I Really Miss This Kid!

Joy #2 is on his 4th week out at Nebraska Youth Camp. 4 WEEKS! Ok, I've not been away from him for 4 weeks. Only 2 and I was doing ok until about...today. I really miss him. 3 more days and I get to hug and smooch him. If he let's me...

Here's some photos I got off the website. I think he's having fun!

I Love Living Out of a Suitcase!

June 19-27th- I spent a week out at Nebraska Youth Camp. This year I was the crafts teacher. I had a great time with my friends and the kids out at camp.

June 28th-July 4th- Lance & I left the kids for another week of camp and went to Cheyenne, WY, & Colorado Springs for a little vacation.

Today I'm going back to NE for the weekend. I'm starting to think I should sell my house and become a gypsy. I think I'd like it.

Some pictures from my trips are here.

***** Debbie, I'm sorry I didn't get a note sent out for your birthday! It dawned on me once I was out at camp and I didn't have any internet connection. Trust that I was thinking about you! I hope H did it up right. Oh and I'd love to see a blog post about those new puppies. Though, who am I to ask for a blog post!

Let me Catch up

My niece and me at her graduation

In the past few months I've:

• Worked hard to get through tax season
• All my free time has been devoted to my family and friend
• Either traveled or had company every other weekend since the end of March
• Kids participated in LTC (Leadership Training for Christ) again this year
• Knit almost nothing. 1 baby bib. I haven't even woven in the ends.

Oh man someone cut that hair!

Things you would be shocked to know:

• I've cooked very little since January. That is almost 6 months of eating whatever. What happened to the days of fresh bread and culinary delights?
• The knitting...very little. I'm going camping this weekend and I don't even have anything to bring with me to knit. I was on Raverly today and found some projects to start but I don't have any yarn. Why am I not a stasher? And the chances of me getting out to a yarn shop before I leave are 3%. I've been tempted to call Wayne in my knitting group to see what he has that I could buy. Sad.
• I did plant my herbs garden but have done very little with it. Thank goodness for square ft gardening or else it would be a total loss.

Things that haven't changed:

• I still do very little house cleaning. Wow is that all that hasn't changed? No wonder I haven't blogged. I don't have anything to report. :)

Life is good though. The kids are still the perfect blend of entertaining and frustrating. Getting older and wiser (cough) everyday. I added some pictures to assure you that all is well. Those of you in Kansas know that all ready but those of you in Canada might need some reassurance.

I remembered my password!

My knitting buddies were right. It has been a long time since I posted. Life is good. Kids are good. Joy #2's hair is still growing strong. I'm headed out to Women Walking with God conference in Wichita this weekend. I'll think of something interesting to post about when I get back.

Oh, I lost my knitting mojo. I hope to find it soon...

(Mary don't you dare post a comment!)

2 weeks and 16 rows later

My four rows a week is adding up. Slowly but surely...
Only 2 more weeks left of Snow Creek and then life will be a little more normal. A little more time in the evenings to do the things I enjoy.
It's not all work and no play though. I'm taking the weekend off to hang out with some friends who are coming to town for a visit. I am so looking forward to it!
Joy #2 turns 12 Thursday.

What I can do. What I can't do.

Things are great here. Busy but great. This tax season is different than all the rest. Mostly because I'm working a weird schedule so that I can continue to fulfill my commitment out at Snow Creek. The ski season will be over by March 15th so I only have about a month let of this. Because of the weird schedule and just overall business of work I've come to the conclusion that some things have to fall by the wayside. And honestly they make me pretty sad.

• I can eat, but I can't cook dinner. We've been eating out or fending for ourselves. I miss real food. My mom has brought me lunch and dinner a couple of times and that was great.
• I can only knit about 4 rows a week. This is a total bummer. So no project will really get worked on until after March 15th. I really miss my knitting.
• Housework is out of the question but as a collective we've been able to make sure the laundry is mostly done weekly and the kitchen has gotten cleaned once a week. My house smells like stinky dog but once you're there for awhile you get used to it.
• Homemade V-day gifts were a crazy, unrealistic idea.

