PS:

I found - completly by accident, I assure you - a yarn shop ON THE WAY to the first hotel. On the way as in NO OTHER TURNS REQUIRED. I've only gotten 1 skein of souviner sock yarn before... Wonder if I can convince Travis that I need more? Wish me luck.

Monday, Bloody Monday

Ok, so tonight I think I'm going to Riverdance - I should know soon if Stacy has scored us tickets. I really enjoyed going with my Mom a couple months ago, and I think this is a different show all together. Even if it's the same, it should still be cool.

The kids will be staying at the in-laws tonight and tomorrow night. Tomorrow is Travis' and I's 8 year wedding anniversary. Wanna see me that day? Of course you do.

Boy does that seem like a million years ago! But our family has grown.. gaining 2 sons, a cat and 30 pounds. Ok, fine, 40... but I just had a baby! Pass the chips. Moving on.

So in the morning at 7 (isnt that before the buttcrack of dawn?) we'll be leaving for Panama City Beach for a site inspection of this hotel: www.baypointmarriott.com and stay the night there, then the next morning go to www.sandestin.com to see that hotel, then head home. Lots and lots of driving (at $.485 cents per mile) plus overtime plus a free suite, and breakfast and dinner and all that AND time ALONE with Travis with no children. Pity we have to be at Sandestin at 9, otherwise we'd get to sleep in. Oh well, guess I cant have my cake and eat it too, eh?

Friday Travis is going with Jake on his fieldtrip to www.captmemo.com - I'm sure it will be a fun time for them.

Sunday Travis has a day off and we're all going to Magic Kingdom to visit a new attraction called the Laugh Factory, then to Epcot for FLower and Garden Festival.

I hear that the Travelocity Gnome is there... I told Gnombert... He is SOOO excited that he wants to leave right now!

And finally, tomorrow Miranda Lambert's new cd "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" comes out. I am trying to figure out how to knock Travis out long enough for us to stop at a Walmart between here and Panama City so I can get it. Any thoughts?

Anyway, have a great few days, and I'll let you know how it goes.

It's Friday.

You have no idea how happy I am about that. I.am.so.tired. Sean's been having tummy problems, I think, and it's keeping him up and screaming at night. Last night was a little better than the night before so that's good. I am hoping that tonight is a good night. I really just wish I knew what was wrong with him - gas drops dont do anything and he's been getting a fever - and when I give him tylenol for that it helps. Tummy problems dont cause fevers, so I am stumped.

We have decided on a Movie theme for our convention. I think I will be some sort of princess, but I'm not sure yet. I've had a few different ideas running through my head. I am looking forward to going to the costume shop to see what's available.

On the lion front - I have cut out most of the pieces, then I ran out of pins and borrowed some from the in-laws. Then last night when I was going to cut out the rest I couldnt find the pins. Strange strange. I'll try again tonight. If all else fails, I need pink yarn, milk and baby tylenol so I'll get more when I get those things, and give the MIL the new ones. I am still scared spitless at the thought of actually sewing this thing - especially since I dont understand some of the instructions. Should prove to be quite interesting!

I worked a little tiny bit on the co-worker's housewarming afghan. I'm not even half done with with 1 square... so I'm pretty sure this will not be done by the party on 5/26! Today I brought the skull hat pattern and a hook, and I'll try to crochet it. If that works then I'll submit it to the crochet calendar. I have never crocheted a hat bottom up, but I think I can do it like knitting, except make the cuff shortways. We'll have to see how that works out...wish me luck.

That's really it for now, have a fantastic weekend.

Stuff and all

I have zero hope of keeping this all in order, so I'll show you pics and explain them, k?

Jake and Sean playing around on my bed:

while I was trying to take a pic like this:

Then Jake and Jason playing with Marley, the puppy (yes, puppy)(I know he's huge, but he's only like 7 months old) and the squirt gun:

Sean was blowing bubbles and playing with the little toys on the bouncy seat:

Then there was the thrilling games of Chutes and Ladders - tied at 1 each:

We went to Codys for supper and Jake got an Alien balloon, which Gnombert insisted on taking picture with:

And yesterday as we were driving to the Convention Resort, I saw this and laughed:

And finally, the knitting bit, ironically without a picture, I've started on a sampler afghan made from the camel colored chenille for Damarys' new place. I will edge it in black, chenille if i can find it, if not, I'll figure out some other fiber. I'm about 5 inches on my first square, it's got 4 stitch cables with 3 stitches in between them all the way across. I got the patterns off the DIY website from one of the Knitty Gritty shows - the one about Aran knitting. Wish me luck, this is fancy schmancy knitting. Knitting even.

