LOST FRIEND

Answers to the name of summer. Last seen yesterday at the pool.  Likes swimming, ice cream, parks, playing..... If found please bring back home

School starts tomorrow.

New knitting project (yes another one:)

This project is a special one for me.  Growing up I had a lot of cousins on my mom's side of the family and one of my favorites was my cousin Julie.   In fact I had my first shower at her house (we did not have running water so baths/or dips in the river were how we got clean) and I still remember it.  It was great all that warm water that did not have to be heated up on the wood stove, you could change the temp with a knob, and most of all it was just cool to feel grown up enough to stay at their house and take a shower.  (I know it sounds kinda dorky, but it is a great memory for me).

Anyway about 4 1/2 years ago my sweet, kind, loving cousin died from cancer.  She was taken from us WAY to soon and we all miss her very much.  In the last years of her life (and maybe longer) she was a avid knitter.  She did a lot of stuff for other people, but one of the projects that she left undone was a blanket for her sister Kim (my cousin that just visited here).  So at the family reunion all the knitters in the family got together and split up the yarn so that we all could get the project done.  So when Kim came here we looked through all the yarn and figured out how many blocks we all needed to make to get a nice sized blanket. 

I got 2 colors to work with,  pink (a nod to Ada) and cream.  And today I knitted the first one.  We have no pattern to go by and all we know is that she used a size 10 needle.  So I started playing with it today and I think I hit the nail on the head after a couple of tries. 

The one on the left is by Julie and the one on the right is mine.  I think they it will work.  In case any of the other knitters on this project are reading this I cast on 20 and that seems to be about what she did.  It took me about 1/2 hour to knit this one so it does not seem so much of a task as it did before today:)  I am really looking forward to the fact that all the blocks can be different so that I can try some fun patterns .... like cables .... stay tuned and I will post them when I can.

TTFN

This weekend

So I got sick of having all that hand sewing hanging over my head so I set my mind to working on it this weekend.  And I got it DONE!!!!

There is still lots of work to be done on quilt, but every step gets me closer right?  :)

Here they all are.

and here is a close up of a couple of them.

Hope you had a productive weekend.

One match fire

When I was a kid we heated our house by wood stoves and we went camping often. So it was with much pride that my Mom would say that she could start a fire with only one match.  (OK there where times when she needed more then one and I am sure that my Dad could do this also, but I really remember Mom bragging talking about it).   (we also had no running water when I was a kid, but that is a different story)

So why am I telling you this you ask?  Well when I went to go and light the GAS grill today (note it does not take any skill to "set up" the gas grill to make it work right????) I only had one match...... and how many do you think it took for me to light the grill???? (note there where more matches in the house)  Well ...... only 3, but in my defence one of them was bad..... had to be bad right?????? sure it was bad........ Oh my Mom must be so proud of me;)

One more project done.

I had the realization the other day that my quilting weekend was coming up FAST.  I hope to have all the hand work done on my quilt so that I can get it far along on the weekend..... so with that in mind I started getting all of the other projects that I have had sitting around done. (does not make sense you say, well try doing hand work when you do not want to and you will understand:)  I am hoping that I will feel like I want to do it soon, maybe after school starts next week.  So anyway here is the next project that I got done.

I fell in love with this yarn last year winter and think that I started it soon after that.  It was done up until that last pink  (the hat started at the top and ended with the brim) so it was mostly done, but I had lost the pattern and lost track of where I was in the pattern so even if I found it I was sure I would not be able to figure out what to do...... so I just just winged it.  I mostly fits and I think it is CUTE.

It has this really neat rim that you can just kinda make out here.  Instead of a straight k1 p1 it kinda has a wave .... not sure I can explain it, but it is cool.

The kids made me take this and show you (as you can see I did not even tie the ends off yet:).

What projects have you done lately?

Scarf done!

OK it is a really sucky photo of it.  It looks so much cuter in person.  I love the color and the pattern (also hard to see in the photo).  But mostly I love that it is done (I need to get more projects done ie why I put up my project list on the side bar:)

Day Update

Just put brownies in the oven (Elijah and I made them) and I am beat.  Who knew brownies could be so much work?  I used this recipe and will let you know how it turns out.  TTFN gotta rest before dinner guests come over.

