Moms are the best

There are not many people you can call on way past bedtime to say "HELP!" when it's not a true-blue emergency. I did that with my mom last night when I discovered my daughter was not playing in her room way past bedtime, but in the bathroom where she was attempting to cut her hair and her doll's hair after she finished cleaning the bathroom of course. I had put her to bed over 2 hours earlier only to find this



That's not water in her hair and thankfully it's not the cleaning spray (with bleach). Rather I think it's a combination of straightening gel, toothpaste and hydrocortisone cream. Had a weird scent to it. And three hairwashings took most of it out but this morning the texture is like straw.

So I guess in a way she was calling on me, her mom, for help. And so I called mine. Thanks Mom!!! You're the best :)

Hard to believe

It's so hard for me to believe that my baby girl has a school photo! When did she grow up so fast???

Casting On

I've done something I rarely do ... I've cast on for a _bunch_ of new projects without finishing something else first. And it's all Ravelry's fault. I can see what everyone else is working on and I get so excited because I might already have that yarn and oooo, it's so pretty, and I have plenty of needles and wouldn't so and so like that and .... it's actually pretty awful. There's so much that calls to me and then I spend so much time on Ravelry that I don't knit nearly as much as I did!

I really have a very small stash. Mostly cotton for dishcloths and baby sweaters. And then random stuff from JoAnn's and Michael's that called out to me. So to actually have decent yarn in my stash for a project is quite amazing. But to have so many WIP (works in progress) is very unusual for me. And I didn't realize that until I had to start moving around where I'm keeping my projects and I looked at all the patterns I had printed out. So now I've resolved to just add to the queue and not actually cast on. But I did buy more yarn today. Which leads me to ....

Did you know it was the middle of November already!?!?!?!?! When did that happen?!?!?! I'm in shock. The lack of seasonal changes here is NOT HELPING!! It's like spring - we're breaking out the jeans because it's only a high of 82 today. Meanwhile, my parents have snow and all the leaves are gone. I'm so seasonallly messed up right now, it's really hard to describe. I've always used seasons to gauge time passing and it's just not possible here.

Well, Mike and EMN are off to get a new HD DVR Cable box for our brand new, stinking HUGE TV that arrived this morning. Mike wants to watch the hockey game tonight in HD. I can only hope that by 8:30 tonight, he gets his wish otherwise, there will be no joy here. I lost all the shows I had on DVR which is ok - I'll survive and there are reruns. However, we haven't broken the news to EMN that her beloved "Dora Saves the Mermaids" movie is gone. It won't go over well. She could watch that silly show over and over and still ask for more. I really don't know what the appeal is other than her current fascination with mermaids.

And speaking of losing things, I lost all the email in my hotmail account. Poof. Gone. Literally YEARS worth of email vanished. And honestly, I don't know what I lost. Stuff I was going to get to "someday" so maybe it's better it's gone. Besides, I have a lot of knitting to do!

MTN finally went down for a nap so maybe I should get working on some of my many projects. I'm on the last chart of my MS3 stole and then I will join the two halves. The end is in sight!!! Off I go ...

Poor kiddos

EMN stayed home from school today and MTN is, well, take a look at the picture ... poor things!



So another lazy day here in freakishly warm Arizona (it's been in the 90s ... it's NOVEMBER!!!)

Daddy/Hubby is off at a job fair in DC - send good thoughts his way!!

On the knitting front ... lots of baby jackets




... and some mittens for EMN so she can watch the Coyotes hockey games in comfort ...


I hear some coughing so I'm off to administer some Mommy-love!

Time flies ....

It's been busy here! But now we're settling into a fall routine with preschool (soon), Bible studies, MOMS Club activities and the like.

I'd post more often but this (see photos) is what happens when I walk away for a few moments. Please to enjoy ....

Ravelry!!!

I got my Ravelry invite yesterday and I'm thrilled! I really need a pick-me-up and this was perfect. I only wish I had more time to play around with it!

I learned about Raverly through the MS3 knitalong. Check out www.ravelry.com to see more about it. It's an online community of knitters and crocheters. It's also a way to organize everything you own related to knitting - books, yarn, patterns, etc. I am very inspired by what I see and I can't wait to spend more time learning about it!

Enjoying the Beach Life

We're here at the Outer Banks in North Carolina enjoying the beach and all of the Nelson family. EMN gets along famously with her cousin Jake, 2 years her senior, and MTN loves all the attention from everyone. I'm knitting as much as possible - a baby surprise jacket right now, a la Elizabeth Zimmerman. Mike is reading and enjoying all the nephews and nieces. He and I have both been boogie boarding and sitting on the beach is a daily occurence. Except today. Yesterday my shoulders and upper back got sunburned so today is an inside day for the most part. Later we will all fly kites and then have portraits taken later tonight. I'll get pictures up eventually .... everyone here over the age of 10 has a digital camera so there are already literally hundreds of pictures and it will take a bit to sort through them all. Hope you're enjoying your summer!!