But before that gets done, I will start on a comfortghan for a gal I work with who's just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I've asked my crochet-group to donate 12" squares in Simply Soft pinks and cream. If you would like to donate a square, please let me know. I think it will come out nice.

That's really it for now.

Lion fur, babies, hats

As you know I got the fabric to make the lion costume. Scary scary stuff, but here it is. And should any of you want to create said lion, I would be MORE than willing to allow that!

Should be interesting, wish me luck. And no, I havent started it, sheer fear, let me tell you. Moving on.

Here are the kids yesterday, So.Cute. You can see the owie on Jake's upper lip from a pool incident that he blames on Stacy (no clue). He's still cute though.

I finished Cliffy's hat last night, I just need to weave in the ends. Yay, so that makes 3, and I still have enough yarn to probably make 2 more hats out of the same skeins. Quick and easy, and that's always a good thing. I sent off the pattern to the Knit Pattern a Day Calendar. It would be cool to be an award winning crocheter, but published knitter. Also, I will work on that same chart and a hook to see if it goes right, and if so I'll submit that too.

Nothing going on this weekend, I was thinking of taking the kids to the park, we'll see. I dont have any socks (!) on the needles, and the sweater isnt exactly portable. And I certainly wouldnt DREAM of casting on another pair of socks just for a trip to the park, right? Tee hee.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Peas, skulls, and blanket love

Here was our foray into peas last night:

It went ok once he was used to the idea that This Is Not Sweet Potatoes. The look on his face at the first taste was priceless. And since I dont have the first look, this one will have to do:

Too funny. But it did get better. I promise. And no, Mom I wont quit feeding him "those nasty things".

I finished Andrew's hat, and I am quite proud of it. Next up I'll make one for Cliffy. Here's what it looks like on me:

Brilliant fashion statement, I know! But hopefully Andrew will like it. I need to figure out how to not make the black bits puffy from the white parts being tight. I know it has something to do with my tension and the yarn carrying but I have no clue how to fix it. Also, I think I want to try to make the size a little smaller around, so I may go with a smaller size needle. I'll have to look at that. This size will be fine for Cliff I think so I'll start that at lunch today.

Yesterday when I picked up Sean from Roxannes, he was sleeping in his little pack & play clutching a little bitty blanket. When she mentioned that he likes a blankey I thought that funny since I hadnt really noticed it at home, I just thought the blanket kept getting in the way of his fixt to hand. Nope, he just likes to use the blanket to chew on. Here's what it looked like at home when I gave him one of his baby giftees:

This kid cracks me up.

Jake graduates kindergarten on May 22. That night they are having a K5 play, and Jake is a lion. This means I get to make a lion costume. I am not amused. So after dinner last night we went to Joanns to get a pattern and fabric and something called bias tape (no clue, but the girl at the fabric counter pointed me in the right direction. Guess I'll find out soon enough). Here's the pattern I got: http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?cat=4&type=20&sec=57&startrow=1

I should have taken a pic of the fabric I got too, but I forgot. Tonight I'll try to remember. It is MUCH cuter than the one in the pattern. Wish me luck. LOTS of luck. This goes Way. Beyond. the straight lines required for the pillows and drapes I've made. Stupid lion. Stupid $25 lion. Hopefully it will actually LOOK like a lion. We'll have to see.

Thats it for now.

hats, sweet potatoes, swimming and grins.

Hats first:

Here's the first one finished (beautiful pic, I know. please just look at the hat part!)

And here's the next one with the new and improved pattern:

Not done yet, but the rest is just black. I'll post a pic when I'm done. I am thinking about putting this pattern in for the calendar. I am also going to try it in crochet with the same chart, to see how that works out. Should be interesting since I've never done a chart in crochet before.

Sweet potatoes look like this when on a baby:

He's done well with them, eating a half jar each day for 4 days. Today: peas.

