here's our progress:

Hubs getting started on the walls. I love this picture because you can see the purple color the room used to be. It was painted that color when my cousin came to live with us 8+ years ago. (I'm slow to change things) Notice the pepto pink in the closet. Not sure when that happened. It was like an archaeological dig when we took the carpet out. We knew there was gray but we also found DARN blue fragments as well. Interesting....

This technically doesn't break any child labor rules as we aren't paying him. I saved the closet for him to paint. He did such a good job. The little guy seems to really be enjoying the process of re-doing a room. Granted, he knows his room is next. Stay tuned for that one. The color choice alone will be enough to come back!

Transformation into a Baby Room - Phase I

2010-06-13T17:36:00.003-05:00

Please forgive me for not taking pictures with the furniture and carpet. I completely forgot about it before hubs got bit by the "let's make a room for baby bug". You'll just have to believe me about the scads of mis-matched furniture, hideous gray matted carpet, and stuffed to the gills closet. If you doubt me, ask my parents/sisters/friends allowed in that room/neighbors/garbage men.

I have, however, managed to take pictures of the following:

Big brother getting the room ready for his little brother. He's helping pull out staples from the old carpet. I love that he enjoys this kind of stuff. It's fun to see him growing up and to see him like to do the things that I don't like. It's win win!

Hubs getting that last staple out of the floor. The little guy couldn't get a good grip on it.

The love of my life taking the blinds down. I asked him to gesture his thoughts on the room at it's former state. That's him attempting to give it a thumbs down.

This is to show you the trim. I ~~hate~~ love painting trim. The only thing that honestly makes it more tolerable is when there isn't any flooring to get in the way. I don't have to worry about messing it up as much. This is the only room that I'll be able to do that in, unless I can talk hubs into changing the flooring in our bedroom. Crossing my fingers on that one!

Just another view of the trim. Planning on having the final coat on it tonight. Tomorrow, we'll put the beautiful wall color up. Stay tuned!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game...

2010-06-09T23:08:00.003-05:00

Tonight was the little guys first baseball game of the season. He was very excited until he found out he was in left field for the entire game and nobody hit to left field. Let's just say he was bummed. I had to explain that (at this age) kids don't pick where to hit the ball, it goes where it wants to. His job was to be ready IF it goes to where he is. Poor fella.

He cheered up when it was his turn to bat. He scored twice for his team!

warming up

swinging

ready to run to second base

just scored for the first time this year

Five Guys with my Two Guys

2010-06-09T09:15:00.003-05:00

Yesterday hubs decided it was time for me to try Five Guys. So, after a morning of carpet shopping for the baby's room, we stopped for a bite to eat.

I ordered a cheeseburger. Note to those who aren't in the know, their cheeseburgers are DOUBLE cheeseburgers. If you want a single, order a junior. I didn't know that. Also, if you're wanting toppings, you have to specify what you want, otherwise it's plain.

Another note, a single order of large fries is more than enough for two adults and an 8 year old in the middle of a HUGE growth spurt. (Cajun fries are good)

The little guy wanted a grilled cheese. He got one with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. It was quite tasty.

Final report, hubs had another great idea. Five Guys serves excellent burgers. Not too expensive (if you know how to order). Oh, I almost forgot to mention, they give you free peanuts too. We didn't partake, but, fun nonetheless.

Ice Cream Truck

2010-06-07T21:50:00.002-05:00

While I never experienced the ice cream truck driving by my house as a kid (we lived in the country), it is something that happens on a regular basis in our neighborhood during summer months.

Hubs and I were in the backyard working on the pool and the garden when the little guy stuck his head in an opening in the fence and said, "Dudes, the ice cream truck, the ice cream truck!!!"

Needless to say, he stopped it while Dad searched for loose change and I the camera. When all was said and done, our little guy, his buddy from across the street, and his buddy's little sister were all one sorbet bar heavier.

I love the summer!

Garden Part Deux

2010-06-07T21:43:00.003-05:00

Here are the pictures I promised. Not much to look at now, but, something to remember as the summer progresses. Yes, there are weeds already, we're pacing ourselves....

Garden

2010-06-06T22:06:00.002-05:00

It was bound to happen. We finally got around to planting our garden. Don't ask what took so long, we are about 1/2 month behind our regularly late schedule. In all my excitement, I forgot to take pictures. I'll be out to take some when it's light out and post what we've started with this year. For now, I'll leave you with a rundown of what we have:

Roma tomatoes
Sugar peas
Bell peppers (2 varieties)
Salsa peppers
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Strawberries
Pumpkins
Watermelon

The Importance of Reading

2010-06-02T22:45:00.003-05:00

Guess who has decided he needs to start reading to the baby every night? I am totally loving these moments!