Sandwich Type

You Are a Ham Sandwich

You are quiet, understated, and a great comfort to all of your friends. Over time, you have proven yourself as loyal and steadfast. And you are by no means boring. You do well in any situation - from fancy to laid back. Your best friend: The Turkey Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

New Minivan

I've gotten several questions about the color of the minivan. Here it is with the princess and prince installed on their thrones!

MTN's First Haircut

Here's the photo I couldn't find before!

I always knew I was special

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Her Noble Excellency Becky the Infinite of Tempting St Mary Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Thanks again Phoebe ... this is fun!

And one for Lindy ....

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Her Noble Excellency Lindy the Subservient of Brompton Underfoot Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

I think the subservient part is a hoot! I just wish I knew who she was subservient to ...

I've been tagged!

I've never been tagged before! Thanks Phoebe!! I had to do some research for some of these ... This list is really long - I have a lot of work to do!!

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan/Blanket (baby sized)
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Vacation in New York

I'm in NY with the kiddos and Mike is in South Korea. I wish he was here and so does he!! We talk frequently but I still miss him a lot.

I've been knitting up a storm while I've been here. I'm almost finished with a pair of socks for EMN and I'm halfway through my second clue for the Mystery Stole. I'm really enjoying both projects, but the stole especially. It's got several challenging aspects to it but overall it's a pleasure to work on. If I'm able to download pictures I'll post them.

Mike bought our new van on July 4th. He's hoping to be able to pick us up at the airport with it. I'm looking forward to driving it! We had such a good time peeking all through it when we were shopping and now it's all ours! I think the kids are going to love it too ... especially the DVD player.

There's always something else to chat about but I'm itching to knit more on my stole. I'd like to finish up the second clue so I can take a few days of break before the next clue comes out on Friday. Not to mention I will have very little time to knit once I'm back in Surprise.

Off to knit and tink.

IT'S HERE!!!!

If the yarn didn't get here today I think I would have really cried ... but no worries because it's here!!! We had summer movie time this morning (Open Season .... don't bother adding it to your Netflix list) and then a MOM'S Club budget meeting followed by errands. Plenty of time for the UPS guy to stop by and deliver without me pacing and running out into the street to greet him. After unloading two sleeping children, I was able to open my package and ooh and ahh. The yarn is so thin!!! I've never knit with anything lace weight so this will be challenging. And I've never knit off a cone. Speaking of cones, I can't believe how small 5000 yards looks on a cone! And I can't believe I bought 5000 yards of anything! So lots of new territory for me ... now I'm off to assemble a swatch. Photos later if I can wait that long!! I'm so excited I could just babble on and on but I really have something more important to do now - SWATCH!!!! I'm off ....

Pacing, Pacing, Pacing

Well, I'm frustrated. I'm so excited for the yarn to arrive and I know it's here in Phoenix and yet, it's after 6 pm so I don't think it will get here today. I'm anxious and pacing and keep opening the door to see if maybe I didn't hear it get delivered. Opening the door may sound innocent but when the door knob is hot on the inside, well, it's super hot outside. Reminds me of fire safety lessons when they tell you that a hot door knob is a sign to stay put. Rightly so! Yet I keep checking and keep trying to stay busy but I just can't focus because I want the yarn to be here so badly! All I need to do on my sock is decrease for the toe but I'm too ansty. Worst of all is about a half hour ago the UPS truck stopped across the street - I almost ran outside but didn't when I considered that he might think I was crazy. So I waited and then he drove off. Yes, I checked the door. No, there is no package. And every car that drives by makes me look out the blinds. Just the neighbors. If it was Mike, that might make me feel a bit better. But he's not here yet either. So I guess I'll go eat dinner and go to my appt tonight and wait until tomorrow to see if the yarn gets here. I'm going to have messed up dreams tonight!!!

Exciting things are going on!

It's been a fantastic couple of days and my enthusiasm level is at an all time high!

I'll begin at the beginning .... Saturday we made a family trip to Scottsdale (in the truck!) and bought a new closet organizing system for our master bedroom. The main closet we had done as soon as we moved in but we decided to do the second one ourselves. I LOVE IT!! It increased our storage tremendously and everything looks so organized and pretty now! I love when everything has a place.

Even better ... I got to scrapbook on Saturday night! 6 - midnight at a local shop with some of my friends and I had a wonderful time. I even got several pages done! The last few times I've taken knitting with me but this time I had photos (although I brought knitting just in case and I wore my Knitster T-shirt).

Sunday I got even more pages done - YIPPEE!!