Jake's been in the pool a few times this year already. Brave, that one. Here is Friday:

On Sunday Jake was enjoying the camera and took these:

We had Sean's 3 month pics taken on Saturday and I will get them back on 5/3. I'm looking forward to it.

sick. And tired. and getting closer.

Yep, I'm sick. Sinus infection, plus the doc said I have seasonal allergies. Thats a new one on me and I dont like it. Not one bit. So, my $57 tab at Walgreens netted me 5 antibiotics, a months supply of alergy meds and nasal spray. Not. Thrilled. I am glad I got it early, I just started feeling the tickle in my throat last night and this morning I went next door to the docs (handy, that). Now I feel like I've lost a fist fight with a mac truck. Ugh.

Tired, with Sean still waking up a couple times at night, but he's getting better at it. Yay. His little breathing treatments are going ok. We got a new nebulizer for him and it makes the treatments super fast. Like 2 minutes instead of the 10-15 it usually takes. Thats some progress!

The hat. Here is what it looked like this morning before I frogged some:

Then I worked on it some while I was waiting for the doc, then some at lunch. Here is what it looks like:

The frogging occured (successfully even)(I can be excited about that, it's the first time I was brave enough to do it!) because I didnt like how the white on top was looking. And I didnt like how the decreases were going. Also, please see the black eye in the top pic - yeah, didnt fix that either because I wasnt gonna frog THAT much! So, this one will go to Jake and Andrew will get the not wonky one. I think I will do without the extra line below the skulls, and do the barb and a line on top too. Thoughts? Or perhaps just a barb on top and bottom? Not sure yet. We'll see. I am about 30 minutes from being done with this, which is great. I figure about 4 hours of work on it isnt too bad, eh?

The new project... and a bike rider.

Here is the new hat project...

And also, the 2 wheeler Jake...

Lotsa stuff (and lotsa pics)

Ok, we'll start with Friday. Jason had his gallery opening and apparently it went really well. He's got a few promising bites on some of the paintings, which is fantastic. Here's a few of the paintings and the HUGE banner:

There's more, and once I find out of he's gonna get himself a website and post them I'll letcha know. He's got such talent, and we're very proud. Now if only he'd make a few million so we could all retire!

I finished second sock, but didnt take a pic - it pretty much looks exactly like the first one... good thing! Now it's living in my closet until Christmas when I'll figure out who will get it. And speaking of socks, remember the crochet sock project - yeah... I need to find a better pattern. The instructions were clear as mud when I got to the joining part, and the way the words made sense looked nothing like a human foot so it's sitting there waiting patiently to be pulled out and be knitted into a sock.

But until then, I have decided to make a skull cap for Jake's God-brother for Christmas (or his b-day, not sure yet). Black with white skull & crossbones around the bottom. It's fair isle, and Real Knitting, so wish me luck. I got the idea yesterday when Andrew was riding his bike outside with Jake and I noticed his helmet has the skull on it. Brilliant I thought! Andrew will be 12 (or 13?) this September, and I think he'll like it. Depending on how it turns out, I may make Cliffy one too for his Pirate cruises. We'll have to see how painful the Real Knitting is. It involves a chart. On graph paper. With repeats. I'm.Very.Afraid. I'll start it at lunch. Cross your hooks and sticks for me. Oh, and here's a pic of Stacy in her sweater... and you can see the cable action!

Here's what Easter looked like:

Gnombert enjoyed it, Sean enjoyed himself, Jake had a blast.

And finally I give you Jake's bike. With training wheels. That dont train because they dont touch the ground. It looks like he's flying when he rides - quite amusing. He knows this, but refuses to let us take them off.

...Until today. Jake is officially a 2 wheel bike rider. I'll post pics tomorrow!

He is risen.

He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter, lots to share tomorrow, stay tuned.

the bright side

Well, Sean is feeling better, or he was this morning when I brought him to daycare. He didnt need his congestion meds last night, and he did fine with pedilyte mixed with formula. Did I tell you about that? How the regular formula made him projectile vomit and the nurse said to do pedilyte mixed with half the normal amt of formula. Anyway, it worked fine. And, he slept until 5:11. !! He was cute last night and I had Travis take a couple pics, since I'm a dumbass and left my camera on my desk charging. Me! Me who ALWAYS has her camera. Eh, guess I'm not perfect afterall. Shh, dont tell anyone! The cuteness involved the fact that he's sucking his thumb like I did when I was little. (Pretend to see adorable Sean pic here)

I have been working on the crochet sock, and got to the heel part. I've ripped it out 3 times now. Hopefully tonight at crochet group someone can help me. It's not a very well written pattern and I am thisclose to making it up. I will give the pattern one more chance.