Squee!!! First baby item!

2010-06-01T21:19:00.002-05:00

I'm excited. We're going to get the first thing for the baby that's new! I'm LOVING all of the things that my friends have given me (we were the first of our friends to have a baby the first time and didn't get lucky 2nds), BUT, this is the first thing for baby #2 that won't be a hand me down. Also, hubs doesn't want a 2nd hand carseat and that's ok. I understand his concerns. That, and I TOTALLY love this stroller/car seat combo.

It's the same stroller as before, BUT, hubs picked the color out. He done good!

The color is called, "Romantic". Fitting don't you think?

First Soccer Tournament

2010-05-31T21:44:00.004-05:00

The little guy had his first soccer tournament this weekend. He and a couple of his buddies were playing. This was the first time his team played 5 v. 5, with a keeper, on a field that 1/4 regulation size (2x the size he regularly plays on). It was an adjustment, but, I think he had a great time.

New Furniture

2010-05-29T21:18:00.004-05:00

Not long ago hubs and I decided we needed to buy furniture ourselves. Granted, we LOVE the sofa mom and dad gave us, however, it was time to make a change.

We liked the color of my parents sofa (same as my sister's) but didn't want ultra suede. Instead, we went with the microfiber option. Hubby wanted something that was a bit raised off of the floor. I was ok with it. My only requirement was that it was a somewhat classical shape with cushions that could be removed.

After what seemed like endless searching in town, we took a short drive to Omaha and found a brand that we could 'design' ourselves. Basically, we were able to pick and choose the features we wanted in a sofa, including the color.

Here is what we came up with:

Hubby decided we needed a chair to go with the new sofa. Do you know who's chair it's become? Bonkers! It is her new sleeping spot. Not to worry, she still sleeps with us at night, this is her daytime sleeping spot.

The more we sit in the furniture and smash down the cushions, the more I like how it looks and feels. I think we're not used to new squishy cushions.

Don't worry mom and dad, we still love to received furniture items from your house! Don't let our sofa purchase stop you from decluttering. Especially since you got that new camper!!!

Guess Who Turned 8?!?

2010-05-24T20:06:00.000-05:00

My bump, my bump, my lovely baby bump.....

2010-05-24T19:54:00.006-05:00

This is me at the end of a loooooooooong day, but, I promised a pic of my bump. Next week I'll be six months along.

What are those on my feet you ask? Well, as we can't wear flip flops at school (even though I have very nice, non-Old Navy type flip flops) I just HAD to get a pair that my marshmallow feet could fit into! Pay no attention to the barfy green carpet.

My awesome husband actually told me that I needed to get a pedicure. Who am I to argue?!? Besides, it's hard to do my own feet/toes when I have to hold my breath for so long. Just saying...

My most sincere apologies

2010-05-21T23:12:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry that I haven't posted for a while. As many of you know, we're expecting a baby. While this is exciting news, I am forced to admit that I've been SUPER TIRED! With everyone's schedule, teaching, taking classes (some requiring flying), and major projects due within days of one another I was not about to admit defeat.

Something had to give. I'm happy to say my classes have slowed down, we're 8 days away from the end of the school year, & projects have been completed (A's were received thankyouverymuch). Now I can get back to business.

I have lots to report, pictures will come. Here are just a few of the things you can expect to see in the days to come:

baby bump
new furniture
sweater progress (yes, I'm almost done with a project...honestly)
baby room progress

Until then, I'm going to get a bit more rest. I'm pooped!

My favorite carseat/stroller so far

2010-03-28T09:40:00.003-06:00

We found ourselves with a few extra minutes yesterday and decided to swing by the baby store to start looking for necessities. We found ourselves hanging out in the stroller & carseat section. After spending almost an hour looking at how much they have improved since my little guy was little (I was shocked) I found my favorite. Loving the color and everything.

It's the Chicco KeyFit 30 Cortina Travel System. The color I like is Fuego. The carseat is top rated and I'm in love with how the stroller handle can adjust to the height of EVERYONE that will be pushing it. We even had the little guy take it for a test spin.

We have a few more to look at, but, it will be hard to beat this in my opinion. Love it!

Appliances are here! Appliances are here!

2010-03-27T18:17:00.002-06:00

Today was a great day for my hubby's soccer game to be canceled. Why? Because with him at home the washer/dryer got hooked up. Whoot woo! In all my years I never thought I'd get excited about new appliances.

Nebraska Furniture Mart = My New Best Friend

2010-03-14T07:49:00.002-06:00

We went shopping just to "look" last weekend. We'd been all over town looking for a sofa, range, and washer/dryer. We thought we found what we liked but wanted to make a run up to the "big city" just to make sure.