My Barometer

When I was a kid we had a barometer that hung on our wall.  I remember my parents looking at it all the time.  I also remember my mom taping it often (I am sure that had some important role in it working right.)  We also have a barometer and it is VERY good.  It tells us better then any weather person can when the weather is going to have a big shift.  We keep our barometer up in Elijah's room at night and all around the house the rest of the day (sometimes on the walls, sometimes running through the house, sometimes jumping , sometimes laughing, almost always using a way to loud voice, sometimes ... well you get the idea.)  Last night we had a major drop in temp..... lets just say that yesterday Elijah was bouncing off the walls ALL day.  (good thing it was not my time of the month also or I might have spent the day yelling instead of laughing;)

Do you have a barometer at home?  Does yours walk and talk back?

The big bang

So K, R, Mark and I where sitting on my back porch watching it rain (and lighting ).  I was saying that I thought it was slowing down and that I might go out in the rain with an umbrella to start the grill (we where having burgers for dinner and the kids where getting a little restless).  All the others thought this was a bad idea, but I believed that since there where trees that where taller then me I would be safe.  But to tell the truth I was too lazy to get up and do it..... if I waited a couple of more minutes I was sure Mark would go, and anyway I was knitting and who wants to stop knitting to stand in the rain????

So I waited and within a couple of mins there was a BIG LOUD BANG! I mean LOUD, REALLY LOUD, louder that anything I have heard in a long time if not ever.  The kids come up from the basement (well all but Ada who would think the world had come to an end if I left to go water the garden without her, but when something gets struck by lighting near by just goes on playing) we are all wondering where the lighting struck.  About a min later our neighbor across the street comes to tell us he thinks our next door neighbors house was hit and that it was smoking.  We called 911 (lots I do not know about my neighbors house btw... like color (can not see because of the trees), number, if there are flames (again can not see)... ).  We got 2 firetrucks and a couple of cop cars showed up within mins of the call.  All of the people in the house where fine (thankfully they where all in different rooms then the rooms hit), but there was plaster blown off the walls in a couple of room.

All in all we where glad that no one was hurt and that it do not do more damage to their house.... (although the wife said that she was hoping for a remodel and I do not think it was bad enough for that:)

Well that is our big bang story from the weekend.

Knitting, swimming, family, sewing and fun

Or also called weekend:)

We had a wonderful weekend with my family.  My cousin and her husband came with their 3 kids.  They have the nicest, sweetest kids.  They are all 3 older then my kids, but they had so much fun with my kids and my kids had a ball with them.  My cousin K is a knitter and does not have any nice knitting stores near her so we went had to add to her stash.  (and I mean ADD to her stash... but do not tell her husband.... note to self tell K not to let R (her husband) read this blog;)  I should have taken photos of all the wonderful balls of yarn that she got, but I forgot.  I got her to buy stuff so she could make hats.  I am sure it will be fun and expanding for her knitting knowledge.  I got this cool yarn and this pattern for a scarf..... having trouble putting it down:)

Not a great photo, but love the scarf and can not wait for it to be done.

K also showed Elijah how to knit (he is making a pink scarf for his sister (fill in AHHHHH here).

She had just the right touch to teach him.  So to make him feel like he did something really wonderful so I made him, K and I (K's daughter who also knits) project bags.  Here are 2 of the ones I made:

Had to add a little button bling for this one:)

 Both of the kids got one like this.  I made both of these bags from the legs of old pants (easy).
Well I am out of time for today, but not stories so stay tuned tomorrow for more stories including how the big bang happened right next door..... (need to get you to check back somehow right?

PS

I just added a list of books I have been reading (right now it is only one, but I will be adding to it as I read more.... not to say that these are the only books I have read (grin). The list is to your  right------> and as of this posting down a little :)

I have been wanting to keep a list for some time now, but have just not had the time to make a list (it took me less time then writing this blog.... ), but now I have and I hope to keep it up.

TTFN (as tiger would say ta ta for now)

I wish I was her

A: (screaming, crying, kicking...) I am not sleepy I am not sleepy I do not want to take a NAPPIE!!!!!