Other than having to curb anything domestic related things are swell. Really, I'm living a man's life right now only he would come home to a clean house with dinner on the table. I've only got time for work and for family and that's all I need. I have no guilt whatsoever that my house is dirty. Only a little sadness for not having enough time to enjoy homemaking. And here is the difference from me and many other women out there. They beat themselves up for not getting to it all. I accept the fact that my time is well spent providing for my family and as long as I get to enjoy my kids I could care less if the dog chewed up a styrofoam cup and it's been laying on the landing for 4 days. It's obviously not bothering anyone else or else they would have picked it up right?

Frogging

I do not like the boot socks I'm knitting for Joy #2. I can't remember ever chucking a whole project. However, the time is come to make peace with the fact that I don't like the boot socks. I've knit one and I just don't like it. Maybe it's the wool I'm using (Knit Picks Swish), it's very soft and squishy but is not giving me the kind of fabric I think boot socks should have. So I'm frogging it and now need to find something else.

I still like the idea of socks but I don't know if I can whip a pair out by V-Day. And because I don't stash, I'll have to make them using leftovers of what I do have. I like the idea of homemade V day presents but homemade for boys is hard.

Ah, what to do, what to do.

Finish, Progress, Started

Finish: I've finished a tea scarf for my friend Shay. We had Joy #1's sweet 16 party at her family home. She was such a big help at the party that I wanted to make her something. That and the fact that the Christmas goodies I made her never got to her and we had to eat them before they went stale. :)

Progress: I picked this lovely up again this weekend. I worked on it for hours on Saturday and am now at the back neck decreases. Sadly, this knitting needs focus and I won't get a chance to focus on it again until next weekend. I'm also really hoping it fits!

Started: Boot Socks for Joy #2 for Valentine's Day. I'm using Knit Picks Swish. It's very weird knitting socks in worsted weight. I'm not sure I like it at all. But you can't make boot socks out of fingering weight yarn. Here's hoping I get them done by V-Day!

Hemlock Ring Blanket

Pre-blocking state:

I couldn't resist trying it on as a hat.

Blocking:

Hemlock Ring Blanket : 5.25 skeins of Wool of the Andes Bulky, taupe

The color looks kind of boring in the pictures. It's still plain in real life but not nearly as boring. I really liked knitting this. And somehow I finished it within 2 weeks. I hope it blocks quickly because it's on my bed. I don't really want to sleep on the couch tonight.

Those final 5 rows take forever!

I am so close to finishing the Hemlock Ring Blanket! I've been working on the last 5 rows since Tuesday!

Tuesday, 5 rows from the cast off (which I imagine will take a while with so many stitches) I broke my cable to my needles. Yep! It was exciting. I was sitting on my sons bed watching StarDust with him when it broke. I did my best to not freak out and loose all those stitches. I hollered for a circular needle, any circular needle STAT! Joy #2 ran to my room and brought me one back before things got ugly. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty impressed he knew what a circular was. I didn't drop many stitches but I didn't have anything big enough to use to finish up the knitting.

The next day I was able to borrow a large, cable for my Boyd Knitting set from Sandra and was back on track.

Last night I managed to complete 2.5 whole rows at knit night. Now I've got 2.5 left to knit. It's all straight knitting from here and then the cast off. I hope to finish knitting on Saturday and block on Sunday!

I'm so glad I took the plunge on this one. I think I'm gonna love it! Next up I'm going to make so V-Day Presents for my Joy's. Another pair of socks for Joy #2 and a bag for Joy #1.

One FO and One Blob

Noro Cash Island Scarf. 1X1 ribbing My favorite scarf to date. It is so soft!

And here is my hemlock ring blanket blob. I'm up to a 350 + stitches on the needles. This is still flying off the needles considering how little time I've had to knit on it. I can't wait for the magic of blocking lace.

My freak out in Aldi's

Today, amongst the long list of things I needed to take care of I decided to go to Aldi grocery store. I haven't been to Aldi's in a long time, about a year. It was right by 2 other stores I needed to go to.