Tuesday Nonna (my mom) got here and EMN was so excited she couldn't stop giggling! It's been great to have an extra set of hands.

The best part of Tuesday - The Alison Krauss and Union Station concert that Mike took me to! Happy Mother's Day to me!! We had dinner at Kincaids in downtown Phoenix and walked to the Dodge Theater and the concert was incredible! I'm so bummed they didn't allow cameras so I wasn't able to memorialize the night. It was a fantastic show - always a pleasure to listen and watch professionals at the height of their game. The venue is perfect for concerts. Previously I've only ever seen Sesame Street Live there :) The sound was full and lovely, the performers were fun and lively .... just a wonderful evening!

Today - I'm waiting very impatiently for my yarn to arrive!!! I'm so jealous - I saw Phoebe's swatches on her blog and I haven't been able to do anything yet!! I got new needles yesterday and my third set of beads so now I really want to swatch! I ordered from http://www.sarahsyarns.com/ and FedEx promises me it will be here today. The first clue doesn't come until Friday but I'm really antsy to get a swatch done so I know that I have the right size needles and that I can tackle a true lace project. I also want to make sure I chose the right bead colors. I'm sitting in our office at the front of the house watching all the cars drive by ready to pounce when the yarn arrives. I'd sit outside but it is ridiculously hot and I might melt. Yes, it's a dry heat but so is a hair dryer or oven and I don't stand in front of them all day either. Anyway, I'm trying to finish up a few projects before I start the Mystery Stole #3. I'm almost done with my second sock - I knit at the dentist's this morning - and I'm also trying to make progress on two bags I have right now. Actually, I have three bags going right now but one has all the knitting finished, I just need to attach the handles ... once I figure out what I want to use for handles. One bag may end up a sweater so I leave that to the side until I figure out what I want to do with it .... which may be to frog it and make something else. And the last bag I'd like to felt but I'm starting to really hate wool. It kept knotting and felting on me the other night and I spent over 2 hours detangling and cursing at it when I could have been knitting and relaxing. So I bought a new skein of nicer wool yarn (not the cheapy stuff) and maybe that will make a difference.

So, I'm really chatty and that might tell you that I'm really anxious for my yarn to get here!! I really want to feel it and play with it. I know I'll be shocked by how thin it is. I'm sure I can do this but I really want to practice first. OK - enough rambling ... I'm going to go find something to keep my hands and mind busy since Nonna has the kids all taken care of. I love Nonna!!!

Busy Busy Busy

Where does the time go!?! I've intentionally not put a lot of things on our calendar and yet we still stay plenty busy.

Last I wrote I had lost some pictures. Well, I got most of them back but not the video of Mike's homecoming. My camera is still acting funny so I'm not using it right now.

Other than that, even without "formally scheduled events" we're always on the go it seems. We did some things related to hockey, the ever present dr appointments, playdates, summer movies, swim lessons, workouts at the gym, lots of cooking and lots of new projects. One is knitting related (thanks Phoebe!) - it's a mystery stole and if I can figure out how to attach buttons and all that cool stuff to my blog, I'll post it soon. First clue comes out June 29th so I've got some time to finish up my second sock to form my first pair! Too bad it's already 115 and I'm usually in sandals. I'll find the occasion for shoes soon!!

And here is a pic from MTN's first haircut - thank you Andrew for helping me recover them!!
(I'll add the pic here when I'm at the right computer ... we're not networked here and I forgot that the photo is on my laptop)

ARGH

As I sit here typing Michael is on my lap screaming and crying and I could join right in with him. I was trying to post pictures of Mike's homecoming and Michael's first haircut and they are no where to be found on my camera. I'm so sad and frustrated! It just happened so I haven't had time to really work the problem but I'll be so heartbroken if I can't recover them. I lost some pictures 4 years ago when an inexperienced film developer mishandled them. However, I've never lost digital photos before. I even had taken pictures of my recent knitting (although those are very easily replaced). Well, before I start to consider them gone forever, I should try to recover them. Wish me luck!

Excitement!!

I was up way too late last night - nervous anticipation and excitement I think. Mike gets home today and I'm really antsy! I want to go to the airport right now and get him but he doesn't land until about 6:30 tonight. So last night I knit until I was almost cross-eyed and then spent a lot of time at www.etsy.com, my latest find that I just love browsing. Too bad online shops never close or else I would have gotten more sleep! EMN is happily watching cartoons right now, MTN is sleeping still and I'm getting ready to check out etsy again! I'm not addicted, just fascinated ;)

Hi, My name is Becky and I'm new here!

This is my first foray into blogging ... what has this world come to?!? I've got family and friends that all do it so why not me? I love reading other peoples blogs so maybe that will inspire me to write my own. Don't know what direction this blog will take or how personal it will get but I really don't need to know any of that to get started. So let's start!!