I got my new Yarn Harlot book. Go here and get yours too!http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Pearl-McPhee-Casts-Off-Knitting/dp/1580176585/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-0794285-8771840?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175713924&sr=8-1

I have really only thumbed through it but am looking forward to reading it. I'm about 3 inches away from finishing secondsock. Thats great progress I think. And, unlike it's crocheted cousin, I have not wanted to throw it across the room.

I guess thats really about it. Sorry for the no-pics. And before you ask, I already have my pretty pink camera back in my purse where it belongs.

Froggy butt, RSV, socks (plural) and Jason's gallery exhibit

The other day we went to church and Sean looked like this (well except awake):

That would be a froggy on his butt. I love this outfit, thank you Mammaw. Just. Soo. Cute. You know, you really can't tell from this pic but the top of his head is getting bald-ish. No, really. Here, look:

He's so funny sometimes. Anyway, so yeah he'll be VERY mullet here pretty quick - bald on top and long hair in the back. Have I told you how much his hair cracks me up? No, I'm not really sure why. The color and the sheer amount in the back I guess.

So if I can backtrack a little bit, Sean had a cough on Friday. It got worse on Saturday, and he was pretty miserable on Sunday. I took him to the doc on Monday morning. Now up until now, Sean has had only check-ups with the doc, and never anything wrong... although I'm sure he's not pleased with the shots from that place. He really enjoyed himself when he was laying on the paper waiting for the doc to come in:

Now, my camera is pretty quick, but his little legs were moving so fast just to hear the crinkle noises from the paper that I couldnt get a clear shot. Oh, and he's 12 lbs, 5 ounces. So back to the doc. Doc did a nasal swab (wherein he stuck a teeny tiny swab up his nose all the way to his BRAIN) and this pissed off the baby. Sean was NOT. HAPPY. He screamed and screamed - much worse than shots. Even the day he had 4 shots. No, he didnt like that one bit. And I think he was a little offended by Dr K too, since he kept giving him madface. But Doc came back a few minutes later with the little tester thing and said he's either pregnant or positive for RSV (the little tester looked like a pregnancy test - 2 pink lines). RSV is a respritory virus that effects babies under 6 months - something like 3-5% end up in the hospital so it can be a big deal. If bigger kids or adults come in contact, they may get a little stuffy nose. I havent felt any different since he's been sick, neither has Jake or Travis. Just the usual adverse reactions to the crap in the air. So he has grape decongestant, and a VERY adverse reaction to his formula - as in I had to change his clothes 3 times last night from the projectile hurling. So, he's on a pedalyte diet. Please pray he gets better quick - its back to daycare with him tomorrow (no worries, the next youngest is 18 months).

Socks. Knit socks. Crocheted socks. Here's one of each - in progress.

I found a pattern for a crochet sock that is supposed to fit in a shoe (my problem with crochet socks until now). I started this sock yesterday when I really should have been finishing up secondsock, but we know how I am. This yarn was a Christmas giftee from one of my crochet group friends and I really like the colors. It may or may not be for someone for Christmas, not sure yet. We'll see how they fit. If they fit me they will be mine. If they are a little too small, they will have another home. So far they are ok, and almost too small but I'm not sure how the heel will work out. I'll let you know.

So my brother-in-law Jason is an artist, and a darn good one at that. He's had his paintings in galleries throughout Tampa, and they sell well too. I like his work, and a bunch of others do too. Anyway, he's got a gallery opening - a big one! Friday night (4/6) from 6-9pm at Hoffman Porges Gallery on 7th in Ybor, he is opening his exhibit of 12 Tampa Boomtown era paintings for the 2nd "From Cracker to Flapper!" Exhibition. You can check out this collection here: www.heritagecelebration.org. Here is one of the paintings he did a while ago of Stacy (my hopefully soon to be sister in law)(HINT HINT JASON)(moving on):

If you can make it out to the gallery, the show closes April 30, and it would be great to see the arts being supported.