Let me back up...since the spring I have done my best to eat real food. Nothing packaged, boxed, canned, or food like products. I've been cooking from scratch and eating from the garden. I had read Animal, Miracle, Vegetable, and the 100 mile diet last winter and those books opened my eyes to what food really is. I'm not a fanatic. I eat what people cook for me but when I shop I buy real food. I didn't realize how ingrained this has been for me until I tried to shop in Aldi's.

I got my cart and started down the isles. I picked up this and that, mostly packaged foods that I haven't bought in a year. As I continued to shop, I started feeling like yuck! I don't want to eat any of this stuff. Yuck don't they sell real food here? I had my moment when I was in the frozen food section looking at BBQ ribs in a box. It was then and there that I realized, I didn't want any of this food. I didn't have much in my cart so I just pushed it to the side and walked off and out to my car, with the quarter still in the cart. I got in my car and went home.

I, my friends, am a wacko. And I'm ok with it. Somewhere between cooking from scratch and picking up my farm produce over the past year I've come up with a standard that I can't sink below. No matter how hungry I am I'd prefer a banana and cheese for dinner to bbq ribs in a box. So I'm sticking with my regular grocery store where I can buy what I want and dream of the garden that will be here before I know it.

This is the year I'm starting the strawberry patch!

Oh, and my sincerest public apology to Joy #2 who in fact did not misplace the camera but instead found it under a cushion of the chair. Pictures to come!

Checking In

Our camera is still MIA. I have no idea where it is. I suspect Joy #2 used it and forgot it somewhere but he swears it wasn't him.

I've been wearing my Noro scarf and I love it! It is so soft and beautiful. It looks like this only finished. (man I really want to know where our camera is)

I'm cranking out the Hemlock Ring Blanket. I finished the middle flower part in a flash and now I am now working on the fan and feather portion. I'd say I'm 50% done based on how much yarn I've used. There isn't much time to knit in the evenings anymore. The real job is kicking my behind this week. I hope to work on Saturday and get everything caught up so next week won't be so intense.

It is freezing here. Really, negative degrees and all. I don't know how those poor people wearing acrylic are making it!

I don't know what's got into me

I finished the beautiful and soft Noro scarf. I love it! No picture because our camera is MIA. I surprised myself with this project. As I've said, I don't enjoy scarf projects. They drag on and on and 1X1 ribbing I thought would be a pain. I had fully intended to dread the process and love the product. Surprisingly, I love the process AND the product. Weird.

To top that one I've casted on for the Hemlock Ring blanket. This one I've had in my queue for awhile but knit a blanket? that's just crazy!! I learned to crochet last spring so I could make an afghan since "There is no way I would ever knit a blanket." Yet, here I am on row 14 and I'm excited. And guess what I'm using to knit it?

Wool. So not only am I knitting something I thought I never would I'm using a fiber that I will have to hand wash. I am totally off my rocker here.

Who knows what's next! I'll probably crochet a toilet cozy soon.

Swee16

Here are a few pictures of "the party". A great time was had by all. Joy #1 had a friend come in from NE and stay the weekend. Between the main event and taking them to every shopping center in a 25 mile radius they wore me out! I was glad to get to the office that Monday so I could get some rest.

Ahh rest. I'm already looking forward to resting in April once tax season is over! Funny 'cause it hasn't even really started yet. Working out at the resort is turning out well. At first I was overwhelmed but I cut back my hours and now have a pretty good system. Joy #2 is enjoying getting a lot of time in at the slopes. He skied with the college age crowd last night and taught a couple of them to ski down the hill backwards. (Why?Why, I ask you does anyone need to ski backwards?) It was funny seeing him instructing grown men last night. That kid's got confidence. Before those of you think he's just off meeting who knows who, Snow Creek is heavily staffed and I've made sure all the key people know who he is from hill manager to restaurant.

I have been knitting. I am a few rows from casting off my Noro Scarf. It is beautiful and shockingly I've enjoyed knitting it. I thought the 1X1 ribbing was going to drag on forever. I don't know if it's because of the yarn or because I needed something simple these few weeks but I'd cast on for another if I had the yarn. That's saying something because I am NOT a scarf knitter!