I am so glad we did! We found great deals on everything and were able to get things we liked better. Everything is paid for, we are anxiously awaiting deliver of all. Pictures upon arrival. I'm just too excited!

Happy Birthday to.....Me!

2010-02-16T20:51:00.003-06:00

My wonderful husband got me a chocolate cake for my b-day. Not just any cake, but a TRIPLE LAYER chocolate cake. The place where he goes said, "Hmmmm, that's a good idea. I never thought to do that." I am so looking forward to cutting into this bad boy.

Ummm, what happened here?

Mystery solved!
I've been told it's really good.
I love, love, LOVE that kid!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T09:54:00.003-06:00

Aside from the yummy chocolates, beautiful roses, and very nice cards this morning, my wonderful husband made a delicious Valentine's Day breakfast for the three of us.

Pink heart shaped pancakes & mini heart omelets with cheese and bacon. What a great start to a wonderful day with my boys!

TV, stereo, etc...

2010-01-31T11:11:00.004-06:00

What do you think of this for our stereo & TV stuff? It would go below the tv in the living room. Does it 'go' with the rest of our stuff? I'm sick of dust on everything electronic. Thoughts? Honestly....

Here's a picture of where I'm wanting it. Right now, we're re-purposing the coffee table to make due.

Advice Please

2010-01-30T07:48:00.002-06:00

With the pending arrival of a new one on the way, I'm in need of advice. Due to storage constraints in the home we live in, we got rid of all of the baby furniture we used when our almost 8yr old outgrew it.

Now I'm starting from scratch, again. This time, I'm looking for advice for furniture items that will look good, last, and could possibly have multiple functions.

Ideas, links, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Jump Rope for Heart

2010-01-27T18:01:00.003-06:00

The little guy is raising funds for Jump Rope for Heart. A cause that is close to our hearts, especially with the recent heart attack my Father-in-Law had.

If you would like to donate and help him raise funds for the cause, click here. Thank you for your support!

Funny things I've been told...

2010-01-21T20:50:00.002-06:00

My son has been saying some pretty funny stuff lately. Not intentionally mind you, rather, he's switched some words. Example:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of a Basket
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phonics
and
The queen in Star Wars is names, "Queen Alabama."

All things I would love to see!

Lloyd Christmas Update (Part Deux)

2010-01-16T15:48:00.001-06:00

I ran into the little guy's teacher while leaving school yesterday. We discussed his knack for running into things. I was told he hit the file cabinet so hard, it dented the cabinet and left "tooth dust" on it as well.

Naturally, being the mom that I am, requested a picture be taken and sent to me immediately. I will post as soon as it's received.

These are the moments we treasure!

Lloyd Christmas Update

2010-01-14T21:09:00.003-06:00

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. The little guy now has a FULL SET of front teeth! I was able to get him to the dentist early the next morning and they fixed him up as good as new. After bragging about his brilliance to pretty much everyone I know I found out that this is not as rare as I thought it was. Huh! This whole time I thought my kid was super unique in his 'tooth breaking' abilities. I'm sure he shine in some other area yet to be discovered and probably more expensive. We'll just call this "Chapter I" for those of you making a scrapbook about this.

Are you kidding me?!?

2010-01-11T17:35:00.004-06:00

Got a call from the kid's school this afternoon. Apparently my little one wasn't paying too close of attention to matters at hand. Ladies and gents, I give you Lloyd Christmas....

Lovely.

He obviously feels horrible about it...

Guess what we get to do tomorrow morning?

What to do on a snow day?

2010-01-07T10:43:00.003-06:00

I am the luckiest girl ever! My hubby is a teacher (as am I) who loves to cook. What do you get when you have 1 snow day + 1 hubby that likes to cook? Give up?

Stew for dinner? Whoot woo for stew!

M is for Malabrigo

2010-01-03T13:03:00.004-06:00

Just finished my first project for 2010. It's a super soft, super pretty cowl for me! I picked up the yarn while on a trip to Omaha with friends.

Pattern: Adapted from Susie's Reading Mitts
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino, 51% silk 49% Merino Wool
Color: Green Gray
Needle Size: 7dpn

Modifications: Cast on 100 using long tail cast on.
1-4: knit
5: (yo, k2 tog) repeat to end
6-9: knit
10: knit and hem picot edge at same time.
continue in lace pattern
after lace pattern is complete, knit 30 rows
continue in lace pattern
repeat row 1-9
bind off then hem picot edge
block & done!

How do We Spend the New Year?

2010-01-01T15:46:00.003-06:00

We've been telling the little guy that we can have a Harry Potter marathon. We've dusted off some of the VHS tapes (pathetic I know), made a batch of mac & cheese for lunch and just finished the first movie. He's in love!