If only I could lay down and sleep.  But my cousin is coming today with her family and I am excited.  I do not expect to get a clean house, but I am hoping to get it a little more clean.... that is if I can get off the computer and start cleaning (funny how it does not seem to be cleaning it self;).

We had school registration today and we got to meet E's 1st grade teacher.... boy I hope I did not scare her with all of the food allergy stuff.  She seemed nice and willing to work with us so I am feeling good about school starting.  (BTW I love our nurse and our nurse assistant so that REALLY helps).

Well I should get going on the cleaning so at least they can get into the room they are staying in:).  If I do not come back until Monday you will forgive me right???? I am really excited to have them come here and do not think I will have tons of time for blogging, but who knows.

Not much to say.

I have not been here because we have not been doing much.  I have been having very low energy days so we have been embracing them and watching movies, reading books, finding new blogs to read, playing, .....

We may go to the zoo today or we may just stay home again.  Hope to have more interesting things to write about soon.

Lovely weekend.

Last weekend we had a little getaway. We went to Appleton WI to see fireworks. One of our good friends is part of the Pyrotechnics Guild International  and they where having there international convention in Appleton.

Well we got there and the fireworks where postponed until the next night so we had 2 days to fill before we could see them, but we did.  The first day we went to the The History Museum they have a cool Houdini exhibit (did you know that Houdini was Jewish?).  Fun was had by all.

Heading in... pretend you do not see that guy in black;)

 Wondering why they did not sell this in the gift shop.... I am sure that lots of Moms would say it was worth the money (giggle).

Boys learning how to do magic.

I am a sucker for a spiral stair case.

Why we do not let kids drive.

The next day we went to Manitowoc to see their submarine.  The USS Cobia is docked there.  Mark and I have been there before but the kids had not.  It is a cool place and worth the drive if you live near by.

After the seeing the sub we went through the Museum and that was as much fun as the sub.  They had a cool section for the kids with water.  You could make the boats float, water flow, working locks, .... tons of cool stuff.

After all this we went back to Appleton and to our hotel (that I picked out of a list of hotels because of this photo and hoped that it would be a wonderful as it looked.... and it WAS).  If you ever need to stay in Appleton WI I highly recommend the AmericInn. 

Action shots of the big slide.  Elijah stayed on it as long as it was open... He LOVED it.

She just loves sitting on the steps, but she did let me take her in the water.  She let me lay her on her back and kinda float.


Last but not least we saw most of the fireworks (we had to leave early as we had a couple hour drive home that night).  I did not get any good photos of the fireworks, but here are a couple of the pre-fireworks.

Oh and one fun wind art thingie in Appleton.

And one photo that Ada took.... I see a life in the visual arts;)

I love this.

Check out this wonderful, insperational vidio.  the poem is by Tanya Davis and she sings and plays the music is by her also.  As a Mom it is much more wonderful:)

New bag I made yesterday

The front.

The back.

The inside.

The fly cell phone pocket, (this is my favorite part of the bag).

Have a good weekend:)

New world record

I went to JoAnn's today and spent under 2 dollars!!! I started a new purse today and need some giant rickrack.  I will show you photos tomorrow. (it is almost done only the handles left to do:) 

quilts and sunflowers

Sometime last year my friend Kari made this quilt top and did not like the way it turned out (crazy yes?).  So she said I could have it, if I quilted it.  I was HAPPY to do it.  And today I went to her house and worked on it.  I think it came out WAY COOL!!!!

You can not see the quilting very well, but I love the way it come out and loved doing the quilting.

These sunflowers are a little taller then my kids and I just LOVE them.  They just opened this week.

Hope you all had a good day.

Ada's Birthday Party

One of the things that I missed blogging about was A's birthday party and it was fun.  But better late then never right?????

Some cute streamers that I made.  Ada gave them to each of her guests. ( We decided to do away with the sticks as the kids always end up hitting each other with the sticks:)

Cake that I made (it was going to be a big wonderful cake, but it just ended being ...... well pink)

the b-day girl.

Tye-dyeing (each of the kids all got to take one home).

Penny hunt in the sand box (my Mom got the kids sand for the sand box, she rocks:)

Lunch on the lawn.